The Best Weight Loss Diets

The Best Weight Loss Diets
- http://slimminghelp4u.com

Let's face it, there are hundreds of diets to choose from but which are the best weight loss diets or should I say the most effective in achieving weight loss? After all, that is the objective and in this article my aim is to highlight the differences between five of the best weight loss diets around.

Raw Food Diet
If you're a vegetarian or vegan, this diet is made for you because it mainly consists of raw fruit, vegetables and grains. The belief is that cooking food removes all the nutrients. Therefore eating raw food can benefit your immune system and help if you suffer from arthritis and other ailments. However, it should be noted that as most people on this diet don't eat animal products, they must ensure they are not deficient in protein, calcium, iron and certain vitamins and minerals by taking supplements to maintain good health. Raw food is certainly one of the best natural weight loss diets due to being low in calories, high in fibre and as close to how nature intended.   

Weight Watchers

Probably the best known diet and nutrition program in America and the UK. It uses a pro- points system so instead of working out calories, each food scores so many points value based on its carbohydrate, fat, fibre, calories content. You can eat what you like as long as you keep within your daily pro-points allowance based on your gender, weight, height and age.  Its success is partly due to the support offered at the meetings by the leader and other members which keeps the motivation going; there is also online support. At the start you decide how many pounds you want to lose and a target is set. Each week you are weighed and your weight is recorded on your personal record sheet. Weight Watchers continues to prove itself in long-term successful weight loss.

Mediterranean Diet

It sounds healthy and it is because it claims to be the best diet for helping prevent heart disease. It also helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol. For those of you on a low-sodium diet, this is suitable for you because food is flavoured with plenty of herbs and spices. Mainly plant-based using fruit, vegetables, whole-grains, nuts, beans, fish, occasionally meat and dairy and of course olive oil and not forgetting the red wine; it offers a wide range of foods to enjoy. It's all about freshness, colour, laughter and eating in the company of others around the table. It's one of the better natural weight loss diets that works when combined with plenty of activity and though it isn't a low-fat diet it is low in saturated fat.  

Flexitarian Diet

Flexitarian is a flexible but balanced diet that is mostly vegetarian but it allows you to eat meat very occasionally. Tests have shown that Flexitarians weigh 15% less than all consuming meat eaters. After reading this why not search for Flexitarian recipes yourself because they are delicious and include whole grains, vegetables and fruit so only whole foods in their natural state are used; none of that processed rubbish! The recipes also include eggs, tofu, beans, lentils, peas, seeds, nuts and more. Now as most of the recipes use plant-based foods, no wonder why fewer calories are consumed and why weight loss on this diet has been so successful.

Atkins Diet

Dr Robert Atkins, MD wrote the book over 40 years ago. Since then there have been updated versions but the principle is the same – by eating meat and dairy instead of carbohydrates like starchy potatoes, bread, pasta, and sweet things your body uses your fat stores for fuel resulting in your body burning fat. This in turn releases a by-product called ketones that give you energy. It would appear that in the first phase of the diet no more than 20 grams of carbs are permitted per day and they come mostly from specified vegetables. Protein from fish, poultry, red meat, eggs, butter and vegetable oils are allowed but no pasta, bread, grains, starchy vegetables, fruit, or dairy - butter, cheese and cream being the exception. Nor is caffeine or alcohol allowed. In the next phase as part of this weight loss plan, more vegetables etc are introduced.  It does seem rather complex but studies have shown that low-carb diets are as effective for weight loss as traditional methods and can improve cholesterol levels.

From my pick of the best weight loss diets I hope you will find one that is of interest and beneficial to you.  

To hear other really beneficial topics check out my website by going over to My Weight Loss Website or to learn more about this topic follow this link The Best Weight Loss Diets  - Z8NXJVGZA7MU

Is Quinoa Fattening?

Is Quinoa Fattening?

You’ve likely heard about quinoa a lot lately, as foodies and nutrition experts are touting its benefits anywhere. This little seed is very rich in amino acids and an excellent non-meat source of protein. But if you’re concerned about weight management, you might wonder if quinoa will be good for your diet or is quinoa fattening.

Uncooked quinoa has 120 calories per 100-gram serving. That’s less or similar to the calorie content of most whole grains. Compared to many other foods, uncooked quinoa is low in calories; however, the way that you cook it could make it more fattening. For instance, every 14 grams of butter that you add to the serving would be another 102 calories, while 14 grams of olive oil would add around 119 calories. If you put cheese, milk or cream in your recipe, you’ll add more calories per serving.

To make quinoa as light as possible, boil it in water. Taste it before you add oil or butter. Try seasoning it with garlic, onions or spices, as these are low in calories. Give it some zest by including fresh or steamed vegetables. Also, be sure to monitor your portion size. Eating too much of even the healthiest foods can contribute to weight gain. If you’re unsure how many calories you should be eating every day, ask your doctor for advice.


http://www.quinoasuperfood.com/general-questions/is-quinoa-fattening - Is Quinoa Fattening

How to Lose Weight without Gaining Muscle

How to Lose Weight without Gaining Muscle

How to lose weight without gaining muscle... sometimes, when people seek to lose weight, they change their diet and incorporate a variety of exercises to burn excess body fat. As a result, some people put on muscle mass when they embark on a new fitness or weight loss regimen. If you're already pleased with the amount of muscle your body has, or you're concerned about gaining muscle mass while trying to shed weight, there are some things you can do to limit the likelihood of adding muscle to your frame.

