A friend recently asked me a question that made me take notice: “If someone gave you, at no cost, a list of foods known to speed up your metabolism; and if each of those foods were good for you, would you want to eat them?”

Chances are you would be shocked to see many foods you enjoy on that list. The chances are also good that you would find some foods you like, but choose to avoid because you’ve been convinced that they are not conducive to weight loss. For example, low-fat dieters often shy away from nuts because of their fat content. Those on low-carb diets stay away from most grains. And the most earnest low-carb dieters won’t eat fruit because they contain natural sugars.

Something is obviously wrong with the diet industry. I don’t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but they have a reason to keep people overweight. Think about it. With all of the low-fat, no-carb, “eat all the cabbage you want” diets that are out there, people are still gaining weight. At the very least it shows that the diet gurus do not have all of the answers, or aren’t sharing them if they do.

The weight loss industry won’t like me saying this, but you can lose weight by applying a decent amount of common sense. All you need to do is expend more calories than you take in. That’s all. Take in fewer calories by eating less, and expend them by exercising more. To make things easier, you can eat certain foods that will help to boost your metabolism.

High up on the list for metabolism boosting foods are tuna, salmon and sardines. This is because they work to lower your body’s level of the hormone leptin. Research has shown that lower levels of leptin make for easy weight loss. In addition, they are each high in Omega-3 fatty acids which are good fats for a healthy heart. Another source of good fat for increasing metabolism is olive oil. See, you really can have your fat and eat it, too!

Did you know that hot peppers like jalapeno, habanero and cayenne actually speed up metabolism. The same component that makes them hot, capsaicin, can also fire up your metabolism for three hours after you eat them. If you select spicy dishes that are also low-fat, you will come out even farther ahead in the battle to lose weight.

Other foods that get the inner furnace stoked up include whole grains. Because they take longer to digest, the body keeps expending energy to move them along and they prevent spikes in blood sugar, too. Cinnamon can also regulate blood sugar levels and aids in revving up metabolism. Foods that are high in protein like lean meat, eggs, beans and nuts will have your body humming along. The final entry on the list of foods that boost metabolism for weight loss is to drink plenty of water. Not because it will help you feel full, or necessarily make you lose weight, but because it keeps everything else running the way it should.

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It’s kind of funny, in a sad sort of way, that the number of ineffective, short-lived fad diets continues to grow. And they grow despite the fact that they don’t work, at least not as a long-term solution to losing weight. So, what are you supposed to do if you want to lose weight? Eat better.

Yep. That’s it. Eat better.

Okay, seriously, it wouldn’t be much if that’s all I said. I believe we all know, deep down, that we need to eat better if we stand a chance of shedding those extra pounds. Don’t worry, this is going to be as common sense as it is easy to follow. No fad diet nonsense, just what works.

Food is nothing more than fuel for the body. It contains the vitamins, minerals and calories we need to survive. We only get in trouble when we eat too many calories without burning them off. Some foods are better than others, but nothing is forbidden. Here’s how you can use food to put the odds of weight loss in your favor.

Start the day with something to get the internal furnace started. That means eating breakfast. There is no reason to skip breakfast. It takes virtually no time at all to grab a piece of whole-wheat toast and spread some peanut butter on it, then wash it down with a glass of orange juice. Or boil up some eggs for the upcoming week. Then have an egg, a banana and a granola bar. Even a ready made breakfast shake is better than nothing. The trick is to get your body use to burning calories for the day.

Now that you have your metabolism fired up, you need to keep it going by snacking. A light snack every two hours is all it takes. A small handful of nuts, some carrot sticks with non-fat yogurt, or a protein bar, are good choices. Regular snacking will prevent you from experience mid-afternoon burn out, too.

So, now it’s lunchtime and you’re feeling great! You’re eating food you like and you’re not hungry. Let’s keep going with turkey breast on whole-grain bread, romaine lettuce, tomato and a smear of mustard. Add a veggie-rich salad and a small glass of juice or skim milk and you’re all set.

Don’t forget your two-hour snack break.

For supper try some baked salmon brushed with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Include some fresh veggies of your choice (bake them with the salmon if you like), and a cup of homemade soup. Yummy!

Remember to eat your next snack.

