WEIGHT

LOSS

SURGERY?

WEIGHT loss surgery alters the body’s digestive process by limiting the amount of food the stomach can hold and/or by limiting the absorption of nutrients.

The most common procedures are restrictive, malabsorptive or a combination of both. Restrictive procedures reduce the amount of food the stomach can hold, but don’t interfere with the body’s normal digestion of food and nutrients. Malabsorptive procedures bypass most of the small intestine so fewer calories and nutrients are absorbed. Combined procedures restrict food intake as well as the amount of calories and nutrients the body absorbs.

How do I know if I am a candidate for weight loss surgery?
Candidates are at least 100 pounds overweight. That translates to a body mass index of 40 or over. You should have previously attempted to lose weight through traditional methods, including dieting, nutritional counseling and commercial or hospital-based weight loss programs. Candidates may have a body mass index of 35 and over if they have medical problems that are associated with obesity, such as hypertension and diabetes.

People with an inflammatory disease, severe heart or lung disease, esophageal, stomach or intestinal problems, cirrhosis or who are pregnant, are not candidates.

What are my options for weight loss surgery?
The two most common operations are adjustable gastric banding and gastric bypass. With both procedures, the size of the area in stomach where food collects is reduced.

The adjustable gastric band is less invasive than gastric bypass and is often done laparoscopically. By placing an adjustable band around the stomach the surgeon creates an upper pouch. As the name suggests, the band can be adjusted in follow-up, outpatient procedures to ensure that the pouch is the right size to control weight loss.

During Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, a surgeon creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach using staples. The small intestine is then rearranged and connected directly to the pouch, creating a bypass of the small intestine.

The band is adjustable; the bypass is not adjustable. The band is reversible; the gastric bypass is irreversible.

How much weight can I expect to lose?
That depends on the procedure and the individual. With the adjustable gastric banding procedure, weight loss progresses steadily over a 2- to 3-year period and then stabilizes. The final result is usually between 50 percent and 60 percent of the excess weight. After four years, studies show the level of weight loss is equal to that achieved by gastric bypass surgery.

WEIGHT OFF

YOUR

MIND?

BURNING more calories than you eat is a guaranteed method for losing weight. However, the vast majority of attempts to lose weight this way end in failure.

Why? It turns out that the most formidable opponents to weight loss are within you: body and mind.

Body. The human body has evolved to keep you alive. When the body is losing weight it often responds by reducing metabolism and increasing hunger. As a result you may find it difficult if not impossible to continue the diet. The body's drive to eat is just as strong as drives for sex and self-preservation.

While most of us in modern societies live in a time of abundance, you evolved to live in situations just the opposite. Weight loss always was a danger sign of impending death, while overeating and weight gain were a rare bit of good fortune.

So you are adapted for living where food is scarce but live where it is nearly unlimited. Like a penguin in the blazing desert, or a kangaroo on a polar ice cap, you are living in an environment for which you are not properly adapted!

But don't despair.. there is cause for optimism. For instance your body will often allow slow weight loss over long periods of time. And there are also mechanisms that cause your body to accept weight loss and these can be regulated with exercise frequency and intensity.

Food choices can also influence your ability to lose weight without your body turning against you. Most importantly remember that eating fewer calories than you burn still works every time. Your body cannot defy the laws of physics!

Mind. Your mind can work against you, and like the body it often sabotages your attempts to lose weight as a result of defensive adaptations.

Self-esteem and self-image. Your subconscious mind works very hard to maintain positive thoughts , and when something goes wrong it will choose the explanation that makes you feel the best about yourself.

Generally this means blaming something external or beyond your control. So you'll blame time constraints ,or your metabolism. Maybe you will convince yourself that all you need to succeed is better exercise equipment or a new diet plan, or that you are lacking in willpower or self-control.

But while the real reason you aren't losing weight is because you are making poor CHOICES, your mind rejects this idea completely because this means you have chosen to be overweight and have nothing to blame but yourself.

Self-deception. Focusing on explanations beyond your control may make you feel better, but the problem with self-deception is that you also seek the wrong approaches to weight loss. Without addressing the real problem - your CHOICES - your new exercise equipment is destined to collect dust in the corner of a room, and you are certain to quit your weight loss diet program just like you always do.