Step 1
Create a daily calorie deficit in your diet. To lose fat without gaining muscle, the most important thing you can do is diet. There are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, so creating a daily calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories will help you shed one to two pounds per week. If you create a bigger deficit to lose weight faster, you will likely lose both fat and muscle, with less permanent results. Eat a diet of lean proteins, fresh produce, whole-grain carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Step 2
Avoid resistance training and high-intensity exercises. Weight training is an effective way to build muscle. In addition, high-intensity cardio exercises, such as sprints, circuit training and plyometrics, are likely to stimulate muscle growth and should be avoided.

Step 3
Perform low-intensity, steady-state cardio. Any form of exercise has the potential to generate muscle, but long, steady sessions or low-intensity exercises like walking or cycling will help you burn fat without acting as intense catalyst for muscle growth.

Warnings
Talk with your physician before making any changes to your exercise or diet regimen. Make sure your weight loss goals remain focused on health and well-being. Concentrating too hard on getting "skinny" can put you at risk for developing an eating or exercise disorder.

Tips
Remember that muscle isn't necessarily a bad thing. If your primary concern is your jean size, you can lose fat and reduce your size while putting on a little muscle. In fact, even a small amount of extra muscle mass will raise your metabolism and help you to burn more calories at rest.


http://www.livestrong.com/article/37119-lose-weight-not-gain/ - How to Lose Weight without Gaining Muscle

How Many Calories To Eat To Lose Weight

How Many Calories To Eat To Lose Weight?

If you are asking the question “How many calories should I eat a day?” then I am guessing you want to lose weight. The calorie is the standard measure for food to indicate how much you are eating.

The problem is that not all calories are created equal. There are calories that come from certain foods such as vegetables that will do you no harm whatsoever. There are others coming from foods such as fats and red meats that can be very harmful.

The other main factor for determining the correct number of calories is how active you are. If you have a physical job such as brick laying or gardening then you will need to eat at the top end of these guidelines. If you are house bound or inactive then you need to be at the bottom of the ranges given below.

Having said that let me give you some idea of how many calories to eat to lose weight each day. This information is for adults only. Children have their own special needs when going on diets and needs medical supervision.

How Many Calories For Men?
For most men you should be looking to eat from 1900 – 2600 calories a day. By maintaining your current level of activity and eating within this range you should keep your weight static. To bring your weight down you can do 2 simple things. Reduce your calorie intake by 500 per day, or increase your physical activity everyday. The best option is to combine these 2 tactics to lose weight.

How many Calories For Women?
For women the count is much lower. The range of daily calories needs to be between 1300 and 2200. The same variables that apply to men also apply to women. Because the female population as a whole are smaller in physical stature the reduction of daily calories needs to be less. So instead of reducing the calorie count by 500 a day, women would aim for around 300 – 400 a day. Exercise can be increased by similar amounts to men.

Because there are less calories that you can reduce, women will lose weight slower than men. This seems like a complete injustice for women but it is a fact that their bodies cannot lose weight as fast.

Target Weight Loss And Reduced Calories
Dieting represents a complete regime change for them. The surest way to lose weight is to take it off at a similar pace to the way you put it on. So instead of only eating 1000 calories per day you should be looking to reduce your daily intake by a modest amount that allows you to lose 1 or 2 pounds per week. Over a year that’s 52 – 104 pounds lost. A daily pattern of eating that naturally includes good foods with lower calories needs to be established to help with the willpower and constancy needed to lose weight.

How Many Calories Do I Eat To Lose Weight?
This is very personal. What I mean is that one persons answer to the question “How many calories do I eat to lose weight” will differ a great deal to mine. Our bodies are different from each other in the same way that we all look slightly different.
There are at least three important factors that will govern these differences. The first one is exactly how efficiently your body processes your food. The second one is how physically active you are. The third variable is the one most people place first in importance, what you eat.

Food Selection And Losing Weight
Your food selection does have a huge impact on your weight but that other two factors are equally critical to consider when you want to lose weight. If your body has been used to eating large amounts of food then your digestive system will have adjusted to this. It expects every meal to be large and probably unhealthy. You never hear of anyone getting fat on salad.
Because your body is used to too much food the reduction of calories will make you feel hungry very quickly. Once your stomach has shrunk it will not send hunger messages to your brain. If you also start up an exercise routine this will further exasperate the hunger problem. No wonder its so hard to stick to a diet when you are always so hungry.

The way to lose weight is to reduce your calorie intake by a modest but still significant amount daily. For men I would suggest a reduction of 500 calories per day. For women I would say between 300 and 400 per day. This coupled with an increase in physical activity will see you losing weight slowly but surely.

How Many Calories To Eat To Lose Weight?
So my answer to the question is about 500 less calories a day than you eat right now. To work this out you will need to measure what your current intake of calories is. A simple 3 day food diary will suffice for this. Using an online calorie counter calculate your current daily intake of calories. You will be shocked at the figures. Everyone underestimates what their daily calorie count is.
Once you know what yours is you can reduce it by 500 and start losing weight.


http://www.weightlossbreakthrough.com/calories-to-lose-weight/ - How Many Calories To Eat To Lose Weight

Foods That Slow Metabolism

Slow metabolism - 4 foods that slow metabolism - You do not want slowing down your metabolism, but you want to run. A slow metabolism, it is almost impossible to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, it is important to take steps to protect themselves from having to deal with this problem. Only working regularly and learn how to avoid these foods, you can protect yourself against a slow metabolism.

