Be careful with diet pills

If you are a person who has struggled with their weight and has a BMI, or body mass index, above a 27, the idea of a pill helping you lose weight is very appealing. Taking diet pills seem to be the quick fix to helping obese persons lose weight. There are advantages to taking diet pills, but you have to weigh these benefits with the potential dangers of taking diet pills.

Some things you have to be careful about when taking diet pills are:

· Dangerous side effects and drug interactions – Some prescription diet drugs are very strong. Possible side effects occur in almost all prescription medications, and some can be very serious in nature. Each diet pill has its own unique set of side effect warnings, but some of the more commonly listed side effects are dry mouth, sleeplessness, irritability, upset stomach and constipation. You also have to look at the possibility of drug interactions between the diet pills and other medications you are taking. If you have any other health issues, the taking of diet pills may cause serious consequences when combined with other medications.

· The potential for becoming dependant of the diet pills – There are many diet pills that can become habit forming. Some prescription diet pills are stimulant-based and can be abused by users. This abuse can lead to dependence, just as with any other strong medication. Make sure to talk with your doctor if he decides to put you on a diet prescription that has been shown to be habit-forming. Find out what signs you should look for to indicate if you are having a problem.

· The potential of the diet pills disrupting regular metabolism – Since prescription diet drugs main purpose is to suppress appetite, the person taking diet pills may find themselves consuming many less calories than normal. This is good for losing weight on the surface, but ultimately will lead to your natural metabolism to slow down. When your natural metabolism slows, so does the rate in which you lose weight. That is why people who take diet drugs find they only lose a finite amount of weight when they take diet pills alone.

In order for diet pills to work for you, the first thing you should do is talk to your doctor. Find ways to change your lifestyle on top of the taking of the diet drugs to help you lose weight. Regular exercise, changing food choices, and regular check-ups with your doctor are great ways to increase your weight loss success.

Is this the real secret to losing weight

Does maintaining a diet with no carbohydrates really help decrease weight? Since the early 1970s, several weight loss plans have supported avoiding or reducing carbohydrates, referred to as "carbs", from our diets in varying quantities. Although these carb-conscious diets are embraced by some, they continue to raise questions for many. For example, it has been debated whether it is safe to limit carbohydrate intake, and whether this can be done in a healthy, sustainable way. Some carbohydrates are better or healthier than others. Another question raised is whether or not everyone should limit carbohydrates, and whether someone can eat a diet of natural foods while controlling carbohydrate consumption.

Aside from the common theories on why low carb diets work, no agreement exists on what makes up the optimal reduced carbohydrate diet. Suggestions of the various diet plans recommend a range from 20 to 100 grams of carbohydrates daily, and few recommend no carbs at all, although this diet has been seen in Hollywood. Many of these diets advise restraining from the intake of carbs such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and added sugars, but they differ in implementation and thorough directions. There are also no official guidelines on what foods should constitute a controlled carb diet, and the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no formal classification of a low carbohydrate food.

To put the resulting mystification into perspective, keep in mind that one-size-fits-all just doesn't work when it comes to dieting. Nutrition choices should be individualized and depend upon genetics, lifestyle, activity levels, health status, and special needs. Some experimentation may be necessary to determine what works best for you. Some may find cutting back on carbohydrates is most favourable for their health, weight, and blood sugar levels, and they decide to limit their carb intake as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

With regards to low-carbohydrate diets you may well lose weight on this regimen because if you cut down on bread, pasta, rice, crisps and eat only meat, fish and vegetables you will tend to eat less overall. But you are likely to get bored with this diet and therefore slip or get too hungry as your diet will lack bulk. Furthermore, limiting carbohydrates causes the body to rely on fat or muscle for energy. This can create a by-product called ketones, causing fatigue and nausea. This is particularly dangerous for anyone with diabetes, heart or kidney problems.

Yes, there is such thing as a healthy low-carb diet. The key is to not go overboard and throw out all the essential nutrients we need for health and optimum energy in pursuit of a low-carb eating plan. High-carb diets typically contain 50 to 60 percent of total calories from carbohydrate. A healthy low-carb plan will contain 40 to 45 percent of calories from carbohydrate. That way you keep the carbs that provide nutrition: fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, milk and yogurt and decrease your use of simple carbs like sugar, candy, cookies, soda and snack foods.

