| Sunday, March 23, 2008 |
| Lose Weight with Carbs - Resistant Starch |
A new research has proved that carbs *can* actually make you lose weight if you know how to cook them and eat them. Great news, I would say. According to Leslie Bonci, author of the American Dietetic Association's Guide to Better Digestion, "Resistant starch has the potential to become the next hot nutrition trend."
 Many diets have already qualified potatoes, rice, beans, grains, corn as bad for those who want to lose weight. This new 'discovery' proves that one can lose weight as long as you eat these veggies cold. We are already knew that each of the above reduces your hunger and fills you up quicker than other foods. But the latest news is that it also helps you burn fat faster. This food is rich in fiber and it keep you blood sugar under control - two factors extremely important if you want to lose weight.
You also lose weight because this resistant starch forces your body to stop using the carbs for fuel and, instead, it burns the fat in your body.
How can you obtain this starch? Easy. Cool your food in the fridge before eating it, and eat it cold. Do not rewarm the food because you lose the resistant starch. In other words - salads made from the foods above is the solution.
Since I have lived in Turkey for 3 years, I have also learn to replace flour with starch whenever needed.
One such meal a day should help you burn fat - given that you do not increase the quantity of food intake during the day but only replace a meal with such a dish.
So, let's make a list of foods that, while eaten cold, can help you lose that extra weight:
* corn
* rice and brown rice
* yams
* slightly green bananas
* potatoes
* beans
* starchLabels: carbs, loss, potatoes, rice, starch, weight |
posted by Darquette @ 1:44 PM  |
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| Friday, June 29, 2007 |
| I've Lost 3 Pounds in Ten Days |
Yeah, I'm on the roll, baby... By the end of the next week I have to lose another two or three. It takes longer at the beginning - about 2-3 days - until your body starts losing weight. No matter what diet you are on, it always happens like this.
What did I do to lose weight? Very little exercise (one hour daily walk though) but I gave up meat and chicken. I have started this about two weeks ago. I am not starving myself in any way. I am having enough food and I am still drinking plenty of water.
I never eat white bread - once a month maybe, when I cannot find rye bread in a place and I need bread, that is the only moment when I have white bread. I haven't had chocolate really, but I did have lots of cereal bars with chocolate from Nestle Fitness. One bar has about 95 calories and it's delicious.
I had lots of fruits - cherries and mango and apples. I have not calculated calories. I ate at 9pm but nothing heavy. I even had one hot chocolate a day.
But not eating meat or chicken helped my digestion.Labels: diet, fish, loss, vegetarian, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 6:24 PM |
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| Sunday, June 17, 2007 |
| Cellulite Treatments from The Body Shop |
I am still using Dove for cellulite and it is working, and I like the fragrance, but I hate the texture: it leaves not a greasy feeling, but it is sticky in a way.
 I have tried and am planning to buy as soon as I finish my Dove cream, Body Focus Cellulite Serum from The Body Shop. I love the way it feels on the skin, how fast it is absorbed and the fragrance. I am quite positive that it works because I have not had any TBS products that would not.
It is not really a cream but a gel, rich in caffeine and vitamins that decrease the orange peel appearance of the skin.
My second buy will be Body Focus Sculpting Body Mask.
I am sure that if I combine the two of them with hot and cold showers and some massage I will be able to go swimming this summer without problems. :)
 Labels: cellulite, cream, gel, loss, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 4:06 PM |
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| Friday, April 20, 2007 |
| Food Allergy and Intolerance: Weight Loss? |
Let's talk about food intollerance and allergies.
There are people who suffer from food allergies and this cannot be denied. Allergies to nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, eggs, dairy, and soy are the most common ones. And from this list, fish and nuts are at the top. People with such allergies meet the adverse reaction in a matter of hours or minutes, and they can feel that something is wrong, and others can also see that. Some people can even die eating these foods if they are allergic to them.
However, this new trend of cutting out food just because some crazy dietician or website tells people that one is allergic to it, is wrong.
