Effective Weight Loss Programs

The most effective weight loss programs are ones that are realistic in their goals. They don't specify "lose 40 points in 40 days" or similar things, they advocate a real life style change. And, good weight loss programs, ones that will keep you healthy and keep you on them, don't make promises that can't be kept.

Most modern weight are trying to tie into the hunger centers of your brain. Your brain feels satiated when certain cues are met. Most of those cues are tied not just to feeling full, but to the ratio of fats, protein and carbohydrates you eat. Carbohydrates are the food source your body craves for peak activity and high burst, high energy activity – the sort of activity you do when running away from a leopard, or leaping from tree to tree. Your taste buds and brains have been programmed to seek out sources of these high carbohydrate foods – that's why most people have a craving for sweets, because sugar is one of the most easily digested high-energy foods, and your brain still isn't convinced that you won't have to climb a tree to avoid a predator.

Good dietary practice boils down to regulating your carbohydrate intake as well as regulating your calories as a whole. This is the core of the South Beach, Zone and Atkins diets, going in ascending order of the ascetic nature of their carbohydrate restrictions.

Prior generation dietary practice was all about counting calories, whether it's from weighing your food, watching your portion size, or buying pre-packaged diet meals. The purpose of caloric restriction is to slowly starve your body, so it will burn off the fat reserves. While this is good theory, the problem with it is that unless you meet certain trigger types in the food, all you're going to do is convince your body that you're in the midst of a famine. Oddly enough, one of the ways to make sure your body doesn't do this is to make sure that your low calorie meals have exceptionally rich flavors. Examples of caloric restriction weight loss programs include Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and Deal-A-Meal.

And finally, we come to the "just plain nuts" diets. These are the diets that demand you eat nothing but okra for three weeks, or soak everything in vinegar before eating it, or wash everything down with a specially formulated nutritional drink, or that you replace one or two meals a day with a high nutrition shake. The Hollywood Diet, and the Slim-Fast program are the two big mainstays of this kind of nutritional idiocy, but every year, there's always another one – be it the grape fruit diet, the whole fruit diet, the raw egg diet, or the seaweed diet, someone is trying to sell you on the idea that by giving your body some miracle food, you'll melt the pounds away, without having to sweat, without having to suffer, etc.

Listening to your body, and working with it, are the keys to succeeding in any weight loss program.

Technorati tags: weight loss weight lose fat medifast medifast weight loss diet

weight loss weight lose fat medifast medifast weight loss diet

The Worst Weight Loss Strategy Ever?

The word “diet” conjures up images of depriving oneself of the foods one likes or more extreme visions of starving oneself pop up. However, a clinically proven and a nutritious well-balanced diet, like the Medifast Diet, Atkins and South Beach dispel such visions. Moreover, it may surprise most to learn that the variety of meals available within these diet programs is immense in some cases with over 50 different ones to choose from, including shakes, bars and drinks. Not only are diets like these healthy and nutritious, they also allow one to consume food regularly in some cases every 2-3 hours. There is no need to count calories or carbs.

Given that it takes two incomes in most households and a great majority of men and women both are in the workforce these days, there is hardly any time to prepare elaborate meals. On the surface, diet programs that provide ready made food for easy and effortless consumption provide many with false hope.

These diets are a great way to begin the process of weight loss however those serious about their weight loss must not allow themselves to fall into the trap of participating in the worst weight loss strategy ever. It can be easy to get sucked into they media’s constant hype of such “magic pill” diet programs, especially since one can read many real life success stories listed on the internet. The key component missing with most of these plans is the addition of regular exercise. Proper nutrition and portion control is an effective strategy however it is merely one piece of the puzzle. Here are a few of the key benefits of mixing a healthy diet with a healthy dose of physical activity.

Health Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity:

• Reduce the risk of premature death
• Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
• Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
• Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
• Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
• Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
• Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
• Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
• Reduce depression and anxiety
• Improve psychological well-being
• Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance

Want the simplest plan to loose weight almost immediately? Eat less and exercise more.

