Life would be pretty dull without music wouldn’t it? There isn’t a person or culture in the world that doesn’t thrive on music. You could say that the human body is hard wired to thrive on music and rhythm the same as it thrives on activity. But music isn’t just about enjoyment. What you may not know is that when you exercise to music you also intensify your workout, especially when you use up tempo music.

Modern research is revealing how music affects our physical performance. Major physiological changes happen in response to music. Recent research suggests that music improves performance during exercise.

Tempo As A Motivator

Have you ever noticed that when you do housework with music running in the background that your body movements tend to synchronize with the music. The more up tempo the music the faster you tend to move.

According to another study from Ohio State University performed by Mariagrace Flint in 2010, subjects climbed stairs faster to music with a faster tempo. According to Mariagrace; “results showed that those in the fast paced condition walked up the stairs significantly faster than those in the slow condition.” The aim of the study was to discover whether music tempo would effect motor activity. The results suggest that the body synchronizes with music during physical exercise.

Effects Of Music On Heart Rate.

Several studies have indicated that music tempo correlates to changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. Investigators used varying styles of music and tempos and discovered that breathing rates increased in response to increased music tempo. In addition, heart rate and blood pressure also experienced a similar increase to faster tempo. Interestingly, after the music stopped, breathing, heart rate and blood pressure all dropped below the rate from before the music started. This indicates a calming or relaxing effect.

When You Exercise To Music It Acts As Pain Relief

Several other studies have indicated that music can provide an effective source of pain relief. Many pain centers offer music therapy to patients who suffer from chronic pain. This therapy also offers many benefits to help reduct the physical impact of exercise.

Music

• Alters pain perception by providing a distraction
• Promotes Rhythmic breathing which delivers extra oxygen to muscles thereby reducing spasms and stiffness
• Reduces anxiety and stress: Reduces the impact of stress on stamina
• Provides a positive mood boost: Pain is easier to deal with when we are happy!

Exercise To Music To Increase Brain Function

Interestingly, a clinical psychologist from Ohio State Uni named Charles Emery also discovered that when you exercise to music it enhances brain power. His research studied a group of 33 cardiac rehabilitation patients who were chosen because coronary artery disease is believed to decrease brain function. The research involved patients undergoing two rounds of 30 minute exercise on a treadmill one week apart. Before and after each session their verbal fluency was tested. One workout was performed to music and the other was not. The improvement in the verbal fluency test performance after the session exercising to music was more than double that of the session that did not include music. More information about this research is available at http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/hartsong.htm

Conclusion: As you can see, when you exercise to music it has several benefits that make exercise more enjoyable, increase intensity and reduce impact. By the time your body synchronizes with the music, increases heart/breathing rates and blood pressure and lessens the impact of exercise on your body it has made your workout much more effective. One of the best modern forms of exercise is Zumba… fun and effective.  Give it a go today!

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What does body mass index mean? This term is one that causes a lot of confusion in many people. You’ve no doubt heard the rumor that body mass index (BMI) can be inaccurate. This has caused many to disregard the method. Despite the BMI being inaccurate in some cases, for most people it’s a perfectly valid means of assessing healthy weight.

So what does body mass index mean?

The body mass index was created between 1830 – 1850 by Adolphe Quetelet. The body mass index calculates a persons mass (height to weight ratio) compared to the average height to weight ratio. The healthy range was determined over several decades based on medical records showing disease rate patterns associated with certain body mass index results. For example, people with below average BMI calculations may suffer from malnutrition, infertility, osteoporosis, anemia, weak immune system, bulimia and anorexia. Oddly enough, underweight people suffer similar mortality rates to those who are obese! People with a high BMI are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, infertility, sleep apnea and stroke. The healthy weight range is applied to the range with the lowest percentage of these ailments.

So what is a healthy BMI?

There are several classifications

Is it accurate?

Some people choose to disregard the body mass index because in certain cases it is inaccurate. But unless you have the fitness and strength of an athlete, your BMI should be accurate. Only those with a high percentage of muscle like athletes and those with physically demanding jobs (builders etc) will have an issue of accuracy with the BMI. This is because muscle weighs approximately 18% more than the same volume of fat. So if you have two people of an identical height and weight, one can be obese while the other could have virtually no fat simply because they have a higher percentage of muscle. In the case of athletic people, further tests are required to accurately assess body fat percentage.