Go to a normal doctor, get an allergy test or a blood test to test for allergies and only then call yourself allergic to some foood.
Professor Tom Sanders, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics at King's College London says: "Many women believe they have a food allergy or intolerance but in reality numerous studies have shown that only 1-2% or the population suffer from a food intolerance and only 0.3% suffer from Coeliac disease. Cutting out wheat is almost always an extremely bad idea - at best it will lead to mental and physical underperformance but at its worst this type of fashionable fad will set women on the slippery slope towards an eating disorder. The quality of a diet is all about what you include not what you cut out." (The Flour Advisory Bureau) This new trend claims indirectly that everyone who is overweight has to suffer from some kind of food intolerance. Therefore, they advice their 'patients' to cut out wheat or fructose or sugar. Of course, the patients lose weight right away. You don't need to be a genius to understand that not eating any kind of bread and any kind of sugar will reduce your weight. But is it healthy? Their most common claim is that people feel bloated or get headaches after certain foods and this is why we should cut them off. It seems to me that these guys haven't heard of bloating from eating mixed foods. The stomach cannot digest properly if you throw inside everything all mixed - see my previous posts on separating food for better digestion and for losing weight. For me, no matter what I eat, if I mix them too much, I get a headache and I feel bloated. Is that supposed to mean that I am allergic to everything and that I should stop eating? I think it's supposed to mean that I should stop treating my stomach as if it were a trash bin.
Sometimes people are not even allergic to wheat or dairy: they are allergic to all those "E's" added to the food. This is why I am in favor of organic food.
There are people who are lactose intolerant or who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (spastic colon).
If you think you have IBS because you are allergic, think again and look at what can cause (and therefore cure) IBS:
- stress
- medicines
- caffeine
- large meals
- lack of exercise
- wheat
- dairy
- alcohol
- chocolate
- too much sugar
- not enough veggies
Excess of any of the above can irritate the colon. I have a problem with some of them too so I eat carefully.
Easy exercise (walking, bike, etc) improves digestion. Alcohol and caffeine are known to irritate the colon. Large meals - obviously, since it's hard to digest. Milk and related - it's known to happen to the best of us. This is why they say that milk should be drunk by itself, separately from any other kind of food. Milk IS hard to digest.
Caffeine normally constipates but coffee on an empty stomach can cause diarrhea. Yogurt is good when you are constipated but on an empty stomach it works just like coffee. Bread is better when it's older, not when it's hot and fresh. And rye bread or whole cereals should be preffered to white puffy bread. Lots of sugar can also cause constipation. Haven't you ever had a chocolate bar or something sweet on an empty stomach? I get stomach ache on the spot when I do that.
The colon needs fiber so this is why everyone tells you that you should eat veggies and fruits. And in order to work properly, the colon also needs plenty of water - not coffee or sodas or other pops.
So stop getting paranoid about food intolerance and check your diet first.Labels: allergy, food, intolerance, loss, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 4:36 PM |
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| Sunday, April 15, 2007 |
| Stop Water Retention and Lose That Extra Weight |
Usually heavier people retain more water than fit people.
Sometimes we retain water because we don't eat properly. But sometimes people just suffer from medical conditions and cannot eliminate the water. In case you have a severe case of water retention, consult your doctor. If nothing is found, you can start thinking about better eating habits, drinking more water, exercising, and maybe reflexology or acupuncture.
First thing you need to know is that water is retained many times if you don't drink enough water; the body cannot rid itself of toxins. And toxins - obviously - are bad for the body.
Second - Sodium is responsible also and mostly for water retention. You wouldn't believe if I told you how much Sodium processed food contained. If you have processed food every day, you are in trouble, because totalling that Sodium passes the normal amount the body can take in one day.
Don't live with the impression that only salty food contains Sodium - salt, called in a more familiar way. Sweets contain a lot too (biscuits). Other foods containing unexpected amounts of Sodium are bread, tomato sauce, or Chinese food (!!!).
