Monday, 29 June 2015

10 Reasons You Aren't Losing Weight

You Don't Drink Water

Besides keeping you hydrated, drinking water regularly, according to recent studies, can aid with weight loss. Filling up on water before a meal helps encourage portion control, and eating foods that contain a lot of water (like fruit and veg) will fill you up faster, causing you to eat less. A small study even found that drinking cool water can speed up metabolism and discourage cravings for sugary beverages like fizzy drinks and juice. Now that's a reason to stay hydrated!

Image Source: Shutterstock

You Think Walking Your Dog Is Enough

A 15-minute stroll is better than nothing, but don't expect to see dramatic weight-loss results. You've got to kick it up a notch — big time — and do at least 30 minutes a day of heart-pumping exercise. Big calorie and fat burners include running, spin class, interval training, hiking, and circuit training.

Image Source: Shutterstock

You Overeat Healthy Foods

**Your Partner Isn't on the Same Healthy Road**

You Leave Out Entire Food Groups — **Your Partner Isn't on the Same Healthy Road**

Sunday, 28 June 2015

Herbal Supplements for Weight Loss - Do They Work?

Have you considered taking an herbal supplement for weight loss? There is no shortage of products that promise to melt fat or blast away pounds. But they don't always deliver the results that you expect. So it's important to gather the most current information about herbal supplements to lose weight safely and more effectively.

Herbal Weight Loss Supplements - The Basics

There are different types of dietary supplements.

Herbal supplements for weight loss are those that come from plant sources and claim to help you lose weight. Sometimes they are also called botanicals or phytomedicines. Herbal supplements often have a label that says they are natural and often have healthy-sounding names. But just because a product is natural doesn't mean it is safe. And just because a supplement is "healthy" doesn't mean it is effective.

Several recent studies conducted on dietary supplements found that consumers who buy herbal supplements may not get the product that is advertised on the label. Unfortunately this is a trend that doesn't just happen with online vendors or shady back-alley dealers. The State of New York recently cited several large retailers including Walgreens and GNC, for selling products that were not as advertised. Legislators in New York are pushing for stronger laws to protect consumers who buy herbal supplements for weight loss and for other health concerns.

Popular Herbal Supplements for Weight Loss

If you choose to supplement your weight loss program with an herbal product, you'll probably find that popular products in stores and online contain one or more of these herbal ingredients.

Garcinia cambogia. Because it is one of the most popular products on the market, many scientists have studied garcinia cambogia. Unfortunately, the herbal supplement has been shown to have "little to no effect on weight loss," according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

Glucomannan. This natural fiber product comes from the konjac plant. While diet supplements that contain glucomannan say it is effective for weight loss, a recent 8-week study found that the herbal supplement did not promote weight loss.

Chitosan. This product actually comes from fish but it is frequently listed as an herbal supplement to help you lose weight. People who are allergic to shellfish should not take this product. Even if you are not allergic, recent studies have found not found it to be effective for weight loss.

Marco Marchi/Getty Images

Bitter orange. After ephedra was banned, some herbal supplement manufacturers started using bitter orange instead. Bitter orange may help you burn more calories, but researchers are not sure. Scientists have substantial concerns about the safety of the stimulant. Users of bitter orange have reported chest pain, anxiety, and increased blood pressure and heart rate.

Green tea extract. This herbal supplement is found on almost every drugstore shelf and many vendors sell the pills online. Unfortunately, many of the research studies that investigated the extract's effectiveness have not been high quality. The NIH suggests that green tea may provide a modest weight loss benefit.

Raspberry ketone. You'll see raspberry-related products in many herbal supplements for weight loss. But there have been no high quality studies to demonstrate it's effectiveness as a diet aid in humans.

Forskolin. This extract from the Coleus plant has not been studied enough to determine if it is effective for weight loss. And some medical experts believe the herbal supplement may have dangerous side effects.

Aegeline. While this product should no longer be available, you may still be able to find it online or in stores. Aegeline (included in OxyElite Pro) was removed from the market and banned by the FDA after several cases of death and severe injury were reported. The ingredient was included in popular fat burning supplements and body building products.

Should I Take an Herbal Supplement to Lose Weight?

