What should you consider when looking at diets and weight loss, the purpose of any diet is to bring about a certain amount of weight loss. Simple enough right? With your diet all you need to do is substitute poor calorie choices for choices that are not only lower in calories, but healthier. In addition, your diet should be flexible enough to allow the dieter to maintain their weight in the long term.

Let’s face it, you can’t go through your life subsisting on lemon juice and laxative tea. This is where most diets fail to meet these two “gold standards” of dieting. That’s what happens when you use one of those fad diets for weight loss you remain unsatisfied, undernourished and most importantly, overweight. But there is a solution to this diet problem.

The best diets and weight loss programs are those diets that meet and exceed the two standards talked about above. When deciding what diet is right for you, remember the best diets for weight loss all contain these standards. Here are a couple things to look for in a good diet program.

1. Diet and Exercise Go Together

No diet program is successful without exercise on a regular basis. You cannot keep off any weight you may lose while dieting without exercise. This is because exercise not only burns calories, it also raises your metabolic rate. A higher metabolic rate burns calories more efficiently and actually allows you to consume more calories without gaining weight. In other words, regular exercise maintains your weight and helps prevent you from gaining weight.

2. Think About Getting Healthier Not Just Focusing On Losing Weight

The best diets for weight loss are less focused on weight loss. Instead, they focus on healthy lifestyle changes that bring about weight loss as a side effect.  As an example focus on cutting out processed foods. That’s makes a big difference. Instead of obsessing over a number, think about how good you feel, how much energy you have and how good you look. The goal of a good diet is overall better health, not pounds per week.

3. Eat To Live And Live Well Portion Control

The best diets for weight loss understand that portion control is a big key to losing weight. In the last 20 years, food portion sizes have grown astronomically. As the portion sizes have grown, so have our waistlines. A good diet teaches how to make portion sizes sensible, as well as teaching how to only eat until satisfied. In this age of “super sized” everything, that’s an important lesson to learn.

So there you have the basic’s of what you should look for in a diet and weight loss program. Now take it a step further and go to Fat Burning Diets And Workouts and get going on that healthy lifestyle.

Since the beginning of time, people have expanded the powers of food beyond simply meeting nutritional and energy needs. The belief that specific foods can cure health problems is a longstanding cultural tradition: eating chicken soup to cure a cold and oysters to enhance fertility are just two examples.We really want to believe in the power of foods. It is not surprising that specific foods and eating regimens have made their way into the folklore of weight loss.With great optimism, people embrace the latest new food or way of eating with the hope that it will put them on the path to sustained weight loss.

The magic of a single solution for weight loss focuses on just one aspect of a food, supplement, or activity.This is similar to the tale about the three blind men and the elephant: Three blind men are asked to describe an elephant. One of them touches the trunk, another touches the tail, and the third touches the foot. Each of the blind men accurately describes what he touched, but none of them can describe the elephant because the animal is bigger than a single body part.

Weight-loss myths are similar in that they isolate a particular feature that may be true and offer it as a solution to the entire problem of weight loss. It is possible to find at least one study to prove that each of the weight-loss boosters below does lead to superior weight loss. Often the one study that is publicized on television or read about in a magazine is the only study that shows results, but it is easy to believe the story because the study results are true, even if only just once.

But rigorous science requires a study to be replicated by other scientists and for them to observe the same results. Few of us have the inclination to track down all the research studies on a topic in order to find out if there is general agreement about the pool of scientific evidence on a specific weight-loss booster.We have done so for you. When the scientific community makes its judgment on a particular issue, it is based on all of the evidence, not just on one or a few isolated studies.

Building more muscle mass does increase metabolism. Because muscle is the engine that drives the body, it burns more calories than fat, so activities that speed up metabolism can boost calorie burning and weight loss.

Is it possible to lose weight on diets that promise to speed up metabolism? Probably not. If you do lose weight, it is not due to a faster metabolism. Read on to discover that the secret to weight loss is calories and that the weight loss achieved through a metabolism boosting diet is also due to calories.

The Whole Truth

It’s All about Calories

Body weight reflects the balance between calories in and calories out. The food we eat supplies calories. Our body burns calories three ways: through resting metabolism, the calories burned as the body keeps itself running 24/7; during physical activity; and in digesting and absorbing food. A steady body weight means a balance between food and calorie burning. Gaining or losing weight is the sign of an imbalance.

Calories and Weight
Calories in greater than calories out = Weight gain
Calories in equal to calories out  = Steady weight
Calories in less than calories out  = Weight loss

The only scientifically proven method for losing weight involves the creation of a caloric imbalance. At the end of the day, the only true way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories in food and/or burn more calories. This has been shown time and time again in decades of rigorous scientific studies. One example of the hundreds that exist was done in Switzerland. Fifty-four obese people had their calories restricted to 1,100 per day. Different combinations of foods and meal timing were tested.There was no difference in weight losses; only the calories made a difference.

