These days, more and more Americans are feeling overworked and
overtired, lacking the energy needed to meet the
responsibilities required for everyday life. This constant
feeling of fatigue has become a part of the American way of
life. Research has proven that the same processes that cause
lack of energy in Americans can also keep us from getting an
adequate amount of sleep, cause weight gain, disrupt hormonal
balance, and add a significant amount of stress to ourdaily
lives. However, people do not have to accept the pain,
insomnia, or fatigue associated with chronic fatigue syndrome
andfibromyalgia thanks to the following three step process
called "Vitality 101."
The first of the three steps is nutrition. Good overall
nutrition is important for everyone. To obtain this, a
foundation product that supports energy levels, such as a
powdered drink mix, can ensure that you are getting all of the
necessary vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that you need.
This drink should include the following ingredients: vitamin A,
C, D, and E; magnesium; malic acid; betaine; selenium; zinc;
amino acids; and frutooligosaccharid
for healthy skin, mucous membrane, immune system responses, bone
growth, and reproductive processes. In the form of
beta-carotene, vitamin A is an antioxidant and a free radical
fighter. Vitamin C, which is necessary for the proper
functioning of the immune system, is an antioxidant free
radical fighter as well as an assistant in hormone synthesis
and a supporter of healthy skin integrity and iron absorption.
Vitamin D is essential for healthy calcium and phosphorus
metabolism. It is also responsible for the absorption of
vitamin A and supports bone mineralization. Vitamin E, which
helps oxygen circulation, supports healthy nerve transmissions,
leg nerves and muscles, and helps boost energy levels. Magnesium
supports enzyme activity involved in energy productions and
healthy nerve and muscle function, as well as supports the
immune system functions, while malic acid acts as a catalyst to
stimulate the complete burning of fuel for energy. It also
supports healthy connective tissue and muscle functioning.
Betaine, which works with B vitamins, may have an effect on
overall mood elevation. Where as selenium works with vitamin E
to maintain healthy cell membranes and support healthy thyroid
functioning. Zinc supports a healthy immune system, enzyme
processes, and immune response. Amino acids are essential for
the production of energy in the body, which is essential for
brain function. Finally, fructooligosacchard
nutrition for good bacteria in the intestinal tract which
improves digestion and healthy microflora. In addition to the
powdered energy drink mix, it is important to take a high
potency vitamin B-complex supplement that includes riboflavin,
vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, and choline, which
are each important in restoring the energy production needed in
your body. It is also very important to get enough water.
The second step of the process is to rest your body. Because
having trouble sleeping is one of the most troubling symptoms
of stress and can cause pain and hormonal and immune
dysfunction, it is important to break the stress/insomnia cycle
early. It may be helpful to use herbal products in order to get
the good quality sleep that will repair and re-energize the
body. Although there are many formulas that are marketed for
sleep, it is very important that the right ingredients are in
the sleep formula that you buy. This formula should include
herbs that promote deep sleep including: valerian, L-theanine,
hops, passionflower, Jamaica dogwood and wild lettuce. Wild
lettuce has been found to have sedative effects and similarly
hops acts as a mild sedative and has a sleep inducing effect.
Similar to hops and wild lettuce, Jamaica dogwood has been
found to be mildly sedative and it is often used for
anxiousness. L-theanine causes a significant increase of
neurotransmitter concentrations in the brain which promotes
muscle relaxation and improves sleep. Valerian has been
clinically proven to improve sleep quality. Lastly,
passionflower eases nervousness and insomnia. Each of these
herbs addresses a different aspect of sleeplessness, making the
combination very important.
The third step in this process is to manage excess stress
levels. In the world we live in today, it is important to
manage the stressors in our lives. Adrenal extract, as well as
other glandular extracts, can offer natural support to help our
bodies deal with the effects of stress. In turn, they can also
boost your energy levels. Exercise is also a good way to
reduce stress and is important for good health. Not only can
stress cause you sleepless nights, it can also lead to adrenal
burnout or adrenal fatigue, which occurs when the adrenal
glands are constantly producing cortisol in response to chronic
stress. However, when stress is decreased, changes in our
hormone levels can return to normal. The key is learning how
to deal with daily stress so that the body is able to return to
its normal state.