As you can see, this is all reasonable, simple eating. Food is there to keep you going, and it needs to be tasty, too. Remember, nothing is off limits. If you must have some ice cream, just keep the portion under control. Make it a habit to increase the better foods, and eat less of the not-so-good ones and you lose weight fast. Faster than you may have thought possible.

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You know, it may not be fair that society and advertises perpetuate an unreasonable ideal for what people should look like. Nobody’s perfect. On the other hand, there is also a point when it’s a good idea to lose weight. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy, or to look your best. Losing weight isn’t always easy, but what follows will make it much, much easier. Nothing complicated, just stuff that actually works.

Building muscle burns calories even when you’re at rest. Wait! While that may be true, the calorie-burning effect of extra muscle tends to be exaggerated. The one thing that is not in dispute is that muscle does burn more calories, pound for pound, than fat does. The only question is how much, but in the battle of the bulging waistline we’ll use every trick in the book.

Write a plan to lose weight. Even if you’re writing down somebody else’s plan. The sheer act of writing it down increases the odds of your success. What foods will you be adding or reducing? What new habits will you encourage? What about exercise? There are no right or wrong answers, you know yourself better than anybody, so only you can make the best plan for you. The more specific your plan, the better.

Be ready for the inevitable roadblocks and setbacks. Yeah, I’m human, too. There will be times when you veer from your plan. It may be a moment of weakness, or it could be due to an unforeseen circumstance. The trick is to not let it get to you. All too often we make one slip and use that as an excuse for letting our plan slide for the day. Don’t let that happen. Forgive and forget and get back to your plan.

Make the better choice. This ranks right up there as an easy way to lose weight. For example, let’s say you are buying a bag of potato chips (yes, you can eat chips), compare it to another bag and see which has the fewest calories. Or, even better, compare the chips to another snack food, or something from the produce department. You always have a choice. How much weight loss you experience will correspond directly to how good your exercise and food choices are.

Perhaps you noticed that we actually said you can eat potato chips earlier. Yes! Chips. It’s silly to think you will really be able to swear off the foods you truly love for the rest of your life (barring serious health reasons for doing so). So, instead of fighting it, you’re going to control it. How? By eating smaller portions of the foods that do the most damage to your waistline.

None of the things we just covered are complicated. Start incorporating them into your daily routine now. The best part is that you can keep eating all of the foods you love if you’re willing to build a little extra muscle, have a plan, be prepared, make better choices and keep portions in check.

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When all is said and done there is still only one way to lose weight. You have to burn off more calories than you take in. Exercise is an important part of that equation, but we are going to take a look at some foods that can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

As a general rule weight loss foods are those that make you feel fuller without adding all kinds of empty calories. Adding these foods to your diet on a regular basis will help you to lose weight faster. Here are some of the top contenders.

Beans are at the top of list for several reasons. They come in many varieties, meaning they’re versatile and you don’t have to get bored eating them every day. They are low in fat, but very satisfying. They are packed with protein. And they contain plenty of fiber, which not only adds to how full you feel, but also reduces your risk for several diseases. The only thing you have to watch out for are re fried beans that have extra fat added, and canned beans that are too high in sodium. But you’ll be doing yourself a tasty favor by eating any variety of dried beans.

Whole grains. There’s one change you can make in your diet that’s very easy: stop eating refined grains. The “refining” process gets rid of most of the good stuff, making them so void of nutrition that they actually have to re-add nutrients to make the process complete. All of that so our bread and rice can be pure white. To be blunt, it’s ridiculous. Start eating whole grains to get the full nutrition nature put there in the first place.

Olive oil (or any other oil high in monounsaturated fat). Surprised? Yes, it still has many calories as any other kind of fat (9 calories per gram) but fat adds to the feeling of fullness. It also adds a nice flavor to many different foods. Besides olive oil is one of the healthiest fats that you can. So, while it may seem to be a lot of calories up front, the amount of calories you eat later will actually go down because it’s so satisfying.

Oatmeal is another one of the best weight loss foods out there. A few years ago it got some good press for being able to reduce cholesterol. It’s true, it is. But did you know that it has about the same amount of soluble and insoluble fiber? Again, it makes you feel fuller and is good for your overall health. Plus, it’s low in calories. Most people think of oatmeal as a breakfast food, but it has a flavor that works well with many different foods. Therefore, it can be incorporated into any number of dishes throughout the day.

