Pointers to losing weight safely

September 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment

It is normal for people who want to lose weight to first of all think about reducing the amount of food they eat. This may be a solution, but not exactly the best there is. In fact, depending on the amount of food intake you reduce, it may even be harmful to your health. So how does one lose weight safely and effectively? Below are some pointers when trying to lose weight.


1. Beware of crash diets

Most people think that cutting down calories intake alone can shed off unwanted weight. Probably this is due to the advertising fad about low-calorie food products and beverages. Actually this could be dangerous because when they decrease their calorie intake way below the required levels, the body begins to digest the fats. Sounds good? Not actually. Burning fat requires a lot of energy. Since there is not much energy in the body to facilitate metabolism of fat, it will run at a very slow pace resulting to fatigue, illness and weak immune system.

Low-calorie diet is also compensated by burning muscle. So when people revert back to their old eating habits they usually end up gaining back some weight, if not all the weight they have shed off. They may end up having the same weight as before but more bulkier. One way to counter this is to eat small meals at more frequent intervals, so the body will not think that it is starved and will not store food as fat.

So keep in mind that you should lose excess body fats only.

2. Eat properly

Besides junking the crash diet option, you should also not forget to watch what you’re eating. Variety must always be considered so that you are able to gain the necessary nutrients. It is also healthier to eat food which are roasted, steamed or broiled rather than fried. Include lots of fiber in your diet. Drinking sufficient amount of water is also necessary.

3. Gain more lean muscle mass

Muscles burn calories when they work AND at rest. Unlike fats, muscles burn calories all-day round. In view of this, one can start weight loss by increasing muscle mass. The more muscles, the less fat will be left. This is attainable starting with working out with resistance exercises.

4. Engage in aerobics

Aerobics are not only good for the heart by increasing cardiovascular endurance, but also help in increasing lean muscle mass while simultaneously decreasing excess body fat. Aside from these, aerobics improves the metabolic process and increase its rate, even after a long while. Imagine your fat is burning efficiently while you are driving along the freeway or even watching television.

5. Extra “push”

Some people believe that smoking and caffeine can actually help in losing weight. This can perhaps be true; however, they do the body more harm than good because of their side-effects. For that extra “push”, one can try out taking food supplements.

Over-the-counter diet pills affect the amount of weight one loses as well as how long one keeps that amount of weight off. However, one must be wary of the side-effects of these diet pills. As such, one must follow closely the instructions provided in the packaging. It is also prudent to consult a doctor before trying out these weight loss pills, and also to find out which type would be best for you.

Losing weight does not have to mean sacrifice and suffering. It actually means opening up to a more full and healthy life. Yes, losing weight might entail a little adjustments plus the discomforts, but as the old saying goes, “no pain, no gain.” Besides fat, what have you got to lose anyway?

Posted by Valen | Filed Under Healthy weight loss tips 

No time to lose weight? 4 simple nutrition tips to get you going

January 29, 2009 | 2 Comments

Today is the 4th day of Chinese New Year, and I’m very glad that I’ve exercised for the second time this week! Yeah, sweat to burn off the extra calories consumed over the past few days. Even if I am not losing weight, at least I am keeping those extra pounds off this holiday! :)

It’s kinda weird that how we keep hearing people saying they want to lose weight, yet everyone seems to complain they can’t find the time to lose weight. With all of the responsibilities and events packed into our busy days, it really makes us wonder how are we able to keep ourselves healthy and maintain an optimal weight, right? In addition, when we think of weight loss, we think of diet and exercise, both of which already sound time consuming.

If you ask Isabel, the author of the Diet Solution Program, she’ll give you all the reasons why exercise is so important. However, she believed that following a healthy eating regimen is the priority number 1, because based from her experience with client that she helped, Isabel noticed that those who followed their nutrition plan without exercise would always lose weight. However, if they didn’t follow their nutrition plan but are consistent with their workouts, there is no weight loss.

To kick start your way to your health and weight loss goals, below are some simple tips to adjust your nutrition plan from Isabel that will help to take off an initial 5-10 pounds.

