Aromatherapy is an ancient science of using aromas to treat a patient who might be suffering from any kind of disease. Not only do the aromas of plants and herbs used effectively to cure and relaxes a person, it affects a portion of the brain which is highly receptive to olfactory nerves, stimulating relaxation and providing stress relief. Essential oils are the core of the science of aromatherapy, which provides base for this fragrant treatment. Aromatherapy uses essential oils, that everyone knows commonly but do you actually know what essential oils actually are?
Essential oils are extracted from various plants using steam or water of leaves, roots, the stem, bark, flowers and all parts of the trees are used effectively. Distilled essential oils are known to be transparent and clear but some are colored.
Aromatherapy uses blend of oils which are available, and may work better than simply using single aromatic oils. Aromatherapy works with essential oils as vaporization of these oils creates different moods and can produce a beautiful ambience, along with releasing a soothing fragrance which fills your soul. The right way to vaporize aromatherapy oils is to use oil burners, light bulb rings and aroma stone vaporizers. However, essential oils which are derived from orange, lemon, tangerine, lemongrass and patchouli are yellow in color. These oils are volatile, concentrated and usually come in small bottle but as they evaporate easily, leaving no oily residue which is also an indication of purity and should be kept tightly closed.
For skin care benefits, apply the oils after diluting them in almond oil or olive oil or other pure natural oil bases. Essential oils are real blessing to our health and skin care regimen as their application is known to be highly beneficial in medical conditions also.
You might be wondering as to where and how to purchase these oils?
Although these are available in health stores while you can also purchase them over the counter in many drug stores. When purchasing these oils, be careful to buy only the highest quality products. Essential oil prices vary depending on availability and quality as the product is fixed on the basis of country of origin, quality standardization of distilment and the amount of oil derived from the plant. Essential oils will be priced very steep in comparison with the artificially manufactured oils.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Sure Shot Younger Looking Skin Formula!
With big brands spending millions of dollars on advertising, people think that these products will be the best. But have you ever turned over the product and read the list of ingredients and checked each over the internet for the side effects or the harm it can actually cause your skin?
Don't go on the flawless face and lustrous hair of the models advertising these products as half of it is actually digital photography! Think for yourself and learn about organic skin care products. There are many home made creams and secrets that can make you look absolutely fabulous or if you do not have the time to make these concoctions, go in for healthy natural organic skin care products right from moisturizers to face washes and creams to lotions.
Skin is a good absorbent and medically many medicines are introduced into the body with the help of skin especially skin patches. So, if you apply high chemicals infused cosmetics and skin care products, think what you skin is absorbing!
So, why abuse your skin and body - go in for gentle body care products that not only nourish your skin but also help you get flawless beautiful skin with no side effects. Costs may be a little higher than the normal chemical skin care products but after all that shows the quality of the product.
Most herbal and skin acre products have essential oils, which are the real essence and extract of a plant so you have natural fragrances and the benefits of aromatherapy in these products. Your skin will absorb all the qualities of essential oils and become soft, supple and rebuild the elasticity in the skin. Lemon, sage, lavender, chamomile, cedar wood, sandal are few of the essential oils used in skin care products and each has a positive benefit on your health.
There are many reputed stores both near you and online which stock only genuine, organic skin care products. You can be sure of the product quality and your skin type before you buy any product. Choosing what is good for you may become difficult when you see so many products, but get only reputed, good quality organic beauty care products, skin care creams, oils and lotions so that you really find signs of aging eliminated while your skin starts looking fresh, hydrated and beautiful.
Leave the world of chemicals and welcome Nature's bounty and miracles into your life. It is time to say hello to fresh, younger you again!
Don't go on the flawless face and lustrous hair of the models advertising these products as half of it is actually digital photography! Think for yourself and learn about organic skin care products. There are many home made creams and secrets that can make you look absolutely fabulous or if you do not have the time to make these concoctions, go in for healthy natural organic skin care products right from moisturizers to face washes and creams to lotions.
Skin is a good absorbent and medically many medicines are introduced into the body with the help of skin especially skin patches. So, if you apply high chemicals infused cosmetics and skin care products, think what you skin is absorbing!
So, why abuse your skin and body - go in for gentle body care products that not only nourish your skin but also help you get flawless beautiful skin with no side effects. Costs may be a little higher than the normal chemical skin care products but after all that shows the quality of the product.
