Fitness Tips for Weight Loss

Though weight gain is something most people deal with at some point, obesity is an extreme example of uncontrolled weight gain can become. The Center for disease control estimates that over one third of the US adult population is considered obese. Defining obese as a person with over 30% body fat. This degree of obesity can cause life-threatening complications such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancers and even death. Fortunately, most cases of obesity are completely preventable. Living a healthy lifestyle with the right diet and exercise routine ensures weight loss and prevents future weight gain and even diseases.

A regular fitness routine, in addition to a healthy diet is a crucial part of weight loss. Exercising regularly and eating healthy is the most beneficial way to lose pounds and keep them off. Exercise also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Exercising regularly increases the body's muscle mass and stamina. Increasing muscle mass is a great way to fight off extra pounds lose weight. The average person should be including at least 150 minutes of physical activity into his or her week to maintain a stable weight and balance caloric intake.

Staying in shape doesn't require elaborate workout routines; running, walking and swimming are simple, great exercise methods that quickly mold fat pounds into muscle. For those desiring a more individualized experience, Personal trainers help by providing motivation and assistance to key areas that need work. They assist with diet and personalized exercise routines that are specific for the individual's needs.

Workout videos such as Zumba fitness and the Jullian Michaels videos provide fast and fun core workouts for those wishing to exercise in the comfort of his or her own home.

Even certain entertainment systems, such as Nintendo Wii and Xbox have paired with Nike and EA sports to provide interactive workout games that are extremely effective and provide a great workout alternative for those who are unable to exercise outside or in a gym.

Even when there is not time for an entire workout, there are always ways to fit fitness into an everyday schedule. Parking further from destinations adds further walking distance and gets in added walking time. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible is a great way to burn calories and include exercise into everyday life. Taking walks around during lunch breaks burns calories at a time when most people are simply sitting and taking in more calories.

Neville Street is the Administrative Director for Rodriquez MD, a bilingual medical practice in Lawrenceville, GA that provides health care to infants, children, adolescents and adults. Gwinnett physicians Deborah and Veronica Rodriguez are sisters with a combined 27 years of experience. The doctors are Board Certified in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine and both Gwinnett physicians have extensive experience working in private practice.

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Nutritional Benefits of Couscous

Not so many people know what couscous is and fewer people have actually tasted delicacies and dishes made of this healthy food. Couscous is actually a grain food that is comparable to pasta or rice. It is actually made of semolina wheat that's moistened and then formed into tiny grain shapes. Couscous grains are smaller than rice grains and are dusted with flour so that they can retain structure. It can be interesting to know that couscous is staple food of some regions of the world and is considered like the pasta or rice in some countries. Just like pasta and rice, the couscous can be very versatile in terms of preparation and can be used in various dishes and salads; and they can also be used to prepare side dishes.

Since couscous is made from semolina grain, it is manufactured and sold in various ways. Some sell couscous without adding any kind of seasoning or without any extra ingredient. However, there are some stores that sell them in different varieties including couscous that are roasted in onion, garlic or olive oil. Amazingly, couscous can also be made with other kinds of wheat to give different flavors to it.

People from different parts of the world prepare the couscous differently. Some countries, like those from the African region, serve couscous in thin broth and in combination with cooked vegetables. In Morocco, however, couscous is served with lots of vegetables, sauces and beans. In Western countries, however, couscous is used more like an alternative to rice and pasta. If couscous is not local to your area then you can always buy them from health stores or from the ethnic food section of some supermarkets.

When it comes to nutrition, the couscous will never sell you short. It is, in fact, one of the healthiest grain-based products around. Its glycaemic load for every gram is 25% lower that of pasta. Not only that, couscous is also known to have superior vitamin content over pasta. To prove this, it should be said that couscous contains twice the content of niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and folic acid compared to pasta. It also contains more thiamine and pantothenic acid.

Couscous is also a very good source of protein since it has 3.6 grams of protein in every 100 calories. Its protein content is the same as that of the pasta but a bit higher than white rice. Also, it would be interesting to note that couscous only has 1% ratio of fat to calorie making it one good alternative to rice and pasta if you want your food to be lower in fat content.

Couscous is, of course, a very good source for carbohydrates. If you are tired of cooking the usual grain staples like pasta and rice then the couscous can be good alternatives. With its carb content, it can be very satisfying hunger-wise despite its small grain size. The best thing about couscous is that it contains no cholesterol.

Remember that you can prepare by itself to take the place of rice or pasta or it can be cooked in combination with beef, pork, chicken and vegetables.

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Vegetarian Diet is the Best Way to Lose Weight!

You've been struggling with your weight and you're looking for the best way to lose weight but with all kinds of different diets it's hard to know what foods you can eat and what to avoid.

There are numerous benefits to eating a vegetarian diet! Vegetables are the most important things for a healthy diet and weight loss. Vegetables and fruits both are full of fiber, but vegetables tend not to have the extra calories and sugars that fruit has. a vegetarian diet could have you feeling better in no time! It's true.

