Breakfast ideas for weight loss

Most of you already know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Throughout your childhood you have heard this from your parents and they are right about it. A lot of people skip their breakfast and there is just no explanation for it. This can be one of the reason because of which they are nervous and uptight in the morning. If you want to lose your weight then you should never skip your breakfast. You should know when to eat and when to not.

No matter how busy your life is, you should never skip your breakfast as it is one of the most important activities of the day. Also having a breakfast doesn’t mean running out of the house with a doughnut in your hand. Most people are in a rush every morning and for this reason use sugar products and drink coffee so that they can wake up instantly. Sugar products provide them with energy and that why they prefer them over a good breakfast which takes more time.

One complaint that most people have is that they get tired during work! But no one ever has tried to find out the reason behind it. This happens because you don’t have a healthy breakfast in the morning. This shows the importance of having a good breakfast meal every day.

Following are some foods that you should eat in your breakfast.
1. Use cereals with low amount of sugar. Cereals and milk make a good breakfast combination for anyone. Keep in mind that you have to consume as little sugar as possible.

2. Eat eggs. A lot of people will say that eggs are not healthy but you should ignore them. Eat eggs in moderation.

3. Eat egg sandwich. People go out to restaurants to eat egg sandwiches so why can’t you make one at home.

4. Make pancakes in the morning. It’s better to eat pancakes than going out to a fast food restaurant. If you want to control your calories then you can use fruits instead of syrup or butter with your pancakes.

5. Eat toast with a small amount of butter on it. It is a good breakfast meal

6. If you need energy than you should go for juice. Stop drinking coffee! Fresh juice will provide you with all the necessary energy. You can make fresh juice at home or can purchase it from the market. It’s much better than drinking coffee as it is healthier.

7. If you love eating fruits then you should try a fruit salad for a breakfast meal.

Most of the above foods are easy to make and won’t take up too much of your time. You can just sit and have your breakfast with ease. With proper breakfast you will feel energetic and will not get tired easily. For some people it can be a tough job but you will get used to it in no time.

How Seniors lose weight

Ok some facts: You weight is more than ten years ago, or even five years ago. The extra pounds didn't arrive all at once but accumulated gradually before you even realized they were climbing on board. Now you're looking at some serious extra weight that does not seem to move.

But that's to be expected as you get older, right? Wrong.

People over 40 may find it much harder to lose weight and easier to gain because, they burn fewer calories the young.

Gaining excess weight is very common for a number of reasons.

If you're determined to succeed at losing weight, simply cutting calories won't guarantee success. Physical activity is as essential to achieving long-term weight loss as a healthful diet, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). By themselves, neither exercise nor diet can get you to your goal as effectively or as fast as the two of them can together. That's especially true for people over age 40.
Not only is physical activity essential for weight-loss success, the NIH says it's an important factor in maintaining your weight once you've lost the extra pounds. Take comfort in the NIH's use of the words "physical activity," not"exercise."
The message is that you can win the weight-loss game with many different kinds of physical activity. You don't have to do killer aerobics and lift heavy weights at a gym to drop pounds and keep them off. But you do have to do something, and you have to do it regularly.

The bottom line is that you burn fewer calories in your 50s, 60s, or 70s doing the same activities, and the same number of them, that you did in your 20s, 30s, or 40s. The key to preventing weight gain is to compensate by adjusting your food intake, exercising, and generally becoming more physically active.

If you need to lose weight, what should you do?

Your body uses food for energy. It stores any excess energy as fat. This means if you eat more food than your body needs for daily activities and cell maintenance, you will gain weight.

To lose weight, you need to get your body to use up these stores of fat.
Researchers have recently learned that regular physical activity can have a powerful effect on age-related declines in metabolism. One study out of Tufts University Center for Physical Fitness found that strength training by itself increased the metabolic rate of postmenopausal women by 15 percent. Not much, you say?

If the boost translates to only 100 calories a day, which is a realistic expectation, you could save yourself from putting on an extra 10 pounds in a year. Regular exercise offers a trifecta of good health: It burns calories, builds muscle, and improves your overall health. Experts on aging say that the body is better able to repair itself and perform efficiently if it is properly conditioned by exercise and good nutrition.