Fresh fish are high in protein and are often carbohydrate free. Shellfish generally contain some carbohydrates. Keep an eye out for prepared seafood products-like crab cakes or breaded fish-that may contain moderate amounts of carbohydrates. Protein-packed meat and poultry make up the bulk of many controlled carb diets. Try eating bacon, chicken, deli meats, duck, sausage, pork, lamb, rabbit, etc.

There’s also no need to stay away from nature's sweets. Keep in mind that high fibre content in certain fruits accounts for a sizable percentage of carbohydrates. Fibre is essential for the body and it is generally subtracted from total carbohydrates when determining "net carbs" — the carbs thought to affect blood sugar and, therefore, weight loss.

Even if you are adhering to a controlled carb diet, it is important to eat plenty of produce. Colourful vegetables provide fibre, vitamins, minerals, and numerous phytochemicals. The carbohydrate content of vegetables ranges greatly. Non-starchy, brightly coloured vegetables are a safe bet for those watching their carbs.

Women s health and fitness - reducing cortisol levels can help you to lose weight

It is now known that stress can actually stop you losing weight especially around your middle. Stress can cause your body to secrete high levels of cortisol hormone into your bloodstream, because of your body's "flight or fight" response to stress. Stress can be either psychological (mental and emotional) or physical.

Cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands and is actually important for the regulation of blood pressure, the immune system and many other functions. Cortisol can be good in small amounts but high levels can lead to an increase of abdominal fat, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes and can also increase your bad cholesterol levels and decrease your good cholesterol levels.

High levels of cortisol can also decrease your bone density, leading to osteoporosis and loss of muscle tissue, which will also slow down your metabolic rate, and it can also increase your blood pressure along with other problems.

Each of you will react differently to stress; some of you will produce more cortisol to a particular stress while others will produce less. It has been found that those of you that produce more cortisol will actually eat more food as well, in particular carbohydrates.

What you need to do to combat producing too much cortisol is to learn ways to relax and also to maybe change your lifestyle.

Relaxation can be achieved in a number of ways either by exercising, mediation, yoga or breathing to start with.

Maybe one of the easiest and simplest ways is breathing. This is done by gently breathing in through the nose, gently expanding your abdomen and then gently expelling the air through your nose pulling in your abdomen at the same time. Whilst breathing out the air you need to focus on that breath. After several breaths in and out you should start to feel yourself relax. You need to practice doing this exercise a few minutes a day to start with building up to five minutes in the end. You can also practice this when you are feeling stressed or when things are getting on top of you. Just a few minutes can slow your body down and help it to feel relax.

Life style changes can be like changing your eating habits for a healthier diet, getting enough sleep, or even organizing your time more efficiently so that you do not feel so stressed. Also looking after your body will help your body to cope with stresses that you come across during your day.

So if you are exercising frequently and eating properly but still not losing any weight especially from around the middle then maybe you are suffering from high levels of cortisol caused by stress. Look at ways to solve the problem and hopefully then you should see a difference in your weight and around your middle.

Getting yourself fit for the season

With the changing of the seasons comes the changing of the wardrobe. Sometimes, however, you find that you can't fit into your clothes the way you could a year ago. A recent survey shows that two in five adults need to lose at least 10 pounds to feel comfortable in a bathing suit. That's why so many people are choosing this time to start a diet.

If you're beginning a weight loss program to get your body ready for the season, here are some tips to help you get started:

• Challenge Yourself. Have a goal and stick to achieving it. Make sure that you are reminded of your goal every day.

• Set a Date. Starting your weight loss plan early gives you plenty of time to shed those unwanted pounds. Choose a weight loss program that is easy to follow, fits into your lifestyle and produces quick results.

• Get a Buddy. Enlist the support of a friend to help you meet your weight loss goals. Studies show those people who have the support of a buddy tend to stick to their diets more than those who fly solo.