In addition to stress control, it is important to provide
yourself with an adrenal supplement to improve the health of
your adrenal glands and repair them when they are
malfunctioning. If your adrenal glands are stressed-out, great
results can be seen from taking a raw adrenal supplement. Be
sure to buy a supplement that contains whole adrenal and cortex
adrenal as well as vitamin C, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, and
licorice. The adrenal glands use these nutrients to
manufacture cortisone and other compounds. Liver extract also
improves energy levels by providing an excellent source of
nutrients such as iron, B vitamins, and other minerals. It has
been shown to support healthy function of the liver and increase
the energy levels inside our body. A high-quality liver extract
supplement should be cold-processed and encapsulated to enhance
speed and absorption of nutrients from the liver because heat
will destroy the key components in the liver. Along with the
above listed nutrients, there are many other natural
alternatives that promote relaxation and increase energy levels
during the day. Rhodiola rosea relieves stress and increases
energy as well as lifts our moods, improves sexual
satisfaction, and helps in certain nervous system disorders.
Remember to consult your health care practitioner before
changing any medications. The above mentioned vitamin
supplements are available at your friendly internet health food
store.
About The Author: Visit VitaNet Health Foods at
http://vitanetonlin
and herbs at discount prices and name brands like Source
Naturals and Enzymatic Therapy. Please link to this site when
using this article.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Boost Energy And Reduce Stress Naturally
After Diet Comes Diet
Judging from the recent statistical data in relation to the
exponential increase of overweight and obese people worldwide,
a lot of individuals who feel unhappy with their bodies, even
when it is objectively considered to belong to the normal
scale, follow some kind of weight-loss diet plan and stick with
it forever. Others, probably happier people than the previous
group, if they decide to follow a weight-loss diet plan they do
it for a specific period and stop when the goal is attained.
But, dieticians find it imperative that upon the successful
completion of any weight-loss plan, the individual that has
managed to loose the desired weight has to follow a maintenance
diet that will assist them to avoid putting the lost weight back
on. Usually, this stage is twice as long in duration in
comparison to the initial weight-loss plan followed.
The stage of preserving your "new" body figure is a specific
time period during which the person that followed a weight-loss
diet plan has to continue paying attention on the quantity and
the frequency of the meals he/she consumes, so as to manage to
keep the new fit and healthy looking body type. During this
period of time the individual "learns" again how and what to
eat or avoid and this continues up until the moment that it is
feasible to select the adequate amount of food as this process
has now become natural. The hardest a weight-loss plan was and
the longer it lasted, the longer will the maintenance stage be.
In average, this preservation diet plan lasts one to two months,
during which the weight fluctuates a bit before stabilizing on a
specific and desired weight. That is the reason why experts
advice a person that decides to follow a weight-loss plan to
loose 3 to 5 pounds more than their goal, since these extra
lost pounds are going to be added again to his/her weight
during the maintenance stage.
The success of a diet does not depend solely on the outcome,
meaning the actual number of pounds lost, but rather on the
ability of the person to keep the "new" weight number stable in
the future. Thus, the maintenance stage is considered to be a
crucial stage for the total successful outcome of a weight-loss
effort. During this stage, since the individual is happy with
the results of his/her efforts and does not have any more to
carry the stress of the effort, it is actually the best period
to train the body to eat healthy and develop a nutritional
consciousness. If one cannot learn to eat right at this stage
it will probably never be feasible for them to learn.
According to dieticians and other nutritional experts the
maintenance stage is extremely important. If a person that has
avoided certain types of foods is again free to taste whatever
he or she likes, then the weight lost will be again gained and
the whole effort will be a waste. By following simple rules and
setting limits to oneself and tangible goals, people can gain
control over their weight and can be optimistic about keeping
it steady in the future.
About The Author: Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles for
http://foodandourli
articles for http://fitness-
http://ihealthstati
Can Green Tea And Caffeine Help You Maintain Weight Loss?
Weight loss and maintenance is no laughing matter. Today, 60
percent of American adults need to lose weight, and many of them
feel defeated by their struggles. In addition, for many people,
keeping weight off after weight loss is even more difficult than
losing it in the first place.
Copyright (c) 2007 Marcus Stout
Golden Moon Tea
http://www.GoldenMoonTea.com
Weight loss and maintenance is no laughing matter. Today, 60% of
American adults need to lose weight, and many of them feel
defeated by their struggles. In addition, for many people,
keeping weight off after weight loss is even more difficult than
losing it in the first place.
These difficulties are the reason that sales of diet aids are so
consistently high. People who are trying to lose weight are
constantly looking for any help they can find to increase their
weight loss and maintenance success.
If you need to lose weight, it's critical that you make changes
to your diet and your physical activity level. The following
suggestions can help you to begin shedding pounds without
resorting to extreme dieting measures:
* Substitute fish and chicken for beef and pork most days of the
week.
* Eliminate white flour from your diet. Eat whole grains, such
as 100% whole wheat bread instead.
* Eliminate refined sugar from your diet. Use artificial
sweeteners and natural sweeteners like honey instead.
* Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and
vegetables will provide more anti-oxidants and fiber, along with
fewer calories than processed vegetables, particularly those in
sauce.