And the calorie-burning rewards of exercise are not limited to your workout time. Some research suggests that your revved up metabolic rate stays elevated for several hours after you stop exercising.

While weight management may be your number one priority now, think fitness not thinness.

Every single time you exercise more than usual, you burn calories and fat.

There are lots of ways to increase the amount of activity you do. Team sports, racket sports, aerobics classes, running, walking, swimming and cycling will all improve your fitness levels.

Fast Weight Loss - Be On The Right Track

For any weight loss program to be successful, you need to have the right diet. You may fail if you fail to plan properly for your diet. Spend as much time as you can when planning for your diet. You may want to adopt the following approach.

First, always have very clear goals. Be specific - how many pounds are you going to lose? How long do you think you need? Be ambitious, but keep your plan realistic.

With clear goals, it's easier to work on how to reach those goals. It's all down to numbers now. The more calories you burn, the more weight you lose. Of course, for your program to be sustainable, you have to continue keeping your metabolic rate up. Keep that in mind.

Make a list of all your favorite foods. Make a quick search for the amount of calories that each food contain. You can then easily calculate how many calories your diet will contain on a day to day basis. Taking smaller meals will help condition your body to burn fat. For example, taking 5 smaller meals is better than taking 3 big meals each day.

Include lots of green vegetables and white meat in your diet.

Your weight loss diet is perhaps your greatest challenge in your weight loss program. Many people are confused over what they should eat while they are losing weight. Will a low carbohydrate diet work? Bothered by similar questions, most are at a loss as to what to do.

To have a first grade weight loss diet, you must think about a few issues. It's not just about calories. There are other stuff to think about. Most people don't realize that they have different needs, so they need different diet plans.

We all live different lifestyles, and we need different levels of energy to cope with the activities. For instance, some people are not physically active. Some exercise two to three times a week. And then there are those who are very active. So you see, different people need different amounts of energy to cope with the daily activities.

The goal is to eat the right amount of foods that will give you the nutrients that you need, and you can still lose weight. Most people just need about 2000 calories a day. Try not to consume less than that amount of calories each day. Your overall health may suffer if you take less than the average amount. It's not wise to deprive your body like that.

If you are trying to lose weight, the right thing to do is to tweak your diet plan according to your own needs. Try adopting a more gradual approach and drop your calorie consumption gradually. A better diet plan would be to try eating the same amount of calories, but you increase your activity level. You will still lose weight at the end of the day because you are burning off more than you consume.

Noticed anything interesting here?

Notice that you can't totally reduce the amount of calories you consume to zero. Your body still needs to take in a certain amount of calories. That means you should always aim at improving your overall metabolic rate instead of eating less calorie rich foods.

The Truth About Fat Free Food

The word fat has many meanings. Two of them are fat in the food we eat and fat that we put on our bodies as a result of eating too much bad nutrition and not enough exercise. It is unfortunate that the word fat is used to describe these two totally different meanings. Because the same word carries those meanings many of us tempt to believe that as a result of eating fat free food we will not gain fat on our bodies.

The truth is that eating fat does not necessarily mean that this fat will be put on our bodies as extra pounds. Fat has more calories per gram than many other ingredients. Eating a lot of fat means consuming much more energy than our body needs and extra energy means the body turning this energy into layers fat reserves. It is really the energy in the fat and not the fat itself that is fattening.

So don’t think that just by avoiding fat you will avoid getting fat – that is just not true. Fat free food is less tasty than food with fat. Many times in order to compensate for the lost of taste food companies add sugar and other ingredients to their products. Processed sugar is a very low quality source of energy. In fact the body can only use that energy for a very short time after it was consumed. Since most of us are not going to jog right after consuming sugar the body will have nothing to do with that extra energy but convert it to fat.

Sugar turns into fat in our body. Many people do not realize that or just ignore that fact. Consuming fat free food that is rich in sugar is not different than consuming food with a lot of fat or just consuming a lot fat and calories. The body is an amazing machine and it is very efficient. Energy that can not be used or is not needed is reserved for the future and the way in which the body reserves energy is by building extra layers of fat. So when we eat fatty food we actually just consume too much energy – the reason we gain weight is not because we eat fat that sticks to out body but because that fat has too much energy and the excess energy is converted to layers of fat by our body. And when we eat fat free food that is rich in sugar our body will again have excess energy that can not be used and that will be converted to layers of fat too.