Refined carbohydrates
Refined foods like white bread, pasta and rice are easily broken down by the body due to complex carbohydrates are taken from them. This means that your body has to work very hard to digest the nutrients found in these foods that slow metabolism, leaving it to a crawl. 

Refined carbohydrates do not offer much nutritional value anyway, it is better to eat bread, pasta and brown rice. These options have their metabolism to work to digest nutrients, so it helps to slow metabolism.

Sugars

Foods that slow metabolism, best to stay clear 

To slow metabolism, sugar creates an increase in glucose levels in the blood and it's rapidly absorbed into the system. These two scenarios really help in the process of slowing down your metabolism, whether you realize it or not. 

Avoid foods with excess sugar in them is the best idea to slow metabolism, but to eat from time to time will not hurt your weight loss journey over time. You may want to consider replacing some of their candy, chocolate and ice cream with fresh fruit, which will satisfy your sweet tooth without causing an increase in glucose levels.

Fatty foods
Foods that are high in fat can easily damage your metabolic rate. Fat is not as easy to digest than other foods that slow metabolism. Fatty foods create a scenario in which your body does not know what to do with all this. In this case, you're slowing down your metabolism and taking a rest while your body begins to store fat for future use. 

The result is not only a slow metabolism, but an increase in body fat as well. Avoid fried foods and fast foods, and instead engage in things like baked goods and low in fat to help keep your sweet tooth at bay chips.

Foods high in pesticides
According to Prevention magazine, Canadian researchers have concluded that slowing down your metabolism could be due to the chemicals in fruits and vegetables that are supposed to slow metabolism. In fact, some pesticides may even increase weight gain and help to slow metabolism. 

To avoid this potential problem, buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible, and always wash and peel non-organic to help minimize exposure to pesticides. Although this process does not completely remove contaminants, can go a long way in reducing the chances to slow metabolism.


http://onlybestof.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/slow-metabolism-4-foods-that-slow.html - Foods That Slow Metabolism

High Metabolism Foods

6 Foods to Make Your Metabolism Work for You. Processed foods filled with chemicals and calories are not going to help you reach your weight-loss goals. Fitness and health expert Jillian Michaels outlines the 5 power nutrients you should include in your daily diet.

Who has time to cook these days? Our fast-paced lives has made many of us resort to drive-thrus, frozen dinners, and other processed foods that offer our bodies very little nutritional value. While you may not be able to promise me you'll start preparing home-cooked meals daily, you can certainly start making an effort to eliminate all of those unhealthy foods from your diet and replace them with some of the following five power nutrients. Not only are they healthy and nutritious, but they'll also stimulate your metabolism by triggering your fat-loss hormones.

Red Beans
I'm not referring to the refried beans you get alongside tacos at your favorite Mexican joint. Stay away from those! Instead, pick up some dried red beans the next time you're at the grocery store.
"Resistant" starch — a key starch in beans— known as resistant starch, repairs the lining of your intestine to help you fight inflammation, cancer, and harmful bacteria; in addition, it's been shown to help lower insulin levels. The hefty fiber content of beans also helps you feel fuller, and store less fat, lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, and improves insulin sensitivity.
The B vitamins and zinc in beans boost testosterone, which is a good thing! Testosterone helps to increase our energy and build more calorie-burning muscle.
Don't know beans about beans? Here are a few key facts:
Dried beans are better for you than canned beans, plus you avoid concerns about possible BPA in the lining of the cans. Soak them for six to eight hours in room temperature water, then drain before cooking.
Look for no-salt varieties.
Rinse thoroughly before cooking — especially if you end up using canned.

Garlic
Garlic and other foods in the allium family (onions, leeks, chives, shallots, and scallions) work to stimulate the production of glutathione, an antioxidant that is especially important in the liver, where it helps remove hormone-disrupting chemicals.
Alliums also lower total cholesterol while raising the level of HDL cholesterol (the "good" kind). Preliminary research suggests that garlic may boost testosterone, giving you more energy, while onions have anthocyanins, effective free-radical destroyers that might also help combat obesity and diabetes. Crushing, chopping, or chewing garlic helps release enzymes that trigger many of its beneficial actions.
How to fit garlic into your diet:
Pair garlic with olive oil to release even more diseas-fighting compounds.
Let chopped garlic stand for ten minutes before cooking; this will allow the enzymes to be activated.
Add garlic to homemade salad dressings, marinades, soups and sautóed vegetables for a flavor kick.

Berries: Raspberries and Strawberries
If you really need an excuse to indulge in these delicious berries, then I've got a couple. These juicy red berries contain anthocyanins, which some studies have found stop individual fat cells from getting larger, while also encouraging them to release adiponectin, a hormone that helps reduce inflammation, lower blood sugar, and reverse leptin and insulin resistance. Certain polyphenols found in raspberries and strawberries block the digestive enzyme activity of specific starches and fats, reducing your body's absorption of them.
All these great metabolism-boosting qualities make these berries serious power foods. Add strawberries to a yogurt or cup of cottage cheese for breakfast, cut some up for a dessert, or mix them into a smoothie.
What you need to know about berries:
Always purchase organic berries and rinse them well before eating.
Fresh berries — and frozen ones in the off seasons — berries are best. You'll lose all the awesome anthocyanins when you eat berries in processed foods.