* Increase your fiber intake – Extra fiber will help you feel
full longer, helping you to reduce the number of calories you're
eating without feeling deprived.
* Watch the fat- Reduce the saturated fat in your diet. Avoid
any food with hydrogenated fats or trans fats. Get your fats from
olive oil, canola oil, fish and nuts.
* Get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week.
Walking is a great way to get in your exercise, and it's
convenient because you can do it anywhere. You should also get in
strength training 3 times a week for 30 minutes each session.
Strength training will help you build muscle, which will help you
burn more calories even when resting.
Making these changes should allow you to lose weight gradually
without feeling hungry. Only when you make changes that you can
sustain for the long term will you be able to take off the weight
and keep it off.
However, while it's critical to understand that diet and
exercise will always be the keys to maintaining a healthy weight,
it's always nice to find little tricks that make losing weight
and keeping it off just a bit easier.
One substance that does seem to hold promise in weight loss is
green tea. Many studies have shown that the consumption of green
tea along with a healthy diet can help you lose more weight than
dieting alone.
It is believed that green tea's potent anti-oxidants combined
with the caffeine in the tea help speed up the metabolism and
burn fat. In addition, some studies have even shown that green
tea can inhibit the absorption of dietary fat, meaning that less
of the fat you eat ends up as body fat.
However, one interesting study suggests that green tea's
effectiveness may be negated if you consume too much other
caffeine in your diet. A study conducted by Maastricht University
in The Netherlands attempted to show how green tea would affect
participants attempting to maintain a recent weight loss. It
showed less promising results regarding the consumption of green
tea, particularly when the participants were high consumers of
caffeine overall.
In this study, 104 overweight and moderately obese men and women
were put on a low calorie diet for 4 weeks. During the four week
period, the participants lost an average of 7.5% of their body
weight. During the 13 week maintenance period, the participants
were fed either green tea or a placebo. The participants did not
show statistically different results between the group receiving
green tea and the group receiving the placebo.
However, the study did show that participants who had overall
high caffeine consumption regained more of the weight they lost
than those who had a lower overall caffeine consumption.* When
you consider these results compared with other studies where
additional caffeine consumption was restricted, and a correlation
between the use of green tea and weight loss was observed, it
suggests that excess caffeine use may negate green tea's
possible positive effects.
If you look at the entire body of research on green tea's
ability to enhance weight loss, it seems very promising, in spite
of the results of this particular study. And, the good news is,
that even if green tea doesn't help you lose weight, it's very
healthy for you and has no side effects.
So, you have nothing to lose by trying green tea as a weight loss
supplement. Green tea's anti-oxidants may hold significant power
in helping you avoid diseases like cancer, heart disease and
Alzheimer's. In addition, regular consumption of green tea may
reduce the signs of aging and help you live a longer and
healthier life. And, in addition, you may find your weight loss
efforts easier and more effective than ever.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marcus Stout is President of the Golden Moon
Tea Company. For more information about tea,
(http://www.goldenmoontea.com/greentea)
green tea (http://www.goldenmoontea.com/blacktea)
and black tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com
Essential Nutrition
We all know by now that essential vitamins and minerals are
needed in order to promote good health. Let's explain a little
about both.
There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water soluble
vitamins. The fat soluble vitamins are found in fatty foods
such as animal fats, vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver and
oily fish, while the water soluble vitamins are found in fruit,
vegetables, and grains. The difference between the two is that a
fat soluble can be dissipated by heat or exposure to air. They
can, as you know, lose most of their nutrients when cooked. Fat
soluble vitamins consist of: A, D, E, and K. Water soluble
vitamins include: B6, B12, C, biotin, folic acid, niacin,
riboflavin, thiamin and antithetic acid.
Essential minerals, on the other hand, help the body perform
many important bodily functions. Calcium and magnesium both
help build strong bones and teeth. Iron is needed to produce
red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Other
minerals are needed to assist with the production of hormones,
proteins and amino acids. The hair, fingernails, nerves, skin,
muscles and all the major organs count on these essential
minerals to help them do their jobs.
Unlike vitamins, in which many are water soluble, are easily
and regularly eliminated from the body via the urine or sweat.
Minerals are generally stored in the body until use. Those
individuals who regularly consume a diet that is full of
fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, lean meats, good fats, and
low-fat dairy products usually get the recommended daily
allowances of most vitamins and minerals and don't need
supplements because they have a good storehouse. However,
eating fast food, no food, restaurant food, and high-fat snack
food is the norm rather than the exception for most
individuals. These foods are mostly devoid of their vitamins
and minerals. Vegetarians who eat mainly plant-based diets may
also need to rely on supplements for their needs. By
restricting meat and sometimes dairy from their diets, their
bodies may be severely lacking in essential nutrition.