On a healthy vegetarian diet one can very easily lose weight and stay fit. Vegetarian diet fights against cancer and heart disease. Vegetarian diet also help you avoid some food-borne illnesses. Eating vegetarian is not only healthy, it's good for the environment as livestock deplete enormous land and water resources.

Your food should nourish and feed your body. It should leave you feeling refreshed and energized. The body is a machine and it needs good fuel. The fact of the matter is that most people are overweight and obese. This is because we eat too much meat and too much fat. Problems such as high blood sugar, Type II diabetes, high cholesterol and other health related problems are caused by our diet. All of these problems can be prevented by changing your diet.

Vegetarian diet is the best way to lose weight! Have you ever really seen a fat vegetarian? Most likely you have not. In fact, most vegetarians are lean and healthy. Many vegetarians who resume their old diets have found that the weight they lost tends to come back. Your will power is not enough to prevent the onset of weight from eating a high-fat meat based diet.

Eating vegetables properly is the best way to lose weight! As a vegetarian you are essentially feeding your body the nutrition that it needs to provide your body with useful energy, not energy that has to be stored. You just feel better because of this.

Many diets fail because we are forcing ourselves to avoid food that we like. This only leads to temptation to eat those foods. The trick to being a successful vegetarian is to realize that you don't need to eat meat and that you can go without it.

You are focused on eating healthier and you forget that you are trying to lose weight. You actually begin to lose weight without realizing it, simply because you have eliminated your main source of fat and overall unhealthiness. At the same time, all of the bad health effects disappear because of your healthy and natural diet.

You don't have to carve meat out of your diet all together. Fill your plate with more vegetables than meat and you'll feel just as full. Did you know that the average steak serving is between six to twelve ounces, yet recommended portion sizes are only three to four ounces. By cutting your meat serving by half and filling up with veggies, you'll not only get what you crave, but also won't bust the bank.

If you are considering making the switch to a vegetarian diet, and seeing this is the best way to lose weight you probably will want to pass your new-found nutritional knowledge onto your family. In fact, as a parent you probably want to ensure that your family is receiving the best nutrition possible. It also helps them to learn about why it is important to eat healthy.

The problem, however, was in finding vegetarian meals that met my stringent criteria; healthy, protein-filled, easy to prepare, and most importantly tasty.I'm not sure what your experience has been with vegetarians, but I've come across many in my time and a large number of them don't have the body type that I would categorize as fit. So, when I finally came across Kardena Pauza's Easy Veggie Meal Plans, my interest was definitely peaked. Everything that I was looking for in a vegetarian diet she had put together in a 90 day program. I had to try it. Find out more details here: [http://www.vegetariandietfoods.info]

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5 Food Nutrition Tips to Help You Look Young Longer

Are you concerned that you are beginning to show the first signs of aging? The part of your body that gives away your real age is your skin. It gets easily damaged as you grow older since it becomes thin and fragile. You might be tempted to use lots of anti-aging products on your skin in order to stay young for long however they have limited effect. Your metabolism also slows as you become older. You'll find that you no longer have high levels of energy and that you also put on weight easily.

You'll find it a lot easier to look and feel young if you ensure you get the best possible food nutrition. In fact, it is imperative that you use the following tips:

- Eat lots of foods rich in anti-oxidants. Many fruits, especially berries, and vegetables are loaded with anti-oxidants which ensure that the damage caused by free radicals is reduced to the absolute minimum. Your daily diet needs to have plenty of brightly coloured foods which contain essential phytochemicals.

- Eat foods filled with vitamins. Certain vitamins help in the production of collagen and also in the replication of cells. This enables the cells of the skin to remain thick and strong, ensuring that it withstands the negative effects of UV rays and heat.

- Consume plenty of probiotic foods. These foods which contain live bacteria help improve your digestive processes. This in turn ensures that your metabolism is high and also that your body is able to absorb all the nutrients contained in your food.

- Include moisture-rich foods in your diet. Water is absolutely for healthy skin and excellent metabolism. Foods such as watermelons, cucumbers and apples ensure that you get the moisture you require.

- Add foods containing natural phytoestrogens to your diet. Phytoestrogens have the ability to put the brake on the aging process. Yams and chickpeas and also foods made out of soybeans (tofu, soymilk, edamame) are great sources.

You will definitely be able to stay young longer as long as you watch what you eat. Make sure that you pay a lot of attention to the subject of food nutrition because it is one of the keystones of good health and youth. You won't need to spend a lot of money on beauty treatments that don't even give you the desired results since your diet will take care of it for you.

Are you ready to feel healthier and have more energy?

Head over to the NLN home page and learn how to fix your diet and eating habits
Diet and health advice from a highly rated nutritionist.

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Vegetarian Weight Loss Diet With Recipe Plans - Vegan Food Ideas

One of the biggest challenges with a vegetarian diet plan for weight loss is finding enough variety and availability of foods in local stores. If you're a vegan looking for recipes sometimes you need to get creative and look for alternatives when maybe your favorite vegetarian food items aren't available. Keeping that in mind, here are some tips to lose weight and include some solid natural weight loss foods to spice up recipes. To be honest, you don't even need to be a vegetarian to enjoy them. These are healthy foods in general to eat to lose weight for anyone.

