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Empowering Resolutions: Weight Loss Nutrition

1. Grapefruit: In a 2004 study at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California,
researchers investigated the effect of grapefruit on weight loss and found that
eating half a grapefruit before a meal can help us lose weight. The researchers
studied the effect of grapefruit capsules, grapefruit juice and real grapefruit.
All three seemed to help, but eating the real grapefruit got the best results.
Grapefruits also contains cancer-fighting compounds like liminoids and lycopene,
and red grapefruit has been shown to help lower triglycerides. Half a grapefruit
has only 39 calories. This makes it a great breakfast food, a super snack
between meals or make it a dessert!

2 Sardines: Sardines are high in protein, which helps stabilize blood sugar,
making you feel full and helps stimulate metabolism. They're a great source of
omega-3s, which not only strengthen the cardiovascular system but also are
helpful in boosting mood. Sardines are also free of contaminants, such as
mercury and heavy metals.

3. Pumpkin: is considered one of the greatest weight-loss foods ever. Canned
pumpkin is absolutely loaded with fiber and has only 40 calories. Dozens of
studies show that high fiber intake is associated with a many health benefits,
including weight management. Pumpkin is also among the easiest food in the world
to prepare. You can sweeten it with your favorite low or 0-calorie sweetener,
sprinkle it with blood-sugar-lowering cinnamon and nutmeg for good measure,
throw in some healthy almonds and make it one of the best tasting weight-loss
treats around. It's filling and delicious. Makes a great dessert, snack or side
dish.

4. High-protein diets are associated with weight loss for a variety of reasons:
Protein stimulates metabolism, helps you feel full longer and helps decrease the
desire to overeat. Protein is important because it allows the brain to synthesis
the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which help keep your mind
attentive and alert. Excessive protein levels make the organs of digestion work
much harder to process this food and robs your energy stores. Find the balance
for YOU. Listen to your body! It will tell you what makes you feel good and what
does not. Especially in the long term. Consider these great protein foods such
as lean beef, lean pork, chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, and sardines.

5. Carbohydrates provide glucose for energy. Excessive carbohydrates can
increase blood sugar levels to dangerous levels, which then makes your body shut
down to protect itself. Again, find the balance that is right for YOU. Listen to
your body! It will tell you what makes you feel good and what does not.

6. If you have issues with excess heat, (sweating, red face, red skin,
inflammation) look at eating foods that have a cooling nature. If you have
excess cold (cold fingers, toes, hands, feet, cold abdomen, especially below the
navel), look at eating foods that have a warming nature. Neutral foods help to
regulate our system.

7. Green Tea is a natural weight-loss stimulant and is a great slimming solution
Green tea is rich in antioxidants, promotes heart health, assists digestion and
regulates blood sugar and body temperature. It raises the metabolic rate and
speeds up fat oxidation, and therefore helps people lose weight. Drink it daily
to boost your metabolism. Some research has shown that five cups a day is the
magic number for fat loss. As an added benefit, the theanine in green tea is
also a great natural de-stressor.

8. Apples and Pears are both great foods for boosting metabolism and weight
loss. Apples contain naturally-occurring chemical compounds known as
phytochemicals, polyphenols, or flavonoids, some of which have been proven to
have antioxidant activity that inhibits, or scavenges, the activity of free
radicals in the body. Cell damage from free radicals can be a factor in certain
cancers, heart disease, strokes, and other conditions. The major antioxidant
components in apples are polyphenols contained mainly in the skin known as
quercetin glycoside, phloretin glycoside, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin.
Water rich fresh fruits such as pears, will dilute the calories in your foods,
so you can eat more and not overdue the calories. This high fiber fruits is
nutritious and keeps the digestive system on track as well as helps to steady
the insulin levels, which is going to prevent fat storage. Overweight women who
ate the equivalent of three small apples or pears a day lost more weight on a
low-calorie diet than women who didn't add fruit to their diet, according to
researchers from the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Fruit eaters also ate
fewer calories overall.

9. Soups are super! According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super
appetite suppressant because it's made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of
liquids and solids. In the study, women chose one of three 270-calorie snacks
before lunch. Women who had chicken and rice soup as a snack consumed an average
of 100 fewer calories than those in the study who opted for a chicken and rice
casserole or the casserole and a glass of water.

