Stephen Choy: the Lose Weight Expert asked:


If you are looking in to a lose weight quick program, there are a few things that you should keep in mind when making your decision:

A weight loss program should include all of the foods recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture and should allow the dieter to eat enough calories to keep their metabolism working full force.

Set goals- If the program you are looking in to wants you to write down your weight loss goals, you may have found the right diet plan. Studies have shown that by setting goals for yourself, and writing them down, you are more apt to stick with your diet and reach your goals. Try setting small goals each week (such as to eat less fat or lose 1.5 pounds), these mini goals are not as overwhelming as larger goals, like losing 50 pounds in three months, or whatever your final goal may be. Also, by achieving these smaller goals, we see that we are making progress and are more likely to continue trying than if we don’t set any.

Calories are good- Yes, all quick weight loss program rules will tell you that you should limit your calorie intake per day if you are going to lose weight. But, cutting your calories too much can actually stall weight loss just as much as consuming too many calories per day. A good rule of thumb is to eat no less than 1,600 calories per day for men and 1,200 calories per day for women. Beware that some of these "lose weight fast" diets can be very unhealthy and can cause health problems of their own.

Exercise to speed losing weight – For our bodies to gain one pound, we must consume 3,500 more calories than our bodies burn. So, for every pound we want to lose, we must take 3,500 calories from our bodies. This can be achieved by either consuming fewer calories, or by raising our metabolism by exercise. A smart dieter on a quick weight loss program will cut calories to a healthy level and incorporate more exercise into their every day routines to flush more calories from their bodies. Of course, you can overdo exercise, so moderation is key for healthy weight loss.

A quick weight loss program must be healthy and allow the dieter to make healthy choices. Any diet that claims that a person can lose an unbelievable amount of calories in a very short amount of time is probably going to give unsound and unhealthy advice. A dieter should not have to cut out entire food groups from their diet to lose weight. Remember that our bodies work like machines, and all food groups serve a purpose in keeping our bodies functioning at an optimal level. By cutting calories too low, doing extreme amounts of exercising and/or only eating certain foods we can actually cause our bodies to shut down and stop working correctly. Don’t fall for the gimmicks. Work hard, set goals, and believe in yourself, and you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Lucinda Reynolds asked:


If you are overweight and struggling to lose, you need to consider starting a good weight loss program. Not all weight loss programs are created equal. It is important that you find one that is compatible with your lifestyle and easy for you to follow. This will give you the best chance for success. Read on as I reveal to what to look for in a good weight loss program.

The first thing that you should look for is a weight loss program that teaches you healthy food choices. The fad diets where you eat only cabbage or grapefruit may cause you to lose weight initially, but after the weight is lost what have you learned? You are not going to eat only cabbage or grapefruit for the rest of your life. To lose weight and to keep it off, you have got to start making better food choices.

A good weight loss program will consist of foods that are simple to acquire or prepare. How many times have you read through some of the recipes or foods that you are allowed on weight loss programs and realize that you have to be a gourmet chef to prepare some of the dishes? Sometimes, the food that you need to prepare is very expensive and will take hours. If you are like most people, you don’t have the time or the money to prepare these foods.

A good weight loss program will give you a huge variety of choices. Not everyone likes the same thing. Let’s say that you **** fish. Trying to follow a weight loss program that requires you to eat fish everyday will only set you up for failure. You want to find a “user friendly” weight loss program that allows you to pick your favorite foods from a huge list.

A good weight loss program will also teach you how to maintain the weight loss once you are at your target weight. There are so many people that lose the weight and then will gain it all back. They stopped making the right choices in their diet. You need a program that will focus on long term maintenance of your weight loss.

A good weight loss program will show you the importance of exercise. You don’t have to do hours and hours of high impact exercise to lose weight. In fact, people who are overweight are not capable of doing a lot of intense exercise. So, the program should teach you the best exercise to start out with to maximize your weight loss.

