Sleep More to Weigh Less

The wonders of sleep extend not only to vitality, good health and alertness but also weight loss.

This may sound against the adage but scientists actually found that you can sleep more to weigh less. Sleep and weight are believed to have some connection. One of these connections is manifested in the condition called sleep apnea wherein obese people found it difficult to sleep comfortably.

Studies have been conducted in the past which associated sleep loss to weight gain. Case Western Reserve University conducted a study on more than 68,000 women to determine sleeping patterns and its relation to weight. The research revealed that those who sleep for less than 5hours a night gained more weight compared to those who sleep an average of 7 hours a night.

It can be gleaned that women who sleep less are more prone to becoming obese compared to women who sleep a full night or at least 7 hours.

Women who sleep less also consumed lesser calories. This can be due to the hormones in our bodies. Our body release leptin to the bloodstream. The function of Leptin is to determine if there is enough fat stored in the body. If that is the case then it would suppress apetite. On the other hand, our stomach releases a hormone called ghrelin which would alert us if we are hungry.

When we don’t sleep, the leptin levels in our bodies decreases, making it hard for the body to suppress apetite due to excess fats. The ghrelin levels also increase which would always signal hunger. This means that your body cannot determine if you have enough fat stored because the leptin is limited and the body always craves for food because more ghrelin hormones are released into the bloodstream.

Short sleep by definition means 4 hours or less sleep every night. This could cause lower leptin and higher ghrelin. In order to avoid this problem and eventual weight gain later, one should make sure that he has more than 4 hours of sleep every night to avoid this dilemma.

Latest studies allow scientists to make connections between sleeping and appetite. In the studies conducted on mice, a gene which is controlled by circadian clock is found to control sleeping and walking. It is the same gene that can affect fat deposits in the body. When the scientists turn off the circadian clock gene, the mice didn’t gain weight even when feed with high calorie foods as compared to another group of mice whose clock weren’t turned off. This means that if the gene for sleeping is controlled, weight also follows.

How Does the Jenny Craig Diet Work

Jenny Craig established the Jenny Craig weight loss program in the 1980s. Today, the Jenny Craig Diet is considered one of the most popular diet program in United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Kirstie Alley is currently the designated official spokesperson of Jenny Craig company.

What is the Jenny Craig Diet?

The Jenny Craig Diet is basically a program that helps participants create a plan for their meals and provide one-on-one counseling in order to address weight lose problems on a case-to-case basis.

How Does the Jenny Craig Diet Work?

Essentially it’s another low calorie diet plan, that offers you a diet allotment based on several factors.
The program helps the members lower their calorie intake through the diet plans. Some of Jenny Craig’s diet may require 1200 intake to as much as 2,300 daily depending on the person.

How does the Jenny Craig diet work? It provides a balanced meal to the participants that contains all the food groups – lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and unsaturated fats but in healthy proportions.
The custom-made meal guide that the participants follow in the Jenny Craig diet is intended to help them lose weight.

The basis for the said meal plan is the individuals goals and needs. The diet plan requires that you eat in small portions five to six times a day, an important part that addresses the question how does the Jenny Craig diet work. Vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates and fats are all found in the menu. The diet promotes higher protein and lower fat intake.

At the start of the program, the consultant ask the participant some questions and then put that person on a specific calorie diet plan that is tailor-made for his or her needs. Jenny Craig diet provides several diet options for the member. Each of this diet plan is created to help one lose weight steadily not abruptly.

Participants of the Jenny Craig diet program should follow the day-to-day meal plan by eating only the prepackaged meals from the company. The member should purchase this planned meal and consume it according to the plan.

The prepackaged meals are important part which answers how does the Jenny Craig diet work? These are critical to the success of the program. The meals consist of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks which help the person attain weight loss seamlessly.

Midway through the diet, you will cook your own food for three or four days a week. The food you will cook is again based on the planned menu and recipes that Jenny Craig created to fit your diet needs.
Aside from the plan meal, participants also enjoy one-on-one counseling and weigh ins every week until the end of the program.

One can also consult over the phone or through website and email 24/7, should the need arise. The counseling sessions are intended to keep one motivated to pursue the diet program and not waver on their faith and determination to lose weight. Also, the immediate weight loss is not just the goal of the program but also to instill in the minds of the participants the need to continue a healthy diet and sustain the weight loss even after the Jenny Craig diet program ended.

The members are taught how to eat healthy, to attain portion control in food and the healthy way to exercise – all of these promote not just weight loss but a healthy lifestyle.

Is the Diet Effective?

So far no studies have been conducted related to this. Although the growing popularity of the Jenny Craig diet could mean a lot of people have participated in the said program. The diet is effective as long as you stick to the diet plan. Keep in mind that the ideal weight loss is around 1-2 pounds per week.

