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How can I lose weight while being a vegetarian?

How to lose weight while being a vegetarian

Ask:

I am 5’41/2 and 124 lbs and I’ve been a vegetarian for the past two years. Any advice? I don’t want to lose a ton of weight maybe like 7-10 lbs?

I definitely do not want to starve myself and I’m willing to try the vegan lifestyle again- it’s a little hard though and I don’t know if I could handle it too too well when I’m dependant on the food my parents buy.

Thank you so much! Continue reading How can I lose weight while being a vegetarian?

How do you burn stomach, hip, and thigh fat? Are there any certain foods that help to burn fat?

Ask:

I also need some exercises that burn fat, and how to get that annoying fat off of my lower abs. Is there any to create a walk/run program around my neighborhood?

Answers:

Answer 1:

Yes, there are foods that help burn fat. There are also tricks to eating in a way that makes you lose fat.

1. Eat 5-6 small meals a day instead of 2-3 big ones. Each meal should be a portion (size of your palm or fist) of protein and a portion of carbs, plus 2-3 vegetables a day. This trick stabilizes your blood sugar and keeps your metabolism up.

2. Eat more in the morning than in the evening. Ideally, your biggest meal is breakfast, and each meal gets smaller throughout the day from there.

3. Drink more water. Your urine should be clear all day, except first thing in the morning. If your urine is clear, your kidneys are properly hydrated, so they can filter your blood fulltime. This frees up your liver to do its other job: metabolizing fat!

4. Eat more fiber. Fiber makes you feel full longer, stabilizes blood sugar, and therefore keeps your metabolism high. Look for the word “whole” in your bread, tortillas, cereal, and pasta (whole grains have all three parts of the grain: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. These work together for maximum fat-burning). Also, eat fruits, vegetables, brown rice, oatmeal, beans, and nuts.

5. Drink green tea.

6. Don’t eat 3 hours before bedtime.

7. Don’t eat 3 hours before or an hour after you work out. Low blood sugar maximizes fat burning.

8. When you’re hungry, drink a glass of water or eat a handful of nuts. Both function as great appetite suppressants.

9. Don’t overdo a diet. You shouldn’t ever try to lose more than 2 pounds a week. Any more than that, and your body will fight back and resist fatloss — or worse, will burn muscle instead of fat, and then you’ll just look flabby. Here’s a calorie calculator:

As for your ab fat, sorry. There’s no such thing as spot reduction. Your fat comes off one whole body layer at a time. What you can do to make your stomach look better is perform ab exercises, so at least your muscle wall is straight. Here’s a whole blog about lower abs.

Answer 2:

There are certain foods that are beneficial and certain you should avoid.

* Drink sufficient pure water — your weight divided by 2 = ounces per day. Take fluids between meals, using reverse osmosis purified water, unsweetened juices, and herbal beverages. Try liquid chlorophyll in pure water, it is delicious and refreshing!
* *A minimum of 50% of your food should be alive — fresh, raw, unprocessed. Dead food cannot build strong bodies. Eat foods in season and foods that can spoil. (But eat them before they spoil, of course!)More is preferable!
* *Eliminate foods used in a microwave. Try to eliminate using the microwave for anything you eat or drink.
* *Eliminate processed sugars and white flour and any foods that contains these; i.e., read labels. Substitute whole grain foods for white — stone ground whole wheat, brown rice, etc. Continue reading How do you burn stomach, hip, and thigh fat? Are there any certain foods that help to burn fat?

Superfoods for fast weight loss

While there’s no such thing as the perfect diet, there are key foods that research has shown can help you lose weight. These foods work in different ways and for different reasons, but all have in common that people who eat them as part of a weight loss plan lose more weight faster than those who don’t. Here are 5 foods shown in recent studies to help the pounds come off more quickly. More foods to come as the studies come out.

1. Protein

I’m fond of this macronutrient powerhouse for so many reasons: It promotes healthy skin, hair, nails, bones, and muscle. It’s also a fabulous weight-loss aid, according to a 2005 study from Arizona State University. Protein increased satiety (satisfaction and feelings of fullness) and increased after-meal calorie burn. In other words, eating protein-rich meals, rather than higher-carbohydrate ones, leads to more satisfaction, less hunger, and more fat burn. I love that: three benefits in one. Earlier research also found that people following higher-protein diets generally decrease their food intake by an average of 10 percent (about 200 calories).

2. Raw Fruits & Vegetables

You’ll not only maintain your weight much easier if you eat more RAW fruits & veggies but you’ll also lose weight much faster on a weight loss plan eating more RAW fruits & veggies and here’s another quick fact…

Your body burns 16% more calories after you eat a meal that’s mostly fruits & vegetables than if you ate a meal without any fruits or vegetables plus…

Fruits & vegetables high in vitamin C like Oranges, lemons & pineapples liquefy (or burn off) body fat so the fat can be easily flushed out of your body and you need to eat RAW fruits & vegetables because…

Farmers feed pigs steamed or cooked veggies to fatten them up because they know raw veggies will slim them down.