Always read the labels! You can have at most 2.3 grams of Sodium a day.
My advice: stick to natural food. Use frozen veggies instead of cans. Eat fresh fruits and not the canned ones. Forget McDonals and any processed food for some time, at least.
Try NOT to take pills, unless prescribed. One of my collegues at work took one, lost about 6 (!) pounds in about 24 hours (!!!) , by peeing non-stop. She took half a pill again in the morning. That did it. What happened was that at work she felt so sick that we had to send her to ER. I am not kidding. Overdoing it can be worse than better.Labels: food, loss, retention, water, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 8:27 PM |
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| Is it Easier to Lose Weight During Period (Menstruation)? |
What happens it is actually that you retain water and you bloat before your period. Personally, I put up to 3-4 pounds before my period, and I get rid of them after the 3rd or 4th day in my period.
After the second day you should not crave sweets anymore and you should feel already better. Your body has already eliminated most of the toxins so, yes, it looks easier to lose weight then. It works for me. But keep in mind that not feeding yourself properly during this time and cutting down all food can bring down your Calcium and Magnezium (and not only), can make you feel weak and sick, can make you feel sleepy and lacking energy. If this happens, you will most likely slow down your metabolism and your fat burning will also decrease.
So keep yourself hydrated and eat plenty of veggies and good calories. The days right after your period ends are the best, from all points of view, for losing weight and exercising.Labels: loss, menstruation, period, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 8:17 PM |
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| Swimming to Help You Lose Weight |
Some say it doesn't work, some say it does. For me, swimming has always done miracles. Besides, I love swimming.
Now I can't wait for the outside Olympic Pool to open so I can go swimming.
According to some, you cannot lose weight when swimming if you are not already quite fit. I am quite fit but my resistence is not great: I have a problem completing the length of the pool, and I am a smoker. But one needs to build resistence and for some - like me - one of the most enjoyable ways to do it is by swimming.
When you swim - on your back and front - you use all the muscles in your body and you definetely feel the way swimming exercises your muscles when, after one hour of swimming, you get out and you realize your legs feel very funny. However, you will not feel the pain in the water; you will only feel that you get very tired.
Swimming is an incredible cardio as well.
If you have a problem with your resistence to exercise or are nervous about not being able to complete one length of the pool or are just scared of water or drowning, do what I used to do: always pick the lane close to the side. This way, when you are tired, you can stop and grab the side and then you can continue.
Another way to exercise your legs is by holding the side of the pool and kicking your legs, as if pretending to be swimming. It works.
When you are tired, just float on your back in order to rest.
For some reason, water helps you lose weight. I don't know exactly why, but it does.
If your weight is about 130 lbs, you might be burning around 350 calories in an hour, when swimming slowly, at your own pace. The fatter you are, the more calories you burn. You can reach 550 calories per hour. Backstroke makes you burn in between 470 calories - 700 calories in an hour.
To conclude: if you want to pick a sport and have fun and lose weight or just stay fit and eat more, go for swimming.Labels: exercise, loss, swimming, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 7:07 PM |
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| Friday, February 2, 2007 |
| Cravings, Pain, and Menstruation |
It's hard not to eat junk food when you know the period will hit you. Your body asks for sweets and weird stuff. You bloat like a melon. Your tummy hurts, your head hurts, and only if killing people was allowed... Well, you know the symptoms.
How can you control pain? Funny enough, there are ways. I thought there weren't - since I could live only with Ibuprofen - but there are. I used Earl Mindell's "Vitamin Bible" and I am extremely pleased with it!
First of all, you need to help your body digest the food easier and also help intestinal transit, so don't give it food that makes you burp!
Exercises ease pain during periods. Easy exercise, not heavy exercise, because heavy exercise can cause hemorrhages. It is also good to rub your tummy a little but do not take hot baths.
And about food (which can help you ease the pain a lot) - you should have:
- bananas - Potassium reduces the bleeding. I always have at least one banana a day during these days;
- strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, watermelon, peanuts, sunflower seeds, figs, peaches - they all contain Potassium or help your body digest food easier, thus reducing cramps and pain.