Another thing that can cause issues is the fact that BMI over generalizes by not taking frame size into account. For example, small framed people may carry excess fat for their height despite having a “healthy” BMI. Large framed people may have a low body fat percentage but be classified as “overweight” according to their BMI. This is because BMI is based upon a range which tries to take too many variables into account. So you need to know your frame size also. Click here for information on how to calculate your frame size

For more info on what does body mass index mean visit This article at wikipedia

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One of the most commonly asked weight loss questions is; what weight should I be for my height? It’s a good question to ask as it indicates an understanding that there is an appropriate weight range determined by height and a willingness to discover what that weight range is. People who assume they know what weight (or measurement) they should be are the ones who are more likely to suffer from eating disorders trying to attain an impossible weight or size.

These days the most common method of determining the ideal weight based on height is the BMI system. But when you’re asking the question ‘what weight should I be for my height?’ the BMI system only provides a very general idea of the ideal weight because BMI (body mass index) is based upon the average weight RANGE which takes into account all frame sizes but the size of your frame will partially determines your position within that range. Quite obviously, a person with a small frame should be lighter than someone with a large frame! Because of this, it can be handy to know your frame size when calculating your ideal weight. If you think of it in terms of healthy BMI (i.e. 18-25) a person with a small frame may have a BMI of around 18-20. A person with a medium frame may have a BMI around 20-23 and a person with a large frame may have a BMI of 23-25. A person with a small frame can still have unnecessary fat if their BMI is in the higher average. NOT THAT YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT (It’s important to say that)… as long as you are within the 18-25 BMI range you’re unlikely to suffer weight related diseases. You can Click here to Calculate Your BMI

How to calculate body frame size

The simplest way to calculate body frame size is by using your wrist measurement. Watch the video below to find out how to calculate body frame size. Don’t worry about the tables at the end as I’ve included them below anyway.

Obviously, the other thing you need to answer this question is your height. Because the majority of visitors to the site are from the US I’ve only included the charts in feet/inches and pounds. So for the benefit of visitors who are accustomed to the metric system I have included a calculator below the post

So you need to lose weight? A couple of years ago I tried a fantastic health and weight loss product that I was so impressed with I became an affiliate. That product was miracle noodle. miracle noodles are made from a form of dietary fiber mixed with water. The human body can not convert fiber to energy so the noodles are effectively calorie free which makes them an ideal weight loss food. This amazing noodle allows you to reduce the calorie intake of a meal by 300 calories or more WITHOUT reducing food intake. Click here for more information on miracle noodles

Disclosure: The Miracle Noodle link above is an affiliate link. Sales generated via this link will result in commissions being earned.

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There are many weight loss myths circulated that are actually counter productive to effective weight loss… see how many of these you have fallen for:

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 1: THE LESS YOU EAT, THE MORE WEIGHT YOU LOSE:

Your body requires a MINIMUM of 1200 calories per day to operate. Consume less and your body will interpret it as though there were a famine and slow your metabolism (ability to burn calories) and retain fat in order to survive. The same is true of skipping meals, especially breakfast. In fact, if you habitually skip breakfast you may find that your overall calorie intake is higher for the day because you will binge later on.

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 2: IF YOU EXERCISE MORE YOU DON’T NEED TO REDUCE FOOD INTAKE:

It is surprisingly difficult to lose weight by exercise alone. Scientists have calculated that one pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories so to lose a pound of fat you would need to burn an extra 500 calories per day. To do this you would need to briskly walk 5-6 miles PER DAY. As they say, it’s easier to put weight on than it is to lose it! You will lose weight far more effectively by exercising in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet.

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 3: EATING A LARGE NIGHT TIME MEAL CAUSES WEIGHT GAIN:

Although it’s true that our metabolism slows at night, it doesn’t matter whether your main meal is consumed at breakfast lunch or dinner. One thing we do need to watch for is overeating which is most common at night. It’s what we eat and how much that matters rather than when we eat it.