A Faster Metabolism Burns More

It takes a shortfall of about 500 calories a day to lose 1 pound per week and 1,000 calories a day to lose 2 pounds weekly. The most effective method to create this shortfall is to cut calories from food and also to boost metabolism. But despite the promises of so many popular diets and products, metabolism can be boosted in only a couple of ways: exercising more and speeding up heart rate.

One of the chief benefits of exercise is that it revs up metabolism. The reason is simple. Individuals who exercise on a consistent basis maintain high levels of lean muscle tissue throughout their lifetime. They also build new muscle. Lean muscle tissue sustains high levels of metabolism. In fact, lean muscle tissue burns seventy times as many calories as fat does. Exercise burns calories, and longer periods of exercise mean greater calorie burning.

While it is true that an increase in lean muscle mass increases metabolism because muscles burn a lot of calories, weight loss almost always results in some loss of muscle mass. The muscles have less weight to carry around, so less muscle is needed. People who follow extreme diets to get a fast weight loss can significantly reduce their lean muscle tissue and thereby slow their metabolism.

A popular theory widely reported in the media is that exercise increases metabolism during activity and for a period of time after the activity is completed. Unfortunately, studies that have researched this concept do not have consistent results. In general, studies on humans suggest that metabolism increases when the amount of body muscle increases but that the number of extra calories burned after exercise is relatively small. And no studies have directly linked the aftereffects of exercise with significant weight loss. It’s the calories expended doing the exercise that boost weight loss, not the aftereffects of exercise on metabolism.

The second way to increase metabolism is to increase heart rate. The heart and other organs contribute to the resting metabolic rate—the calories the body burns just to keep itself going. In a controlled study that looked at the effects of amphetamines on weight loss, the stimulants caused greater weight loss. Heart rate and blood pressure went up and food intake went down, a side effect of feeling hyper and too nervous to eat. Many weight-loss supplements contain chemical or herbal stimulants, including caffeine, guarana, and the now-banned ephedra, which speed up metabolism by pumping up the heart rate. Most of the supplements and over-the-counter products that are marketed to promote weight loss contain stimulants, albeit at a lesser strength than that found in prescription amphetamines. Like their more potent cousin, these compounds are marketed as “fat-burning” and cause weight loss by increasing your heart rate and blood pressure and decreasing your appetite.

These stimulants can work, but they do so at a cost to the body. Negative side effects include insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, and in extreme cases, death. Increasingly, some of these products (including the ones that were most effective, like phenylpropanolamine and ephedra) have been banned because of the negative side effects.

A careful look at the ingredient list of many herbal remedies reveals the truth—herbal diuretics that cause the body to lose fluid through urination and herbal laxatives. Just because the package says the product is natural or herbal does not mean it is healthy. A combination of stimulants, diuretics, and laxatives does not add up to a safe and sensible way to lose weight.

Over the years, other foods and products have been falsely promoted as metabolism boosters for weight loss. Grapefruit, for example, was said to have compounds that speed up metabolism; an added promise was that eating and digesting grapefruit actually uses up more calories than are in the grapefruit. Celery is often promoted as a food that burns more calories than it supplies. But there is no scientific proof that calories spent digesting and absorbing can be pumped up by eating particular foods.

The Source of Calories Does Not Affect Your Weight Loss

Which is best for weight loss—a diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein, or a diet balanced in carbohydrates, protein, and fat? That’s been a question that has received a lot of scientific attention, and science is showing a firm conclusion—it does not matter. According to dozens of research studies, no particular type of diet speeds up metabolism more than another. In 2004, a complete review of all research studies on the topic concluded that following a low-carbohydrate and/or high-protein diet did not affect the rate of metabolism. Diets with differing proportions of macronutrients work because they reduce calories, albeit in disguise.They have no special effects on metabolism.

Eat More, Lose Weight?

Diets that promise more food for greater weight loss are usually variations on very low-fat diets. Because they focus on naturally low-fat, low-calorie foods like fruits and vegetables, they supply a greater volume of food for fewer calories.The foods are also ones that are thought of as harder to digest, suggesting that they burn more calories during digestion. However, as with other types of diets, very low-fat diets work because they are lower in calories. They do not speed up metabolism and do not require digestion to go into overdrive.

No Food or Food Combination Burns Body Fat

The term thermogenesis, or calorie burning, became very popular in the mid-1990s when a popular weight-loss book suggested that certain foods caused the body to burn extra energy in order to digest and absorb them. The concept of thermogenesis is based on science, but the relative contribution of this extra energy burning is so minor that it
is irrelevant for weight loss.

“Fat-burning” foods do not burn fat. Highly acidic foods like grapefruit, lemon juice, and vinegar are said to melt away fat because they are so acidic. This explanation sounds logical but does not work in real life. Certain food combinations are said to create chemical reactions in the body that promote loss of body fat.This promise cannot be proven, and these foods do not boost metabolism.

