Mediterranean Diet – Wonderful & Lousy Reasons for Losing Weight
Lousy Reasons to Lose Weight
“I want to be a size 0.”
“You can never be too thin.”
“I want to fit into the same clothes I wore in high school.”
“I want to be a waif.”
“People will see me as more glamorous.”
“People will see me as more childlike.”
“Thin people are more popular.”
“I want to look like a model.”
“Every one else is underweight.”
“I want higher cheek bones.”
“People will be nicer to me if I am smaller.”
“Other people tell me I look fat even though I am within the ideal body weight limits.”
“If I lose all of the weight for good, maybe I can stop throwing up after I eat once and for all.”
If any of the comments above resemble your own rationale for losing weight then you don’t have a weight problem. But you may well have a psychological problem. You simply might not be mentally or emotionally prepared to handle any weight loss problem. Consult with a qualified therapist to get to the bottom of this issue in case its a cognitive disorder. A cognitive disorder is when someone suffers from a distorted view of herself, the world or how others see her.
Wonderful Reasons to Lose Weight
I want to climb stairs without losing my breath.
I want to be able to fit into a dress I wore a year ago.
I want to play football with my son again.
I want to take up less room when I sit on the bus.
I want to stop avoiding my reflection in shop windows and mirrors.I want to go swimming and feel comfortable in a swim suit.
I want to go on rides in an amusement park.
I want to feel confident about having my picture taken.
I want to stop choosing restaurants on the strength of their chairs.
I want to define where my chest ends and my waist starts.
I am happy to be any size between 14 and 16.
I want to increase my self-esteem.
I want to reduce the strain on my muscles and back
I want to have better cardio-vascular health
I want to increase my lean muscle mass
I want to increase my flexibility
I want to stop being stared at when I order in restaurants
I want to adopt healthy eating habits
I want to have a waist again.
I want to see my feet again.
I don’t want to snore so loudly.
I am borderline diabetic.
I don’t want to burden my family with my future medical costs
I want to change my lifestyle so I am healthier.
I want to decrease what I pay on my health insurance.
I want to be alive to play with my children or grandchildren.
There are many ways to proceed with weight loss, but none better than the safe and easy path. Nutrition and a planned approach are all important. Think carefully before jumping in and you will succeed.
Publisher & author: Roy Barker. Roy has an indepth and long established background with the vitamins, minerals and health industry and has researched and experimented with many diets over a thirty year period. Roy is also the author of Safe and Easy Weightloss, a downloadable e-book based on the famous Mediterranean Diet and often used by those with heart conditions and those who seek an effective and safe way to shed weight and more importantly, keep it off. It can be viewed at safe-and-easy-weightloss.com. More articles and related sites can be viewed at weightloss-diet-health-vitamins.com
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8 Ways to Rev up Your Metabolism
Yes it’s true- and so unfair. As we get older weight gain begins to creep up on us. You hear people every day in the grocery store, around the water cooler, at parties complaining of this additional weight they can’t seem to lose. You used to eat anything and not gain an ounce but now it seems 2 chips will send your weight up another notch on the scale. So what is this weight gain mystery?
One thing we know for sure is that our metabolism is slowing down as we get older. Simply put, metabolism is the way our bodies burn the calories from the food that we eat. The shift of midlife weight gain actually begins in our 20’s – 30’s. We naturally gain body fat while losing lean body mass. This loss of lean body mass can greatly affect our metabolism. Starting at about age 25, a person’s metabolism declines approximately 5 percent every decade! So it seems we are entering into the battle of age vs. metabolism. We can’t control ageing, so what now? Do we wave our white flags and succumb to what seems a natural progression of unwanted, continuous weight gain?
Absolutely not! There are several simple and natural ways to triumph over this battle at any age.
? Increase Muscle Mass
The most important factor of metabolism is lean body mass. Muscle burns up to 90% more calories than fat. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn in a day. By adding three to five pounds of muscle you could actually burn 100 – 250 additional calories a day. Try adding a weight bearing activity 2-3 times a week such as lifting free weights, walking, or resistance training. Simply carrying your groceries home could be considered weight bearing! Lifting 5-8 pound hand weights while watching your favorite television show could go a long way towards burning calories.
? Don’t Skip Meals!
The myth that skipping meals decreases your total calorie level and helps you to lose weight is not true. When people skip meals or decrease their calories significantly (< 1000 calories/day), they actually decrease their metabolism. They go into "starvation mode" where the body tries to compensate for the low calories. Your metabolic rate can actually decrease as much as 10-15% and your body will hold on to the fat and burn lean muscle instead. Always eat at least 3 meals and avoid dipping below 1000 calories a day. ? Regular activity Regular exercise routines such as biking, walking, or hiking will help raise your metabolism during the activity and for several hours after. Even simple movements such as taking the stairs, house cleaning, or simple yard work can help increase your burn rate. ? Adequate Protein Protein provides the building blocks for muscle. Without adequate protein you may actually lose muscle. You need about .4 – .5 gram of protein per pound body weight. For a woman weighing 160 pounds she would need approximately 64 – 80 grams of protein daily. ? Sleep! A 1999 University of Chicago study showed that sleep loss affects the way we metabolize carbohydrates resulting in glucose intolerance and possibly leading to increased hunger and a slowed metabolism. Lack of sleep also can interfere with our energy levels during the day and cause us to skip our exercise routine because we are "too tired". How often have you told yourself that? ? Decrease Alcohol Consumption Alcohol may suppress your body’s ability to burn fat. Studies show that when you drink alcohol, your body burns fat more slowly than usual during that particular meal. Watch your alcohol intake. ? Try a cup of Green Tea A small study showed that green tea appeared to raise metabolic rates and speed up fat oxidation. The calorie losses were small- around 60 calories/day. Green tea also has other health benefits because of its significant antioxidant components. You might as well add a little boost to your metabolism while protecting yourself from heart disease, cancer, and strokes. ? Got calcium? Recent research shows that calcium — three or four daily servings of low-fat dairy products — can help adjust your body’s fat-burning machinery. The more calcium in the cells resulted in an increase in fat metabolism. Beware of Magic Cures We have all seen the ads for products that increase our metabolism and promise miraculous weight loss. Metabolism boosters and Fat Burners – not only do the people they show us in the testimonials lose weight they also end up with a firm body and a six pack stomach. Can a pill do all this? Generally, the answer is no. These weight loss pills are often ineffective, and they can also harm us. Many of them contain either human growth hormone, which can lead to joint or heart problems, or epinephrine type ingredients that are correlated with increased blood pressure. The answer is the good old tried and true: eat a balanced diet that does not exceed your calorie needs, exercise regularly and sleep well. Realize that we may not be able to look 20 again but we certainly can look our best, increase our energy, and enjoy good health at any age. ? Meri Raffetto, 2004 About The Author Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She offers individual nutrition counseling and has developed one of the only non-diet online weight management programs available on the internet. For more information or to sign up for Real Living’s free nutrition newsletter, visit .reallivingnutrition.com.
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