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 4: CARBOHYDRATES ARE FATTENING:

This isn’t necessarily true. In the overall scheme of things a calorie is calorie whether it’s a calorie of fat, alcohol, protein or carbohydrate (although fat contains 9 calories per gram and alcohol 6 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram of carbohydrates and protein). The fact of the matter is that a person could become overweight even if all they ate was vegetables… if they ate more than their body required. There are good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates however. Simple and processed carbohydrates like sugar and white flour should be avoided.

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 5: EATING SEVERAL SMALLER MEALS IS BETTER THAN EATING THREE LARGE MEALS:

Eating more frequently helps keep hunger at bay and helps reduce the incidence of overeating at meals but if you eat three main meals it’s okay as well, as long as you avoid snacking between meals. The point is not to consume more calories than your body requires.

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 6: IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT YOU SHOULD ELIMINATE TREATS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE:

While it’s a good idea to reduce consumption of junk food if you eliminate them altogether you will probably find you crave those foods even more and that can result in binge eating. It’s important to allow yourself the occasional indulgence because it has an important psychological factor in relation to weight control.

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 7: EATING ONLY HEALTHY FOODS WILL HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT:

Yes and no! It’s still possible to consume excessive calories even from healthy foods. For example, a salad with coleslaw and potato salad, cheese and dressing will contain more calories than a shop bought hamburger. You also need to watch hidden calories like fruit juice or soda. A large glass of fruit juice contains up to 250 calories but because it’s a liquid we don’t think of it as a food and because it doesn’t have the fiber it isn’t filling. Soda contains as much as 160 calories per can.

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 8: FAT IS UNHEALTHY:

The human body actually NEEDS a certain amount of fat to provide padding and protection to internal organs, helping regulate body temperature by providing a buffer against the cold and also for absorbing certain nutrients. There are healthy and unhealthy fats. Healthy fats include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats found in avocado, nuts and olive oil etc. Then you have essential fatty acids like omega 3 found in seeds, fish and nuts which are, as the name suggests, essential to healthy body function.

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 9: EATING ‘NEGATIVE CALORIE’ FOODS WILL HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT:

The concept behind negative calorie foods is that they supposedly require more calories to digest than they actually provide. Unfortunately, there are NO foods that require more energy to digest than they contain. Examples of supposed negative calorie foods include things such as lettuce and celery. The only way to find a true negative calorie food would be for the food to have no calories at all. And there is only one food source that can make this claim… Fiber. Fiber passes through the body without being converted to energy. In fact, the body is incapable of converting fiber into energy. Oddly enough, there are Japanese noodles which are made from 100% soluble fiber combined with water that you can use as a substitute for regular noodles which are high in calories. They don’t take energy to digest but what what they do is slow digestion and satisfy your hunger for longer. In that way they provide a foods source that is calorie free. Check out these amazing calorie free noodles .

WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS # 10: AEROBIC EXERCISE IS BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS THAN RESISTANCE TRAINING:

Although aerobic exercise tends to burn more calories while you’re doing it, resistance training tends to cause low level damage to the muscles which requires a LOT of energy to repair. Therefore, resistance training causes you to continue burning extra calories long after you finish training, compared to aerobic training which stops burning extra calories the moment your heart rate slows to normal. Therefore the overall effect is about the same.

So now you know the truth. As you can see, some of these dieting myths myths are surprising, others no so much!

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Are you concerned about weight loss and diabetes? Today more and more people are living on a dangerous ‘cocktail’ of unhealthy life style choices. Many of us eat too many bad foods (and not enough good foods) and engage in way too little physical activity, and way too much stress. These issues are the main causes of certain health issues becoming more common, such as diabetes for example. The good news is that if you’re a diabetic, much of this can be turned with weight loss.

For people who are morbidly obese and diabetic, it is possible that weight loss can eradicate the diabetes altogether. In the Australian version of ‘The Biggest Loser’ (series 3, 2008), there was a contestant called Sean Holbrook who had a starting weight of 174.6 kilograms (385 lbs) and uncontrolled diabetes. The male trainer, Shannan Pontan, suggested that weight loss could not only bring his diabetes under control but also eradicate his need for medication. Some experts blasted him for suggesting it and called him irresponsible. However, Sean did exactly that. In the first week he lost 12.6 kilograms (27 lbs 12 oz). He was eliminated in week four but by the time he appeared on the finale he had lost almost 80 kilograms (178 lbs) and his blood sugar levels were normal… AND HE NO LONGER NEEDED MEDICATION!! Shannan was correct. Weight loss and diabetes were apparently incompatible and once he lost the weight the diabetes ceased to be an issue. You can read more of Sean’s story at Biggest Loser Recap

That said, not all diabetes sufferers will be cured by losing weight. But if their diabetes is caused by excessive fat around the pancreas (where insulin is produced) that inhibits passage of insulin into the blood stream, then yes, losing weight could very well resolve the issue!

