South Beach Diet & Other Weight Loss

Jackie Serta asked:


Are you looking to lose weight? If you are, you may be interested in joining a weight loss program. When it comes to joining a weight loss program, you will find that you have a number of different options. If this is your first time joining a weight loss program, you may be unsure as to what you should look for in a weight loss program. If that is the case, you will want to continue reading on.

One of the best ways to go about finding the perfect weight loss program for yourself is to ask yourself a number of important questions. One of the first questions that you should ask yourself is how much time you have to devote to weight loss meetings. If you were to join a local weight loss program, you would likely be required to attend weekly meeting. Whether you are busy with your family or busy at work, you may not have the time to do so. In that case, you should look into joining an online weight loss program, as they are often designed for those with busy schedules.

Another question that you will want to ask yourself, when looking to find the perfect weight loss program is your willpower. Should you join an online weight loss program, you will be given more freedom, as you do not have to physically report to meetings and answer to group leaders. While this freedom is nice, it has allowed many hopeful individuals to go off track. If you do not think that you can stick with your online weight loss program goals and instructions, it may be better to join a local weight loss program instead.

Another one of the many questions that you will want to ask yourself, when looking for a weight loss program to join, is how much money you have to spend. While it is possible to find free weight loss programs, both locally or online, it is actually quite rare. In your search for weight loss programs, you will find that they have a wide range of membership fees. Commonly, you will find that online weight loss programs are cheaper than locally operated weight loss programs. If you are on a budget, the cost of each weight loss program that you come across should play a large role in your decision.

You should also ask yourself if you are embarrassed with your current weight or your physical appearance. Although you should have nothing to be ashamed of, you may still feel that way. If that is the case, you may be afraid of attending local weight loss meetings. Of course, you need to remember that everyone else in your meetings is likely feeling the same way, but you don’t have to put yourself in an awkward situation. If you are concerned with your appearance or what others may think of you, you may want to look into joining an online weight loss program instead.

The above mentioned questions are just a few of the many that you should ask yourself if you are interested in joining a weight loss program. While there are a number of benefits to joining a locally operated weight loss program, as well as an online weight loss program, you need to make the decision that is best for you and your own needs.

Tarja Anchor asked:


The low-glycemic index (low GI) diet and the low-carb diet are two popular diets in use today by those who want to lose weight.

A low-carb diet severely restricts the number of carbohydrates you eat in total and does not much always distinguish between unrefined versus refined carbohydrates. It concentrates on including protein, fats and low carbohydrate vegetables, such as greens.

By contrast, a low glycemic index diet encourages the inclusion of all food groups and does not severely limit carbohydrates, but discourages the use of foods that register high on the glycemic index, meaning simple sugars that break down in the body quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar. It excludes foods such as white flour, white rice, sugar and foods like white potatoes in excess. However, it encourages the use of slow burning, complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and bread made from whole-wheat flour, foods that break down slowly and cause a steady, even release of glucose into the bloodstream, thus avoiding spikes in blood sugar and this way aid in weight loss.

Although the low-carb diet, among the most popular of which is the Atkins diet, will make you lose weight quickly, much of this weight loss will initially be water. Consuming high amounts of animal protein can strain the kidneys, because excess animal protein must be excreted through the kidneys - it cannot be stored. This also can encourage bone loss that, in severe cases, can lead to osteoporosis, because, when excess animal protein is excreted through the kidneys, it must bind with calcium to do so. Finally, having excess animal protein in the diet can also lead to gout and arthritis. Diets high in saturated fat can also lead to prostate and colon cancers.

Of course, so severely restricting the carbohydrate food group, which includes not only grains and cereals but fruits and vegetables, can result in its followers not getting enough important nutrients that can only be found in plant foods, especially complex carbohydrates. It is also not to be used on children, since complex carbohydrates provide an important source of energy for neurological and overall growth. This is also the argument against its long-term use in adults, although adults can better withstand short-term exclusion of carbohydrates because they do not have the energy needs children do for physical and neurological growth.

Finally, a major drawback to low carbohydrate diets is that fiber is so severely restricted with the exclusion of complex carbohydrates that, in order to avoid constipation, users must take a fiber supplement. However, if users were to consume complex carbohydrates in reasonable amounts instead, not only would they get fiber from them, but they would also get important nutrients lacking in low-carb diets.