Before you take any supplement, be sure to consult your health care provider to make sure that the product is safe for you to use. Many products can be safe for some people but dangerous to others when combined with a medication, vitamin or health condition. So be absolutely sure that you tell your doctor about all of the supplements, pills, and herbal products that you take or plan to take.
While you're at your doctor's office, you may also want to ask if there have been recent scientific studies about the effectiveness of the product you're considering. It's best to get this information from an unbiased source, like your doctor. You can also check the database provided by the National Institutes of Health(NIH) or the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements Fact Sheets. According to the NIH, most supplements have been found to be ineffective for weight loss.

There are some products that have been shown in limited situations to have some weight loss benefit, but you're not likely to slim down if you rely on the supplement alone. You're more likely to see results if you focus on proven methods such as a calorie-controlled healthy diet and regular exercise. Then add a supplement only if it is recommended by your physician.

_{Sources:http://weightloss.about.com/od/Diet-Pills-Supplements/fl/Herbal-Supplements-for-Weight-Loss.htm}
_{Herbal remedies and supplements for weight loss. Medline Plus. U.S. National Library of Medicine from the National Institutes of Health}

Saturday, 27 June 2015

Exercise can fatten you, claims new study

Are you trying hard to lose weight but can't shed those extra pounds off? Don't worry as scientists are claiming that exercise often doesn't help lose weight.

The researchers said that there's increasing evidence that it could even make people fatter and recently, doctors said it has been wrongly emphasised that physical activity can prevent people becoming very overweight, the New Zealand Herald reported.

They noted that while physical activity is useful in reducing the risk of disease, it does not promote weight loss. They claimed that this false perception is rooted in the food industry's public relations machine, which uses tactics chillingly similar to big tobacco companies, denial, doubt and confusing the public.

Health, weight gain, Obesity, exercise, disease, Weight loss, calories

The Mayo Clinic, an eminent medical research group in the US, said that studies have demonstrated no or modest weight loss with exercise alone and that an exercise regime is unlikely to result in short-term weight loss. Most research seems to suggest that exercise can make us eat the wrong things. The post-workout bar of chocolate to celebrate a job well done or even a healthy banana can undo all your good work without you realising.

Sports scientists call this "compensation", where a person who exercises cancels out the calories they have burned by eating more, generally as a form of self-reward. The Arizona State University research found that while they were fitter, there was no noticeable weight loss and 70% of the women had piled on some fat.

The study is published in the British Journal Of Sports Medicine.

Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-exercise-can-fatten-you-claims-new-study-2098398

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

DIET TIP • How to overcome emotional eating and feel good fast.

Source:https://youtu.be/PRq2LRrQmdg

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Weight Loss Motivation - Getting Started

With these inspirational tips to help you succeed, you’ll quickly climb back up the weight loss motivation ladder and feel refreshed and raring to continue with WLR and see a New You.

Remind yourself of your original motivation to Lose Weight

Start by reminding yourself what set you off on the road to wanting to lose weight in the first place, was it:

seeing a ‘fat’ photo of yourself?
the bathroom scales reaching a certain point?
not being able to find any clothes to fit you?
realising that even the smallest tasks were making you feel out of breath?

Close your eyes and go back to the moment when you decided once and for all to lose weight. If you still have that photo, take another look and remind yourself what you didn’t like about it.
Dig out some clothes that are still way too tight and try them on. Transporting yourself back to your ‘turning point’ should relight your motivation to lose weight.

Write down all the benefits of Losing Weight

Many people only see a slim body as the main benefit of weight loss, with the result that if they don’t quickly see an improvement they end up feeling dissatisfied. If you haven’t already done so, write a list of ALL the positives you’ll get from losing weight and reaching your goal.
As well as looking amazing, the list could include things like:

having more energy to play with your children
lowering your blood pressure
improving your fitness levels
not getting out of breath after climbing a flight of stairs
feeling comfortable in jeans
having more fun during sex
increased performance at work

Most people who lose weight say they get far more out of life once they’re slim and as well as being healthier, they feel happier and have more confidence. People reported that they:

had more energy
experienced a better mood
had more confidence
improved health
benefitted from better relationships and improved performance at work!

Visualise the new slim you

If things get tough, spend some time visualising your new life as a slimmer, fitter and healthier you.

how does it feel?
how much more confident are you?
how do you look?
what are you wearing?
how do you move?
how do you talk to other people?
how much more energetic do you feel?
what are you doing in your new life?
what ambitions do you have?
what changes have you made?