3. Pistachios

These nuts are the perfect snack for the weight-conscious because they’re high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Don’t be fooled by the “fat” label, either; the fat in pistachios is unsaturated fat, the brain- and heart-healthy type.

Calorie counts are misleading too; not all calories are created equal. Researchers from the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition followed two groups of people on identical low-calorie diets for 12 weeks. One group ate 240 calories worth of pistachios as their afternoon snack,  the other ate 220 calories worth of pretzels. The BMI (body mass indexes) of the pistachio group showed more improvement, and their cholesterol and triglyceride levels dropped as well. While shelled pistachios are more convenient, the longer amount of time required to shell them yourself makes the snack more satisfying. Continue reading Superfoods for fast weight loss

What to eat on a high protein low carb diet?

What is considered a healthy high protein diet?

High protein, low carbohydrate diets are all the rage at the moment, with literally hundreds of different diets promoting this concept.   However, there is a huge amount of variation in the amounts of protein, carbs and other foods included from diet to diet, with some recommending high protein meal replacements, others excluding all forms of carbs including fruit and some that recommend certain combinations of carbs and protein.  With such variation between diets, it is understandably confusing as to what we should really be eating on a healthy high protein diet.

Who can follow a high protein, low carb diet?

A high protein, low carb diet is not for everybody and is by no means proven as the best way to lose weight.  However, studies have suggested that for some people, this type of diet is an effective way to reduce fat and weight, particularly to kick start weight loss in those who are morbidly obese.  High protein diets may contribute to weight loss in a variety of ways, for example it has been suggested that by reducing carbohydrates, the brain may receive less hunger stimulating hormones, resulting in a reduced appetite.

Hint: Try the CalorieSecrets Diet (1200 calories balanced diet)

High protein diets work because…

High protein diets have been shown to increase satiety, and result in the consumption of less calories in followers, which in turn leads to weight loss.  Initial weight loss on a low carb diet may be due to water loss, which can be caused by a high protein intake.  In many people, weight loss may also be seen simply due to a reduction in calories when carbohydrates are eliminated from the diet.  Often people do not replace carbohydrate parts of a meal, but simply skip them, which of course results in a lower calorie intake.  This can be a substantial reduction, as high carb foods such as pasta, potatoes and rice are often eaten in large portion sizes.

How much protein do we need?

Most people have no problem achieving sufficient protein in their diet.  The Recommended Dietary Allowance for men is 56 grams per day and 46 grams for women, values that the majority of Americans already exceed.  For weight loss benefit however, it is thought that around 120g of protein should be eaten daily.  For best results, consult with a health professional as to your individual needs and how protein fits into your daily energy requirements.

Low carb doesn’t mean no carb

There are many diets that totally eliminate carbohydrates in all their forms and others that suggest a reduction to dangerously low levels.  It is important to remember that carbohydrates do have a function in our body and are essential in a healthy diet.  Carbohydrates are necessary for energy in the body, particularly for those doing a lot of exercise.  A carbohydrate dense fruit such as a banana can give you the fuel you need to increase the intensity of your workout, hence burning more calories.  Carbohydrates, particularly whole grain varieties, also provide valuable nutrients such as B vitamins, so those who reduce carbohydrate intake to very low levels are at risk of deficiencies. See also: Carb cycling for weight loss

Reduce your portion sizes

Carbohydrate foods are often overeaten and most people would benefit by reducing portion sizes.  A high protein, low carb diet can be a healthy option, if you are still eating enough carbs to obtain the nutrients you need and fuel your body.  When choosing your low carb diet, it is best to consult with a dietician to determine what your energy requirements are and what level it is safe to reduce carbohydrate intake to.

Healthy proteins

When embarking on a high protein diet, it is important to obtain your protein from healthy sources.  Some high protein diets, most notably the Atkins diet, promote a diet that is high in protein and low in carbs, but also very high in saturated fat.  There is no doubt that saturated fat should be limited in our diets as it has been shown to have a variety of negative effects on the body, including increasing the risk of heart disease, raising blood pressure, increasing risk of diabetes and causing weight gain.

It is therefore important to choose protein sources that are low in saturated fat for the healthiest high protein diet.