So, as Henry Ford said, if you think you can you can; if you think you can't you wont!

SLIMMING MEANS PLANNING

You know there are a ton of weight loss diets that claim to be the best. The problem is in finding the one that is best for you and your individual weight loss needs.

Not everyone will be able to see successful results on the same plan. Some people need only to drop five pounds while others want ways to effectively burn fat. So what you need in terms of weight loss should be your deciding factor among all the diet plans that are currently available.

Whether you choose Weight Watchers for the point system or the Adkins diet, be careful to spend time researching each plan to ensure it meets your individual needs. All the major diet plans will tell you that portion control is one of the most important aspects for success and this is very true. In order to lose weight you should eat less, or at least eat less of the foods that contribute to the fat content in your body.

But no matter what weight loss programme you chose, you will need to learn to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables. You could make up your own lose weight plan by simply looking at the recommended daily servings for each of the major food groups. Once you know what you are supposed to eat each day it is much easier to ensure you are getting the vitamins and nutrients in your daily slimming diet that will help you to keep off the weight and become much healthier overall.
You can also add fat burners to your daily slimming plan. These help by blocking fat from being stored in your system and by ensuring that the exercises you undertake help to burn more fat.

And yes, you will need to exercise! This may be the one factor that keeps millions from losing weight every year - they simply cannot get motivated. Movement is the only true way to burn fat. Although fat burners will aid in the fat burning process and will help you to ultimately burn more fat for your efforts, you will still have to get some sort of exercise at least three days each week.

Losing weight really is doable! You simply have to take that first step and get yourself started. Research the available weight loss diets such as Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Adkins and others and determine which one best suits your individual needs. Then plan your exercise routine. Get yourself motivated; get up and move. Finally, if you want to supplement your weight loss and use fat burners, research these as well and determine which one best suits your needs.

Now you are ready to begin losing weight. You will be thinner, lighter and healthier before you know it!

NOW IS THE HOUR...

GLASS THAT IS!

BRITISH women are desperate to get their waistlines back.

According to a new report a massive 60pc say they are actually “fruit-shaped” apple and pears but over two thirds of the nation are desperate for the classic Marilyn Monroe-esque hourglass figure.

In a landmark study to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Kellogg’s Special K*, it was found the ultimate slimming goal for women is no longer being the “Perfect 10” but to get a curvy hourglass shape.

Whether you’re 25 or 55 the hourglass figure personified by the shapely Nigella Lawson today resolutely remains the body shape the majority of us aspire to, with just 7pc of us yearning for the boyish and shapeless body made famous by the likes of Twiggy in the sixties and Kate Moss in the nineties and the noughties.

With over 35pc of the nation’s women confessing they are apple-shaped – a shape characterized by an undefined waist – and just 13pc of us possessing an enviable hourglass figure - it seems shape not size is what matters most to women these days.

The research by Special K revealed women are taking their inspiration from curvy celebrities in the media too. While the sensuous hourglass curves of Nigella topped Special K’s inspiration index, Dame Helen Mirren was voted the second biggest “body booster” – becoming an inspiration to millions after being photographed in her bikini last year, while Dame Judi Dench came in third.

Key body shape boosters include seeing shapely women on TV rather than size zero models, curvy celebrities with hunky boyfriends (such as Charlotte Church and Gavin Henson), and older actresses such as Helen Mirren ‘baring all’ for nude scenes

NO BUTTS

IN

BRAZIL?

The term "hourglass figure" refers to a female body form as having measurements of "36-24-36" inches, and is based upon important biological and hormonal factors. These ideal female proportions invoke an image of a youthful, attractive, and sexually enticing woman in our modern day society. A widely used technique that reliably measures the attractiveness of the female figure is known as the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), where the typical range for a healthy, attractive, premenopausal woman has been shown to be 0.67 to 0.80, with 0.7 being ideal. Therefore, cosmetic surgeons who understand these anatomical proportions are better able to provide their clients with a youthful and more attractive figure.

