The Truth about Counting Calories
Is it unrealistic to count calories for the rest of your life or is that just part of the price you pay for a better body? You’re about to learn the answers to these questions and discover a simple secret for keeping track of your food intake without having to crunch numbers every day or become a "food fanatic." (more…)

Are You Trying To Lose Weight? Don't!
Are you trying to lose weight?

If you are, STOP!

Funny thing to say coming from someone that wants to help you lose all the weight you want, right?

Actually, there’s a good reason.

You see, you can’t try to lose weight. Don’t believe me?

OK, let’s use an example. Look around where you are sitting right now and find a small object. Perhaps a pen, envelope or book. Got it?

Now, try to pick it up. Go ahead.

Is it in your hand? If it is, well, then you didn’t try, you actually picked it up. If it’s not in your hand, you didn’t.

Simple, right?

There’s no middle ground in doing. You can’t “try” to do anything, it’s a fallacy. You either do it, or don’t do it.

The same applies to losing weight (or anything else for that matter). Saying that you’ll try gives your mind fuzzy instructions, and it will return fuzzy results, results that aren’t what you really want. It also gives you a “way out” if you don’t achieve the goals you set out to reach.

You see, your subconscious mind doesn’t interpret your directions, it just goes to work following them as complete truth. When you say you’ll “try to lose weight”, it will “try” to follow your instructions, which we now know is impossible.

What in fact you want, (if you really do) is to lose weight. To feel better. To have more energy. To overcome health challenges. To look great.

Now, if you say you want to lose weight and are not successful, or continue to use language that includes words like “try” or “we’ll see” or “maybe”, perhaps you’re wired backwards.

What does that mean? Well, maybe you say that you want to lose weight, but your mind says it doesn’t. Somewhere along the way you gave your mind instructions that it’s too hard, or impossible, to lose the weight you want. Perhaps you’re more comfortable where you are now, but know that it’s the right thing to say that you want to lose weight.

If this is the case, ask yourself what beliefs you hold that are at odds with what you want. For example, “it’s too hard to lose weight”, “it’s impossible to lose weight”, “I can’t lose weight because I’d have to exercise all the time”, “I’ll lose my friends if I lose weight”, “I can’t lose weight because I’ve always failed”.

Ask yourself if in fact they are true. Are they making your life easier, or more difficult? Do these beliefs serve you or harm you?

Then, replace the old beliefs with new ones. Positive, confident statements about how you want to look and feel.

The best way to lose weight is to avoid saying you’ll “try” to lose weight, and say you “will” lose weight. See yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how great you look and feel. Use positive language and give your mind specific instructions like “I’m now happily at my ideal weight of (number of pounds) weight” or “I now happily choose to wear a size (your ideal size)”.

Watch your language and self talk closely and avoid using “try”. It may take constant attention at the beginning, but after a short time, you’ll get used to keeping your language positive, upbeat and confident.

Your weight loss results will follow immediately, depending on how confident, committed and persistent you are in applying these exercises. The more confident, committed and persistent, the faster your results will appear.

You CAN do it!Mark Idzik reports on natural and alternative health and is an author and health coach helping his clients lose weight and make better health choices. Receive 37 free weight loss tips by visiting his site: http://www.Everyday-Weight-Loss.com (more…)

Diet Basics’ Spotlights
The Diet Basics’SpotlightTo help get the word out on important weight loss issues, we developed the Diet Basics’ Spotlight. It brings to “light” issues, products, and concepts that we feel could impact your weight loss efforts. Never again should you worry… (more…)

Missing!
Diet and Weight Loss - Article
For the first time top experts and best-selling authors like Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Ellen Cutler, David Wolfe, Dr. Fred Gallo, and many others are unified in one place to help Internet users achieve permanent weight success.
Sageeras approach is unprecedented and unique. The founder and president of Sageera […] (more…)

Missing!
Diet and Weight Loss - Article
Surveys claim that 24% of Americans are very or somewhat confused about how to eat a healthy diet. People are waiting for the next big thing in weight loss, as the low-carb craze fades. Low-fat eating may stage a comeback.
http://www.bestdietforme.com [Gastric bypass], a weight loss surgery, will soar […] (more…)

The Perfect Diet
The Perfect Diet

By Stan Dyer

We are so fortunate in this country to have so much abundance. Foreign visitors are awed by the availability of goods in America, and especially by the availability of food. With some pocket change, a person can find something to eat around almost any street corner. Along with the abundance often comes excess baggage in the form of increased body weight that soon has many of us searching for a weight loss plan, and the perfect diet. Yet, the perfect diet may be more elusive than it seems. Not every fad, idea or diet plan works equally well for everyone. In the end, the perfect diet is any balanced diet that is part of an overall health plan, and, most of all, is perfect for you.

