If you have been researching best ways to lose diet fast, you may have come across information about raw food diet. There seems to be of confusion out there about raw foods - many people who try to eat raw diet end up eating in an unhealthy way and don’t see the results that they wish for, so here is my take on this.

I strongly believe that eating low fat raw food diet - comprised of mostly raw fruits, vegetables, and greens, with some nuts and seeds - is an amazing way to increase your energy levels, slow down aging, promote health and reverse disease. Low fat means consuming less than 10% of calories from fats. Giving up eating junk food and cooked foods is truly a fountain of youth, and probably the best diet for humans.

Of course it’s not easy to eat this way, and I am not a 100% raw foodist myself. It’s hard to change your habits that have been cultivated for years - especially if you are still expected to cook for the whole family! However, just increasing consumption of raw foods to 60-80% of what you eat will still produce amazing results. See the list below for just a selection of benefits that eating raw food diet - even just for a few days or weeks - can produce for you. Don’t just trust me on this - give it a try!

Many people who may have heard about the health benefits of eating a raw foods, think that eating raw is boring. For many people it seems unthinkable to give up pizza, Chinese, or Italian food, pasta, hot dogs, french Fries, barbecue, donuts,  ice cream, fresh bread and other traditional foods.  

Many people are worried about meeting their nutritional needs on a raw food diet. For example, they are worried that they will not be gettin enough protein, vitamin D and B12. They believe that our bodies require complex carbohydrates from breads, potatoes and starchy food for long-lasting energy, as well as animal protein to meet our protein needs. Others may be afraid of eating large amounts of fruit because of the ”dangers” of eating sugar or carbohydrates.

I will be addressing these concerns in the future, but today I just want to inspire you to give this type of diet a try:

20 Amazing Benefits of Raw Food Diet

1. Lose weight quickly - The best part is you can eat as much as you want and still lose weight. Whatever the amount of weight that you need to lose - 10, 15, 20, 50 or 100 - by eating this type of diet your body will naturaly lose excess fat, reaching your ideal weight.
2. Look, feel, act and move as if you were years younger. Your skin, hair, nails, eyes will look younger and healthier - and people will notice that!
3. Improve health and reverse disease. Many disorders have been reversed within a relatively short period of time with a raw food regimen. You may never need to go to a doctor again!
4. Become much more resistant to colds and viruses.
5. Eliminate infections naturally without antibiotics.
6. Strengthen your immune system, or more accurately your defense system.
7. Lower cholesterol and tryglicerides levels.
8. Lower your blood pressure.
9. Eliminate allergies and food intolerance problems (e.g. gluten intolerance).
10. Keep your colon and other digestive organs in top shape, without the need for colon cleanses.
11. Experience increased energy levels.
12. Get in shape without training hard.
13. Quickly recover from workouts: Less lactic acid buildup.
14. Defeat depression and moodiness, eliminate mental fog.
15. Save time and money by not having to prepare fancy meals.
16. You’ll need less sleep or function better with less sleep.
17. Improve your sex life. (This diet increases your circulation and that applies to all body parts - you guys know what that means).
18. Reduce your carbon footprint. Eating a raw diet is the best environmentally for the planet. Fruit trees give the highest yield of any food for the space it takes up. This means much more food grown in much less space.
19. Reduce the need for food processing and packaging and therefore polluting the environment.
20. Save energy because you don’t cook anymore, you won’t need air-conditioning nearly as much. I haven’t used air-conditioning in my home for the last couple of years.

These are jus some reasons to give raw eating a try. There are many resources on the web that you can use to guide you in the right direction. You can read about other people’s experiences , information about living foods, and raw eating for optimal sports performance.

Gluten is getting a lot of attention these days. We hear about gluten allergies, wheat alergies and health problems that can be associated with gluten.  Gluten-free products are showing up everywhere, and as the demand for gluten-free breads, cookies, cakes, pastas, flours, and other is steadily rising, more and more companies are introducing these products to the market. But many people are still not aware what gluten is and many doctors scoff at the idea that “gluten intolerance” even exist.

An estimated 1 percent of the U.S. population has celiac, an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine, according to 2003 data published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The only treatment is a lifelong elimination of gluten from the diet, the protein found in common grains such as wheat, barley, spelt and rye. 

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a type of protein that is found in cereals, especially wheat, barley, spelt and rye. A protein similar to gluten also occurs in oats. All these foods are relatively recent additions - by evolutionary standards - to the human diet, which means that our digestive system did not have enough time to adapt to processing gluten. Therefore, it’s not surprising that problems with gluten tolerance are common (although often undiagnosed), as many people have difficulties digesting it. It is often thought that this disorder is associated with difficulties with maintaining optimum weight.

During our evolution, early humans’ diet consisted mainly of fruit, berries, nuts and large seeds, plus leafy greens, vegetables, roots and the occasional piece of meat. Just about 12,000 years ago grasses were introduced into our diet. Within 10,000 years bread had become known as “the staff of life” in many parts of the world.

Wheat products are everywhere, and we are consuming huge quantities of these foods every single day. Few of us can imagine life without bread, pasta, pizza, cakes and cookies… It is no wonder that if you eat lots of something that you can’t digest properly, it can make you sick. And that is what seems to be happening, although some doctors are still skeptical about the whole intolerance concept. If you look on the the Internet for “gluten intolerance”, “gluten and depression”, “gluten and health”, “gluten and obesity”, you will find numerous articles, news and stories from people who suffer from it.

Possible Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance

Problems with gluten tolerance are more common than most people realise, however it’s often unrecognized or misdiagnosed, as it can manifest itself by a host of seemingly unrelated symptoms.  Gluten intolerance is often associated with IBS, depression, difficulties with your weight, aches and pains in bones and joints, and chronic fatigue. If you suffer from some or all of these problems, perhaps you are gluten intolerant.

Gluten Free Diet: What we should be eating for health & perfect weight

For people suffering from wheat intolerance, the gluten-free diet is no picnic. And it isn’t just difficult and inconvenient; but also expensive. For most people it means studying the labels for gluten that often shows up unexpectedly on the list of ingredients. However, there is a better way.