Most doctors will advise you to lose weight and exercise more, but they rarely help with finding the best method to achieve that. Many people try several methods before finding the right combination of dietary changes and exercises that you can remain motivated to perform.

Of course, exercise is a crucial component with weight loss and diabetes. Most people think that working out is all about ‘work’. But if you find an activity you enjoy doing, it becomes fun and you don’t have the same difficulty motivating yourself as you would with something you didn’t enjoy. Remember the sheer joy you experienced as a child when you took off in a dead run? Or how free and alive you felt just skipping down your driveway? You can recapture a lot of that joy by taking the time to find a physical activity that you enjoy. This is the number one ‘secret’ to being successful in your weight loss: find an exercise that you like doing.

Of course getting more physical activity is the first part of the weight loss and diabetes equation. The second part is to make better food choices. I don’t use the word ‘diet’ because that has such negative connotations. As far as I’m concerned, ‘diet’ is a dirty four letter word!! People frequently equate the word with eating celery stalks for days on end, which is totally counter productive by the way since it causes your body to enter starvation mode in which it conserves fat in order to survive and burns it as slowly as possibly by slowing down your metabolism.

Rather than starving yourself it’s better to make better food choices and lifestyle changes. Start simple and small. What is your biggest weakness? Too much soda, sweets, carbs? Whatever it is, start there. Don’t expect to go cold turkey and completely cut those things out of your diet. It’s unlikely that you will be able to succeed as doing that tends to lead to cravings for that item and eventually bingeing on it. Instead just make it a policy of reducing intake of that problem item.

For example: If you drink four sodas a day, then concentrate on changing that habit and cutting back to one soda a day. It’s all about moderation. Also, take a look at Miracle noodles for a noodle that is carbohydrate and calorie free and ideal for diabetics because it is made from soluble fiber which is proven to help stabilize blood sugar levels. Find out more about miracle noodles.

Go easy on yourself. While it’s good to have an ultimate goal, that goal should be realistic and should involve several smaller goals that are easy to achieve rather than setting yourself up for failure by setting unachievable goals that will be virtually impossible to stick with. Give yourself every chance of success.

Choose to start smaller, with more achievable lifestyle changes. It won’t take longer because the overly confidant goals will probably never be accomplished anyway. Smaller goals have a much better chance of success, so start there.

Most health issues can be improved or prevented by maintaining a healthy weight and getting exercise. Diabetes is one of those illnesses, weight loss and diabetes reduction go hand in hand.

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Are you sick of fad diets where you just regain the weight lost? Imagine eating foods that assist weight loss? There are many foods that increase your metabolism so if you can include these foods into your eating habits then they will help you to burn fat and lose weight. You could already be eating a few of these superfoods, so it may just be a matter of adjusting your diet to include more of them.

If you’re a fiery food lover then you are in luck. Cayenne peppers, jalapenos and habaneros are some fantastic hot and spicy foods that give the metabolism a great big boost. Essentially, as well as tasting hot they also get your innards running hot too. These spices will persist in boosting your metabolism for approximately three hours after you consume them. So if you’d like a three hour fat burnout then go eat a meal with lots of hot and spicy peppers but just be sure that the meal isn’t too high in carbs and fats.

Salmon, sardines and tuna – these fish are full of Omega-3 fatty acids which will help speed up your metabolism and also have the extra benefit of being very good for your heart. Our bodies possess a hormone known as leptin and our metabolism runs faster when the leptin amounts are low and these fish help to hold those levels lower, allowing your metabolism to run at a good speed and burn off calories. Fish are also a source of protein and protein is great for speeding up the metabolism.