Some foods like caffeine-containing beverages and capsaicin containing chile peppers have been linked with a boost in calorie burning. Caffeine is a mild stimulant, and high dosages of caffeine raise the heart rate. Chile peppers cause the body to sweat and to feel stimulated. In one study, capsaicin did cause increased fat burning in a group of people who had lost weight, but it did not help them maintain their weight loss. Results were similar for green tea, a beverage that contains caffeine and other components reported to boost metabolism. When put into rigorous studies, neither demonstrated a significant effect on weight loss.

Eating Patterns Do Not Make a Difference

Eating three times daily or six times daily? Having a small breakfast and big dinner or big breakfast and small dinner? Which is best for burning calories? Again, it does not matter. As long as calories remain the same, meal sizes relative to each other do not affect weight loss. A series of well-controlled experiments that looked at the effect of meal timing on metabolism was conducted in a clinical research center at a university. Regardless of the meal timing—eating once a day or several times a day, eating at night or in the morning—weight loss stayed the same when study subjects ate the same number of calories. The researchers concluded that the body’s regulatory systems are extremely fine-tuned.

So if meal timing does not change metabolism, how does meal timing work? It promotes weight loss by throwing off normal eating routines in a way that leads to eating fewer calories. Say that you are told to eat only fruit before noon. If you are a breakfast eater, then not being able to eat cereal, toast, a sausage biscuit, or your usual breakfast foods automatically cuts calories. There is nothing metabolically magical about eating only fruit in the morning. The same is true if you tend to snack in the evening and go on a “metabolism-boosting” diet that prohibits eating after 7:00 P.M.

That said, meal timing is important because eating plans have to be livable and adaptable to our different lifestyles.Work schedule, family structure, exercise routine, and numerous other factors help determine the best eating schedule. Say a person works the night shift and sleeps during the day. She may want to eat dinner with her family even though that meal is really breakfast for her, then eat lunch in the middle of her work shift and a small breakfast with her family before going to sleep. A person who works full-time and exercises daily after work may want to eat breakfast, lunch, then two mini-meals, one midafternoon before exercise and one at night after exercise. No one schedule is better than another.

You may have heard how important it is to eat breakfast. It is true that numerous studies have shown that people who eat breakfast are much less likely to gain weight than those who do not eat breakfast. Eating breakfast provides essential nutrients, sets the body up with energy for the day, and is linked with less eating later in the day. The effect is not on metabolism; it is on lifestyle and habits.

Some weight-loss proponents recommend eating a bigger breakfast, followed by a smaller lunch and an even smaller dinner. The theory is that the majority of calories are eaten toward the beginning of the day when the body needs them most. This approach works in theory but has not undergone the rigorous studies needed to prove or disprove its impact on sustained weight loss. It is also not practical for most people.

Restrictive Diets Reduce Calories

As with diets that throw off eating routines by changing meal timing, a diet that imposes almost any type of restriction will reduce calories by forcing a change in habits. Whether it’s avoiding gluten and dairy, not eating a protein food and a starch within four hours of each other, consuming bowls of cabbage soup, or only eating fruit before noon, following rules that restrict the type of food eaten, the time of day food is eaten, or how frequently a food or food type is eaten will reduce caloric intake.

Let’s look more closely at the concept of separating different types of foods. Say that a diet is based on avoiding eating starches and protein foods together in a meal, a basic premise of a popular diet in the 1990s. That means no cereal (starch) and milk (protein) or toast (starch) and egg (protein) at breakfast, no sandwich at lunch because starchy bread typically is combined with a protein food, and no potato, rice, pasta, or bread (all starches) with meat, chicken, or fish (all proteins) at dinner. Imagine how much less you would eat if you were told to avoid traditional food combinations!

What about eating three standard-size meals and no snacks versus eating six or even eight mini-meals? The end result depends on the routine that is being changed and the total amount of food eaten. A frequent snacker might eat less food on a three-meal no-snack diet and lose weight. The mini-meal eater could lose weight as long as the calories in the mini-meals added up to less than he or she was eating before. The science in this area is inconsistent. Some research says that eating fewer, bigger meals allows the body to burn a few more calories digesting and absorbing foods. But there is no strong research showing that meal frequency and size affects weight loss as long as calories are the same.

The Placebo Effect Works

For every one of the myths and gimmicks about foods, supplements, and food timing and combining discussed in this article, there are a dozen more being promoted. These myths are so prevalent because each has a kernel of truth—a small part of the myth based on science. It is the fantastic story that gets wrapped up with the truth that creates a myth rather than a valid, long-lasting way to lose weight.

The placebo effect happens when a person believes that there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between two things even if it does not exist. Because the person believes in the relationship, however, his or her behavior changes in a way that produces the anticipated effect.