Despite its popularity, wheat gluten is not an essential nutrient. The easiest - and best - way to get rid of gluten from your diet is to eat only unprocessed foods. All unprocessed food (obviously, with the exception for the grains which contain gluten) is gluten-free. Here is the summary of recommendations for a healthy diet:

• At least 60-80 % of the calories consumed should come from fresh, raw fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens (essential!). The important thing the bulk of your fruits, veggies, and greens should be eaten RAW. Raw foods have a wonderful effect on the body - giving you more energy and supplying essential nutrients in the completely unchanged, unprocessed form - just as nature intended them for us!
• You should be eating plenty of salads (no commercial salad dressings, please!) and fresh fruits to give you energy and satisfy cravings for sweets. Many people dislike greens - in fact I only know few people who eat lots of greens - raw lettuce, spinach, kale, collards, etc. - on a regular basis. My advice is to buy a good blender and start making green smoothies. Green smoothies are simply fruit smoothies with some leafy greens added. They are highly nutritious and help stop cravings for junk foods and sugar.
• In the morning, prepare a quart of green smoothie and drink it during the course of your day. Consuming green juices made with a juice extractor is also a great idea.
• The rest of of what you eat during the day should be steamed or slightly cooked vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. The following grains and grain-substitutes can be used: rice, quinoa, buckwheat (more closely related to spinach than wheat), corn, amaranth, soy, millet (a good substitute for couscous), potato and tapioca as well as flour made from them.
• Although unprocessed meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk,are all gluten free, for optimum health it’s recommended to eliminate completely or limit consumption of animal products to once or twice per week.
• Eliminate all processed foods from your diet - this will save you time studying the labels in the supermarket. If you decide to occasionally have them - read the label carefully. Many foods that may on the first glance seem like gluten free, may still have some quantities of wheat added.

If you’re overweight, you may be facing a number of health issues, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. But there’s still something else you may need to monitor: your triglycerides. Having a high level of triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood, can increase your risk of heart disease. If you didn’t even know about triglycerides, don’t panic. The same lifestyle choices that promote natural weight loss and health can help lower your triglycerides, too.

What Are Triglycerides?

Tryglicerides are lipids, or fatty substances, ciculating in the bloodstream. The following shows the possible tryglicerides ranges:

• Normal — Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) (less than 1.7 mmol/L)
• Borderline high — 150 to 199 mg/dL (1.8 to 2.2 mmol/L)
• High — 200 to 499 mg/dL (2.3 mmol/L to 5.6 mmol/L)
• Very high — 500 mg/dL or above (5.7 mmol/L or above) Ideally, triglycerides should be no higher than 150 mg/dl.

Elevated triglycerides levels above 400 mg/dl can be particularly dangerous. When you go for a cholesterol screening, your doctor will also check for high triglycerides as part of a test called a lipid panel or lipid profile. You’ll asked to fast for nine to twelve hours before blood can be drawn for an accurate triglyceride measurement. Some basic facts about tryglicerides:

• Tryglicerides are converted into fatty acids in the body from saturated fats commonly found in foods, such as diary, meat, and fats (for example tropical oils).
• The blood vessels’ ability to dilate is immediately affected after consuming a meal that is rich in triglycerides.
• Elevated triglycerides levels increase risk of developing heart disease.
• People who are severely overweight or have diabetes, whose triglyceride levels are elevated, are at high risk of developing heart disease.

What is dangerous about high triglyceride levels is this: When you eat any meal (high fat or low fat - doesn’t matter), triglyceride levels immediately rise in your bloodstream (and then go back down later). However, after eating foods high in fat - such as hamburger and fries, for example - trigliceride levels literally jump through the roof. This surge can do immediate harm to the blood vessels.

What is more, triglycerides can be deposited as plaque, which prevents arteries from performing their basic function of dilating and allowing blood to flow freely.  This makes the blood vessels less able to dilate, allowing blood to flow to where is needed.

How to lower triglycerides naturally:  3 Simple triglycerides diet tips you can start implementing today

The good news is that heart disease is largely preventable. If you eat wisely, stay physically active, chances are you will lower your triglycerides levels, reducing your chance of developing heart disease and having a stroke.

1. Change your diet and start drinking Green Smoothies. It’s very simple: Just make yourself a green smoothie every day (and drink it, of course!).
   In addition to consuming large quantities of green smoothies, you should be eating a healthy diet consisting mostly of fresh RAW fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens, as well as legumes and whole grains. You need to make drastic changes to your diet - these foods should comprise 80% or more of your menu. Limit or completely eliminate of diary, meats, and processed grains. Especially dark leafy vegetables are CRUCIAL, because they have a tremendously positive influence on our overall health and well-being, and most of us don’t consume nearly enough of them. If you are sceptical about eating large quantities of kale or chard every day, there is an easy way to do that - just make green smoothies - they are delicious and incredibly good for you! Smoothies, like juices, are easy to consume, but their advantage over juices is that they contain lots of fiber, so they don’t cause a sudden rise in blood sugar levels.
2. Lose weight, if you need to. Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood of developing heart disease and stroke even if you have no other risk factors.
3. Get physically active. You need to start moving. Even just 30 minutes of moderate activity a day is enough to begin with. Do whatever you like - you don’t need to join a gym or buy a threadmill, if you don’t want to.  Walk your dog, work in your garden (you can plant some greens to use in your smoothies!), jump on a mini trampoline.  Just get moving somehow, someway, and you’ll help your heart’s health.

The bottom line is that there is really no “special” triglycerides diet, but by consistently making healthy choices, you can get your trycliceride levels under control. And as an side-effect you and your family will reap long lasting health benefits for many years to come.

Read my other posts Stop Sugar Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, about using Hypnosis to Lose Weight, Blendtec Blender for Making Green Smoothies, and about the latest gizmo in weight loss industry - the BodyBugg Calorie Management System to help you lose weight.

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, antifungal 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. Microflora, 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.

If you want to lose weight fast by following a healthy diet and eating loads of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, you need to use some tricks to make it easier for yourself. Few people are able to actually chew the big amounts of greens and veggies that are required for healthy weight loss. That’s one of the reasons why green smoothies have been growing in popularity so quickly among the healthy weight loss enthusiasts - they are SUPER HEALTHY, SUPER EASY to make, and SUPER TASTY too!

Your spouse and your kids will love them, too - I promise!

So what is a green smoothie?

A green smoothie is simply a fruit smoothie with your favorite greens and veggies added in! Greens such as kale, collards, spinach, parsley, romaine lettuce, bok choy, and other edible weeds. I realize the green color of this lovely, tremendously beneficial drink might have you saying “No Way” to even tasting this concoction… but, you shouldn’t let the “greenness” of this smoothie keep you from all of the health benefits you will get from it!

