How Much Water Should I Drink to Lose Weight?

Posts Tagged ‘Fat Loss’

Overview,   Phentermine resin received FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval in 1959 as a prescription appetite suppressant for the short term treatment of obesity. Phentermine Hydrochloride became widely available in United States in the 1970’s.  It is approved as an appetite suppressant to help diminish weight in obese patients when used short-term and combined with exercise, diet, and behavioral modification.  It is typically approved for individuals who are at increased medical risk because of their weight and works by helping to release certain chemicals in the brain that control appetite.Phentermine, like most available weight loss medications, is considered an appetite suppressant medication.  Appetite suppressant medications like it promote weight loss by lessening appetite or increasing the feeling of being full.  These medications reduce appetite by increasing serotonin or catecholamine, which are two brain chemicals that affect mood and appetite.Phentermine is used in the short term treatment of obesity. Because the appetite reducing effects of Phentermine tend to decrease after a period of a few weeks, as well as other sympathomimetic appetite suppressants, are only used during the first few weeks of a weight loss program. Phentermine can lend a hand to an individual in losing weight while developing the understanding, skills and new behaviors required for long term weight loss.In the US, Phentermine is currently sold under the brand names Ionamin® (Medeva Pharmaceuticals) and Adipex-P® (Gate Pharmaceuticals). It is also available as a generic medication, known as simply ‘phentermine’.What we like about this plan.  Phentermine is a short term obesity pill that is supposed to aid the obese dieter until he or she can manage a weight loss plan.  It is required that you eat a calorie reduced diet and begin an exercise program while taking Phentermine.  It can be of great boost to an individual who are at increased medical risk because of their weight.  If your weight has given you medical concerns and/or attributes to conditions or diseases that can become more manageable if your weight gets under control, then 12 weeks on phentermine, with your doctor’s help, might be a new beginning.       

                                                                                                                                                                                                              What we dislike about this plan.  There are many different side effects to this pill. These side effects are usually not serious and will usually disappear after the first couple of weeks taking Phentermine.  Most common include dry mouth, blurred vision, heartburn, headache and/or nausea.  Because phentermine acts through sympathomimetic pathways, the drug may increase blood pressure and heart rate.  It may also cause palpitations, restlessness, and insomnia. Furthermore, phentermine has the capability to cause physical and psychological dependency.  The 12 week maximum prescription is not only due to drug tolerance, it is also due to dependency for the drug.  Testing or clinical trails have not been done on phentermine in decades It is time for studies to determine the potential for carcinogenesis, mutagenesis or impairment of fertility.How Healthy is this Plan?  This plan is not for persons that have severe high blood pressure, history of drug or alcohol abuse, hyperthyroid diseases, and /or kidney disorders. If you are obese, dealing with medical issues that your doctor concludes are safe conditions to have while taking phentermine, this, along with a healthy eating plan and exercise can be a healthy start to a lifestyle program.

Here is the Bottom Line.   This can be hope for obese individuals who need a little help to get started.  As with all drugs, there are risks to side effects.  This one has been on the market since the 50’s, is at a lowest cost appetite suppressants in its category, and has a website with information, success stories and community forums.