Buttock augmentation can be accomplished in various ways--either with silicone buttock implants or by performing a surgical butt lift. However, a more innovative surgical procedure involves large-volume fat transfer into the buttock muscle--a procedure known as a "Brazilian Butt Lift". This advanced form of buttock augmentation involves a "two-in-one" surgical approach and requires three separate steps:

1) Your own fat is removed through standard liposuction techniques from your abdomen, flanks and back, thus leaving you with a narrowed and more proportionate waistline.
2) The harvested fat cells are processed and stored.
3) The fat cells are finally transferred or "transplanted" into your buttock region and artistically sculpted, thus providing you with more projection and fullness.

The transfer of your own fat cells into your buttocks is performed layer by layer, first starting deep within the muscle and slowly becoming more superficial.

This "two-in-one" procedure--liposuction along with fat transfer--results in rounder, fuller, and firmer buttocks along with a slimmer waistline, thus restoring your waist-to-hip ratio to more feminine proportions. Nonetheless, one of the paramount goals of a Brazilian Butt Lift is to reestablish your feminine waist-hip-ratio of 0.7 in order to accentuate important anatomical landmarks of the buttock, hip, and waist anatomy. Not everyone is a candidate for a Brazilian Butt Lift, as the most common contraindication is not having enough fat for liposuction harvesting and fat transfer.

Michael L. Thornton, D.O., FACOS, Cosmetic Surgeon, Mansfield Cosmetic Surgery Center, Mansfield, TX, http://www.mansfieldcosmeticsurgery.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Thornton

The term "hourglass figure" refers to a female body form as having measurements of "36-24-36" inches, and is based upon important biological and hormonal factors. These ideal female proportions invoke an image of a youthful, attractive, and sexually enticing woman in our modern day society. A widely used technique that reliably measures the attractiveness of the female figure is known as the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), where the typical range for a healthy, attractive, premenopausal woman has been shown to be 0.67 to 0.80, with 0.7 being ideal. Therefore, cosmetic surgeons who understand these anatomical proportions are better able to provide their clients with a youthful and more attractive figure.

Buttock augmentation can be accomplished in various ways--either with silicone buttock implants or by performing a surgical butt lift. However, a more innovative surgical procedure involves large-volume fat transfer into the buttock muscle--a procedure known as a "Brazilian Butt Lift". This advanced form of buttock augmentation involves a "two-in-one" surgical approach and requires three separate steps:

1) Your own fat is removed through standard liposuction techniques from your abdomen, flanks and back, thus leaving you with a narrowed and more proportionate waistline.
2) The harvested fat cells are processed and stored.
3) The fat cells are finally transferred or "transplanted" into your buttock region and artistically sculpted, thus providing you with more projection and fullness.

The transfer of your own fat cells into your buttocks is performed layer by layer, first starting deep within the muscle and slowly becoming more superficial.

This "two-in-one" procedure--liposuction along with fat transfer--results in rounder, fuller, and firmer buttocks along with a slimmer waistline, thus restoring your waist-to-hip ratio to more feminine proportions. Nonetheless, one of the paramount goals of a Brazilian Butt Lift is to reestablish your feminine waist-hip-ratio of 0.7 in order to accentuate important anatomical landmarks of the buttock, hip, and waist anatomy. Not everyone is a candidate for a Brazilian Butt Lift, as the most common contraindication is not having enough fat for liposuction harvesting and fat transfer.

Michael L. Thornton, D.O., FACOS, Cosmetic Surgeon, Mansfield Cosmetic Surgery Center, Mansfield, TX, http://www.mansfieldcosmeticsurgery.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Thornton

Weight Loss

Surgery Safe

for Seniors

A new study out of Baylor University in Dallas shows that weight loss surgery can benefit adults over age 65 as much as younger patients, and poses no additional risk of complications.

Some people assume weight loss surgery is a treatment best suited to the young. However a new study by the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas says that’s not so.

The study, presented at the 26th annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, found that seniors can benefit from weight loss surgery just as much as younger people, and with no additional risk to the patient.

Researchers looked at data from a sample population of 100 obese patients ranging in age from 65 to 77 years old , and compared these with data from a younger sample population.

All the patients had laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery between January 2005 and July 2008, and all experienced comparable levels of weight loss. And the numbers of post-operative complications were almost the same in both groups as well.

