5 Essential Steps to Weight Loss Success

(First published as Weight Loss Success: Five Essential Steps on Technorati.)

Millions of Americans are looking for a weight loss plan which is easy to follow and will deliver results. The problem with most traditional weight loss diets is that they eliminate certain important food groups or require drastic lifestyle changes which can’t be maintained long term. The only weight loss plan which can work allows for flexibility in food choices and is structured for a slow transition to a new dietary lifestyle.

Healthy weight loss occurs when calories consumed exceeds the energy burned through basic body metabolism and physical activity. The important thing to understand is that the type of food we eat and more importantly, when we eat that food has a profound effect on whether the body stores fat for future needs or burns fat for energy. For those who have tried the typical diet programs and failed, the following 5 steps will provide the necessary guidelines to achieve permanent weight loss.

Step 1: Stop Eating After 7 PM

Our body abides by a very intricate set of circadian rhythms, allowing time to carry out many necessary metabolic functions. One of those functions is fat burning and storage, which ideally occurs at night when you are asleep. When you stop eating 3 to 4 hours before going to bed, initial digestion of food in the stomach is allowed to complete and the body must turn to burning fat for its energy needs.

Try to fast for at least 12 hours each day, as the body will dip further into fat reserves for a longer period of time, and will also carry out other essential cellular maintenance functions which will slow down when food is being digested. This is not recommended for diabetics who may require small meals throughout the day.

Step 2: Eat 3 Meals: No Snacking

It’s important to eat a breakfast, lunch and dinner meal each day. The critical point is to allow sufficient time between meals with no snacking. The body closely regulates blood sugar and insulin, and eating between meals sends this delicate mechanism awry resulting in excess fat storage. The body needs three evenly spaced, moderately sized meals to fuel our energy needs, and also needs several hours after eating to process the food and return blood sugar and insulin to pre-meal levels. This will encourage fat to be used for fuel instead of being stored.

Step 3: Moderate Meal Size

Eat slowly and closely monitor the amount of calories at each meal. The body is very sensitive to caloric intake, and excessive eating at any given meal causes an overload of sugar and fat to flood the bloodstream with detrimental health implications. Women should target 400 to 600 calories each meal, and men should be in the 500 to 600 calorie range. 

Spread the meal out over at least 20 minutes to allow your body to send the full signal indicating you’re satisfied with the portion consumed. Once the body becomes conditioned to a smaller meal size, overeating will feel unpleasant and natural weight loss will be the result.

Step 4: Include Protein with Breakfast

Proteins are very complex structures which require 30% more energy and up to 12 hours for complete breakdown by the body. Eating a solid protein source with breakfast starts the energy burn cycle which continues for most of the day, as it ramps up the natural fat release mechanism in the body. It’s important to avoid quick burning carbohydrate sources such as pancakes, breads and donuts especially early in the day, as they negate the positive metabolic effects of protein digestion by disturbing insulin response.

Step 5: Reduce High Calorie Carbohydrates

Refined and processed carbohydrates cause an immediate release of sugar into the blood as they begin to break down in the mouth. This starts a vicious cycle causing insulin resistance and ultimately conversion of sugar into stored fat. Carbohydrates from vegetable sources have the opposite effect as they are bound to fiber and break down very slowly. We have evolved to eat a varied diet including lots of vegetables, lean protein sources and healthy fats. The excessive amounts of breads, pastas and sweets consumed by most people causes a sugar overload which leads directly to excess fat storage.

Permanent weight loss is an attainable goal, even for those who have tried and failed repeatedly. It’s important to be mindful of the type of foods eaten and choose wisely from all food groups. A key weight loss strategy is in the proper timing of meals with fasting, as well as intelligent macronutrient combinations. By following this 5 step plan, your healthy weight loss goal is well within reach.