These are just a few things to be on the lookout for when you are choosing a weight loss program. Make sure that the program is one that you will be able to follow easily. Be absolutely sure that it fits with your lifestyle before you start. If you take this advice, you will be able to lost the weight and to keep it off.

Paul Matthew Moore asked:


When you are looking for a weight loss program, what do you normally look for in a program? You would first look for a program that is balanced between nutrition and exercise as well as addressing any other types of health concerns that you may be having besides the weight issues that you are looking into. You will also want a weight loss program that addresses your specific needs as far as weight loss and health are concerned. When searching for a program, it is best to take into consideration your particular needs and wants as far as a program of this type goes.

Another thing to look at when looking at any type of a weight loss program is the cost of the program. There are many different programs that are available on the market today, but some of them cost quite a bit to get started. Some don’t cost a fortune to get started with and come with all that you need in order to get started on a weight loss program without too much trouble. You will also want to look at the diets closely as some are low sugar, low Glycemic, lean protein and other such factors such as purchasing food and other dietary needs before starting on any type of program of this sort.

Most weight loss program offerings will have a balance between nutrients and will also recommend an exercise program to go along with the program in question. Ones to watch out for though are those that are based simply on supplements only such as the teas that are reputed to help you to lose weight. You have to have a balanced diet and exercise as well as possibly taking medication. Supplements alone, do not make a diet. Nor do they make a safe weight loss program by themselves. Proper medical supervision is suggested when embarking on one of these programs.

Any weight loss program can be good to use, but bear in mind that no two people using the same diet will lose the same amount of weight in the same amount of time. Look for a weight loss program that can be tailored specifically to your needs and for your level of health and fitness. Also bear in mind that the program needs to be tailored to you specifically. This includes any type of medication or supplements that would be used in the program in question. As each diet needs to be tailored to the individual, it goes without saying that a professional’s help should be sought.

There are many different weight loss program systems out there and most of them are good for dieting. The choice comes in when you want the best weight loss program for you. A careful researching either online or by phone can give you more information as to what the best one is for you. By researching the facts, you can choose a program that best suits your weight loss needs and weight loss goals that you want to reach in a safe and effective manner. Safety is mandatory when dealing with weight loss and weight reduction for anyone regardless of size or weight.

Alan Chai asked:




The weight loss program you select will be more effective if you do one or more of the following adjuncts to your program for battling obesity. In fact, the combination of these tips can actually become the basis of your own personal program for weight loss. Successful weight loss almost always means that you make changes in your life style. This means that weight loss is not a yo-yo diet, but rather an educated and planned program of learning, goals, nutrition and patience so that your weight loss is gradual yet permanent. Furthermore, it doesn’t have to be a painful experience.

Educate Yourself

A weight loss program should help you determine what your goals are for weight loss.  You can determine what goals are reasonable and achievable. You can be honest with yourself about why your weight gain has occurred and how to resolve the issues by making helpful and sustainable changes to your life habits in order to eliminate bad choices. Your personality type often makes a difference in what type of program for losing weight works best for you.  Part of the education process is to visit with your family practitioner before beginning any program for losing weight.

Nutrition

Perhaps the most important component of any weight loss program is to educate yourself about nutritional aspects of your weight loss plan. Regardless of how much or how little weight you need to lose, your eating plan should include all the necessary nutrients to keep you healthy.  Watch your calorie intake, but don’t let an obsession with calories blind you to the fact that you may be missing out on one or more of the nutrients that are essential to health and long life. Leaving out one or more of the major food groups can have long-reaching detrimental effects on your health and life expectancy.

Exercise

You can almost always improve the results of any weight loss program by adding mild or moderate exercise to the plan of good nutrition.  Even if you are only able to begin exercising by walking part way around the block to begin with, this will be a move in the right direction. In addition to helping you burn off a few extra calories, walking will improve your lung function and circulatory system. Firming and toning muscles will make you feel better even if you don’t lose a single ounce through your exercise.  You may just find that the benefits in health will be one of the life style changes you will keep, even after your weight loss goals are reached.