Rigorous scientific studies include a placebo group and a group that is actually getting the treatment. This is the only valid way to ensure that it is the treatment and not the placebo that is producing the effect. Many promising treatments in the area of weight loss lose their luster when they are evaluated in a rigorous scientific study that includes a placebo group. For example, acupuncture is often touted as a weightloss treatment. When tested against a placebo, however, it has been shown to be ineffective.The same has been shown for subliminal tapes to induce weight loss.

It’s about Behavior Change, Not Metabolism

Ultimately, behavior changes that support eating fewer calories and being more active lead to weight loss. Despite this reality, only one-third of Americans trying to lose weight use the strategy that is the fundamental foundation of weight loss. Sustainable weight loss does not result from a revved-up metabolism or the unique properties of specific foods. However, particular eating behaviors and patterns, such as meal frequency, meal timing, or following a specific dietary pattern, and nutritional factors, like the energy density of food and the amount of fiber, may affect caloric intake and thus weight loss.

Here is an example of a suggested behavior change that works, even though the premise for the change has nothing to do with a metabolism. Many programs will tell you that you should not eat after 7:00 P.M. because “food eaten in the evening turns to fat.” The truth is that any food turns to fat if calories in are greater than calories out. The time of day that it is eaten does not matter. However, many people consume a large portion of their daily calories in the evening. Television viewing, an evening activity for many, is also associated with increased caloric intake and “mindless” snacking. A dietary regimen that restricts evening eating works because it limits calories. That, in turn, helps burn fat.

The Bottom Line

The famous baby doctor Benjamin Spock was known for telling young mothers,“Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do.” The same holds true for weight loss. There is no reason to feel bad if you have tried the diets and products that promise a metabolism-inspired weight loss. Everybody wants to believe in the promise, and the pseudoscience that goes along with many of the claims seems to make a lot of sense. But when it comes to achieving weight loss that lasts, a combination of instinct and a complete disclosure of the pool of scientific studies is the way to figure out what is real and what is a myth.

It is much more important to find an eating style and exercise routine that suits your life and that you can stay with over time than trying to follow an uncomfortable or overly restricted regimen in the hopes of boosting your metabolism. Ultimately, it is livable changes to your lifestyle that will make the big difference and help you lose the weight and keep it off.

It can be difficult to even know where to begin when embarking on a weight loss program to shed those extra pounds especially when nothing else seems to have worked. It doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful! With a bit of careful planning you can devise a plan to help you get the most out of your new diet and get a brand new body!

1. Be Realistic

Pick the appropriate program that you feel comfortable following long term and not just for short term while you are dieting. Avoid silly crash and extreme celebrity diets, talk to your doctor if necessary to help devise the most suitable plan to achieve your goals.

2. Don’t be tempted.

When shopping, avoid stocking up on sweets, cakes, crisps and any other unhealthy and fatty foods. It is all too easy to end up
reaching for the biscuit tin. Choose healthy, low fat snacks or fruit instead.

3. Find Support.

It is shown that when you have a friend or partner supporting you or even following a diet program with you, your chances of being successful is doubled.

4. Once You Start A Diet Plan, Start Strong.

Rather than gradually easing into a diet plan, if you really commit to it and take action straight away you will lose more weight more quickly and it is more likely to stay off.

5. Don’t Starve, Just Change The Way You Eat.

You don’t have to starve yourself to lose weight. By changing the high calorie, full fat foods and snacks for low calorie, low fat foods you can lose weight without depriving yourself.  And the food you eat doesn’t have to be boring, be original, experiment try something you have never tired before!

6. Make Simple Changes.

Swap a Coke at lunch time for flavoured water or a sugar free version of a fizzy drink. Walk to the shops instead of taking the car. By making small changes it will lead to a big one.

7. Get More Exercise!

If you have always driven everywhere, try walking! Or if you have a bike, cycle! Or walk to the bus stop and get the bus. A little bit of exercise everyday is much more effective at weight loss than cramming in a lot of exercise just one day a week.

8. Drink Plenty Of Water.

It is advised that you drink 8 glasses of  water per day, this is not only good for losing weight but also is very good for the body in general, getting rid of toxins and impurities.

9. Keep A Diary Of Your Progress.

Keeping track of how many pounds you have lost is a great incentive to spur you on to keep going and help you get closer to your target weight.

10. Try Slim Weight Patch

Along side your new diet plan you could try Roduve’s Slim Weight Patch. By wearing one patch per day it administers its powerful, totally natural ingredients through the skin and into the bloodstream to help combat excess fat and to kick-start your metabolism into helping you to lose weight.  

Secret To Weight Rapid Loss

Are you as strong, flexible, and physically fit as you would like to be? If you are, good for you. However, if you want to make some improvements, here’s one piece of advice: Try to improve a little bit at a time.

The only way to walk a mile is to take 1 step at a time. The only way to improve your fitness level is to take it 1 step at a time.

