Anyone, who is serious about achieving results when it comes to losing extra weight, is familiar with the various food supplements that are meant to help you throughout your fight with body fat. Most of the supplements here boost your energy levels when doing exercise and help you to burn fat throughout the entire day. Here are 6 food supplements that you should include in your daily diet for successful weight-loss.

Caffeine

Caffeine

The first supplement can be found in nearly every kitchen. That’s right – it’s called caffeine. Caffeine, for centuries, has been known as a super-product due to its ability to increase energy levels dramatically. It is often acclaimed as the least expensive yet the most effective of food supplements. You can drink a cup of coffee 30 minutes before your workout (be careful not to add too much sugar though, as you are aiming to lose the weight). You can also take caffeine pills as a more convenient and portable alternative to drinking it. The main point is that caffeine will keep you active at the gym, increasing your overall energy levels and helping you burn more calories.

Beta-Alanine

Another great food supplement that will help you during your workout is Beta-Alanine. Beta-Alanine is not to be found in any healthy meals like meat, fish and vegetables, but it has a very positive impact on helping your body to have a more productive workout. In our bodies, Beta-Alanine converts into Carnosine that increases the level of stamina and strength of muscles. Carnosine is what gives you that extra amount of strength and energy when you initially feel like there’s hardly anything left in you.

BCAA

BCAA

The third supplement on our list is BCAA – branched-chained amino acids like leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAAs produce cellular energy in the muscle tissues. This energy is produced in the form of ATP that gives extra energy to muscles so consuming BCAA is very useful to those who do a lot of weight-exercise. Even though not fully scientifically proven yet, BCAA tends to have a positive effect not only in gaining muscles, but also in terms of burning fat. This could be related to the fact that most dieters reduce their intake of carbohydrates, while BCAAs increase insulin, sparing the glycogen at the same time.

L-Glutamine

If you are worried about these supplements being too unnatural or man-made, you should take L-glutamine. It occurs naturally and is usually found in the blood stream and in skeletal muscle. Using glutamine will have a positive effect on your workout performance as it impacts the immune system and increases muscle strength. L-glutamine is a food supplement that is supposed to be a part of your post-workout as it helps you to get over the negative consequences of over-training, because we tend to lose glutamine from our bodies when doing really intense and vigorous exercise. L-glutamine seems likely to help in this regard.

PhenTabz

Phentabz

Many dieters are afraid of using food supplements that are high in caffeine as this can have a dramatic effect on the heart and others suffer from insomnia and feelings of jitteriness as negative side-effects. If you are still looking for a food supplement that will boost your energy levels before a workout, but wish to avoid consuming caffeine, you may want to consider taking PhenTabz. This is a non-prescription analogue of the prescription diet pill Phentermine. The main ingredient of PhenTabz is Octapamine, which increases the level of cholesterol and protects your muscles from breaking down – a side-effect that is typical to a lot of food supplements. PhenTabz reduces your appetite, yet unlike other supplements and pills, it does not give you any jittery feelings.

Green Tea

Just like caffeine, this last supplement is another great option if you want to help speed up weight-loss, yet don’t feel comfortable using pills. Green tea is rich in antioxidants, which are responsible for such health benefits as weight-loss, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and decreased incidences of cancer and heart disease. You can drink a cup of green tea or take it in the form of pills.

So here are the six food supplements that can help you achieve great results during your weight-loss program, if combined with a sensible diet and proper workout routine.

So many people nowadays are desperate to finally get rid of extra body fat that they have gained due to the unhealthy lifestyle that has become the norm in modern society. It’s nothing to be ashamed of if you’re one of them. Maybe you’ve already tried several diets or spent numerous hours at the gym, yet still haven’t realized any truly impressive results. We are about to share one really unusual and maybe even crazy tip for successful weight-loss.

To lose more weight, eat more food during your first week of dieting. That probably sounds very odd to those who are not familiar with this concept, but let us explain why exactly this tips actually work. To understand it completely, you must imagine a typical dieter.

Usually, it’s a person who decides that they’ve had enough one day and will decide to lose weight once and for all. The first thing that these kind of people usually do, is decrease the amount of food they consume in order to eat less calories. Of course, this seems logical if we follow the rule that the more calories you eat, the more weight you gain, and the less amount of calories, the more body fat is going to be burnt.