Despite age differences concludes the study, older obesity patients are just as likely to benefit from weight loss surgery as are younger patients, and are no more at risk of developing complications afterward.

CAN BLUEBERRIES

SHRINK

BELLY FAT?

A University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center study suggests that blueberries may help reduce belly fat and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

The magic bullet is the high level of phytochemicals in blueberries. Dark purple fruits are high in the phytochemical anthocyanin.

So far we know that the fruit works on rats, which were the test subjects. A blueberry-enriched powder was mixed into the rats' diet, which was either low-fat or high-fat rat chow. After 90 days, the rats with the blueberry-enriched diet had less abdominal fat, lower triglycerides, lower cholesterol and improved fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity.

And their health was even better when combined with the low-fat diet. That group had lower body weight, lower total fat mass and reduced liver mass than the rats on the high-fat diet. An enlarged liver is linked to obesity and insulin resistance, a hallmark of diabetes. According to Science Daily, “Some measurements were changed by blueberry even if the rats were on a high fat diet,” says E. Mitchell Seymour, M.S., lead researcher and manager of the UM Cardioprotection Research Laboratory.

“We found by looking at fat muscle tissue, that blueberry intake affected genes related to fat-burning and storage. Looking at muscle tissue, we saw altered genes related to glucose uptake.”

The study was supported by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, which also supplied the blueberry powder. The council did not play a role in the study’s conduct or analysis.

CHEERS!?

If you're trying to lose or maintain your weight, must you give up your favorite alcoholic drink? At first glance, it might seem so, says Katherine Hobson of US News & World Report.

The average American gets 400 calories a day from beverages, according to obesity researcher Barry Popkin, and some findings suggest our bodies may not get the "I'm full" signal from liquids as we do from the same number of calories in solid form. So you'd think that alcohol, with 7 calories per gram (more than carbs and protein, less than fat), would place high on the list of things to cast aside in pursuit of a leaner body.

But it's not so simple. No one is suggesting that teetotalers start drinking, but if you already do drink moderately, you may be getting some health benefits. And there may be strategies you can adopt that can fend off a beer belly (or a beer behind, depending on where your extra fat tends to land).

Your gender may play a role in how you deal with alcohol's calories, says Kenneth Mukamal, an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. It appears that men who drink more have a higher overall caloric intake-that is, they don't compensate for the alcohol calories by eating less. Women who drink, however, tend to simply replace food calories with alcohol—maybe skipping their usual dessert, for example, to make up for a predinner drink. The Nurses' Health Study II (which followed only women) found that moderate drinking—up to two drinks a day—wasn't associated with weight gain. More than that, and women put on extra pounds, says Mukamal.

Yes, two drinks a day equals 14 a week, but you can't save up and have that all at once. A study published in 2005 in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that men and women who had one drink per day, three to seven days a week, had the lowest body mass indexes (BMI). People who infrequently drank the greatest quantity (think of the bachelor party binge-drinker, who has 10 drinks at once a few times a year) had the highest BMIs, says Rosalind Breslow, an epidemiologist at the NIAAA and first author of the study.

She warns, however, that studies about alcohol and weight have not all pointed in the same direction and that it's very tough to tease out cause-and-effect relationships. Smoking, for example, is associated with heavy drinking, and smokers tend to be thinner. And people who drink moderately also do other things—like eat more fruits and veggies or exercise more—that could account for their lower BMIs.

Still, there is evidence suggesting other health benefits, including cardiovascular protection, from the same moderate drinking that has been linked to lower BMIs. (That's not true across the board. People at heightened risk of breast or colon cancer should talk to their doctor about whether alcohol use is for them.) So if you do drink moderately—that means stopping at one drink a day for women, two a day for men—think simple to save on calories. That means a glass of wine, at 100 calories, rather than a 450-calorie piña colada. And be aware of your surroundings; if you're out at a restaurant (especially if you're a man) realize you may be less inhibited about eating more—and more caloric—food than is good for your waistline

Are You Drinking Enough Water?



MOST people have no idea how much water they should be drinking, and most of us live from day to day in a dehydrated state. .. because we are nor drinking enough water.

Without water we would be poisoned to death by our own waste products and toxins resulting from metabolism.