Pros
• No need to do guesswork on calories
• Weekly consultations provide huge help
• 1-2 alcohol drinks per week is allowed to participants
• Coffee and other caffeinated drinks are allowed
• Vegetarians can opt for vegetarian meals
• Exercise is a huge part of the program which is good for health as a whole
• No need for diet pills, shakes and others

Cons
• Some Jenny Craig consultants do not have certificate in nutritional therapy or health management which could be a downside because they do not have the necessary background for the counseling
• The costs of the membership and the prepackaged meals can be prohibitive as it could cost around $400 per month for each participant. One week supply of Jenny Craig meals it will cost you between $85 and $120.
• Dining out and attending parties could pose some problems while on the diet program

How does the Jenny Craig diet work is simply similar to any diet program – eat healthy meals in small portions. It is also important to combine dieting with exercise and physical activities to burn calories. Follow this plan and you will lose weight and sustain the desirable weight for a long time.

How to Lose Weight Effectively

One notable goal that we should all strive attain is how to lose weight effectively. Being physically fit allows one to pursue more interests and focus on greater things. It also promotes good health. If that does not convince you then how about the fact that good health increases life expectancy? Not to mention increases one’s productivity in all aspects of life.

Imagine how difficult it would be to aim for success when you are always feeling tired and ill due to weight problems. Much of the physical problems afflicting our generation today like diabetes, heart ailment and others are due to being overweight.

Here are some of the few tips on how to lose weight effectively which are delineated from the Oprah show:

1. Lose weight slowly. An important step in how to lose weight effectively. Don’t try to make drastic changes to your weight. This is not healthy. It is also counterproductive as this might cause more problems later. Better take it slowly but surely until your body gets used to the fitness routine. Make it a habit. Stick to a fitness regimen that you are capable of doing like simple walking. This is critical on how to lose weight effectively.

It is not advisable to do strenuous exercises at the onset because this could cause undue stress to the heart. You do not want that kind of burden.

Also, losing a lot of weight in short period of time might lead to health problems later. Doctors advised that you lose around 2-5 lbs per month. Anything more than that could cause physical problems such as low immunity to viruses, putting you at risk for various ailments.

2. Take Brisk Walking Daily. Another method on how to lose weight effectively is walking. Walking, as we all know, is the perfect exercise. You do not need to spend money to be able to do it. There are no apparel or equipment requirements. Plus it does not strain the heart if done correctly.

The goal should be to walk 10,000 steps daily. But do not attempt reaching 10,000 steps on first try. I timed the number of steps I take a minute and it was 80 steps a minute. 10,000 divided by 80 steps that would mean 125 minutes or 2.083 hours daily.

As mentioned, do not try to reach 10,000 steps in one swoop. That might not be good for you especially if you have certain ailments. The first rule still applies and that is take brisk walking everyday regardless of the number of steps. Do not push yourself to walk faster or beyond your limits just to reach the desired 10,000 steps. Take one step at a time. Then gradually build up the number of steps until you reach 10,000.

You can walk for like 30 minutes in the morning, then another 30 minutes in the afternoon, 30 minutes in evening and another 30 minutes before sleeping. However, please be warned that exercising close to bedtime might not induce sleep.

Whatever works for you. Also count the number of minutes you walk at work. When you are at the office, make it a point to do some walking while doing work like going to the copier machine, walking to the pantry for coffee or juice, walking to the canteen or taking the stairs instead of using elevators. Or, even going to the comfort room. The steps you took will add up.

3. Do Not eat 3 hours before you sleep. A very important step on how to lose weight effectively. If you follow this advice, you will automatically lose weight. If you make it a habit and do this everyday, you will lose more weight. Since activities are lesser or lighter at night than at daytime, then there are lesser calories to burn. Eating food, more than necessary, will make you gain weight. Try to limit food intake at nighttime so you will not store unnecessary fats.

These are simple easy-to-do-steps on how to lose weight effectively can be done anytime, anywhere. You don’t need to buy anything. Just simply adhering to the steps will help you lose weight and help you attain a healthier lifestyle in the process.

How does South Beach Diet Work

How does South Beach Diet work? South Beach Diet is based on Glycemic Index which measures the effects of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. South beach diet recipes encourage consumption of carbohydrates with low glycemic index which are reported to make blood glucose and insulin more stable in comparison to high glycemic index carbohydrates which lead to sudden rush-and-crash of glucose levels.   This is not good for the body and makes one gain weight.

How does South Beach Diet Work?