In these cases, it may make sense to take a mineral supplement.
Before doing so, take time to speak with your physician. Talk
about your typical diet, any known medical conditions and any
prescriptions you're currently taking. After that, you'll both
be able to make a more informed decision about nutritional
supplements.
Select your mineral and vitamin supplements with care. Go with
a name brand you trust or that you're familiar with. Price
shouldn't be the main consideration. It's okay to purchase
online, but research your source first. Look for a supplement
that contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Be sure to
take the mineral only as required. Taking more than indicated
will not double or triple your benefits. In fact, the opposite
may happen. Excessive amounts of some minerals can have toxic
effects. Most importantly, do not rely on vitamin or mineral
supplements to provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
Make time to get nutritional foods into your diet.
Snack on fruits rather than chips. Consume red meat and dairy
in moderation. Add a vegetable to each meal. Something as
simple as a side salad will make a huge difference. Remember
that vitamin and mineral supplements are simply that;
supplements.
About The Author: While engaged in business as an independent
representative for New Vision International
(http://www.newvisio
is to help circulate informational information about good health
and wellbeing. "Everyone deserves to live the best life they
can."
Low Carb Diet Side Effects
Many people curious about starting a low carb diet wonder if
there are side effects they need to be aware of before getting
started. Many also wonder if there are harmful low carb diet
side effects too, so let's look at the most common side effects
of low carb dieting, and talk about whether any of these are
harmful.
Some of these low carb diet side effects can be problematic for
people with health conditions, particularly if they're taking
medications for those conditions. Often the side effects are
good, but you need to be aware they can happen and talk to your
medical care provider because they'll need to monitor your
progress and possibly change, reduce, or eliminate medications
as you progress.
For instance, a very common low carb diet side effect is
lowered, or more even blood sugar levels. This is an important
low carb diet side effect for any diabetic, particularly ones
that take insulin shots or medication. Since low carb diets can
drastically reduce your blood sugar levels naturally, your
doctor may need to adjust your medication levels to compensate
for those changes.
Another low carb diet side effect is of course losing a lot of
weight. This by itself is not technically a side effect, but
related effects of losing weight can include regulation of
blood pressure, easing or disappearance of digestive tract
problems, and resolution of breathing problems too.
If you're taking high blood pressure medication, then the side
effect of having that lowered from eating a low carb diet will
need to be addressed by your doctor or medical care specialist.
The same applies for digestive troubles, if you experience
resolution to those problems as a low carb dieting side effect,
your doctor will need to adjust or eliminate the medications you
take.
Now if you don't take medications for conditions such as those
listed above, you may still experience low carb diet side
effects, but they're likely to be ones you're happy to have.
Common, "good" low carb diet side effects include reduced
cravings for sugars and starches; increased energy; reduced
bloated and gassy, upset stomach feelings; improved bowel
movements; regulated blood sugar levels and blood pressure
levels; loss of excess water retention; and of course, loss of
excess body fat.
There are some low carb diet side effects that are not harmful,
but you need to be aware of them because they are uncomfortable
at best. These low carb diet side effects are more common
during the first one to five days on the diet, and are side
effects of your body adjusting to your eating changes. These
side effects can include headaches; nausea; dizziness; lethargy
or low energy; severe sugar cravings; irritability; and
constipation.
There are also a couple of women specific low carb diet side
effects. In the first week or two of your new low carb diet,
you may experience oddities with your monthly menstrual flow.
Usually this side effect lasts a short time though, and is
caused by your body adjusting to the new eating lifestyle
you've chosen. A great low carb diet side effect comes later:
Women's menstrual flow is usually reduced, and there is
generally much less pain or other problems involved while
you're on a low carb diet.
Many of those early low carb diet side effects can be reduced
by drinking extra water and getting plenty of rest, plus making
sure you don't go hungry. In rare cases these initial low carb
diet side effects can last as long as ten days, but usually
they're present from approximately the third to the fifth day
of your low carb diet.
About The Author: For more information on Low Carb Diet Side
Effects visit http://www.lowcarb.
__,_._,___
10 Steps For Fat Loss
1) Calculate how many calories you body needs to consume to
maintain your existing weight. This is called you maintenance
calories.(Search google with "calorie needs" and you will find
a few different calculators to help you with this)
2) Initially deduct 10%(to a maximum of 500Kcal)off the total
maintenance calories. Drastically reducing your calories will
result in muscle and water loss - not fat loss.
3) Divide you calories over 5 or 6 meals rather then 2 or 3.
You should aim to eat every 3-4 hours.