What people usually tend to ignore, is that these kind of sudden dramatic decrease of your food intake actually is a very bad idea that could result even in gaining weight.

Decreasing the amount of food you eat will have a negative effect on your metabolism. Metabolism is essentially what makes you burn calories throughout the day. Most people don’t know that we burn many more calories simply because of our metabolism than during strenuous exercise. While we usually tend to burn a few hundred calories when exercising, we actually burn thousands of them each day without doing anything! So how can this sudden drop of your food intake affect your metabolism?

The thing is, that once your body begins facing this lack of nutrients, it releases fat storing hormones in order to salvage and conserve what nutrients you have left. Your appetite increases but your metabolism slows down. In addition, you will also find yourself losing muscle. Women are not usually bothered by this, however the truth is that they should be – the amount of calories burnt through the metabolism depends on the amount of lean tissue composition in one’s mass. In other words, the more muscles you have – the more calories you will burn on a daily basis even without any exercise.

This is a typical mistake many dieters make. When dieting, they see some results at the beginning, but a few months later they find it impossible to lose any more pounds. Mostly, that is because they have unconsciously slowed down their metabolism – exactly the opposite of what should be achieved for successful weight-loss.

So what to do? Our advice is to maintain the same amount of food during your first week of dieting. The only change that really needs to be made is replacing processed foods with whole foods. Whole foods are everything that is the closest to its natural state – meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts. Processed foods are everything that you see in markets in packaged form – this kind of food doesn’t really have any nutritional value and is full of bad carbs and sugar.

Healthy whole foods should make up at least 80% of your daily food intake. This is how you’ll be able to lose weight without feeling like you’re starving and you will successfully lose some pounds without harming your metabolism.

A good idea for rapid weight-loss is slowly decreasing the amount of calories you consume each week. For example, eat 3000 calories during the first week, eliminate 500 the next week and so on until you consume 1500 calories on Week 4. This will make you lose your fat faster without any harsh and complicated restrictions and without the negative metabolic effects that cause you to gain weight.

* Tip: If yo find it hard to cut your calories each week you may want to look into a safe appetite suppressant. If you haven’t heard about it yet… PhenTabz can help you stop the cravings, while giving that boost of energy, without the jitters (this is a big deal and unique to this product). We put down some information about this here, if you want to take a look.

Metabolism is an important factor for successful weight-loss. Most of the people that ignore the importance of it, spend numerous hours on cardiovascular exercise with little if any results. They ignore the concepts of metabolism, for example, by eating too little and usually find themselves back at their old weight or even bigger. So keep in mind that your body will help you burn your body fat even without a tough exercise routine, if you stick to healthy meals and will improve your metabolism by not letting the muscles get broken down by eating too little.

Nutrition is one of the most important lifestyle choices when it comes to shedding pounds. One must pay much attention to the food one puts in their body. The assortment of sugars and sweets offered by most supermarkets can be very confusing for anyone, particularly to those who are trying to get rid of excessive weight.

There are several misconceptions supported by manufacturers and advertisers – products that are claimed and often considered to be healthy, yet actually are not that good for those who are trying to lose their weight. Here are 5 generally healthy products that should still be avoided to help encourage successful weight-loss.

Whole Wheat Bread

The first product on our list may seem like a bit of a surprise to some dieters, as we advise you to avoid whole-wheat bread if you are really aiming to lose those annoying pounds. Sure, it is better than white bread, however, it is not much better when it comes to keeping off weight.

Whole wheat bread still contains a lot of carbs and fat, and what’s important – less fiber that is essential for a healthy weight-loss. If we have to suggest to you any alternative options, one optimal product to replace whole-wheat bread is brown rice.

It has more fiber, it will satisfy your appetite better and contains more valuable nutrients. So, if you are really determined to lose weight, you definitely should stay away from all sorts of breads and starches.

Juices

The next product to avoid is fruit juice. Some people may get irritated by this statement, since we’ve been told since our early childhood that fruit juice is something we must drink in order to remain healthy. The fruit juice we can buy at most supermarkets is the worst kind, as it contains great amounts of sugar and lacks fiber.

Even if you choose to consume fresh-squeezed fruit juice, you have to be very careful. Imagine a glass of orange juice and the amount of oranges you would need to make this glass full. Well, it would take approximately 6 large oranges. Now imagine yourself eating those 6 oranges in a row. You would probably get quite full after just the third one.