Good low fat, high protein foods include

8 Steps to a Healthy Diet

  1. Eat the right number of calories per day.
    As far as weight control goes, it all begins and ends with calories. Unfortunately, there is no universal “right” number of calories that everyone should eat each day. Some people are overweight, some are underweight. Some have fast metabolisms, some have slow metabolisms. Some are really active, some aren’t active at all. This is why you need to have an idea of how many calories YOUR body needs per day in order to make your weight do what it should be doing. Whether it’s losing weight, gaining weight, or just maintaining your weight as is, it’s all just a big guessing game unless you are keeping track of your calorie intake. For complete details on this.
  2. Drink lots of water, and little of everything else.
    Cut out soda completely. Limit sports drinks, as they are not that much different than soda. It’s all just calories and sugar in liquid form. Limit fruit juices, as most are practically soda with vitamins. If you want the good stuff that’s in fruit juice, eat the actual fruit. Limit alcohol. Really, with the exception of maybe milk (specifically low fat/skim) limit any drink that contains calories. What are you left with? Water. Drink lots of it, your body requires that you do so. The only other drink I’d include on the “good to drink list” after water is green tea, which has been shown to have quite a few health benefits of its own.
  3. Eat a balanced diet consisting of protein, carbs, and fat.
    Ignore the gimmicks and diet fads. Carbs and fat are not bad. And, just like protein, they should most definitely be a part of your diet. Restricting certain foods or food groups that have no legitimate reason to be restricted is just silly as best, and counterproductive to the long term success of your diet at worst. When it comes to protein (the most important of these 3 macronutrients), good sources include fish, chicken, turkey, lean cuts of meat, eggs (egg whites as well), nuts and beans. When it comes to carbs and fat, the key is to eat the right types and limit the wrong ones. Speaking of which…
  4. Eat more “good” carbs, and less “bad” carbs.
    Cut out as many “bad” (refined/higher gylcemic) carbs as you can. From typical junk food like cookies, chips and candy to nutrient-less processed stuff like white rice and white bread. Instead, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (they are carbs, you know), oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, beans, and various whole grains.
  5. Eat more “good” fat, and less “bad” fat.
    Completely cut out anything containing any trans fat. That eliminates most fast food, most pastries, and a whole lot of your every day junk food. At the same time, limit foods high in saturated fat to a certain extent. After that, the majority of your fat intake should come from foods high in “good” fat (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated). This includes nuts and seeds (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.), fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc.), as well as olive oil, flax seed oil, and fish oil supplements. Continue reading 8 Steps to a Healthy Diet

What is a healthy diet?

Eating is one of life’s pleasures. Enjoy a wide variety of foods and follow the suggestions in the eating pyramid (see below) and you will consume the nutrients and energy a healthy adult needs. No food or meals are “good” or “bad”. It is what you eat over a period of time that counts.

By selecting foods that make up a balanced diet you may avoid or reduce the probability of many illnesses and delay the effects of aging.
A healthy diet and keeping fit has many benefits for you –
helps in maintaining an ideal weightreduces the risk of many common health problems eg. diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers, gallstones and constipationimproves the immune system and helps to fight off infectionshelps to cope with stressThe Healthy Eating Pyramid

Use the Healthy Eating Pyramid to assist in making your food choices. Remember, variety is important.

The ‘Eat Most’ foods at the bottom of the pyramid are low in fat, high in fibre and are best to ‘fill you up’. Foods in this group are grains, including wheat, oats, rice, barley, rye, corn, vegetables and fruit. The grains may be eaten whole, ground into flour for breads and cereals or milled and made into ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. These foods are a rich source of energy, fibre, minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. Legumes such as baked beans, lentils, split peas, kidney beans, Lima beans and chick peas contribute to protein and iron. The iron from this group is not as available to the body as iron in red meat, but this can be improved by eating these foods with other foods containing ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Choose wisely from the ‘Eat Moderately’ foods. Foods in this group are rich in protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Milk, cheese and yoghurt are excellent sources of calcium. Meat, chicken, fish and eggs are good sources of protein, iron, and some vitamins. As many of the foods in this group are high in fat choose the leaner cuts and fat-reduced varieties.
The ‘Eat Least’ foods. These foods are high in sugar, fat, salt or alcohol. In small amounts, as part of a balanced diet, foods from this group should not cause concern. Too much or too often can affect your health, waist-line and your feeling of well-being.

What is a serve? How Much Should You Eat Each Day?

‘Serve size’ varies a lot. The following is a guide to commonly used ‘serve sizes’ and the number of serves of that food which is recommended per day. Continue reading What is a healthy diet?

What is the best diet with the fastest results?

Ask:

I am looking for a best diet plan(free) with the fastest results. I turn 21 in November, and I want to lose about two pant sizes. If anyone knows one with personal experience, thank you!

Answers:

Answer 1:

Something that has really worked out for me has been what I call the shake diet.