Some of the most delicious fruits for green smoothies are: bananas, pears, peaches, nectarines, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, and apples. You may also try less sweet combinations with adding some non-sweet fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, beets and carrots.

The need for more greens

Did you know that our ancient ancestors ate up to six pounds of leaves per day? They spent their days going from one place to another, picking and eating leaves on their way. Now, we all know that eating a large salad is good for us, but how many of you could eat such amount of greens each and every day?

And yet on the nutrition front, dark leafy greens, are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition available. They deliver a multitude of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, Omega-3 fats, protein, calcium, and of course fiber. The darker the leaves, the more nutrients they have.

Let’s talk a little more about the nutrients that green smoothies deliver. One of the common questions that is asked is “Shouldn’t I add some protein and healthy fats to the smoothie? For example, milk, yogurt, whey protein powder, soy milk, flax oil,  etc?”

Well, I do NOT recommend to add any additional protein, animal products or fats (even the so-called “good” fats)  to the green smoothie and that’s because - contrary to the popular belief that greens are a poor source of these nutrients - they already contain OPTIMAL amount of protein and fats for human needs!

Really, if you think about it…where do plant eating animals get their protein and fats? That’s right…green leafy sources, not other animals! So why aren’t we doing the same? Amino acids are what our bodies need to create protein and where do we get amino acids? From GREENS!

If you have read my post about sugar cravings and how to stop craving food that is bad for you, then you already know why food cravings occur. Either you body is craving nutrients, or it is addicted to the chemicals found in cooked foods.  Green smoothies can help you stop these cravings that keep sabotaging your weight loss plans.

Green Smoothies or Drinkable Salads

You can call them green smoothies, drinkable salads or salads straight from your blender. The fact remains that it’s MUCH faster to drink the same amount of greens that it would take to eat (and properly chew) the same amount of greens, fruits and vegetables. Smoothies only take about a minute to prepare (with a good blender, such as Blendtec or Vitamix), and a minute or two to drink.

There is really no excuse not to have them!

Some fruit and green combinations you may want to try:

■ Spinach with bananas and strawberries
■ Spinach with apples, bananas, and some lemon or lime juice
■ Spinach, bananas peaches, mango
■ Romaine lettuce with bananas
■ Romaine lettuce with cucumber and bananas
■ Romaine and celery with blueberries
■ Parsley and ripe pears
■ Parsley, celery, apple and pears

Add 1-2 cups of water and blend until smooth. Adjust proportions to your liking. Try to experiment with different greens and fruits. Start with small amount of greens and keep adding more as you progress.  For maximum benefit - use a variety of greens and rotate them - have a different kind every day.

Fruits are added for sweetness, so make sure they are really RIPE, especially bananas.

Why Drink A Green Smoothie?

Start drink the smoothies 2-3 times a day, and you will experience so much more energy and wellbeing that it will soon become your second nature. And you will start losing weight really quickly too, because you will be eating less of the fattening foods that you normally crave.

• Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, all the valuable nutrients in these fruits and veggies become homogenized, or divided into such small particles that it becomes easy for the body to assimilate these nutrients, the green smoothies literally start to get absorbed in your mouth.
• Green smoothies, as opposed to juices, are a complete food because they still have fiber.
• Green smoothies belong to the most palatable dishes for people of all ages. With a ratio of fruits to veggies as 60:40 the fruit taste dominates the flavor, yet at the same time the green vegetables balance out the sweetness of the fruit, adding nice zest to it. Green smoothies are simply the best tasting dishes for the majority of adults and children.
• By consuming two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough of greens for the day to nourish your body, and they will be well assimilated. Many people do not consume enough of greens, even those who stay on a raw food diet.
• Green smoothies are easy to make, and quick to clean up after. Many people told me that they do not consume green juices on a regular basis because it is time consuming to prepare green juices and clean the equipment after juicing, or to drive to the juice bar.
• Green smoothies are perfect food for children of all ages, including babies of six or more months old when introducing new food to them after mother´s milk. Of course you have to be careful and slowly increase the amount of smoothies to avoid food allergies.
• When you consume your greens in the form of green smoothies, you can greatly reduce the consumption of oils and salt in your diet.
• Regular consumption of green smoothies forms a good habit of eating greens. After a few of weeks of drinking green smoothies, you may find yourself craving and enjoying greens. Eating enough of green leafy vegetables is often a problem with many people, especially children.

More Benefits of Drinking Green Smoothies

• Increased energy and clear thinking.
• Beautiful skin, bright eyes, and shiny hair.
• No cooking or washing pots and pans required!
• In one drink you will be consuming more nutrients than you have in a week if you live on cooked foods!
• You will be supplying your body with amazing nutrition: amino acids needed for protein, omega-3 fats, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and countless other ingredients, including those with cancer and disease fighting properties.
• Plenty of FIBER for much better digestion - so forget about those colon cleansing supplements!
• Experience overall improved health.
• Weight loss.

Great Ingredients For Your Green Smoothies

• Greens: kale, bok choy, chard, spinach, parsley, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, mint, basil, cilantro, beet tops, carrot tops, and anything else you can find in your local farmer’s market or garden!
• Veggies: cucumber (with the skin on) – amazing for your skin!, celery, tomato, avocado (small amount only)
• Fruits: bananas, pears, apples, mango, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, kiwi, pineapple, melon, papaya, watermelon, grapes, cranberries, lemon, orange.

Here are more ideas for your delicious green smoothie creations.

•1 head of spinach
•1 apple
•1 banana
•1-2 cups of water
Blend well.

•1/2 head of spinach
•1/4 cup of raspberries
•2 cups of water
•1/2 cup of strawberries
Blend until smooth! Makes a full pitcher.

• 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 mango, peeled, cored, and chopped
• ½ head romaine lettuce
• 1 tiny piece of fresh ginger
Blend all ingredients in blender. You may add some water. Serves 3-4

• 10 tips of Douglas Fir
• 2 cups spinach or your favorite green
• 2 bananas
• 2 cups of water
Blend well (Yields one quart of smoothie).

• 5 cups of fresh Miner’s Lettuce (or other lettuce)
• 1 ripe mango
• 1 apple
• 2 cups of water
Blend well. Yields one quart of smoothie.