4) Cut out all simple carbohydrates (except straight after
exercise, eat whole grain, high fibre foods.)
5) Exercise at least 3 times a week, doing 30 minutes of cardio
to a reasonable level of intensity. This will help to create the
calorie defecit and encourage your body to lose fat.
6) Make simple replacements in your diet, Sweetner in place of
sugar, diet drinks in place of full sugar drinks, use leaner
cuts of meat etc. At first these changes may be difficult but
you will get used to them and make vital calorie savings every
day.
7) Drink plenty of water - at least 2 litres of water every day
- if you are dehydrated you body will be less efficient and will
make fat loss more difficult.
8) Try to eat low carb(complex only!), low fat and moderate
protein. From my experience the South Beach Diet is excellent.
9) Keep a food diary to monitor how many calories you are
consuming - it is very easy to over eat.
10) Supplementing you diet can make fat loss easier. A diet
high in protein can help preserve muscle (more muscle means an
increase in metabolism). There are also some fat loss
supplements available which help boost your metabolism, this is
useful as your metabolism may slow during extended periods of
dieting.
This article is written from my own experiences. I have lost
20lbs of fat and gained 20lbs of muscle. My body fat is 11%.
Please consult a doctor for proper medical advice
About The Author: I am a fitness enthusiast and write about my
experience of fat loss and exercise. This Article is written on
behalf of The Supplement Site http://www.thesuppl
Carbohydrates Are Not The Key To Weight Loss
Carbohydrates are the body's major source of energy which
enables the many body organs to function properly.
Carbohydrates taken in by the body is broken down into glucose
which provides the much needed energy of the human body. With
the glucose that was produced as the human body consumes
carbohydrate-
hormone called insulin which transfers the glucose from the
blood to the different cells of the human body. That in a
nutshell explains how important carbohydrates are and why
everyone should not totally eliminate the intake of
carbohydrates through their diet plans.
To explain why carbohydrates is not the key to weight loss, it
is important to know the two different types of carbohydrates
contained in the food that people eat. One is the carbohydrates
in its simplest raw form of sugars found in fruits and
vegetables and the other one is complex carbohydrates which are
found in cereals and potatoes. Both of these forms of
carbohydrates have good and beneficial effect on the body
because they produce energy which is badly needed by the body
to function properly. However, not all foods are good supplier
of carbohydrates whether simple sugar or complex carbohydrates.
Sugar sources of carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables
are good carbohydrates because they these sugars are unrefined
and come in their simplest natural form. And aside from this
fruits and vegetables also contains phyto-chemicals which make
it a good source of nutritional needs. Complex carbohydrates
are also good for the body if they are taken in by eating
fiber-rich carbohydrate heavy foods such as cereals, whole
wheat bread and whole grains. Aside from giving the body good
supply of sugar to produce energy, these foods are easily
digested and are not stored in the body as fat. The bad
carbohydrates rich food that should be avoided are those that
come from foods made of refined sugar such as cookies, cakes,
carbonated drinks and others because of the high sugar
concentration in these foods which are hard to digest and most
often than not remain in the body as stored fat.
Going to the question of whether carbohydrates are the key to
weight loss, the answer is either a yes or no. Like any other
food, anything that is taken in excess of how much the body
needs is always a bad thing. The same thing is true for
carbohydrates, whether it is simple or complex, good or bad
carbohydrates; the important thing to remember is that, both
affects weight gain, if not taken moderately. It should always
be remembered that any amount of carbohydrates taken in by the
body which is not consumed and converted into energy will
remain in the body as stored fat, which would contribute to
weight gain.
So, is a low-carb high-protein diet the best way to lose
weight? The answer is still either yes or no. It would still
depend on what type of protein is taken in as part of the diet.
Protein like carbohydrates also contributes to weight gain if
not taken at the right proportion and not consumed by the body
properly. But this is not saying that low-carb high protein
diet has no effect on weight loss, actually it has an effect on
weight loss. However, Too much of protein and less of energy
producing carbohydrates may not be good to one's over all
health. The body needs energy from carbohydrates and the
nutrients from protein rich food to build up muscles and for
other sustenance.
Carbohydrates intake may lead to weight loss, it is a proven
fact. But to say that it is the key to weight loss is not true.
Depriving the body of the much needed energy from carbohydrates
may lead to weight loss, but the effect on the over all health
of the body must also be considered. The best way to achieve
weight loss is by attaining weigh loss objective without
sacrificing total body health. To do this, the key is still
moderation in the intake of the essential nutrients whether
they are carbohydrates, protein among other things. And of
course, ensure that these nutrients are properly utilized by
the body through maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.