Hold onto this image of the new you and take time to revisit it whenever you feel like giving up.

Remember it’s All About You

Remind yourself who you are losing weight for. The key to staying motivated is wanting to do it for YOU. If you’re trying to lose weight as a result of pressure from family, friends or your GP, you’ll constantly struggle! People who successfully lose weight – and keep it off – do it for themselves.
So make sure you’re shifting those pounds for the only person that counts – and that’s YOU!

Source: http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/weight_loss/weight_loss_tips/motivation-lose-weight.htm

Monday, 22 June 2015

Why we've all been doing the Fast Diet wrong

Is your tummy rumbling today? Are you watching the clock already waiting for night to fall when you can scoff 500 calories and tick off another successful day of fasting on the 5:2 diet, like thousands of other Britons following the most successful diet plan devised this century?

ADVERTISING

Well, get ready to rumble some more. While we’ve all been systematically starving ourselves twice a week following the Fast Diet, in the cheerful knowledge that we were reducing our chance of diabetes as well as our waistlines, a newer take on fasting has been under trial in the US.

And – grave news, hungry readers – this nutritional regime, known as the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), developed by academics at the University of Southern California, demands we starve for five days straight for maximum effect.

What might make this new fasting diet do-able, is that according to its creators - is that most of us would only follow this fasting regime four times a year to reduce our risk of heart disease and cancer as well as to boost our immune system, lose weight and look younger too.

A new diet claims eating less for a few days every few months could help you live longer Photo: © Fudio /

•Five day 'fasting' diet slows down ageing and may add years to life

•Can fasting help you lose weight and live for longer?

No need to join the slightly warped world of Calorie Restrictors (who consume only 75 per cent of recommended calories a day, and who practise savoury meditation, smelling and thinking about food rather than eating it). Or the breatharians who claim to live by sunlight alone.

One of the scientists behind this revolutionary new way of fasting is Prof Valter Longo, Professor in Gerontology and Biological Science at the USC, and Director of its Longevity Institute. Experience may have taught us that typical uber-fasting fanatics tend to be ghastly old geezers who look like they are made of biltong. But the 47-year old Professor appears to be part Italian midfielder, part Bambi; all in all a rather marvellous walking advertisement for the FMD.

^{Part Italian midfielder, part Bambi (Photo: Dietmar Quistorf): Prof Valter Longo}

Best of all, his research has the rigour of science behind it. “Strict fasting is hard for people to stick to, and it can also be dangerous,’’ Prof Longo tells me. ''So we developed a complex diet that triggers the same effects in the body.’’

In his study, reported this week in the journal Cell Metabolism, old mice placed on cycles of a four-day low-calorie diet had reduced visceral belly fat, and increased numbers of progenitor and stem cells in several organs — including the brain, where neural regeneration was boosted, as was memory.

Meanwhile, a trial of 19 humans placed on the FMD once a month for five days showed decreased risk factors and biomarkers for aging, diabetes, cancer and heart disease with no major adverse side effects.

What this means in practice, is a diet reduced to between 34 to 54 per cent of normal calorie intake (?) with a specific composition of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and micronutrients which could just save – or at least extend your life.

It breaks down like this: on Day One, the overall diet adds up to 1,090 calories – which must be consumed as 10 per cent protein, 56 per cent fat and 34 per cent carbohydrate. Days 2-5 contain 725 calories each, split into portions of nine per cent protein, 44 per cent fat and 47 per cent carbohydrate.

^{You can eat small amounts of dark chocolate on this diet}

It sounds all so complicated. So why is this new diet so much better than the 5:2, I ask Prof Longo (catching him during a lunch break - which he says rarely consists of actual, you know, lunch). ''I don’t like to say better or worse,’’ he protests. ''But the composition is important; we worked really hard to find the exact amounts, so that you don’t feel like you are fasting, but your body gets the same effects. The time (five day stretches) is important because the body needs to do this for three or four days before reprogramming itself, and the process of regeneration and rejuvenation begins.’’