Weight Loss Plan Reduces Heart Disease Risk

(Article first published as Weight Loss Plan Reduces Heart Disease Risk on Technorati.)
The number of Americans who are overweight or obese continues to skyrocket at a staggering rate, doubling the risk of sudden death from a heart attack. Heart disease kills more than 700,000 people each year, a number which can be dramatically decreased through a weight loss regimen including proper diet, nutrition, stress management, exercise and understanding the negative effects of a special grain.

The health benefits of weight loss begin to take effect after losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight, as blood pressure, triglycerides and blood sugar levels fall back into the normal range. It does take time, planning and concentrated effort to begin losing weight, but the benefits are improved self esteem, positive mood and the understanding that you have the ability to lengthen and improve the quality of your life.

Diet is the Key to Weight Loss and Heart Disease Risk Reduction

There are many different categories of heart disease, but the most prevalent is atherosclerosis, also referred to as hardening of the arteries because of the stiffness detectable in the normally elastic vessels. Atherosclerosis is the result of two primary factors, systemic inflammation and foamy plaque, both of which reduce blood flow to the heart and ultimately lead to a heart attack.

Dropping excess pounds, especially for those more than 20% over their ideal weight can significantly reduce the risks associated with a heart attack. The best way to lose weight and bring critical metabolic markers back to the normal range is through a healthy diet plan. As body weight slowly increases over the years, blood pressure, blood sugar and triglycerides begin to rise and spiral out of control. The body wages a gallant battle in an attempt to protect the major organs, but ultimately loses the war.

Everybody knows the primary reasons for weight gain such as too many fried foods, sweets and sugary soda, but there is a much larger culprit to explain that expanding belly. In a word, it’s wheat. Man did not evolve to consume wheat, and many people have an inflammatory digestive reaction every time the grain is consumed.

Refined wheat products are everywhere, and include multi and whole grain breads which are touted as being healthy. Studies demonstrate that wheat can be the trigger for a series of metabolic maladies including high triglycerides and oxidized LDL cholesterol, both of which lead to coronary plaque formation, especially in the presence of high blood pressure.

Eat Natural to Lose Weight and Prevent Heart Disease

A diet which focuses on foods in their natural form is necessary to prevent and even reverse the effects of a lifetime of poor food choices. It’s necessary to eliminate all wheat based products from the diet to reap the benefits in disease risk reduction. Processed wheat products are a significant source of calories, so quick weight loss will be an immediate benefit.

More importantly, the low level inflammation many experience from wheat consumption will subside along with many risk factors. The first two weeks will be the most difficult as your body accommodates to the new diet, but soon you’ll feel more focused and revived with a burst of extra energy. Eliminate wheat and replace those calories with natural carbohydrates from leafy green vegetables, nuts (especially walnuts and almonds), seeds, lean proteins and healthy fat sources.

Weight loss and heart disease prevention and reversal are both achieved through a healthy diet which excludes wheat in all forms. Wheat is a relative newcomer to the food supply, and is seen as an intruder to our digestive system. This causes inflammation in our arteries and excess weight around the midsection. Replacing wheat with raw, natural food choices will quickly prompt weight loss and reduce heart disease risk factors.

Comparing Top Healthy Weight Loss Plans: Diet vs. Exercise

(Article first published as Best Healthy Weight Loss Plan: Diet vs. Exercise on Technorati.)
Everyone has an opinion as to whether diet or exercise works best when trying to lose weight.  Which method will provide the best weight loss results, and more importantly, which will help in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, diabetes and cancer?

Both diet and exercise are important when considering a weight loss plan, and each regimen has important benefits when considering the war on obesity. More than 45 million Americans belong to a health club and yet obesity continues to rise at an alarming rate. How do you determine the best strategy to drop those excess pounds without disrupting your daily routine?

Important Benefits of Diet for Weight Loss and Health

Changing the quantity and type of food eaten is the single most important way to promote weight loss and improve overall health. To lose one pound of body fat, it’s necessary to burn an extra 3500 calories, either through physical exertion or reduction in calories eaten.