Water is vital to digestion and metabolism, acting as a medium for various enzymatic and chemical reactions in the body. It carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells through the blood, regulates body temperature and lubricates our joints (which is particularly important if you're arthritic, have chronic muscular-skeletal problems or are athletically active).

We need water to breathe; we lose approximately one pint of liquid every day just by exhaling.

If you are not in "fluid balance" you can impair every aspect of your body's physiological functioning.

According to Dr. Howard Flaks of Beverly Hills, "As a result of not drinking enough water, many people encounter such problems as excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, decreased digestive efficiency and organ function, increased toxicity in the body, joint and muscle soreness (particularly after exercise) and water retention."

Proper water intake is the key to weight loss," says Dr. Donald Robertson, of Arizona. "If people who are trying to lose weight don't drink enough water, the body can't metabolize the fat, they retain fluid, which keeps their weight up, and the whole procedure we're trying to set up falls apart."

"I'd say the minimum amount of water a healthy person should drink is 10 eight-ounce glasses a day. And you need to drink more if you are overweight, exercise a lot, or live in a hot climate. Overweight people should drink an extra eight ounces of water for each 25 pounds that exceeds their ideal weight."

Your water intake should be spread judiciously throughout the day, including the evening. Dr. Flaks cautions against drinking more than four glasses in any given hour. Always check with your physician before embarking on a water intake increase program.

You may ask, "If I drink this much water, won't I constantly be running to the bathroom?" Initially, yes, because of the hypersensitivity of the bladder to increased fluids. But after a few weeks, your bladder calms down, and you urinate less frequently, but in larger amounts.

There is a difference between pure water and other beverages that contain water.

Water is water. Obviously you can get it by consuming fruit juice, soft drinks, beer, coffee or tea. Unfortunately, while such drinks contain water, they also may contain substances that are not healthy and actually contradict some of the positive effects of the added water.

And as Dr. Jerzy Meduski of Los Angeles, points out, while beer contains water, "it also contains alcohol, which is a toxic substance. Beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee, stimulate the adrenal glands; fruit juices contain a lot of sugar and stimulate the pancreas. Such drinks may tax the body more than cleanse it."

Another problem with these beverages is that you lose your taste for water.

The way to interpret all of this, therefore, is that the recommended daily water intake means just that-- and start drinking water!

Breakfast can aid

weight loss

A healthy breakfast that includes high-fiber cereal can help you lose weight and keep diabetes, heart disease, and stroke at bay — especially when the menu also includes nonfat milk and fruit.Research suggests that breakfast eaters are leaner than those who skip the morning meal, with one study reporting that missing breakfast was associated with a fourfold increase in the risk of obesity, says the Harvard Men's Health Watch.

High -fiber cereals are central to breakfast's health benefits and can help men reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even intestinal polyps and colon cancer. Look for breakfast cereals that provide at least 6 grams of fiber per serving, but make sure your choice is low in sugar (less than 10 grams per serving). Add nonfat milk and bananas, berries, or apple slices to turn that bowl of fiber into a tasty meal.

Breakfast needn't be limited to high-fiber cereals, but wise choices are important. Stick to whole-grain or pumpernickel breads for toast; opt for trans-fat-free soft margarines or cholesterol-lowering spreads that contain plant stanols.

Eggs needn't be banned from the breakfast table, but are better reserved for the occasional brunch. However, in one study, men with diabetes who ate more than one egg a day had a twofold increase in cardiovascular risk.

To date, there is no solid evidence that organic eggs or brands high in omega-3 fats offer any particular health benefits — and they still count as eggs. Health Watch recommends a little experimentation to find the combination of healthful breakfast foods that will make for an enjoyable and healthful morning meal. It also points out that many typical breakfast foods (hash browns, bacon, croissants) have too much fat or salt — and fast-food breakfasts have too much of everything, except the fiber that adds the real punch to breakfast's health benefits

And No It's Not Fair...


An unhappy marriage may be as bad for your health as a fast-food diet.

Investigators have found that women in rocky relationships were up to 40 percent more likely than happily hitched women to have metabolic syndrome—a cluster of health issues including obesity and high cholesterol that can lead to heart disease.

Chronic stress stimulates the release of the hormone cortisol, which causes the body to store fat in the belly. Excess ab fat is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, says study author Tim Smith of the University of Utah.

