Weight Loss Programs: A Few Unconventional and (Often) Controversial Tips For Choosing Best Weight Loss Program

Aug 30 by Joanna

Weight loss programs can now be counted in hundreds, if not thousands. You see them everywhere – in magazines, newspapers, TV advertising, and – of course – on the Internet.

Are you confused about which diet to chose for to lose weight fast? You are certainly not alone.

Low-fat, high-fat; low-carb, high-carb; low-protein and high-protein; etc. The choices are overwhelming!

How do you decide which approach to choose?

How do you know which weight loss program to follow?

Trying to choose between Low Carb diet, High-Protein diets, Low Fat Diet, high Fat diet, Atkins diet, Paleo diet, and dozens or perhaps hundreds different diets can be a true challenge, and a major headache.

In fact, it may be so confusing that some people will just do nothing at all, which is very unfortunate.

So, what is the best weight loss program for you?

If you are confused, the best place to start – in my opinion – is researching first – what is the best type of diet for the human body.

Why?

Because you want a weight loss program that will work for you long term.

You don’t want JUST to lose 10 or 20 pounds and then go back to your old habits – because you will likely gain that weight BACK very quickly.

What you want is to lose 10 or 20 pounds AND KEEP that weight OFF forever, so you stay at that new weight level, or even keep losing weight – if that’s your goal.

So, what’s the optimal diet for the human body – to keep it at ideal weight and health?

Ideal Weight Loss Program Selection Criteria

Here are my criteria that I use to determine whether a diet is optimal or not:

1. Diet that keeps our bodies at their ideal weight AND keeps them in optimal health.

While there are many dieting programs and quick weight-loss solutions out there that may help you lose weight, most of them fail this checkpoint, because they are not good for your body in the long run.

2. Diet that allows you to eat as much as you can and still keep your weight at the optimal level.

You don’t want a diet that will make you count calories or limit the amount of food that you eat, leaving you constantly hungry.

3. Diet that is gentle on your wallet.

There are many programs that require you to purchase expensive meals or supplements regularly.

If you can afford that and if this gives you more motivation to stick with it – fine.

But for many people it’s just not an option. They either cannot afford it or don’t want to be spending money on something they don’t really need. (Because, the truth is – you don’t need all this stuff.)

The truth is weight loss is a huge industry, and lots of people are going to try to convince you to spend money with them.

4. Diet that is good for the environment.

I saved this one for last, even though it’s probably one of the most important ones. You may be thinking…

“What does weight loss and diet have to do with the environment?”

or

“But I don’t care about the environment, I just want to lose weight.”

or
“But I do care about the environment. I recycle. I switched all bulbs in my house to super-economical ones. Plus I hang my laundry out to dry and … (insert here what you did last month for the environment).

Healthy life and healthy body is only possible in an environment that is thriving.

Clean air, water and fertile soil are a prerequisite to healthy human race.

Pollution, deforestation, wasteful water management, destruction of biodiversity, changing climate, overpopulation, soil depletion – these are NOT good things for the Earth and for the humans.

Let’s face it: we are part of the environment, and if we keep destroying it at the rate that we are doing it right now – the consequences will be tragic for the entire human race.

So, you may not care what happens on earth when you are gone, but even in our life time, or in our children’s or grand-children’s lifetime we may see changes on Earth that will make it a difficult place to live for many people.

Choices we make every day – and that includes choices of WHAT WE EAT – influence our future on Earth more than most people realize.

OK, so get to the point already, I want to know what is that ideal diet that is good for my body, wallet and environment?!

I realize that what I’m going to say next is not going to be popular with a lot of people.

In fact, many of you may stop reading right there – because – even though it’s true – it’s not a comfortable subject for many people.

But, here it goes.

Ideal Diet for Healthy Weight Loss

The best diet is the one that consists of MOSTLY or ENTIRELY of fresh fruits, vegetables and greens eaten RAW or lightly steamed or cooked (like in soups, stews). Other foods you can eat include whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. You need to eliminate or drastically reduce the amount of processed foods (especially white flour – so no white-flour pasta or bread, white sugar – no cookies, etc.), animal products (meat, fish, dairy), all kinds of sodas, soft drinks, energy drinks, etc.