They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. The first step would be to visit the websites of these popular diet programs to learn more about them as well as to read the reviews. Your next step should be to find an interesting exercise routine that works with your schedule and your physical capabilities. Begin by checking out a trial membership in your local YMCA. If you do decide to investigate any diet plan further, search the internet to locate plenty of coupons that are available on a variety of websites to take advantage of price discounts. In this day and age where most people have easy access to a computer, a new and improved you is just a few clicks away.

Technorati tags: weight loss weight lose fat medifast medifast weight loss diet

weight loss weight lose fat medifast medifast weight loss diet

Medifast Diet - Medically Proven Weight Loss Program

Medifast is a portion-controlled, nutritionally balanced, low fat and clinically proven program that helps people lose weight faster and more effectively than the traditional diet plan. The Medifast meals come in individual packets that you mix with water, microwave, or refrigerate. Shakes, puddings, soups, chili, oatmeal, bars and hot beverages are all available on the Medifast menu. This program has been prescribed by doctors (usually for obese people). This program is easily purchased online ships to both the United States and Canada and best of all offers substantial discounts. (Especially to those who sign up for the first time).

The 5 and 1 plan is one of the main keys to the Medifast diet program. It’s made up of 5 meal replacements per day (usually shakes) but there are also bars, soups, oatmeal, and puddings. One of the meal plans is the “Lean and Green” meal. A small portion of lean meat and up to 2 cups of salad vegetables. This makes the diet a whole lot easier for the user. You eat every 2 or 3 hours, and must drink at least 64oz of water a day.

Now I know what you’re thinking because I thought the same thing to when I tried this plan. “All this healthy eating is fine right? But what about the snacks, I need my snacks.” You’re in luck! This is one of the best qualities about Medifast is that they offer not only healthy snacks but healthy snacks that taste like un-healthy snacks. For those of you who don’t know this means they are tasty snacks. Below is a list of just a few of the snacks you will have to choose from.

Apple Cinnamon Soy Crisps
Ranch Soy Crisps
White Cheddar Soy Crisps
Multi-Grain Crackers
Garden Vegetable Crackers
Savory Beef Fast Soup
Delicate Chicken Fast Soup
Robusto Tomato Fast Soup

Those are just some of the wonderful foods that Medifast offers. But! All this great food doesn’t tell you how fast you will lose weight. After all, weight loss is the whole purpose behind a diet program. This is one of the best parts of the Medifast diet program is that the weight loss is rapid. On average a person will lose 2-5 pounds a week. AMAZING RIGHT!? The Medifast 5 and 1 plan is not however a very low calorie diet. Its caloric levels are above 800 kcal/per day. But that being said the calorie levels are still reasonably low and all depends on your height, weight, and size.

Be warned! Medifast is not meant for those looking to shed a pound or two. This program is meant for those people who are extremely over weight. This drastic diet will pull your body into a state of ketosis, and it is very important that you remain adequately hydrated. Be careful while exercising on this diet. This is not one of those diets that are meant for heavy workouts. Keep your exercise levels to a very low intensity. Please don’t let this frighten you, Medifast has been clinically proven and recommended by over 15,000 physicians nationwide to their patients. Over one million have used Medifast for over 25 years.

Medifast is one of the few programs that offers a maintenance plan. What this consists of is when you have reached your desired weight; you will begin a plan that involves a slow transition back to normal meals over a period of 16 days or longer. Medifast recommends 1-3 packaged meals daily and a moderately intense exercise routine. (30-45 minutes 5 days per week). This will be essential for keeping the weight off and reaping the benefits of all your hard work.

The Medifast diet program is one of the few medically proven weight loss systems. It’s been used successfully at John Hopkins Weight Loss Management Center as well as many other facilities.

Recently, Medifast has offered a community aspect to their program by providing message boards.

For a wide variety of the best weight loss programs, exercise programs, and some of the best FREE fitness information on the web visit http://www.flexyourhealth.com/index.html

Technorati tags: weight loss weight lose fat medifast medifast weight loss diet

weight loss weight lose fat medifast medifast weight loss diet