The bottom line is to just get your greens in every day. There is really no right or wrong way to do this - if the recipes above do not suit you, simply add or take out until your taste buds are delighted!

Read my other posts Stop Sugar Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, about using Hypnosis to Lose Weight, Blendtec Blender for Making Green Smoothies, and about the latest gizmo in weight loss industry - the BodyBugg Calorie Management System to help you lose weight.

If you are looking for easy exercises to start moving and losing weight, then you may consider getting a mini trampoline and trying some exercises that are described below.

With a mini-trampoline you can literally bounce your way to thinner you while improving your fitness level and having fun at the same time. Using a mini trampoline rebounder is an easy and fun exercise that you can do at home while watching tv or listening to music. Your kids will love it too (if you have them, that is).

While I don’t usually like and recommend buying latest fitness machines that promise to help you lose 20 pounds in two weeks, I think that rebounding, or simply speaking jumping on a trampoline is a great high intensity, low impact workout as well as a indoor activity for the whole family. After use, most of the mini trampolines can be just folded for easy storage –folding trampoline is always a welcome feature. If you are worried about safety, you may try using one of the larger springless trampolines. They are sometimes criticized for not being as bouncy as conventional metal-spring ones, but they are safer - an important consideration for a mini-trampoline that is to be used indoors.

A mini trampoline is a great perfect use for body toning excercise workout while you watch your favorite sports game. Durable steel frame and elastic suspension system and with safe design with high tension bands (no springs means no sharp spring ends) for hours of fun. Exercise trampolines provide high-instensity, low impact workout.

Which mini trampoline should you buy to get the best value?

There are many brands that are available on the market, at different prices and quality. Urban rebounder is a popular brand that is recommended by many users. I had to laugh though, looking at the pictures of a very fit and muscular young couple promoting urban rebounder trampoline on their site. I have to make one thing clear - rebounding, jumping, exercising, or whatever you call it - on a trampoline alone will NOT get you that physique, LOL. I don’t care what trampoline it is - urban rebounder trampoline or any other - you need to do some serious weight lifting, and of course lose excess weight to have your muscles visible like that.

Here is a basic routine to get you started with rebounding on an exercise trampoline.

5 Mini Trampoline Exercises To Help You Start Losing Weight Quickly

1. BASIC BOUNCE This exercise can be as difficult as you want, depending on the effort you put into it. Stand in the center of the mini trampoline with feet slightly apart. This will be your basic starting stance for all rebounder exercises. Without lifting your feet off the mini trampoline, lightly bounce. If necessary, situate yourself near a sturdy object or wall that can be held on to for balance. As you become used to bouncing, lift your feet off the trampoline a little. Increase the height of your bounce as you become more comfortable with this basic bounce.

2. BASIC WALK This is a good warm-up and cool-down exercise. From a basic starting stance, alternately lift your heels. Do not lift your toes off the trampoline. Swing your arms as you would while walking.

3. BASIC JOG This workout is a fun way to raise your heart rate; many consider it a lot more entertaining than other aerobic exercise. From a basic starting stance, alternately lift each foot an inch or two off the mini trampoline. Move your arms as you would while jogging.

4. HEEL-TOE BOUNCE This advanced exercise is taken from Billy Blanks’ Tae Bo routine. Stand in the center of the mini trampoline with your feet close together. Instead of doing a basic bounce, bring your left foot forward during the bounce, touching your heel to the surface. Briefly raise your left arm up in front of you as your heel touches the surface. Repeat this for the right foot. Doing this for a minute or so is all it takes to get the sweat pouring.

5. JUMPING JACK BOUNCE This is another advanced rebounder exercise. From a basic starting stance, bounce up. As you bounce, spread your feet apart (watch your footing!) and bring your hands over your head. Compared to a regular jumping jack done on a hard surface, bouncing on a trampoline makes this exercise easier on the joints.

How To Do Mini Trampoline Exercises - Rebounder Trampoline

Below are some good videos to get you jumping:

Of course, if you have a backyard, you may want to get a big trampoline with enclosure - that will really get you moving!

Read my other posts How to Stop Food Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, about using Hypnosis to Lose Weight, Blendtec Blender for Making Green Smoothies, and about the latest gizmo in weight loss industry - the Body Bugg Calorie Management System to help you lose weight. If you want other low impact exercise options, you may want to consider an elliptical exercise machine.

There are many colon cleanse weight loss products on the market today that claim that they will help you lose weight and detoxify your body by cleaning your colon of unwanted waste.

Dual Colon Cleanse, Dr. Natura Colonix, Total Body Cleanse, Ultimate Colon Cleanse, Super Colon Cleanse - the very names of these products suggest that they really mean business when they talk about detoxifying your body. These colon cleansers and various detox supplements are touted to have many benefits, including “releasing accumulated toxins in the colon while assisting with overall vital organ health,” “unclogging your colon to stay clean and toxin free,” “improving the assimilation of essential nutrients,” getting rid of parasites living in your intestines,” “enhancing digestion,” “decreasing bloating,” and many others. On top of that, you may wonder about colon hydrotherapy, colon irrigation procedures, or enemas. 

Some sites use the scare tactics and cite the troubling statistics that colon cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, and at least two million Americans suffer colon related diseases including colitis, ileitis, diverticulitis and approximately 100,000 colostomy surgeries are performed each year! Others are showing gory colon cleanse pictures and try to convince us that we may have stuff like that in our colon too.

The question is should you be buying into any of these colon cleanse products scare reviews?

Honestly, I do NOT think so.

But let me tell you - they sound pretty convincing, and the idea of miraculously cleansing my body and losing weight by taking a few pills and some powder for a few weeks seems pretty tempting. I have to admit that a couple of years ago - I bought a few of these detox products, including one of the most popular Dr Natura colonix program. I was even considering having a colonic hydrotherapy done - but fortunately, never got to it.

Were the bowel cleansing programs effective? Well, I’m not sure about all the claims regarding the parasites, but let me just tell you this - I felt terribly bloated from all the (disgusting) psyllium powder I was ingesting. Taking pills was obviously easy - but the question on my mind during the two weeks that I continued the “internal cleansing” was this:

Am I really doing my body (and bowels) any favor by swallowing all these pills of dubious content and origin?

Are they really safe and beneficial, or am I just giving my body some extra work - after all all these have to be digested/eliminated/or whatever…- my body needs to do SOMETHING with all this stuff. And this is just the best case scenario. What if they contained ingredients that were actually hurting my body.