Restricting vegetables and fruit can be linked to a higher risk of esophageal, oral and stomach cancers, as well as the aforementioned colon cancer. Incidentally, the low-carb, high animal protein diet is also very hard on the environment, since having animals consume vegetable products to produce meat rather than having humans directly consume vegetable products themselves is a very inefficient way to produce food and produces a lot of waste via animal excretion that pollutes the environment and wastes a lot of water as well.

Therefore, instead of following a strict low-carb diet, most experts advise following a diet that is low in simple carbohydrates such as refined flowers and sugars, but includes complex carbohydrates, such as wheat flour, brown rice, fruits and vegetables, plus a moderate amount of good fats such as fish oil and olive oil.

Saturated fat, such as that from red meat, should be limited, and trans-fats should be avoided altogether. Protein sources low in saturated fat, such as beans and legumes, fish, chicken and turkey, should be consumed in moderation. Drinking enough water and getting plenty of exercise are also important for any weight loss program.

Tracie Johanson asked:


Perform a search for the word diet on Google and you’ll find 175,000,000 results. Run the same diet search on Yahoo and you’ll be presented with 118,000,000 suggested sites. The popular auction site eBay has more than 26,321 diet items for sale. Finally, searching for diet on myspace.com will reel in page after page of people interested in, confused about, and seeking answers for dieting.

With the staggering array of diet pills and diet plans on the market today, it’s should come as no surprise that most people are perplexed about which diet product is right for them. Approximately two-thirds of our population is overweight, and statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that 80 percent of overweight individuals and almost 87 percent of obese individuals are trying to lose or maintain their weight. In other words, there are literally millions of Americans seeking diet tips and advice they can trust.

That’s why we’ve created this list of top 10 diet tips. As personal trainers and health club owners, our goal is to offer you sound advice on how to achieve permanent weight loss with a healthy diet program. We’re not pushing any particular diet food, diet supplement or weight loss program. Instead, our goal is to provide you with some of the best weight loss information available.

1. Our first diet tip is also our most important. We strongly encourage you to seek medical advice before beginning any diet and nutrition program. This is good advice for anyone beginning a new exercise program, as well. Nobody but your own personal physician is qualified to give you the expert advice you need to make intelligent decisions about healthy weight loss, so first and foremost get some medical advice before starting any diet.

2. Our second diet tip is to look for all the free advice on dieting you can find. Be aware that the best, most reliable health advice will come from people actually working in the industry - NOT from marketers and salespeople. With this in mind, seek tips on losing weight from doctors, nutritionists and gym owners. Be wary of health tips from marketers who are solely interested in selling you a product or plan. The ulterior motive to sell may make their weight loss tips questionable.

3. Realize that if a diet has gained national exposure, it has probably worked for someone. However, just because a diet has worked for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you. Just as legal advice and dating tips must vary from person to person, diets are not a one-size-fits-all commodity either. So when your relative or co-worker gushes about the great new online diet they’re on, check it out before you jump on the bandwagon. What works for them may not work for you.

4. Try many different diet recipes to decide which you like best. People enjoy different foods, and finding a diet recipe that pleases everyone is like trying to give the same relationship advice to every couple on the planet. It just won’t work. Attempting to force yourself to eat foods you don’t like, just because they’re low in calories, will only lead to frustration and failure. A much better approach is to experiment with diet recipes until you find the perfect match for you.

5. Our fifth diet tip is to avoid weight loss pills and prescription diet pills that may be unsafe or even deadly. Although some diet drugs are completely safe and effective, others (like Meridia and Phen-Fen) have surprised users with serious side effects. The promise of fast weight loss isn’t worth the risk to your health, so be cautious with weight loss drugs and other weight loss supplements.

6. Good financial advice always mandates that you journal your expenses in order to find out where your money is going. In the same way, you should start keeping a journal of everything you eat. Everything! This is one tip on losing weight that is guaranteed to work for virtually everybody. It turns out that just a bite here and a taste there really adds up, and keeping a diet journal will open your eyes to how many calories you’re actually getting. Armed with this information, you’ll know where to cut and trim to lose weight.

