Seeing Clearly

One of the main problems in long-term weight loss is hunger. They key to domesticating this particular beast is to recognize that there is not one him, but many.

Listen Closely

Yes, the voice seems unmistakable, and so is the message: Feed Me! But who is asking?

This is where you should take a nice, deep breath along with a mental step back—perhaps even count to ten—just to give you sufficient space to actually look, to actually listen. What sort of hunger is talking?

Physical Hunger

There are telltale signs of physical hunger: your stomach is growling, you feel lightheaded, you might even shake a little, feel a little weak. If these symptoms are present it’s physical hunger speaking.

Solution: Eat something sensible.

Impostors

A good way to flush out physical-hunger impostors is to rate the hunger on a scale from one to ten—one being full, ten being starving, literally. When examined closely enough to rank, the non-physical hungers tend to slink away, tail between their hind legs.

Unsure = Water

If you are unsure whether the hunger is physical or not, you might in fact be thirsty.

Solution: Drink about 8 ounces of water and see if that settles things.

Salad or Fries

Another way to tell who’s talking if you are unsure: picture a salad or non-fat yogurt, rather than fries. If you find yourself hungry for the salad, then it is physical. If only the fries appeal to you, you might need to reevaluate

Other Hungers

If, upon inspection, you see that the hunger is indeed not physical—though it nonetheless refuses to go away—then take a look at what kind of hunger it might be.

Boredom Hunger

The best cure for boredom is to do something (other than eating). My favorite suggestion is to go out for a walk, not to exercise, but to divert your attention from the internal land of mental hunger and French fries to the external world of trees and clouds. Look at things, touch things, be aware of external things.

It doesn’t have to be a walk though. Keep a list (even if just a mental one) of things you love to do. Read a book, listen to music, or call a friend when boredom hunger sets in.

Emotional Hunger

If you’re stressed, upset, sad, or angry, try to pinpoint the reason why before you reach for the bag of chips or rush out to McDonald’s. Food self-medication may take your mind off the problem for the moment, only to have it return—and with interest—a little later.

Movie Hunger

Okay, I admit it; I cannot watch a movie without eating something. It’s outright un-American. Knowing this, the best way around it is to smuggle in a protein bar or some other wholesome snack, and eat that rather than the large bucket of pop corn with extra butter.

Socializing Hunger

If you’re going to meet friends for dinner, or lunch—especially thin ones—realize that you should not order the same as they do. Be sensible. A salad, small portions. Lots of water.

Celebration Hunger

We always eat and drink to celebrate achievements. Try substituting these culinary jubilations with non-food celebrations. Reward yourself with a game of miniature golf, with a massage, or with a movie.

Television Hunger

We eat while we watch television. It’s the American thing to do. And most of the time we’re hardly aware that we’re doing it; that is part of the television-watching ritual.

First of all, recognize it as such. Bring water or juice instead, and sip as you watch. Should you find yourself unable to not snack while watching, I would watch less television (which brings other benefits as well).

Silence the Beast

As covered in the previous Weight Loss Basics article, physical hunger is for both nutrients (such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids) and energy (in the form of calories). You can keep hunger in manageable check by making sure that the body receives sufficient nutrients to not feel deprived, especially when your diet calls for a deficit of calories.

The multiTRIM Diet

All diet plans—except for the outright fraudulent ones, and be warned: they abound—have only one goal: for you to burn more calories than you consume.

Possibly the most sensible plan we have seen in recent years is the multiTRIM diet which supplies all needed nutrients to maintain health while easing hunger in a fifteen calories meal-replacement drink.

A multiTRIM Journal

A friend recently set out to shed 143 pounds over 18 months with the help of the multiTRIM diet. The blog-record of her journey can be found here.

The Atkins’ diet has been a craze for a couple of decades. Here’s how you can gain from it.