  © 2008 – 2009 Which Weight Loss

My cousin’s wedding is only a fortnight away! Oh no! Look at my waist. My relatives will start to wag their tongues about my weight. Oh dear, better start racking my brains for some reasons to skip this event.
Does the above scenario sound familiar? Well, it happens very often, in fact, to many. But don’t go popping pills recklessly as if it’s some enjoyable snacks. Such actions are dangerous!
Here are some better ways to lose weight surely and safely.
Your Lifestyle, Change It!
The key to losing weight lies in changing your lifestyle. It is very crucial for every individual who wishes to lose weight to come out from his or her comfort zone. As the old saying goes “No Pain, No Gain!” So if you want to lose those excessive pounds, mental preparation and changes are essential. It is also important to make this change a permanent one so that you keep those pounds off for good.
Climb the stairs
Climbing stairs burns the calories. So remember whenever you see the elevator, say no!
Exercise
Exercising is the best way to lose weight. The more you exercise, the more calories you will burn. You can spend three thousand dollars on a slimming programme only to cut down a modest 2-3 pounds. In contrast, just by jogging 2-3 times a week, you can burn off MUCH more calories and lose more weight.
Drink Water
Many grew up cultivating a bad habit of not drinking enough water. However, do you know that a constant supply of water is needed to replenish the fluids lost through normal physiological activities such as respiration or urination? Furthermore, water removes the impurities in your digestive system, hence unwanted residues can be cleared easily. Drinking water before meals also makes you feel “full” and prevents you from gorging.
Good Nutrition
Various fruits and vegetables provide the necessary vitamins for our body to run smoothly. An example of a good nutrition source will be an apple. Take more fresh fruits and vegetables to keep your body functioning at a tip-top condition for maximum weight loss.
Sleep More
Sleeping helps to rejuvenate and repair your body. On average, you should sleep 8-10 hours per day. A lack of sleep will often result in an increment on stress level, which adversely impacts weight loss.
Detox Diet
Detoxification is a good tool you can use to magnify the results of your weight loss programme. As we consume food daily, “toxic” wastes are stored in our body. Such unhealthy substances actually hinder our weight loss goal by blocking the necessary nutrients for our body. Therefore it is necessary to clear such unwanted substances away, once every month, in order for our body to operate smoothly.
Set your goals right
Yes! Set realistic goals. Aim for a maximum weight loss of two pounds every week. Although we all like to see the pounds dropping off instantly, patience is the key to permanent and effective weight loss. Never push your body too hard, if not, you may give up after a week of starvation or adverse results may occur.
Ok! That’s all for today, folks! Remember that practice makes you better gives results. As long as you persevere and monitor your performance, you should be on your road to victory for a flatter tummy and a healthier body very soon!

 I presume because you are reading this article, that you have managed after hard work and commitment to lose some weight, and you want to keep it that way and you don’t want to slip back and gain it back again.

 Congratulations! We both know how much willpower, work and commitment it takes to make it to this point, now the most important thing is to maintain that weight by using a combination of right diet and exercise and good mental attitude.

 Maintaining weight is very important because experience shows that most dieters regain a third of what they lost within the first year and two-thirds of it in the second year.  It’s important to understand what is needed here; it is really a matter of energy balance!  But know also that the hardest part is now over, because maintaining weight is actually easier, not harder, than losing it. 

 At this point it’s important that your lifestyle is balanced and you want to avoid all unnecessary stress that could cause old habits to surface again.  Success in gaining, losing, or maintaining weight is dependent upon a combination of factors; I always used to say that losing, gaining or maintaining weight is a result of the “freedom from the obsession and compulsion to eat,” not the other way around, but there is more to it.  You also need to establish some important new routines in your life, because the main thing is to keep exercising and burn calories each day.  This is your magic formula from now on:”best approach is to ensure that one’s physical activity level is high enough to balance the number of calories consumed”.

 You know those weight charts? I bet you do, where your weight ranges are shown in the chart and people of the same height may have equal amounts of body fat but different amounts of muscle and bone…  Don’t look at them too much now, go after your own gut feeling and your good friend; the mirror! There are also many weight loss groups and organizations if you feel you need support, remember that this is an intimate personal and difficult struggle, but it’s not one that anyone needs to go through alone.  In this modern world weight loss has become an essential objective for several people, but only a few are succeeding in their task.  You have gone through that already, but know that for many, weight gain or regain is embarrassing, and seeking help is delayed.  If you join a group and your situation is monitored weekly, the purpose of this assessment is to provide an evaluation and recommendations for maintaining a healthy weight based on your individual needs.

 We are all different, groups can be helpful but they are not for everyone.