After all “natural” (all these detox program claim to be completely “natural”) doesn’t necessarily mean safe. Besides, we have to keep in mind that the government doesn’t regulate natural colon cleansing products, so their potency, safety, and purity can’t be guaranteed.

On one of the sites promoting these products, I have read the following statement:

“Nothing has changed since Dr. John Harvey Kellogg said a century ago that “90% of diseases are due to improper functioning of the colon.”

***Nothing can be further from the truth!***

Diseases are caused by improper nutrition and living habits, which in turn cause various diseases - including improper functioning of the colon, constipation, bloating, indigestion, etc.

The benefits of cleansing are numerous. One user stated: “The main improvements I have noticed are energy levels, vision, hair, skin, mental attitude, ability to cope with stress situations—generally I’m a much happier and healthier person.”

But what will happen after the cleanse is completed? After all, if that person returns to the unhealthy habits that caused the lowered energy levels, hair, skin, vision and other problems in the first place? Wouldn’t it be better if we could just remove the negative factors that are causing our bodies to deteriorate - instead of using quick fixes of the symptoms?

The question remains:

Is there a better way to make sure your bowels are clean and functioning properly, your digestion is optimal, and you lose excesss weight?

And here is the answer for all of you who are still reading this:

Proper nutrition is the best natural colon cleansing therapy and weight loss program.

Constipation, gas, bloating, and excess weight are caused by eating too much, eating the wrong foods, taking laxatives, and many other dietary and lifestyle mistakes. Colon cleansing products and procedures, such as enemas and colonics, stimulate and irritate the colon, and wear it out even more. Clearly, there are ways to deal with constipation that take into account what actually caused the symptom in the first place, and that focus on removing the cause.

Best Natural Colon Cleanse Diet

What you should doing a natural diet of fresh, mostly RAW and unprocessed fruits, greens, and vegetables. If you have trouble eating lots of leafy greens and other veggies - I know most people do, as they take a lot of chewing - buy yourself a good blender (such as Vitamix or Blendtec) and prepare green smoothies!

Drink a quart of green smoothies at least once a day and I guarantee you will experience all the benefits advertised by the colon cleansers - and your “detox therapy” will be much tastier, too!

If you prefer traditional salads, DO NOT add fatty dressings, croutons, meats, cheeses, and whatnot to your salad. Allowed ingredients are ONLY fresh leafy greens, fruits, and “fruity veggies” such as tomatoe, cucumbers, and other veggies. DO NOT add lots of nuts and seeds, and if you like avocado - add only a little piece - these foods contain too much fat (even though these are GOOD fats, they still should be eaten in moderation). Enjoy the salad with some lemon juice squeezed on top of it or blend some ingredients with a little bit of the dressing and pour it over your greens and veggies. For example, you may blend tomatoes, avocado, cilantro with some lemon juice. You may also add fruits to your salad and your blended dressing to make it sweeter.

Eliminate or limit consumption refined grain products - they are extremely low in fiber. Eliminate or limit consumption of meats and other animal foods - they contain no in fiber.

What about whole grains? Many people increase the consumption of whole grain products to get more fiber into their diets. Of course fiber is absolutely essential for digestive and overall health.

However, the fiber found in grains is not optimal for human health.

About Fiber and Foods High in Fiber

Increasing fiber can help with a wide range of gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, diverticular disease, and colorectal cancer. The typical American consumes 10-15 grams a day, but you need closer to 20-35 grams. But what are the best high fiber foods?

There are two categories of fiber, referred to as soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is an essential nutrient found primarily in fruits and to some degree in vegetables. It absorbs water and helps to keep the stool bulky and soft. It functions as a sticky gel-like absorptive medium to keep food moving through the intestines. Insoluble fiber is found primarily in greens.

The insoluble fibers in grains are harsh on our delicate digestive tracts. They literally scrape our insides, and this irritation is what gives bran its reputation for encouraging bowel function. “The body senses an irritant and attempts to expel it as rapidly as possible, along with whatever else is in the colon at the time. Also, as a reaction to the abrasion, the mucous membrane that protects the intestinal wall thickens, which makes the fiber less irritating but also reduces the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.

Reduced absorption, impeded assimilation, adhesion development, leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, colon blockages, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and other digestive maladies are often the outcome of consuming insufficient fiber or fiber that is too harsh. The soft, soluble fibers found in fruits and vegetables are necessary for optimum digestive and colon function.” (from 80/10/10 Diet by Dr. Douglas N. Graham)

Read my other posts How to Stop Food Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, about using Hypnosis to Lose Weight, Blendtec Blender for Making Green Smoothies, and about the latest gizmo in weight loss industry - the Body Bugg Calorie Management System to help you lose weight.

Blendtec Total Blender is an awesome machine - no question about it. It blends stuff like you’ve never seen before. AND….Blentec isn’t just a blender. It’s an all-in-one appliance that makes smoothies, fresh juice, ice cream, milkshakes, cappuccinos, margaritas, soups, sauces, breads, dressings, fresh salsas, and more.

According to the manufacturer, with this Blendtec blender, you can blend, chop, grind, freeze, cook, hash, crush, mince, dice, mill, purée, and more, replacing up to nine other appliances with one fast, easy-to-use appliance. Blendtec machines are used in restaurants, coffee shops, juice bars, gyms, and health clubs around the world. The reason for this popularity is simple: Blendtec machines are known for producing the great, consistent results in taste and texture of blended foods. With the Total Blender, you’ll have a chance to experience the same tasty results in your kitchen.

Why use a blender when trying to lose weight?

If you are wondering why you are reading about blenders on a weight loss blog, then read my post about How to Stop Food Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight.

When trying to lose weight and improve your health - you should be eating more fresh and raw fruits and vegetables, and - of course - more of that green stuff that everybody knows it’s “good for us” but most people avoid like the plague.

Eating that green stuff - kale, lettuce, spinach, arugula, collard greens, and other - will give you amazing energy, slimmer body, help get rid of cravings, and improve your overall health - without the need for any pills, powders, vitamins, appetite suppressants, colon cleansers, and other things that you may be hiding in your kitchen cabinets.

I have been making kale banana blueberry smoothies for breakfast and it blends everything into one homogenous shake - and it’s delicious! No yucky bits of leaves, chunks of stuff, etc. It gives me tremendous energy - and you should try it too - at least two or three times a day.