• Pick 1 aspect of fitness (aerobic, strength, flexibility) you want to improve first.
• Pick an activity that you enjoy. Your more likely to keep doing something you like.
• Set a 1-month goal that you think you can reach. For example, plan to walk for 10 minutes at lunch 3 days a week, or stretch for 5 minutes each morning.
• Start today. Keep a record of what you do.
• When you reach your first goal, reward yourself! Then set a new one.

Consistency brings success. Each success may be a small one, but small successes can quickly add up to physical fitness that will make a big difference in your life.

How hard should I exercise?

Nice and easy does it. Exercise does not have to be intense to be of value. In fact, if you exercise too hard, you get less benefit than if you go at a moderate pace.

Above all, listen to your body. If the exercise feels too hard, slow down. You will reduce your risk of injury and enjoy the exercise much more.

Try the “talk-sing test” to determine your ideal exercise pace:

• If you can’t talk and exercise at the same time, you are going too fast.
• If you can talk while you exercise, you are doing fine.
• If you can sing while you exercise, it would be safe to exercise a little faster.

Your exercise is most effective when you can talk, but not sing, while doing it.

How Often should I Exercise?

Most studies show that exercising for at least 30 minutes a week is what it takes to improve fitness. However, sometimes it’s easier to make exercise a habit if you do it every day.

With aerobic exercise, harder is not better, but longer is. Although you can get good fitness benefits from as little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise per day, extending your exercise time will increase your rewards. This is true for up to 1 hour of exercise per day. Beyond that, there may be diminishing health returns and increasing risk of injuries.

Warm Up and Cool Down

For the first 5 minutes of your exercise routine, start out slowly and easily so your muscles have a chance to warm up.

End your exercise with a little cool-down period. If you’ve been running or walking quickly, gradually slow your pace, then do a few light stretches to improve flexibility.

Drink some extra water before and after exercising.

Overcome Barriers to Exercise

There are 6 barriers to exercise are all easy to overcome

1. No time?
   Try shorter periods of activity spread out throughout the day, such as three 10-minute walks.
2. Too tired?
   It’s often lack of exercise that makes you tired. Exercise gives you energy, try it.
3. Embarrassed?
   Many people are, especially at first. Be proud that you’re taking care of your body.
4. No partner?
   Yes, it’s more fun to exercise with a friend. If your regular exercise partner quits, find another one. You could also join a fitness club, take a class, or exercise to a video.
5. Bad weather?
   Too hot, too cold, too wet, too windy-it never seems right for exercise. Lots of people exercise come rain or shine. Try a variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
6. Too costly?
   You had to let the fitness club expire. You can’t afford a mountain bike. You panic at the price of running shoes. It all costs money, but can you afford not to exercise? Try a low-cost option such as walking instead of driving.

Exercise CAUTIONS

Moderate exercise is safe for most people. To be safe, start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your exercise. However, if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, talk with your physician before beginning an exercise program.

• Do you have heart trouble?
• Do you have undiagnosed chest pains?
• Do you have high blood pressure?
• Do you have arthritis or other bone or joint problems that might be aggravated by improper exercise?
• Do you  have diabetes? You may want to talk with your physician about how increased exercise affects your insulin needs.

Men over age 40 who have been inactive or who have 2 or more risk factors for heart disease* and who plan to start a vigorous exercise program (running or fast bicycling or swimming) may wish to talk with their physician about any possible risks.

*Cholesterol over 200 mg/dl, blood pressure over 140/90, smoking, diabetes, or family history of heart disease before age 45

The Benefits of Exercise

No amount of exercise can guarantee a long life, however, even moderate amounts of physical activity can improve the likelihood of a healthy life. Along with a positive attitude and a healthful diet, your fitness level plays a major role in how well you feel, what illnesses you avoid, and how much you enjoy your life.

Consider the benefits of fitness presented here and find one or more reasons to to commit to your own fitness program:

• Relives tension and stress
• Provides enjoyment and fun
• Stimulates the mind
• Helps maintain a stable weight
• Controls appetite
• Boosts self-image
• Improves muscle tone and strength
• Improves flexibility
• Lowers blood pressure
• Relives insomnia
• Increases “good” (HDL) cholesterol
• Reduces risk of diabetes
• Increases energy and helps decrease fatigue
• Reduces anxiety and depression
• Improves balance and coordination
• Helps prevent constipation

Are you ready to get Started?

• Any activity is better than no activity…and you never have to run a marathon. You can start with a 5-minute walk today, and presto! You’re started!
• Then, you can look for ways to liven up every day with a few minutes of walking, gardening, bicycling, dancing, swimming, taking the stairs, playing games, etc….
• Some people like to write down all of their activity on their calendar. Then they can step back and say,
  “I did it!”

Your Personal Fitness Plan

No one can prescribe the perfect fitness plan for you. You have to figure it out based on what you enjoy doing and what you will continue to do.

