Basics of Weight Loss - 3

Step up your activity level

Every calorie you consume or have stored on your body can be burned through activity. If weight control is the goal, step up your activity level. Start by determining how active you are by using a pedometer to measure the steps you take. Gradually increase your daily steps any way you can - short walks, more chores, pacing while watching TV or talking on the phone and of course, climbing stairs at every opportunity. If you prefer the gym, that's fine too as long as you're burning more calories by working harder or adding to your regular workouts. Keep in mind that the more active you are, the more fuel your body burns. This means you can speed up your weight loss efforts or choose to eat more.

Monitor your progress and adjust

Monitor your progress at least once a week by weighing in or taking your circumference measurements. For accuracy purposes, it's best to check your weight at the same time of day with the same clothing. Also, consider weighing in mid week because weight fluctuations tend to occur after a weekend of dining out or indulging. Because weight can fluctuate on any given day, judge your progress over time. If your results aren't moving in the right direction after any two to three week period, you'll need to adjust. Reduce the calories you take in or increase movement until you make progress.

Set goals and get support

Set a short term and long term goal and write them down. In doing so, you make a commitment to yourself which helps propel you into immediate action. On average, ½ to 2 lbs per week is a healthy weight loss rate. However, the more overweight you are to begin with, the faster you can safely lose weight. One pound of body fat contains approximately 3,500 calories. The data below shows you how many calories you'll have to cut out of your diet or burn off through exercise to reach your weight loss goals.

Source : ArticleDashBoard

Dear Friends,

We see a lot of information, help, mantra moving around us in the form of emails, pictures, media, etc. This is just a small step ahead to bring this information together and place in front of you in form of this new blog. Hope you like this blog and give your support as always.

Self Help Mantra ---- > http://selfhelpmantra.blogspot.com/

~ Webvision Global Team

How do I increase my daily steps on Pedometer?

Looking for ideas to increase your steps? A researcher asked 34 employees of a small northeastern college what strategies they used to increase their steps. Below are the results (numbers in parentheses are the percentage of participants who used the strategies). The employees said:

To a meeting or work-related errand (65%)
After work (50%)
Before work (35%)
At lunch (47%)
On the weekend (32%)
While traveling (32%)
With the dog (32%)
To a destination (work/store) (29%)
Parked farther away (50%)
Used the stairs rather than an elevator (24%)
Performed other cardiovascular activity (539%)

If you scanned your week, you would find times and opportunities when you could walk a little more. Pedometer contests at your office or even at home. Divide your office colleagues into teams and post a big chart in a conspicuous place with the cumulative number of steps that all of you take each week, and then at the end of the month, give awards to the members of the team with the highest step count and give a special award to the individual who takes the most steps. At home, post a chart on the fridge and see who takes the most steps. The winner doesn't have to do dishes for a week! Make the contests fun. The good news is that anyone with a pedometer can participate.

Source : Medicinenet.com

Dear Friends,

We see a lot of information, help, mantra moving around us in the form of emails, pictures, media, etc. This is just a small step ahead to bring this information together and place in front of you in form of this blog. Hope you like this blog and give your support as always.

Self Help Mantra ---- > http://selfhelpmantra.blogspot.com/

~ Webvision Global Team

Eat To Lose - Part 2

Lets continue ahead ... concluding part.

6. Green Tea - Antitoxidants called catechins are what help speed metabolism and fat burning. Green tea also boosts the metabolism and lowers bad LDL cholesterol.

7. Lean beef - Who says you got to keep totally off meat if you are trying to shed weight? The amino acid leucine, which is abundant in meat and fish as well as in dairy products, can help you reduce while maintaining claorie-burning muscle.

8. Olive Oil - Fight off that middle-age bulge with extra virgin olive oil. A monounsaturated fat, it'll help you burn calories.

9. Cinnamon - Sprinkle it on oatmeal or whole-grain toast to help sure those mid-afternoon sugar slumps. Research has found that a little cinnamon can help control post-meal insulin spikes, which make you feel hungry.