Fad Diets: Why Are They Bad?

WHY are fad diets so dubious when they seem to get results?. You will find many sites on the internet claiming significant weight loss in just a few days. Fact is that type of weight loss is almost always temporary, usually 90% water which goes straight back on as soon as your body rehydrates - which it must do if you are not going to suffer severe health problems or die.

While other fad diets are not so obviously crash diets coupled with outrageous claims, they are over hyped diet plans that tend to be fashionable for a while and usually making a lot of money for the inventor in associated product sales.

In the best cases these are good nutrition plans which will help you lose weight, but which you could probably have got for free from your doctor. In the worst cases they will prove so difficult to follow that you will give up after a week.

The Bad of Fad.

1. Diets that promise quick and easy weight loss are usually based on eating more of one food type and none of another. These do not give the benefits that you would get from a balanced diet. They may suggest you take supplements but many supplements are not absorbed by the body unless they are taken along with the foods that the diet has banned. After a few weeks - if you stick to it that long - you may begin to develop nutritional deficiencies.

2. Fad diets are often boring and over restrictive. After the novelty of the first day or two, you will not enjoy your meals. You will then start to crave food constantly and will break the diet. You may even feel guilty, thinking it is your fault that you did not lose weight.

3. Most fad diets do not follow recommendations of the American Heart Association and similar bodies for fat levels in the diet. Often the diet will recommend high fat foods and low carbs, which if taken long term, could result in heart disease.

Yes the promoters may tell you that the diet is only intended to be followed for a short time, but you probably will not reach your goal weight in that time, and then what? You either continue with a plan that is not good for your health, or stop and probably gain back what you lost!

4. Many fad diets do not help you to incorporate enough servings of fruits and vegetables in your weight loss program, or give you the variety of foods that your body needs.

5. Quick weight loss diets are just a temporary solution and do not help you to make permanent changes to your eating habits. Permanent changes are the only way to remain at your target weight once you reach it. Fad diets encourage yo-yo diet-binge cycles of fast weight loss and equally fast weight gain. This is worse for your health and your self esteem than if you had stayed overweight all the time.

Whatever the publicity materials may say, these diets will not help you in the long term. The best way to sustain weight loss is to eat a varied and healthy diet, do not overeat, exercise regularly and avoid fad diets.

Fifteen Great Ways to Lose Weight Fast.




Want to lose weight fast? It's easy to say goodbye to 10 pounds of unwanted fat with these easy diet programme tips. Just pay attention to what you eat and be sure to have good tasting, fresh and healthy food including snacks, fill up on vegetables and keep your taste buds happy with fruit.

No need to make sacrifices! Just follow these simple guidelines to lose your first 10 pounds, last 10 pounds or give your weight loss program a boost when it seems to have stuttered to a halt. This is a balanced and flexible plan that you can use for as long as you want.

1. Keep a note of everything that you eat and drink. You do not need to estimate calories. Just write down what it was that you had and the approximate quantity. You will find that being more aware of what you are eating helps you to plan healthy meals and snacks.

2. Halve your intake of all pure or added fats. This means half as much butter or spread on your

bread, toast, muffins and potatoes; half the usual amount of mayonnaise or sauce on your salad; and half the oil in the frypan every time.

3. Limit treats containing sugar to three times per week. This includes chocolate, ice cream, desserts, cake, pastries, cookies, etc.

4. Include a lower fat source of protein at most meals: chicken, fish, beans, cottage cheese, or low fat yogurt. Have eggs, nuts and red meat occasionally but not every day.

5. Plan at least one lunch and dinner every week without meat or cheese. Try to build those meals around whole grains, vegetables and beans to increase fiber and reduce fat.

6. Reduce the fat content in your milk products. If you are currently drinking whole milk, reduce to 2% fat. From 2% reduce to 1%. Choose lower fat cheese and yogurt. When you buy yogurt, also check that it does not contain sugar.

7. Have at least two servings of fruit every day. This can be for dessert or snacks. Choose fruit that is in season.

8. Drink water instead of sodas, juices, milky drinks or alcohol. Avoid diet soda - the sweet taste only encourages you to crave sugar. Hot water with a slice of lemon can be very refreshing in the morning.