Give it Time

It’s important that you don’t expect too much too fast from any weight loss program. You may have been making poor lifestyle choices for years that have contributed to your overweight.  It is often difficult to make to many changes, even positive ones, at the same time.  Don’t let yourself become discouraged if you don’t see dramatic weight loss each and every week. You will reach your goals in time.

  

Matthew Hick asked:


There are most likely very few people who have not tried a diet at one point or another in their lives. In fact, millions of people worldwide start diets every week. This is no surprise, as in the United States alone, 55% of the people are overweight.

The key to losing weight is to establish a diet intake of fewer calories than the amount of calories we expend in any given day. This requires a healthy nutritious diet balanced with a certain amount of physical activity. There are three different weight loss program types available and they consist of the do-it-yourself program, the non-clinical program and the clinical program.

If you decide on the do-it-yourself program, you are basically in charge of yourself. You make your own decisions, devise your own meal plans and develop your own exercise program. This requires research on foods and healthy eating. This knowledge can be acquired through books, online or from videos. You must also enter into some physical activity program, which can be done at home through video instruction, a walking program, an aerobic class or some other exercise class. The do-it-yourself program can involve group support from others in the same situation as you, such as Overeaters Anonymous. The support group is there strictly for support and does not involve any diet or activity planning. This type of program works best for individuals who need the back up and support to continue a diet plan, but don’t require advice on nutrition and exercise.

The non-clinical program involves weight loss chains owned either privately or commercially. These would include Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and LA Weight Loss. With this type of weight loss program, you usually have a counselor, who will meet with you on a regular basis, for support and weigh-ins. You will be given healthy eating plans based on your personal information, and advised on regular physical activity. Although a dietician devises the eating plans, the counselors are usually not licensed health professionals, but previous program subscribers. They often push you to buy their supplements, nutrition bars or prepackaged meals. If you choose this plan it is important to check with your doctor regarding the contents of any of these items. You should be cautious of any program that encourages quick weight loss fast and lacks physical activity plans. These will not establish healthy or long-term goals. This program is best suited for the individual who needs the constant one-on-one personal support to keep them on track, and advice on diet, nutrition and exercise.

The clinical weight loss programs are directly supervised by licensed health care providers and take place in a health care setting. They offer nutrition education, medical care, physical activity and behavior change therapy. They may also offer prescription weight loss drugs, very low calorie diets and weight loss surgery options for the morbidly overweight clients. These options are used for those who have a genetic weight problem or those whose health is compromised due to their weight.

Whatever weight loss plans you may choose, it is important to consult a physician before you start. Always be aware of the hidden costs involved with supplements or packaged foods, and know what ingredients are contained in them. In situations of great obesity, weight loss under a doctor’s supervision is best. And remember weight loss doesn’t end when you reach your desired weight. You will need to change your life and eating habits to maintain a nutritious diet plan combined with regular physical activity. This will prevent a reoccurrence of tipping the scales in the wrong direction again.

weightloss program asked:


Stop Eating Processed Sugar:

First, let us give sugar its due.  When we eat any sort of carbohydrate, from pasta to bananas to spinach, our bodies break it down into glucose, a form of sugar.  Glucose is the basic energy supply that keeps us running.  So, we need sugar to live.   But notice that it comes from any carbohydrate.  We can get all the sugar we need to function just by eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Unfortunately, a lot of the food we purchase at the grocery store has processed, or refined, sugar added to it. These sugars are not healthy for your weight loss program. Processed sugar is sugar that is extracted from plants like cane, beets or corn into crystals or syrup that can then be added to other foods to make them sweeter.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans eat an average of 156 pounds of added sugar a year!  Look at that five-pound bag of sugar in your pantry.  Take 31 of those.  Now eat them.  