10. Nuts - Yes, nuts are fattening but research shows that people who snack on nuts tend to be slimmer than those who don't. They help by reviving up the metabolism. Plus certain nuts like walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for you.

Source : Body & Soul, TOI

Eat To Lose - Part 1

If you thought the only way of losing weight is not wating at all, think again. New research shows a number of foods - from beans to beef - that can help you fight hunger, increase your metabolism and ultimately, shed those extra kilos/pounds.

1. Eggs - Eggs are full of protein and help you feel fuller longer. They also prevent spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to food cravings.

2. Beans - Get back on the green diet. Eating beans increases Cholecystokinin, a digestive hormone and a natural appetite suppressant. There's also evidence that beans keep blood sugar in check, so you can stay away from the hunger pangs longer.

3. Salad - Control your calorie intake by starting with a large salad sans the creamy mayonnaise dressing. A alrge serving of salad can keep you full and contains high levels of vitamins C & E, folic acid, lycopene and carotenoids.

4. Soup - A cup of chicken soup is as good as eating a piece of chicken. Even the simplest soup satisfies hunger pangs because your brain perceives it as filling.

5. Pears - These contain pectin fiber which decreases blood-sugar levels, helping you avoid in between snacking.

Source : Body & Soul, TOI

Brain Boosting Activities - 3

11. Starting the day out with a good breakfast has been proven to supply energy to the brain and body for the whole day. When you skip breakfast, you’re missing out on a powerful edge, both physically and mentally.

12. Walking allows you to clear your mind and thoughts. Not only is it good exercise for your body, walking gives your brain a chance to wander freely, clearing it of any
troublesome thoughts.

13. Drink a serving of pure fruit juice.. Fruit juice contains nutrients that revitalize and refresh the brain. Juices to drink are pomegranate, blueberry, and cranberry as they deliver more focus and energy.

14. Students who drink some caffeine before an exam typically have higher scores than those who don’t. This is because caffeine stimulates activity in the brain, which produces better focus and thinking ability. Don’t overdo it though!

15. Draw a picture. Like painting, drawing stimulates the creative side of your brain. So get out some colored pencils and start boosting your brainpower.

To get the most out of these brain boosting activities, mix them up and do a variety of them at different times. Just choosing one won’t boost your brainpower, however, combining and alternating them will give your brain the added boost you need now and in the long run.

Basics of Weight Control - 2

Beware of the creeping waistline

Experts predict nine out of ten people will be overweight or obese at some point in their lifetime. However, most people don't realize they're becoming overweight because it happens fairly slowly. The average yearly weight gain among adults is one to three pounds. This means most people are off by only 20 to 30 calories a day. Small changes such as skipping those last few bites or taking 200-300 extra steps per day will keep you trim and away from weight loss diets. But keep in mind as you get older, you're likely to burn fewer calories because your daily routine changes. This means you need to start thinking about your caloric intake and your level of physical activity. And to keep your weight in check, you'll need to get on the scale or measure your waistline more than once a year.

Boost your calorie IQ

One of the most effective weight control tools is tracking what you eat. An old fashioned pen and paper work just fine but online trackers also offer support and feedback. After a week or so, you'll be amazed at how much you learn and your calorie IQ will get a huge boost. Those who consistently track what they eat lose more weight and are more successful at keeping the weight off. Doing so will help you decide where to cut back - skip a regular 20 ounce soda and save 250 calories, switch from whole milk to skim milk and save 50 calories a cup, go for regular coffee instead of a regular blended drink and save 300 calories. If you can't face cutting all of your favorites out of your diet, eating smaller portions is an acceptable compromise. The small steps are often the ones which have the biggest effect, since they're easier to stick with. Check your surroundings.

Source : ArticleDashBoard

Brain Boosting Activities - 2

6. Taking fish oil supplements is literally like membrane material for the brain.. The two primary components in fish oil, DHA and EPA, strengthen the emotional center of the brain and boost focus.


