How To Suppress Your Appetite By Drinking Green Tea

Green tea is has become a very popular, tasty drink and is enjoyed all over the world. It originally came from China and spread throughout all of Asia and to the Middle East. Eventually it made its way into the United States where black tea is a traditional favorite. What’s interesting is that green tea has been the focus of intense scientific research and medical study concerning safe appetite suppression and natural weight loss.

In addition to having about 66% less caffeine as coffee, it has been reported that green tea certain health benefits concerning weight loss. Scientist have proven that drinking green tea helps increase the body’s ability to burn fat and prevent obesity as well as fight obesity related health issues. Research scientists at Birmingham University in the UK; have discovered surprising results concerning the effects of green tea. They wanted to compare weight loss results of subjects who drank green tea verses subjects who did not and the results were shocking.


Scientists at the University reported that the subjects who drank green tea had an average fat oxidation rate that was almost 20% higher than those who did not drink green tea. This means that in addition to exercise, green tea helps to boost your body's power to burn fat by almost 20%. Scientists also discovered an increase in insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in the subjects who drank green tea verses those who didn’t. This means that the subjects who drank green tea were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes which is commonly associated with obesity.

Increased oxidation rates and increased insulin sensitivity are not the only things that scientists have discovered. The effects of green tea have been tested on lab mice and here are a few things scientists have discovered:

• Weight loss- An experiment was performed on mice with an obesity gene. Mice that were fed food containing green tea extract gained less weight and had less body fat than mice who were fed no green tea extract.


• Healthy liver- Obese lab mice that had no green tea extract had a higher percentage of fatty liver disease.


• Lower cholesterol- Lab mice with an obesity gene that consumed green tea extract had lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than obese lab mice that consumed no green tea extract.

Green tea is not just another refreshing and healthy drink; it's also the center of intense scientific research concerning weight loss. If you are interested in drinking green tea to lose weight make sure you do your homework first. Talk to your doctor and do some research to find out as much as you can about the different types of green tea that are available. Your doctor will tell you which type is right for you as well as the amounts you should consume and the length of time you should drink it for. Until then sit back, relax and enjoy a nice hot cup of green tea… cheers.

The Dangers of Fad Dieting

In America over 30% of the U. S. population is considered to be overweight. Most people who are obese have a deep desire to lose that weight so that they could feel stronger, healthier, more energetic, and more attractive. Unfortunately, there are people who want to take advantage of and prey on those who have a genuine desire to lose weight and simply maintain good health in order to live a long happy life. The way these predators cash in is through creating something called “Fad Dieting"

For those who are unfamiliar with this term, a “fad diet” is simply a popular type of diet which goes along with the latest trend in weight loss. Usually, fad diets are promoted by a person or group of people who have published a book or perhaps have some type of product to help masses of people lose weight. They also boast promises of natural weight loss, a healthier, longer life. The underlying theme for fad diets is to help produce financial gain for the predators that started them. Not convinced? Well, let’s examine the facts.

Fad dieting has become so popular that Americans spend anywhere between $33 billion to $55 billion each year on weight loss programs and products that go along with fad dieting. This means that millions of people in America who are trying to lose weight are in turn fattening the pockets of fad diet creators.

It would be a wise decision to invest some of the profit into intense scientific research in order to see how effective and beneficial these fad diets really are. No one should have to be a human guinea pig to see weather or not a fad diet will work. If you are serious about loosing weight, you need to be armed with information and recognize a fad diet when you see one.

There are two basic categories of fad dieting. First there are fad diets which favor one particular food or food group over all others. Also, that one food or food group becomes the primary source of nutrition in a person's daily diet. The problem with this type of fad diet is that when you put more emphasis on one food group verses another, over a period of time your body will be sufficient in one group of vitamins and nutrients and deficient in another.

The second type are the ones that exclude a specific type of food or food group because they are deemed as being harmful. This type of fad diet is opposite of the first type but has the same effect. When a particular food or food group is eliminated completely from your diet, your body fails to get a proper balance of all the basic food groups. The end result is a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals.