There are many more weight loss foods, no question about it. But the four mentioned above will give you a great start on losing weight. Keep trying to reduce the bad foods, and increase the good ones and your waistline and health will be the better for it.

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You know what isn’t fair? The fact that it’s so much more fun to gain weight than it is to diet and exercise. That has to be one of the real reasons why people don’t like to lose weight, right? I mean it only makes sense. If doing what it took to be at your ideal weight was more enjoyable than what it takes to gain weight, we hadn’t have a problem with obesity.

It doesn’t have to be that way anymore. Imagine if it wasn’t such a drag to get healthy, to lose weight, to eat right or to exercise. I’m sure you can see what a positive impact that could have on how much you weigh. Here are some ideas you can put to use to make it fun.

The very first thing you have to do is change your mindset. Don’t worry about what other people think about your jogging, or what your fat friends will say when you order grilled chicken for lunch. You know why you shouldn’t worry? Because it’s your body! Let them laugh. You can laugh with them or laugh back at them. Either way, you’ll get the last laugh and that’s the best kind.

Alright, let’s face it, you probably already like to eat, otherwise you wouldn’t have to be looking for ways to lose weight. This is just a guess, but what you probably don’t enjoy is eating more of the right foods and less of the not-so-good ones. You can give the good foods funny names, and vice-versa. You’re not eating broccoli, you’re eating “goody goody mini-greens”. And it’s no longer a doughnut, now that you call it a “sweetened lard bombs”. Go ahead, be creative.

Also, don’t deprive yourself. You can still eat all of the foods you enjoy, just not as much. If you try to cut them out all together, that wouldn’t be any fun at all. Instead you would be focusing on the deprivation and bury your head into a half-gallon of ice cream as soon as your willpower wavered. But when you eat a little of the things you like, there’s no need for willpower at all.

When it comes to exercising to lose weight the main key is to do something you enjoy doing. Just get moving. You don’t have to go for a three-mile jog or lift weights in the gym (unless you want to). Get out in the garden, go for a walk, toss the frisbee around, go swimming…any extra activity that appeals to you will burn off extra calories.

Finally, as you do these things more, it will get to be even more fun as you do them. And seeing the results is makes it even more worthwhile. So, don’t let others tell you that losing weight is hard. You know better, you now know just how fun it can be.

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So, just what is Vitamin B12 exactly, and why do people need to have it? It is a vital nutrient that’s found in food. It works to keep nerve cells healthy and helps our red blood cells work at optimum efficiency. Vitamin B12 is also important to proper digestion. Our stomach acids get the B12 from what we eat then mix it with other chemicals so it can be more readily absorbed as it goes through our intestinal tracts.

If you are not getting enough vitamin B12 you may feel lightheaded, weak and tired. Other symptoms include bleeding gums, sore tongue, diarrhea, constipation, shortness of breath, ringing in the ears, confusion, tingling in the hands and feet, chest pain, digestion problems, forgetfulness and an inability to focus on things. None of these things are pleasant, and should be considered serious enough to make an appointment to see a doctor.

Even though there are a lot of symptoms, the reality is that a deficiency of Vitamin B12 isn’t all that common. It is available in many different foods, but the chief source is red meat. It’s for this reason that vegetarians are one of the higher risk groups for the deficiency. Therefore, if you do have a deficiency, it’s more likely caused by a digestive disorder than by your diet. Those with celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, chronic diarrhea and related disorders are likely to lack B12 due to their not being to absorb Vitamin B12 properly.

Many physicians and dieticians recommend a shot of Vitamin B12 to their patients trying to lose weight, whether they are deficient or not. That’s because it works as a natural energy booster. The shot is given because a decrease in caloric intake often results in a lack of energy. For this reason, a lot of people swear a diet designed for B12 deficiency is good for those trying to lose weight. Many weight loss facilities use Vitamin B12 injections as a part of their services.

Gastroenterologists, family physicians and neurologists, also take advantage of Vitamin B12 deficiency diet therapy. As people go through the aging process their diets tend to change, and combined with a decrease of cognitive function, additional B12 is often required. Some doctors also give it to their patients that suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. While it isn’t medically recommended, students have been know to increase their intake of Vitamin B12 in the form of energy drinks to increase their ability to concentrate on their studies.