1. Fiddlehead Ferns: These have a slightly bitter and nutty flavor. Many people will often replace something like asparagus with Fiddlehead Ferns. The harvest period is a limited time in May so keep that in mind. Also, the flavor tends to diminish after they've been picked so you'll want to use them as soon as possible.


2. New Zealand Spinach: Spinach in general is one of the best choices to include in recipes of healthy foods to lose weight fast. There are also some other healthy benefits besides weight loss of course - promotes healthy skin, bone strength and density, helps protect eyes from cataracts and aids in lowering blood pressure.


3. Garlic Scapes: Many people use these as a milder alternative to regular garlic. You can use them the same way as you would with regular garlic in your recipes.


4. Sea Beans: As some call them, the poor man's asparagus. There popularity has increased their value. However, they taste basically as their name might suggest, a salty bean.


5. Scorzonera: So while this ugly brown root of the scorzonera might turn people off it tastes just like oysters. You can easily boil them, cut them up and make a soup and it's great for weight loss. They do go bad quickly so make sure to use them when you get them.

Another great thing about choosing to eat a more vegetarian diet is that it typically ends up being cheaper for you in the long run. If your meals are predominately vegetables you can expect to save much more money since you're eliminating meats that may have been purchased in the past.

The above are some quick and easy vegetarian weight loss recipes for your diet. Remember to stay creative and try new alternatives to exiting recipes you may already have in your regular diet plan. These are some great foods to incorporate in your everyday diet plan.

Joe Sladee, from http://www.destinationfatloss.com, is a fitness fanatic who's dedicated to helping anyone and everyone who has an ounce of motivation to lose weight and get fit. Join him on his fitness journey and get all the tips for a lean tone body free by visiting him and his program at http://www.destinationfatloss.com.

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The Benefits of Sports Nutrition Drinks

We all know that workout routines and intense exercising can dehydrate the body thus increasing the chance of a circulatory condition or stroke. That's why sports nutrition drinks are almost mandatory in some cases and even enjoyable when they're all natural. If you want to know what type of nutrition drink is the most appropriate, make sure you consult a specialist first. During a workout routine people lose a lot of fluids and electrolytes, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, etc. The purpose of nutrition drinks is to replace these substances and restore the balance.

Nutrition drinks come in different shapes, colors and they all have similar ingredients; some of the best known brands are Ensure, Boost, Sustacal, Resource, Gatorade and more. Even though it is more comfortable to buy a drink that is already made and can provide you with all the minerals you need during exercise, it is best for you to buy some fruits and make your own healthy drink. Apples, oranges and grapes are thought to be some of the best, since they have glucose and fructose sugars, as well as potassium. Adding a tablespoon of salt replaces the sodium lost during the exercise and gives you energy..

Check out these tips and you'll know what to take if you want to be energetic an entire day. The best time to drink your homemade nutritious shake is during your training. If you use it before, the body will begin to produce insulin that could lead to hypoglycemia in the middle of your workout. Also, it is better if you drink a nutrition drink rather than eating a nutrition bar because food remains in the stomach for a longer period and the needed carbohydrates will not be absorbed at the right moment. Another useful rule is to sip a quarter of rehydration fluid per hour, when working out throughout the day.

You should always try to drink a lot of water, although it's not as nutritious as an energy drink. When you exercise and you solicit your muscles, you lose a lot of water, amongst other minerals. Sports nutrition drinks can help you regain that energy fast and effective.

Water is replaced only with water, so make sure you drink two glasses before training even if you're not thirsty. At least 2 more glasses will work miracles on your body. You will feel rejuvenated and you will have the power to exercise more which is also the purpose of your entire exercise. Sports nutrition drinks are a must while working out, especially when it's an intense routine. Even though you think that you are strong enough to keep up, your body will tell you otherwise at some point.

Doing exercise every day of the week, every week of the month, and so on, will make your body lose minerals and fluids that must be replaced. It is not healthy leave a gap and stay without vitamins because in time the body will get weaker and weaker. Making your own nutrition drinks from fruits and veggies is also a viable alternative to buying branded liquids at the store.

For reviews on Sports Nutrition Drinks such as the Redline Energy Drink visit Sport Nutrition Drink

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Seven Simple Exercises To Build Your Muscles Fast

Many people want to build muscle but don't know what to do. In this guide you will get seven exercises that when you do them together in one work out it is the fastest way to build muscle.

For this exercise to successfully build your muscle fast you need to do the exercise as followed:

-For the first 2 weeks only do the cycle twice. Do each exercise with no more than 30 seconds of rest in between. Once you have completed one cycle rest for 1 to 2 minutes and then finish the second cycle.

-After the first 2 weeks you should become comfortable with the workout and should increase to three cycles rather than two.

-It is important that you do each exercise with appropriate weight and when you are to move onto more weight you should only increase the weight by 10% or less.

Below are the 7 exercises that are going to be the fastest way to build muscles.