He adds of the 5:2, first outlined by BBC medic Dr Michael Mosley who co-authored the bestselling Fast Diet book with journalist Mimi Spencer: ''The 5:2; it is not bad, but you need to do it every week. With the Fasting Mimicking Diet, you do it every three or four months, so that’s less than half the time.’’

He also thinks there are two specific problems with 5:2: ''We have seen that the high protein intake associated with 5:2 and the short duration of the fast (ie 24 hours) seems to block the regenerative effect you get from fasting.’’ Plus, the brain gets confused when you ask it to change behaviour often; fasting and then not fasting, especially if you swap the days around a lot may affect our Circadian rhythms, says Prof Longo.

So you could end up struggling to sleep at night on the 5:2. He is most certainly not a fan of extreme fasting: ''Water-only fasting should only be done in a specialised clinic and can increase the incidence of gallstones in women at risk if done improperly.”

^{THE FMD isn't something you need to do as often as the Fast Diet}

Petronella Ravenshear, a nutritional therapist in London agrees that Prof Longo’s way may be slightly easier on the body than other types of fasting. She says: ''Fasting, or restricting calories, to improve health and increase lifespan is not a new idea.

"But this fasting mimicking diet (FMD) is less of a stressor on the body than complete fasting. It supplies most of the carbohydrates in the form of vegetables which are packed with phytonutrients and minerals and positively good for us, rather than grain-derived carbohydrates which don’t supply much except sugar. One of the hormones this diet reduces is insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1); high levels of which are correlated with increased risk of cancer.

''What would be even better would be to encourage people on the non-fasting days to eat two to three times a day rather than going back to their old ways of grazing and snacking. Decreasing meal frequency is pretty painless and by reducing meal frequency we naturally reduce inflammation (the hallmark of modern chronic disease) in our bodies.’’

However, despite the intial compelling findings, even Prof Longo says he still wants to see his findings confirmed from larger human trials (which are underway). His aim is not to see people lose weight per se, but to help end the global medical culture which revolves around pill popping. ''The system is prehistoric, it’s expensive, and it’s making us all broke,’’ he says of the curative medical tradition. Ideally, he hopes those following the FMD a couple of times a year will reduce the number of biomarkers for cancer, for example sufficiently to prevent the disease.

^{Prof Longo says he doesn't necessarily aim to help people lose weight (P}^{hoto: PA)}

Nor does he want us to improvise: ''If you are healthy and you go to a doctor or a registered dietician first, and say you would like to try the FMD, you could be ok, but it depends on who you are and what else you do. If you were on the FMD and then went running, say, you might end up feeling faint.’’

So when can we start? Currently, Prof Longo is currently writing a definitive guide to FMD, and a company he established called L Nutra will produce a five-day nutrition pack, containing soups, drinks and bars, called ProLon (costing about £150, and available in the UK in the autumn). All profits from the book and ProLon will be donated to charity, he says. While diets have created multi-million empires for some, it seems this is most definitely not a money-making project.

Nor is it an attempt to rewrite global nutrition. ''We don’t want to change what people eat normally; we are not advertising restriction. In general I would say, eat more vegetables, more olive oil, more nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds, fish twice a week (salmon is fine, but staying away from tuna and swordfish because they may contain mercury). A glass or two of red wine is fine, and an occasional sweet snack of dark chocolate.

''If you follow the FMD twice a year, as I do, and combine it with general nutritional advice like that, it will make a tremendous difference to your longevity.’’

Day One

FMD permitted calories: 1,090 max

Breakfast: Black or Green Tea; one boiled egg (78 calories) + one slice whole wheat toast (68 calories)

Lunch: black coffee or tea; small green salad with avocado, dressed with olive oil (300 calories)

Snack: two almonds (28 calories)

Dinner: Large helping of mixed green vegetable soup with borlotti beans, and slice of whole wheat bread (616 calories)

Day Two

FMD permitted calories: 725 calories max

Breakfast: Black or green tea; one poached egg with a grilled tomato (100 calories)

Lunch: Miso soup (21 cals)

Snack: 7 walnut halves (90 cals)

Dinner: Vegetable chilli with kidney beans and two tsp sour cream (514 cals)

Day Three:

FMD permitted calories: 725 calories max

Breakfast: Black or Green tea: one slice whole wheat toast with two tsp of cashew butter (150 calories)

