Weight Loss Motivation

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tom_Cruz] Tom Cruz

First of all, let's be realistic. No weight loss program is going to turn you into the next super model, or hunk of burning beefcake. Everyone's body type is set predominantly by genetics. You're either an endomorph (prone to putting on weight), an ectomorph (prone to avoiding weight gain) or one of the small fraction of the population who's a mesomorph (prone to putting on weight as muscle.)

Roughly half of the population of the world is made up of endomorphs; slightly less than half are ectomorphs, and about one in twenty five are mesomorphs. Nothing is going to change which kind of body your parents and grandparents left you by way of genetics.

This doesn't mean diet and exercise won't help you, but the key to keeping motivated in weight loss is to have realistic goals and assessments of the outcomes. If you're an endomorph, you're always going to be an endomorph. (All those diet aid ads that show amazing weight loss? Those people they've got in the ads are usually mesomorphs, who, due to injury or illness, have put on a lot of weight – and then lost it due to tricks of their metabolism.)

So, if dieting and exercise won't turn you into a mesomorph, why do it? Well, even a small amount of weight loss will give you a lot more energy for getting through your day, and accepting that you're the best you that you can be – even if you aren't a size 4, or carrying around rock hard abs, is good for the self esteem. There are lots of benefits to losing a little weight and keeping yourself healthy, from stress reduction, to breaking down free radicals in the body, to retarding the effects of aging. Your body will just work better, and, hey, if civilization ever falls, and you're having to lead a pack of hunter gatherers armed with spears, at least you'll be ahead of the curve.

Now, all that being said – to keep your motivation up, keep to realistic goals, and keep at it. Nothing nukes the old motivation like feeling like you've backslid, or plateau'd. All diets have their slow periods, and all weight loss regimens have their flattened peaks, where your body adjusts to the new focus on caloric intact, and stabilizes on it, rather than reducing weight.

Work with people who are in the same boat that you are, body type wise, and weight and fitness goal wise. Doing anything with a supportive group of friends is easy – whether it's law school, skydiving, or trying to get rid of two inches on your waistline.

Finally, work with your doctor's advice, particularly if you're very obese. Make sure that you're doing the right thing by trying to get healthy.

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Pros and Cons About a New Diet Pill

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Donovan_Baldwin] Donovan Baldwin

Okay, the disclaimer first. I don't much believe in diet pills, and the Alli diet pill is no exception.

That being said, I truly tried to review the available info on the new FDA approved weightloss product from GlaxoSmithKline. Considering my already biased opinion on the subject, I decided to adopt the approach of offering pros and cons about the new diet pill and letting readers judge for themselves.

It didn't work!

Here's the problem...well, let me tell you the pro's first.

1. It is available over the counter without a prescription.

2. Alli is an FDA approved nonprescription dosage of the well known fat loss pill, Xenical

3. It does block absorption of some fats

4. It can be used to help some people lose a small amount of weight

5. It apparently works best if you are exercising regularly but have a lot of fat in your diet

6. GlaxoSmithKline stock should go up because the diet pill market is huge and this stuff is flying off the shelves in some areas.

Now, I tried to be fair, but I am sure you have already noticed a slightly unimpressed tone to the "positive" statements I listed above. Sorry, couldn't help it.

Here's the negative side.

1. The average weight loss with the Alli diet pill, which sells for about $59.95 a bottle, is about 1 pound a month.

You could cut one sugar-sweetened soda a day and lose about the same amount while saving $30.00 or more depending on where you buy your sodas...or donuts...or double cheese hamburgers.

2. If used with healthy eating habits and exercise (the basic core of any healthy weight loss program) it CAN increase weightloss by three pounds or so for each five pounds lost by the exercise and healthy eating.

If you are losing five pounds a month with exercise and healthy eating, you probably DON'T NEED a diet pill that does strange things to your body. More on that in a minute.

3. It works by blocking the absorption of fat. Three points here:

--If you are already eating a low fat diet, there won't be much for it to do, hence, it won't do much for you.

--Dietary fat is necessary for the absorption of certain vitamins vital to health. While the evidence is still out, there is some concern that blocking the fat may expose the user to health threatening vitamin deficiencies.

--Omega 3 fatty acids (good for your heart) are blocked as well (bad for your heart).

4. It works only WHILE YOU CONTINUE TO TAKE IT.

When people quit taking the pill, they tended to gain back whatever weight they had lost. Simple! There was no lifestyle change involved. When you quit taking the pill and you haven't changed your exercise or eating habits, your body will go back to the way it was before. In other words, GlaxoSmithKline has you at $59.95 a pop for the rest of your life...unless you want to take a brisk 20 minute walk every day or so...which is free.

5. Its possible side effects are really interesting...if you're into that sort of stuff!

Let's keep it simple. If you decide to take this drug, you might want to purchase some more underwear or Depends diapers for adults. In other words, side effects include excessive flatulence, oily bowel movements which can be difficult to control, and anal leakage.