What you need for a day ( you might want to try it a week and see the results you’ll like it):
8 oz. of Aloe Vera (they sell them per gallon at wal-mart or walgreens)
2 shakes (slim fast or the generic brand from wal-mart equate)
5 16oz. bottles of water
2 fruits or vegetables

Breakfast (8:00 am): 8 oz. of Aloe Vera and a shake
Snack (12:00 pm): 1 piece of fruit or vegetable (you can also buy 90 calorie snack bars from
Special K)
Lunch (3:00 pm): You can eat your regular lunch. Of course have in mind that the healthier the
better.
Dinner (6:00- 7:00 pm): 1 Shake

The water just drink it throughout the day, it is very important…

You can always switch lunch and dinner, whatever is easier for you. Breakfast is the most important. When you start just have in mind that it will only be for a week…just take it slowly and you’ll see that you’ll want to keep on going. Also, buy good vitamins like centrum for women or whatever you like. And last but definitely not least, walk at least 1 mile 3 times a week. It might sound a lot, but when I started with this diet I always wanted to walk more. I lost 7 lbs the first week and by two months I had already lost 20…If you have a lot to loose you’ll go faster and the more you keep loosing the slower it’ll go. Since I lost the first 20 I have only lost 12 more in almost 2 years, but hey its worth it…now what I am doing is trying to work out more…Good luck and let me know how you did… Continue reading What is the best diet with the fastest results?

7 Healthy Snacks to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth on a Diet

One of the things that people often miss the most when trying to lose weight is dessert. When you’re trying to save calories, sweets are often the first to go.

Fortunately, you don’t have to forgo all sweets. There are many delicious sweet treats that you can enjoy without breaking your diet. Check out the following list for ideas.

*Note: As with all things, moderation is key; keep an eye on your portion size and stay within your calorie deficit.

1. Fruit salad. Fruit is naturally sweet and makes an excellent choice for those who are trying to watch their weight but still satisfy a sweet tooth. A single piece, though, can get boring. By making a fruit salad and mixing up several different types of fruits, you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of tastes and textures. If you’re cooking for yourself, cut up the fruit and keep each fruit in an individual storage container to avoid the fruit tastes melding together.

2. Sugar-free pudding. Whether you buy the pre-made packs or make your own, pudding can be an excellent way to satisfy a chocolate craving. A cup of sugar-free pudding will counts towards your dairy requirement, making this a versatile dessert. Continue reading 7 Healthy Snacks to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth on a Diet

Balancing your diet!

We all know the importance of a healthy lifestyle and choosing a balanced diet, but with so much information available it can be hard to sort fact from fiction.

Most people think they eat fairly well – surveys show 93 per cent of Australian shoppers describe their overall diet as extremely or very healthy. But surprisingly, only 15 per cent are very satisfied with their eating habits and 57 per cent plan to watch what they eat more closely in the future1. Clearly, health is high on people’s agendas.

The ‘secret’ to maintaining good health is combining a healthy eating plan with daily physical activity. While it may seem easy to follow the latest fad diet or trend going around, many of these plans excessively restrict your intake of foods or entire food groups which can lead to inadequacies in key nutrients. ‘Diets’ can also be hard to stick to for longer than a few weeks, and many people simply revert back to their old habits in the end. So here we get back to basics to help you put together your own healthy lifestyle plan.The basics

The basic principles of healthy eating are quite simple:

  • Foods are often categorised into five main groups based on their nutrient content. These are vegetables, breads and cereals, fruit, dairy and meats/alternatives. Each different food group provides unique nutrients to your diet, so it’s important to eat a variety of foods from each of the major food groups every day.
  • Eat moderate portions of all foods, with the exception of vegetables where you can generally eat plenty! (Just make sure you don’t overdo the starchy vegies such as potato, sweet potato and corn, which are higher in kilojoules than other vegies). Choosing smaller, frequent meals and snacks will help keep the variety in your diet. Continue reading Balancing your diet!

Can’t loseweight when I eat only 300 calories a day and exercise daily?

Ask:

Can’t loseweight when I eat only 300 calories a day and exercise daily? and has anyone tried a water fast?

Answer:

I’m not surprised as this is a starvation diet and your body will do everything it can to retain its fat if you starve it like this.

Don’t fast. Don’t starve yourself. The ONLY way to lose weight is gradually and by eating properly. About 2 pounds a weeks is the maximum fat that it is possible to lose no matter what the diet books promise you.

Rule 1- Don’t get more than 30% of your calories from fat.

Rule 2- Watch out for sugar; low fat doesn’t count if it is high in sugar

Rule 3- Don’t eat things which aren’t food

Rule 4- Drink water Continue reading Can’t loseweight when I eat only 300 calories a day and exercise daily?