The problem with fad diets is that the people who create them are out to capitalize on the diet’s popularity and have very little concern for those who practice the diet. These diets do work for some people. For others, they may not work at all or have dangerous side effects.

Many creators of fad diets put very little effort into researching the safety of their diets. These diets tend to be unhealthy and are promoted by its creators instead of being backed by scientific evidence. Generally speaking, fad diets may work temporarily for some people. Unfortunately, many of these diets often leave you with very little energy, very little protein, and a depletion of important fat-soluble vitamins and minerals essential for muscle development.

Dieting Made Easy

Most of the people think of dieting as equivalent of starving or popping slimming pills. Weight loss can be achieved by pleasurable dieting too. Follow a few simple rules for healthy dieting and you have a wide choice of what you can eat to please your fancy. Healthy diet and adequate exercises are the sure and safe ways to lose weight. Healthy diet will protect your body from illnesses by providing appropriate nutrients. At the same time you would be able to shed the excess fat gradually in a safe way by maintaining proper balance of the essential constituents; that’s the trick of natural weight loss.
There are many websites that will help you determine what should be your calorie intake, based on your personal details and based on your diet they can also tell you what your present intake is..
A Well-Balanced Diet should include nutrient rich carbohydrates, high-quality protein, and healthy fats.
Carbohydrates
About 40-60% of your calorie intake should come from carbohydrates. That means if you\'re on a 1500 calories a day diet, you should be striving to get about 800 calories a day from “good” carbs. Restrict or avoid white flour, desserts and ice creams. Cut out soda-pop and candy. They contribute to weight gain and add nothing to health. Use oatmeal or whole grain cereal instead. Include whole grain breads, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, whole grain cereals. You will be getting sufficient vitamins, amino acids and fiber too; you will feel fuller longer.
Proteins
About 20-30% of your calories i.e. about 375 calories should come from “wild” (not processed or farm raised) animal sources such as fish, meat, poultry, yogurt and eggs and from vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and seeds.
Fats
The balance calorie intake, about 325 in our example, shall come from “good” fats such as “wild” cold-water fish, flaxseed, walnuts, etc. They give Omega 3 essential fatty acid that is very essential for your overall health. Avoid or at least limit use of hydrogenated oils.
A few general comments:
Fish: Fish is low in fat, high in protein (as red meat), and provides omega 3 fatty acids which few other proteins would. Also as a general rule fish has fewer calories. Try to eat at least 2-3 servings of fish per week as replacement to meat. Spinach: This is the cheapest source of nutrition for your body. It is rich in folic acid, minerals, and vitamins. You can prepare it in a variety of ways. Use it often in your diet.
Olive Oil: It is a “good” fat with loads of benefits to the body. This is a basic source of fat in the Mediterranean diet.
Follow these simple suggestions, and happy dieting!

Beat Your Food Cravings

Many people suffer from food craving occasionally. Craving is always for a certain specific food or type of food, not just anything to satisfy hunger. Generally the craving is felt for candy, chocolate or something that will give sugar or carbohydrates to the body. It could even be the craving for potato chips or an extra glass of wine.
Quite often people think it is bad habits that are responsible for this craving, or that the person has poor will power. That is really not the case! The food cravings have biological reasons and to beat the food craving we must understand these underlying reasons.

Reasons for food craving
Whenever we are exhausted or we feel depressed we have low blood sugar condition and the body signals brain that it needs something to pep-it-up. This results in a craving for sugar or carbohydrates. One of the causes for this behavior is Serotonin, our basic feel-good hormone. The conditions of low level of Serotonin and low level of blood-sugar go hand-in-hand. That is why whenever there is less of Serotonin; we feel a craving for sweet food such as chocolates to make up for the shortage of sugar in blood.
Unfortunately, sugar or carbohydrates release only a short burst of serotonin; when that burst dies down, the craving returns. This leads us into a spiral.
Another reason is Adrenal Fatigue. When you feel stressed out or feel run own, when you have not had a restful sleep or you are feeling very tired for no specific reason, you are suffering from adrenal fatigue. In very severe cases the condition is called adrenal exhaustion. In the modern world this health disorder is quite common, but unfortunately it is very rarely appreciated as such.
In case of Adrenal Fatigue also the body sends a signal to the brain for a pick-me-up and that is your craving for sugar or carbohydrate snacks, or may be, coffee during the day; at night you may look for alcohol or carbohydrates. All of this only makes the problem worse.
It is also seen that persons, who keep themselves on a low fat, low carbohydrate diet on a long time or have been taking appetite suppressants, do have food craving; it is because they have become at least partially insulin resistant without realizing this condition. In the normal course blood sugar level of the body is maintained stable by the action of insulin; insulin signals the cells of the body to absorb glucose from the bloodstream when necessary. Because of their insulin resistant condition, the cells do not respond to the signal and cannot mop up glucose they need. This results in a distress signal to the brain asking for more carbohydrates or sugar. The body thus receives excess calories which are deposited as fat and the person starts gaining weight in spite of eating less.