About The Author: http://www.weight-
http://www.creatine
http://www.hoodia-
http://www.fish-
http://www.glucosam
http://www.calcium-
http://www.green-
How To Eat To Gain Mass
One major reason that people do not gain muscle mass in because
of an insufficient diet. Weight training only provides a
stimulus for your muscles to start growing. It is when you go
home and recover after the exercise that you start to add on
muscle.
For your muscles to grow you need to eat plenty of the correct
types of food. Your diet provides the raw materials for your
muscles to grow and if it is lacking then your muscles will
stay the same size and you will see no results for your efforts
in the gym.
The key to weight gain is to consume more calories than your
body uses. The excess will be stored as extra weight on your
body. This will either be muscle or fat but the key is to
consume extra calories.To build muscle you must consume extra
calories with sufficient levels of protein, if you eat just
extra calories but with no protein to build muscle you will
just get fat so we need to look at protein intake and calorie
intake combined.
There is debate about how much protein you should consume. The
amount most people agree on would be about 1.5grams per kilo of
bodyweight. So if I was 80kg I would need about 120grams a day
if I was 100kg I would need 150 grams per day. You then divide
this by the number of meals you eat in a day to get the amount
you should be eating in each meal. If I need 150grams of
protein a day and eat six times a day I will need to have 25
grams of protein in each meal.
The protein consumption needs to be spread out evenly over the
day. The body cannot store protein so if you eat more than the
body can process in one go then it will get burned as energy or
broken down and pass through the body. Eating it in smaller
amounts throughout the day gives your body protein evenly
leading to better muscle gain. Most sources say that the body
can process and utilize around 30grams of protein per meal so
going higher than this in one meal doesn't really have any
benefit.
The best sources of protein in the diet are meats and dairy
products. Meat on average uncooked is 20% protein so cooking
100grams of meat will yield about twenty grams of protein. An
egg is about 7grams of protein. Milk ranges from about 6 grams
per 200mil to 11grams per 200mls. The types of milk with the
highest protein levels are the high calcium milks. In general
meats provide the best sources of protein but it is good to get
a variety of protein sources to stop your diet from getting
monotonous the key is to eat an appropriate amount in every
meal.
The next thing to look at is how often during the day are you
eating. Some people eat lots in one or two meals but then eat
nothing else during the day. People should be eating about 5 to
6 meals per day. This means that the body gets energy throughout
the day making it less likely to store it as fat plus also you
can keep building muscle through the day. The most important
reason I feel however is that your stomach can hold only so
much food in one go. A huge plate of pasta or rice at most
could be around 1000kcals and if that make you full for the
whole afternoon then in total you wont have eaten as much for
the whole day as if you had smaller meals. The body can digest
a lot more food if it is spread out in slightly smaller meals.
When eating through the day it is best to have your meals
regularly spaced and about the same time each day, if possible.
This gets you body into a pattern and makes it easier to eat
your meals. If your meal times vary you my end up having two
meals close together and not be able to finish the second one.
If you are eating to gain weight you will most likely not feel
hungry when you are eating and may go for days without feeling
hungry. The thing though is that you may not be hungry but you
will still be able to eat if you stick to a schedule. If you
time your meals wrong you may feel stuffed and not be able to
even chew and swallow your food. This may seem like a lot of
eating but it only takes me 10-15 minutes to eat at each meal
so I can easily fit it into my workday.
Pieces of equipment you need
Diary
One thing you will need is a diary to track what you are
eating. The first thing you need to do is track your food
requirements for a week. At the start measure your bodyweight
at the beginning of the week. Then record everything you eat
for a week, record when you ate and what you ate but most
important the number of calories per meal. To figure this out
you will have to start looking at packaging that comes with the
food or making estimates based on nutritional guides you can
find on the net but you have to record everything that you eat.
Also record the caloric content of anything you drink as you may
be consuming a lot of calories in drinks etc. Recording this
will give you your calorie intake for the week and then divide
this weekly total by seven to see what you consumed on average
per day. Then measure your weight at the end of the week at the
same day of the day as when you measured at the start to see if
it has changed.
Most likely if this is how you normally eat your weight will
not have changed and we will have figured out what you need to
eat each day to maintain your weight. Most people need to eat
between 2000-3000kcal per day to maintain their weight
depending on age and size. To gain weight you will need to
start eating more than this amount. To gain one kilo of weight
you have to eat in excess about 7,000kcals of food. So if you
wanted to gain one kilo in a week you have to eat an extra
1000kcals per day. This is about the same as adding 250grams of
uncooked pasta or rice to your diet per day. But if you spread
that over a day that is only and extra 170kcals per meal if you
eat six times a day which is quite feasible.