I realize that this may not be what you wanted or expected to hear.

This may sound like a diet that ‘s too hard to follow, impractical, or just plain boring. For most people, a meat-centered diet is still the easiest, least-complicated choice.

However, the benefits of eating plant-based diet (or vegetarian diet) are well documented.

I didn’t want to even use that word – vegetarian – because it has become a dirty word for a lot of people. Besides, some of the vegetarian diets that are promoted are not really all that healthy – because it’s not just about eliminating animal products, its also about eliminating or limiting processed foods – and that includes pasta dishes, breads, etc. So keep in mind, that not all vegetarian recipes will work for you – but I will write more about that separately.

Why don’t more people know about this?

Because they not widely publicized. There are many interests at stake here. (One example is how the meat industry jumped on Oprah Winfrey back in the 90’s when she questioned meat industry health and safety standards.)

Most of us believe we need our proteins and milk for strong bones – and every day we see commercials everywhere that make sure we don’t forget these so-called “truths”. “So, while for many this will be a revelation, it shouldn’t be: our mothers were conned! The idea that the milk of another species is an appropriate and necessary source of calcium is a serious thinking error that has led to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and autoimmune disease in epic numbers. Ask yourself why the U.S. consumes more than double the amount of milk and dairy than the #2 milk-drinking country—and yet has the highest rate of osteoporosis (and massive dental decay, despite the best dental-care system) in the world. Clearly drinking milk is not leading to strong bones and teeth.” Source: Green Smoothie Girl site.

Despite our fixation on animal products – meats, diary, and fats – there are countless studies that show that this type of diet causes all kinds of chronic problems for humans, including diabetes, heart disease, and many others.

The fact remains that populations that have eaten only plant-based, unprocessed foods their entire lives do not suffer from obesity, adult onset diabetes, triple bypass heart surgery, or colon cancer.

Are you a person that cares about the environment?

Obviously you are concerned about your weight, and perhaps your health, and – understandably – this should be your highest concern at the moment, especially if you are suffering with weight-related health problems.

However, aside from that – do you also care what result your day-to-day choices have on your environment, the air we all breathe, water we drink, soil, etc.?

If so, you may be surprised to learn that our current food choices detrimentally affect climate change and global warming more so than do all the cars, planes, trucks, buses and trains used worldwide. That’s according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Report.

These food choices I’m talking about are the meat, dairy, and fish that we choose to eat every day. You may not be aware of that but the meat, dairy, and fishing industries are the major contributing force in global depletion – and the eventual loss of our drinking water, air quality, land, biodiversity and other resources. Source United Nations

Animals raised for food are responsible for nearly 20 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions; global transportation, on the other hand accounts for 13 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. In other words what you decide to eat each day creates more global warning than all vehicles used for transportation in the world combined.

Livestock produce huge amounts of these detrimental gases in different ways and nearly every step in raising the billions of animals for food each year results in some form of degradation of our environment. The three primary ways this happens is via greenhouse gas emissions, by pollutions and by changing water cycle processes and oxygen-carbon respiration through vegetation loss.

It takes over 5,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat, while it only takes 10-20 gallons water to produce one pound of vegetables, fruit, soybeans or grain.

And yet one pound of vegetables, fruit, or grains is much healthier for you to eat than one pound of meat.

According to a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate, over 70% of the world’s fish species are either fully exploited or depleted. The dramatic increase of destructive fishing techniques worldwide destroys marine mammals and entire ecosystems.

I understand that these arguments may not convince some of you.

I understand that not all of you are ready to even consider switching to vegetarian diet or even limiting the amount of meat, fish and dairy you consume.

After all, you need to lose weight, and you may be willing to use whatever method works – and often these high-protein diets produce surprisingly fast results for a lot of people.

However, ask yourself these questions: Do you care about your health in the long term, or are you just interested in a quick-fix solution?

Do you care about the consequences of your actions in the larger scheme of things, or you could care less about the future of the environment for our children and grandchildren?

The choice is yours.

Questions? Comments? Weight Loss Tips?

Why not add to the conversation in the comment section below! Are you trying to lose weight? What type of diet are you following? What are you struggling with?