Broccoli
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage

Natural High Metabolism Foods Must Have's

pack serious nutritional power in just a few calories per bite. They have high water and fiber content; this combination helps you feel full AND increases your body's ability to burn fat by as much as 30 percent. Plus, studies have consistently shown that people who eat the most fiber gain the LEAST amount of weight and these veggies are a great fiber source.
Other helpful hints for cooking:
Always cook cruciferous vegetables before serving them — even if you are serving them cold, like in a veggie dip.
By cooking broccoli in the microwave, you'll preserve 90 percent of the vitamin C, versus 66 percent with boiling.
Don't overcook cruciferous veggies, they will lose their nutritional power — and flavor!

Whole Grains
Stop thinking that carbs are the enemy. Whole grains like oats and barley have great nutritional value and can even help control your appetite. The short-chain fatty acids from whole grains help us eat less because they stimulate fat cells in our stomachs to release leptin, the satiety (or "I'm full") hormone . The high levels of fiber in whole grains also help us feel full by slowing blood-sugar release and steadying insulin levels. The trick is to eat grains that are truly whole — no refined carbs like white bread.
Other tips about whole grains:
If you're buying a processed whole-grain product, look at the list of ingredients — whole grain should be the first one listed.
Sprouted breads, such as Ezekiel, are dense and packed with nutrients.
Oatmeal is a perfect breakfast because it keeps your blood sugar stable longer than many other foods.

Green Tea
It's time to put the coffee pot down. When caffeine is abused, it damages your metabolism and hormone balance. On the other hand, caffeine, when used correctly, can be an excellent energy and metabolism boost. When you overdose on it, it taxes your adrenal glands, stressing you out, leaving you tired and run down. The key with caffeine is to not consume more than 400 mg in a day.

That's the equivalent to two strong cups of coffee. The healthier choice? Green tea. You will still get a caffeine boost, but green tea has been shown to promote fat oxidation at rest and is believed to prevent obesity and improve insulin sensitivity. Limit yourself to one or two caffeinated beverages a day, and drink one extra glass of water for each caffeinated beverage you consume.

http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fit/lose-weight/metabolism-boosting-foods#slide=7 - High Metabolism Foods

Body Mass Index Women Need To Know

What's the Ideal BMI for Women? BMI, or Body Mass Index, is the most common measure of body fatness for men and women. It's a simple calculation based on height and weight:

weight (lb) / [height (in)]2 x 703

Recently, health professionals have been placing less emphasis on BMI because it doesn't take into account that weight is comprised of both fat and muscle. Someone who is very fit, but weighs more due to a lot of muscle mass, could be labeled as overweight on the BMI chart when in reality they are perfectly healthy. 

Waist circumference or body mass index women need to know

It's also important to remember that body fat isn't the only indicator of a healthy weight. Waist circumference and other risk factors such as high blood pressure should be considered when assessing one's risk of obesity-related diseases. However, because of its strong correlation to measures of body fat and its ease of use, BMI remains the most common measure for determining healthy weights.

The Center for Disease Control has created a chart categorizing BMIs as underweight, healthy weight, over weight, or obese.

BMI	WEIGHT STATUS
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5 - 24.9	Normal
25.0 - 29.9	Overweight
30.0 and Above	Obese

This chart can be used to see if, based on your own height and weight, you are considered to have a healthy amount of body fat. It's understood that having a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy.

Sounds pretty simple, but when you start to involve a woman's desire to be thin, the media's influence on body image, and the prevalence of eating disorders in this country, things start to get tricky.

It seems logical that if 18.5 is the minimum BMI that is considered healthy, all women would strive to be the lowest weight that places them at that BMI. For someone like me, who is 5'7", that would mean I could get down to a weight as low as 118 pounds and still be considered perfectly healthy.

The problem is that just because the BMI chart says that 118 pounds would be a healthy weight for me doesn't mean it is the healthiest weight for me. A number doesn't paint the whole picture of our health, and many women's bodies wouldn't function properly at a BMI of 18.5. In the same vain, some people with a BMI lower than 18.5 are perfectly healthy.

To be healthy, a woman should be having normal menstrual cycles, have a normal pulse and blood pressure, and be free from a number of other medical issues. This state of well-being occurs at different weights for different women, and our unique bodies cannot always be constrained to a chart.

To determine an ideal BMI, women must set aside their desire to be thin and instead focus on their health. The best weight for you may not be as thin as you'd prefer. Instead, it will likely be one that falls into the "healthy" range on the BMI chart, is relatively easy to maintain, and allows your body to function properly. If you aren't sure that you fit those qualifications, the best bet is to see your doctor.


http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/lifestyle/whats-the-ideal-bmi-for-women.html#b - Body Mass Index Women

Exercise for Back Fat

Home Workout Routines: How to Get Rid of Back Fat 

Exercise for Back Fat

Q: How can I get rid of my bulging back fat?

A: A combination of regular cardio workout routines and targeted strength moves will do the trick. Genetics play a role in where you store fat, but the upper back is also a tough area to hone in on, says Brian Shiers, a personal trainer in Los Angeles.

Many of the moves you do every day, such as swinging a tennis racket or carrying bags, are done in front of your body, working the chest instead of the back. Plus, most women don't work their back muscles in their usual home workout. To refocus your routine, do cardio for 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week.