Digital Scales
Now this is a very important piece of equipment. You need to
have a set of these so you can measure the amount of food you
are eating in each meal. Judging by eye is not a very accurate
method and scales ensure that you are eating consistently over
the day and not overeating in one meal or under eating. You
will be weighing out your carbohydrates and your protein. When
preparing meals you will have a protein source (Normally some
type of meat but also dairy products or eggs) you will weigh
out the protein source so you have the required amount per meal
(20-30grams depending on body weight) So if I was making a meal
with chicken I would measure out about 150 grams of chicken as
this will give me about 30grams of protein. Then I weigh out my
carbohydrate source (Potatoes rice pasta etc.) If was wanting
about 500kcals from carbohydrate I usually weigh out about 125
grams of rice or pasta (uncooked). You will have to start
looking on the packaging to see the energy value of the food
then from there you can then figure out how much you need to
eat and then weigh that out
Digital scales are pretty cheap. I bought mine from the
Warehouse for about thirty five dollars. I use them to weigh my
meat, pasta and rice, protein powder and other supplements since
they work down to the gram. This helps make sure my meals are
all the right size and have enough protein.
Bathroom Scales
Another important thing to have when trying to gain weight is
some scales to measure your bodyweight. If you cannot keep
track of how your weight is going it will be hard to know if
you are eating enough or too little. I weigh myself in the
morning and the evening and record what my weight is. This
helps me to see any patterns. Another trick is to weigh
yourself when you get home from work so you know how much you
have to eat to be on target for your weight gain for that day
or whether you don't have to eat as much this evening since you
are already at what you should be. Your weight will fluctuate by
one or two kilos between evening and morning so only use one of
the measurements as a guide for your overall weight gain.
Tracking how much you are eating and seeing how this relates to
your weight gain gives you a guide as to how much you need to be
eating to gain weight
Should I be using supplements?
When you are starting the most important thing is to have the
diet correct make sure you are getting enough sleep each day
(about eight hours a day) and weight training properly. If you
are not doing that supplements will not be much help. Protein
supplements can useful if you have trouble eating solid meals
six times a day or are unable to prepare a meal or are on the
go. You can get weight gain shakes and protein shakes which
have the same calories and protein as a normal meal but they
only take a minute or two to prepare and drink. If you are
sometimes in a rush or not very hungry they can be quite good
to have. They are also good to take straight after weight
training as you may not feel like solid food but your body
needs protein to help start the recovery process
Other Notes
One thing to watch out for when you are eating is that you will
have figured out what you need to eat to maintain you weight and
then you start to add extra calories but your weight gain is
lower than what you thought it would be. I have had this occur
myself and it appears to be that the body is trying to burn up
the extra calories. For me this results in my body temperature
going up, when I start eating more to gain weight my wife
quickly notices that my skin becomes a lot warmer to the touch
and this is the body trying to use the extra calories. However
the body can only burn so many calories this way and then it
will have to start storing it as extra body weight.
Useful Numbers
Most people eat the same types of food on a regular basis so
here are a few numbers to help you start to calculate the
number of calories you need to eat to gain weight. For more
nutritional information search on google for "nutritional
calculators"
Carbohydrate Sources
Bread (per slice) = 81kcal per slice
Pasta (Uncooked) = 361kcal per 100grams
Rice (Uncooked) = 357kcal per 100grams
Potatoes (Uncooked) = 83kcal per 100grams
Kumara (Uncooked) = 80kcals per 100grams
Protein Sources
Rump Steak (Uncooked) = 234lcal and 19.8grams of protein per
100grams
Chicken Breast (Uncooked) = 122kcal and 22.3grams of protein
per 100grams
Eggs (No 7) = 76kcal and 6.9grams of protein per egg.
Milk (Calci-Trim) = 92kcal and 11.4grams of protein per 200mls
Conclusion
Hopefully this advice will help you get on track to making
gains outside of the gym. Remember that diet and weight
training are equally important and some people even say that
weight training is slightly less important since you spend more
time eating that weight training. However if you stick to a
routine with your eating and make sure you are eating enough
then you will start to make gains. Remember this process will
take weeks and months but if you track your progress this will
give you motivation to keep on going.
About The Author: Graeme Muir has an interest in weight
training and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and improving performance
through supplementation, go to http://www.grmprodu
a range of supplements available and further articles.
Foods That Boost Metabolism: Raise Your Metabolism And Lose Weight Fast
If you're dieting and are still not losing weight, or are
losing weight very slowly, the problem may be that you're not
eating enough to boost your metabolism. You need to eat foods
that boost metabolism, so that you can lose weight quickly and
easily.
Essentially, metabolism is just the rate at which your body
burns calories. However, your body is sneaky. If you're not
eating enough, it simply slows down your metabolism, and this
is the reason you often feel tired and listless on a diet.