Now, consuming those 6 oranges in the form of juice would be so much easier, thus you will find yourself overeating without actually noticing it and overeating is something we always want avoid no matter how healthy the type of food we are consuming.

It is better to stick to eating whole fruits and vegetable, and for hydration, stick with water. Another option can be coconut water. It tastes good and consists of many great nutrients.

Granola

Granola is a product that is being widely advertised as healthy and it confuses those who want to begin a healthy lifestyle. The case of granola is really tricky – you can say that it is the best of “bad foods,” yet you still should stay away from granola as it is high in fat, sugar, carbs and calories.

In addition, people usually add milk when eating granola. Milk in general is not so bad, yet should be avoided when trying to successfully lose weight. Instead of granola, eat natural oatmeal. Thus, you can avoid adding any sugar, just add some of your favorite fruit and enjoy a tasty and healthy meal that will actually help you lose weight, not keep it on.

Remember, we are not talking about the instant oatmeal, but whole-grain oatmeal. Instant oatmeal is similar to the situation with fruit and fruit juice – it is better to stick to the organic and naturally occurring form of the product.

Sports Drinks

The fourth product to avoid about when trying to lose weight, is sports drinks – Gatorade, Powerade and others. This might seem confusing to you as you can see athletes advertising it making you believe that there cannot be anything bad about these drinks.

The truth is  – unless you are a high performance sports athlete, these drinks are simply not meant for you. Since athletes burn enormous amounts of calories every day, they need these drinks in order to maintain an electrolyte balance in their bodies.

Regular people, whose level of exercise is much lower, do not need to drink them. Unless you workout a lot, consuming these drinks will lead to added fat as they contain a lot of sugar. Electrolytes can be found in natural sources too.

Before exercise, you can have a banana, which contains many good nutrients, especially potassium. Another great source of potassium is coconut water, which we already mentioned above.

Junk Food

Here is the final and most important suggestion – avoid purchasing any organic junk food from grocery stores e.g. organic pizzas, organic potato chips, donuts and muffins.

Even if they are better than regular products, they are still not better than simple, organic foods like meat, fruit and vegetables.

The main advice for the people trying to lose weight is simple – always eat the organic version. Remember that the product in its natural form is always better than the processed version.

Of course, you are not forbidden to have treats once in a while, however it’s better avoid them as much as possible until you’ve reached your goal. Dieting and weight-loss is a time when some people are experiencing a dramatic change in their eating habits.

For some it’s not that easy, so it’s important to simply keep in mind the benefits that come from fresh, natural and healthy meals.

The Power Of Superfoods

Superfoods simply refer to extremely nutritious and healthy foods that increase your longevity and vitality by providing your body with all necessary nutrients and eliminating any health problems/diseases. Most of the foods we eat today aren’t superfoods. Pizza, hamburgers, fried chicken, fries, sodas, tacos, burritos among other popular fast foods aren’t superfoods.

Fast foods are unhealthy. They don’t increase longevity and vitality. Unfortunately, fast foods are very popular in today’s society. To counter the effects of fast foods among other processed and unnatural foods, it is important to consume high quantities of superfoods. If your diet has been dominated by unhealthy foods, below are some turbo charged morsels that you must start eating today.

1. Blueberries:

Most people don’t know that blueberries are packed with phytoflavinoids and antioxidants. Blueberries are among the best antioxidants known to man. Blueberries are also rich in vitamin C and potassium. They are among the most nutritious fruits according to nutritionists and health experts. Eating blueberries regularly helps you lower your risks of getting cancer and heart diseases.

Blueberries have also been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. It is important to note that inflammation is one of the main causes of chronic diseases. Blueberries are examples of superfoods that must be eaten regularly i.e. three or more times weekly because of their numerous benefits. It is important to note that the color of blueberries dictates the quantity of antioxidants. You should therefore go for blueberries with strong/bright color to get more antioxidants.

2. Fish:

This is also another example of a superfood. Fish rich in Omega 3′s are examples of superfoods for the brain, heart and joints. Omega 3 which is common in fish oil has been proven to lower risks of contracting heart diseases and arthritis. Omega 3 also helps to boost memory and prevent/cure diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Omega 3 has also been proven to reduce depression. Omega 3 is common in fatty fish found in cold water. Examples of fish that will provide you with adequate amounts of Omega 3 include; wild salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel. To benefit from fish as a superfood, you should include the above types of fish at least twice in your weekly diet. Fish is also beneficial because of high quantities of monounsaturated fats, which are healthy in terms of lowering cholesterol levels.