The South Beach Diet is a low-carbohydrate diet.The low carbs is instrumental to weight loss.  What can I eat on the South Beach Diet? The diet demands that only good carbohydrates and good fats are ingested.  The popularity of south beach diet hinges on the fact that it does not only limit carb intake and make you lose weight, it also replace unhealthy eating habits with healthy diets resulting in a more positive lifestyle change.

South Beach Diet and the Glycemic Index

Glycemic index pertains to the effects of carbohydrates on the blood glucose levels.  Basically, there are two effects: High GI carbs makes one feel full but minutes later makes one crave for food. This is not good because sugar levels in the body become erratic with sudden highs and lows.

Ingesting carbohydrates with high glycemic index causes in quick rise and subsequent quick drop of blood sugar. The result is that the person feels energetic at first then feels tired and hungry moments later.  This could lead to weight gain which if not contained could lead to a host of other ailments later like heart disease, diabetes,etc.

Carbs with low GI is the exact opposite of high GI, resulting in small fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin. Food cravings are effectively addressed. Consuming low GI carbs will eventually leads to good health.  It contributes to weight loss and reduces risks of heart disease and diabetes.

Reduce Carbohydrate Cravings and Burn Fat

The secret behind how does the south beach diet work is it helps you choose foods with low glycemic index. Foods with low glycemic index release sugar slowly into the bloodstream creating a more steady supply of energy and effectively satiating hunger pangs. This, of course, will eventually lead to weight loss.

Phase 1

What can I eat in Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet?

The South Beach Diet has three phases. The first phase – Phase 1 is good for two weeks. During Phase 1, a person is required to eat three meals a day but should only limit food intake to good carbs like – lean meats and poultry, fish, egg whites, sugar-free treats, nuts and lots of vegetables.

In Phase 1, a dieter eats until hunger is satisfied.  This is to get rid of food cravings and begin the weight loss. A mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack is required between meals but refrain from eating bad carbs such as bread, pasta, rice, fruit, baked goods, and other sweets with sugar and starch. This is to lessen bad carbs – sugar and starch – intake. Alcohol consumption is not allowed.

Phase 2 – Make Healthier Food Choices

This is after 2 weeks of doing Phase 1.

Weight loss is not considerable in Phase 2 compared to Phase 1. But weight loss is not the main goal of Phase 2. Phase 2 is all about instilling discipline in eating. Weight loss will continue but improvement is more noticeable in one’s health. This is because one’s appetite for bad carbs is reduced in this phase. One can eat whole grains and fruits again in Phase 2 but should be added slowly to the diet so as to acclimate the body to eat these foods by eating in small portions.

Phase 3 – Succeeding at Lifestyle Change

Phase 3 is when one reaches the desired weight. Phase 3 is simply a continuation of Phase 1 and 2 and maintaining the healthy food choices that the body is getting used to by now.  Calorie counting is no longer necessary but one should stop from eating saturated fats, sugar and starches.  In Phase 3,  healthier food choices and eating habits are changed around this time.

Getting Rid Of That Belly

Losing your stomach can be one of the hardest things you do, especially if you have waiting awhile and have created a large amount of fat. If you have decided that it’s time to lose that belly then you are going to want to find out what is going to work best for you.

A lot may depend on the type of metabolism you have. Some people’s metabolism has a higher rest rate than do others. Some people burn fat without even exercising. But if you are reading this article I’m guessing you are not one of the lucky ones that his happens to. If you are like many people you can increase weight simply by drinking water, a frustrating things I know but there is some hope.

If your metabolism is one that is difficult and you gain weight easily and thus cannot take it off easily then you may want o look at an extreme cardiovascular work out. This should consist of aerobics like running, biking or swimming. If you have a slow and stubborn metabolism then this may not be the best approach for you.

Having excess weight can sometimes make breathing difficult when doing small activities like climbing the stairs, getting tired easily and an overall sluggish feeling. So if you are looking to have a killer body and a washboard stomach then you are going to want to chose exercises that are not too difficult or extreme. The reason being is that you don’t want o get into a program that’s going to be to hard to keep up with. If you choose something like this and are not able to reach your goals then you may become frustrated and quit altogether. This is not what you want so we must make sure you choose exercises that are comfortable while also being effective. The last thing you want is to have to force yourself to work out. Working out should be fun to a certain extent and you should enjoy the exercises you are doing. With this type of approach you are sure to be successful in losing that stomach.

It is a myth that sit-ups will help people with oversized stomachs obtain the washboard stomachs they are hoping for. The sit-up is a sculpting exercise and not a fat burning one so don’t get caught up in buying some ab workout if you want to lose your stomach because it won’t happen.