10. Low-Fat Yogurt has shown to boost weight loss efforts, according to a study
in the April 2006 issue of Obesity Research. People on a reduced-calorie diet
who included three to four servings of dairy foods lost significantly more
weight than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of
calories. Low-fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium,
providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women
ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. It includes
calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria for you
digestive tract.

Water should be a very important part of any nutritional program. 6-
8 8 ounces per day. Water allows for the cleansing and hydrating of
the system. It is also filling and a good substitute for soda or
sugar-laden drinks. Although it may seem counterintuitive, drinking
water helps you burn fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water
intake, will cause fat deposits to increase. Without water, the
kidneys cannot effectively filter out the waste products and other
chemicals which build up in the bloodstream and interfere with the
liver's ability to metabolize fat. As a result, you become more
likely to store fat and less likely to burn it.
Ironically, drinking more water is the BEST remedy for water
retention. When your body is low in water, you retain pockets of salt
and water under the skin, as a defense mechanism. For your body does
not know when it will get its next drink. This stored water and salt
under the skin will create a puffiness and looks like fat. Drink
plenty of distilled water or low sodium water and avoid high- sodium
foods.

The FDA recommends limiting your intake of fat to 65 grams per day.
By safely and carefully selecting your foods so that your fat
consumption is about 30 grams per day, you can see a significant
amount of weight loss, depending on your body mass index.

Your body expends a certain amount of calories upon digestion.
Proteins are burned at the highest rate-20-25%, Carbohydrates 8-10%,
and Fats only about 2%. This is known as the Thermic Effect of Food.

This fact cannot be stressed enough: EAT five or six small meals a
day will prevent hunger pangs, provide constant energy, increase your
metabolic efficiency, improving your fat losing abilities and
decrease your risk of heart attack.

Consume lean sources of protein such as skinless white meat poultry
or fish, with fibrous water rich vegetables such as string beans,
tomatoes, cucumbers. Protein shakes or meal replacement bars work
well as one of your small meals. Be aware of the carbohydrates in
most bars and shakes for they can be extremely high. Medium to low
amounts of carbs 2-14 grams a bar is sufficient.

Reducing fat in the diet is an important component of weight loss.
Foods with a high proportion of calories from fat should be
eliminated or limited in the diet; these include red meat, poultry
skins, dark poultry meat, fried foods, butter, margarine, cheese,
milk (except skim milk), junk foods, and most processed foods.
Vegetable oils should also be restricted, as should nuts, seeds, and
avocados (although these foods are healthful for people who have no
weight problem). Instead, the diet should be based on fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, and non-fat dairy products (and low-fat
fish for non-vegetarians).

Hydrogenated oils are very bad, for two reasons. First reason is that
hydrogenated fats are saturated fats, and saturated fats raise total
cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Second reason is that hydrogenation
also produces what are called "trans" fatty acids. Although these are
unsaturated, with one double bond, they act the same as saturated
fats. Some margarines are now available without trans fatty acids,
these are better. a lot of convenience foods are made with
hydrogenated fat, like cookies, crackers, etc. This increases the
shelf life of the product but is bad for human life. Good question.
We need labels that show amounts of trans fat as well as amount of
hydrogenated fat.

A reduction of 25% of total calories will usually promote slow,
steady weight loss. For some, weight loss is easier by changing the
dietary content. By this, I mean reducing carbohydrates by 25%-30%.
In my opinion, for the long-term, it is important not to increase fat
when decreasing carbs. Most people who restrict carbohydrates tend to
maintain the same total daily calories by increasing dietary fat.
Avoid all breads and pastas (flour-containing carbs) and unprocessed
sugars.

Avoid artificial sweeteners and synthetic fat substitutes and the
foods made with them. They are unhealthy and not conducive to the
kind of good eating habits you need to form in order to slim down and
stay that way. Stevia is a natural sweetener that is 300 times
sweeter than sugar but contain NO calories. It is also safe for
people with diabetes and hypoglycemics.