What you should avoid at all costs:
- salt and salty food - aren't you retaining enough water already?
- cold drinks and food, since they intensify cramps;
- any kind of caffeine - coffee, Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, etc. (Note: caffeine increases your need for sweets!);
- black tea;
- alcohol;
- spinach.
These should definitely help you. They helped me and I thought I was a lost case.
Labels: cravings, food, loss, menstruation, pain, period, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 10:13 PM |
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| Thursday, February 1, 2007 |
| A Few Notes on Measuring Weight Loss |
Well, like many others, I am obsessed with what the scale shows.
But today we will play with your mind. We will program it to motivate you in your weight loss.
The best moment to get on the scale is the day you start your weight loss program. Why? Because what you see on the scale will freak you out and will determine you to take action. If you have a scale with 'memory', save your current weight.
The next thing to do is to put on one of your pair of pants that is still fitting you, but barely. Something you can wear but is so tight on your legs that you cannot move. Watch the buttons or the zipper ready to explode on your tummy. Take a few steps around dressed like this. You did put some weight on, didn't you? Now that you know how you feel and look in this pair of pants, take it off and put it aside.
You have two standars of measurement now. They are better than normal measuring and watching the inches drop, at least for now.
Grab a bit of your inner thighs between your fingers and see how much of fat there is. Do the same for your tummy. Good. Feel that fat! Don't worry, it will start melting once you want it to go away!
I asked you to measure yourself against pants for two reasons: scales are highly sensitive and might not record your little weight loss during the first 4-5 days and even if they do, the difference is small and not encouraging. Two - I bet you want to fit in those pants more than you want to lose 3 pounds without fitting.
Fat melts slowly. If you go on strict diets - which I do not recommend - you will lose water and the scale will show the difference. But it's water that goes, not fat. Fat is extremely light and shows less on the scale at the beginning. Muscles weigh a lot, however, and if you do exercise, at the beginning the scale will not show as if you lost weight, because you built muscle. But trust me, you did lose fat! Also, right after intense exercise, the muscle tends to swell and retain the milky substance that creates the muscle. That is a good sign however, because when the situation goes away, your newly built muscles will start eating a lot of fat from your body.
Also, I made you feel the fat because the first thing that happens when you lose weight is that the fat becomes less dense. On your inner thighs for example, where you can feel it better, the fat will start disappearing, but to your eye it will look the same. Only grabbing and feeling its density at the beginning will make you understand that you *did* lose weight.
About the pants: try them on again in a week - don't do the mistake of trying them on every day - and feel the difference around your legs and tummy. Also, don't start with a pair of pants that don't fit you at all, because you cannot measure yourself weekly against them. After the pants fit you perfectly, grab another pair that is very tight on you. Follow the same routine with this new pair. Go also in shops and try clothes on. Try your old measure and your new measure. Now, doesn't THAT feel good?
As for the scale, you can get on it again in a few days, but don't bring yourself down if there is no significant loss. You want to look good for others and yourself, not for the scale, right?
Anyway, start exercising now. Start with fun exercises like winsor pilates or yoga. Download them online if you can't find them otherwise. Personally, I hate routine exercise and I hate aerobics and fitness. But pilates is fun. Same is yoga.
Good luck with your losing weight program.
If you have any questions, let me know. Post a comment and I'll answer for sure.Labels: exercise, losing_weight, loss, measuring, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 10:06 AM |
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| Tuesday, January 30, 2007 |
| You Can get Rid of Cellulite! |
If I told you that movie stars suffer also from cellulite I wouldn't make you feel any better, right?
I am just trying to point out a thing which is obvious to us already: once you get it, it's hard to get rid of it. The more you wait before you take action, the longer it will stay with you.