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All of you who are reading this article right now have definitely been on a diet at some point or the other of your lives. The battle of the bulge is an ongoing problem and we are always on the lookout for various means to win this war.

Along with exercise, our diet and nutrition also plays an important role in reducing our weight. Hence, this obsession persists in all of us to undertake some form of dieting. But going on a diet is definitely not an easy thing. What to eat and what to stay away from is always a perennial problem.

One of my friends told me that she ate the normal menu which she cooked for the family, but her weight loss recipe is “portion control.” This is a really simple diet plan. In this plan, you cut down on the portion of food you consume. For example, if you usually have two pieces of toast for breakfast, you should eat only one piece. If you normally eat two cups of rice for lunch, cut it down to one cup. In this way, you are automatically reducing your calorie intake by half.

Another popular method of dieting is to stop all intake of fatty foods and sugar. In this diet, you cut down on your oil, butter and ghee intake which automatically reduces your fat deposits.

While I was leafing through a magazine, I read about one of our Hollywood celebrities following the Atkins’ diet. This immediately aroused my curiosity about the diet. Though I have heard about the diet many times, I had no inside knowledge about it. So, I immediately set to work on it and found out certain basic facts’ about the Atkins diet which I want to share with my readers.

The Atkins’ diet made its first appearance in 1972 and was invented by its namesake, Dr Atkins. According to him, this method enables us to lose weight by inducing a change in metabolism. Our body burns both fat and carbohydrates to provide energy. If we reduce the intake of carbohydrates significantly, our body starts burning only fat to provide energy. This method is called “lipolysis”, which in turn induces ketosis. In ketosis, our body burns fat as fuel. Atkins also felt that ketosis will affect insulin production which will result in less fat being formed. And, once your body enters ketosis, your cravings for carbohydrates will reduce significantly which, in turn, will reduce your body weight.

The major difference between Atkins’ diet and other types of diet is that, while most diets restrict calorie, intake, the Atkins’ plan encourages us to eat more. While most of the diets recommend low fat, high carbohydrate intake, Atkins’ does just the opposite. Instead of carbohydrate and sugar, this diet wants us to consume plenty of fat and protein.

The core principle of the Atkins’ diet is that, by limiting carbohydrates, our body is forced to burn its stored fat, rather than carbs for fuel.

The Atkins’ diet has a four carbohydrates stage plan induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance. With the help of these four stages, you can reduce as well as maintain your weight throughout your life.

Induction – phase 1: This phase lasts for two weeks, by the end of which you can obtain significant results. Another point is that, in this diet plan you can begin at any of the phase. But it is recommended to start with induction. As you cut back on your carbohydrates significantly in this phase, you will jump start your weight loss programme. In this phase, only 20 gm of carbohydrates are allowed and hence your weight loss is significant. As you drastically cut down on carbohydrates your body shifts into high gear and starts burning fat. This takes about 48 hours to occur and you may feel hungry and irritated for the first three-four days. But don’t worry, as soon as your fat starts getting converted to fuel, you will feel fit as a fiddle. Induction will strengthen your immune system and also improve our long-term health.

Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) phase 2: In this phase, the weight loss pace slows down as you add nutrient-rich carbohydrates to your diet. During this period, you will boost your body’s ability to burn fats as well as understand your body better. You will find the right amount of carbohydrates which you can consume and still lose weight. Your body will also prepare itself for permanent weight management. The amount of carbohydrates which you can eat is increased to 25 gm per day for the first week and increased in five gm instalment for the next few weeks. If your weight loss is significant, you can increase your carbohydrate intake. A person has to be on OWL till he or she is within three-five kg of their goal weight.

Pre-maintenance – (phase 3): Pre-maintenance is a practice run for lifetime maintenance. In this phase, you are fast approaching your target. As long as you continue to lose weight, you can increase your weekly allotment of carbohydrates by another 10 gm. You will be in this phase till you reach your goal and stay on it for one month. The ultimate goal here is to achieve a state of balance called Atkins’ Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE). The ACE is your individual level of carbohydrate intake wherein you neither gain nor lose weight.