1. The first exercise you should do is bent-leg knee raises. You do these by lying on your back, relax your head and neck, and place your hands on the floor near your butt. You will need to place your feet flat on the floor. To do this exercise you need to lower your abdominal muscles so you can raise your knees towards your rib cage, and then you will slowly lower your feet back to their original position. You will need to do this 12 times per set.

2. This exercise is called the V-Up. To do this you lie on your side with your body in a straight line and your arms folded across your chest. You will need to keep your legs together as you lift them off the floor towards your top elbow that your are also raising toward your hip. You should do 10 reps of these on each side and should feel a contraction in your obliques.

4. This next one, the Bridge, is part of the palates program. You will need to get in the push-up position but with your elbows bent. It is important that your body is in a straight line and pull your abdominal in. You should start with doing 20 seconds while breathing steadily and move to doing about 60 second sets later. You should do 1 or 2 reps.

5. This next exercise, tricep pull downs, are an easy exercise. You will need to get to a tricep pushdown machine. To do this exercise you bring the bar to directly at your waste with your elbows against your side. Push the bar down until your arm is extended but not to the point that you lock your elbows out, and then go to the return position. You should do 10 reps of these.

6. Leg extensions are done by sitting on a leg extension machine with your feet in the bads, lean back slightly, and lift the pads to where your leg is extended. Do 10 reps of these as well.

7. You can do bicep curls with either a dumbbell or a barbell. Hold the barbell in front of you, curl the weight toward your shoulders, wait for a second, and then return to the starting position. Do 10 reps of these as well.

If you do these seven exercises together you should see that this is the fastest way to build your muscles.

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Seven Smart Tips To Complement Your Weight Loss Efforts

Losing weight requires discipline and thinking in a number of areas, from what you eat and how much of it to how you feel afterwards. Use the following seven tips to complement your efforts to lose weight and see if they don't give you a much needed boost in more ways than one.

1. Fit exercise into your schedule. Most people fail to devote enough time to working out in their day, due to being busy. Avoid this mistake by setting aside time specifically to walk, run, do cardio or aerobics and stick to the schedule. Weight loss without exercise just isn't effective.

2. Quit processed foods. They are loaded with fats, sodium and usually calories, not to mention being unhealthy with all those chemicals. As convenient or yummy as they may be for you, they will be very counterproductive to your weight loss goals.

3. Avoid calories from beverages. They add up much quicker than most people realize, and can actually increase hunger. Don't reach for a soda, even if it's "diet" when you are thirsty and trying to lose weight, grab a bottled water instead. Also, minimize the damage from frothy lattes and specialty iced-coffees by making that in your own kitchen. Stick to the basics and keep cup size moderate.

4. Add fruits and vegetables to every meal. Nobody gets the recommended amounts everyday, and for the person needing to lose weight, they are needed even more. The natural sugars and plentiful vitamins and minerals will work with your body when trying to shed pounds. Have apple slices with breakfast, carrot sticks with lunch and pile on the green vegetables (hold the butter!) for dinner.

5. Moderate your portion sizes. People tend to think that an extra spoonful is harmless, but it adds up quickly. Understand portion measurements according to the instructions of your weight loss agenda and stick to them. Any deviation will throw-off the entire program and leave you wondering why you can't make progress on the scales. Also, it can help to serve food on smaller plates.

6. Change the way you snack. Eating a handful of almonds can actually work with your metabolism and digestion, as can low-fat yogurt. The choices you make with between meal snacking make an enormous difference in your weight loss efforts; look at snacks like dietary aids, rather than small indulgences. Make calculated and informed decisions and speed-up the weight loss process.

7. Find alternatives to eating when you're stressed. Most of us lean on comfort foods when we are overwhelmed by stress and when you need to drop a few pounds, that's a bad habit. Try turning to your favorite exercise instead or music, meditation and reading.Not only will that nervous nibble add undue calories to your day, the guilt will just lead to more stress.

Dieting without losing weight is depressing and frustrating. Use the above tips to make the positive changes necessary to actually make more progress in your weight loss efforts. Once you see the scale move towards the left during weigh-ins, stick to your healthy habits and continue toward your goals.

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Vegetarian Low Carb Diets For Beginners

There has been a lot of confusion concerning vegetarian low carb diets. Many people are contemplating whether or not they should make the switch to a meat free lifestyle, but the high carbohydrate content (and the lack of protein) has them confused. If you are wanting to switch, but are finding it impossible to eat a vegetarian high protein low carb diet, than you should find some help in this article.

The first thing you will need to decide is the kind of vegetarian you will become. Are you willing to give up every single animal product, or are you willing to compromise a little? To be a true vegetarian is to eat nothing but fruit, vegetables, and grain. If its natural you eat it, if its not you don't. This is sometimes known as veganism (a diet in which you do not eat anything containing animal product).

Many people find it too hard to eat within those parameters. Many of these people choose to become either a lacto vegetarian, or a lacto ovo vegetarian. Both of these alternatives promote the vegetarian lifestyle, while making it easier on the individual.

