Increase metabolism naturally to speed fat loss

The quickest way to succeed in losing weight, and to keep it off, is by increasing your metabolism. Don’t be fooled by all of the fad diets. Just think of all those lean athletes. How do you think they achieved their fitness goals? They have developed incredibly fast and efficient metabolism.

The problem with fad diets is that many actually cause the metabolism to slow down. A decreased metabolic rate is often the very reason that weight loss progress grinds to a sudden halt. Increasing exercise often has no effect, and reducing food intake often won’t help either. Because the net loss of protein in the muscles continues to lower your metabolism, the body will adapt to the lower calorie intake.

What are the Benefits to Increasing YOUR Metabolism?

An increase metabolism provides many benefits to help maintain

• • Continuous and permanent weight loss:
  • Less exercise will give you more results!
  • Less chance of weight regain later
  • Food is Good! With an increased metabolism you can still enjoy it!
  • Experience a higher percentage of fat loss over water loss
  • Permanent fat loss will occur if the metabolism is increased

It’s a physiological fact that when we lose weight, we also lose protein from our muscles. And the quicker the weight loss, the greater the loss of protein. Because there is less intake of protein from (wrong) dieting, the protein in the muscles is broken down and used for energy or to create new proteins for our immune systems. Unfortunately, a net loss of protein will always decrease the body’s metabolism.

As protein is lost from the cells, it gradually lowers the total lean body weight. This affects the body composition and lowers the metabolism. Because of this process, we gradually require fewer calories to maintain body weight. If the current diet is continued, weight loss will eventually stop. In fact, it’s even possible to SLOWLY GAIN BACK WEIGHT if a dieter sticks to a very low calorie diet!

Increase the metabolism for less chance of water loss!

The more protein that is lost from the muscles, the more fluid that is also lost, because protein holds around four times its weight in water. Thus a quick weight loss in the first few weeks of a new diet regimen is mostly a loss of fluid, not fat. If someone lost five pounds in the first week, for it to be all fat loss there would have to be a deficit of 17,500 calories! To reach that kind of energy deficit in that short period of time would require constant exercise! Over the period of a week, about only one pound of the five pounds lost is fat, the rest is mostly water. Protein and its fluid replacement is the main reason that many dieters regain weight after a diet.

An increase in the metabolism would result in a gain of fluid. Therefore, weight loss would be more gradual. This is one reason for the recommended weight loss of one to three pounds per week. By increasing your metabolism, you are giving your body a reason to hold onto protein, so that less water is lost.

Even if more exercise is undertaken, a net loss of protein can occur if caloric intake is too low.

Remember that dieters reduce their caloric intake. But, since exercise uses extra carbs, the body must break down extra protein in order to convert into more carbohydrates. More carbs are needed because a less fit person often has an untrained cardiovascular system, which cannot supply enough oxygen for cells to burn fat for energy during exercise.

Exercise will increase the metabolism, but the trick for those trying to lose weight is to perform the right exercises for their specific body type, and not to cut too many calories too soon. To lose fat fast, you should prepare the body by increasing your metabolism before cutting calories. This enables your body to establish a major fat burning energy metabolism while regulating the protein metabolism.

New research indicates that just might be the case!

Coffee Bean. The combination of exercise and caffeine increased destruction of precancerous cells that had been damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet-B radiation, according to a team of researchers at Rutgers University. Americans suffer a million new cases of skin cancer every year, according to the National Cancer Institute.

In mice there is a protective effect from both caffeine and voluntary exercise, and when both are provided — not necessarily at the same time — protection is even more than the sum of the two, said Dr. Allan H. Conney of the laboratory for cancer research at Rutgers.

“We think it likely that this will extrapolate to humans, but that has to be tested,” Conney said in a telephone interview.

Nonetheless, he added, people should continue to use sunscreen. Exposing the mice to ultraviolet-B light causes some skin cells to become precancerous. Cells with damaged DNA are programmed to self-destruct, a process called apoptosis, but not all do that, and damaged cells can become cancerous. The researchers report in Tuesday’s issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they studied hairless mice in four groups. Some were fed water containing caffeine, some had wheels on which they could run, some had both and a control group had neither.

“The most dramatic and obvious difference between the groups came from the caffeine-drinking runners, a difference that can likely be attributed to some kind of synergy,” Conney said.

Compared with the control animals, those drinking caffeine had a 95 percent increase in apoptosis in damaged cells. The exercisers showed a 120 percent increase, and the mice that were both drinking and running showed a nearly 400 percent increase. Just what is causing that to happen is not yet clear, though the researchers have several theories.