When it comes to losing weight, Vitamin B12 has another benefit: it can reduce food cravings. It’s pretty easy to see how that could help anybody that’s on a diet. In fact, with all it has going for it, it’s important to make sure you are not deficient in this vital nutrient. You can visit your doctor and discuss your concerns. They may suggest a simple blood test to check for a deficiency, and recommend a course of action based on the results.

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BMI calculations, short for Body Mass Index, may seem like a complicated and mysterious process that is meant to remain beyond your grasp. That simply isn’t the case. Figuring out your BMI isn’t a scientific secret or magic reserved for only the fortunate few.

If you have ever tried an online BMI calculator, then you’re aware that all you do is enter your weight and height, and then it gives you your results. There’s usually a chart handy, or the website tells you if you are underweight, normal, overweight or obese. Even though the online calculator figured it out for you, you may still wonder how it got that number.

The good news is that while online BMI calculators may make it a bit easier, figuring them out on your own is quite simple once you know the formula. Before we get to the formula, let’s take a look at what BMI is and what it’s used for.

Basically, BMI attempts to give people an objective measure of their body mass. This is attained by comparing your height and weight, relative to each other (more on that in a bit), and then giving you a single BMI number. This number is then compared to the standard BMI scale to see where you lie between underweight and obesity.

One thing that BMI doesn’t measure is body fat. That means the number tends to get more skewed as the overall amount of muscle goes up. That’s because it weighs more than fat. Therefore athletes do not usually view it as an accurate measurement of their fitness. For most people, however, the BMI works as a pretty good calculation of their weight to height ratio. So, what is the formula for calculating your BMI number? Let’s take a look now.

This may sound complicated at first, but it’s really quite simple. Those in the US will have to take the additional step of converting their weight and height to kilograms and meters, respectively. Here’s the formula: kg/m^2 , which is your weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (your height times itself). So, somebody that’s 1.7 meters (about 5′ 6″) and weighs 70 kilograms (about 154 pounds) would do the following:

1.7 X 1.7 = 2.89 (1.7 meters, squared)

70/2.89 = 24.2 (70 kilograms divided by 1.7 meters, squared)

The number 24.2 is the BMI. The final step is to see where it falls on the scale. Anything below 18.5 is underweight. 18.5 to 24.9 is normal. 25.0 to 29.9 is overweight, and anything 30.0 and above is considered obese. Our example of 24.2 falls within the range for those with normal weight.

So that you know how to do it yourself, you won’t have to be near a computer to figure out your BMI. If you still want to use an online BMI calculator, that’s fine. At least now you will understand how the number is calculated – and, as you’ve seen, it’s no mystery.

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P57 is the compound in hoodia that is credited with helping to suppress appetite and thirst by tricking the brain into thinking it is full and satisfied thus decreasing the desire to eat and drink. While scientists have been unable to incorporate the compound into a diet supplement, they have used the hoodia plant as a whole to create beneficial appetite suppressants. The hoodia side effects have been shown to not exist at all.

There haven’t really been too many documented studies to verify how safe the supplement is to use as a diet aid, but evidence suggests that it has no ill effects and that actually the health benefits of weight loss would seem to outweigh any potential negative side effects of the hoodia gordonii.

One note, since hoodia gordonii can suppress thirst as well as appetite you do need to be careful to drink enough water throughout your day. It’s very easy to get dehydrated if you wait until you feel thirst before drinking, since you won’t feel thirsty while taking the supplement. And, obviously, since hoodia suppresses the appetite it’s important that you are careful to eat enough high nutrient foods to keep your body healthy.

As with most drugs, it’s important to use caution if you are nursing or pregnant and you should always consult your doctor before you start taking a supplement, especially if you are taking other medications, to avoid dangerous interactions. Many people mistakenly believe that as long as the product is all natural they don’t have to worry about taking it, that is not always the case and it’s better to be safe than sorry, talk to your doctor.

Another thing to keep in mind when using, or considering using, any weight loss supplements is to not expect miracles. There is nothing wrong with getting some extra help but you have to be willing to eat properly (enough of the right kinds of food) and get plenty of exercise. A supplement is exactly that: a supplement. It shouldn’t be the do all end all of your weight loss plan, be willing to make the needed lifestyle changes so your weight loss can be permanent.