Most herbal and skin acre products have essential oils, which are the real essence and extract of a plant so you have natural fragrances and the benefits of aromatherapy in these products. Your skin will absorb all the qualities of essential oils and become soft, supple and rebuild the elasticity in the skin. Lemon, sage, lavender, chamomile, cedar wood, sandal are few of the essential oils used in skin care products and each has a positive benefit on your health.
There are many reputed stores both near you and online which stock only genuine, organic skin care products. You can be sure of the product quality and your skin type before you buy any product. Choosing what is good for you may become difficult when you see so many products, but get only reputed, good quality organic beauty care products, skin care creams, oils and lotions so that you really find signs of aging eliminated while your skin starts looking fresh, hydrated and beautiful.
Leave the world of chemicals and welcome Nature's bounty and miracles into your life. It is time to say hello to fresh, younger you again!
Dieters : Questions You Must Ask Yourself When You Want To Lose Weight
Now I know you're always asking yourself questions.
You know the ones like "Why can't I lose weight?" and "Why does everything that's bad for you taste good?". But those questions won't get you anywhere – except maybe helping you feel sorry for yourself and setting you up for a spot of comfort eating.
A more empowering set of questions, on the other hand, will get you off to a good start if you're about to begin a weight loss program (or keep you on track if you're in the middle of a diet).
Here are the questions to ask when you want to give your weight loss efforts a real kick start.
Why do you want to lose weight?
Make sure your reasons for losing weight are clear. Do you want to look good? Do you want to feel healthier? Has your doctor given you a health warning? Do you just want to be able to run around the park with your kids? Maybe all these reasons apply. The more reasons you have for losing weight and the more you are aware of them the easier it will be to remind yourself to keep to your weight loss program when the going gets tough. Even better, spend some time imagining how you will FEEL when you succeed. This will do more than anything to increase your motivation.
How much weight do you want to lose?
Set yourself a target. This gives you something to aim for and you will be able to see how much closer you are getting each week. You can never succeed if you don't know what the end point is. "I want to lose weight" is not a measurable goal – you have succeeded (of sorts) after you lose an ounce. Make your goal specific with a target to aim for.
What will you do to lose weight?
Nothing is going to change unless you do. So what changes are you going to make? Will you follow a particular plan or just cut down in general? How will you know if you're succeeding? What exercise will you take (if any)? How will you make sure that you follow your plan? What will you do about the things that might get in the way? Vague ideas about losing weight need to translate via a concrete plan into action. Ask yourself the questions and decide what you will do.
Who will support you?
Some people will actively encourage you and help your efforts while others will get in the way of your plans. Do you know who your supporters will be? And who you will need to avoid or find some way to deal with? Ask for the support you need from those you think are most likely to give it or join a club of people who are also trying to lose weight. These are available online or offline. If you can afford it think about getting a coach – all that focus on your success will work wonders. As for those who are less than enthusiastic about your plans, think about ways of handling them. Of course you'll need a different strategy for close friends and relatives than you need for the guy who brings cakes into the office and insists you eat one!
And the final question?
When will you start?
There's no time like TODAY. No eating the pantry empty before you begin. Dump the junk food and get started right now!
You know the ones like "Why can't I lose weight?" and "Why does everything that's bad for you taste good?". But those questions won't get you anywhere – except maybe helping you feel sorry for yourself and setting you up for a spot of comfort eating.
A more empowering set of questions, on the other hand, will get you off to a good start if you're about to begin a weight loss program (or keep you on track if you're in the middle of a diet).
Here are the questions to ask when you want to give your weight loss efforts a real kick start.
Why do you want to lose weight?
Make sure your reasons for losing weight are clear. Do you want to look good? Do you want to feel healthier? Has your doctor given you a health warning? Do you just want to be able to run around the park with your kids? Maybe all these reasons apply. The more reasons you have for losing weight and the more you are aware of them the easier it will be to remind yourself to keep to your weight loss program when the going gets tough. Even better, spend some time imagining how you will FEEL when you succeed. This will do more than anything to increase your motivation.
How much weight do you want to lose?
Set yourself a target. This gives you something to aim for and you will be able to see how much closer you are getting each week. You can never succeed if you don't know what the end point is. "I want to lose weight" is not a measurable goal – you have succeeded (of sorts) after you lose an ounce. Make your goal specific with a target to aim for.
What will you do to lose weight?