Well, if you have a good blender - such as a Blendtec or Vitamix - then you can easily get to eat more of that green stuff into your diet - by preparing GREEN SMOOTHIES.

Read reviews from Blendec Total Blender users:

“I have owned this blender for about a month. So far it has worked great. It is a great tool to have if you expect to blend stuff on a daily basis. The larger blades and powerful motor makes my Oyster beehive blender feel like a toy. It will blend things that conventional blenders would not even begin to blend. Baby food can be puree very well. Much better than with the food processor. This machine can basically replace a food processor, a juicer, and a grinder.

Things I like:
1. It blends just about anything do to the large blades and powerful 1500 watt motor. And it does it much faster than a conventional blender.
2. It’s built in the USA and the parts seem to be good quality.
3. One push button operation allows you to blend w/o having to time it or supervise it.
4. lifetime warranty on coupling and blade.
5. It fits under standard counters.

Things I do not like:
1. The base has a cheap feel to it because of the plastic. For the price, I think it should have been metal.
2. Has lesser warranty than its competitor (Vita-Mix).
3. I expect an expensive tool like this to have better dampening to absorb noise and vibration.
4. The plastic container (polycarbonate) scratches easily when mixing grains, seeds, etc.”
By P. Estrada

You can replace up to nine other kitchen appliances with this easy-to-use countertop blender–no need for a separate grain mill, juicer, bread machine, ice-cream maker, smoothie maker, blender, milkshake maker, coffee grinder, or ice crusher. With its powerful commercial-quality, 1,500-watt 3-horsepower direct-drive motor, the blender can handle almost any kitchen task. The all-in-one appliance makes smoothies, fresh juice, ice cream, milkshakes, cappuccinos, margaritas, soups, sauces, breads, dressings, salsas, and more. It can even turn ice to snow and comes with an ice-crushing guarantee.

It even has a cycle button - and when it’s pushed, your Blentec automatically speeds up and slows down, then shuts off when the cycle is complete. It comes with 6 preprogrammed cycles: ice cream/frozen yogurt, ice crush/milkshake, soups/syrups, sauces/dips/dressings/batters, whole/juice, and smoothie. There are also speed-up and speed-down buttons for altering power, as well as a pulse button. The Total Blender has so much power that it turns ice to snow and actually comes with an ice-crushing guarantee! Its 1,500 watt, 3-horsepower direct-drive motor that spins the blade at 29,000 rpm makes it the most powerful home blender on the market.

I’m sure the Total blender will satisfy even the most demanding home gourmet chefs. Plus it comes with a recipe book with over a hundred recipes if you are not sure where to start. However, for weight loss, I recommend that you get some books about making green smoothies. There are several good books right now available on Amazon - the trend of making green smoothies is catching up. The one I have is a few years old and called “Green for Life” by Victoria Boutenko.

I just looked on Amazon, and it turns out that Victoria just released another one “Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health” - you may want to try that. Another one that I’ve seen that looks promising is “Green Smoothies Diet: The Natural Program for Extraordinary Health” by Robyn Openshaw.

Here are three recipes for you from the Victoria’s Green For Life:

Freshness Green Smoothie Recipe
6 to 8 leaves of Romaine lettuce
1/2 medium honeydew
2 cups water
Yealds: 1 quart of smoothie

Victoria’s Favorite Green Smoothie Recipe
6 leaves of red leaf lettuce
1/4 bunch of fresh basil
1/2 lime (juiced)
1/2 red onion
2 celery sticks
1/4 avocado
2 cups water
Yields: 1 quart of smoothie

Igor’s Favorite Green Smoothie
1/2 bunch spinach
4 apples
1/2 whole lime with peel
1 banana
2 cups water
Yields: 1 quart of smoothie

Blendtec or Vitamix: Which blender to get?

Everyone who ever used a Blendtec or Vitamix admits that these two blenders are in the class of their own. No other blender can really compete with them. They both cost about the same and have similar features—so which one should you buy?

I own a Vitamix - I bought it before I even knew Blendtec existed, and I wish I knew about this blender BEFORE I purchased it - I would surely consider it as a serious candidate for my blending needs. 

Vitamix does has some advantages over Blendtec. For example, Blendtec warranty is not as competitive as the Vitamix: just a 3 year warranty on the motor base, 1 year on the jar, and a lifetime warranty on the coupling and blade (Vitamix 5200 comes with a 7 year waranty on all parts). I also read some reviews that it cannot handle frozen and whole uncut fruits as well as it’s advertised. The reason is that it does not come with a tamper - and without a proper tool to push the food into the blade it won’t blend. So if don’t plan to use much frozen or uncut material then you might consider this product, otherwise, you may want to look at Vitamix.

Here is a helpful review that compares Blendtech to Vitamix.

“I purchased this blender after reading THE CHINA STUDY, EAT TO LIVE, and GREEN FOR LIFE (all Highly recommended and if you are buying this blender you’d be missing out if you didn’t read these books, particularly GREEN FOR LIFE).

All three books really drive home the importance of eating Greens (Swiss Chard, Kale, etc.) on a daily basis. For me, this was a challenge. The only way I could tolerate kale was to slather it with olive oil or butter and salt and cook it, thereby destroying most of the benefits. Even then I ate it dutifully and without pleasure. Then I read GREEN FOR LIFE and got the idea to blend up raw greens with bananas and other fruit into nutrient dense green smoothies.

You need the high power blender for this sort of thing, other blenders can’t handle it. Thank goodness the Blendtec was mentioned in reviews for GFL, or I would have never even known about it. I ordered it with fingers crossed. It was a lot of money to plunk down for a blender and I was a little scared I wouldn’t be able to drink the green stuff.

Not only did the blender perform like a dream, it makes a killer green smoothie–no taste of kale! The cost of the blender is worth it for this reason alone. Now I can get my daily intake of greens without having to endure it. It’s actually delicious and gives you a buzz of energy way better than coffee.

I’m telling you all this because I think that Blendtec has missed a major market demographic. The recipie book that comes with the blender can be discarded for this demographic. A lot of people need these blenders for a vegan or raw food and greens lifestyle and I think most of them end up with a Vita-mix because of the way they are marketed.