Eating adequate amounts of fiber is believed to be important for
individuals wishing to lose weight. Fiber contains bulk and tends to
produce a sense of fullness, which allows people to consume fewer
calories. However, research on the effect of fiber intake on weight
loss is conflicting. Some studies have shown that supplementation
with a source of fiber accelerated weight loss in individuals who
were following a low-calorie diet. In another study, supplementation
with a bulking agent called glucomannan (1.5 grams before breakfast
and dinner) promoted weight loss in overweight individuals who were
not following a special diet. However, other researchers found that
increasing fiber intake had no effect on body weight, even though it
resulted in a reduction in food intake. Different types of dietary
fiber are available from a variety of sources, and the amount
recommended depends on the kind being used. Individuals wishing to
use a fiber supplement should consult with a nutritionist.

Juice Therapy is an excellent way to get your fruits and vegetable
fresh and in their natural form. Blending fruits and/or vegetables
into a great juice creation or smoothie can be an excellent snack or
meal replacement.



Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac
https://peacefulmind.com/weight_loss.htm

Empowering Resolutions: Weight Loss and Herbal Supplements

Herbs used in the treatment of weight loss are utilized in many
different ways. Dietary supplements and thermogenesis or "fat-burning
herbs" are stimulants that reduce appetite and speed metabolism.
Thermogenesis is the process by which the body generates heat or
energy, by increasing the metabolic rate above normal. This rise in
metabolic rate is referred to as the thermogenic effect, thermogenic
response, or specific dynamic action (SDA). Thermogenesis is
activated by a few different mechanisms, including supplements,
nutrition, exercise, and exposure to cold. The herbs below are to
help in systemic problems, which can slow down the process of weight
loss.

Bladder wrack is also a natural source of iodine, it has been found
to promote a healthy thyroid and stimulate blood circulation, and is
used to treat obesity, goiter, and kidney dysfunction.

Cayenne Pepper aids digestion. It also eases muscle pain, relieves
cluster headaches, reduces arthritis pain, lowers cholesterol, fights
shingles pain, prevents heart disease, and treats diabetic foot pain.

Corn silk is very beneficial in treating urinary tract infections and
helps to pass urinary stones. It is a soothing diuretic for kidney
and bladder problems.

Dandelion Root is a mild herb laxative, especially effective in cases
of chronic and age-related constipation and water retention.

Holy Basil is a cortisol modulator, supports normal blood sugar and
promotes a healthy inflammation response. A gift from the Ayurvedic
system of medicine, Holy Basil is the ultimate adaptogen. Holy Basil
helps support blood sugar levels already in the normal ranges,
supports detoxification, promotes healthy gastric tissue, encourages
healthy immune function, and is radioprotective. It contains several
biologically active compounds found to support a healthy inflammation
response, including eugenol, apigenin, and ursolic acid.

Kelp is a significant source of iodine. Studies show that iodine
stimulates the thyroid, boosting the body's metabolism rate, allowing
the body to burn calories more quickly.

Marshmallow Root is a natural herb that is effectively used to assist
in stimulating and cleansing the kidneys and bladder.

Peppermint has a relaxing effect on the digestive system muscles,
combats flatulence, and stimulates bile and digestive juice flow.

Spirulina, a type of algae, is a rich source of protein, vitamins,
minerals, and essential fatty acids. In one double blind study of
sixteen overweight individuals, ingestion of 2.8 grams of spirulina
three times per day for four weeks resulted in a small, but
statistically significant weight loss.

__________________________________________________ ____________

It is my recommendation, that any herbal program should be utilized along with
proper nutrition and exercise. It is also important to add herbal supplements to
your regime when under the supervision of a qualified herbalist, holistic doctor
or Chinese medicine practitioner.

Remember, there are no quick fixes or magic bullets for loosing weight, only
discipline and hard work in order to achieve your goal!
__________________________________________________ ____________

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac
https://peacefulmind.com/herbology.htm

It was following this plan that allowed me to lose my excess weight Sticking to a low carb plan has also meant I haven't over the last 2 yrs varied my weight by more than a few pounds.

I think listening to Taubes helped me understand the dangers of refined carbohydrates
about 47minutes into the Taubes lecture slide 48 he talks about fructose and fructose metabolism and at the end of that slide, as an aside, Taubes states that Fructose may the major problem.
In this talk Robert Lustig explains why fructose is as dangerous as alcohol. Sugar: The Bitter Truth

Apart from the above my personal tips for losing weight would be to make sure you are taking sufficient omega 3. About 2g daily of EPA+DHA. This is important as it helps your body respond better to satiety signals so you are less likely to overeat or feel hungry.