Nothing is going to change unless you do. So what changes are you going to make? Will you follow a particular plan or just cut down in general? How will you know if you're succeeding? What exercise will you take (if any)? How will you make sure that you follow your plan? What will you do about the things that might get in the way? Vague ideas about losing weight need to translate via a concrete plan into action. Ask yourself the questions and decide what you will do.
Who will support you?
Some people will actively encourage you and help your efforts while others will get in the way of your plans. Do you know who your supporters will be? And who you will need to avoid or find some way to deal with? Ask for the support you need from those you think are most likely to give it or join a club of people who are also trying to lose weight. These are available online or offline. If you can afford it think about getting a coach – all that focus on your success will work wonders. As for those who are less than enthusiastic about your plans, think about ways of handling them. Of course you'll need a different strategy for close friends and relatives than you need for the guy who brings cakes into the office and insists you eat one!
And the final question?
When will you start?
There's no time like TODAY. No eating the pantry empty before you begin. Dump the junk food and get started right now!
Move Your Body
Exercise is an essential part of your well being and losing or maintaining weight. When working with clients I have found that the very idea of doing regular exercise sometimes stops some people from committing to a healthy eating program to lose weight because the idea of regular exercise, for many, conjures up pictures of sweating it out at the gym or fitness center, lifting weights and doing aerobic classes of some nature or other. Don’t let that stop you from starting a good lifestyle program.
There are plenty of other ways to exercise that do not involve the gym. This could include dance, playing a sport, swimming, horse riding, playing golf, going bowling etcetera. I am sure you get the picture. Choose something that excites you and that you have either enjoyed doing in the past or would like to try out now. To really have effect exercise needs to be done on a regular basis and for a sustained period of time at each interval; enough time to get the heart rate up. It is recommended that any session to be for a minimum of 30 minutes and for at least 4 times a week. This is a good starting point and you can always work yourself up from there. But the idea is to start and start somewhere.
Working out is not only good for health and weight maintenance, but it really does relieve stress. Everyone talks about this fact, but have you tried it out? You will be surprised at how going to the gym or running around the block a few times knocks stress right out of the ring. It is not a mere fallacy. There are real reasons for this. Moving your body releases endorphins, which are the essential feel-good chemicals found in your brain.
Researchers are not really sure how exercise triggers the release of endorphins. There are two thoughts around this namely; is it because of the positive emotion you feel when you meet and overcome a physical challenge or is it from the exertion itself? Whichever one, it does not really matter. What does count is that we know that physical activity can provide a rush of good energy. It can ease anxiety, panic and stress, even mild depression and on top of that it is a good way to keep healthy and increase the quality years of your life.
If you are still not convinced, do an experiment and compare the lives of people who exercise on a regular basis to those who do little or none. Compare their general outlook on life, levels of personal and other success, body tone and the color or look of their skin. Observe to see who manages to keep a positive outlook on life in the face of adversity and who tends to walk around with an innate air of confidence and pride.
How do you feel when you commit to regular exercise? Personally for me it always lifts my spirits, problems become more manageable and less catastrophic and physically I look and feel much better. Each time I follow through on my promise to work out, I feel good about myself. I have developed trust in myself to follow through and this alone has helped to develop a more authentic feeling of confidence in myself and my abilities.
Start to work some exercise plan into your week, move your body and gain a new lease on life.
There are plenty of other ways to exercise that do not involve the gym. This could include dance, playing a sport, swimming, horse riding, playing golf, going bowling etcetera. I am sure you get the picture. Choose something that excites you and that you have either enjoyed doing in the past or would like to try out now. To really have effect exercise needs to be done on a regular basis and for a sustained period of time at each interval; enough time to get the heart rate up. It is recommended that any session to be for a minimum of 30 minutes and for at least 4 times a week. This is a good starting point and you can always work yourself up from there. But the idea is to start and start somewhere.
Working out is not only good for health and weight maintenance, but it really does relieve stress. Everyone talks about this fact, but have you tried it out? You will be surprised at how going to the gym or running around the block a few times knocks stress right out of the ring. It is not a mere fallacy. There are real reasons for this. Moving your body releases endorphins, which are the essential feel-good chemicals found in your brain.
Researchers are not really sure how exercise triggers the release of endorphins. There are two thoughts around this namely; is it because of the positive emotion you feel when you meet and overcome a physical challenge or is it from the exertion itself? Whichever one, it does not really matter. What does count is that we know that physical activity can provide a rush of good energy. It can ease anxiety, panic and stress, even mild depression and on top of that it is a good way to keep healthy and increase the quality years of your life.