Beating the craving
If you appreciate the basic reasons for the craving, then beating the food craving can be done. It may take a little time but it can be done. To break food cravings, the body needs real healthy foods, additional nutritional supplements (of pharmaceutical–grade) at times; this and moderate exercise can help curb cravings. This process may take some time, but it will succeed.

Bottled Water

If you want to lose weight your in the right place.

When I think of bottled water I think of hot tennis players gulping it down between matches. There certainly is a stigma about bottled water. Sometimes I think that one of the things around it is, rich people drink it. We see all of these rich famous people on television drinking it. Bottled water certainly has become popular. There is no doubting that. I go to the store and I see more brands than I can keep track of. I'll admit that I have drank a few bottles of this stuff in my day. Mainly I get it if I am out and not near home to get a drink of water. If I am out walking or exercising and don't have a water source near by.

Is bottled water a rip off?

The short answer is yes. There is nothing great about it. The only thing that is great about it is how it has been marketed. They tell us it is the best thing that we can get. It is something we all should drink. You have to keep in mind that these companies are in the business of making money. Their goal is to sell you bottled water. Even if you don't need it.

Is bottled water better for you than tap water? No, it certainly isn't. In fact, most bottled water is just tap water. It is filtered and purified so it doesn't have the taste that the water from your tap has. Anything that will get you to drink more water is great. Though, you must realize that it is nothing more than a waste of money. You aren't getting something that your body will jump for joy when it gets.

You have to watch what you buy though. Some bottled water has things added to it. Sometimes they will add sugar or other flavorings to it. If it doesn't taste like pure water, there is something added to it. Sometimes the water will come from a spring or a mountain river. Is this any better for you? Not really. There might be some minerals in it that tap water won't have. But for the most part it is just the same, but more expensive.

You like the taste of bottled water but you don't like the taste of your tap water. What do you do?

For starters, I would suggest that you don't run to the store to get more bottled water. There are many products that you are use to filter your tap water. One of my favorites is the pitcher with the filter in it. I'm sure you have seen these on television before. When you pour the water, it goes through a filter.

These tend to be less expensive and easy to use. It doesn't take much brain power to be able to fill a pitcher with water. Check your local shop, I'm sure that you will find one there. There are also filters that you can put right over your faucet. These tend to be the best thing to use. They are easy to use and easy to replace the filters. You can get these at any Wal Mart or store like that.

There is always the water filtering system. You know, the ones with the pellets and all that garbage. Personally, I think these are a pain in the ass. I don't know why people get these instead of the smaller faucet units. I know that some people have to use these because of the condition of their water. Sometimes the water is too hard and you need to soften it. Though, that does sound like a plot for a porno movie.

If you don't like the taste of your water, try filling up the empty bottles that you have from the bottled water with tap water. Stick them in the ice box and get them nice and cold. You will notice that when cold, the water has a different flavor. You might find this to be drinkable. I know your wallet will thank you.

The problem I see with the bottled water is, it is too expensive. They are charging you an arm and a leg for something you can get next to free. Why should you pay for it? Well, you shouldn't. I don't know why people don't feel guilty for buying bottled water. It is one step up from going to a whore.

You should stop drinking the bottled water and see how much money you save just for one month. I find it crazy that there are people around the world dying of starvation and disease and we pay a dollar or more for a bottle of water. That seems so crazy to me.

