• Using Water To Accelerate Your Weight Loss

    Most people who have lost weight will tell you that drinking water was the key to their success. You might be wondering how something as simple as water could have such a large impact. You know water is healthy for you, but why is that? Water contains no calories or artificial ingredients. It helps your stomach to feel fuller and can help to really give your metabolism the boost it needs throughout the day. Not only does it help your body burn calories, but it cleanses it of toxins and waste. Your body naturally retains water. Drinking more water helps to flush out that retained water and shed that extra water weight. This is all important in achieving your weight loss goals.

    Many of the drinks available on the market today are filled with sugar and calories. They provide little to no nutritional value and do little more than slowly pack on weight. If you dislike waters bland taste it is okay to add a little flavor. Fill a pitcher of water and add your favorite fruit or fruits to the water and let it sit for a day. The flavor will infuse with the water and sweeten it up a bit. This is a great way to stay hydrated without filling your body with empty calories.

    Before you eat a meal you should have a tall glass of water. The water will essentially fill up your stomach so that you will feel fuller sooner. This can help to curb overeating at mealtime. Also, drinking water throughout the day can help prevent you from snacking when you don’t really need to. This can really make an impact on your calorie intake and help you lose weight quicker.

    Studies have shown that drinking a glass of icy water can give your metabolism a little boost. Your body burns calories by doing even the smallest of tasks. As your body works to warm the cold water you end up burning calories. It’s a great way to give your metabolism the kick it needs.

    Another way to boost your metabolism is to hit the gym. When you are working out it is important for your body to stay hydrated. This will keep you from becoming light-headed. When your body is properly hydrated it allows for your muscles and joints to work to their maximum capacity. Not having enough water in your system can cause harm to your muscles and keep your joints from lubricating properly. These problems can set you back in your weight loss endeavors, so remember to drink plenty of water while you work out.

    So how much water should you be drinking? As a rule of thumb, it is recommended to drink at least eight, eight-ounce glasses a day. A great way to know if you are drinking enough is to check the color of your urine. If the color is dark or cloudy you should increase your water intake. The goal is for it to be clear in color.

    Losing weight is a challenge that can lead to a healthier body and mind. It is vital to remember the essential role that drinking water plays in reaching your ultimate goal. It’s time to toss sugary drinks to the curb and dive into the wonderful world of water.

  • The True Meaning Of Calories And It’s Effect On You

    small-platesAnybody who has spent a considerable amount of time learning to control their weight has examined in detail the intricacies of calories and their effect on weight gain or loss, as well as their importance in nutrition. Even knowing this, the true nature of calories sometimes is not understood so this is something we’ll discuss briefly here.

    The Need For Calories

    If you didn’t know, the body doesn’t distinguish a calorie as either being bad or good and processes each calorie the same. Knowing this, when trying to get a better grasp about calories, one should be knowledgeable about the fact that it’s possible to find calories that are far more nutrient dense than others. Kimberly Lummus, MS, RD, a public relationships coordinator for the Texas Dietetic Association mentions that the goal is to put together a meal plan that is as nutrient dense as possible to pack as much nutrition as one can in the least amount of calories.

    “Our bodies cannot survive without calories and needs them for energy”, says Lummus. When simply taken at face value, calories get a bad reputation in the weight control game but knowing the importance of them for everything we do such as daily body function, makes it important that you understand them much more to get a grasp on any weight issues one may have.

    All foods are composed of some combination of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats so it’s really about consuming only those that have the proper ratio to provide the necessary energy you need to survive. If you are looking to add lean muscle mass, more protein is necessary so find the best sources for it are how you can grow. Knowing your goals and paying attention to everything you eat by getting more acquainted with the nature of calories will help you achieve your goals. Stay away from any empty calories such as those found in junk foods and soft drinks.

    Finding The Magic Caloric Number For You

    As mentioned, it’s your goals that determine the right balance of calories for you. It’s pretty basic to understand that eating too many calories will lead to weight gain and eating too little will lead to weight loss. Focusing on the consuming aspect alone though is not factoring the amount of physical activity you may do. You can eat more but balance it with the right amount of exercise to manage your weight.

    While the above is pretty straightforward, it does not also account for all the other variables one needs to consider such as age, height, current weight and predisposed genetic traits. When professionals consult with clients on caloric needs, all of those mentioned factors are taken into account to properly advise on caloric intake is necessary to lose or gain weight.

    A general guideline is that men need between two thousand to twenty-four hundred calories to maintain their weight while women need significantly less at around 1500 calories per day. For anyone, consuming less than 1200 calories per day can be detrimental to your health so while it may sound right to drop those calories to lose more weight, this can compromise your health rather than help.

    Growing children have much more need for an increase in calories so restricting them at that important stage is not recommended. Just be sure they are getting a good amount of nutrients from all food groups to ensure healthy growth.

    No matter what age you are, though, the bulk of anyone’s calories should come from a variety of healthy foods and if one follows this and eliminates wasteful calories, a healthy lifestyle can be achieved.

  • Read This About Zero Calorie Foods

    dietplan_resized-700x466You are probably wondering if there is such a thing as foods that are low enough in calories that it takes just as many calories, or even more, to digest them? If you are wondering this, then chances are it is because you have heard of zero-calorie foods. After all, that is the myth behind diets that claim people can lose weight via zero-calorie foods.  

    The truth is that if people could eat calorie-free foods all day, then it would make dieting a whole lot easier, but there no no such thing as foods that have zero calories, asides from water and diet beverages. Even though foods may imply they have zero calories, they do not truly contain zero calories. With that said, continue to read on and we will bust the zero calories myth.

    1. Busting The Myth- Foods engineered to be calorie free may actually be free of calories, but other than those types of foods, just about all foods have calories. Also, people do burn some calories when they eat and digest foods. However, eating certain foods that put people in a negative calories balance is just nothing more than a myth.

    Foods that are often referred to as zero calorie, such as celery or cucumbers, tend to not have much of an impact. However, more energy is used to digest some foods. Nutritionally speaking, trying to trick your body and subtracting calories isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do.

    Some of the foods that are often referred to as zero calorie foods, include apples, beets and asparagus. Other foods also include cabbage, carrots, celery and broccoli. Lemons, garlic, onions, turnips, zucchini, grapefruit, spinach  and lettuce are also sometimes referred to as negative calorie or zero calorie foods.

    2. Zero To Hero Calories- The above food choices may may not put your body into a negative calories balance, but eating them do provide you with some benefits, which means that it is a good idea to consume them on a regular basis and make them part of your diet. The foods mentioned above are packed with fiber and other nutrients, which means they are low in calories. Also, if you want to lose weight, then consider eating them more, as they can be just as filling as foods that are high in calories.

    If your goal is to lose weight, then start adding veggies to your main dishes and save the fruit for a snack. Your sandwiches should contain plenty of veggies too, and instead of having dessert, you should have some fruit. You could end up feeling full, while getting the nutrients your body needs.

    Make sure you’re getting enough water too, and remember, as we previously mentioned, water is the only true zero calorie beverage out there, and you want to make sure you get enough of it. If you drink sugary drinks or sweetened beverages, then switch to water and you could end up cutting out a lot of calories. As for how much water you should drink, aim for 6-8 eight-ounce glasses per day, and remember to stay away from the sugary drinks.

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