If you are still not convinced, do an experiment and compare the lives of people who exercise on a regular basis to those who do little or none. Compare their general outlook on life, levels of personal and other success, body tone and the color or look of their skin. Observe to see who manages to keep a positive outlook on life in the face of adversity and who tends to walk around with an innate air of confidence and pride.
How do you feel when you commit to regular exercise? Personally for me it always lifts my spirits, problems become more manageable and less catastrophic and physically I look and feel much better. Each time I follow through on my promise to work out, I feel good about myself. I have developed trust in myself to follow through and this alone has helped to develop a more authentic feeling of confidence in myself and my abilities.
Start to work some exercise plan into your week, move your body and gain a new lease on life.
Keys To A Great Diet
Are you confused about how to lose weight the healthy way? Have you tried all the fad diets on the market and still are frustrated about weight loss? Do you know just how much protein is enough? Are you confused about carbs? Are you wondering why the weight won't stay off? Just what is a healthy diet?
There are many aspects to a healthy weight loss program, and to help you sift through faddish information, here are two keys you should know. You need to know your body's protein requirements and know your resting metabolic rate.
There are many other aspects of healthy weight loss, but these two points are a sensible place to start when you are looking for a program that will help you lose the weight and keep it of, forever!
Just why is protein so important? Protein helps you to build and maintain lean muscle. Apart from creating a pleasing body shape and providing your body with strength, lean muscle burns calories and helps to keep your metabolic rate up. If you do not have enough protein in your diet, you will compromise your body's lean muscle tissue and not build your best personal shape. Another wonderful aspect of protein is that it signals to the brain a feeling of fullness. This in turn, controls your appetite, making weight loss easier!
How much protein do you need for healthy weight loss? To know this you need to find out your personal lean body mass. Your lean body mass is the weight of everything except the weight of your fat, muscles, bones, organs and fluids. A weight loss professional may be able to measure lean body mass. However without the equipment for a precise reading the general rule for healthy weight loss is 1 gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass. If you weigh 100 pounds, then your maximum level of protein would be 100 grams.
Usually when we think of protein, we think of red meat, chicken, turkey, fish and cheese. However, if you tried to eat all the protein your body required by eating meats (and many cheeses), you would be consuming too many calories. Protein in these forms often comes with additional fat and that means unwanted calories. This would work counter to your weight loss goals so we should go carefully with these forms of protein.
There are other ways to obtain your body's proteins needs with fewer fat calories. Soy protein is the highest quality plant protein available. It is a great source for the amino acids your body needs as well as the antioxidants that help maintain healthy cells. Soy protein does not have the high fat calories, and is long acting and slowly metabolized (helping you to keep feeling full). Some high-protein, low calorie drinks can help meet these protein needs as well as being an enjoyable food source.
So what happens if you don't eat enough protein? This is a very important point because many people don't even come close to meeting their daily protein requirements!
When your body doesn't get sufficient protein you can experience food cravings, fatigue, moodiness, depression, poor memory, and poor sleep. Further, you can find yourself out of shape and with excess fat. Your body may even steal protein from your muscles and organs, including the heart! Over time, your metabolism may slow down and you may even be at increased risk for a variety of diseases.
The second key element of designing a healthy weight management program is to know your resting metabolic rate (RMR). This is the number of calories your body burns while at rest per day. If you eat 500 calories less per day than your resting metabolic rate, you will lose about 1 pound a week. If you eat more than your RMR, and you don't exercise to burn off those excess calories, then you will gain weight.
When designing your weight management program it is generally considered unhealthy for women to consume less than 1200 calories a day and for men, 1800 per day. As a woman if your resting metabolic rate is 1700 calories or less, you will need to consider exercise as part of your weight loss regime in order to see results in the first week or two.
Armed with these two pieces of information you will be able to assess many of the faddish diets that abound and cut through the diet-hype. Of course, there are many other aspects of healthy weight loss, but these two principles are cornerstone to building a healthy program that will enable you to sustain long term weight loss.
There are many aspects to a healthy weight loss program, and to help you sift through faddish information, here are two keys you should know. You need to know your body's protein requirements and know your resting metabolic rate.