I have had a Vita Mix and can tell you this is Way better. One thing not mentioned in the specs is that the blendtec is only about 15 inches tall (unlike the Vitamix which is 20). That means it fits on your counter under your cabinets–very important for an appliance you might be using every day. Mine now occupies the space where the coffee pot used to be and I use it at least twice a day.

You can make nut butters, various flours, breads, soup….etc. It’s so powerful I think the motor could fly a small plane.

You can walk away from this blender and it knows when to shut itself off, it is not as loud as the Vitamix even though it is more powerful, and the clean-up is a cinch. This is the single best appliance I’ve ever purchased. The only thing I wish it had is a retractable cord and better customer service.

If you are on the fence about this–buy it! “

From Amazon Reviews: Blendtec Home TB-621-BHM The Professional’s Choice 1500-Watt Total Blender.

Here is another review I just came across, by Green Smoothie Girl - the author of the “Green Smoothies Diet.” She is recommending Blendtec blender over Vitamix - and she owns both, so she knows what she is talking about.

1. BlendTec’s motor is 3 horsepower (compared to VM’s 2.5), and I’m a sucker for faster/bigger/better.

2. BlendTec is the best blender because it’s a smarter machine, with 17 settings for what you want to do-for instance, green smoothies! The smoothie setting alternates high and low to pull greens down into the “blending vortex” centrifugally during the slow cycles. That way you don’t have to muscle your greens down with the tamper thingie that the VitaMix relies on.

3. BlendTec has a lifetime warranty on the blade so you don’t have to worry about it getting dull. I never worry about something going wrong with my BlendTec-and by the way, I’ve sent my VitaMix back to the manufacturer several times, but haven’t needed to repair my BlendTec.

4. BlendTec’s product is smaller and fits under standard countertops (unlike VM, which does not fit). I take mine to hotel rooms, condos, anywhere I go, so my family’s nutrition doesn’t suffer on the road-and my BlendTec is smaller to fit neatly in a suitcase.

5. BlendTec has the square jar design is easier to pour from, and wider (where the VM is deeper, and I have a hard time scraping stuff out of its bottom with a spatula and get stuff all over my arm). Stuff gets stuck at the narrow part of the bottom of the VM and usually goes to waste.

Green Smoothie Girl | 12 Steps to Whole Food Eating » Best Blender

Some people complain that it is loud - so here is a noise reduction trick that works for any loud countertop appliance.

N O I S E….R E D U C T I O N….S E C R E T !!!!!! ( works for any blender! )

What to do?  JUST PUT A FEW MOUSE-PADS UNDER THE BLENDER!

Buy Blendtec Home TB-621-BHM The Professional’s Choice 1500-Watt Total Blender.

Read my other posts How to Stop Food Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, about using Hypnosis to Lose Weight., and about the latest gizmo in weight loss industry - the Body Bugg Calorie Management System to help you lose weight.

Bodybugg armband is a new gadget that is supposed to help people achieve their weight loss and fitness goals. It gained popularity quickly, after it was featured on the Biggest Loser TV show. Although I am a firm believer that you do NOT need to count calories or to buy expensive equipment, supplements, pills or other stuff to lose weight and stay fit; if you have money and feel the need - then there are lots of cool products - such as Body Bugg Armband and its more affordable cousin - GowearFit - to help you stay on track of your weight loss goals, and besides - who doesn’t like to get a cool gadget to play with from time to time.

What is Bodybugg and GoWearFit?

If you need to weight, you need to burn more calories. But do you know exactly how many calories your body burns throughout the day? 

Both GoWear Fit and Body Bugg are promoted as the state-of-the-art technology in calorie management that is supposed to help people lose weight and stay in control of their weight loss goals. They are - simply speaking - armband devices that record your daily caloric expenditure. This is done by using the following four sensors to measure motion, temperature and perspiration:

1. Accelerometer - For measuring motion and movement.
2. Heat Flux - For measuring the amount of heat that your body gives off.
3. Galvanic Skin Response - For measuring how much stress your body gives off.
4. Skin Temperature - For measuring your body skin temperature.

You can buy a Bodybugg for $250. In addition to the calorie tracking technology, you will also receive a diet program free for 6 months, a 45-minute phone coaching session to help get you started. There is also a cheaper BodyBugg alternative that you can find on Amazon called GoWear fit Lifestyle and Calorie Management system for $179. Another option is the Gruve Personal Calorie Burn and Activity Intensity Monitor, which will cost you about $230.

If you need tools to motivate you to get moving and start losing those pounds, then the Bodybugg or GoWear Fit armband will be your personal weight loss coach and motivator. It will tell you how many calories you burn playing with the kids, getting ready for work in the morning, exercising in the gym, or mowing the lawn.

Many people using these devices admit that they take the guess work out of the weight loss, while motivating them to stay active all day long. You can just wear it during the course of your day - just as the Biggest Loser contestants - and then plug it into the software (beware, though, you need a paid subscription to the site) and upload your data to your personal Online Activity Manager.

The software features include setting personalized goals and tracking progress on the push of the button - it will show you minute by minute, how many calories your body is burning during the day. It also provides tools to help you know how many calories you’re eating, on average, per day. The GoWear Fit Online Activity Manager is included without charge for three months when you buy Gowear on Amazon. After three months, you will have to pay a subscription: $6.95 per month with a 12-month commitment, $9.95 per month for a six-month commitment, or $12.95 per month with no commitment.

The Body Bugg and GoWear fit systems differ from all the rest of performance monitors. They are not simple heart-rate monitors, GPS devices, or pedometers. A cool feature of GoWear Fit that is not found in Bodybugg is that it even measures your sleep (a useful feature for those of us who suffer from insomnia, and even calorie counting does not help them fall asleep, LOL), so for example, it can accurately record how long lie down awake (trying to go to sleep or waking up from sleep) versus how long you are in deep REM sleep.

And of course, as cool as these devices are, they will not be losing the weight for you. You will still need to do the work the old-fashioned way - by eating better and moving more.

Read some customer reviews:

I did not have a chance to try the BodyBugg or GowearFit by myself, it does have some great reviews on Amazon. And as one reviewer points out, you may not need the paid subscription program, if you use the free Sparkpeople.com website.