 One of my students recently said; “I’ve struggled with weight issues for most of my life, and aside from the occasional slice of molten chocolate cake, I finally have it under control.  Now I basically follow a group point system and strive to keep my dry carb intake to a minimum”. 

 For her it’s ok to do it alone, but she is using a weight chart every week.

 Health

 I think everybody agrees nowadays that the key to losing weight is to burn more calories than are consumed, either by increasing physical activity or consuming fewer calories – or preferably both.  Health professionals judge a low-calorie sweetener to be of benefit for weight control. 

 What are the dangers at this point when you are in a situation where the main battle is won, but you look for safe and healthy ways to maintain your situation?

 Usually they are psychological issues. How balanced we are emotionally and how we can see ourselves in a new positive light. It’s very important to be aware of the potential purposes of anger, how anger impacts health, and learn assertive methods of dealing with anger.  Health and fitness experts all know this and the most recent research related to emotional and physical health has found that there are pitfalls and the old feelings might come back from time to time. Feelings of unworthiness fear of rejection, bad self image etc.

 These feelings can be triggers – for bad habits again – so it’s very important to stay alert, that is why I always recommend some kind of group or/and family and friend support.

 Now that you have come this far, make it even better! You probably see now that anything is possible, you only need a positive attitude and you are ready to recreate yourself.

 Visit also my blog where I give every week new tips and strategies for all kinds of weight loss situations.

 Good luck and stay fit!

For anyone seriously trying to lose weight, I know it can be a daunting task. If you are unable to be dedicated, follow your plan and invest the time and effort, I can tell you it will not be worth your time to even commence. Losing weight has to be a lifestyle change. It’s not going on a diet eating pre-packaged or frozen food and then losing several pounds then returning to your normal eating habit after you have lost some weight..That certainly will not do it. That is what is called yo yo dieting. It does you no good. There is no quick fix for losing weight, Weight loss can be easy if planned properly.

There is no magic wand to get the weight off you have to work at it consistently and eventually it will become a part of your daily routine. If you are willing to do what is required you will be surprised at yourself and you could even surprise everyone around you at the beautiful, confident person you can become. Weight loss can change your entire perspective on life. You will become a different person who is willing to take on any other challenges that comes your way. You would be surprised how one change in your life can cause you to become a person who is ready to take on a whole different outlook on your entire life, whether it be financial, educational or emotional.

Before you begin your weight loss program check with your doctor to make sure you are fit enough to embark on this new lifestyle you will be taking on.

Firstly you will need to know your Body Mass Index (BMI), this can be very helpful in determining how much weight you need to lose based on your height.

Secondly, try incorporating a healthy, clean eating habit, eat as much fruits and vegetable per day that will make you comfortable and each week you can add additional fruits and or vegetable until your body starts to enjoy eating this type of food. Do not force yourself to eat too much initially, this will turn you off and make you not want to eat it.

Try to cut back on the fast food as much as possible, have less soda gradually until eventually you do not have the desire for this type of food. Fast food and soda does not provide you with necessary nutrients that your body needs. Also try to control your portion size, yes, this is very important when trying to lose weight.

Incorporate some exercise into your weight loss regime. You can start of with simply walking a block or two initially, then gradually add a little more each week until yo have gotten to a point where you are able to walk say, 3 miles per day for 3 or 4 days per week. Eventually you can take it to the next level. If you have a baby you can put the baby in the stroller and push along while walking. This can be very convenient for anyone with a young child who does not have child care support all the time.

The above is a very simple technique that can be used by anyone wanting to lose weight in an inexpensive manner and very doable. This is how I lost some weight after many many frustrating attempts. I decided to sit down and make a note of all the steps I had taken that eventually worked for me however the key is consistency. Good luck on your weight loss journey.