Activities such as rowing and boxing with a bag will help tone back muscles and burn fat all over, which makes a great exercise for back fat. Try this calorie-blasting rowing machine workout. In the weight room, bent-over flys work muscles in the upper back and are an ideal exercise for back fat reduction.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend over at your hips. Then, draw your arms out to each side, raising them to shoulder height. With 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps of these added to your cardio routine, those bra bulges should start to vanish in about a month and you’ll be proud to bare your sexy, sculpted back.

Eliminate unwanted back bulge, starting today, with workout routines that focus on helping you lose back fat, pronto. A great way to begin is by watching the Victoria's Secret Arms Workout, which also works your back and improves posture.


http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/home-workout-routines-how-get-rid-back-fat - Exercise for Back Fat

Pomegranate Seeds Nutrition

Pomegranate Seeds Nutrition

The marvelous fruit, pomegranate, is abound with some of the most essential nutrients that the human body requires for proper functioning. To help you understand the benefits of this fruit, here's some information on pomegranate seeds nutrition.

Often called the super fruit, pomegranate seeds are loaded with numerous antioxidant properties that are supposedly three times higher than green tea. As we know, antioxidants are very important to control the free radicals in the body that can cause several complications within the body. 

Antioxidants also maintain and repair damaged body cells. The seeds are high in vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin E, and have a lot of fiber, along with potassium, iron, and calcium.

Nutritional Value of Pomegranate Seeds
The pomegranate tree endures a very long life span, which is an advantage for pomegranate growers. There are more than 750 species that are observed and cultivated all over the world for various purposes, from eating the fruit to drinking its juice. 

The fruit is ruby colored with hundreds of seeds that are very juicy and citrus in flavor. The following table displays the nutrient and the nutrient value found within the fruit.

Serving Size = 100 g
Nutrient Content Per Serving
Energy 70 Kcal
Carbohydrates 17.17g
Protein 0.9mg
Sugar 16g
Vitamin C 6.1mg
Calcium 3mg
Iron 0.3mg
Potassium 259mg
Phosphorus 8mg
Vitamin B1 0.03mg
Vitamin B2 0.063
Vitamin B3 0.3mg
Vitamin B5 0.596mg
Vitamin B6 0.106mg
Folic Acid 6μg
Note: All nutritional values mentioned in this table are approximate.

Serving Size = 100 g
Nutrient Content Per Serving
Total fat 0.3
Zinc 0.3 mg
Magnesium 3 mg
Dietary Fiber 0.6 g
Note: All nutritional values mentioned in this table are approximate.

Health Benefits of Pomegranate Seeds
Due to this heavy pomegranate seeds nutrition content, this 'magic fruit' comes as a bliss in maintaining our heart health, as regular intake of pomegranate helps evade heart diseases and reduces the risk of suffering from a stroke.
The seeds help thin the blood, lower high blood pressure levels, increase blood flow towards the heart, maintain good cholesterol levels, and reduce arterial plaque.
Apart from the many ways it benefits the heart, the seeds are known to improve arthritis, osteoporosis, skin allergies, skin disorders, urinary tract infections, sore throats, tapeworms, digestive disorders, blood impurities, osteoarthritis, and diabetes.

Modern scientists also suggest that pomegranate seeds can aid in the cure of prostate and skin cancer.
It has also proven helpful in getting rid of the body's, and the digestive system's fats in particular.

There are numerous products that can be made from these seeds; pomegranate seed oil is one of them. Several other pomegranate seed products include pomegranate dietary supplements, pomegranate extracts, and pomegranate concentrated juice.

Facts about Pomegranate
The pomegranate fruit is obtained from a small, deciduous shrub that is native to Southwest Asia and has been cultivated since centuries together. Pomegranates were cultivated widely throughout Afghanistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, East Indies, Malaysia, tropical Africa, and Southeast Asia. Later on, it was also introduced to the US and Latin America. The fruit typically seasons from September to February (in the northern hemisphere), while in the southern hemisphere, it seasons from March to May.

The pomegranate is loaded with the right amount of ingredients that your body needs to help it along in a healthy way. Consume it regularly in any form and you, without doubt, will notice a difference in the functioning of your body.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pomegranate-seeds-nutrition.html - Pomegranate Seeds Nutrition

Newest Superfoods Cut Health Risks - 22 Of The Best

Some foods get all of the glory. (Pomegranates, we’re looking at you.) But new research is uncovering the age-defying, disease-fighting, fat-blasting superpowers of common foods you already love. These 22 edibles are cheap, quick to prep, mouthwateringly delicious — and most are probably already in your kitchen. 

And to make it even easier for you to tap into their head-to-toe benefits, we created a tasty seven-day diet plan featuring every age eraser on our list. A diet that fights fine lines, fatigue and heart disease and helps you lose 2 pounds per week — what are you waiting for? Dig in!

"The newest superfoods cut health risks so long as you vary your diet and below you will find the full list of 22!!"

Almonds
Savor this snack. Dieters who noshed on almonds daily shed 62 percent more weight and 56 percent more fat than those who didn’t, a study from Loma Linda University in California finds. “The fiber in nuts may prevent your body from absorbing some fat, speeding weight loss,” says lead author Michelle Wien, R.D. Almond eaters also lowered their blood pressure, and the vitamin E in these nuts may keep skin supple.
Reap the rewards. Chomp on 1 ounce (about 35) raw or roasted almonds daily.