“The device is, quite simply, amazing. …As far as nutrition tracking and calorie consumption, it would have been nice for everything to be included, but, as another reviewer stated, it is easy enough to track your nutrition using a free program like the one at sparkpeople (search for that word if you don’t know what it is). Even without using an outside program, the gowear does have nutrition assessment or it can estimate your caloric intake based upon the statistics you provide when you first set up the armband.In addition, the gowear fit Activity Manager displays your calorie balance, duration of activity (including the intensity of it), and steps. I also just discovered that it exports your data to a Microsoft Excel page that you can store on your computer and use to track your long-term success.

This device is an incredible motivator. During the first few days that I had it on, I did not go to the gym because I wanted to get a baseline of my normal activities. When I finally started to go to the gym, I was thrilled by my Calories Burned…until I recorded my food for the day and saw that I was simply breaking even. With such instant feedback, I altered my eating habits, and in the last 3 days I lost 3 lbs. I know that water is the first to go when one begins a diet, but I also saw the 2,000 calorie deficit that I had yesterday alone, and I know that after the water is gone, I will continue to lose.”

Amazon.com: GoWear fit Lifestyle and Calorie Management System: Health & Personal Care

Read my other posts How to Stop Food Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, and about using Hypnosis to Lose Weight.

If you have a problem with losing weight and controlling your eating habits and you are open to trying unortodox methods of weight control, then weight loss hypnosis (or weight controll hypnosis) may help you tremendously in your efforts to shed those pounds.

By now you have likely tried many diets, pills and supplements. Some of them may have worked for a while, but sooner or later, you gained the weight back. The reason is that permanent weight loss can happen only with nutritional awareness, long-term physical activity and exercising, altering emotional ties with eating, and changing poor eating habits into healthy ones. All these changes are very difficult to implement, and it’s very easy to slip back into old ways. You may believe that it is impossible for you to lose weight.

Hypnosis and self-hypnosis can help change your deep beliefs and achieve your weight loss goals. However, make no mistake, YOU make these changes in yourself. Losing weight is not a spectator sport - you have to be an active participant to become successful and achieve your goals.

YOU MUST BECOME INVOLVED!

Most people focus on the physical body when they think of losing weight. What we keep forgeting is that there are three aspects to our existence: physical, emotional and mental. Your efforts to lose weight, must integrate an awareness of each of these three. As long as there is an internal fighting or conflict, losing weight will ways be a struggle. Self-hypnosis can help yo develop more awareness of your different parts, especially those influencing your food choices and eating habits.

What is Hypnosis and Self Hypnosis

Hypnosis is not some mysterious state, where someone can be made to do something against his or her will. There is no relinquishing of willpower with hypnosis, as is often depicted in movies and novels. A hypnotherapist may help you develop the trance, but you are always in control.

Nearly everyone has experienced a trance-like state many times, though you may not have called it hypnosis. If you ever caught yourself daydreaming or been so engrossed in a task that you did not notice how much time passed, then you have experienced a hypnotic-like state. The main difference between these sort of trance and self-hypnosis are specific motivation and suggestions toward a desired goal. Hypnosis channels the trance to achieve some desired result.

Hypnosis is a state of mind in which suggestions are acted upon much more powerfully than is possible under normal conditions. While in hypnosis, one suppresses the power of conscious criticism. One’s focus of attention when in hypnotic trance is narrower, and one’s level of awareness on a focal point is much higher than if one were awake. During this heightened focus and awareness, suggestions appear to go directly into the unconscious mind. This means that you can control areas of yourself that are normally out of reach of your conscious mind.

If you are sceptical, try to consciously slow you heart rate or raise the temperature of you hand. These are examples of internal changes that are normally out of your conscious control. Yet in hypnosis, you can make changes in chemical, physical, psychological and emotional parts of yourself.

When you are in a hypnotic trance, you are completely relaxed. Relaxation is an integral part of losing weight and changing eating habits. In looking at your own etaing patterns, you may notice that you eat more when you are nervous, anxious, or under pressure. Using self-hypnosis to deal with those feelings of tension and stress will help you reduce your craving for food.

Hypnosis and Weight Loss: How Diet Hypnosis Works

The reason you are overeating may be numerous. Perhaps you you learned your eating habits from your parents. There may be some emotional reasons that cause you to overeate. Or there is some specific compulsion or personality characteristic behind your eating problem. That is why some hypnotherapy weight loss techniques may be more effective for you than others.

Here are some general categories of weight loss through hypnosis techniques that may be used when dealing with various issues of being overweight:

1. Symptom Substitution: Using guided imagery and post hypnotic suggestions, you can substitute on eating habit with another eating behavior, such as chewing gum or eating healthy, low calorie foods.

2. Symptom Transformation: You can change the compulsion to overeat into desired actions, for example, into physical activity, a hobby, home improvement projects, working on your garden, etc.

3. Symptom Amelioration: You can directly reduce the overeating. With proper post-hypnotic cues, you teach yourself that you are in control of your eating, and that you can choose to eat less as easily as eat more.

4. Symptom Utilization: This encourages you to accept and redefine your eating habits. Your conviction that you “cannot stop overeating” is accepted rather than denied or attacked. You instruct yourself that you will continue to evereat a specific amount. That amount can then become less and less.

5. Thin meditations: These blend the above strategies while developing a special focus of awareness on thought, feelings, and unconscious processes surrounding food, eating and nurturing. You move yourself into a greater sense of self acceptance and you naturally select healthier eating choices.  

6. Body Imaging: While in trance-state, you can picture yourself getting thinner and lighter. You will imagine how you would like to appear. Perhaps you will see yourself fitting into your old clothing, that was too small for you. Your imaging could involve seeing yourself in some new clothes, looking slim, looking healthy. You might imagine yourself playing tennis or swimming. You would develop suggestions that will let you feel good about losing weight that will reinforce your motivation.

(Source: Self-Hypnosis The complete manual for health and self-change, by Brian M. Alman, PhD, and Peter Lambrou, PhD.)

I have successfully used hypnosis many times in my life, not just for weight loss, but to reduce my fear of flying, during pregnancy and birth, and on other occasions. There is no question in my mind that hypnosis can help shed weight without pill popping.  Give it a chance, and you may be surprised by the results.

There are many excellent books and audio CDs that can provide you with more information about self-hypnosis and hypnosis for weight loss. Some of these may work better than others for your particular situation, so you may want to try a few to find the best fit.

Here are some videos that you may watch to get you started.

Read more on the Fastest Way to Lose Weight blog. Read my recent posts How to Stop Food Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, and about the latest gizmo in weight loss industry - the Body Bugg Calorie Management System to help you lose weight.