7. Join a support group. Some of the best weight loss tips and diet advice isn’t found in a book, but comes from other people just like you. Joining a diet support group like PRISM or TOPS can make all the difference when your willpower starts to fade and you’re tempted to throw in the towel. Whether you’re swapping Weight Watcher recipes or discussing the new diet patch on the market, a support group can be a tremendous help as you write your own weight loss success story.

8. Set realistic expectations. All the doctor advice on dieting suggests that, if you’re experiencing healthy weight loss, then you should be losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. Lose weight any faster than that and you’re likely losing muscle tissue and water weight instead of just fat. This is one of the worst things you can do when you’re trying to achieve permanent fat loss. So forget the infomercials that promise you quick weight loss without any effort, because that’s just not true. Focus instead on achieving your ideal weight with a healthy diet and nutrition weight loss plan.

9. A diet tip that you may not expect requires you to eat more often. That’s right! Consume small high-protein and low fat snacks every 3 to 4 hours and you’ll keep hunger pangs away all day. This will go a long way towards eliminating the binges that are so tempting during a diet. Following this advice will also keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day, giving you more energy and preventing the ‘crash’ many experience when dieting.

10. Finally, remember that any weight loss diet must include regular exercise to be effective. It’s a proven fact that when you diet without exercising, up to fifty percent of the weight you lose may actually be muscle loss. Losing muscle is the absolute worst thing you can do when you’re trying to lose weight fast because for every pound of muscle you forfeit you actually lower your metabolic rate by about fifty calories. In other words, losing muscle makes it harder for you to lose body fat. With this in mind, coupling regular exercise with your diet plan makes success much more likely.

Take these diet tips to heart and you’ll soon be well on your way to weight loss success. Good luck, and we’ll see you at the gym.

Sandra Stammberger asked:


The hardest part of a low carb diet is trying to figure out what you can eat and what is forbidden. There are tons of foods that are high in carbs that you would be shocked to learn about. You are raised to assume that any fruit or vegetable is good to eat but this is not the case at all if you are on a low carb diet. Many of your favorite fruits and veggies will have to be cut down drastically if not out completely. Having a good low carb food list can make figuring out what is allowed much simpler for the whole family.

Processed meat is always a no-no. It is filled with gross fillers that are unhealthy for one and full of carbs for another. These kinds meats are actually cured with carbohydrates and sugars.

Here are some unprocessed meats that you should be incorporating into your low carb diet:

· Fowl: § chicken § turkey § duck § goose § Cornish hen § quail § pheasant

· Shellfish and seafood: § oysters § mussels § lobster § clams § squid § shrimp § crabmeat

· Other meat: § beef § bacon § veal § pork § ham § lamb § venison

· Fish: § Salmon · trout · flounder · sardines · herring

Dairy products need to be watched because they have carbs but you can eat about 3-4 ounces each day without ruining your diet completely.

Here are some acceptable cheeses:

· Cheddar · Cow, sheep and goat cheese · Cream cheese · Gouda · Mozzarella · Roquefort and other Blue cheeses · Swiss

You can eat the following veggies if you keep it at 2-3 cups each day. They have phytonutrients in them, which are very good for your body.

· Alfalfa sprouts · Daikon · Mushrooms · Arugula · Endive · Parsley · Bok Choy · Escarole · Peppers · Celery · Fennel · Radicchio · Chicory · Jicama · Radishes · Chives · Iceberg Lettuce · Romaine Lettuce · Green Leaf Lettuce · Boston Lettuce · Bibb Lettuce · Cucumber · Mâche · Sorrel

And if your salad is less than 2 cups you can have another 1 cup per day of: · Artichoke · Celery Root · Pumpkin · Artichoke Hearts · Rhubarb · Asparagus · Chard · Sauerkraut · Bamboo Shoots · Collard Greens · Scallions · Dandelion · Snow Peas · Bean Sprouts · Dandelion Greens · Spaghetti Squash · Summer Squash · Beet Greens · Eggplant · Spinach · Broccoli · Hearts of Palm · String or Wax Beans · Broccoli Rabe · Kale · Brussell Sprouts · Kohlrabi · Tomato · Leeks · Turnips · Cabbage · Okra · Water Chestnuts · Cauliflower · Onion · Zucchini

When it comes to cooking with oil you should be using only cold pressed olive oil. And while butter is allowed margarine is not. Margarine is loaded with trans fats which are so bad for you it is scary.