Consistency is the most important, the most basic, and the most often neglected part of fitness. Consistency in regular exercise or moderate activity delivers all of the fitness benefits.

A good fitness plan has 3 parts: aerobic fitness, muscle strengthening, and flexibility.

AEROBIC  FITNESS

Aerobic conditioning strengthens your heart and lungs. Good aerobic exercises include brisk walking, running, stair climbing, biking, swimming aerobic dance, or anything else that raises your heart rate and keeps it up for a while.

MUSCLE STRENGTHENING

Strengthening your muscles improves your work and athletic performance and prevents fatigue.
Muscle-strengthening exercises will also improve your posture and help you feel more energetic.

Resistance training, with free weights, weight-training equipment, or inexpensive rubber tubing, can quickly increase your muscle strength.

Other simple, safe, and effective strengthening exercises include bent-knee curl-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, side leg-lifts, and other calisthenics to improve abdominal, neck, arm, shoulder, and leg strength.

FLEXIBILITY

Stretching can increase your range of motion and reduce stiffness and pain. Stretching is particularly important during the cool-down phase after exercising when your muscles are warm.

• Stretch slowly and gradually. Don’t bounce. Maintain a continuous tension on the muscle.
• Relax and hold each stretch for a count of 20.
• Exhale as you stretch, to further relax your muscles. If stretching hurts, you have gone too far or you are doing something incorrectly.

Across the country, people are tuning up their old bicycles or buying new ones to get around town and run errands. And why not? Bicycling is inexpensive, fun and offers numerous health benefits.

Like walking and jogging, bicycling is a form of aerobic exercise. Bicycling offers the added benefit of being low impact, which equates to less stress on the joints. Before you start riding, a few cycling precautions will go along way to making your ride more enjoyable. First, invest in a high-quality helmet, pair of gloves and bicycling shorts. Also, a comfortable, gender-specific bicycle seat makes it easier to take long rides. When it comes to more specialized gear such as clip-less pedals, they are recommended only if you are planning to ride more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time. As for the bicycle itself, make sure you get a cycle that fits both your leg length and your torso/arm reach. And before a ride, gentle stretching will help prepare your muscles and joints. After the ride, when your muscles are warm, is the time to focus on flexibility and increasing your range of motion. Here are a few handy stretches:

Gluteal Stretch

1. Lie on your back with your left foot flat on the floor and right ankle placed on top of the left knee. Reach forward with both hands and hold the back of the left thigh.
2. Gently bring your left knee toward your chest as far as you can without causing pain. You should feel a stretch in the buttocks area.
3. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat on the other leg. Perform the stretch at least 2 times on each side.

Quad Stretch

1. While standing next to a chair or wall, bend your outside knee and bring your heel toward your buttock.
2. While holding the ankle of the bent leg, gently extend your hip back and up so that you feel a stretch down the front of your thigh.
3. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Perform the stretch at least 2 times on each side.

Shoulders, Arms and Back

1. With your arms and hands shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and feet directly below your hips, place your hands on your bike or a stable surface in front of you.
2. With your arms slightly bent, gently move your chest downward between your arms and shoulders until you feel a stretch across your chest and shoulders.
3. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds and repeat 2 times.

Some fat is essential in everyone’s diet.

Fats provide a source of concentrated energy as well as the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Fat transports these vital nutrients around the body.

We also need fat for hormone metabolism, healthy skin and hair, tissue repair, protecting the internal organs and to prevent excessive loss of body heat.

There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated.

Tips for healthy living

We tend to eat a lot of fat, so aim to include some essential fatty acids in your daily diet and reduce your intake of saturated fats. Below are a few ways to improve your diet.

Eat that yogurt, lose that weight? Not so fast…
For years the dairy industry touted studies presumably showing that the more dairy you eat, the more weight you lose. Did these ads and the “research” they quote tell the whole story? In a word, no. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection saw to it that the ad campaign went the way of the dodo bird, at least “until further researcher provides stronger, more conclusive evidence of an assosiation between dairy consumption and weight loss.”

But despite the fact that the ads were pulled off the air, the idea that milk promotes weight loss remains in our minds. So let’s take a look at the research that formed the basis for the claims. Most of it was done by one researcher, Michael Zemel, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and medicine at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and sponsored by the dairy industry. Although the headlines frequently proclaimed a link between dairy and weight loss in the studies, the fine print told a different story. One study, for example, found that those eating three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt did indeed lose a bit more weight, but what was lost in translation was the fact that those who lost weight were low in calcium to begin with (and therefor likely to benefit from added calcium) and were eating a reduced-calorie diet (500 calories a day less than usual).

Another often repeated news story announced, “Calcium and Vitamin D Linked to Weight.” But the details revealed that although postmenopausal women who take calcium and vitamin D supplements may gain slightly less weight that women who don’t, the effect was – get ready- .28 (that’s decimal point 28) pounds less over the course of seven years. Do the math: that’s anout 1/25 of a pound – slightly more than half an ounce – of weight annually.