People come in many different shapes and sizes. Variety is good. We should celebrate the differences, but instead we strive for or wish for some unrealistic image of perfection. A peculiar paradox arises out of this where people striving for healthy perfection actually engage in unhealthy diets and exercise programs. It took years to put on the weight, but our minds want us to believe we can shed the weight in a matter of weeks. It’s not going to happen. The first part of your perfect diet should be to accept your heredity and strive to make the best of it. Instead of trying to be perfect, try to be a perfect you. Once you have accepted yourself, start out slowly.

No matter what path you decide your perfect diet should take, a slow start is the best start. People who start by starving themselves deprive their bodies of important nutrients, people who eat too much of one food may damage their bodies just as much, and people who try to do too much too soon tend to become discouraged and quit. You can skip all of that and just make small changes, gradually evolving and developing. Try to develop a program around The Six Points.

The Six Points are:

1. Cardiovascular exercise

2. Weight Training

3. Stretching and Flexibility

4. Dietary Changes

5. Attitude Adjustment

6. Rest and Sleep

Cardiovascular exercise can be anything that raises your heart rate and respiration, keeping them raised for a minimum of 20 minutes. You only really need to do this three time a week to achieve benefits, and it is OK if you have to work up to the minimum level. The important thing is to make it a part of your lifelong routine.

Weight training is any isometric or isotonic exercise that challenges your muscles to the point of fatigue. Building muscle will increase metabolism, increase bone mass, decrease risk of injury, and make you feel better. You don’t even need weights to weight train. The weight of your body can provide effective resistance. Weight train at least three times a week, varying the body parts worked.

Stretching and Flexibility exercises help maintain posture, help reduce risk of injury, and help us to relax. Although these exercises need to be done on a regular basis, they are also great for filling those times when you want to do something, but just don’t feel like doing anything at all. Always begin slowly with these exercises to avoid strains, pulls and tears, but regular attention to stretching and flexibility will produce rewards.

The key to Dietary Changes is variety. When you research deeply enough, you discover that most diets really come down to the same thing: variety. A general recommendation is that the diet be 60% complex carbohydrate, about 30% monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat, and around 15% protein.

Our bodies run on carbohydrates, and the complex carbohydrates are the best because they digest more slowly, give us more fiber, and tend to make us fill “full” sooner. We need the fat in our diets to help us absorb vitamins and to maintain body function. The RDA for protein is .8 grams per kilogram of body weight, but not more than 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. An easy way to arrive at an “about” figure is to divide your weight in lbs. by two. The number you arrive at won’t be perfect, but it will easily put you within the range at the higher end. Many people don’t realize that eating too much protein can damage the liver and kidneys and should be avoided in most cases. Also, any healthy diet should include drinking plenty of water and fluids. The body is around 95% water, and the fluids serve a variety of important functions in the body.

The final two points of the Six Points are Attitude Adjustment and Rest. Try to find ways to feel good about yourself, your life, and who you are. The mental aspect of overall health is key and often overlooked. When we struggle through the day, every day becomes a struggle. If we find ways to be happy and enjoy life, the burden is lifted. Sleep is an important part of this. Getting enough sleep allows our bodies the opportunity to repair, and our minds the opportunity to rejuvenate.

Use these principles and design your own health plan. You do not need to do everything everyday, but you should try to incorporate as many points as you can, altering and varying the days of the week to keep things interesting. Many people even take one day just to do nothing. Whatever you do and however you decide to do it, just remember to stick with it. A consistent, varied routine should produce favorable results over time.

No one can promise you that this, or any other diet, will be perfect for anyone. You will find, however, that the principles outlined here are found in almost every honest health plan. Be sure to consult your physician before beginning any diet, health or exercise program, and be patient with yourself and your results. In the end, you will discover that the perfect diet is the one that you have made perfect for yourself.Stan Dyer is a freelance writer working out of Arvada, Co. A graduate of Indiana University, Stan has studied Linguistics, American History, Health, Nutrition, and Exercise. Stan has been a vegetarian for over 15 years and has co-authored two vegetarian cookbooks. Stan can write intelligently on just about any subject, and enjoys sharing his ideas, views and opinions with anyone.
All articles by Stan Dyer are the property of Stan Dyer and may not be used without the author's consent. All material is guaranteed original unless otherwise noted within the text. Any resemblance of this author's works to any other author's works are purely coincidental. (more…)