Basic Work Out

If you want to lose weight your in the right place.


Often, a simple work out can make you feel good in a small amount of time. You can squeeze in these moves during lunch break, or even right before an upcoming date. The best part is, these exercises aren’t too demanding, so there will be minimal perspiration involved. Keep in mind that these routines are not meant for advanced trainers looking for serious muscle growth. They are designed to maintain a healthy and good-looking physique within approximately an hour. Make sure that you have a healthy snack at least one hour before the workout, and a full meal afterwards.

Cardiovascular and Lower Body
Your cardiovascular work out should consist of a half-hour daily walk. Simply lace up your quality walking shoes and go for a stroll around the block. Go out regardless of the weather; just make sure to dress adequately. An effective alternative to going outside is walking up and down a building staircase. This option is excellent for your heart, as well as maintaining leg muscles. To maintain a constant progression, try to increase your pace on a weekly basis. Set goals and gradually increase your distances. If possible, alter your cardiovascular sessions for an even more effective work out: use the staircase one day, and walk around the block on other days.

Upper Body
After your cardiovascular exercises, begin your upper body work out with a few exercises. Do these steps three times a week for better results.

Basic Pushups
Basic pushups will work your chest area, triceps and rear deltoids. Aim for 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions (depending on your fitness level), and gradually increase the repetitions as the movement becomes easier. Once the movement becomes too easy, you can increase the workout by elevating your feet on a chair to increase resistance.
Lay face down on the floor with your legs extended behind you and your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Your fingertips should be pointed straight ahead, and make sure you keep your back flat and your head in natural alignment with your spine. Get into the starting position by extending your arms straight from your shoulders, which lifts your entire body off the floor. While keeping your body stable, go down until your nose almost touches the floor. Exhale as you push back to the starting position with your chest and triceps. Try not to lock your elbows in order to keep constant tension on your muscles.

Close-Grip Pushups
Close-grip pushups mostly work the tricep muscles, the inner chest and the trunk muscles. Once again, carry out 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions (according to your fitness level), and gradually increase the repetitions as the movement becomes easier. · Use the same starting position and breathing pattern as the basic pushup. Bring your hands together and form a triangle with your index fingers and thumbs. As you go down to the floor, your elbows should go to the side, which incidentally puts more stress on your triceps and inner chest. Close-grip pushups also require more balance. By stabilizing your body, your trunk muscles will work throughout the entire movement. At first, close-grip pushups might strain your wrists, so make sure you stretch appropriately and start off slowly.

Wide-Grip Pushups
Wide-grip pushups will work your chest, rear shoulders and parts of your back muscles. Carry out the same sets and reps as aforementioned and gradually increase the reps as the movement becomes easier. · Use the same starting position and breathing pattern as the basic pushup. Your hands should be positioned beyond shoulder width, with your fingers pointing frontward. The wider position emphasizes the tension on your shoulders and lengthens your pectorals. Wide-grip pushups are more demanding, so you will tire more quickly than with other pushups. The above pushup variations will help keep your upper body muscles strong and fit. For additional exercises, try these simple moves. All you require are either 8 or 15 kg dumb bells, and a few minutes.

Legs
These repetitions will build up muscles in the thigh and buttocks. First, spread your legs to hip length and keep your legs fully extended. Holding dumb bells in each hand and maintaining a straight back, slowly bend your knees until your thighs are level to the floor. Then, slowly return to your original position. Continue this exercise until you tire your legs to failure.

Chest
In order to work out the pectorals, lie on a bed (stomach up) and hold a weight in each hand above your chest. Keep your arms fully extended with the palms facing each other. Next, lower the dumb bells outwards and down until parallel with your shoulders. Breathe out, and return the weights to starting position. Aim for eight sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. · Arms
These exercises will strengthen your biceps. Sit on the edge of a secure chair with your feet placed hip width apart. Hold the weights with palms facing inwards in front of your body. Extend your arm, and curl one dumb bell up at a time in a small arc towards your shoulder. Be sure to rotate your forearm so your palm faces your shoulder at the top of the movement. Aim for three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.