Where is this sugar?  Pretty much everywhere.  Of course, we know it’s in soft drinks, cookies, candy and ice cream.  But did you know that sugar is added to ketchup, spaghetti sauce, fruit juice, peanut butter, cold cereals and canned fruits and vegetables?      All of this added sugar is just empty, extra calories that contribute to weight gain.  Try getting the nutrients your body needs without eating foods with added sugar.  Here are some tips:

•         Read food labels.  If sugar is one of the first few ingredients, avoid that food.  

•         Know your sugars.  Anything that ends in the letters ose, like fructose, maltose, dextrose, is a sugar.  High fructose corn syrup is one of the worst culprits.

•        Substitute, Instead of a glass of juice, eat an orange.  Instead of sweetened peanut butter, try unsweetened, or have a handful of nuts.  Eat fresh vegetables instead of canne

•         Avoid some foods altogether.  Candy, sweet pastries and soft drinks have to go.  Sorry.

Let Go of Fried Foods:

Fried foods are fatty foods.  Fatty foods lead to weight gain, obviously this will not help any weight loss program.  It is that simple.  Do not get me wrong, like sugar; we need some fat to live.  For instance, some vitamins only dissolve in fat, and without fat in our diet, these vitamins would pass right through.  Again, like sugar, we get all the fat we need from a healthy, balanced diet.  The process of frying adds unnecessary calories onto perfectly healthy food.  Or not so perfectly healthy food, in the case of deep-fried Twinkies.

What about frying in healthy fats?  What about that place with the arches?  Since they don’t fry their French fries in beef tallow anymore, are they OK?  Well, yes and no.  Frying things in healthier fats is better in some ways.  Your arteries appreciate the unsaturated fat and you may hold off heart disease a little longer.  But from a weight loss program, fat is fat.  Pure lard and extra-virgin olive oil both have 100 calories per tablespoon.  

The problem with frying is that whatever is being fried absorbs huge amounts of fat.  Have you ever squeezed a French fry between two napkins?  Plus, most fried foods are covered in breading, which is just a giant “fat sponge.”  Instead of frying, try baking, broiling and steaming.  If you get creative with your seasonings – herbs and spices, garlic, lemon – you will discover that you don’t miss that heavy, grease laden fried food at all! This could be the best weight loss program of all!

Rushikesh Kamreja asked:


A lot of people usually find it hard to achieve true and proper weight loss. We tend to lose these pounds and more often than not gain it back again and even more. So how do we exactly gain weight? We could pinpoint the culprit to those unburned and unused calories. So to get rid of these calories we need to eat lesser and become more physically active. It is also a good thing to have a weight loss program so that you will have a structured plan on how to lose weight. This weight loss program should not only help you lose weight but also keep you on your desired weight.

There are three general types of weight loss program, the do-it-yourself program, the non-clinical program, and the clinical program. These three types of program are what we will discuss about in this article.

The do-it-yourself program is any program that you choose to do alone or with a group. These support groups bonds together to achieve a common goal that is to reduce weight. They could also be done within a worksite or in a community based organizations. People doing this type of program usually rely on their judgement and on what they read on reference materials regarding weight reduction.

Non-Clinical weight loss program are those programs that are facilititated by health counselors who may not be a trained health care provider. These programs may or may not be commercially operated. They usually refer to books and pamphlets that are prepared only by the health counselors. Oftentimes the participants are advised to follow a diet plan that the counselors believe would reduce the person’s weight.

Clinical programs are facilitated by licensed professionals like physicians, psychologists, and nurses. They usually are run in a health-care environment such as clinics or hospital. These programs may or may not be commercially managed. They could be done by a single health care professional or could be done by a group of professionals; it depends on the type of program that the individual desires. A holistic approach including nutritional education, medical care, behavior therapy, and physical activity, is employed to meet the individual’s weight loss target.

Clinical programs might include low-calorie diets, medicinal intervention, and sometimes surgery. These methods could be employed one at a time or in combination depending on the case of the patients.

Very low calorie diets are formulas that give patients no more than 800 calories per day. This is a very good diet plan as it could surely lose more weight than the regular low calorie diet. Side effects could be expected that is why it is recommended only to severely obese patients.