Lifetime maintenance phase 4: In this phase, you have to focus on your individual ACE and strive to stay within two kg of your ideal weight for the rest of your life. By following a sensible eating plan, you gain energy, better health and confidence in yourself.

By following these four phases, you not only achieve your dream weight but are also able to maintain it throughout your life. You can learn more about this diet by reading the book, Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. But, as with any other diet, this plan also has its pros and cons. The good point is that this diet recommends exercise as a vital part of the weight loss programme. Another point to be noted is that you cannot start on carbohydrates after you lose weight as this will result in your gaining back all that you have lost.

Medical experts advise that people who have gout, kidney problems, diabetes or are pregnant women should not follow this diet plan. As this diet is very stringent, do consult your doctor/dietician for proper advice.

Your dietician will provide you with a proper menu chart as to what should be eaten, in what quantities, etc, based on your eating habits and general lifestyle.

Happy dieting and hoping to see slimmer and fitter readers.

Currently, the health sector presents several choices of diet programs, pills, as well as machines that guarantee you to lose weight faster. But nevertheless, there are several uncomplicated ways to lose weight faster.

It is a must that one should really note that taking frequent meals with a balanced and healthy diet is really important in losing weight. Magic or crash diets are not healthy and it could only present health issues in the future. Eating a healthy and balanced diet improve the well-being of the person. It also boosts the functions of different organs, therefore, making way for a greater metabolic rate. It is recommended to take smaller frequent meals to avoid bingeing, which is linked with excessive food intake and, ultimately, would likely lead to obesity. When taking small frequent meals, your body carries on the rate of its metabolism. Additionally, it is necessary to watch the food that you eat, making certain that they are healthy and consists of balanced nutrients. Steer clear of those food items that are high in fats, sugar, and sodium. Go for those foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, as well as dairy products.

The Importance of Water

Water has a great function in losing weight. It is necessary to keep one’s body hydrated since it functions as the fuel especially during metabolism. It also helps discharge any additional fluids from the body. During and even right after performing an errand or simply, after sweating out, it is essential to replace the shed fluid. Drinking eight or maybe more glasses of water every day is an excellent program.

A Sufficient Amount of Sleep

Another way to lose weight is to try to have enough sleep. Eight to ten hours of sleep is suitable enough to recharge the body’s energy. It will also help renew the damaged tissues. Sufficient amount of sleep is needed to keep up the higher metabolic rate. What’s more, it provides the body time to restore its cells and tissue to enhance proper function of organs.

Workout Your Way to Weight Loss

In addition to that, exercises really should not be overlooked. It really is as necessary as eating. Routine exercises firm up the muscles as well as provide a strong look. Performing aerobic exercises revitalises cardiovascular system, while carrying out weight training increases the muscle structure to burn off a lot more fats. Likewise, an alternative form of exercise could be a sport. Many of such pleasurable activities that are guaranteed to get rid of those unwanted pounds are swimming, running, tennis, ball sports, and dance sports.

Free Yourself From Stress and Fatigue

Living a tension free life would really be a fantastic improvement on one’s weight. Even though, in this current life situation, stress is quite commonplace, one must always reduce the stress level. Researches show that stress contributes much on weight gain. It decreases the metabolism of the body, and may even cause bingeing, idleness, and so forth which could only result to weight gain. Limiting the stress experience enhances the overall well-being. It keeps up the metabolic rate to dissolve the calorie intake.

Losing weight is actually connected with a particular habit. The market’s weight loss products would not be so helpful enough when there is a poor personal habit. The span of the effects from any weight loss programs is dependent on the personal habits on eating, sleeping, and exercise. It is important to judge one’s individual habit if you want to determine the appropriate modifications to lose weight faster. Adhere to a healthy lifestyle and whenever possible lessen the stress.