My personal thoughts on the Alli diet pill are that it is a move by some big pharmaceutical companies to get their share of a HUGE market in over the counter weight loss products. It can help, but it is probably not worth the money.

Donovan Baldwin is a freelance writer residing in Copperas Cove, Texas, and a University of West Florida alumnus. He is a member of Mensa and is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. In his career, he has held many managerial and supervisory positions. However, his main pleasures have long been writing, nature, health, and fitness. In the last few years, he has been able to combine these pleasures by writing poetry and articles on subjects such as health, fitness, weight lifting, yoga, weightloss, the environment, global warming, happiness, self improvement, and life. You can find a collection of his articles on [http://nodiet4me.com/articledirectory] health, fitness, diet, and weight loss at [http://nodiet4me.com/articledirectory] http://nodiet4me.com/articledirectory.

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Diet VS Exercise - Which One Is More Effective For Losing Weight

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brian_Darrow] Brian Darrow

Just how important is eating right for weight loss compared to exercising for weight loss? Before we let these two weight loss heavyweights (no pun intended, ok maybe a little) go head to head let me start by saying that both have a key role in your goals for weight loss.

Round 1. Aerobic exercise does have the ability to burn an abundance of calories at the time the exercise session is taking place. A good thirty to forty minute aerobic activity can usually burn between 300-400 calories. Aerobics are definitely effective in obtaining a healthier heart. Getting your heart rate up and sustaining it for an extended amount of time is essential for your overall fitness level. Although cardio vascular health is very important and is an added bonus for trying to loose weight with aerobics, we are only looking for overall effectiveness at getting those extra pounds off.

Round 2. Resistance training or weight lifting is another form of exercise that is very popular especially in men. However more and more women are finding out that adding a couple of pounds of muscle can transform their bodies drastically. Weight training has a vital role in a couple areas of weight loss. First weight training performed with little or no rest between sets (commonly called circuit training) has the benefit of building muscle and getting the heart rate up just as with aerobics. Building muscle is essential when trying to transform the shape of your body. Also with every pound of muscle added, your body will burn 50 more calories a day, even on days that you do not work out. In my opinion there is no comparison between weight training and aerobics in terms of transforming the way you look and shedding some pounds, but let's not close the book on this battle just yet...

Round 3. A balanced diet is crucial for someone interested in weight loss. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions across America and the main reason is our diet. We live in the fast food age and without changing our eating habits there is little or no hope for us as far as loosing weight. I am sure that we all know someone that goes to the gym constantly or someone that stays very active and is still overweight. Their body just never really sees the physical benefit of all that exercise, why? Because they are not watching what they eat. Eating a balanced low fat diet means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially the dark colored vegetables as these are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. Eat only lean cuts of meat, so you are going to have to opt for the baked fish instead bbq ribs. You can workout regularly with aerobics or weight lifting and without changing your eating habits your weight loss will be very lack luster as compared to someone that only changes their eating habits.

Knockout. It is pretty clear that if you want your short term and long term weight loss goals to be met that you are going to have to eat less fat, sugars and simple carbohydrates and eat more in terms of a well rounded balanced diet including lean meats with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Weight loss is 75% diet and 25% exercise, so even though exercise can assist in your weight loss and is very important as far as overall health, it cannot make up for continuous bad eating habits.

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What Is Ketosis?

What Is Ketosis?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Niall_Roche] Niall Roche

When you first deprive your body of carbohydrates and replace them with protein and fat, the metabolism begins to shift to accommodate this. The first stage is known as lipolysis, and is the initial burning of fat to use as energy.

Ketosis, put simply, is the second part of the process that takes place when your body's metabolism shifts from getting energy from carbohydrates to taking it from fat. When it is taking place, this is the time that you lose the most fat. The name ketosis relates to the blocks fat that are stored for release as energy, which are known as ketones.

Ketosis shouldn't lead to a loss of muscle tissue, unless you are completely out of fat. This makes you even better at burning fat, as you retain the strength throughout your body to do so, particularly in the smaller internal muscles. When ketosis is taking place it is possible to lose up to a stone in little over a week.

The main side effects of ketosis are bad breath and sluggish mobility. Bad breath is caused due to a change in the bacteria and enzymes throughout the digestive system, and slow movement because fat is much harder to use for energy production, making you low on energy. Neither of these are likely to be harmful.

However, if you are diabetic, ketosis can lead to a condition called ketoacidosis, which results in the blood becoming more acidic. This will then cause symptoms including confusion, vomiting, and can even go as far as causing comas and death.

If you want to know if your body is carrying out ketosis, head down to your local chemist and buy ketone testing strips. These operate in a very similar way to universal indicator strips (if you can remember your old chemistry lessons) and will turn purple if ketones are contained in the urine.

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