Prescription drugs are prescribed only when your weight problem has a serious effect on your health. Weight reduction drugs, coupled with the right diet, will be a sure-fire way to get rid of your extra pounds. But a thorough medical check-up is required before taking in these drugs.

So no matter what program you choose the bottomline will be your willingness to lose weight. Without this your efforts will be the one that will be deflated, not your weight.

Lucinda Reynolds asked:


Being overweight is a nightmare that is hard to wake up from. Most people who have become so overweight that they are considered obese find it almost impossible to lose the weight. They will struggle day in and day out with feelings of guilt about what they eat. They will suffer from discrimination and nasty remarks from the “skinny people.” Everyone has an eye on the fat person to see how much he or she eats at a meal. So if you are suffering from obesity or if you are overweight and don’t want to become obese then it is important that you find a weight loss program that you can do and stick to it. Read on to uncover the secrets to finding a great weight loss program that will work for you.

Consider your lifestyle. Do you work long hours? Odd hours? Do you not work, but like to sleep late? Whatever your lifestyle you need to find a weight loss program that fits it. For those of you that work long hours or odd hours, joining a weight loss program that requires you to go to weekly meetings is probably not the best one for you. You need a program that you can do on your own time but is still structured to increase your chance of success.

All successful weight loss programs have one thing in common. Eating more meals throughout the day. Starving yourself is the slow path to weight loss. Eating frequent, small healthy meals will increase your metabolism and help you burn the fat and lose weight. So when looking for a weight loss program, find one that has you eat frequent small meals. Six small meals is best.

Speaking of meals, the best weight loss program will contain simple, easy to cook, meals. I don’t know about you but I am no gourmet cook. How many times have you purchased a weight loss book or program and discovered that the recipes in the book are things that only a gourmet chef could pull off? The best weight loss program will list simple foods that are readily available to everyone. It should also be food that is affordable. It’s no secret that people on a limited budget are the unhealthiest. The reason for this is because foods that are considered junk foods are much cheaper to buy than healthy foods. If you don’t believe me do a comparison shopping sometime. The results may surprise you.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to finding a great weight loss program that will work for you. But it is a great place to start. Don’t let your weight get out of control and don’t let it control your life. Make a firm commitment today to start on your weight loss journey. Set small goals for weight loss each week and work to achieve them. When you start to see progress, you will be more motivated to keep going. Just remember, there is no one weight loss program that will fit everyone’s lifestyle. You just have to find the one that is right for you.

Michael Jenkins asked:


With so many weight loss programs in the market these days it can become very difficult to work out which one to go for. The reality is most of these weight loss programs will work, however it is a matter of working out which one will work best for you. The bad news is that there are no magical program that will make all your weight just drop off, but there certainly are many options that do work.

Weight loss programs can be broken down into 4 areas. These weight loss programs include:

- diet/weight loss pills

- meal replacements

- fad diets or weight loss programs

- long term lifestyle weight loss programs.

Diet pills have become very popular in the last 10 years and certainly to some degree have shown success. Diet pills work by three different means: appetite suppressant, increased metabolism rate or decreased fat solubility. The problem is that no diet pill is without side effects. These can range from stomach cramps to diarrhoea and nausea. Without proper nutrition they can be quite dangerous and so as far as weight loss programs go it they are not a great idea.

Meal replacements have been around for more than 10 years as weight loss programs however they have now started to become better accepted in the dietetics community. Some of the meal replacement weight loss programs include Tony Ferguson weight loss and Kate Morgan weight loss programs. It is important for meal replacement weight loss programs that you substitute your other meals with plenty of fruit and vegetables, to make sure you are getting enough essential nutrients. These drinks can tend to become quite bland so at times it can be difficult to maintain. However there is a lot of positive results found for people who can stick to them.