While on the subject of protein – foods like lean meat, beans, eggs and also peanut butter will provide your metabolism a boost. Peanut butter should be eaten in moderation because of its high fat content, but do endeavor to incorporate it in your diet as it’s rich in both protein and monounsaturated fats. Nut butters are also high in protein, monounsaturated fats and also include a lot of antioxidants. Even though nuts are high in fat, if eaten in small amounts they will actually promote weight loss.

Whole grains, like oatmeal, are also very good for enhancing metabolism. These foods contain fiber, glucose and energy that are much required for our body and brains to function properly, but regrettably a lot of diet plans shun them. They’re excellent for enhancing the metabolism by regulating the insulin in the bloodstream. They digest slowly and only place a bit of insulin into the bloodstream which keeps things operating smoothly. If your blood sugar levels climb too high then a big release of insulin enters the bloodstream which makes your body attempt to store everything as fat, so it’s crucial to keep the insulin levels at a healthy level so your system won’t store up too much fat. The main reason they’re so good is because they are high in fiber which your body attempts to digest and convert to energy despite being unable to. Of course, fiber is also fantastic for digestive health

Speaking of fiber, there’s a noodle originally created by the Japanese known as Shirataki, Konjac or Konnyaku or miracle noodles. Shirataki noodles are made from a combination of 100% soluble fiber and water. Because they are made from fiber the body is unable to convert them to energy which to all intents and purposes makes them calorie free if you swap them for traditional noodles. For further information visit our Miracle Noodle Review

Extra foods that are fantastic for speeding up the metabolism are vegetables and fruit, particularly dark green leafy veggies and berries. These foods are also a great source of vitamins and antioxidants so eat as much of these foods as you want.

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BMI (body mass index) is one of the most popular methods that physicians employ to determine patients are in a healthy weight range. Because body fat and lean muscle tissue do not figure into the equation in any way, some experts consider BMI inaccurate for some people. In this article we are going to discover exactly what BMI is and why it isn’t always accurate for some people.

BMI is short for Body Mass Index and was created by Adolphe Quetelet in the early 1800s. In essence, BMI compares a persons weight to their height and with this information determines whether they’re a healthy weight for their height. BMI measurement has remained popular for all these years and still remains one of the most common weight measurements.

Body composition, bone/frame size and body type are not included in the formula for calculating BMI. The formula for working out BMI is to take your weight in pounds multiplied by 703 then divide by your height in inches squared. So If you’re 188 lbs and 72″ (6′) tall you multiply 188×703=132164 then divide that figure by 5184 (72×72) to calculate a bmi of 25.49. If you are accustomed to metric then take your height in meters squared and divide your weight in kilos by that number. Let’s do an example: If you’re 1.7 meters tall you’d do 1.7 times 1.7 which equals 2.89. If you weigh 65 kilos you’d divide 65 by 2.89 which equals 22.49 as your BMI. This is in the normal weight range which is from 18.5 to 24.9. If you have a BMI under 18.5 then you are considered underweight and if you’re above 24.9 then you are classed as overweight. If your BMI is over 30 then you are classed as obese. A BMI of over 35 is considered morbidly obese which indicates a risk of serious health issues like diabetes, stroke and heart attack.

Generally you can receive an indication of whether or not you’re in a healthy weight range by how much body fat you’ve got as well as by your general health. However, BMI is usually a little trickier than working out your healthy weight range using body fat.

The reason that BMI isn’t constantly precise is because the calculation makes an assumption of average body composition (fat vs muscle percentages) that might not be true in every particular case. You can have two people with exactly the same height, weight and bone/frame size, but one of them could be chubby and the other skinny. Reason being, they have different percentages of body fat. The thin one has more muscle. So if you’ve got a lot of muscle then your BMI might not be accurate. Muscles weigh much more than fat and take less space so people with a high percentage of muscle do not look as big as individuals with the same percentage of fat. BMI doesn’t take this muscle weight into account. Sportspeople, football players, body builders, wrestlers and even some trades people (like brick layers) will frequently calculate a BMI that places them within the overweight or obese range simply because they have a lot of muscle due to their exercise routine.

Consequently, BMI is not accurate for those who have a lot of weight in muscle, but what about everybody else? Well the accuracy is excellent for the ‘average’ person. Another group which has an imprecise reading is children on account of their speed of development. So in general, unless you’re an sportsperson or a kid then BMI is a good way to measure your weight range.