What is true, points out Walter C. Willet, M.D., Dr.P.H., chairman of the department of nutrition at Boston’s Harvard School of Public Health, is that a diet high in dairy and calcium has been implicated as a risk factor for prostate cancer. Milk has also been linked to acne, and there is a possible connection to ovarian cancer.

Bottom line: By all means, get your calcium, from a variety of sources including sardines, green leafy vegetables and seeds. Just don’t think for a minute that drinking or eating dairy products is going to help you lose weight.

Of Milk and Men
The Prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study confirming milk’s ineffectiveness as a weight-loss food. According to lead author Swapnil Rajpathak, M.D., Dr.PH., “Men who increased their dairy/calcium intake did not lose more weight. In fact, they gained slightly more weight in the 12-year period.” Still, we do need calcium-particularly in combination with other, often neglected bone-building nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin D, boron and vitamin K. Fifteen minutes of sunlight a day on bare skin should help keep vitamin D levels up. Boron is found in almonds, avocados, and peanut butter; magnesium is in dark leafy greens, legumes, tofu, peanuts and unpeeled potatoes. Vitamin K is in Spinach, lettuce, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage.

Almost 15 years ago, Congress enacted the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Billed as “truth in labeling,” the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says, “Congress’s  intent in enacting it was to help ensure that safe and appropriatley labeled products remain available to those who want to use them.” Something went haywire in the aftermath of it’s passage. There was a proliferation of products claiming virtuous-sounding attributes, such as “organic” and “natural.”

“These days, ‘organic’ and ‘all natural’ can apply to many different things,” says Roberta Anding, R.D., national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and an instructor at the Baylor College of Medicine. “Remember, tobacco is ‘natural’, cocaine is ‘natural’, but they’re not safe for consumers.”

So what can you do to make sure the products you take are doing good, not harm? The FDA offers the following advise:

• Dietary supplements are not intended to replace the variety of foods that are part of a healthy diet. You need to be thinking about your overall diet first.
• Find out the recommended safe dosages of supplements by visiting the Institute of Medicine Website at iom.edu and searching for “recommended dietary allowances.”
• Check with your doctor or health-care provider before using a supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing a baby or have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes. Be aware that some supplements may interact with prescription and over the counter medicines.

“Pharmacists have PDR’s (Physicians Desk Reference) at their fingertips, and they can look up any supplement for you” advises Anding. “And at the health-food store, look for printouts on vitamins you are going to take. Show them to your doctor, dietitian and pharmacist to discuss any potential problems.”

When seeking information on the internet about supplements, the FDA suggests that you ask yourself:

• Who operates the site?
• What is the purpose of the site?
• What is the source of the information?
• Are there any references for the source?
• Is the information current?

Roberta Anding adds” remember, some of the information you get from the internet is fabulous, but some of the stuff is garbage.

Ginkgo, No-Go!
Falsely believing it’s a brain booster, we spend $145 million a year on this herb.

ASSUMING?

A little skepticism can be a very good thing when it comes to protecting your health. So check out these questionable assumptions.

“Even if a product doesn’t help, it at least won’t hurt me.” False. All chemicals can be toxic, including nutrients, plant components and other biologically active ingredients, particularly when taken in sufficient quantity or combined with other substances.

“A product is safe when there is no cautionary information on the product label.” Nope. Dietary supplement manufacturers may not provide warnings about potential adverse effects.

“A recall of a harmful product guarantees the product will be immediately and completely removed from shelves.” Alas, not true. A product recall of a dietary supplemement is voluntary, so some harmful products may remain on the shelves.

Most of all, know that if something sounds too good to be true, it is.

Some novices think that free weights are only for advanced weight lifters. Not true. Beginners have as much to gain from using free weights as those guys and gals who look like pros. Beginners can become stronger, improve muscle definition, and increase muscle endurance just like more experienced weight trainers.

Knowing the value of free weights

A friend of ours was lying on a weight bench holding two dumbbells over his head when his cat hopped on the bench. While trying to shoo the cat away by squirming around, our friend kept the weights overhead for so long that he tore a rotator cuff muscle. The point of this story isn’t to scare you away from using free weights. In fact, the best approach to strength training combines free weights and machines. Just know that barbells and dumbbells require plenty of concentration. Free weight training is perfectly safe. Here are several good reasons to use dumbbells and barbells:

• Free weights are versatile. With barbells and dumbbells, you can do literally
  hundreds of exercises that work virtually every muscle group in
  your body. Flip through Part III of this book, and get an idea of just how
  handy barbells and dumbbells are. Most weight machines, on the other
  hand, are designed to perform only one or two exercises.
• Free weights give your muscles more freedom to move. Suppose that
  you’re lying on a bench pushing a barbell above your chest (this exercise
  is the bench press, shown in Chapter 12). You can press the weight
  straight up over your chest, or you can move your arms a few inches
  back so you’re pressing directly above your neck. Or you can position
  your arms anywhere between. All these movements are perfectly legitimate
  ways of doing the exercise and working your pecs, and some
  motions may feel more comfortable to your body than others
• Free weights involve several muscle groups at once. For example,
  chest press movements (Chapter 12) work your chest, shoulders, and
  triceps. However, when you perform these movements with a barbell,
  you also call on your abdominal and lower back muscles to keep your
  body still and to keep the bar balanced as you press the weight up. With
  the equivalent weight machine, you don’t have to worry about holding
  the bar still, so your abdominal and back muscles don’t get much work.