With a lacto vegetarian diet you will still abstain from eating meat, but you will have the added option of being able to consume dairy products. This is a much easier way of living. You don't realize how many food products contain some form of dairy (until you attempt to stop eating them). With this option you can still eat cheese and drink milk! This makes it much easier, you can still eating your breakfast cereal in the morning!

With a lacto ovo veggi diet you can eat dairy and eggs. This is the easiest of them all and is where a lot of people start. This gives you more flexibility if you need to eat a low carb high protein diet. Egg whites are full of protein and many vegetarian body builders eat them in most of their meals. It's highly advisable that you limit your intake to two egg yokes per day (this number will vary depending on your age and nutrition needs). 1 egg yoke contains most of your daily cholesterol needs. You don't want to over do it. Feel free to eat as many egg whites as you want though.

To get more protein you can snack on nuts and seeds during the day. If you need to limit your carbs than limit your fruits and grains (do not avoid them, limit them). You can eat as many veggi's as you want, without worrying. (most vegetables are ok, you should limit high fat veggi's like avocado).

This should be enough information to get you started in your pursuit of a low carb vegetarian diet plan.

Tiffany Benton is the senior editor of BodyWhole Online Magazine, a magazine that provides fast weight loss tips [http://bodywhole.com] & fitness advice. Tiffany in originally from Los Angeles California and has a BA in Nutrition & is a licensed dietition. She is currently working on her first book which is scheduled to be published in July 2010. Be sure to check out her latest article on starting a low carb vegetarian diet [http://bodywhole.com/lowcarb-vegetarian-diet]

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How To Lose Weight While Pregnant - 3 Tips To Help You Lose Weight While Pregnant

Putting on extra weight while pregnant is, as we all know, part and parcel of the whole process. And it has it's plus points too - those bigger boobs make your hubby feel like a kid at Christmas! :)

But what is a normal and appropriate amount of weight to gain while pregnant? Are there any ways that we can safely lose weight while pregnant? What can you do now that will make your labour easier and help you get back to your pre-pregnant weight super fast when your little bundle of joy finally arrives?

Are you really overweight?

These days it's easy to get sucked into the media's image of what a mum-to-be should look like, what with all these celebrity toothpicks, as I like to call them, having no more than a small bump, whilst being on some faddy diet. I must stress that pregnancy is definitely not the time to be going on a strict weight loss diet. What you need is to ascertain what a suitable pregnancy weight is for you, and then take steps to try to maintain it and increase your health and the health of your baby.

Everybody is different, and every woman's body will react differently while pregnant. An average weight gain for a full term pregnancy is anywhere between 25-45 pounds, which includes the increase in the mother's blood volume, the size of the uterus, the placenta, various fluids and the baby. This is an average figure so there will be much variation either side. Check with your doctor for more advice on your optimum weight.

How to lose weight while pregnant Tip no.1 - Control Your Cravings

Cravings are one of the hardest things to deal with during pregnancy, and annoyingly, one of the biggest contributors to excessive weight gain. Waking up in the middle of the night yearning for chocolate, or ice cream with gherkins, is a well-known part of pregnancy. However, these cravings, while healthy and perfectly normal, can be controlled and there are even certain foods that can reduce your cravings. Eating foods with a low Glycemic Index (GI) can help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce the highs and lows that many women suffer throughout the day, due to their slow release of energy. This can help you in reducing the onset of any excess pounds and begin to help you lose weight while pregnant.

By craving foods with high sugar and glucose levels a vicious circle can be created because they will often make the cravings worse, affect your mood and contribute to excess weight gain.

How to lose weight while pregnant Tip no.2 - Eat More Often

"Hang on, didn't you just tell me to control my cravings Now you're telling me that eating more often will help me lose weight while pregnant? Are you out of your mind?"

This kind of sounds counter-intuitive doesn't it? The idea though is that you'll be eating smaller portions more regularly instead of 2-3 large meals a day. By doing this you're not consuming any extra unnecessary calories, but are feeding your body and the baby more regularly. This will help keep your metabolism and blood sugar at consistent levels and keep you energised throughout the day.

And yes, I am out of my mind but not because of this! ;)

How to lose weight while pregnant Tip no.3 - Exercise

Exercising regularly during pregnancy was once frowned upon, but now has seen to be a great way to stay in shape and lose weight while pregnant, avoid the aches and pains common with weight gain, and can increase energy, flexibility and make your labour significantly easier (thank goodness!).

Walking and swimming are excellent low-impact ways to keep you fit and healthy and maintaining a balanced weight while pregnant. The buoyancy you'll find in the pool will often come as a relief and an aid to your daily routine and let's you get some fantastic exercise without putting stress on your body or the baby's.

Stationary cycling is also a great way to get some low-impact exercise and build stamina.

Yoga and Pilates can be beneficial and effective ways to lose weight while pregnant but make sure you find a suitably experienced instructor who has specialised in dealing with pregnant women.

Again it's always best to check with your doctor on the intensity of your workouts, for instance, if you exercised regularly before you were pregnant then your workouts will be notably different to someone who didn't.