There is also good evidence baseline, or pre-diet, vitamin D levels predicted weight loss in a linear relationship. For every increase of 1 ng/mL in level of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol - the precursor form of vitamin D and a commonly used indicator of vitamin D status - subjects ended up losing almost a half pound (0.196 kg) more on their calorie-restricted diet. For each 1-ng/mL increase in the active or "hormonal" form of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol), subjects lost nearly one-quarter pound (0.107 kg) more.

Additionally, higher baseline vitamin D levels (both the precursor and active forms) predicted greater loss of abdominal fat.

Each extra 1000iu/daily vitamin d you take may raise status between 5~10ng/ml
Most people need to take 1000iu/daily/d3 for each 25lbs they weight.
That's about 6000iu/daily to get to a level over 55ng/ml.

Green Tea is mentioned above and I do encourage everyone to learn how to make it properly and use proper green tea leaves (not bags) Although it may seem a bit pricey it isn't really.
I use a one mug teapot. Boil the water then to allow it to cool fill the teapot and pour the water from the teapot to the mug, then add the tea leaves to the teapot and return the warm water from the mug back to the teapot. This warms teapot and mug and cools the water to the right temperature. Only let the tea brew for 1~2minutes then pour it into the mug.
DON'T throw the tea leaves out.
The same tea leaves can be used for about 4~5 mugs during the day.
If you let green tea brew too long on the leaves it becomes harsh and bitter and somwhat brown looking. It should be green.
Also shorter brewing and using water off the boil means less caffiene, less aluminium and less flouride in each mugful so you get the good stuff and less of the not so good.

For those who aren't convinced of the value of low carb programs this shows that even moderate carbohydrate-reduced diet was more beneficial with respect to cardiovascular risk factors compared to the fat-reduced diet.

2 things:

• A low carbohydrate diet
• Drinking 1/2 my body weight in ounces of water per day (making a very good attempt to most days!)

Although calories in/calories out is a factor in weight loss, it doesn't take into account the way different nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat and water) are metabolized.

Carbohydrate requires insulin to metabolize. Carbohydrate changes (metabolizes) into blood glucose, which combines with oxygen in the cells to create energy.

Carbohydrate and fat have a similar molecular structure and are both used for energy production. (Fat has other vital functions such as forming protective cell membrane and many other functions).

Fat is used for energy production just as carbohydrate is, the difference is that carbohydrate is quicker.

In brief, if you consume carbohydrate, your body gets its energy from that and keeps fat in storage. If you want to lose weight, cut down your carbohydrate consumption!

And the body cannot metabolize well at all without sufficient water. Neither can it cleanse and detoxify itself well without sufficient water, which contributes to poor health and weight issues.

I've lost almost 30 pounds by following a very low carb routine. My goal this year is 30 more and I'll be very close to my ideal weight. I know I can do it now because I have a method that works grooved into my life!

I learned this by reading Dr. Richard K. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. There are plenty of resources to learn more about the advantages of following a low-carb lifestyle.

Count carbs, not calories! It's much easier and effective

Cheers,
BB

__________________
Improving health made simple.

If you want to lose weight, you must eliminate sugar in all its forms, especially fructose, for that is nothing short of a poison. Yes, I am aware that there is a small amount of fructose in fruits and berries, however, God did it right, because he included the antidote along with the fructose, and that is alot of fibre.

You must also take iodine, D3, and magnesium, otherwise weight loss will be difficult.

A good weight loss diet would be the phase 1 diet, which eliminates sugar and all grains. Lots of fruit and veggies, seeds, nuts.

I do not believe that the main benefit of exercise is for burning calories. If you walk on a treadmill for an hour you would burn about 300 calories, which amounts to about two chocolate chip cookies, and if you ate a McDonalds meal, you'd need several hours of exercise to balance out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM



The main benefit of exercise is that it makes the muscles insulin sensitive, thus requiring less insulin to get glucose into the cells where it is needed for energy. Exercise makes detoxification speed up, and also causes enzymes within the liver to convert this energy so it doesn't become stored as fat.

Question: What is fed to animals to fatten them up? Answer: Antibiotics

Same goes for humans

__________________
Let Food Be Your Medicine And Medicine Be Your Food.(Hippocrates)

Regarding weight loss and exercise, since this thread is under exercise, strength/resistance training gives the most benefit towards weight loss, although the body needs cardiovascular and flexibility exercise as well. They all help the body in different ways.