Remember that when you are on a low card diet you need to eat fats to make up for the energy balance.

Wesley Atkins asked:


The most popular diet for diabetics has made its way into the weight loss arena and is proving to be quite successful. For years, the Low Glycemic Index Diet has been used as a tool to help diabetics manage their blood glucose levels. Once it was discovered that this diet for diabetics could also aid in weight loss it became popular with a host of individuals.

One of the reasons that this diet for diabetics works so well is the strong correlation between improper weight management and the presence of diabetes. While not everyone who suffers from diabetes developed the disease due to weight problems a large majority have been discovered to have developed diabetes as a

result of obesity. This is because certain foods tend to raise the blood sugar levels in the body higher and faster than other foods. When that happens the body has a built in check system to return the blood glucose levels to their normal state.

In order to do this the pancreas must release insulin which transports excess blood sugar or blood glucose into storage. Everything is find as long as we work off or use of those stores of blood sugar and this is not required too often. Problems arise; however, when we do not burn off the stored blood sugar and we force our pancreas to overwork by consuming too many foods that cause our blood sugar to skyrocket.

When the body is not able to burn off the stores of blood sugar it turns to fat and that results in being overweight. That is not the end of the problem; however. When we frequently maintain a diet that is high in foods that raise our blood sugar, over time, the pancreas becomes overworked and may shut down. This is when diabetes steps into the picture. Often diabetes and obesity go hand in hand.

The low GI diet was developed as a way to aid diabetics in selecting foods which would not raise their blood sugar levels too high after consuming them. It was hoped that this would remove the drain on the pancreas. This diet for diabetics was found to be quite successful in this regard and was also determined to have the added benefit of helping individuals who followed it lose weight.

The basis of the diet is the glycemic index, which ranks carbohydrates according to how quickly the body is able to digest them. Foods which can be easily digested by the body rank higher on the index and tend to raise the body’s blood glucose levels higher than other foods. According to the diet, these foods should be consumed sparingly. Other foods are not broken down the body so easily and therefore do not have as much of an effect on the body’s blood sugar levels. Some foods even have no effect at all and can be eaten without fear of any restrictions.

High processed and refined foods tend to rank high on the glycemic index most frequently. Individuals following the diet for diabetics are encouraged to avoid or minimize their intake of these foods.

It should be understood that unlike many other diets that may sound similar in nature, the diet for diabetics does not require total exclusion of carbohydrates. Some carbs are actually good and can be eaten. Ideally, adults are recommended to stick with a diet that includes at least 130 grams of carbs per day to provide fuel for the body. This, of course, assumes that you are maintaining an otherwise healthy and active lifestyle. If, for some, reason you are unable to be active, you may need a lower daily intake of carbs.

Martin Stanwyck asked:


Dieting isn’t exactly a macho concept. What happens when a man wants to lose weight without subjecting himself to meager meals of salads and soup? Is there a better answer?

When it comes to dieting, some men cringe at the word “diet” alone. There is nothing macho about dining on salad, and most men wouldn’t be caught dead at a Weight Watcher’s meeting. Wouldn’t it be great to find a sensible diet for men… one that allowed a man to eat his favorite foods instead of soup and salad?

For men, the issue of weight loss is often a sensitive one. There is nothing a man hates more than to look in the mirror and find he has a less than macho physique. If you’re single, you probably think those love handles are anything but female magnets, and you definitely don’t want to have man breasts. Face it; you need to find a diet for men that works. The reflection staring back at you isn’t one that you like.

Perhaps you’ve rejected the idea of going to the gym. It’s almost embarrassing, actually. You’ve seen the guys who frequent the health club. Most of them look buff and toned in their muscle shirts and gym shorts. You tend to wear baggy T-shirts and blue jeans. There’s no way you want to go flaunting those extra pounds so you can be dubbed as the fat guy on the treadmill. Is there really a diet for men that works without leaving you hungry and unsatisfied?

When searching for a diet for men, your prime concern is probably the issue of hunger. It’s scientifically proven that men require more calories than women. While your wife or girlfriend might be perfectly satisfied after a lunch of salad and a diet coke, you view a salad as a prelude to the main course. Is there a diet for men that will still allow you to enjoy your meat and potatoes without leaving the table hungry for more?