There are many other aspects of healthy weight loss, but these two points are a sensible place to start when you are looking for a program that will help you lose the weight and keep it of, forever!
Just why is protein so important? Protein helps you to build and maintain lean muscle. Apart from creating a pleasing body shape and providing your body with strength, lean muscle burns calories and helps to keep your metabolic rate up. If you do not have enough protein in your diet, you will compromise your body's lean muscle tissue and not build your best personal shape. Another wonderful aspect of protein is that it signals to the brain a feeling of fullness. This in turn, controls your appetite, making weight loss easier!
How much protein do you need for healthy weight loss? To know this you need to find out your personal lean body mass. Your lean body mass is the weight of everything except the weight of your fat, muscles, bones, organs and fluids. A weight loss professional may be able to measure lean body mass. However without the equipment for a precise reading the general rule for healthy weight loss is 1 gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass. If you weigh 100 pounds, then your maximum level of protein would be 100 grams.
Usually when we think of protein, we think of red meat, chicken, turkey, fish and cheese. However, if you tried to eat all the protein your body required by eating meats (and many cheeses), you would be consuming too many calories. Protein in these forms often comes with additional fat and that means unwanted calories. This would work counter to your weight loss goals so we should go carefully with these forms of protein.
There are other ways to obtain your body's proteins needs with fewer fat calories. Soy protein is the highest quality plant protein available. It is a great source for the amino acids your body needs as well as the antioxidants that help maintain healthy cells. Soy protein does not have the high fat calories, and is long acting and slowly metabolized (helping you to keep feeling full). Some high-protein, low calorie drinks can help meet these protein needs as well as being an enjoyable food source.
So what happens if you don't eat enough protein? This is a very important point because many people don't even come close to meeting their daily protein requirements!
When your body doesn't get sufficient protein you can experience food cravings, fatigue, moodiness, depression, poor memory, and poor sleep. Further, you can find yourself out of shape and with excess fat. Your body may even steal protein from your muscles and organs, including the heart! Over time, your metabolism may slow down and you may even be at increased risk for a variety of diseases.
The second key element of designing a healthy weight management program is to know your resting metabolic rate (RMR). This is the number of calories your body burns while at rest per day. If you eat 500 calories less per day than your resting metabolic rate, you will lose about 1 pound a week. If you eat more than your RMR, and you don't exercise to burn off those excess calories, then you will gain weight.
When designing your weight management program it is generally considered unhealthy for women to consume less than 1200 calories a day and for men, 1800 per day. As a woman if your resting metabolic rate is 1700 calories or less, you will need to consider exercise as part of your weight loss regime in order to see results in the first week or two.
Armed with these two pieces of information you will be able to assess many of the faddish diets that abound and cut through the diet-hype. Of course, there are many other aspects of healthy weight loss, but these two principles are cornerstone to building a healthy program that will enable you to sustain long term weight loss.
Is Your Goal Really Weight Loss?
Are you ashamed of your weight? Do you have a goal weight that you want to reach through weight loss? I’d say so, it’s been pushed into our brains many times over and over again that “weight loss” is what we want to accomplish. There are weight loss guides, weight loss supplements, and many other things that push “weight loss”. Many people even set their goals to be at a certain weight. Additionally, the medical community has developed an “ideal weight” chart, which can further add to the confusion about weight loss.
Now, let me ask you a question. Is your goal really weight loss? Unless you are trying to make a weight class for wrestling or some other sport with weight classes, you may think that your goal is weight loss, but it really isn’t. You are trying to lose that flubbery stuff attached to your body called FAT. Correct?
So then, why do we measure our progress by how much we weigh? Why do we step on the bathroom scale and hope that those numbers will be lower than before? You see, our weight is affected by more than just how much fat is on our body. Some other factors include water, muscle, glycogen, and obviously if we have eaten anything earlier or used the bathroom lately.
Our water weight fluctuates constantly. For instance, when we exhale water vapor comes out. When we sweat, we are sweating out water. There are also many more factors that can affect the amount of water in our body. Water is what usually causes those random gains or losses of a pound or two in weight that can make you happy or sad. It is almost physiologically impossible to lose a pound of fat in one day.
One reason the low-carb or no-carb (also called ketogenic) diets are so attractive is because of the large initial loss of weight. However, this weight is not necessarily fat. When carbohydrates are restricted the body has a backup store of them located in the liver and muscles in the form of something called glycogen. The human body can store approximately 400 grams of glycogen. In larger individuals this number can increase. In addition to this, for each gram of glycogen stored in the human body, 3 grams of water are also stored. If you figure it out, this would equate to about 1600 grams (3.5 pounds) of glycogen and water.