There are afew things that can facilitate the 'getting rid of cellulite' process. Obviously, exercise is the first thing, and losing weight is the second one. According to other sites, however, neither exercise not fat loss will decrease the cellulite. FALSE. They both do, as many of you already know. If you start exercising a lot, particularly for those areas, you reduce it. I've been there, done that, witnessed it.
If you read websites and articles you will realize that everyone disagrees. And if you make a list with the FALSE ways that help you get rid of the orange peel effect, you will be left with nothing to do. To summarize for you: there's nothing you can do, if diet, exercise, water, massage, laser therapy, etc, do not help.
It's wrong. All women know it, because the moment you take action against cellulite, you see the results.
What is cellulite actually? It is an accumulation of fat, fluid and toxins trapped into a hardened network of elastin and collagen fibres in the deeper levels of your skin.
The causes? Many, including poor diets and hormones.
If you can get rid of it? Yes, you can.
What I started doing and worked, no matter what others say about these techniques?
Exercise: lots of exercise for legs and thighs, especially the ones that build lean muscle. Try yoga or winsor pilates. Why some athletes have cellulites? Unless your exercises focus on those particular areas, you will never get rid of it! Anyway, forget the athletes. Look at some of your skinny or good looking friends who don't have it. Some of them had it but now they don't anymore. Ask them the secret. Exercise they will say.
Losing weight: You will see the difference! Or you think that when you lose weight you don't lose at all from certain areas? You think you can end up with very thin arms and a tight butt and stomach and still have all the kilos on your thighs? I doubt it.
Massage: Whoever told you that it doesn't work, doesn't know what he/she is talking about. Whenever I start my own massage routine or use the electric 'machine' for massage, it helps me. Do it every day, five to ten minutes, even fifteen for one leg.
 Creams: They do help, especially combined with massage. Ask the ones who use them regularly! I did so for a month, before summer and I could see the difference! Many of my friends use creams and see the difference. First, in only two weeks, your skin becomes a lot softer, then the orange peel starts disappearing. I have tried Dove Firming Intensive Cellulite Gel-Cream for 10 bucks. There are others too.
Hot and cold showers: They help. Maybe not directly, but the Scottish showers always helped metabolism.
Plastic bags: It sounds weird, doesn't it? Well, a 'tactic' used here, in Romania, by young girls, was to wrap their legs in plastic bags or something similar and then exercise or ride a bike, even sleep. The area perspires thus gets rid of your extra water and the toxins retained in the cellulite tissues. Try it once and see the drops of sweat!
I'm not taking money for this advice, but if I were to take, I would guarantee the results. If you combine all of the above there is no possible way in which you can cheat the fat on your button or legs!Labels: cellulite, fat, losing_weight, loss, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 1:10 PM |
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| Sunday, January 28, 2007 |
| Spirulina - an Incredible Nutritional Supplement |
How many of you have heard of "spirulina"?
It's a blue-green algae, a natural extract obtained from Spirulina platensis which grows in some alkaline lakes in Australia. It has been used over the centuries by different civilizations and it is known to contain unusually high amounts of protein. The protein inside is even superior to the ones contained in legumes.
It also contains essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and photosynthetic pigments. In other words it is also rich in anti-oxidants. Its beta-carotene is ten times more concentrated than in carrots and it also is the richest natural source of Vitamin E.
Given the concentration of proteins, it is also highly recommended for vegetarians.
Why buy and take it? Because:
- it enhances immunity and helps the body fight even against cancer;
- it helps the formation and development of red blood cells;
- it decreases the allergic reactions;
- it helps fight infections, including HIV;
- protects liver against damage;
- stimulates diggestion;
- inhibits appetite when taken before meals;
- helps you stay young and pretty;
- helps reproduction;
- through its beta-carotene it helps the ocular problems;
- it regulates the endocryn system by stimulating hormones like adrenaline, insulin, etc.
- it helps you lose weight - which is why I listed it here!
So next time you go shopping, don't forget to check it out! It's worth it!
Labels: help, losing_weight, loss, spirulina, weight |
| posted by Darquette @ 5:12 PM |
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