Another inaccuracy with BMI is that it utilizes exactly the same formula for both males and females, but women generally bear extra body fat than males. Because of this, you would think the formula would be a little different to give accurate results.

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Are you fed up with constantly observing no quantifiable or long-lasting results whenever you try to slim down? Or maybe you’re sick and tired of wasting money on modern fad diets, only to be let down again. Stop! That’s right, stop whatever you are doing, you want to hear this. Do not even consider trying another diet plan or weight loss program until you’ve read this post. Why? Because these four weight loss tips will put you on the path to safe, effective weight loss.

Each of the four weight loss tips are based on science. That means they have always existed and aren’t fads. Unfortunately, many individuals and organizations selling modern weight loss programs don’t like sharing them, so it is not your fault if you have been unable to effectively lose weight. In fact, it’s in their best interests for you to remain overweight so you need their programs. If they provide the secret to permanent weight loss they lose their source of income.

1. The Advantage of Muscle – In short, the more lean muscle you have when attempting to lose weight, the better. The amount of calories you’re capable of burning is partially related to the amount of muscle mass in your body. On top of that, extra muscle means that you can exercise more effectively, and gives you more stamina. The fact that muscle looks nicer than fat doesn’t hurt either. The strange thing is, that two individuals with precisely the same height, WEIGHT and bone structure can appear entirely different in build based on body fat percentage compared to muscle. For example, they may both be 5’6″ and 135 pounds yet one might be a size 12 and the other could be a size 10 or even a size 8. The reason for this is that a pound of muscle is smaller than a pound of fat. Have you ever noticed those blobs of silicone in pharmacies that symbolize body fat? If you compared the volume of one of those to a piece of lean beef of exactly the same weight you would find out that the beef is notably smaller.

   One of the best ways to develop muscle mass is through strength training. You can and should still engage in cardiovascular exercise, but nothing beats lifting weights and resistance training to increase muscle mass. This is important because muscle also requires more calories to maintain itself, and that is excellent, and brings us to the next point…

2. Stoke the Furnace – What we’re referring to is metabolism; metabolism is the speed at which the body burns energy. As we’ve already seen, muscle tissue is excellent for burning calories and boosting your metabolism. However, are other things you can do to maintain a higher metabolism.

   Eating several smaller meals through the day, versus three bigger meals, will keep your body busier burning calories. It also has the additional advantage of preventing your appetite from becoming out of control. Drinking water regularly keeps your digestive system working (and therefore burning calories) without adding any calories to your intake.

3. Fast Feet – We’ll keep this tip very brief. A great way to lose weight is to take regular vigorous walks. It’s not only easy to do, but will also assist you to lose weight safely and keep it off. It could be as simple as walking to the shop for bread and milk instead of driving, or taking the steps at the office instead of the elevator. These activities increase your heart rate which then boosts the number of calories burned.
4. Decrease Calorie Consumption – This may be the biggest “secret” that fad diets try to hide, however it gets right to the heart of the subject. The only path to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. So far we’ve looked at burning calories, but now it is time to switch to decreasing how many you take in. The good news is that you do not have to consistently count every calorie that goes into your mouth. All you’ve got to do is make healthier food choices, and make a conscious attempt to consume reasonable portions. Contrary to popular belief, this does not even necessitate you reducing the amount of food you eat. It is as simple as grabbing an apple (around 50 calories) rather than a muffin (120-250 calories) or muesli bar (120-200 calories) or having fresh meat and vegetables rather than refined foods that are high in sodium, fats and calories. And were you aware that a can of standard soda contains as much as a hundred and sixty calories… four cans per day boosts calorie consumption by 640 calories, all without satisfying hunger. Change to diet soda, or healthier yet, water!

If I informed you of a food source with zero calories that reduces calorie intake when substituted for something traditionally high in calories, would you be interested? Well, there is! They’re called shirataki noodles. These miracle noodles have been made by the Japanese for over two thousand years from a mixture of water and 100% soluble fiber. Since the body is not capable of converting fiber to energy the noodles are to all intents and purposes calorie free. For further information visit our miracle noodle review. If you want to purchase at a discounted rate visit miracle noodle coupon codes

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Have you ever struggled to lose weight? If you have it’s possible that you have concluded that it is almost impossible to achieve. In reality, it needn’t be that difficult.