• The Garden of "Eatin'." Eat more fruits and vegetables. Not only are these foods good for your waistline, but they are nutritious and keep you hydrated.

• Put Some Spring in Your Step. Whether it means parking your car farther away than usual or taking a pet to the park, try to make exercise part of your daily routine. Even 20 minutes a day adds up.

• Spring Fling. Host a dinner party for your friends and make sure that there are plenty of healthy food options available. Try grilling lean proteins such as chicken and tuna instead of frying or baking them. You can add a variety of seasonings and spices to change up the routine.

• Space it Out. Studies show that eating smaller meals throughout the day can be effective in the weight loss process because they help to curb your hunger. If you eat six small meals a day, you will feel less hungry in between meals. Plan your meals in advance to avoid last-minute splurges.

• Drink Up. If you participate in outdoor activities, remember to stay hydrated. Steer clear of calorie-laden beverages such as soda, lemonade and sweet tea. Water is always the best choice.

Dieting i can t afford to lose weight

We are so eager to lose weight that we swallow the promises of every diet guru on the planet and eagerly plunk down our hard earned cash, praying that this time it will work.

What are the costs of the popular diets? The initial cost is to buy the “Bible” for the diet or join the program. Those initial fees range from $20 or $30 for a book to several hundred dollars for a personal program.

Then there’s the food. Studies have shown that the average cost of a week’s food purchases, per individual, is slightly above $50. To start the South Beach Diet, tack on an additional $25 per week. For the Zone and Weight Watchers Diets, the additional cost is about $40, for Atkins $50, for NutriSystems almost $60 and for Jenny Craig about $85!

Wait a minute, you say. I’m losing weight by cutting back on eating. Shouldn’t that SAVE me money?

Looking at it logically, you would certainly think so. But we don’t try to lose weight logically, we approach the whole process through our emotions. It is our emotions that lead us to buy things on impulse, to sign up for programs we know we’ll never complete, and to join projects we’ll never actively pursue.

Our emotional thinking is our weakness and it has nothing to do with intelligence or education or social level. We all get suckered into scams at some point in our lives and we all occasionally suffer from buyer’s remorse – it’s a part of the human experience.

The marketers and ad men know it well and spend their days devising tricks for which we all too often fall. How often have you eagerly dialed an 800 number during one of those brilliant infomercials only to receive something that doesn’t work as it did on TV, is either shoddily made or just too complicated, and you stick it in the back of a cupboard where it gathers dust until you finally toss it?

When it comes to our weight, our emotions reign supreme. We so desperately want to be more attractive, more respected, and more desirable. We will even subject ourselves to painful and sometimes dangerous surgery to bring our reality closer to our ideal. And we will rob our piggy banks, deplete our bank accounts, and run up our credit cards for anything that promises us a slender future.

Do we get what we pay for? Sometimes. There are a few successful disciples in every program. It is their pictures and stories that are prominently displayed in promotional literature. It is the old “before” and “after” trick that sucks us in. Our logic (and a tiny footnote) tells us that the featured results are not typical.

The wary left side of our brain wonders if a little airbrushing might have been employed. Then the right side explodes, filled with desire, well-meaning intentions, and an overwhelming urge to believe. And we fall for it again.

Notice that we never hear or see about the failures, the hundreds of thousands who start a diet with such high hopes yet live the rest of their lives overweight. All the diets have their failures but never bother to mention exactly what their percentages are. They may caution that their program must be followed exactly if it is to work, but let’s be realistic. How many of us can follow an unswerving routine for the weeks, months, or years it is going to take to reach our ideal weight? We may be creatures of habit but life seldom fits into one unsquishable box for very long. We adapt the routine to meet our immediate needs and everything falls apart.

Sadder, wiser, guilt-ridden and self-critical, we vow to start again until, eventually, we give up. Is there a better way?

We can start by realizing that it really doesn’t matter what diet we choose. The secret is to address our emotions, that infatuation with food that has, nationally, reached crisis proportions. We have to break off our affair with what we eat and restore food to its rightful place – something that keeps us alive and healthy, not our primary source of excitement and self-satisfaction.