Lunch: Espresso; Smoked Salmon (100g) with watercress (200 cals)

Snack: Blueberries (100g) (57 cals)

Dinner: Large portion vegetable soup (318 cals)

Day Four:

FMD permitted calories: 725 calories max

Breakfast: Black or Green tea; half an avocado on one slice of whole wheat toast (220 cals)

Lunch: Espresso; 250ml glass of almond milk (60 cals)

Snack: two squares 70 per cent dark chocolate (110 cals)

Dinner: Large green salad with 100g prawns, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice (335 cals)

Day Five

FMD permitted calories: 725 calories max

Breakfast: black or green tea; two boiled eggs (156 cals)

Lunch: Half an avocado on toast; miso soup (210 cals)

Snack: An apple (60 cals)

Dinner: Large portion of vegetable soup with 10g toasted pine nuts (299 cals)

Source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/wellbeing/diet/11686002/Why-weve-all-been-doing-the-Fast-Diet-wrong.html

Sunday, 21 June 2015

Walking an extra two minutes each hour may offset hazards of sitting too long

A new study suggests that engaging in low intensity activities such as standing may not be enough to offset the health hazards of sitting for long periods of time. On the bright side, adding two minutes of walking each hour to your routine just might do the trick. These findings were published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

Numerous studies have shown that sitting for extended periods of time each day leads to increased risk for early death, as well as heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions. Considering that 80 percent of Americans fall short of completing the recommended amount of exercise, 2.5 hours of moderate activity each week, it seems unrealistic to expect that people will replace sitting with even more exercise.

With this in mind, scientists at the University of Utah School of Medicine investigated the health benefits of a more achievable goal, trading sitting for lighter activities for short periods of time. They used observational data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine whether longer durations of low intensity activities (e.g. standing), and light intensity activities (e.g. casual walking, light gardening, cleaning) extends the life span of people who are sedentary for more than half of their waking hours.

They found that there is no benefit to decreasing sitting by two minutes each hour, and adding a corresponding two minutes more of low intensity activities. However, a "trade-off" of sitting for light intensity activities for two minutes each hour was associated with a 33 percent lower risk of dying.
"It was fascinating to see the results because the current national focus is on moderate or vigorous activity. To see that light activity had an association with lower mortality is intriguing," says lead author Srinivasan Beddhu, M.D., professor of internal medicine.

Credit: © Rawpixel / Fotolia

Beddhu explains that while it's obvious that it takes energy to exercise, strolling and other light activities use energy, too. Even short walks add up to a lot when repeated many times over the course of a week. Assuming 16 awake hours each day, two minutes of strolling each hour expends 400 kcal each week. That number approaches the 600 kcal it takes to accomplish the recommended weekly goal of moderate exercise. It is also substantially larger than the 50 kcal needed to complete low intensity activities for two minutes each awake hour over the course of one week.

"Based on these results we would recommend adding two minutes of walking each hour in combination with normal activities, which should include 2.5 hours of moderate exercise each week," says Beddhu. Moderate exercise strengthens the heart, muscles, and bones, and confers health benefits that low and light intensity activities can't.

The study examined 3,243 NHANES participants who wore accelerometers that objectively measured the intensities of their activities. Participants were followed for three years after the data were collected; there were 137 deaths during this period.

"Exercise is great, but the reality is that the practical amount of vigorous exercise that can be achieved is limited. Our study suggests that even small changes can have a big impact," says senior author Tom Greene, Ph.D., director of the Study Design and Biostatistics Center at the Center for Clinical and Translational Science.

Beddhu adds that large, randomized, interventional trials will be needed to definitively answer whether exchanging sitting for light activities leads to better health.

Story Source:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150430170715.htm

Journal Reference:

Srinivasan Beddhu, Guo Wei, Robin L. Marcus, Michel Chonchol, Tom Greene. Light-Intensity Physical Activities and Mortality in the United States General Population and CKD Subpopulation. CJASN, April 30, 2015 DOI: 10.2215/%u200BCJN.08410814

Friday, 19 June 2015

How To Reduce Belly Fat Within 14 Days For Women (Top Ab Workouts - No E...

Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyUZ4na8NdM

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

Does Garcinia Cambogia Work?