3. Fiber foods:

Examples of foods rich in fiber include; whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Fiber is a superfood for weight loss and lowering cholesterol levels. High fiber diets will help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels as well as help you lose weight. Fiber foods can also help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Fiber foods help in weight management by filling up your stomach thus you feel hungry less often.

4. Soy:

This is also another example of a superfood for lowering cholesterol. Soy fiber has been proven to lower cholesterol levels. Soy is in fact one of the most widely prescribed foods for lowering cholesterol levels. If you happen to have high cholesterol levels, soy fiber is one of the most highly recommendable superfood for you.

5. Tea:

Contrary to many people’s believes, tea is indeed a superfood. Tea has shown to inhibit cancer and lower cholesterol levels. Tea is also an antioxidant, especially black and green tea because they contains high amounts of ECGC which is a very powerful antioxidant. According to numerous studies, ECGC has been proven to inhibit growth of cancerous cells. To enjoy tea as a super food for inhibiting cancer and lowering cholesterol, it is advisable to take black or green tea at least once daily.

6. Calcium:

Dairy products are rich sources of calcium. You can also get calcium from health supplements. Calcium is a superfood for building healthy strong bones and preventing osteoporosis. Some studies also indicate that Calcium helps in weight loss. It is important to note that Calcium intake should be regulated for maximum benefits. The recommended daily intake for individuals aged between 9 and 18 is 1,300 mg. Individuals aged between 19 and 50 should take 1,000 mg per day. Individuals above 50 should take 1,200 mg per day. It is important to note that excess calcium intake can cause medical conditions such as; hypercalcemia. Calcium intake should therefore be regulated to reap the maximum superfood benefit.

With our lives constantly being ever so busy, it’s no wonder that many of us are on the lookout for easy and practical ways to shed a few pounds. As you know, the most important part of any weight loss plan is commitment. Set a goal to lose 5 pounds, and follow through with this. Your efforts will pay off…

… losing a small amount of weight can make a big difference. You’ll become more confident, not to mention, you will look and feel better. Here are six simple rules you can take on board to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Reduce Your Portion Size

Eat in small portions, eat regularly. Decrease your serving size, even with healthy foods. That way, you can lessen the amount of calories you take in each day.For example, Doctor Oz says that a serving of meat shouldn’t be bigger than the size of your palm or a deck of cards. A good way to reduce the calories with each meal is to incorporate fruits and vegetables. Eating smaller meals regularly will keep you nice and full throughout the day – instead of going for hours without food, then eating a lot to satisfy your hunger.

Add More Greens & Protein To Your Diet

Green vegetables, as you know, contain a high amount of fiber, which makes you feel fuller for longer, and by eating lots them, will diminish cravings for unhealthy foods. Consuming more protein will help speed up your metabolism – which translates into you burning more fat. In fact, your body burns twice the amount of calories when digesting proteins compared to digesting carbs. You can consume more protein in your diet by having a couple of fish based meals each week. Fish aren’t only just a great source of protein, they also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which promote fat burning enzymes in your body. Angelina Jolie replaced her daily coffee with soy drinks to slim down for her role as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider. Unlike caffeine, protein provides you with steady, lasting energy and also helps you build muscle.

Eat Whole Grains Instead of White Foods

Many celebrities including Oprah and Cameron Diaz have endorsed the no white foods diet. Make the switch to whole grains. Forget about white pastas, breads, cake and any foods made with white flour. White foods tend to have a high glycemic index, which means they spike and then crash your blood sugar levels quickly, leaving you with cravings and feeling hungry. Wholegrain foods are high in fiber, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. They keep you full for longer and stabilize your blood sugar. Take advantage of the healthy wholegrain foods out there, including oatmeal, quinoa, whole wheat bread, brown rice and whole grain pasta.

Decrease Your Sugar And Fat Intake

Reduce the amount of carbs you eat. Eating foods high in sugar and fat inevitably leads to weight gain. To prevent this phenomenon, and reverse it – avoid such foods. These include processed foods, cookies, cakes, desserts, and fast foods. Cut out your intake of soda, as soda is high in sugar and calories. While your at it, artificial sweeteners are not any better than sugar when it comes to weight gain. Numerous studies have linked artificial sweeteners with weight gain, as they tend to cause overeating. Instead, enjoy the natural sweetness offered by fruits and antioxidant rich dark chocolate.