7. Studies have proven that listening to music strengthens the right hemisphere of the brain and actually changes the structure of it. Also, people who listen to music are shown to be more emotionally intelligent than those who don’t.


8. Writing improves memory and thought expression. Writing articles, blogs, or journal entries stimulates thought processes, which also enhances brain function.


9. Sleep clears out brain clutter and reduces brain fog. When you don’t get enough sleep at night, your memory and normal brain function suffers.


10. Painting is shown to be an effective brain booster in that it sparks the creativity within you. Even if you’ve never tried painting before, give it a shot. You’ll find that you feel more creative and may actually enjoy it.

Brain Boosting Activities - 1

If you don’t keep your mind active, studies show that your brain loses some of its functionality as you age, which causes memory loss, brain fog, and even Alzheimer’s.A well-stimulated brain also elevates your mood, which helps you feel better on the inside.Here are some brain boosting activities:

1. Play games that challenge and stimulate your mind. These include:* Picture Puzzles* Strategy Games* Crossword Puzzles* Card Games* Deduction Games (such as Clue)* Visualization Puzzles* Optical Illusions

2. Reading stimulates the brain as it activates your imagination. Reading also helps with memory retention and problem solving, especially if you’re reading a mystery. Also, self-help books stimulate your brain by helping you to think for yourself, as well as find solutions in your mind.

3. Exercising helps circulate blood that carries oxygen to your brain. Over the long-term, exercise is proven to increase brainpower and even create new neurons.

4. Stimulate your brain with meditation.. Meditation has been shown to increase your IQ, relieve stress, and promote a higher level of brain functioning. Meditation also stimulates the prefrontal cortex of the brain, the area of the brain responsible for advanced thinking, ability and performance.

5. Deep breathing helps deliver oxygen to your brain. Oxygen helps you be more alert and awake. As little as 10 to 15 minutes of deep breathing daily can increase brain functionality.

Basics of Weight Control - 1

When it comes to determining your weight, there is only one factor ...calories

Controlling your weight comes down to one thing - managing calories. Your body is a complex machine that requires fuel to run your metabolism and perform all movement. Calories from the food and beverages you consume provide this fuel. If you burn all the fuel you take in, your weight will remain stable. If you end up with excess fuel that isn't burned, it will be stored as body fat and your weight will increase. Similarly, if you burn more fuel than you take in, you'll lose weight - it's that simple. By managing the calories you take in and the calories you burn, you can successfully control your weight.

Manual labor is now performed by machines and computers. Very few calories are burned during our daily routine because work, transportation, recreation and entertainment are mostly sedentary. People eat out more frequently and enticing food is offered everywhere in large quantities, day or night. Because people have a natural tendency to preserve energy and eat even when we're not hungry, modern lifestyle easily leads to unburned fuel and unwanted weight gain.

Source : ArticleDashBoard

Things that can keep help you lose fat

Always get enough sleep : The importance of sleep can not be emphasized in a right way. It is the most crucial thing that will have direct effects on your health. Sleeping for enough hours is essential for everyone. Many studies have claimed that a sleep of about seven hours will keep them fit and slimmer. On the other hand, sleeping for less than seven hours can increase weight. So, develop a perfect schedule to get enough sleep at night.

Maintain good eating habits : There are many who always skip breakfast and go with late night meals. It is imperative to mention that breakfast can really provide you the energy that is required to perform day to day tasks. So, it must never be skipped. All those who skip breakfast always find them in a problem of excessive weight. Breakfast can have a direct impact on metabolism, so, it should never be skipped. Similarly, always stay away from late night meals as calories can make you gain more weight.

Exercising : There is nothing to emphasize the importance of exercising. Exercise can help you to stay active and it can strengthen your immune system along with metabolism. Of course if you are obese, exercise is the best solution for you as well. Students must always try to get indulged in some physical activities like swimming, running, walking, etc.

Bad drinking habits : Stay away from bad habits like drinking alcohol, soda etc. Drinking alcohol can really create bad effects on your weight as it injects empty calories in your body. Drinking 8 beers means that you are having 960 empty calories which is really undesirable. Similarly, soda can also be considered bad because of the presence of processed sugar.