There's no need to go through your pregnancy feeling overweight, unattractive and lacking energy. There are many more simple steps you can take to help you lose weight safely while pregnant, and have an easier labour.

Discover more secrets and tips on How To Lose Weight While Pregnant at my website.

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Top 5 Herbal Weight Loss Supplements

Science Behind Weight Loss Supplements

Scientists worldwide are continually studying the potential for herbs that might help with weight reduction. The best research is available to the public by searching through the PubMed online medical database at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Anyone can conduct a search for studies on any herb, using search terms to find the titles and abstracts of articles of interest.

Examining the research on common herbs that are marketed for losing weight shows that certain herbs can be very helpful. On the other hand, other well-known herbs have no scientific support or anything remotely related to it. They are mostly scams.

Top Herbs

Green tea is an example herb that is supposed to help with weight reduction. A recent PubMed search on 'green tea' as a search term yielded 4,536 articles. Modifying it to 'green tea and weight loss' yielded 88 articles, many showing positive results. This an example of a well-researched herb. Indeed, a quick inspection of these articles shows that green tea is the probably best of all the herbal weight loss supplements.

Green tea seems to be the star of the show in other ways, too. This herb is well-researched for its multiplicity of health benefits, including improvements in total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, total triglycerides, and levels of insulin, cortisol, growth hormone, and IGF-1.

Additional searching on other herbal supplements for weight control shows that numerous herbs are well-supported by scientific studies. Several could contend for the top 5 list. The top 5, including green tea, that appear to be the best at the moment, based on scientific research are: 

• Green tea (Camellia sinensis)
• Banaba (Lagerostroemia speciosa)
• Gymnema sylvestre
• African mango (Irvingia gabonensis)
• Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)

The mechanisms of action, when known, vary among these herbs. The most common mechanisms entail antioxidant (anti-inflammatory) power, enhanced fat cell metabolism, and blood sugar and insulin regulation.

Herbal Weight Loss Supplements to Avoid

This is a much bigger topic. It is an easier topic to explore on Pubmed, since some of the most widely marketed 'weight loss' herbs have very little research to sort through, and sometimes none at all. Two of the top examples are Hoodia and acai berry.

A PubMed search on Hoodia yields 37 published articles. This herb is widely marketed as an appetite suppressant and has been endorsed by Oprah, Dr. Oz, and other celebrities. The most pertinent and most recent research on this herb as a treatment for overweight was published in 2011 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 95 no. 5, pp. 1171-1181). This research showed that, after a 15-day study period, there was no significant difference in food intake or body weight between the Hoodia-treated group and the control (placebo) group.

Moreover, Hoodia was not well tolerated during this study. Side effects included nausea, vomiting, disturbed skin sensations, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and higher bilirubin levels.

On the other hand, a PubMed search on acai appeared more promising at first, since it yielded 92 research articles. At least 15 of these had nothing to do with the herb. Of those remaining, many properties of acai were reported. However, none involved weight loss. There were no published weight loss studies on acai whatsoever.

Acai berry juice is marketed with almost breathless claims about how this so-called exotic, tropical fruit juice is a miracle weight loss supplement. The truth is that the acai berry is an inexpensive product of common date palms in Brazil that has no documented weight loss benefits at all.

As weight loss supplements, Hoodia and acai sure seem to fit the descriptions of scams to me. Unfortunately, these are not the only ones.

Dr. Dennis Clark reviews the scientific evidence, or lack of it, behind weight loss supplements and other approaches to weight loss. He provides his overview of the five components of weight loss that you must know in his free belly fat book.

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Exercise Bike Workout For Weight Loss

Here's an exercise bike workout for weight loss. First, I must say that overall, I DON'T like using bikes for working out. Why... because it's an UNNATURAL exercise that doesn't fit evolution. I'll explain this more further along in the article. Look, if you do in fact use a bike, then I'm going to show you the best way to make it work for weight loss.

Exercise Bike Workout for Weight Loss

1. DON'T just ride the bike nice and easy while comfortably sitting on it

Here's a hint you won't burn much fat. Can you talk in a normal conversation while you're exercising? If so, you might as well stop doing it. You're just wasting your time.

2. DON'T ride at the same pace the whole time

This is not going to cause much fat burning. You need to change it up on your body, keep it guessing

3. Do use INTERVALS... high intensity intervals mixed with low intensity intervals

This is the 1 and ONLY WAY to lose a good amount of weight using this piece of equipment. Here is a general outline that works great for most people. You can adjust the times to fit your conditioning.

Ride the bike as fast as you can for 10 seconds. That's tough, but definitely doable. Next, ride it slow for 50 seconds. You're still exercising, but this is actually an "active rest". After that, repeat the 10 high intensity seconds. And so on. You keep repeating the 10 hard seconds followed by 50 easy seconds for at least 20 minutes.

At the end of 20 minutes, you would've rode the bike fast for a grand total of 200 seconds... barely 3 minutes. YET... I bet you're sweating. Hmm, wonder why. Well, because you're actually working out in a smart manner that's efficient for burning fat.