How strength training assists weight loss:
https://www.improving-health-and-ener...ight-loss.html

Sincerely,
BB

Health news from Swanson's Vitamins today, drawn from the Journal of Nutrition.

Curcumin, Body Fat and Weight Gain
January 2010
Curcumin, a polyphenol that gives the spice turmeric its yellow color, may reduce body weight gain, suggests new data from a study with mice.

Mice fed a high-fat diet supplemented with curcumin were found to have reduced body weight gain, as well as lower blood cholesterol levels, according to findings published in the Journal of Nutrition.

"The curcumin suppression of angiogenesis in adipose tissue together with its effect on lipid metabolism in adipocytes may contribute to lower body fat and body weight gain," wrote the authors, led by Asma Ejaz from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

Ejaz and her co-workers performed in vitro and in vivo experiments. The effects of different doses of curcumin on the growth (differentiation) of 3T3-L1 fat cells (adipocytes) showed a suppression of differentiation and an increase in programmed cell death (apoptosis).

The in vivo experiments involved feeding mice a high-fat diet (22%) and supplementing the animals with 500 mg of curcumin per kg of diet for 12 weeks. The polyphenol was found to reduce body weight gain and fat mass, without affecting the levels of food intake, wrote the researchers.

Furthermore, a reduction was noted in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), one of a number of genes associated with angiogenesis (blood vessel formation that is necessary for the growth of fat tissue).

Curcumin was also associated with significantly lower cholesterol levels and a reduction in the expression of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma), a protein that plays a role in metabolic functions.

Journal of Nutrition 139(5):919-925, 2009

Thanks for the post nightowl! I have some turmeric on order right now from Swanson Vitamins. Just watched Dr. Oz this afternoon, and he reminded me about the benefits of curcumin in the area of AD.

I hope it does everything they say. Curcumin has been studied many times and has proven helpful for many things.

I lost over 40 pounds by eating two eggs every morning, drinking nothing but water, and I mean nothing but. LoL and having a tuna fish sandwich for dinner. As far as working out, I alternated with running for 30 minutes one day then doing 30 laps in the pool, plus there was something else that I think factored in my becoming thin. I had a mind set that there was no way this wasnt going to work. I never doubted for a minute I wouldnt lose the weight. People can say what they want, but I truely believe in the power of the mind, in that it does play a role in what happens to your body. There isnt a perfect loss weight system for everyobdy, because were all a little different, so believe in yourself, and trust me you can do it. Nothing can stop you!
;-)

I did not see any mention of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. The very best weight loss plan.
2 tablespoons in water or juice every day is all you need. Stay with it ! After about 2 weeks,you will start losing fat. You will know it's working when you stop retaining water!
Hot flashes will be gone.

PROTEIN induces satiety. You may also use whey protein. Like fat protein makes you feel full and satisfied and less likely to want to eat more.
Eat the same amount of carbohydrate and you'll be craving more before a couple of hours have passed. Boost your smoothie with whey protein or raw egg or Coconut oil or MCT oil and you appetite is turned OFF. These are NOT ADDICTIVE carbs are.

I'm following a low carb lifestyle for blood sugar control and weight loss. What I've learned about carbohydrate is that
1. There's no such thing as an "essential carbohydrate" (Essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) are those that must come from the diet. Same with essential fatty acids (building blocks of fats) essential fatty acids must come from the diet, cannot be manufactured by the body alone.
2. Carbohydrate requires the hormone insulin in order to metabolize. Insulin has several functions - one being that it triggers the hunger response. So more carbs = more insulin = more hunger.
3. Carbohydrate is productive of seratonin, the "feel good" hormone/neurotransmitter which can cause some folks carbohydrate craving.

A very little known fact that blew me away is that approximately 36% of ingested protein is converted to carbohydrate during metabolism. So your body does manufacture the carbohydrate it needs for faster energy. Also, carbohydrate and fat have the same molecules but in a different configuration. That's one of the reasons for fat loss with a low carb diet; the body actually burns fat for energy when less carbohydrate is available.

Cheers,
BB

I just follow a very simple rule to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Observe a healthy lifestyle, eat right (drop the junk and avoid fast foods), drink plenty of water, get a good amount of sleep, and stay active. These simple rules will help you lose weight the healthy way