With so many diets and alternative food choices available on the market today, it can be difficult to figure out where to start when you want to lose a few pounds. Long-term weight loss is most effectively achieved when healthy lifestyle changes are made and maintained.
A healthy weight loss plan is as follows:
* Exercise more. Increase your level of physical activity and try to make it fun. Walks in the park, long bicycle rides, swimming in the pool – choose the type of exercise you like the most so that you look forward to doing it three or four times a week. Exercise burns calories and helps to maintain body functions.
* Reduce your calorie intake. The simple mathematical step of counting your calories is a key element to losing weight. Eating between 300 and 500 calories less each day can help you to lose one to two pounds per week.
* Choose your cooking methods carefully. Fried foods contain more fat and calories than foods that are baked, grilled, boiled or broiled.
* Drink more water. Our bodies are made of mostly water, which is an essential element to our overall well-being. Ideally, we should drink eight glasses of water a day – a bonus is that is also curbs your appetite.
* Keep track of your weight weekly. Daily weigh-ins can be discouraging, so monitor your progress by weighing yourself before breakfast once a week and writing it down.
* Add more vegetables to your meals. Vegetables provide additional bulk to fill you up, as well as add essential nutrients to your diet.
* Eat fruit for dessert. Try having fruit instead of sugary snacks for dessert a few times a week to eliminate extra calories and fat. At only eight calories a tablespoon, add a dollop of whipped cream for flavor.
* Have patience. It took some time to put on the extra pounds and it will take some time to shed them, too. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks or even a month before significant results show – keep going and you will have success.
Developing a healthy weight loss plan will enable you to feel better while you beat the battle of the bulge.

Which foods are good and what should be avoided in weight loss? This is a popular question especially for women who like to prepare their own foods.  What to use, what not to use, what kind of foods to prepare, how much to eat and when.  I have some very good suggestions following, be prepared to take notes;

First some rules: use less fat and sugar and when preparing food always use vegetable oil.  Minimize all products which contain fat cheese.  For bread, eat only rye bread.  Make all your portions smaller.  Avoid juices and soft drinks; drink only water and fatless milk.  Eat in intervals of three to four hours between meals and eat small portions. Eat lots of vegetables, fruits and berries.  Don’t eat pasta or rise and allow yourself only one feast-meal per week.  Exercise up to five times in a week, an hour or an hour and a half at the time.

This means that it’s very important to avoid all industrial vegetable fats and carbonates.  Instead use butter and other good oils like olive oil.  If you eat cheese, I recommend non -fat cottage cheese.  Potato which is starch should be left out of your diet altogether.

Also leave out all white breads, donuts and cakes. Switch macaronis and pasta to rye and oat pasta, because they contain more fiber. I recommend counting calories in the beginning, because some weight loss programs have too low calorie-content recommendations, and this is dangerous in the long run. Count your normal calorie consumption and try to eat 500 calories less per day.

Here’s a great tip for any weight loser; drink 2 liters water per day and you will be amazed how the feeling of hunger will go away by only drinking water.  You will find that after one week your weight is going down and you don’t have a feeling of hunger.  It is always healthy to drink lots of water, so there’s nothing risky in this method, water will also purify your whole system.

Recognize all calorie bombs even before you eat them!  Losing weight is not about eating less, it is about eating wisely and be knowledgeable about what you put in your mouth. To be able to lose weight intelligently you need to eat enough, otherwise you might lose it from wrong places.

Following the above recommendations will make you lose weight – guaranteed. 

But you need to be strict and persistent with your diet.  If you try to lose weight too fast, it can be dangerous to your health, you don’t want to lose your muscle material when you diet.  I recommend using a good program that is proven to be healthy and consult only people who have experience in this field.  Remember that your diet should consist of enough vegetables, fibers, water and proteins.  When following a proven program, your weight will go down because your adipose tissues are going to be reduced. There are some effective programs on the market that promise fast results but losing muscle and all water from your body is not permanent weight loss, it is yo-yo weight loss, because you will gain it back in few weeks. Go the healthy way and you will be able to lose weight and maintain the results.

Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Smith

Losing weight is simple and easy to do. Virtually every diet and weight-loss program can help people shed the excess kilos in a short period of time. The problem is, losing weight and keeping it off long term is actually quite difficult.

The main reason why most diets or weight-loss programs don’t work is simply because they’re not sustainable. Starvation diets, low-carb diets, replacing food with shakes for main meals, the list goes on. None of these strategies offer long term, realistic and sustainable approaches to weight-loss.

Furthermore, the weight that is lost by using these approaches tends to be mainly water, stored carbohydrate and protein (lean body tissue) with some body fat. Our goal should be to maximise the amount of fat that is lost. In order to lose body fat instead of simply body weight, 3 criteria must be met:

1. A mild calorie (energy) deficit must be created.

2. The body must be encouraged to use stored fat as its primary fuel source.

3. Sufficient time must be allowed to pass in order to achieve substantial results.

Let’s look at each of these areas in detail:

1. A mild calorie (energy) deficit must be created. This means the body expends (burns up) more energy each day than is consumed, i.e. ‘energy out’ is greater than ‘energy in’. By creating a calorie (energy) deficit the body must then rely on existing fat stores in order to provide the additional calories it requires.

A mild calorie deficit can be achieved in two ways: eating less or boosting metabolism.

Eating less is the approach most diets use. Even though it is successful in the short term, the body soon adapts to it by slowing the metabolism and increasing appetite.

Boosting metabolism is a far more effective approach to losing weight and burning fat and it can be done through a variety of mechanisms. Increasing meal frequency (eating 5 meals a day instead of 3), eating foods that boost metabolism like chilli and curries, exercising and using supplements that boost metabolism like ‘thermogenics’ all assist fat burning in the body.

2. The body must be encouraged to use stored fat as its primary fuel source. This may be achieved by ensuring the level of insulin in the body is kept as low as possible. Insulin is a storage hormone, which means it increases the uptake of nutrients into cells. Whilst this may be beneficial from an anabolic (muscle building) perspective, insulin also promotes the storage of excess glucose as body fat. Worse still, it stops the mobilisation and utilisation of fat for fuel (fat burning).

There are many way to keep insulin low in the body. Eating small meals, controlling carbohydrate intake and using supplements like, glucose disposal agents (GDAs) all keep insulin low.

Eating large meals promotes greater insulin secretion by the pancreas. Therefore, small meals will keep this down.

Being aware of carbohydrate sources is also important because it is the macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) that has the greatest impact on insulin secretion. It is not necessary to follow a low carb diet in order to keep insulin low but by simply eating more low density carbs (broccoli, cauliflower, beans, peas, etc) and less high density carbs (bread, pasta, rice, cereals, etc) insulin will stay low.

GDAs assist the body in disposing glucose more effectively by increasing its uptake into the lean tissues of the body (muscles, organs, etc.).

3. Sufficient time must be allowed to pass in order to achieve substantial results. Since it takes time for the body to burn off body fat it is essential to allow sufficient time to pass rather than expecting dramatic results overnight!

If we estimate that a 300-calorie deficit won’t have a major negative impact on our metabolism and if we assume that all of those calories that the body needs are derived from fat stores (which doesn’t occur but for the sake of the argument we will assume that it does), then the body can only lose about 33 grams of fat a day! [1 gram of fat has 9 calories] That works out to be 231 grams of fat a week! This is a far cry from the several kilos of weight that may be lost in a week!

As a result of this, people must be realistic in their expectations. A good example of this is competitive bodybuilders who generally allow themselves 12-14 weeks to get ready for a show. These athletes are usually already lean by population standards but the 12-14-week period allows them to achieve extremely low levels of body fat without sacrificing their precious muscle tissue.

If you are serious about losing body fat, not just body weight, then allow yourself at least 12-14 weeks to achieve your physical goals.