Want to share some weight loss tips with fellow readers? I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks!

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Liposuction Prices: Is It Really Worth Paying the Price (and Suffering the Pain) to Get Rid of Body Fat?

Jul 27 by Joanna

Liposuction prices is a subject that interests lots of people who are trying to get rid of stubborn body fat. Lipo surgery (sometimes called lipoplasty) is a type of cosmetic surgery that can help shape your body by extracting unwanted fat from selected sections of the specific areas of the body, such as the abdominal area (tummy tuck), hips, bottoms, thighs and legs, arms and face.

The reasoning is that as we get older, the natural aging process, coupled with unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, is likely to lead to changes in the fat burning capacity and other internal functions. As a result, fat cells accumulate in certain spots of the body. These fat cells can be difficult to get rid of even if the person exercises on a regular basis.

Unable to get rid of unattractive fat cells, many people decide to take a more radical approach and opt for a lipo surgery. For this reason, lipo surgery is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the U.S.

Liposuction Prices: How Much Does It Cost?

It is nearly impossible to to give an exact quote simply because prices vary from one aesthetic surgeon to the next. The location in which the operation will be performed will also influence what amount you will pay. The rate will also be dependent on which area of the body you desire to remove fat from. Extracting fat deposits from the breasts usually costs more than removing fat from the arms. Liposuction prices is also driven by how much cellulite an individual has on their body. Additional factors that affect liposuction prices are the fee charged by the healthcare clinic at which the treatment will be performed. These fees include things like operating room fees, anesthesia, laboratory work and other expenses.

Prices for liposuction are almost never inexpensive and can easily add up to thousands of dollars, so that financing is often a necessity. Low-priced liposuction may be available but you should be cautious not to base your choice entirely on the price tag. You want your liposuction to be performed by a seasoned cosmetic surgeon in a well equipped surgical clinic. Some procedures, especially the ones that use the up-to-date technologies will cost more. For instance, tumescent liposuction might be such an option. Laser liposuction also frequently costs more and just like tumescent liposuction is available in modern, well-equipped clinical centers that charge higher fees.

The subsequent list will present you an approximation on the liposuction cost. You may use the list as a guide to provide you an idea of how much money you should expect to pay. As I mentioned earlier there are a multitude of variables to consider when it comes liposuction pricing. The fees charged by clinics will certainly vary. One might charge a certain price for anesthesia the another clinic might charge twice as much. Determining the best value is very important in this regard when such facilities are essentially equal. Choosing the right plastic surgeon is more difficult and your budget should not determine on which surgeon to choose.

The list is inclusive of the average surgical and non-surgical fees. The breakdown of the fees will vary from on situation to the next but generally include: Operating room fees, laboratory blood work and fees for other materials and expenses. Special garments that are worn post operation are charged to the patient and are reflected in this liposuction price guide. One thing to note, if general anesthesia is required then an anesthesiologist fee will be added to the total price of liposuction.

* Mid-section: $2400 – $8,500

* Arms: $1,500 – $5,500

* Back: $1,800 – $5,500

* Breasts (Ladies): $3,000- $8,500

* Breasts (Men): $3,000 – $6,000

* Buttocks: $2,500 – $5,000

* Facial: $1,200 – $5,500

* Flanks: $2,500 – $ 6,000

* Hip Area: $2,000 – $6,000

* Thighs: $2,000 – $6,000

* Waistline: $1,500 – $6,000

Liposuction Price Is Only Part Of The Equation

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery, and as every surgery is associated with certain risks, therefore requiring careful consideration and planning.

Just to be clear. I’m not in favor of liposuction or any other plastic surgery as a quick weight loss method.

Proponents of surgical methods will tell you that with weight loss, the fat cells in your body only shrink – they do not disappear. Liposuction surgery actually removes the fat cells from your body – that is the fact.

However, liposuction must not be considered a replacement for the right diet or exercise. I can guarantee you that if you don’t change your eating habits and don’t start to exercise more, the fat will come back.

Liposuction Cost Video

What Are Some of the Alternatives?