Fed up with not achieving your weight loss goals? Thinking about supplements to help? Read on for a review on the effectiveness of Garcinia Cambogia by Kris Gunnars

Dieting sucks.
It tends to lead to cravings… and hunger.
This generally causes people to give up on their diet and gain the weight back.
For this reason, most conventional weight loss methods have a terrible success rate. Very few people succeed in the long run.
This is where a popular weight loss supplement called Garcinia Cambogia steps in.
According to many health experts, it can reduce appetite and help you lose weight, pretty much without effort.

Now… I’m a big fan of supplements and self-experimentation.
I’ve personally experimented with a ton of different supplements throughout my life, although only a handful have stuck with me.
Given the raving reviews about Garcinia Cambogia, I got excited and decided to take a closer look at this supplement and the science behind it.

What is Garcinia Cambogia?

Garcinia cambogia is a plant, also known as Garcinia gummi-gutta.
The fruit of the plant looks like a small, green pumpkin and is used in many traditional Asian dishes for its sour flavor.
In the skin of the fruit, there is a large amount of a natural substance called Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA).
This is the active ingredient in Garcinia Cambogia extract… that is, the substance that produces the weight loss effects.

Does Garcinia Cambogia Actually Work?

I managed to find several research studies on Garcinia Cambogia, in both animals and humans.
According to some studies in rats, it can inhibit a fat producing enzyme called Citrate Lyase, making it more difficult for the body to produce fat out of carbohydrates (1).
Other rat studies show increased levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This could theoretically lead to reduced appetite and cravings(2).
There are actually a whole bunch of studies in rats showing that Garcinia Cambogia consistently leads to significant weight loss (3, 4, 5, 6).
However, what works in rats doesn’t always work in humans.

Bottom Line: Studies in rats show that the active ingredient in Garcinia Cambogia can inhibit a fat producing enzyme called Citrate Lyase and increase serotonin levels, leading to significant weight loss.

A Look at Some Human Studies

Fortunately, I also found several human studies on Garcinia Cambogia.
All of these studies are so-called randomized controlled trials, which are the gold standard of scientific experiments in humans.
The biggest of the studies included 135 overweight individuals, which were split into two groups (7):

Treatment group: 1 gram of Garcinia Cambogia Extract, 3 times per day, taken 30 minutes before meals.

Placebo group: The other group took dummy pills (placebo).

Both groups also went on a high-fiber, low calorie diet.
These were the results of the 12 week study, which was published in The Journal of The American Medical Association (a highly respected scientific journal):

Heymsfield, et al. 1998

As you can see, both groups lost weight.
But the group taking Garcinia Cambogia extract actually lost less weight (3.2 kg – 7 pounds) than the placebo group (4.1 kg – 9 pounds).

The researchers also looked at body fat percentage. The placebo group lost 2.16%, while the group taking Garcinia Cambogia lost only 1.6%.
However, the difference was not statistically significant, meaning that the results could have been due to chance.

More Studies

In another study with 89 overweight females, Garcinia Cambogia did lead to 1.3 kg (2.8 pounds) more weight loss compared to placebo, over a period of 12 weeks. They found no difference in appetite between groups (8).
Overall, I looked at 4 more studies. Two of them showed weight loss of a few pounds over a period of 8 weeks (9, 10), but the other two showed no effect (11, 12).
So… unfortunately, the weight loss effects appear to be both weak and inconsistent.
A review published in the Journal of Obesity in 2011 that looked at 12 clinical trials found that Garcinia Cambogia can increase weight loss by about 0.88 kg, or 2 pounds, on average, over a period of several weeks (13).

Their conclusion sums it up quite nicely:

“…Garcinia extracts/HCA can cause short-term weight loss. The magnitude of the effect is small, and the clinical relevance is uncertain.”
I agree. It may cause a mild effect in some people, but overall the effects are small and unlikely to make a major difference

Bottom Line: There have been many studies conducted on Garcinia Cambogia in overweight individuals. Some of them show a small amount of weight loss, while other studies show no effect.

Garcinia Cambogia Appears to be Very Safe

It is important to keep in mind that these studies usually only report averages.
It is possible that some individuals can in fact lose weight with this supplement, although it doesn’t seem to work very well on average.
At least, Garcinia Cambogia appears to be safe. There are no serious side effects, only some reports of mild digestive issues (14).
It is best to get a brand with at least 50% Hydroxycitric acid. The most common dosage is 500 mg, 3 times per day, half an hour before meals.
If you want to buy garcinia cambogia despite the poor results in the studies, then there is a great selection of brands with thousands of customer reviews on Amazon.