On the other hand, if you think getting rid of those excess pounds is ‘easy peasy’ and doesn’t require you to make any effort on your half, then you will be seriously disappointed. If you’re serious about losing weight loss and ready to commit yourself to following sensible eating habits, get moving and changing your perspective, you will find you lose weight faster.

Sometimes it seems as if diet and weight loss plans are a constant feature of our lives; We don’t want to admit to the pattern of gaining weight, dieting and then gaining weight over and over again. These are usually fad diets that we try with the hopes of finally finding one that genuinely works. Unfortunately, it’s not smart to start any diet before you absolutely understand the requirements and whether it is medically advisable or whether it will leave you at risk of being malnourished. The good news is that there are many diet programs that have been proven to work. Another factor that you must consider is that weight loss is not a short term goal. Rather, it is a lifestyle change that you incorporate into your life. Unfortunately, many people reach the conclusion that they need to lose weight so they go on a diet and once they reach their goal weight they return to the exact eating and exercise habits that resulted in them becoming overweight in the first place… hence the dieting rollercoaster!

Let’s be clear, there are many reasons why people don’t persist with weight loss programs, but lack of motivation is rarely one of them. What is required are some simple methods to increase the chances of success. Here are three things you can do that may swing the odds in your favor.

1. Maintain your focus – Much has been said regarding willpower and its ineffectiveness. The problem with willpower is that it fosters an incorrect mindset. Think about it, willpower is something you require when you are feeling deprived. If you start thinking about the foods you can’t have, or how difficult it all is, you’re setting yourself up for failure. You would like something better, and that’s where focus comes in. It’s the alternative of willpower. Focus on the reasons you want to lose weight, what your ultimate goal is, how you will feel when you reach your target weight, what will be easier after you reach your goal weight. When you’re centered on these positive aspects it makes your weight loss journey that much easier.

2. Start Exercising – No, I don’t mean running 10 miles per day or some such nonsense. That’s a great way to become discouraged. Start our small. Walk to the store for bread and milk instead of driving. Exercise doesn’t need to be hard or have the negative connotations it has for many people. Regardless of what you call it, you need to get moving if you want to increase your possibilities of success. The key is to participate in enjoyable activities. This might be going for a walk, bowling, dancing, gardening, or playing frisbee. Just bear in mind that additional activity equals additional calories burned.

3. Effort – Yes, weight loss takes effort. That is unavoidable. Fortunately, the more effort you invest, the greather the rewards!

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When looking for easy weight loss tips it’s not always easy to find a simple list of tips that can make a big difference. That is what this article is about.

So here are my 10 Easy weight loss tips:

1. Always eat breakfast!: Eating breakfast kick starts your metabolism which has slowed down overnight. It also prevents your blood sugar levels from dropping and causing cravings for high energy, high sugar content foods like candy, doughnuts etc. While you may think that skipping breakfast will reduce your daily calorie intake, the opposite is actually true. Skipping breakfast leads to being over hungry later which leads to increased calorie intake. From personal experience, if I eat breakfast within an hour of waking my daily calorie intake is around 200 calories less than when I skip breakfast.
2. Reduce your plate size: Did you know that in the last 20 years plate sizes have increased from 8″ (20cm) to 10″ (25cm) and scientists believe this has contributed to overeating and obesity. It’s purely psychological, but we ‘eat with our eyes’ and if our serving LOOKS bigger (i.e. the plate is fuller) it makes our brain think we should feel more satisfied after eating it. Weird but true!
3. Eat several small meals per day: Instead of just eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, add some between meal snacks like morning tea, afternoon tea and supper. Reduce your portion sizes for lunch and dinner slightly. Snacks should consist of something light like a 3 oz can of tuna or salmon, a piece of fruit, a handful of sultanas or nuts or a couple of water crackers with light cream cheese or tzatziki dip. Try to keep snacks under 100 calories. Eating regularly like this keeps your metabolism buzzing along at peak rates as your body tries to digest the food (and digestion itself burns calories). The longer you go without food the slower your metabolism becomes. Try to avoid heavy meals for dinner and avoid eating in the last two hours before bed.
4. Skip the butter or margarine on your sandwich: Did you know that skipping butter/margarine on sandwiches reduces your calorie intake by 70 calories? (Based on the average of one teaspoon of butter per slice). If you don’t like dry bread, try spreading some low fat ricotta cheese or other light cream cheese on the bread before adding fillings, this adds around 16 calories compared to 70 with butter.
5. Increase protein intake: Protein is one of the main food components that satisfy appetite (the second being fiber), it’s also much harder to digest than carbohydrates which means the digestion process burns more calories. Protein comes from red meat, fish, poultry (including eggs), legumes like lentils, edamame (soy beans) and mushrooms. Try to avoid mass produced sausages as they contain around 40% fat content. Make sure you trim excess fat from your meat. Another great way to boost protein intake is to have a smoothie and add an egg, or an egg white if you want to avoid the fat content of the yolk.
6. Increase fiber intake: Fiber satisfies appetite by slowing digestion, this makes food stay in the stomach for longer thus avoiding the empty feeling. Your body is incapable of digesting fiber so it exits the body in much the same form as it entered. Fiber also absorbs water and maintains regular bowel movements. Increase fiber intake by eating high fiber cereal, brown or multigrain bread, wholemeal pasta or fiber supplements. Check out this post titled Best fiber supplement for weight loss to discover how to make your own fiber supplement for less than half the price of commercial brands.
7. Decrease carbohydrate consumption: Carbohydrates supply the vast majority of our energy requirements because they are the most easily converted to energy. However, many of us consume far too much carbohydrate which leads to fat storage. Reducing consumption of potatoes, pasta, rice and baked products made with white flour at meal times by about half will assist with weight loss. Check out this video about Shirataki noodles for an alternative to pasta made from 100% soluble fiber that contains NO carbohydrates and NO calories. They are known as shirataki noodles.
8. Reduce sugar intake: Did you know that every time you add two level teaspoons of sugar to a cup of coffee or tea you’re adding at least 30 calories to your daily intake? Cut back consumption of sweet baked products, candy and sweet snacks. Use artificial sweeteners if you like, though these tend to confuse the body and lead to fluid retention. Another alternative is Stevia, it’s around 250 times sweeter than regular table sugar. A small pinch is enough to sweeten your coffee or tea and contains about 2% of the calories. It’s a little harder to get but is available at most health foods stores and also on Ebay. You may look at the price and think it’s expensive but when you take into consideration that 1 oz of Stevia is equivalent to almost 16 lbs of regular sugar you will realize that the prices are comparable if not cheaper. Don’t purchase stevia leaf powder, you want the extract which is a white powder and look for 90% stevioside concentration or higher.
9. Watch what you are drinking: If you are a fan of soda like coca cola etc you need to take the calorie content of those drinks into account. Did you know that a can of non diet soda contains around 160 calories? That means that if you drink four cans of soda per day you are adding around 640 calories to your daily intake, that is almost one third of the average daily energy requirement and they’re empty calories at that, they do nothing to satisfy hunger. If you must drink soda, at least drink diet soda!
10. Get active: No, that is not a suggestion to run out and spend a fortune on a gym membership or personal trainer. The expense is not required. Simply taking a 30 minute leisurely walk per day is sufficient exercise. Take the dog for a walk. Walk to the store for bread and milk instead of driving. Take the stairs instead of the lift at the office. Walk to the park for lunch instead of eating in the lunch room. Get outside and jump rope, skipping burns up to 1200 calories per hour depending on your weight (average male weight of 180lbs burns 1018 and average female weight of 155lbs burns 880). If you have a Nintendo Wii, have some fun with the Wii sportz or Wii Fit packages. Like dancing? Get a Zumba package! There are lots of ways to get active in fun ways without huge expense or time commitments.

So how much effect can this have in ONE DAY? Take a look at these figures:

That’s an average of 3626 calories per week. Scientists have calculated that it requires 3,500 excess calories to create one pound of fat so these simple measures could cause weight loss of over a pound per week. And that is just the quantifiable tips. It should be noted that each individuals results will vary since we each have a unique metabolism. These figures are only intended as a guide.

So there you have it, my 10 easy weight loss tips… can’t get easier than that can you?

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