Yes, there is. The best news is that you won’t have to eat a bite of lettuce unless you want to, and you will never have to tolerate a growling stomach. I’m not talking about a carbohydrate-free diet where you have to say goodbye to the concept of bread. Face it, that type of eating plan depletes your energy. The best diet for men is one where you simply cut calories. When you burn off more calories than you consume, you lose weight.

You may be thinking, “Sure, that would be an effective diet for men, but I’d be starving. I’m a big guy, and I need something that fills me up.” You’re in luck. Hoodia Gordonii was introduced to the market a few years ago, but this cactus-like plant has actually been around for centuries. Bushmen consumed it to ward off hunger during long journeys in Africa. It’s a vegetable, not a drug, so it’s totally healthy to incorporate as part of your daily diet. If you’re still concerned about being hungry, don’t be because Hoodia Gordonii actually reduces the male appetite by up to 2,000 calories. This is better than any diet for men because you can actually eat the foods you want. The bottom line is that you’ll feel as if you’ve already eaten, causing you to lose weight and feel better about yourself.

Imagine looking in the mirror and smiling as you see the transformation. Pretty soon, you’ll be pulling on a pair of gym shorts and a sleeveless shirt of your own. Hoodia not only makes it possible, it also makes it easy.

LiveWellNow asked:


MonaVie is comprised of a blend of 19 fruits which provides a wide spectrum of antioxidants and phytonutrients that assist in maintaining good health by inhibiting harmful free radicals. 

 

The açai berry plays a significant role in this process as it is the fruit with the highest recorded ORAC score on a per gram basis among all other fruits and vegetables tested to date.  Because of this unique fruit and the amazing nutritional properties that it holds, research has shown that by freeze-drying the berry, most, if not all of the potent phytochemicals can be retained as opposed to other forms of drying processes.  MonaVie uses a patent-pending protected freeze-dried açai (known as OptiAcai) as its star ingredient in their juice blends.

 

Nutritional labels list a product’s ingredients in order from greatest to least.  MonaVie lists “proprietary blend of açai freeze dried powder and puree” as the first ingredient, denoting that it is present in the highest concentration, compared to the other 18 fruits. 

 

Degradation or loss of nutritional value is the main reason that the Açai berry must be picked and processed within the first 48 hours. MonaVie processes the Açai fruit into a pulp containing 14% solids (pulp). This pulp is immediately frozen, put into a drum, and shipped for later use. The pulp/puree is kept frozen until it is ready to be blended into the finished MonaVie product. To process the freeze dried powder used in MonaVie, frozen açai pulp is used and placed on trays which enter a freeze drying chamber. This freeze-drying has many benefits.

 

Benefits of Freeze-Drying:

    *     Retains original characteristics, including: color, form, size, taste, texture, nutrients

    *     Cold storage not required

    *     Reconstitutes to original state when placed in water

    *     No waste

    *     Shelf stable at room temperature

    *     The weight of product is reduced by 70 to 90 percent, with no change in volume

    *     The product is light weight and easy to handle

    *     Saves on shipping-removal of water reduces weight; no refrigeration required

    *     Low water activity virtually eliminates microbiological concerns

    *     Offers highest quality in a dry product compared to other drying methods

  

Low temperatures ensure that the powerful phytonutrients remain intact. Other drying methods where high temperatures are used, destroy the phytonutrients. MonaVie has tested freeze dried Açai powder nine months after its production date and the nutrients levels were still at the same levels they were at when the freeze dried powder was tested after production.

 

On top of using the freeze dried açai berry MonaVie does not clarify the açai puree. Açai has a high amount of lipids or fats. Depending on the region of Brazil and time of harvest, the amount of fat from the açai can vary.  If you pour MonaVie into a cup or look at the blend in the bottle you will notice a green oily substance. This oily substance is fat that comes from the açai berry.

 

If you look at other açai juice drinks you will notice that this is not contained in their drink.  These deposits that you see in the MonaVie blend are nothing more than the healthy fats known as mono and poly-unsaturated fats which are derived from the large amount of Açai in the formula. 

 

Many companies pull out these healthy fats to make the appearance of the juice more pleasing.  This process is known as clarification.  Clarification involves the removal of fats, fibers and other beneficial nutrients, which is where 50% of the nutrient value is found.  But, unlike other beverage companies,  MonaVie uses acai pulp and freeze-dried powder so you receive every nutritional benefit this superfruit has to offer.