Source:http://authoritynutrition.com/garcinia-cambogia-extract/

Have you ever used any supplements? I'd love to know your success ( and failure!) stories....

Monday, 15 June 2015

The Best Home Workout - Exercise Routine

Great all over workout, give it go!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9ucbo_fx64

Sunday, 14 June 2015

Nature's Statin?

How NUTS could be nature's statin: Even peanuts reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and early death

Peanuts may be a 'cost-effective measure to improve heart health'
Not only are they cheap, they are readily available, researchers point out
Findings held regardless of gender, race, BMI and other health conditions
But eating salted nuts does not count, say experts commenting on study

Eating nuts and peanuts reduces the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, a new study claims.

Researchers found they were linked with a reduced risk of death from heart disease among people on low incomes.

And they believe their findings suggest peanuts may be a cost-effective measure to improve cardiovascular health because they are so cheap.

However experts cautioned today that salt-covered nuts would not have the same health benefits.

Nuts are rich in nutrients and peanuts, although classified as legumes, have nutrients similar to tree nuts.

The new study, led by Dr Xiao-Ou Shu, of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Tennessee, analysed various groups of people.

One involved 72,000 low-income black and white men and women living in the US, the other 134,000 men and women living in Shanghai, China.

In both groups, men ate more peanuts than women.

In the US group, about half of the nuts consumed were peanuts, and in the Chinese group only peanut consumption was assessed.

HOW DO NUTS HAVE A PROTECTIVE EFFECT ON THE HEART?

Catherine Collins, Principal Dietitian at St George's Hospital NHS Trust, said:

'Research over the past few years has shown heart-health benefits of including nuts and legumes (like peanuts) as part of a varied diet.

'This is probably because nuts and peanuts contribute a valuable source of protein, dietary fibres, healthy fats, vitamins B1, B6, folic acid, vitamin E, magnesium and zinc to the diet.

Although almost half the weight of a peanut is fat (48%), the majority is of the heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types.

Studies where nuts have been added to the diet (such as the European PREDIMED study), and long-term population studies have consistently shown a reduction in death from heart disease when nuts and legumes are included in the diet.

The researchers found that across the board, eating nuts reduced the risk of death from heart disease.

This was regardless of gender, race, BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

In the US, the highest consumption resulted in a risk reduction of 21 per cent.

In the Chinese group, it was 17 per cent.

Dr Shu said: 'We observed no significant associations between nut or peanut consumption and risk of death due to cancer and diabetes.'

She added the findings highlight the large public health impact of nut or peanut consumption in lowering deaths from heart disease - especially given their affordability.

The research was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Dr Mitchell Katz, deputy editor of the journal, added: 'Of course, peanuts are not really nuts - they are legumes since they grow in bushes, unlike tree nuts.

Nuts reduced the risk of death regardless of gender, race, BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity

'But who cares if they help us to live longer at an affordable price?'

However experts have cautioned that people should not start eating 'large quantities' of nuts and peanuts in light of the research.

Commenting on the findings, Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'This large study found that death rates from heart attacks were lower in people who eat nuts, particularly peanuts, than in those who don't.

'However, the data do not show that the more peanuts you eat the lower the risk of a fatal heart attack, so people should not start eating large quantities of nuts, particularly salted nuts, in the hope that it will protect them from heart disease.

'The results suggest that including a modest amount of nuts as part of a well-balanced diet may be of benefit.'

Source:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2975782/How-NUTS-nature-s-statin-peanuts-reduce-risk-heart-attack-stroke-early-death.html

Friday, 12 June 2015

Five unconventional tips to burn fat without dieting

Fat loss is definitely the most coveted goal in the fitness industry. Every day millions of people all over the world will start a new training program or diet plan in the hope of leaning up and reducing their waist size a few inches.

Unfortunately, all too often these needs are met by overly restrictive and temporary solutions, whether that be through an excess of calories burnt with an ultimately unsustainable workout regime or a restrictive diet plan that's going to leave you feeling weak and depleted.