Some of the alternatives to liposuction are:

* Eat a healthy diet with lots of fresh raw fruits and vegetables to lose some excess body fat and toxins
* Exercise more to strengthen muscles
* Learn to accept your body and appearance as it is
* Use clothing or makeup to downplay or emphasize body features that you don’t like
* Try some of the other methods that we discussed such as creams or body wrapping.

Questions? Comments? Weight Loss Tips?

Why not add to the conversation in the comment section below! Are you trying to lose weight? What type of diet are you following? What are you struggling with?

Want to share some weight loss tips with other readers? I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you! Thanks!

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Candida Cleanse and Anti Candida Diet: 6 Shocking (but True) Facts That I Think You Should Know

Oct 29 by Joanna

If you are searching for information about anti candida diet, often referred to as candida diet, candida cleansing, yeast infection diet, yeast free diet or body ecology diet; and are desperate to find a natural cure for yeast infection, you may have come across lots of confusing and conflicting advice.  To make sense of the issue you need to have some basic information about candida, so you can make the right choices.  

Here are some basic – yet often unknown facts – about yeast, candida, and other microbial cultures.

1. Microbial cultures, such as candida, are everywhere so it’s impossible to “cleanse,” “starve them to death” or “eliminate” them out of your system completely.

“Fermentation is everywhere, always. It is an every day miracle, the path of least resistance. Microscopic bacteria and fungi (encompassing yeasts and molds) are in every breath we take and every bite we eat. Try- as many do- to eradicate them with antibacterial soaps, anti-fungal creams, antibiotic drugs, there is no escaping them. They are ubiquitous agents of transformation, feasting upon decaying matter, constantly shifting dynamic life forces from one miraculous and horrible creation to the next.

Microbial cultures are essential to life’s processes, such as digestion and immunity. We humans are in a symbiotic relationship with these single-cell life-forms. Micro-flora, as they are often called, digest food into nutrients our bodies can absorb, protect from from potentially dangerous organisms, and teach our immune systems how to function. Not only are we dependent upon microorganisms, we are their descendants: According to the fossil record, all forms of life on earth spring from bacterial origins. Microorganisms are our ancestors and our allies. They keep the soil fertile and comprise an indispensable part of the cycle of life. Without them, there could be no other life.” Sandor Ellix Katz, author of a book on the subject of fermentation in the kitchen “Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods”.

2. Candida feeds on sugar, and there is ALWAYS sugar in the blood, so there is always food for the candida yeast.

Candida is an organism that naturally occurs in human blood and feeds on sugar.  There is no diet that can eliminate sugar from your blood. Even if you don’t eat any sugar, the body will convert the foods that you eat into sugar, because our bodies need sugar for energy, so there is ALWAYS sugar in the blood.

The question is how much sugar do you have in your blood? If your blood glucose levels are normal, the amount of candida organisms in your blood will be at normal level too. Even when the sugar level rises after meals, any excess yeast will die off once the sugar is metabolized and returns to normal.

3. Candida overgrowth is the direct result of excess FAT in the blood, which interferes with absorption of sugar causing elevated blood sugar levels for long periods of time.

If your blood glucose levels are elevated above normal (which can be a sign of pre-diabetes or diabetes), the problems begin. However, these problems are NOT caused by consuming excess sugar, but excess FAT. I found an excellent explanation of this phenomenon in the book ”The 80/10/10 Diet” by Dr. D. Graham. If you read it, you will understand the fat-sugar connection (plus the book is simply the most illuminating book about human nutrition that I have ever read).

“The size or population of the candida colony in the blood is directly determined by its food supply. If blood-sugar levels are always at a normal level, so is the size of the candida colony that lives in the blood. When the sugar we eat leaves the blood to be distributed and used by the cells of the body, any excess yeast quickly dies off, as it is supposed to do.

Should blood-sugar levels rise, however, the candida organisms multiply rapidly (bloom) as they consume the excess sugar. Once they have done so and blood-sugar levels come back down to normal, so does the number of candida microbes. This ebb and flow happens as a normal part of human physiology and causes no health problems or uncomfortable symptoms.