This can be done by jogging for a total of 7 hours over the course of a week or through substituting 3 sugary soft drinks each day with a no calorie alternative. The net effect will be the same, and most people find the dietary modification route much easier to tolerate. Diet trumps exercise as the quickest route to sustainable weight loss.

It’s important to look beyond weight loss, and consider the health implications of a reduced calorie diet. The food you eat has a direct impact on your risk of developing heart disease, cancer, diabetes and dementia. The nutrients in the foods we eat have either a positive or negative impact on our genes. Studies demonstrate that our genome is altered ever so slightly every time we eat, depending on our food choices at that meal.

Researchers have been able to map the negative genetic changes which we incur from a single meal of fried foods, refined carbohydrates and sweets. Our genes are dynamic and continually changing the risk factors which lead to serious disease. Proper diet is the most important factor in any healthy weight loss plan.

Compliment Diet with Exercise For Maximum Benefit

While diet may be the most efficient route to permanent weight loss, exercise is a necessary component to ignite your fat burning machine. Combined with a low calorie menu, exercise compliments diet to provide muscle tone, endurance and a positive mood.

Over 70 studies confirm the mood lifting effect of both cardio and resistance exercise performed for 20 to 30 minutes most days of the week. Regular exercise is also important for reduction of heart disease risk as it builds the heart muscle, as well as prevention of diabetes due to improved regulation of insulin metabolism by the muscles.

A diet which emphasizes substitution of high calorie, unhealthy foods with low calorie, nutrient dense vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, nuts and seeds will alter the body’s metabolism and result in slow, sustainable weight loss. When compared to exercise, most people will find a dietary restriction plan easier to follow because small changes in food choice lead to quicker weight loss.

The importance of both diet and exercise on overall health cannot be minimized, as both are clear winners in disease risk reduction, but the blue ribbon is awarded to healthy diet and calorie restriction in the weight loss battle.

Processed Meats Increase Heart Disease, Diabetes and Cancer Risk

(First appeared as Processed Meats Increase Heart Disease and Cancer Risk on Technorati.)
Processed meat consumption is surging as Americans gobble up hot dogs, sausage and cold cuts in record numbers. We're paying the ultimate price for this inexpensive, easy preparation food source as the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes have been conclusively linked to processed meat products.

The results of a large study published in Circulation clearly demonstrate that even small quantities of processed meats, as small as 2 ounces eaten daily, increases the risk of heart disease by 42% and diabetes by 19%. The two diseases account for 700,000 deaths annually in the US, a number which could be significantly decreased by making sensible dietary modifications.

Heart Disease Risk Can Be Slashed

The study was one of the first to separate processed meat products from unprocessed beef, pork or lamb. Based on this information, it's possible to determine that the higher fat levels in meat are not the direct cause of increased disease risk. The high sodium and chemical preservative content of the processed meats are linked to the dramatic increased incidence previously associated with meat consumption in general.

Sodium is a known factor in heart disease as it increases blood pressure and causes changes to the blood's ability to properly clot. People eating the highest amount of processed meats take in nearly three times the daily recommended amount of salt. Although this study did not find a direct link to heart disease from unprocessed meat consumption, it's still advisable to moderate the amount of beef and pork as typical cooking methods lead to the accumulation of aging byproducts known as AGE's (anti-glycation end products). Based on the results of this study, 300,000 lives could be spared each year by scaling back or eliminating processed meats.

Cancer Incidence Linked To Chemical Preservatives

Sodium Nitrite is the main preservative used in meat processing, and adds a healthy looking  fleshy red color to the meat. Those consuming the highest amounts of nitrite through processed meats have shown a 67% increase in pancreatic cancer and a 74% increase in leukemia. Digestive cancers such as those of the stomach and colon are twice as common among those who eat the largest amount of processed meats.

We have not evolved to eat food which has been pumped full of preservative chemicals and sodium. Processed meats have been artificially manipulated to appeal to our taste with no regard to the mountain of evidence demonstrating it is slowly leading to our demise. Total meat consumption should be limited due to the excess calories and potential for weight gain, while processed meat products need to be eliminated from our diet, or minimized to an occasional treat. This study proves with sobering scientific fact that one small dietary change could have a large impact on the rest of our life.