To conclude it is important to understand that fat free does not mean healthy or non fattening food. Always check the nutrition facts of the food you consume to determine that you are not consuming too many calories or too much sugar. It is better to have some fat in your food and less sugar than too much sugar and no fat at all. As always the best diet is one that preaches for moderation in the quantity of food and in its nutrition. Make sure your calories are consumed from nutritious ingredients and not from just sugar and fat.

A good diet to lose fat and get thinner

Obesity and overweight is not a niche problem anymore it is everywhere. There are plenty of diets out there that promise you to lose weight and fast but the truth is that losing weight is a way of life diet and not a temporary magical diet.

If you are struggling with being overweight you are not the only one. The problem in the market today is that the diet market became so big and profitable that there are just so many diets out there that simply do not work but have huge budgets and marketing campaigns behind them that make people try them out and spend a lot of money on them.

Losing weight is possible. It is done all the time. The real problem is maintaining low weight and low body fat for a very long time. Most diets focus on achieving results and fast. We are all impatient these days nobody is going to buy a diet that makes you lose weight in 12 months right? We all want the diet that is over the counter and promises us to lose significant weight in just two or three weeks. The problem with those latter diets is that even if you do achieve such weight loss in the short run you are more than likely going to gain all the weight lost back or even more and it is all going to happen fast.

Losing a lot of weight fast is also just not healthy. Everything done to the extreme is not good and diets are not an exception to that rule. The bitter truth is that in order to lose weight the healthy way and keep that low weight forever you need to change your life style. Being overweight is a result of many daily small choices. What did you have as a side order for lunch french fries or a green salad? Did you drink a large sugar filled soda or did you settle for some ice water? Diets are a way of life making the right decision hundreds or more times a day has a huge influence on your health and weight.

But losing weight alone is not going to work. The body can lose weight in many ways it can get rid of water and liquid or it can burn muscles and other tissue that if you are not active is just not used. The preferred way to lose wait is for the body to burn fat and thus by losing fat you would really lose fat while maintaining your muscles. Unfortunately there is no magic way to do that. The only way to tell your body that it should burn fat and not muscle is by using your muscles. When you exercise regularly you are using your muscles and when your body sees that the muscles are actually in need the body would choose to burn fat and not the so needed muscles.

Losing way is simple. Forget the diets do not spend money on unnecessary books and miracle drugs. Just keep doing three things every day all day long. Make the right food choices and you know what they are. Nobody needs a book to know that french fries are not good for them. Eat in moderation do not deprive yourself completely. Exercise regularly and make sure that your total calories intake is less or equal to your outtake. In other words do not consume extra calories as they will very simply just turn into fat

Real facts about weight loss diets and calories

Obesity is an epidemic in the eastern world. Many commercial companies use the people's desire to lose weight by offering Magic nutrition and other programs that promise to lose weight. Understanding some facts behind weight loss can help you, not for these products.

Extreme diets are not healthy they can still help. Almost everyone, by an extreme diet and lost considerable weight on the end of all weight loss and more after a short while. The reason is that our weight is a result of our everyday behavior over a long period. Going on a diet for a short while and then back to our old bad habits simply does not work.

Why do we gain weight? The core and fundamental reason is simple, we consume more calories per day then we will burn. Calories are energy, and when we consume more than we do with body needs to do something with the excess energy. Evolution programmed the body to energy in fat. Grease is the way in which the body retains energy for days on which they are required. Evolution is clever grease the way the body to save energy for a rainy day, when the body one day consume fewer calories than it consumes the body needs for energy from somewhere and it does that by burning fat.

So that the first and most important thing to remember is simple: if you eat more calories that you burn fat you get. If you eat fewer calories than you consume your body will burn the fat and use their energy. The amount of energy you consume daily basis depending on your activity.