9. Include at least two servings of vegetables at lunch and dinner. If you are getting hungry, have more.

10. Eat slowly. The body is slow to register when you are full and it is easy to eat too much if you are racing through your meals.

11. Grated carrot makes a great snack. You will find that a grated carrot is much more filling than a whole carrot. Strange but true!

12. Use whole grains wherever possible. The fiber will give you a fuller feeling and also help your

digestion.

13. Choose food that you can chew. Again this will increase your fiber intake, and the act of chewing will make you feel more satisfied too. This means eating fruit instead of drinking juice. If you have soup, make sure it is chunky.

14. Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. Plan your shopping too - make a list of what you need and stick to it. If you just grab something when you are feeling hungry, you will probably choose high calorie food.

15. Always switch off the TV when you eat. That includes snacks as well as meals. Studies prove that we eat larger portions in front of the TV, probably because we are much less aware of what we are eating. When you eat, only eat if you want to lose weight fast.

Weight Loss and Negative Calorie Foods

HERE is a free list of negative calorie foods: useful if you have weight to lose. But first let's consider what this means in terms of a weight loss diet. There is no such thing as a negative calorie - a calorie is a unit of heat and it cannot be negative. So when people talk about negative calorie foods, this just means a food whose calorie level is low enough that it takes more energy to eat and digest it than the food contains.

So, if you consider water to be a food, then cold water is certainly a negative calorie food. It contains no calories at all and the body has to expend energy to bring it up to blood temperature. Every time we drink a glass of cold water we burn up a couple of calories and lose a little weight.

But there are very few foods like this. Most foods on the list do not really use more calories than they add, or if they do the effect is negligible ... until you remember that at the same time the body expends energy just to keep alive and breathing.

Celery for example does not give us enough calories to cover both the energy that it takes to digest it, plus the energy that we expend even when we are doing nothing. So that is why people call it a negative calorie food.

Negative calorie foods are most attractive to anorexics. A negative calorie diet would obviously result in starvation in the long term and nutritional deficiencies can occur surprisingly quickly. The calories burnt usually come from muscle mass, and the result is debility and wasting.

A more healthy way to use a negative calorie diet as part of a weight loss programme is as a form of fasting or detox. It is something you can do for one to three days right after the Christmas season or another time when you have been eating a over-rich diet. Provided you are otherwise healthy it can be a great way to clean out the system. However it is still best to take medical advice before attempting this.

If you decide to use a negative calorie detox, keep the following points in mind:

1. It is never a good idea to eat huge quantities of one type of food, especially fruits. A lot of foods contain substances that can be damaging if consumed to excess. For example, the acid in grapefruit and pineapple can damage your stomach lining. Other foods put an excessive burden on the liver or may cause diarrhea. So try to use all the different foods in small quantities.

2. Do not spend all day eating. You will just become bloated and feel sick. If you are only doing this for a couple days, you should not feel too hungry. Plan four or five salad meals each day, and let your digestion rest at other times.

3. You will feel more satisfied if you eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. You will also use more calories that way. So if the foods can be eaten raw, that will be more effective than cooking them. Foods like carrots and beets will also be more satisfying if you eat them grated.

4. Schedule time when you do not have any important commitments. As with fasting or any kind of detox, you may suffer some uncomfortable symptoms including headaches, tiredness, depression and irritability. If these become severe, stop the diet and see a doctor.

5. When you end the detox, plan a gradual return to normal eating.

If all the above points are checked and passed, let's move on to the list of foods.

* Apples

* Asparagus

* Beets

* Blueberries

* Broccoli

* Cantaloupes

* Carrot

* Cauliflower

* Celery stalk

* Celery root

* Cranberries

* Cucumbers

* Eggplant

* Endives

* Garden cress

* Garlic

* Grapefruit

* Green beans

* Green cabbage

* Lamb's lettuce

* Lemons

* Lettuce

* Onions

* Papayas

* Pineapples

* Prunes

* Radishes

* Raspberries

* Spinach

* Strawberries

* Tangerines

* Tomatoes

* Turnips

* Zucchini

But remember - when it comes to your weight loss diet programme, use this list of negative calorie foods wisely!