Top Diabetes Weight Loss Diet

(Article first published as Top Diabetes Weight Loss Diet on Technorati.)
Diabetes ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the US with new cases of the disease rising at alarming levels, especially among children and teens. More alarming is the fact that diabetes more than doubles the risk of sudden death from a heart attack.

Weight loss among those suffering from diabetes is very difficult as the body's delicate glucose and lipid balancing mechanisms are disrupted, causing excess pounds to become resistant to traditional diet plans. Following a simple, natural three step plan can provide weight loss relief and health benefits to diabetics and those concerned with preventing this devastating disease.

1. Control Diabetes With Food

The Hippocrates quote 'Let food be thy medicine' holds special meaning when discussing diabetes. Medical advise provided to those newly diagnosed with the disease include a variety of prescription medications and a 'low-fat' diet which is laden with carbohydrates, both of which lead to a proliferation of diabetes and life threatening complications. Diabetes drugs work by forcing sugar into the cells whether needed or not, and don't address the core problem.

Diabetics are particularly sensitive to the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar and a resulting high level of triglycerides. Excess triglycerides circulating in the blood are directly responsible for fat storage in the body, and too many carbohydrates at any given meal will be converted to this fat storage lipid resulting in weight gain.

To prevent and treat diabetes, it's critical to limit carbohydrates from all sources with each meal. Totally eliminate refined carbohydrates from desserts, potatoes and breads. Even fruits and vegetables in large quantities can create blood sugar problems, depending on individual metabolism. Be sure to include a fat source with each meal, as this helps to regulate the release of sugar into the blood. Lean protein sources from chicken, turkey and pork as well as nuts and seeds have minimal impact on blood glucose and triglyceride levels.

As you remove junk carbohydrate calories from your diet, it becomes easier to monitor total caloric intake to achieve slow and healthy weight loss. Women should target 1200 calories a day, and men need around 1500 calories for effective weight loss.

2. Monitor After Meal Blood Sugars

The best way to determine your carbohydrate sensitivity is to test your blood sugar at 1 and 2 hour intervals after eating. Strong evidence exits which indicates that it's the post meal blood sugar readings which determine the risk for diabetic complications. It's also important for those wishing to avoid this disease, as it provides a real-time reading of overall blood glucose control. Many people are unaware they may be pre-diabetic, or already have the disease.

Blood sugar readings 1 hour after a meal should not exceed 140 mg/dl, and no more than 120 mg/dl after 2 hours. Readings which are higher are indicative of metabolic dysfunction, where the cells are bathed in excess sugar for many hours of the day. 

This leads to a condition known as Syndrome X, and significantly increases risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. It also raises triglyceride levels, leading to stubborn weight gain as the body works to store excess sugar as fat. Regular blood sugar monitoring to optimal levels will ensure proper metabolic function, improved health and reduced weight.

3. Develop a Resistance Training Exercise Program

Compliment your new diet and blood sugar monitoring plan with regular exercise. The power of physical activity cannot be underestimated, as it helps the muscles to properly utilize blood sugar for energy.  When done most days of the week, the body is trained to become metabolically efficient, as sugar and triglycerides are ushered out of the blood quickly after finishing each meal.

Recent studies show that progressive resistance training using weights or power bands in short bursts are the best method of achieving physical health, as it mimics the exercise patterns of our evolutionary ancestors. Be sure to work all major muscle groups at high intensity for 1 to 2 minutes and then rest for the same time. 20 minutes a day is enough for beneficial effects.

Those wishing to prevent or treat diabetes must be disciplined in following this three step plan. Proper diet is the only way to halt the devastating effects excess carbohydrates have on our metabolism, and blood sugar monitoring provides the necessary confirmation that the program is working properly. Resistance exercise assists the body to naturally regulate insulin and blood sugar, the end result being improved health and sustainable weight loss.