So take this exercise bike workout for weight loss and give it a try and see what you're missing out on.

If you're SICK and TIRED of getting the same old boring weight loss advice... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, jog, and Blah Blah Blah", then...

Click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com to get your FREE EBOOK "How SPINNING Around Like a Child TRIPLES your Weight Loss". A strange, but true, way to LOSE 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks. I'm giving away this ebook today and tomorrow ONLY to anyone who visits my website! So get it before tomorrow night.

If you're truly serious about losing weight, then go to the link below to get your free ebook now. If you don't Lose 10 Pounds... I'd be QUITE surprised! http://www.weightlossguide4women.com

Jennifer Jolan

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Fast Healthy Recipes - Asian Green Bean Stir Fry

If you work all day, the last thing you want to do when you get home is to slave in front of a hot stove to prepare dinner. However, you don't want to fall to temptation and drive through the take out window for some sub-standard fast food. If you are trying to eat healthy and watching your weight, you want to eat foods that are nutrient rich, giving the most goody for the calories you consume.

The below recipe is great for a quick snack or as an accompaniment to a main entrée. It's a great complement to chicken, fish, pork or beef.

Asian Green Bean Stir Fry
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 pound green beans, cut 1-inch portions
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen mixed stir-fry vegetables (thaw if frozen)
1 tablespoon black bean-garlic sauce (found in Asian food section of most large grocery stores)

Directions:
1. In large frying pan heat sesame oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add green beans and crushed red pepper.
3. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until seared, stir often.
4. Add water, cover, reduce heat to medium.
5. Cook 3-6 minutes, stir occasionally, cook longer for tender vegetables.
6. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, add stir-fry vegetables and black bean-garlic sauce.
7. Cook until heated through, stirring often.
8. Dish is ready when the majority of the liquid has evaporated.
Serves approximately 4,1 cup servings.

Health Benefits:
Beans are rich in fiber and protein but also a great source of iron and Vitamin B6. Low in fat and calories, providing antioxidants that protect the heart.

Karen Ficarelli is the founder and CEO of Fitness4Her.com, a diet, exercise program and women's fitness blog, developed especially for women. A sports nutritionist and personal trainer, Karen has a treasure chest full of healthy recipes that will keep you eating healthy and lean.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3414551

Lose Weight Fast - Diet and Exercise Tips for Fast Fat Loss

Great news!!! You can start losing fat without spending any money. Keep reading to find out how. You've probably already tried losing weight with the help of various fat burn and dieting programs with no luck. Keep reading, because it's not as difficult as it sounds or as other people make it seem. You will have a good starting point by the end of this article. Stick to these tips and tricks and you will be on your way to your weight loss goals. In this article you will find out how to lose weight quickly and naturally.

First of all. You need stop eating unhealthy fast food. But you already knew that. Burgers, Pizza, snacks and all them tasty pastries are a great way to eat a ton of calories and put on some solid fat.

Sure these foods are much easier to prepare, but this time saver comes with a price. And you know what that is.

Make sure to eat more protein and fiber-rich foods. Incorporate lot's of fruits and veggies into your daily meals. They will suppress your appetite, improve your energy and they are full of nutrients.

Don't forget to drink water every day and lots of it. It's easy, try drinking a bottle right before your meal.

Exercise! Exercises and a healthy diet is the best way to lose weight naturally. You don't have to workout at the gym everyday. You can simply start using the stairs and walking more often. When you're ready for the gym, keep in mind that a full body workout helps to get you the results you desire.

Or if you don't want to join a gym, than you can take some classes like:Yoga, Kickboxing or MMA (for extreme people out there).

Get active (exercise)! Start playing a sport, do a short 10 to 15 minutes walk during the lunch break or maybe even get a second job that requires you to be more active. You don't have to spend money to burn fat.

Finally, there are ways to speed up fat loss. That are proven to deliver real results really fast. And if you want to get rid of body weight as fast as physically possible, than you may want to take a closer look at some of the most respected and talked about weight loss programs, or perhaps a personal trainer. It takes knowledge and dedication baby!!!

Make sure to visit out website, all of your health needs will be addressed. We have plenty of weight loss videos to help you lose weight fast and naturally. Free and paid advice, the most talked about weight loss products and diets reviewed and rated for you convenience. Please like, share and comment on this article if you like it.

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Healthy Chicken Recipes - 4 Tips For Awesome, Flavorsome Food

As we enter the beginning of a New Year many people will have resolved to lose weight and with this in mind I am going to give you some tips to cook healthy chicken recipes that will flood your taste buds with amazing flavor but also help as part of a calorie controlled diet.

But first of all, here are a few fun facts that you may not know about the chicken.

There are more chickens on earth than there are human beings

A chicken bred with a turkey is called a "Turken" which has the head of a turkey and the body of a chicken.

The United States has 4 cities with the word "chicken" in them: Chicken Town, Pennsylvania, Chicken Bristle, Kentucky, Chicken Alaska and Chicken Bristle Illinois.

The largest amount of yolks ever found in a single chicken's egg is 9.

