Weight Loss

Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue. It can occur unintentionally due to an underlying disease or can arise from a conscious effort to improve an actual or perceived overweight or obese state.

Weight loss occurs when an individual is in a state of negative energy balance. When the body is consuming more energy (i.e. in work and heat) than it is gaining (i.e. from food or other nutritional supplements), it will use stored reserves from fat or muscle, gradually leading to weight loss.

It is not uncommon for some people who are currently at their ideal body weight to seek additional weight loss in order to improve athletic performance, and/or meet required weight classification for participation in a sport. However, others may be driven by achieving a more attractive body image. Consequently, being underweight is associated with health risks such as difficulty fighting off infection, osteoporosis, decreased muscle strength, trouble regulating body temperature and even increased risk of death.

Acai Berry – Weight Loss Supplement

Recently, the açaí berry has been marketed as a weight loss supplement. Companies sell açaí berry products in the form of tablets, juice, smoothies, instant drink powders, and whole fruit.

Marketers of these products make claims that açaí provides increased energy levels, improved sexual performance, improved digestion, detoxification, high fiber content, improved skin appearance, improved heart health, improved sleep, and reduction of cholesterol levels. Quackwatch noted that “açaí juice has only middling levels of antioxidants—less than that of Concord grape, blueberry, and black cherry juices, but more than cranberry, orange, and apple juices.”

Furthermore, the extent to which polyphenols as dietary antioxidants may promote health is doubtful. No credible evidence indicates any antioxidant role for polyphenols in vivo, but rather in minute concentrations, they may affect cell-to-cell signaling, receptor sensitivity, inflammatory enzyme activity or gene regulation. Specifically, there is no scientific evidence that açaí consumption affects body weight or could promote weight loss.

According to the Washington, D.C. based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) thousands of consumers have had trouble stopping recurrent charges on their credit cards when they cancel free trials of açai-based products. Even some web sites purporting to warn about açai-related scams are themselves perpetrating scams. Apparently false claims include reversal of diabetes and other chronic illnesses, as well as expanding size of the penis and increasing men’s sexual virility and sexual attractiveness to women.

As of March 2009, there are no scientifically controlled studies backing up any of these claims. According to ABC News correspondent Susan Donaldson, these products have not been evaluated (in the United States) by the FDA, and their efficacy is questionable. In late 2008, lawyers for The Oprah Winfrey Show began investigating alleged statements from supplement manufacturers who suggested that frequent Oprah guest Dr. Mehmet Oz had recommended their product or açai in general for weight loss.

Be Realistic About Weight Loss

The goal of this report is to encourage you to make your body as healthy as possible. It’s a fact that a healthy body helps you look and feel great. By taking control of your weight and health, you lower your risk of disease, increase your energy, and reduce stress and anxiety. It’s a true win-win situation.

This report isn’t about dieting either. In fact, think of it as more of an “anti-diet” report. You’re probably wondering how anyone could discuss weight-loss without focusing on dieting. Well, the answer is simple:Dieting and weight-loss really have nothing to do with each other.

Yes, you read that correctly. Just because you diet doesn’t mean you’ll lose weight. In fact, the opposite is true. Most people diet, lose weight, and then regain the weight they lost plusextra. But why is this? After all, dieting seems like an easy concept.

Dieting is simple, right? Wrong. Conventional wisdom says simply eat less and exercise more. If you keep the food away from your mouth, then the pounds will drop off. And while you’re keeping your mouth shut, find time to sweat like a sausage in a frying pan. There’s even an old, although erroneous, saying that goes “Instead of doing push-ups to lose weight, just push yourself away from the table.” Well, if you’ve ever dieted, you know that losing weight isn’t that easy. If it were that easy, we’d all look like super-thin supermodels.

Get Motivated,Get Going,Work Smarter & Loss Weight

Before starting on this life-changing journey, take a snapshot of your current health. Record the information so you can track your progress on a monthly or weekly basis. In addition to getting the go ahead from your medical doctor, it’s a great idea to record your:

1. Weight. After you began your new healthy lifestyle, track how well you’re doing by monitoring your weight. Some people weigh themselves daily, but that can lead to an eating disorder or weight obsession. Really, once a week should be enough. And don’t overdo it with your weight loss goals. Studies show that losing as little as 10 pounds can do wonders for your health.
2. Resting Heart Rate. When you’re out of shape, your heart does a lot of work to keep you going. An average resting heart rate is 72 beats per minute. But a body in bad shape normally has an elevated resting heart rate. Keep track of yours to see if it gets lower as you get healthier. The best time to check your pulse is in the morning after a night of peaceful sleep. Simply count how many times your heart beats per minute.
3. Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is the percentage of fat on a body. A BMI between 14 percent to 16 percent body fat is good for men. For women the numbers are slightly higher. A BMI between 20 percent to 22 percent body fat is good for women.BMI is measurable in a number of ways. If you have money to spend, BMI monitors (also known as “fat loss monitors”) are available from numerous online retailers. But free is good too, so here’s a formula to manually find your BMI:
   1. Multiply your current weight by 703.1 and divide by your height in inches. Divide by your height again to get your BMI.
4. Body Measurements (waist, arms, hips, and thighs). This is important because muscle takes up less space than fat – but muscle is also heavy. So after you’ve been exercising for awhile the scale numbers may remain high, but your body measurements will shrink. This means you’ve been doing a great job of burning fat and building muscle. Great!

Four Tips To Prevent Burnout

I know you’re ready to get started, but there are a few more things to discuss. A hazard of starting a new lifestyle is the possibility of burnout. You know how children beg for the latest toy, but a week later they’re tired of it? It’s the same with many adults and healthy living. They start out excited and ready to go, but a few weeks down the road they want to stay in bed all day eating vanilla ice cream. And soon they don’t want to exercise at all. Avoid this problem by:

1. Starting Slowly. Don’t go from zero to 100 in one week. Doing too much too quickly can result in burnout or injury. If you haven’t exercised in awhile, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day. Intermediate exercisers can start with 30 minutes of combined cardio and aerobic activity. Advanced exercisers can up that time to 45 minutes, including weight training.A small aside about women and weight training:Many women avoid lifting weights for fear of turning into The Incredible Hulk. They think they’ll eventually develop massive manly muscles. But the truth is casual weight training helps you burn fat, and tones your body into a sleek and sexy machine.
2. Focusing on Consistency Instead of Intensity. You’ll want to gradually increase the intensity of your exercise, but consistency is also important. Any exercise is better than no exercise. So even if you can’t do the exact workout you’d planned, try to fit in some form of physical activity – no matter how little.
3. Changing Your Routine Every Month. Nothing encourages burnout like doing the same ole’ routine day after day. Spice up your workouts. Prevent boredom by trying new things, or alternating the types of exercises you do. This will also challenge your body and keep your metabolism going strong.

Hey, What About The Food?

You don’t need specially prepared diet food, complicated eating plans, or a personal cook to follow these simple rules. But you should do more research to figure out exactly how you’ll incorporate these rules into your daily life. Ok, here are the ingredients for healthy eating:

1. Learn how many calories you need per day. This varies based on your current weight, height, and amount of weight you want to lose.
2. Eat at least 5 small (that’s right, small) meals daily. For example, breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, evening snack, and dinner. Never let yourself get too hungry. Intense hunger leads straight to binge eating.
3. Learn to control your portions. Eating from small plates is desirable because it helps keep portions reasonable. This method works because most people automatically fill their plates with food – no matter the size of the plate. Small plates equal small portions – unless you go back for thirds and fourths!
4. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. This isn’t too hard to do, especially if you keep fresh fruit and vegetables handy for snacking purposes.
5. Pay attention to food labels. Learn to read food labels so you’ll always know what you’re getting. The label will tell you what’s in your food, and you can decide if it’s worth putting in your body.
6. Keep healthy snacks at your job. The candy in the office vending machine sure looks scrumptious when you’re hungry. Save your money and your health by bringing your own snacks.
7. Drink lots of water. Ok, drinking water isn’t really about eating, but it belongs on the list. Why? Because it’s important to keep your body hydrated. A dehydrated body isn’t a healthy body. Water helps your body digest food, and it helps keep your body parts chugging along. Try to drink at least 64 ounces of water per day (that’s 8 glasses of 8 ounces).

Final Stretch

Eating healthy all the time isn’t an easy task. Of course, you should attempt to make healthy food choices all the time, but no is perfect. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you occasionally indulge on an unhealthy food. As we discussed earlier, deprivation doesn’t work. It’s the shortest route to a complete binge. You may even want to consider a cheat day.

A cheat day is when you allow yourself one day to enjoy whatever you want. No guilt or shame allowed. But, and this is a big but, do not let a cheat day become an excuse to overeat. There’s a huge difference between eating one slice of strawberry cheesecake and eating the whole cake.

I know this is a lot of information to process. But if you take the time to review this information, and perform more research specific to your goals, you’ll be on your way to a new, healthier lifestyle and body. Before you know it, exercise and healthy eating will be an important part of your life.

Good Luck!