Barley
Give your usual brown rice an upgrade. Barley has almost twice the fiber, plus cancer-fighting selenium. And beta glucan, a form of fiber in barley, helps lower cholesterol and reduces your body’s rate of fat absorption. When people with high cholesterol ate 3 to 10 grams of beta glucan daily, their levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides fell, a study in the Annals of Family Medicine shows.
Reap the rewards. Quick-cook barley takes less time to prep but offers the same perks.

Bison
To sculpt sexy muscles, try this healthy beef alternative. The proof is in the patty: Three oz of ground bison deliver 50 fewer calories and nearly half the fat of a 70 percent lean beef burger. Choose grass-fed varieties; they contain more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than beef from conventionally grain-fed cows.
Reap the rewards. When you’re making bison burgers, avoid flare-ups and charring on the grill — both may be linked to higher cancer risk.

Black beans
Basic black is always in style; the darker a bean’s coat, the higher its antioxidant activity. Beans are so good for you, they straddle two slots on the food pyramid. “They have enough protein to be a meat, and the vitamins and fiber of a veggie,” says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., spokeswoman in Sarasota, Florida, for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). One cup packs half your daily folate, blood pressure–regulating magnesium and energizing iron.
Reap the rewards. Canned beans are as healthy as dried and don’t need soaking. Look for no salt added or rinse them to limit sodium.

Brussels sprouts
The vegetable you hated as a kid could help restore your

youthful glow. Sprouts contain vitamin A to keep your immune system healthy and vitamin C to aid collagen building and fight wrinkles. Plus, they offer a phytonutrient that can help clear away carcinogenic substances in the body, says Keri Gans, R.D., spokeswoman in New York City for the ADA.
Reap the rewards. Cook sprouts briefly and add olive oil; both help you nab more nutrients.

Cabbage
Be-leaf it! Women who ate more than three-cup servings of cabbage weekly slashed their breast cancer risk by 50 to 70 percent, a study from Michigan State University in East Lansing notes. Cabbage has phytochemicals that may ward off the disease. And it may lower your cholesterol nearly as much as oat bran, a study in Nutrition Research reveals.
Reap the rewards. Steaming enhances cabbage’s cholesterol-lowering ability. To fight disease, serve slaw: Phytochemicals form only after vigorous cutting or chewing.

Coffee
Far from a vice, downing 1 to 3 cups of java daily might slash your risk for death from heart disease by as much as 25 percent, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows. The combination of antioxidants and certain acids in coffee may work together to soothe inflammation.
Reap the rewards. Choose a medium roast for the most antioxidants. And pick a drip brew: Filter papers catch coffee compounds that may raise cholesterol.

Curry
Don’t save this spice for takeout night. Early research suggests that eating curry once or twice a week might halve your dementia risk. Curcumin, a pigment in curry, may dissolve Alzheimer plaques. It may also fight cancer. When patients took a curcumin supplement, the size and number of colon polyps they had was cut in half, a study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology notes.
Reap the rewards. Pair curry with black pepper (sprinkle on vegetables) to absorb 2,000 percent more of its potent compounds.

Farmed rainbow trout
Eco-friendly farmed trout contains energizing B vitamins and brain-helping omega-3s. And eating any fish once or twice a week might make your brain function as if it were three to four years younger, a study from Rush University in Chicago reveals. The DHA in fish may replenish DHA stores in your brain.
Reap the rewards. Eat this lean protein once a week.

Grapes
Like vino, the skin of fresh red grapes contains the protective chemical resveratrol, which may sharpen your brain and reduce your risk for both heart disease and cancer. “And there’s no alcohol, which has been linked to certain cancers,” Gerbstadt says. Pop a bunch for a ticker-saving dessert: Eating 1 to 2 cups of red and green grapes protects against the heart-harming effects of a fatty meal, a study in Vascular Pharmacology concludes.
Reap the rewards. Go organic. Imported grapes, in particular, tend to have high levels of pesticides, reports the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Washington, D.C.

Kiwifruit
Great things come in small packages: One kiwi packs more skin-brightening vitamin C than an orange, helping you get 94 percent of your daily quota. And unlike most fruit, kiwi provides some vitamin E to fend off free radicals and keep skin smooth. Plus, people who ate kiwis twice a day for 28 days were less prone to blood clots and lowered their blood triglycerides by 15 percent, a study from the University of Oslo in Norway finds.
Reap the rewards. Hot fuzz! You can eat the outside of a raw kiwi; it contains filling fiber.

Mushrooms
Make room for ’shrooms. Adding mushrooms to animals’ diets stimulated the animals’ immune system in a way that might help ward off infections and cancer, researchers from Penn State University at University Park say. They speculate that the same would likely be true in humans, and that beneficial bacteria or nutrients within fungi’s cell walls may strengthen your defenses against disease.
Reap the rewards. Aim for 2 teaspoons per day. This amount can cut women’s breast cancer risk by about two-thirds, a study in the International Journal of Cancer indicates.

Onions
Onions offer a trifecta of compounds to fight disease on all fronts: fructans, flavonoids and organosulfur. Fructans encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut, to thwart infection-causing bugs. Flavonoids prevent DNA damage that might lead to cancer. And organosulfur may keep blood clots at bay.
Reap the rewards. Buy stronger onions such as northern yellow. They’re best for inhibiting liver and colon cancer cell growth. Sauté, simmer, grill and roast away — their superpowers can stand the heat.