Here's how to get around this.
Stoke Your Metabolism With Food
Your first step is to eat enough, but don't touch that donut!
Eat proteins like meat, fish, nuts, and beans. Proteins raise
your metabolic rate. Don't fall for the hype surrounding
"negative calorie" foods like vegetables. These foods don't
raise your metabolism. You need foods which fire your furnace.
Think of your metabolism as a furnace. When you're dieting, or
as you age, your body turns down and banks the furnace. You
can't stoke your furnace with weeds - stoke it with protein.
Consider Going On A Low-Carb Diet For A Week Or Two
Starchy carbohydrates like potatoes, corn, yams and bread made
with refined flour and other refined foods will not boost your
metabolism, so consider going on a low-carb diet, with its
emphasis on protein for a week or so.
Low-carb diets are difficult to maintain over time. However,
switching to a diet which contains more protein for a week is
easy, and these foods will boost your metabolism again.
Exercise: Every Step Counts
Unfortunately, when it comes to boosting your metabolism, just
changing your diet won't work. You need to move. Even 20
minutes a day is great. Go for a walk, and you'll boost your
metabolism for the next 24 hours.
So there you have it - the foods that boost your metabolism are
proteins, so eat a lean steak, with plenty of vegetables, and go
for a walk. Within hours, you'll feel vital energetic and within
days, you'll start to lose weight again.
About The Author: Make your metabolism roar - Top Metabolism at
http://www.topmetab
need to lose weight, and gain energy. For additional weight
loss info, visit 30 Day Slimmer at http://www.30daysli
Weight-Loss Supplements That Work:how To Find Your Way Throughthe Hoax, The Hype And The Harm
In January 2007, the Federal Trade Commission fined four
supplement manufacturers a total of 25 million dollars for
making what they said were false advertising claims about their
weight-loss products.
These weren't fly-by-night operations, selling little-known
products. Among the fined was Bayer Corporation, and its
One-A-Day brand. Others included the well-advertised and widely
purchased products Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim and CortiStress, and
TrimSpa.
So what's a consumer to do? Stay away from any over-the-counter
vitamin or herbal product that claims it can help you lose
weight? But what if you're a "consumer" who has consumed too
much—what if you're among the 2 of 3 American adults who is
overweight? What if you're among the 9 out of 10 dieters who
have tried to lose weight again and again—and failed?
I have good news and bad news. Let's start with the bad: there
is no miracle pill for weight loss. There's only one way to
lose weight permanently: reduce calorie intake through eating
less, and increase calorie-burning through more physical
activity.
The good news: there are a few scientifically-
nutritional supplements that can help you lose weight. I know,
because I just spent more than a year writing about them, in my
new book, The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy (Broadway, 2007),
co-authored with Harry Preuss, MD, a professor at Georgetown
University Medical Center and an expert in natural remedies.
The supplements featured in The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy—the
supplements that scientific research shows can work for
weight-loss or weight-maintenance—
carbohydrate-
triglycerides, 5-HTP, and chromium.
You will find all the information you need in The Natural
Fat-Loss Pharmacy to choose and use these supplements safely
and effectively. But here are a few brief guidelines that
anybody can use to bypass the hype, hoax and harm, and choose
the right supplements:
Don't believe outrageous claims. You know what they say: if it
sounds too good to be true, it is. Super-rapid weight
loss…weight loss without dieting or exercise…a pill that helps
you lose weight and cures every disease in the medical
dictionary—those are red flags. Keep on walking.
Think twice about multi-ingredient products. Some scientific
research shows that two-ingredient products are effective, like
HCA/chromium, or EGCG/caffeine. But if the product is loaded
with ingredients, many of which you don't even recognize…don'
buy it. Many individual vitamins or herbs have been
scientifically-
products haven't.
Check out the research yourself. You're on the Web—and Web
gives you instant, first-person access to authentic scientific
research. One tip: go to the beta site, Google scholar
(http://scholar.
interested in along with the words "weight loss". A lot of
evidence will appear. (Try, for instance, "chromium" and
"weight loss".) Judge the results for yourself.
Read The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy and discuss it with your
doctor. The book has been endorsed more than a dozen top
scientists doctors and nutritionists. It's the first and only
science-based guide to weight-loss supplements that work. And
it's practical—it tells you which brands have produced positive
results, and at what dosage. It also offers sensible programs
for calorie-control and increasing activity—the essential
elements of losing weight. You can read more about the book—and
my other books on health and healing—at www.drugfreehealing
About The Author: Yours for better health, Bill Gottlieb,
author The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy and Alternative Cures (1.5
million copies in print) billgottlieb@
http://www.drugfree