Source : Drhitesh

5-4-3-2-1 DIET PLAN !

Each of three meals per day should consist of:

5 bites of protein.
4 bites of vegetables.
3 bites of carbs, preferably whole grains.

2 bites of sweets.
1 minute between bites.

Add:

One mid-morning snack,

one mid-afternoon snack (yogurt or other dairy, fruit, nuts),

a multivitamin, and

8 glasses of water each day.

Rules for this diet plan:

If you do not want dessert, you can eat two additional bites of protein, vegetables, or carbs.
If your menu items are not separated, eat 14 total bites. For example, a pasta dish would not be separated.
One subtle way to help count bites is to move a piece of food off to the side of your plate for each bite you eat.
Bites should be “normal”-sized and chewed well.
Eat “mindfully.” Don’t be distracted. Savor each bite.
Limit diet soda to one per day.
Prepare foods in a healthy manner. Limit fats to two teaspoons of heart-healthy oils each day.
Include a minimum of 30 minutes each day of exercise.
Choose denser foods to stay full longer.

Source : easy-weightloss-tips

Cinnamon for Weight Loss

Role of Cinnamon in Weight Loss

Intake of cinnamon in the form of powder or sticks can be useful in controlling cholesterol levels in the body. While it lowers the amount of bad cholesterol, it leaves the good cholesterol at the same level. Cinnamon also regulates blood sugar levels and helps in the fight against obesity and insulin resistance. Cinnamon is very useful for patients suffering from diabetes, as it helps them in using less insulin.

Honey and Cinnamon Recipe for Weight Loss

Take one spoonful of honey, one spoonful of cinnamon powder and mix them in a cup of warm water. This concoction should be consumed every morning on an empty stomach. Although the actual mechanism of how this recipe helps in losing weight naturally is not clearly known, people have reported to have benefited from regular consumption of this mixture.

Besides helping in weight loss, honey and cinnamon have other health benefits like fighting heart diseases, improving digestion, purifying blood and improving blood circulation. All these health factors and obesity are interrelated. Hence, not only do honey and cinnamon help in weight loss, but they also ensure an overall well being of an individual.

Source : Buzzle

How to Break Bad Eating Habits - II

If You’re a Mindless Muncher

The fallout :

Television makes people particularly prone to spaced-out eating. In fact, "folks who eat while watching the tube take in 20 to 60 percent more than if they are focused on their food," according to Brian Wansink, a professor of marketing at Cornell University and the author of Mindless Eating.

The fix :

Figure out which situations trigger mindless eating for you, then consciously make an effort to eat only when you’re fully engaged. If you need a few snacks, set limits on what you’ll eat. Dole out a single serving before you sit down on the couch, or delay your snack until you can pay attention. Minimize damage by dipping into low-cal foods, such as cut vegetables, air-popped popcorn, rice crackers, and whole-grain cereal.

Source : RealSimple

Honey for Weight Loss

Of the various natural products and spices, honey and cinnamon have been found to be useful in the process of weight loss.

Role of Honey in Weight Loss : It is true that honey is a type of sugar. However, while the dietary sugars have only carbohydrates, honey, a natural sweetener, has vitamins and minerals as well. When our body digests sugar, it uses the vitamins and minerals present in our tissues. Hence, in the process of digesting dietary sugar, a deficit of vitamins and minerals is created in our body. This deficit is not created when honey is digested, as besides being a rich source carbohydrates, honey also provides important vitamins and minerals to the body. Hence, the metabolism of fats and cholesterol remains unhindered when dietary sugars are replaced with honey. Honey also helps in digestion, and taking this natural sweetener after a heavy meal helps in avoiding any problems that may arise due to overeating.

Honey Recipes for Weight Loss

Honey and Warm Water : Drinking a cup of warm water with one spoon of honey in it every morning is believed to help in weight loss. Fat remains stored as an unused source of energy in our tissues. Honey is believed to mobilize this stored fat that is burnt up to provide energy for our daily activities. This results in gradual loss of weight.