Making the choice, knowing the difference: Dumbbells versus barbells

You can perform many movements with both dumbbells and barbells. For example, while sitting on a bench, you can either press a bar overhead  or press up two dumbbells. Which is the better option? Actually, both have their benefits.

Dumbbells and barbells both pose a bit more risk than weight machines because you need to stabilize your own body while performing the exercise, instead of relying on the machine to keep your body in the correct position. But if you follow the safety precautions outlined on Planned Diet, you should have no problem.

Choosing dumbbells
Dumbbells come in pairs, and at most health clubs, they’re lined up on a rack from lightest (as light as 1 pound) to heaviest (upward of 180 pounds). By the way, the super heavy dumbbells are mostly for show, considering that about .0000001 percent of the population is capable of lifting them.

Dumbbells come in many shapes and materials. Some have hexagonal ends so they don’t roll around the floor. Others have contoured handles so they fit more comfortably in your hand. Dumbbells are made of shiny chrome and gray steel. Others have rubber coating, so if some yahoo drops them, the weights won’t dig a hole in the floor the size of Australia.

Dumbbells allow each arm to work independently. If one side of your body is stronger than the other — a common phenomenon — this imbalance is apparent when you’re working with dumbbells. Your weaker arm may start wobbling or may poop out sooner than your dominant arm.

Using dumbbells helps correct strength imbalances because each side of your body is forced to carry its own weight, so to speak. By contrast, if you use a bar, your stronger side may simply pick up the slack for your weaker side.

Pumping iron with barbells
Like dumbbells, barbells, also called bars, come in a variety of designs. The most popular model is a straight bar. At most gyms, these bars weigh 45 pounds and are 6 or 7 feet long. (However, many gyms have bars in a variety of weights, sometimes as light as 15 or 20 pounds. If you’re not sure how much a bar weighs, be sure to check with a staff member.) If you want to lift more than 45 pounds, as most people eventually do, you choose from an array of round plates weighing 11⁄4 to 45 pounds and slide them on either end of the bar. (The plates have a hole in the center.) For example, if you want to lift 75 pounds, you slide a 10-pound plate and a 5-pound plate on each end of the bar. Some plates have additional holes cut in either side to make them easier to pick up and carry; the holes function like built-in luggage handles. These plates are a brilliant invention and have probably helped prevent many accidents and backaches.

Be sure to use collars at the gym and at home. Collars, cliplike or screwlike devices, temporarily secure weight plates on the bars. The collars prevent the plates from rattling around or sliding off the bar as you push or pull the barbell. Mirrors have shattered from runaway weight plates. Some health clubs require that you use collars.

In addition to straight bars, most health clubs and equipment dealers have a number of exotic-looking bars with various twists and bends in them. The most common is a W-shaped bar about 3 feet long called the EZ-Curl, which is designed to make certain triceps exercises more comfortable. Some gyms and equipment stores also have an array of straight and EZ-Curl bars with weight plates welded to the ends. These barbells are convenient to use because you don’t have to slide weight plates on and off. If you want to switch from 75 pounds to 85 pounds, you simply put the 75-pounder back on the rack and pick up the 85-pounder. No muss, no fuss.

These welded bars are often shorter and less bulky than the traditional bars, so they’re more comfortable for many arm and shoulder exercises. However, you typically won’t find these fixed-weight barbells weighing more than 150 pounds. For many barbell exercises — particularly certain chest and leg exercises — you may need a lot more weight than 150 pounds. With traditional bars, you can pile on up to 600 pounds (not that we expect you to do this right away).

Some dumbbell exercises just don’t feel as good as when you use barbells. Any seasoned lifter can tell you that nothing is quite like doing the bench press — the quintessential meat-and-potatoes chest exercise. Many lifters gain a great sense of satisfaction from being able to press so much weight. Even though the dumbbell chest press is a perfectly good exercise, it may not deliver quite the same amount of satisfaction (probably because you can’t lift as much total weight). For example, if you can do the dumbbell chest press with a 20-pound dumbbell in each hand, chances are good that you can lift at least a 60-pound barbell because your weaker side always limits you, and it’s more difficult to coordinate moving two separate units, instead of one single barbell.