Oregano
Mamma mia! A mere .5 tsp of dried oregano contains the same amount of antioxidants as 3 cups of raw spinach, says Wendy Bazilian, R.D., author of "The SuperFoodsRx Diet" (Rodale). The pizza and pasta topper is also a surprising source of fiber (1 tsp has 0.8 grams) and bone-building vitamin K.
Reap the rewards. Dried and fresh oregano pack the same antioxidant punch. Sprinkle either version on chicken, omelets or fish.

Peanuts
What do wine and peanuts have in common? They both provide off-the-chart levels of resveratrol. And in addition to lowering cardiovascular disease and cancer risk, the high-fiber, protein-filled nibble also fights hunger, making it an ideal afternoon snack.
Reap the rewards. Eat an ounce of roasted, toasted or boiled nuts. They contain more disease-fighting polyphenols than raw ones.

Pumpkin seeds
Mellow out with this soothing snack. Pumpkin seeds are rich in the calming amino acid tryptophan. The seeds also deliver phytosterols that may help lower cholesterol and help fend off certain cancers. Smashing!
Reap the rewards. Toss seeds into granola, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt or salad to add crunch.

Shrimp
These little guys are a calorie bargain. One 4 oz serving sets you back only 119 calories but supplies 23 g of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, an antioxidant linked to lower rates of colon and lung cancer. Plus, eating about 10 oz of shrimp daily can raise your HDL (“good”) cholesterol by about 12 percent, researchers at The Rockefeller University in New York City have determined.
Reap the rewards. Look for Canada-caught shrimp for fewer contaminants. Frozen is fine; the big chill doesn’t nix the benefits.

Skim milk
It’s not only a bone builder. People who drank more than one glass of skim milk a day lowered their risk for colon cancer by 15 percent, a study from Harvard Medical School in Boston finds. The calcium and vitamin D in milk may work together to halt the growth of cancer cells. Sip a glass as a postworkout snack. “It helps your muscles recover faster, so you can get up and work out just as hard the next day,” Bazilian says.
Reap the rewards. Buy organic or look for milk without antibiotics or hormones such as rBST.

Tart cherries
This red-letter fruit is a firmer, more sour variety than the sweet cherries you usually eat. They provide relief from inflammation and pain and may help you sleep. The red globes might make dieting hurt less, too: Rats that were fed the equivalent of 1.5 cups of tart cherries for 90 days metabolized sugar better and had less belly fat than those who didn’t consume cherries, a study from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor shows.
Reap the rewards. Look for dried or frozen tart cherries or juices without added sugar, and buy organic — conventionally grown cherries are high in pesticides, the EWG notes.

Watermelon
Tomatoes get all the buzz for lycopene, a pigment that reduces your risk for heart disease and may help ward off certain cancers. But watermelon supplies more of the carotenoid, says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., of Salem, Oregon. The juicy fruit is also brimming with citrulline and arginine, which keep arteries healthy and help increase blood flow. Bikini bonus: One cup has only 46 calories and is 92 percent HO, quenching your thirst and helping you stay slim.
Reap the rewards. Leave your melon on the counter to maximize its antioxidant content. A watermelon produces more carotenoids at room temperature than it does when chilled, according to USDA research.

Whole-wheat pasta
Surprise! These heart-helping noodles have a lower glycemic index than whole-wheat bread, says SELF contributing editor Janis Jibrin, R.D. That means they won’t cause blood sugar spikes. “Pasta gets a bad rap, but 1 cup of whole-wheat pasta has triple the fiber of regular pasta, so it’s really satisfying” Gans says. And people on a diet featuring whole grains lost more belly fat than those on a plan that included refined carbohydrates, a study from Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey indicates.
Reap the rewards. Not a fan of whole-wheat pasta’s chewy texture? Mix it with regular pasta at first, then slowly skew the ratio.

Yellow corn
Lend us an ear: This grain is healthful in all forms, be it baby corn or popcorn. Research from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, reveals that milled yellow corn products — such as cornmeal, grits and corn flour — are rich in the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein, two antioxidants that protect your eyes and skin from UV damage.
Reap the rewards. Steam corn briefly to maintain the cholesterol and blood sugar–lowering benefits of the kernels.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38311826/ns/health-cancer/t/disease-fighting-superfoods/#.UvdzQPl_srU - Newest Superfoods Cut Health Risks

Vitamin D Deficiency Weight Gain

ISTOCKPHOTO/THINKSTOCK

Vitamin D Benefits: Weigh Less, Smile More! Why getting your fill of vitamin D can help you lose weight and improve your mood

As the moment of truth with your bathing suit inches closer, you might be cursing your sweet tooth for the belly bulge you can't seem to shed. But it could be what you're not eating that's actually responsible.

A 2000 study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine reports that 77 percent of Americans are vitamin-D deficient. Numerous studies have shown D's crucial role in strengthening bones, fighting depression, and boosting immunity, but now, after decades of research and thousands of studies, experts may have finally proven that missing out on that one little letter could be a major factor in pushing the number on your scale higher and higher.