If fat levels stay chronically elevated due to a fat-rich diet, sugar remains in the bloodstream and feeds the large candida colonies instead of feeding the 18 trillion cells of the body. Starved for fuel, these cells can no longer metabolize energy. You become tired, and feel rundown.

It is important to understand the implications of a rise in the blood-sugar level. If the body is not able to reestablish normal blood-sugar levels, a dangerous situation exists. The only mechanism that remains for bringing the blood sugar back down is the candida.

The candida microbe in our blood is actually a life-saving organism, one that we do not ever want to eradicate. It functions as another backup system – a safety valve that helps to bring the blood sugar level back down to normal in the event that the pancreas and the adrenals fail to do so.

Most people create the conditions that cause pancreatic and adrenal fatigue constantly, throughout the day and at every meal. It is therefore no surprise that candida issues plague people until they actually change their lifestyle habits. Outbreaks of candida are your wake up call – a warning that your system is rapidly approaching diabetes, and that you would do well to drastically curtail your fat consumption or face dire health consequences.

In the presence of too much fat in the blood, even a small amount of sugar, from any source, can result in abnormally high blood-sugar levels. Because all carbohydrate, fat, and protein we eat is converted to simple sugar (glucose) if it is to be used by the cells for fuel, the way out of this cycle is not to eat less sugar, but to consume less fat. When fat levels drop, the sugar starts to get processed and distributed again, and the yeast levels drop because there is no longer excess sugar available for it to eat.”

4. Eliminating fruit (and other foods containing sugar) from your diet will not remove the cause of your problem, just the symptoms.

Fruit are not the culprits – you need to reduce the consumption of FATS in your diet, optimally to about 10% of total calories. (That is why you should be careful not to add too much nuts, avocados, or kefir to your raw salads and smoothies)

5. The best foods to eat to get rid of high blood sugar and candida problem are fresh RAW vegetables, dark leafy greens and fresh RAW fruits.

You should be eating between 60-80 % (the more – the better) of fresh RAW plant food, especially greens, vegetables and fruits.  You may include some sprouted grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, if you like. The remainder of your diet should be steamed or lightly cooked vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Limit  animal protein foods to less than 5 %.  Limit or completely eliminate white sugar, white flour, diary (except for kefir and yogurt, if you like) and all other processed foods.

If you are thinking ”There is no way I’m ever going to eat like that” - I have a few tips that will make it much easier for you.

Those of you who have been reading this blog already know that the easiest way to get loads of raw greens and veggies into your diet is by drinking green smoothies every day. Green smoothies are simply green leafy vegetables blended with some fruits for sweetness. If you are worried about high sugar content of fruit, you may want to initially reduce fruit content of the smoothies by adding only small amounts of apples, berries, or oranges. You may want to add some lemons and/or garlic – if you can tolerate the taste.

Here is a sample recipe to start your candida cleanse:

2 cups spinach
2 cups collard greens
2 leaves kale
1 cucumber
1 stalk of celery
2 apples
1/2 cup of berries
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 or 2 cups of water (depending how thick you want it to be)
Blend well all ingredients in a good smoothie blender.

I have to warn you that the first few days you may experience some unpleasant, flu like symptoms as the excess candida begin to die. Fungi are living things and may emit toxins into your body as they die off, making your symptoms get worse instead of better at first for the first few days. The good news is green leafy vegetables absorb fungal poisons (mycotoxins) and carry them out of the body. So, just keep drinking your smoothies and lots of water.

6. Although I generally don’t recommend eating diary, you may want to add some cultured diary products to your diet, such as kefir.

Kefir is a cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that help balance your “inner ecosystem.” Kefir can be used to restore the inner eco-system, for example after an antibiotic therapy. Some say it’s more nutritious than yogurt, plus it’s simple and inexpensive to make at home. Some websites promote “kefir starter kits” – such as the ones promoted by Donna Gates on her Body Ecology Diet website. However, you can also buy live kefir grains online and start making kefir and other cultured foods at your home. Of course, you can add some kefir to your smoothies, too.

Questions? Comments? Weight Loss Tips?

Why not add to the conversation in the comment section below! Are you trying to lose weight? What type of diet are you following? What are you struggling with?

Want to share some weight loss tips with fellow readers? I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks!

read more