1. Only drink water as your beverage (with the occasional unsweetened tea or black coffee).

Eliminating all sugar drinks, “diet” drinks and sodas will automatically cause a dramatic weight loss. Studies have shown, when all else is kept constant, people lose up to 10lbs just by giving up diet coke. But it has no calories you say? Equal (Aspartame) and all other artificial sweeteners are toxins to your body and cause weight gain, even more so than sugar!

Squeeze fresh lemon in your water or make flavored herbal teas and cool them to make ice tea to make water drinking much easier. Always consume half of your body weight in ounces of water per day to experience adequate hydration and weight loss (ex. If you weigh 150 lbs, you must drink 75 ounces of water each day).

2. Eliminate the 4 white devils

White Flour, Refined Salt, White Sugar, and Dairy. If you just stay away from these 4 things, you will automatically see a drastic drop in weight and will instantly feel more energetic throughout the day. Most people are well aware of the harmful effects of flour, refined salt and sugar but dairy? Doesn’t it do a body good? Definitely not! Dairy is one of the number 1 reasons people have such a hard time losing weight. It causes inflammation in the body, digestive problems, clogged arteries, and weight gain. Get your calcium from leafy greens and avoid dairy at all costs. When moms bring in their children to see me with weight and health problems one of the first things I do is take them off dairy. The results are miraculous! Chronically sick kids are now automatically better. And those who have had such a hard time losing weight experience automatic weight loss without dairy.

3. Know exactly where to find the healthy food!

It is honestly just as easy to run in to the local supermarket and get a bag of carrots and some almonds as it is to run into a Quickie-Mart and buy some harmful processed food. You can go absolutely anywhere now and find healthy meal options but you must know what you are looking for. Stay away from most packaged foods as the label indicates more of a science experiment than anything that would be close to food. No one needs all of those toxins in their body. Labels should have 2–3 items, at most. And the best foods don’t have labels.

Don’t let time be your excuse. If you stop to eat 2-3 times per day and snack in between it is just as easy to find something healthy as it is to find something harmful. Don’t let your body come to a shrieking halt before you decide to do anything about your weight and your health. You know what will be a huge impediment on your time? If you or a family member becomes ill due to poor nutrition and lifestyle habits. So tackle the problem now before it really does begin to affect your time and your life! You can replace cars, homes and all material items, but you only get one body! Take good care of it.

- Isabel De Los Rios

Before you start any diet plan, make sure you know these 5 Essential Truths - yours for FREE Here. You can also learn much more about losing weight, living healthy, and great food in The Diet Solution Program.

Posted by Valen | Filed Under Weight loss diet 

Should you blow your diet this Christmas…

December 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Sometimes following a diet does not mean that you do what the diet says every moment, every day. What is more important is how you deal with occasions when you eat too much or feast on foods that are not part of your diet plan. Especially when Christmas is tomorrow! :D

So, if you failed to resist the temptations of cookies and brownies, and ended up bloated and feeling defeated this Christmas season, here are some personal ‘damage control tips’ from Isabel De Los Rios, the author of The Diet Solution Program, to help you get right back on a healthy track as soon as possible.

Here’s what Isabel says:

1. Eliminate wheat and dairy for 2-3 days after the “incident”

Wheat and diary are the 2 most inflammatory foods that cause bloating in most people. Not to mention when people overeat, it is usually on wheat and dairy foods: cookies, cakes, ice-cream, pasta, bread. Ever heard of anyone overdosing on brown rice? Or poultry? Doesn’t really happen. If it has wheat or dairy, just eliminate it from your meal plan until you are back on track with your healthy eating and rid of the “after party bloat”.

2. Drink tons of water!

This rule is applicable all the time, but after a “binge” water is even more important. I also like to add a few squeezes of fresh lemon in my water for the “detoxifying” effects. Fresh lemon helps to cleanse the liver and a squeaky clean liver will assist in your weight loss efforts.

3. Add in some extra walking

If I’ve packed in one too many calories, I get my body moving even more. Just adding in an extra 20 minutes of walking for the next few days gets me feeling back on track. I have even taken a trip to the mall just to do laps around the place. I get to people watch, see what’s on sale, and burn calories all at the same time.

What do you think? Not difficult at all, right? By following these tips from Isabel, I’m sure anyone is able to effortlessly keep weight in control this holiday. :) Merry Christmas!!

Posted by Valen | Filed Under Healthy weight loss tips