To understand more about this amazing health product please visit my websites at:

www.thegreatproduct.com/livewellnow

www.theacaistory.com/ROSE

Or email me at: rose@theacaistory.com

 

Robert Baird asked:


Weight loss diet programs are considered to be immensely beneficial in causing weight loss. The growing awareness regarding the ill-effects of obesity has greatly facilitated the popularity of weight loss supplements and diet programs. Here it is necessary to bear in mind that before indulging in a weight loss diet, one must take the opinion of a certified medical practitioner or a dietician to ensure that the weight loss diet is suitable to one’s body type and that the prevailing health conditions allow him to undertake that diet. One must also remember that a balanced diet is the key to a healthy body and that fasting or starvation is definitely not what going for a weight loss diet implies. Low carb diets or low carbohydrate diets are one of the most popular forms of weight loss diets and over the years it has achieved immense popularity because of its effectiveness in securing considerable weight loss. A low carb diet simply implies a diet program which ensures that the amount of digestible carbohydrates are reduced in consumption and replaced by moderately higher proportions of fats and proteins. Some of the most popular low carb diet programs include Dr. Atkins diet program, Stillman’s diet and several others. In the decade from the 1990s to 2000, it was noticed that about 18% of the population in the United States of America had sought allegiance to these low carb diet programs and it constituted one of the most popular diet programs in USA. Many of the proponents of these low carb diets also ensured that they reduced or controlled the trans fats. The huge popularity of the low carb diet programs initiated various restaurants and food joints to introduce low carb food items within their menu in order to popularize them among consumers while ensuring profits as well. Low carbohydrate diets are in fact similar to the low glycemic index diets and propound the lowering of the nutritive carbohydrates, also known as ‘net carbs’.

Over the years, low carb diets have encouraged mixed reactions. While a section has openly admired its credibility in aiding weight loss, this diet program has also been subjected to a lot of flak and criticism as well. It is alleged that since this diet program is more susceptible to causing weakness or fatigue, it cannot be supported ably by an exercising regimen. Intake of higher protein content as a substitute for carbohydrates can result in cardiovascular diseases.

Phyllis Ekleberry asked:


(c) 2008 Phyllis Ekleberry

Weight loss supplements and weight loss programs are designed and retailed on a daily basis to help those who need to lose that weight. Researchers world wide have developed weight loss patches, supplements and pills to help the over weight individual. Add to this, all the people who have designed their own weight loss programs

Wow, with this many diet programs on the market, what are you as a concerned dieter suppose to do? You need to know up front that even though you may purchase these diet programs or plans or take weight loss supplements, you will also have to change your lifestyle.

You are going to have to change the way you eat and exercise more. There is no way around it; if you are wanting to loss the weight, burn the fat, develop those ever so appealing six packs, then you must change the calorie intake as well as the calorie usage. Long story short- if you don’t burn more calories than you eat - you are NOT going to lose weight!

Have you ever bought the newest ebook, program or article touting weight loss or fat burning? I bet you have bought an exercise video to get you jump-started or bought countless supplements that are suppose to promote weight-loss or fat burning? Have you sat glued to the television as some “fitness” expert touts his/ her way as the ONLY way? How about your computer, have you surfed for the latest and greatest diet, diet supplement or weight loss plan?

If you have done any of these things, you have probably been lied to. I know, they have countless testimonials and great pictures so why can’t you be just like those individuals and lose all your fat. You could lose the weight like they did- couldn’t you?

Weight loss ebooks, books, tapes, videos, programs, supplements and advice are a dime a dozen. Some of these weight loss supplements have conducted clinical trial while some have had no testing - other than to test you to see how fast you could let go of the money. With all of this uncollaborated information flying at you from all corners of the world, how can you protect yourself from just throwing your money away? I realize that you want to lose weight, but come on- let’s do it the right way!

How can you protect yourself from getting wrapped up into a diet that is not safe, ineffective or unrealistic?

You protect yourself by looking at the research behind it, the clinical studies - was it double-blind tested, read all the claims (good and bad), if there is an email address next to a testimonial, write them, and of course the ingredients (if it a supplement, patch, or prescription meds).