To demonstrate that the basic rule, the only thing needed is to eat fewer calories than you consume. So you can just sit and eat junk food, as long as there are not too many calories? Well, theoretically yes, but in order for the body to continue working as it is supposed to, you should also make sure that you have the right diet which means that other than food to eat junk food.

So you can just eat good food in the right quantity and lose weight? The answer is yes, you are weight, but if you do not do any sport, you lose the first muscle weight and fat after. If you are on a diet without sport are you looking fat, but weak. The solution is to do sports you need not be extreme, but at least the body of work a little. The body is not programmed to burn muscle mass, muscle mass if needed. If you know sports body, the muscles are needed, and it will quickly burn muscle instead.

How to lose weight is really quite simple and straightforward: eat in moderation, you can eat a little junk food, but make sure that your most important food intake rich in good nutrition. Make sure you eat fewer calories than you consume, and also sports on a regular basis. Do not think of it as a diet, you need to follow for a certain time, rather than those in a lifestyle that you continue following last forever.

Choosing a Weight Loss Program That Works For You

Believe it or not, there are some people that actually lose weight on their own; others like the support of a structured program that they can follow. Overweight people who are successful at losing weight and keeping it off, can reduce the threat of heart disease. If you decide to join any kind of weight loss program, here are some questions you should ask before you join up.

Does the program provide counseling to help you change your eating activity, and personal habits?
The program should teach you how to change permanently those eating habits and lifestyle factors, such as lack of physical activity that have contributed to weight gain.

Is the staff made up of a variety of qualified counselors and health professionals such as nutritionists, registered dietitians, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and exercise physiologists?
You need to be evaluated by a physician if you have any health problems, are currently taking any medicine, or plan on taking any medicine, or plan to lose more than 15 to 20 pounds. If your weight control plan uses a very low-calorie diet (a special liquid formula that replaces all food for 1 to 4 months), an exam and follow up visits by a doctor are also needed.

Is training available on how to deal with times when you may feel stressed and slip back to old habits?
The program should provide long-term strategies to deal with weight problems you may have in the future. These strategies might include things like setting up a support system and establishing a physical activity routine.

Is attention paid to keeping the weight off? How long is this phase?
Choose a program that teaches skills and techniques to make permanent changes in eating habits and levels of physical activity to prevent weight gain.

Are food choices flexible and suitable?
Are weight goals set by the client and the health professional?
The program should consider your food likes and dislikes and your lifestyle when your weight loss goals are planned.


There are other questions you can ask about how well a program works. Because many programs don't gather this information, you may not get answers. But it's still important to ask them:

* What percentage of people complete the program?

* What is the average weight loss among people who finish the program?

* What percentage of people have problems or side effects? What are they?

* Are there fees or costs for additional items, such as dietary supplements?

Remember, quick weight loss methods don't provide lasting results. Weight loss methods that rely on diet aids like drinks, prepackaged foods, or diet pills don't work in the long run. Whether you lose weight on your own or with a group, remember that the most important changes are long term. No matter how much weight you have to lose, modest goals and a slow course will increase your chances of both losing the weight and keeping it off.

BlueBerries As Fat Busters

Blueberries may be useful in busting belly fat.

A new study showed that rats who ate a diet rich in blueberries lost abdominal fat linked to heart disease and diabetes. They experienced other health benefits like lower cholestrerol and improved glucose control even if they were on a high -fat diet.

The scientists, who presented the study at Experimental Biology 2009 in New Orleans last week, said the results suggested that antioxidant-rich blueberries may change how the body stores and processes glucose or sugar for energy and can perhaps reduce the risk of both heart disease and diabetes.

"The naturally occurring chemicals in blueberries, such as anthocynains, show promise in mitigating these health conditions," researcher Steven Bolling, of the University of Michigan, said

The rats in the 90-day study, which were fed a low fat diet enriched with whole blueberry powder as 2 percent of their total diet, had less abdominal fat, lower cholesterol and improved glucose control and insulin sensitivity. The latter 2 factors are markers of how well the body processes sugar for energy and are related to risk of diabetes.

The scientists said more research was needed to confirm these result in humans.

Source : Straits Times, Mind Your Body