The good news is there is a better way... fat loss is a science, not a gimmick! This means there are some brilliant lifestyles changes or 'hacks' we can make to our weekly regimes that will hugely increase the amount of fat we burn without all of the negative consequences we've come to expect as a by-product of achieving this goal.

This is a somewhat unconventional approach to fat loss as I'll be recommending some changes that focus on what can be done to create an environment within your body that is more conducive to fat loss, by introducing the right forms of nutrition and exercise but also by limiting negative hormone production that can limit your bodies ability to jettison existing fat stores.

1) Sleep longer

Studies have shown that inadequate sleep dramatically effects our ability to lose fat by up to 55%. There are many reasons for this, including that lack of sleep is associated with poorer muscle recovery, increased stress and, the most influential factor associated with weight gain, our bodies experience an increased production of a hormone called Ghrelin, something that is associated with a reduced metabolic speed and largely triggered by a lack of sleep. Higher levels of Ghrelin cause us to be hungrier and reduce our energy expenditure.

This means that people who sleep less are going to want to eat more. This can lead to big problems, especially when we are tired and fatigued as we'll be less likely to make good food choices. If like many people with busy schedules you are only getting 4-5 hours sleep most nights, run an experiment and ensure that you get 7 hours sleep for two weeks in a row. I can virtually guarantee that all else being equal you will be leaner at the end of those two weeks.

2) Focus on strength training

Traditionally we associate fat loss efforts in the form of exercise with cardio, and a lot of it! Probably because it's the easiest form of exercise to get started with, you can simply open your front door and go for a run. However, this is a mistake; the real focus should be on strength training.

Utilising big compound lifts should be your priority when seeking fat loss. Lifting heavy weights in the low rep ranges (typically 3-5) will send signals to your brain instructing your body to maintain your existing muscle mass even if you are on a calorie deficit.

Strength training will raise your metabolism, increase your lean mass and keep your hormones at optimal levels. Tracking your strength training efforts will also give you a very good idea of how successfully you are targeting your fat stores. If you can't make strength gains or maintain the strength you had when you started your fat loss plan, that's a pretty sure sign that you are losing your muscle mass and need to address your nutritional intake.

Robert Daly at Getty Images

3) Manipulate your macro-nutrients

I don't think it's essential to count calories to burn fat and get lean. Yes, it can help, but ultimately any estimated calorie intake numbers will remain an estimate for a number of reasons. That said, real progress can be made from manipulating your macro-nutrient intake.

Many people don't realise this but different body shapes have varying abilities to process carbohydrates. For example mesomorphs and ectomorphs can handle far more carbohydrate per day than an endomorph.

Therefore, a one size fits all approach to macro-nutrient intake is faulty to begin with. You should also cycle your macro-nutrients according to the energy expenditure of a given day. For example, training days should typically represent a higher intake of carbs in relation to fat, whilst rest days would be better suited to a higher intake of fat as opposed to carbohydrate.

4) Avoid stress

Stress is extremely detrimental to our health and should be avoided at all costs. Stress will release cortisol also known as 'the fat hormone.'

It can also leave us unmotivated for our workouts and have an extremely detrimental effect on our hormone balance in general, hardly ideal for fat loss!

During times of high stress, my advice would be to focus on strength training a couple of times per week to stay physically strong but do not put your body through caloric restriction of any kind until the stressful period has passed.

5) Skip breakfast

This has always typically been a big no no as far as conventional wisdom goes, but the truth is that introducing food in the form of carbohydrates (almost all traditional breakfast food) first thing in the morning could be the worst move you could make for your fat loss goals.

Each morning, at the point of waking up, your body has been in a fasted state overnight which means your blood sugar levels are stable and very vulnerable to the introduction of sugars.

Significant sugar intake is likely to cause an insulin spike causing a massive surge of energy that, if not used immediately, will be stored as fat for later use. Try skipping breakfast, having only a warm drink to get your through the morning. This will allow your body's natural growth hormone (also secreted overnight) to stay active for longer, allowing you to enhance your fat loss.

Source:http://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/fitness/five-unconventional-tips-to-burn-fat-without-dieting/ar-BBkPcoc?ocid=HPCDHP#page=6 For more information, visit http://www.scottlaidler.com