When you stop or limit your consumption of carbohydrates, your body starts using its glycogen stores. After a couple of days that 1600 grams (3.5 pounds) of glycogen and water are gone. Also, as an adaptation to the restriction of carbohydrates, your body produces these things called ketones. Ketones also appear to have a diuretic effect, which would mean an even greater loss of water.
In addition to water, if you have been working out lately to speed along your “weight loss” (you mean fat loss, right?) progress you probably have gained some muscle doing so. This gain in muscle can also affect the numbers you see on the scale. Muscle is also more dense than fat.
You may be wondering how you are going to measure your progress now that the scale doesn’t mean as much as it used to. Well, there are several methods to measure your body fat percentage. None of these methods are 100% accurate, but they will be much more useful than the use of a scale.
One of the simplest ways is to use a caliper. You can usually find these at your local sporting goods/fitness shop. If you can’t find them locally, you can order them off the internet. Calipers measure the thickness of a skin fold on your triceps. Then there are directions that come with the caliper that show you how to use the number you get to derive your body fat %.
If you don’t want to go out and buy some calipers, there is a body fat % calculator on my website. The calculator uses the circumference of several parts of your body and then plugs them into a formula developed by the U.S. Navy to derive an approximation of your body fat %.
You can find this calculator here: http://www.weight-loss-resources.com/calculators/bodyfat.html
There are also much more accurate ways to measure your body fat % like buoyancy testing or the use of special lasers.
If you insist on knowing your progress by weight loss and want to use a scale, try to weigh yourself at the same time everyday. Probably the best time would be right when you wake up in the morning and before you do anything.
So, your new goal should be to shoot for fat loss and not weight loss. Don’t necessarily trust the scale all the time as it can be deceiving - your weight is affected by more than just how much fat you have gained or lost. In addition, it is almost physiologically impossible to gain or lose a pound of fat in one day.
Now, let me ask you a question. Is your goal really weight loss? Unless you are trying to make a weight class for wrestling or some other sport with weight classes, you may think that your goal is weight loss, but it really isn’t. You are trying to lose that flubbery stuff attached to your body called FAT. Correct?
So then, why do we measure our progress by how much we weigh? Why do we step on the bathroom scale and hope that those numbers will be lower than before? You see, our weight is affected by more than just how much fat is on our body. Some other factors include water, muscle, glycogen, and obviously if we have eaten anything earlier or used the bathroom lately.
Our water weight fluctuates constantly. For instance, when we exhale water vapor comes out. When we sweat, we are sweating out water. There are also many more factors that can affect the amount of water in our body. Water is what usually causes those random gains or losses of a pound or two in weight that can make you happy or sad. It is almost physiologically impossible to lose a pound of fat in one day.
One reason the low-carb or no-carb (also called ketogenic) diets are so attractive is because of the large initial loss of weight. However, this weight is not necessarily fat. When carbohydrates are restricted the body has a backup store of them located in the liver and muscles in the form of something called glycogen. The human body can store approximately 400 grams of glycogen. In larger individuals this number can increase. In addition to this, for each gram of glycogen stored in the human body, 3 grams of water are also stored. If you figure it out, this would equate to about 1600 grams (3.5 pounds) of glycogen and water.
When you stop or limit your consumption of carbohydrates, your body starts using its glycogen stores. After a couple of days that 1600 grams (3.5 pounds) of glycogen and water are gone. Also, as an adaptation to the restriction of carbohydrates, your body produces these things called ketones. Ketones also appear to have a diuretic effect, which would mean an even greater loss of water.
In addition to water, if you have been working out lately to speed along your “weight loss” (you mean fat loss, right?) progress you probably have gained some muscle doing so. This gain in muscle can also affect the numbers you see on the scale. Muscle is also more dense than fat.
You may be wondering how you are going to measure your progress now that the scale doesn’t mean as much as it used to. Well, there are several methods to measure your body fat percentage. None of these methods are 100% accurate, but they will be much more useful than the use of a scale.
One of the simplest ways is to use a caliper. You can usually find these at your local sporting goods/fitness shop. If you can’t find them locally, you can order them off the internet. Calipers measure the thickness of a skin fold on your triceps. Then there are directions that come with the caliper that show you how to use the number you get to derive your body fat %.