Protect yourself by making sure that everything in the supplement is natural and safe. There should be no additional chemicals or ingredients added in for good measure, because you only want natural, organic ingredients in your diet supplement or diet patch. Even in small portions, hazardous or dangerous chemicals are still not good for you.

Please make sure that you have addressed the BIG question Why you are over-weight?

Do you eat because you are hungry,because you think you will get a surge of energy or because you are depressed or stressed? Are you bored so you just eat or do you enjoy eating (the chewing factor)?

Some people think they are eating just a tad because they have made it a habit to grab just a little bite as you pass by the food! You know that if you just take a small bit, then take another small bite, you are never sure how much you have actually eaten. But you look down and low and behold - it’s gone - all of it!

By all means please protect your health and your life !Before starting any diet, go to your family doctor and have him/ her examine you to make sure that there are no under lying issues to your weight gain. Ask your family doctor if you are healthy enough to lose weight. Then choose an appropriate weight loss program.

After all, your weight loss is the primary mission. It is one of the hardest things to do next to lowering your debt. Why? Because a good diet program takes will power, consistency and determination. You have to approach it the same way you approach work. On a daily basis. You must change the way you view food and respond to food.

Approach the weight loss program knowing you have to increase your output and decrease your input. Get some support while you are losing weight. It does not have to be a support group of over weight individuals, although sometimes those are great. Consider asking someone from your church or gym to help you. Be accountable to someone other than yourself. A diet buddy can help motivate you and keep you focused on your weight loss goal.

Ron Subs asked:


Weight loss diet plans come in all kinds of packages. Some are low-fat, high carb. Some are high-protein, with little or no carbs at all. Some require that you eat a strange combination of foods. When you think about the Nutrisystem diet, consider how it stacks up with some of the others.

1. A good, healthy diet will have plenty of variety in fresh fruits and vegetables. Many diets do well in this category. Nutrisystem itself encourages dieters to eat about 4 cups of fruits and vegetables a day. They plan for you to eat a lot of salad, including fat-free salad dressings in with their meals.

Weight Watchers gives values to all the fruit and vegetables and leaves it up to you as to how many you will eat. While this may seem haphazard, it really works if the dieter stays with it. The reason is that eating small amounts of high point foods will leave them hungrier than eating a lot of lower point foods like fruits and vegetables. Over time, they will switch to a healthier way of eating. The weekly meetings encourage this.

The Sonoma Diet has healthy fruits and vegetables, but the emphasis is on eating smaller portions of everything. This does not give these colorful food groups the boost they need in the diets of most overweight people. However, some of the top ten power foods in the diet are vegetables and fruits.

2. A healthy diet has high quality carbohydrates. Nutrisystem is making its theme the good carbs and bad carbs idea. They have very few menu items that are fast-acting carbohydrates, although the regular Nutrisystem diet does have some desserts with 12 or more grams of sugar. If you prefer not to have these desserts, you can do the diabetes diet from Nutrisystem.

Here again, Weight Watchers depends on the points system to encourage people to go for the healthier carbohydrates. They cost fewer points, so dieters can eat more of them. The support system focuses on getting people to make healthy carb choices.

The Sonoma recommends a Mediterranean style diet that includes whole grains. In fact, whole grains are considered one of the top ten power foods of the Sonoma Diet. Wine can be considered a carbohydrate, and the Sonoma diet permits it. It is not considered to be a good carb by most diets, but it does have some health benefits.

3. You need protein to make a diet complete. The Nutrisystem program includes lean meats and dairy to take care of protein needs. Some of the entrees are based on soy protein rather than meat. If you want your meals ready to eat, the Nutrisystem diet makes getting your protein fairly easy.

Weight Watchers has a point system for proteins as well. It is much less complicated than some of their other point system values. Lean meats, fish, and soy are all acceptable within the Weight Watchers diet. There is no guessing about how much protein you will eat. It is a set amount every day.

The Sonoma Diet does not highlight meats or other proteins as the main features of their plan. No protein food is among their ten power foods. Yet, the Sonoma Diet is all about enjoying food rather than avoiding particular foods. You will not have to give up all meats on this diet.

Nutrisystem has all the healthy components of a good diet. There are a few unfortunate slips, such as the sugar in some of their desserts. Some other diets, like the Sonoma Diet, are more focused on taste than this diet is. However, the Nutrisystem shapes up fairly well along with these other diets.