Heavy D, Slimmer You
Unlike most vitamins, D can be manufactured by your body, provided you're exposed to sunlight. But sunscreen—a must for preventing wrinkles and, of course, cancer—reduces your skin's ability to make D by 90 to 99 percent, depending on the level of SPF thoroughness of application. And even if you don't use sun protection (bad girl!), it's tough to catch the right rays. The sunlight you're most likely to get on a daily basis—in the early morning and late afternoon—is too weak to generate enough D. Not to mention that air pollution can filter out some of the UVB rays, so less of them are able to reach your skin at any time of day.

A far safer, saner, and more satisfying way to up your D level is to get more of the vitamin from your diet. A doctor can administer a simple blood test called 25-hydroxy vitamin D, or 25-OH D, which is the most reliable way to tell not only whether you are deficient but also how severe your deficiency is. And as you increase your consumption of D, your waistband could start to feel a whole lot looser. Every cell in your body needs D to function properly—including hated fat cells. Special receptors for D signal whether you should burn fat or simply store it; when D plugs into these receptors, it's like a key that revs your body's flab-melting mechanism.

Meanwhile, receptors in your brain need D to keep hunger and cravings in check, as well as to pump up levels of the mood-elevating chemical serotonin. (Good thing, since dieting often comes with a heaping side of crankiness.) D even optimizes your body's ability to absorb other important weight-loss nutrients, especially calcium. When your body lacks calcium, it can experience up to a fivefold increase in the fatty acid synthase, an enzyme that converts calories into fat. 

In a 2009 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, obese women who were put on a 15-week diet and took 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day lost six times more weight than women who followed the diet alone. The end result: By fueling your body with the D-rich nutrients it needs to get out of a fat-storage state and into a fat-burning one, you could potentially speed weight loss by up to 70 percent.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/vitamin-d-weight-loss#. - Vitamin D Deficiency Weight Gain

Planking Exercise Simple But Effective

This planking exercise, when performed well is so good for your tummy and puts a lot less strain on your back....



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjeviHFKiYw - Planking Exercise

Need To Lose Weight To Have A Baby

Fertility and Your Weight - Dropping just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can increase your chances of having a baby.

Woman checking pregnancy test
Before Erin Anderson, 36, got married in August 2006, her doctor told her that if she and her husband wanted to start a family, losing weight might help her conceive.

“At first, I thought it might be counterproductive to lose weight only to gain it back while pregnant,” says Erin, who lives in Tewksbury, MA. But after a year and a half of trying to have a baby, she decided to join Weight Watchers and to start exercising.

In June 2008, after losing 33 pounds — more than 10 percent of her body weight — Erin became pregnant. She’s certain her success was largely due to her weight loss and suspects that while she was heavier, she may not have been ovulating every month.

The Perils of Extra Weight
About one in eight couples of childbearing age in the United States has trouble conceiving. While a variety of treatments are now available to help women get pregnant, your doctor may also recommend losing weight if your body mass index (BMI) is in the overweight to obese range. 

If you have a healthy BMI of 20 to 25, you generally have about a 15 to 20 percent chance of getting pregnant in any particular month if you’re under the age of 35, says Scott Roseff, MD, director of the Palm Beach Center for Reproductive Medicine in Wellington, FL. However, as you gain weight and enter the obese category (BMI greater than or equal to 30), this rate can significantly decline.

Extra weight can interfere with the healthy production of hormones needed for conception, explains Dr. Roseff. Excess fat tissue can cause you to produce too much estrogen throughout your menstrual cycle, inhibiting fertility. Being overweight can also impact other hormones that cause menstrual irregularities and prevent ovulation.

Additionally, fat tissue may increase cholesterol and abnormal lipids levels, discouraging healthy blood flow to the uterine lining. This can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall or can make keeping a pregnancy difficult, Dr. Roseff explains.

Even infertility treatments can be negatively impacted by excess weight. For example, studies indicate that obesity can negatively impact embryo quality in women under 35 undergoing IVF.

The Impact of Insulin Resistance 
Another factor to consider if you are having problems conceiving is whether you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that is characterized by many signs and symptoms one of which can include insulin resistance. In response, there is often disruption in healthy hormone levels that interferes with ovulation and egg quality.

A genetic predisposition plays a role in developing the illness, but weight gain can also trigger it, says Dr. Roseff. About half of women with PCOS are overweight.

Women who are overweight but do not have PCOS can also experience insulin resistance and related fertility problems, adds Laurence Jacobs, MD, who practices in the Chicago area with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

Giving Fertility a Boost
Whether or not you have PCOS, shedding pounds can often help you conceive if you’re overweight. As little as 5 percent to 10 percent weight loss will significantly improve pregnancy rates for women, whether they are trying to conceive on their own or receiving fertility treatments, adds Dr. Jacobs.

Increasing intake of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and limiting refined carbohydrates such as white bread, cookies and cake, can improve fertility by balancing hormones and normalizing blood sugar and insulin levels, says Dr. Jacobs. Medications such as metformin can also help you process insulin better, as does exercise.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends 150 minutes weekly of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as brisk walking or 75 minutes weekly of vigorous-intensity exercise such as jogging in addition to two days of muscle-strengthening activity.

If you have concerns about your weight and fertility, Dr. Jacobs suggests consulting a reproductive endocrinologist who can not only provide fertility testing but also recommend various weight loss and fitness programs, nutritionists and psychological counseling.

"You want a doctor who is interested in the weight-loss process and who can put you in touch with resources and doesn't just tell you to lose weight," he concludes.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=62021 - Need To Lose Weight To Have A Baby