If you don’t want to go out and buy some calipers, there is a body fat % calculator on my website. The calculator uses the circumference of several parts of your body and then plugs them into a formula developed by the U.S. Navy to derive an approximation of your body fat %.
You can find this calculator here: http://www.weight-loss-resources.com/calculators/bodyfat.html
There are also much more accurate ways to measure your body fat % like buoyancy testing or the use of special lasers.
If you insist on knowing your progress by weight loss and want to use a scale, try to weigh yourself at the same time everyday. Probably the best time would be right when you wake up in the morning and before you do anything.
So, your new goal should be to shoot for fat loss and not weight loss. Don’t necessarily trust the scale all the time as it can be deceiving - your weight is affected by more than just how much fat you have gained or lost. In addition, it is almost physiologically impossible to gain or lose a pound of fat in one day.
Top 10 Reasons Why you should NOT "go" on a Diet
The only thing growing faster than the $65 billion diet industry is the American waistline. If one of your New Years resolutions was to Go on a Diet, the only place I guarantee you will go....is up in weight.
It's a Fact - Diets will only make you fatter.
When it comes to the latest in Diet fads, we are quite gullible and easily tempted by a Diet's empty promised. Reason being....the diet industry KNOWS we are in search of the "quick fix" and will only play with our emotions - our desperation for the quickest way to relieve looking and feeling fat.
Diets are nothing more than Temporary Solutions with many lingering, negative side effects.
Here are the Top 10 Reasons Why you should NOT "go" on a Diet
1. Diets do NOT work.
Diets have a 99% Failure Rate. Have you noticed a pattern yet? Lose weight....quickly regain it? Over time, studies show if you diet you are more likely to be overweight than people who eat normally and make small gradual changes to their lifestyle. No, the Law of Averages does not apply to this faulty system.
2. Dieting can be Dangerous.
Any time you severely restrict the amount or types of foods you eat you put your health and life at risk. Dieting has been related to injuries and sudden deaths from electrolyte imbalance, malnutrition, and heart arrhythmia's. Weight cycling, or yo-yo-ing weight, is associated with higher death rates - especially if some type of pills are being used. At no point should you ever place weight loss above your health.
3. Dieting Destroys your Metabolism.
Diets will cause your weight to quickly cycle up and down. Sure, you may lose weight quickly because you are simply not eating enough. In the initial stages, the first seven to nine pounds lost are water, presenting a real danger of dehydration and mineral deficiencies. Even more terrifying ins the break down of lean muscle due to inefficient nutrients and calories. If you are losing more than 3-4 pounds a week, you can be sure this is what is happening - very little fat is lost this state.
Now, any muscle loss will cause your metabolism slow to a crawl. The cumulative effect takes place for you cannot survive very long on very low calories (1200 or less) and you will eventually eat more - on top of a slower metabolism. All those excess calories will be stored as fat - causing rapid weight gain.
4. Dieting is Exhausting.
Diets are just reduced calorie Fads disguised by a clever gimmick. "Lose weight while you sleep" "Eat all you want and still lose weight" Not eating enough or cutting out certain food groups means your body may not be getting the energy it needs, or may lack certain nutrients. You will feel exhausted, light headed and experience some not-so-fun mood swings.
5. Dieting is Disruptive.
Dieting negatively affects your normal eating patterns. Diets can lead to binge eating, overeating and chaotic eating. When you diet, it is common to override your internal signals telling you to eat. You end up trying to use willpower or resist hunger signals and may even go as far as taking appetite suppressants. This results in being unable to know when you really are hungry or wore....when you're full.
6. Dieting can lead to eating disorders.
Experts state that the high rates of eating disorders in the U.S. are due in part to people dieting, losing weight, rebounding, and becoming chronic dieters.
7. Dieting Causes Food Obsessions.
If you spend a large amount of time and energy depriving yourself of food or certain types of food - you will spend more time thinking about food and become obsessed attempts to control your weight by what you choose to eat or not eat. How long do you want to live like this?
8. Dieting Diminishes Women.
There is way too much attention focused on our appearance and an arbitrary number on the scale. In the midst of this focus - we end up avoiding what really matters to us - our dreams and ambitions. Even worse, it erodes our confidence and self-respect.