Hoodia gordonii is an all natural plant that can help you accomplish your weight loss goals (when combined with a proper nutrition plan and plenty of exercise) which has gained in popularity in recent years in large part due to the lack of hoodia side effects. As long as you talk to your doctor first and carefully following the dosing instructions, there is no evidence to suggest that you will have any negative side effects using this supplement. Good luck on your weight loss goals.

Funny how those few extra pounds seem to creep onto our bodies without notice. Then, one day, it’s almost as though they have all been added at once. Perhaps it a glance in the mirror, or worse, a comment from a friend you haven’ t seen in a while. Whatever it is, you are ready to lose weight. You want to look and feel better. At the same time, there’s so much conflicting information about the best way to lose weight. What’s a person to do?

What follows may not be at the top of everybody’s list for ways to lose weight quickly, but it works. At the very least it should be added to your bag of tricks for dropping those extra pounds. Some of the tips may sound a little silly, but you can’t argue with results. So, what is this method? Portion control. And it can actually be a lot fun!

For starters, when you focus on your portions, there’s no need to carry along a bulky calories counter guide when you go out to eat. I used to hate trying to be “casual” when using those, because I just knew all of the other diners were watching me; thinking to themselves how fat I was.

The most basic way of controlling your portions is…get ready…this is good…putting less on your plate. See? Easy. Not so fast! If it was that easy we would all be at our ideal weight. Yes, by all means, make an effort to put less on your plate. Here are a few more tricks to keep portions limited so you can lose extra weight.

Don’t worry about cleaning your plate. In fact, make it a habit to always leave a few bites on your plate. Speaking of your plate, using smaller dishes will give the illusion that there is more food on them. You can even eat on a saucer instead of a large dinner plate. Granted, you may have to fill it a second time, but all in all, it’s an easy way to limit the amount of food you’re eating.

A big problem for a lot of people is that they eat so fast that they are technically full long before they feel full. Slow down the speed with which you normally eat. Doing so will give your stomach more time to signal the brain that it’s full.

The beauty of doing it this way is that you can eat the same foods you enjoy now. You should still add more healthy foods, but you don’t have to give up any foods if you can keep the portion sizes under control. Once you get used to it, it’s as close to automatic weight loss as you can get. There are many other things you can do, too. Imagine looking good in the mirror, or being complimented by a friend the next time you see them.

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Metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy. Many people hold the belief that fat people have low metabolism rates and skinny people have high metabolism rates. However, the process is not that simple.

Your metabolism depends on three separate factors, and how it works affects how much you weigh. Metabolism is determined by the amount of calories you consume, factors such as age and sex, and how physically active you are.

If you consume excessive calories, you will eventually gain weight. Each human body is designed to run on a certain calorie amount. This can vary from person to person, but is between 1500 and 2500 calories for most adults. If you are trying to lose weight, it will be less.

Men generally need more calories per day than women, unless the woman is pregnant or breastfeeding. The rate at which your body burns these calories is your metabolism; if you burn them more slowly, you?ll gain weight. If you burn through extra calories quickly, you?ll maintain your weight.

Factors such as age, body composition, and sex also determine metabolism. If your body contains more muscle, your metabolism will be faster. If it contains more fat, your body will be slower.

For this reason, women’s metabolism often slows down after pregnancy. Excess fat is accumulated and stored on the hips and breasts. After pregnancy, it can be harder to lose this weight. Age also affects your metabolism; as you age, your metabolism slows down. This can lead to “middle age spread” if you don’t take action to burn those extra calories and kick your metabolism into high gear.

Your rate of physical activity greatly affects your metabolism. This is good news; it means you have some control over the situation! If your metabolism is slowing down due to age, gender, or other factors, you can boost it by exercising. The key to weight loss is burning more calories than you take in.

When you choose to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet, weight loss is possible. Your metabolism will increase as you add muscle to your body remember; muscle burns more calories than fat!

To jump-start your metabolism, you may need to lower the amount of calories you’re consuming daily and up the amount of exercise you are doing. Choose aerobic and weight lifting exercises for maximum impact. Aerobic exercise burns fat, and weight training will add muscle. Both can greatly increase your metabolism, leading to healthy fat loss.

This article isn’t medical advice nor should it be interpreted or substituted as medical advice. This article is for informational purposes only. Prior to making changes to your physical exercise routine and your diet, you should always consult your personal physician. It is much better to be safe than sorry.

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