Honey and Lemon : One spoon of honey with a few drops of lemon, mixed with warm water is another recipe made from honey that is believed to reduce one's weight. Although the results are slow, regular consumption of this mixture is believed to aid in weight loss.

Source : Buzzle

How to Break Bad Eating Habits - I

If You’re a Serious Snacker

The fallout : You may end up overeating. A healthy snack or two between meals is fine. Snacks can keep blood sugar steady as well as allow you to rack up more servings of fruits and vegetables. “It’s when you snack in place of eating real meals that you’re more likely to lose track of how much you’re eating,” Of course, what you eat matters, too. Typical snack foods (chips, cookies, pretzels) aren’t that nutritious or satisfying, so it’s easy to overdo them.

The fix : To keep your energy up and hunger at bay, allow yourself two snacks a day of 100 to 300 calories each. “Rather than a cookie or a candy bar, opt for something that feels like real food―half of a small sandwich, whole-grain crackers with cheese, a handful of nuts, baby carrots with hummus, or yogurt sprinkled with cereal”.

Source : RealSimple

Indoor Exercises ... Part II

When you´ve finished the cardio portion of your workout, add some target exercises to help tone things up. You can do floor exercises or use a balance ball, which can be inexpensively purchased. In addition to the obvious crunches and push ups, add toning exercises for your arms, back, waist, hips, and legs. A simple search online can provide you with a plethora of choices along with instructions for proper form.

Don´t forget flexibility and strength training, two vital categories in an effective workout. Your overall flexibility can be improved through stretching and activities involved in yoga or Pilates. Strength training can be easily completed at home using inexpensive light hand weights or common household items. Canned goods, laundry detergent bottles, and sacks of
sugar and flour can all be used as hand weights. Gallon-sized jugs of water are ideal when heavier weights are needed.

So, the point is that when there´s a will, there´s a way! As Nike says, "Just do it!" Don´t make excuses; just find inventive ways to accomplish your goals! You certainly won´t be sorry

Source : American Nutrition

Super Easy Ways to Exercise Indoors Without Special Equipment !

There are all those people whose schedules don´t provide them with daylight hours in which to exercise. If you fall into one of these categories, don´t give up your workout. Just look for ways to workout inside. You might have to be a little creative, but you can definitely boost your heart rate and burn impressive calories!

You can enjoy everything from beginning yoga to rigorous boot camp options following books, videos or cable. A good cardio workout is one that leaves you sweating and huffing and puffing. You can achieve these results by jumping rope, running stairs, or doing jumping jacks! Put on your favorite tunes and walk or jog in place, or dance the night away!

Source : American Chronicle

Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages

Before you tear into that bag of potato chips, drink a glass of water first. People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger, so you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really all you needed. If plain water doesn't cut it, try drinking flavored sparkling water or brewing a cup of fruit-infused herbal tea.

Source : MedicineNet

Don't lose weight quickly post pregnancy

But according to a new study women should not put themselves under too much pressure straight away. Experts have revealed that overdoing early weight lossattempts could have a negative impact on breastfeeding. Celebrities have started a new craze among new mums - shedding baby weight immediately after giving birth.

They said that weight gain during pregnancy is not only normal, it is necessary. The mother's body has to nourish the growing baby. Her body needs to take on more fluid to support the extra circulation the placenta and baby need. Some of this added weight will usually be lost as soon as the baby is born.

Recent studies have revealed that women who have become overweight or more overweight during pregnancy have a higher chance of ongoing weight problems if they are not back to a normal weight within six months or a year after having a baby.

Exercise is important when people are overweight, but after pregnancy, a lot of exercise does not necessarily help a great deal. The evidence shows that a balanced diet helps "with or without extra exercise".

Source: ANI

Weight Loss Diet with Fruits and Vegetables.

Add fresh fruits and vegetables to your shopping list. Buy produce that is the in-store special of the week. Adding fruits and vegetables to your shopping list will maintain your weight loss diet.