9. Dieting Intensifies Negativity.
If you diet, you are more judgmental and critical of yourself and others. Once again, wasted time and energy.
10. Diets Put Your Life on Hold.
Does this sound familiar...."I'll be happy when I weigh "x pounds." Guess what, the issues in your life are not related to your weight. Take responsibility and take back control of your life. Decide to be happy now and do what it takes to live a lifestyle that reflects your priorities.
So this year resolve to NOT go on a Diet. Set Yourself Free from this miserable, guaranteed to fail weight loss cycle. Do NOT let the diet industry make money by taking advantage of you. It is time to stand up for yourself and take control.
It's a Fact - Diets will only make you fatter.
When it comes to the latest in Diet fads, we are quite gullible and easily tempted by a Diet's empty promised. Reason being....the diet industry KNOWS we are in search of the "quick fix" and will only play with our emotions - our desperation for the quickest way to relieve looking and feeling fat.
Diets are nothing more than Temporary Solutions with many lingering, negative side effects.
Here are the Top 10 Reasons Why you should NOT "go" on a Diet
1. Diets do NOT work.
Diets have a 99% Failure Rate. Have you noticed a pattern yet? Lose weight....quickly regain it? Over time, studies show if you diet you are more likely to be overweight than people who eat normally and make small gradual changes to their lifestyle. No, the Law of Averages does not apply to this faulty system.
2. Dieting can be Dangerous.
Any time you severely restrict the amount or types of foods you eat you put your health and life at risk. Dieting has been related to injuries and sudden deaths from electrolyte imbalance, malnutrition, and heart arrhythmia's. Weight cycling, or yo-yo-ing weight, is associated with higher death rates - especially if some type of pills are being used. At no point should you ever place weight loss above your health.
3. Dieting Destroys your Metabolism.
Diets will cause your weight to quickly cycle up and down. Sure, you may lose weight quickly because you are simply not eating enough. In the initial stages, the first seven to nine pounds lost are water, presenting a real danger of dehydration and mineral deficiencies. Even more terrifying ins the break down of lean muscle due to inefficient nutrients and calories. If you are losing more than 3-4 pounds a week, you can be sure this is what is happening - very little fat is lost this state.
Now, any muscle loss will cause your metabolism slow to a crawl. The cumulative effect takes place for you cannot survive very long on very low calories (1200 or less) and you will eventually eat more - on top of a slower metabolism. All those excess calories will be stored as fat - causing rapid weight gain.
4. Dieting is Exhausting.
Diets are just reduced calorie Fads disguised by a clever gimmick. "Lose weight while you sleep" "Eat all you want and still lose weight" Not eating enough or cutting out certain food groups means your body may not be getting the energy it needs, or may lack certain nutrients. You will feel exhausted, light headed and experience some not-so-fun mood swings.
5. Dieting is Disruptive.
Dieting negatively affects your normal eating patterns. Diets can lead to binge eating, overeating and chaotic eating. When you diet, it is common to override your internal signals telling you to eat. You end up trying to use willpower or resist hunger signals and may even go as far as taking appetite suppressants. This results in being unable to know when you really are hungry or wore....when you're full.
6. Dieting can lead to eating disorders.
Experts state that the high rates of eating disorders in the U.S. are due in part to people dieting, losing weight, rebounding, and becoming chronic dieters.
7. Dieting Causes Food Obsessions.
If you spend a large amount of time and energy depriving yourself of food or certain types of food - you will spend more time thinking about food and become obsessed attempts to control your weight by what you choose to eat or not eat. How long do you want to live like this?
8. Dieting Diminishes Women.
There is way too much attention focused on our appearance and an arbitrary number on the scale. In the midst of this focus - we end up avoiding what really matters to us - our dreams and ambitions. Even worse, it erodes our confidence and self-respect.
9. Dieting Intensifies Negativity.
If you diet, you are more judgmental and critical of yourself and others. Once again, wasted time and energy.
10. Diets Put Your Life on Hold.
Does this sound familiar...."I'll be happy when I weigh "x pounds." Guess what, the issues in your life are not related to your weight. Take responsibility and take back control of your life. Decide to be happy now and do what it takes to live a lifestyle that reflects your priorities.
So this year resolve to NOT go on a Diet. Set Yourself Free from this miserable, guaranteed to fail weight loss cycle. Do NOT let the diet industry make money by taking advantage of you. It is time to stand up for yourself and take control.
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