Fad diets have been around since the dawn of time and there are always new and fantastic weight loss programs on the market. The thing to be most mindful of is that whilst many of these weight loss programs will work, very few of them will have lasting results. Most of these weight loss programs are highly calorie restricted and can cause the body to go into starvation mode. This has the effect of eating the body’s muscle and then putting it back on as fat when the diet is finished. Fad diets can work in the short term but be careful to use them as long term solutions.

The best weight loss programs are ones that promote long term weight loss. These generally require harder work but once a lifestyle shift occurs the long term results can be amazing. These types of weight loss programs include a balanced diet, with at least 2 servings of fruit and five vegetables everyday. They also include the required servings of protein, carbohydrates, diary and fat. Successful weight loss programs also include some form of regular exercise as even in moderate amounts exercise has a huge positive impact on health.

The type of weight loss program to go for really depends on your end goal, but if you are looking for long terms results, it is always best to go for the healthy long term approach. It may not be as glamorous as the other weight loss programs, but if you stick to it the results will speak for themselves.

Weight Loss asked:


to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of health and healing, the Kapha Dosha (humour) is primarily responsible for fat and adipose tissue in the body and therefore reducing Kapaha is the key to a successful weight loss program. Below you will find some effective tips from ayurveda to help reduce Kapha Dosha and thus battle obesity and being overweight.

Of the four dimensions of our being, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual, in this article I will cover the Physical Dimension which is most important for the reduction of Kapha and the correlating reduction in weight.

Weight Loss Tips from Ayurveda:

1. Ayurvedic Diet for Weight Loss:

Obviously an anti-kapha diet is the place to start when looking to lose weight. This means eating lots of fruits, vegetables, spicy foods and whole grains.

2. Exercise for Weight Loss:

The following Ayurvedic guidelines should be followed for proper exercise with regard to weight loss:

* More Exercise the Better: Kapha\’s qualities of fixed, dull, heavy, soft and cold are all negated via exercise. In other words, the more exercise you do the more you reduce Kapha and therefore fat in your body.

* Exercise Without Excessive Strain: According to Ayurveda, Kapha individuals need the most vigorous exercise, but at the same time, the exercise should never be extreme. Find a good balance between doing too little and over doing it. Breaking a nice sweat is good, but being totally breathless is probably too much.

* Be Consistent: A Kapha body type has a propensity towards weight gain so you need to make exercise a daily part of you life. The hardest part will be to get the exercise program underway. Once this is done Kapha people tend to be very determined and steady, so they will be able to adhere to it long term. Getting started though is another matter for Kapha types and usually requires shock treatment. In the spirit of shock treatment, understand that by NOT exercising and NOT losing the weight you are putting your longevity and quality of life at risk. Enough said, start today!

* Yoga for Weight Loss: Yoga offers an excellent way to include holistic exercises into your fitness program. These exercises will not just help you lose weight, but will also help your overall health and well-being.

* Post Exercise Diet: After exercises do not drink cold liquids. This period is key as you are trying to increase the metabolic fire in your cells so they burn more calories and drinking cold liquids at this time will negate this important benefit which exercise bestows.

3. Hard Physical Work to Burn Calories:

According to Ayurveda reduction of Kapha is promoted by living a physical, active lifestyle. In today\’s age of technology, computers, TVs, TiVO, internet, etc, manual labor is getting more rare for people to do. So you need to consciously incorporate physical work into your life. Whether that be mowing the lawn, tending to the garden or shoveling snow, it is important to not live a sedentary live of watching TV and eating twinkies.

4. Massage Therapy to Reduce Fat:

There are many treatment modalities in Ayurveda of which massage is highly recommended. In the context of weight loss and reducing Kapha, strong massage with light oils such as mustard or flaxseed is helpful.

5. Sleep Guidelines for Weight Loss:

No napping or going to bed early. If you want to reduce Kapha and weight remember you burn more calories when you are awake and being active, than when you are happily snuggled under the blanket.

The above recommendations will surely help you with your weight loss goals and in addition to helping you get slim, they will also make you more healthy and fit.