Overall, these strategies are used by all successful weight-loss systems. They provide people with proven techniques and products that can help them lose weight and keep it off without having an impact on their lifestyle. Let’s face it, there’s nothing better than losing weight (which is mainly fat), getting in great shape and still being able to enjoy life!

Far too often people make losing weight more difficult than it really is. If you get down to the root of it, it really comes down to calories in and calories out. Unfortunately thanks to our society this simple way of losing weight has been made even more difficult. Advanced diseases, modern technology along with cigarette, alcohol and food addictions have made people not only slaves to instant gratification, but emotionally fragile.

This is why personal trainers or weight loss coaches are so important. They not only guide you on how to eat properly and avoid the traps of our society such as bad food choices, sedentary lifestyles and the like but they also help you to plan on to how to avoid pitfalls, set goals, and provide encouragement to keep going on a well balanced program. If you can afford to hire a fitness professional or join a fully supportive weight loss program such as Upstart Training Program’s. I suggest you do so to avoid unnecessary wasting of fat burning time!

So, why do I say losing weight could be very simple? Well, it wouldn’t be especially if we all had discipline, will power and motivation needed. Again, its simple if you burn more calories than you take in you will lose weight. At least, for normal cases, though those specific disorders, illnesses, and metabolisms are the exception.

Caloric Value

In order to effectively lose weight, one must first understand the value of a calorie in different food groups. For example, in one gram of protein and carbohydrates there are 4 kcals (calories). In one gram of fat there are 9kcals and 7 in one gram of alcohol. So, as you can probably figure it is wiser to avoid large amounts of Fat’s and Alcohol as it contains the largest quantity of calories per gram.

Calories and Body Fat

Another important value to understand is that there are 3,500 calories in one gram of body fat. Therefore, in order to lose 1 lb of fat a person must burn 3500 calories in a week. It would have to be doubled 7000 calories to lose 2lbs. As a side note: It is recommended that losing only 1-2lbs a week is the safe way to lose weight. Other wise, a person could risk losing out on vital vitamins and minerals that make the body function properly, risking illness or worse.

Putting it all Together

So, what does this all mean? It means that if you reduce your calories by 250 per day and also burn 250 calories in a day you will lose a total of 500 calories. If you times that by 7 days in a week you will get a 3500 calorie reduction or loss of 1lb of body fat, again doubling that if you would like to lose 2lbs a week. If you don’t have enough time to workout then you will need to consume even less calories to compensate. On the other hand if you really enjoy eating then you will have to really burn a lot of calories through exercise and activity to compensate for the extra calorie consumption.

Other things to Note

Though, you could choose to not exercise and eat bad or exercise till your blue in the face, but its not recommended. Exercise has a host of other benefits. These include a firmer, tighter body that makes a person’s appearance even better versus just having loose skin after achieving weight loss from just not eating much. Also, resistance training will help a person deal with the daily stresses and labor of every day life and work. Exercise also helps build personal confidence, stronger bones, and a higher metabolism so that you can occasionally enjoy yourself in the buffet line.

Eating poorly and compensating with over training/exercising is also a bad way to go. This could lead to injuries to the muscles from over use and cause mental strain as well as severe fatigue.

Lastly, because of our misguiding food industry and need for convenience, losing weight can be much more difficult than it should be. We’ve been trained to want instant gratification. We drive our cars every where and food is just a phone call, drive up or refrigerator away. Then there’s the motivation and guidance on how to eat healthy or exercise properly and efficiently that often escapes many people.

Therefore I recommend at least when beginning to turn to a healthier lifestyle to get professional help.

Sadly, society has made losing weight such a challenge. Habits must be broken and the proper tools and instruction is needed to battle obesity and weight gain.

If you need us were here! We’ve helped plenty of people to not only a good start but an entire life change!

Check us out at http://www.upstarttrain.com

Good luck!