So if sit-ups are not going to do it then what? Well you want to burn fat and the easiest way to burn fat is to not take in more calories than you burn. You can do this by watching what you eat and performing exercises like running, jogging and weight lifting. The key is to get your body to burn fat. A really good exercise for this is squats. Now you may thing this sounds kind of funny but in actuality it’s true. Your largest muscles are your legs so if you exhaust your legs you are going to be burning more fat. Anything that allows you to exhaust your body as a whole is going to be your best bet. Also by exercising consistently you will alter your metabolism and it will begin to work faster which will help in losing fat and making your stomach go down.

Fitness secrets for those over 40

You’re 40 and it’s really time to start paying close attention to your health. I’m sure you have heard yourself say that your knees hurt when you climb stairs or you are out of shape. You may even have been high cholesterol, or you could have high blood pressure, diabetes or heart problems.

Well it’s not too late to start improving your health and to fight off those diseases that can plague you by starting to be aware of what you eat and to start exercising regularly. You should look into fitness programs that will strengthen your muscles, increase your physical fitness, support your joints and decrease any pain that you may experience. It’s a sad fact that 60% of people in America are are not getting enough activity which amounts to more stress associated diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and diabetes.

However, going to the gym may not be exactly where you should have to start. There are many other things you can be doing that will help your overall health. You can start walking briskly in your local mall or around your neighborhood, exercise on a bouncy ball, use the treadmill, go on bike rides with your children or even play the wii fit. Just as long as you are subjecting your body to frequent physical activities.

If you’ve waited this long to get fit be forwarned that it’s not going to be easy to get into a habit of eating better and exercises. That means you have to cut out the junk food and start adding vegetables, whole grains and fruit to your daily diet. If this is too difficult for you then you may want to look into hiring a nutritionist or even joining a program like ediets.com which has helped millions of people. What’s nice about that is you have an instant support group that you can share your experiences with.

So how much fruits and vegetables should you have? Well, it is recommended to have at least 5-7 servings a day of both fruits like apples bananas and oranges and vegetables. It’s also very important for you to be drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day. Also you need to work on decreases your white flour consumption. Breads and pastas are to be kept at a minimum. Don’t forget to exercise as this will increase your goal of becoming healthy and fit.

If you do choose to start a fitness program you want to make sure it consists of weight training and cardiovascular training. Some good exercises are running, swimming and bicycling. You can always mix it up and make it fun by inviting friends to work out with you. This will help you remain on track and give you someone to compete against if you choose to do so.

If you do choose to use a strength training program you want to make sure that you don’t do strength training without a break in between. What that means is if you do strength training on a Wednesday then you don’t want do it again until Friday. This allows you body the adequate amount of time to recover. I recommend strength training as it can help your joints as well as reduce your body fat quicker.

Lose Weight With The Wii Fit

I never thought I would be saying this but I’m going to encourage you and your kids to start playing video games. Yes that’s right video games can make you thin. You think I’m crazy don’t you? Well, I’m not talking about any video games. I’m not talking about the games that you sit around with a controller in your hand and stare aimlessly at the television. I’m talking about a very new and exciting game called the wii and it’s game the wii fit.

The Wii Fit is a new game that operates on the Nintendo Wii gaming platform. If you don’t know what that is you should check it out on youtube because it’s pretty amazing. The Wii is unlike any other game and it’s not a game that you just sit around and stare and the T.V. with a controller in your hand. It’s a game that encourages you to interact with the game. Take the Wii Fit for instance. This unique technology actually uses games to help you get fit. It comes with a balance board that you stand on and it measures your BMI and your weight. It then will keep track of how much weight you are losing and all you have to do is participate in the games. Some of the games are skiing, soccer goalie, hoola hoop, jogging and more. They also have included your traditional yoga and strength training exercises. The Wii Fit really is a fun way to lose weight and it’s fun for the whole family.

The Advantage: Lots of folks say Wii has encouraged them to try things they’d have never tried without it. These games are easy to play and you can stay at home. The Wii Fit can actually inspire folks to try the real thing after playing the game. Games are fun. To play a game you are more likely to get up from your easy chair that to go out to work out.

The Wii Fit has many advantages that have helped it become one of the top selling games today. With the Wii Fit you can exercise in the comfort of your own home, you can have fun while exercising and even get the entire family involved. It also gets you motivated and you will soon have the feeling of doing non-WiiFit exercises. It’s one of the greatest things to come along to help you and your family get fit and healthy.

If there is a downside to the Wii Fit it’s that it doesn’t have a real person training you. It’s simulated and although it does a good job it can never replace a real person. Someone that is in poor physical shape should consult a doctor when using the Wii Fit. The Wii Fit may also not be enough all by itself to enable you to lose all the weight you want but it’s a start.

So if you are looking to have some fun while losing a little weight and getting back in to the swing of exercise I really encourage you to try the Wii Fit.