Anyway, enough of that and on to some tips for creating healthy chicken recipes. Chicken is a very popular meat to cook because its subtle flavors adapt well to many different dishes and methods of cooking. It is also high in protein and has less fat than red meat. Having said that, however, many Americans buy boneless, skinnned chicken breasts and cooked wrongly, these can soon end up dry and tough as old boots, which leads me into my first tip.

1. When it comes to basic cooking there are two different methods: dry heat and moist heat. Dry heat includes baking, roasting, frying and grilling and moist heat includes poaching, steaming, microwaving and slow cooking. When using dry heat for chicken breasts, use a high heat and cook for a matter of minutes. Grilled chicken cooks in about 8-10 minutes. When using moist heat to cook chicken breasts they will take longer, but only about 15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the breasts).

2. Chicken crockpot recipes are always popular especially with working moms and nothing beats the smell of slow cooked chicken as you come through the door. In order to make these recipes both healthy and tasty, I would recommend that you use chicken thighs. So many people overlook chicken thighs and choose breast, but thighs are much more flavorsome and incredibly cheap. Remove all the skin and brown them all over in a pan before removing them with a slotted spoon and adding them to your favorite crockpot recipe. They will happily cook in a crockpot, retaining both moisture and flavor. Try adding some fruit like dried apricot or prunes as these work really well with chicken and help to bulk out the dish.

3. Try getting lots of flavor into your chicken, whether it be breasts or thighs, by marinating for several hours prior to cooking. A sweet and sour marinade consisting of honey, soy sauce, olive oil, and chill works well and if you pour the entire contents into your pan to cook the chicken, you will end up with delicious, tasty, sticky chicken which works really well with stir fried vegetables or a green salad.

4. Shake and bake chicken is another great way to pep up the humble chicken and keep the fat content low. You can make your own seasoning with a basic crumb mix and what you add to this is entirely up to you, but some good combinations include lemon zest and cracked black pepper, crumbled Parmesan cheese, or even some curry powder for a taste of India. Chicken, oven baked in this way, retains the moisture inside whilst becoming nice and crunchy on the outside and is always a winner with the kids.

Use these tips and don't be afraid to get creative and experiment with marinades and seasonings. When it comes to healthy chicken recipes the only limit is your imagination.

To learn more about Healthy Chicken Recipes, download my 10 day e-learning course here: "Popular Restaurant Recipes"

Patrick Edwards is the owner of www.restaurantrecipesonline.com where he provides premium Restaurant recipes and tips.

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Favorite Healthy Recipes For Kids

Parents know that it is challenging to come up with fast and healthy recipes for kids. Kids can be very finicky eaters, especially when it comes to vegetables and grains. Moms, Dads and chefs all over the world are always swapping new ideas for meals and ways to ensure a child will eat healthy and good tasting food.

One of the biggest challenges facing parents is how to get a child to eat their vegetables. Instead of pouring fattening melted cheese all over broccoli, try hiding the unpopular green villains. Mix the veggies with chicken and a cream sauce and then roll it up in a doughy casing. Use either a tortilla (corn or flour), a crepe, or a pita pocket.

A Quiche made out of eggs, lean bacon and vegetables is both easy, quick and relatively cheap. Buy a ready-made pie crust at your local market and in a large mixing bowl, combine 5 eggs, broccoli (or any other vegetable) and cooked bacon pieces all together. Then pour the mixture into the pie crust and stick it in the oven at 425 degrees for a half hour. This is a healthy and delicious treat for the whole family.

Kids always crave certain foods such as pizza. A pizza can be made very healthy and made quickly. You can really go wild with the veggie toppings and load a ready-made pizza dough full of them. First cover the dough with a marinara sauce, sprinkle mozzarella cheese (an naturally low-fat cheese) over the sauce and then pile on the veggies. Stick the pie in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Chicken nuggets are also a favorite. When baked instead of fried, these are very nutritional meal items. Set your oven to 400 degrees. Take raw chicken tenders and dip them into beaten 2 or 3 egg yolks. Then take the nuggets or tenders and dip them into breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs that are commonly sold at grocery stores work great. Place the chicken on a greased pan and set in oven for a half hour. Grilling the chicken nuggets is also a great idea. This dish goes great with rice, mashed potatoes or just a little bit of fruit as a dessert.

A popular breakfast recipe for little ones is whole grain pancakes. Kids will think you are feeding them a sweet snack instead of a healthy meal. Whole grain pancake batter is sold right along side the regular pancake batter at your local grocers. Instead of fatty maple syrup, opt for a non-preservative berry spread to top the pancakes.

For a midday snack: apple sticks, strawberries, and other sweet fruit will always win them over. Children and teens are natural fans of fruit and often don't request any additional toppings or dipping sauces. If their favorite fruit is not in season, frozen fruit is just as nutritious and delicious when thawed.

Remember that a child will crave what he or she is fed the most often. There are many healthy recipes for kids that will always be a hit. Your children will thank you for it, someday.

Get hold of lots of tasty healthy recipes for kids from healthy eating for kids.

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