Drink More Water

Everyone’s heard that water is good for you. But did you know that water can help you lose those extra pounds. It can do this in several ways. Drinking water increases the amount of calories you burn, keeps you fuller for longer and prevents water retention. Research shows that drinking about 6 and a half cups of water each day helps people consume 200 less calories per day. Replace juice, soda, and alcohol with water. It’s that simple.

Do Regular Exercise

Exercise is an essential part of any effective weight loss plan. First of all, you should be walking at least 10 000 steps each day. Take part in an exercise routine that best suits your schedule and fitness needs. You might go for a run in the morning or afternoon depending on when its more convenient for you. But you need to make the time. Aerobic exercises like brisk walking, jogging or even dancing, are an effective way to burn fat. The minimum recommended amount of exercise is for about 30 minutes three times each week. But for weight loss, you should aim to increase your exercise to 45-60 minutes five times each week to burn more calories. Why not choose an activity that you enjoy, like Zumba, dancing, Pilates, yoga, hiking or tennis. The possibilities are endless.

Losing weight is a challenge.  It is a process that would involve not just the workouts and the diet needed but more importantly, the perseverance and the discipline to keep going no matter how tempting the circumstances are.

Indeed losing weight is tough and it gets even tougher as one grows older.  When a woman hits 40, her metabolism starts to slow down.  At this age, the body shifts to new biological changes, especially among women who experience hormonal changes once she is on her midlife age.

When it comes to dieting, it is important to understand ones metabolism as it goes hand in hand with losing or gaining weight.

Metabolism is the process that your body performs to convert food into energy.  The faster the metabolism, the more food is converted to energy for breathing, blood circulation, physical activity and other functions that the body needs to perform.

However, when the body takes in more food than what it needs, those excess food will not be used up as energy, but will be stored as fat.   Since one cannot combat against nature, significant changes in the diet, as well as in the daily habits, must be made to help the body cope with such bodily changes.

How does one lose weight even at 40?  Here are some ways to fight aging gracefully.

 Exercise regularly

Yes, this may sound cliché to you but there is no other way to keep the body strong healthy than exercising regularly.  Doing physical activities such as aerobics, jogging or even as simple as walking for an hour a day will quicken ones metabolism, thus burning more calories and storing less fat.

Also, keeping the body physically active will make your body add muscle which uses energy even when the body is at rest.  Shawn Talbott, an exercise physiologist, suggested that combining aerobics and weight-lifting will be a good routine to prevent metabolism to slow down.

Eat in moderation

By this, you can eat whenever you are hungry, as often as you can, but eat only in moderation.  Starving yourself will only make your metabolism slow, so it is better to eat 3 full meals and in-between snacks to keep your metabolism going.  Of course, you have to watch what you eat.

Make sure that you eat a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and minerals to give your body the nutrients that it needs.  The American Dietetic Association suggests that one should take in 3 full meals containing 300 calories each meal and two snacks of 200 calories each.

Avoid sitting too much

Yes, sitting at home and watching too much TV or spending longer hours in front of the computer can slow down your metabolism.  It would get even worse if you eat a bucket of popcorn while watching your favorite TV show.

Even while you are at home or in the office, you can do simple exercises such as walking while talking on the phone, picking up clutter or doing errands on your own instead of asking someone to do it for you.  James Levine, author of Move a Little, Lose a Lot said that choosing to take the stairs everyday instead of using the elevator can be little but it can do wonders for the body.

So the next time you go to work, try the longer way up to your floor by climbing the stairs.

Check your medication

At 40, it is likely that a woman has to take several medications for conditions such as depression and for most women, the need to take birth control pills can have an adverse effect to the body.  Depo-Provera, for example, is an effective contraceptive but it can cause weight gain.

Also, those who are undergoing depression are given antidepressants which can affect the thyroid gland, thus Kent Holtorf, a thyroidologist said that those who are undergoing medication for depression are more likely to gain weight.

If you are having a hard time losing weight, check your meds.  Ask your doctor if there are other alternatives you can take in case your medication is causing the weight gain.

If you are nearing 40, embrace your age.  Take these tips by heart and live a healthy life.