“We need to dig deeper into how the combination of caffeine and exercise is exerting its influence at the cellular and molecular levels, identifying the underlying mechanisms,” Conney said. “With an understanding of these mechanisms we can then take this to the next level, going beyond mice in the lab to human trials,” he said. “With the stronger levels of UVB radiation evident today and an upward trend in the incidence of skin cancer among Americans, there is a premium on finding novel ways to protect our bodies from sun damage.”

Conney said the researchers were originally interested in the effects of green tea in preventing skin cancer and were doing tests on regular and decaffeinated teas. They found the regular tea had an effect, but not the decaffeinated brew. And, he said, researchers also observed that mice drinking caffeine were more active than those that didn’t get it, so they decided to study the effects of exercise too. They put running wheels into some of the cages. The mice “love to go on it,” he said, and will jump on the wheels and run for several minutes, then get off for a while, and then get on and run some more. And they found that both caffeine and exercise helped eliminate damaged skin cells, but the combination worked better than either alone.

“What we would like to see next is a clinical trial in people,” Conney said.

Dr. Michael H. Gold, a Nashville, Tenn., dermatologist and a spokesman for the Skin Cancer Foundation, said he believes “the concept of systemic caffeine should be addressed further.” “I think the concept potentially has a lot of merit,” he said in a telephone interview. But mice and humans are different and studies need to be done to be sure this also applies to people.

In the meantime, he said: “If you go outside, you have to wear a sunscreen … it has to be caffeine and exercise with your sunscreen.”

Lower Fat Percentage?

A lower body fat percentage comes from sensible, healthy and steady weight loss of no more than 3 pounds per week. Slowly lowering body fat levels results in permanent, manageable weight control for years limiting weight regain.

Why fast weight loss cannot lower body fat percentage!

Anyone can lose weight quickly but losing weight does not necessarily mean a lower body fat percentage, in fact people who lose weight too fast may actually increase the fat percentage. With rapid weight loss a large percentage will come from fluid losses which are easily regained after a diet. Fluid is simply lost from cells as the body burns off the remaining stores of carbohydrates (glycogen in muscles) and then starts to metabolize muscle protein to supply the body’s energy needs.

The body simply cannot use stored fat to provide ALL the energy because carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source and many years of burning carbs means cells cannot just switch to using fat alone for ALL energy provision. Fat also requires oxygen to burn completely and an unconditioned energy system cannot supply sufficient quantities to allow body fat to be burned constantly especially when active.

Now more protein is used for energy which causes weight loss through water, plus loss of protein also lowers lean body weight and the metabolism. The result is pounds of weight loss but only a few ounces of body fat actually burned!

An athlete’s body has the opposite effect, it can burn more fat because the energy system has adapted to supplying enough oxygen to the working muscles, the training has helped develop many more capillaries that innervate the muscles so more oxygen can be carried to the cells. Its the main reason why athletes are often very lean with a much lower body fat percentage than the average person!

Remember however athletes don’t become lean within weeks it takes time to decrease the fat percentage!

When trying to lose weight its good practice to measure body fat percentage at regular intervals. Slower weight loss should produce a permanently low fat percentage over time!

When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her unborn baby.

How much do you or your friends know about drinking alcohol during pregnancy? Read below to find out why you should not drink alcohol during pregnancy.

5 Things You Should Know About Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, or FASDs, are caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy. These conditions are among the top preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities. FASDs can cause problems in how a person grows, learns, looks, and acts. FASDs can also cause birth defects of the heart, brain, and other major organs. These problems last a lifetime.

• There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to drink while pregnant. All drinks with alcohol can hurt an unborn baby. A 12-ounce can of beer has as much alcohol as a 5-ounce glass of wine or a 1-ounce shot of liquor.

• There is no safe time to drink during pregnancy. Alcohol can harm a baby at any time during pregnancy. It can cause problems in the early weeks of pregnancy, before a woman even knows she is pregnant.

• About 1 in 12 pregnant women in the United States reports alcohol use. And about 1 in 30 pregnant women in the United States reports binge drinking (having five or more drinks at one time)*.

• FASDs are 100% preventable. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are 100% preventable—if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant.

Surgeon’s General Advice About Pregnancy and Alcohol Use

In 2005, the US Surgeon General gave advice about pregnancy and alcohol use:

• A pregnant woman should not drink alcohol.

• A woman who is trying to get pregnant should not drink alcohol because she will not know she is pregnant for the first few weeks of the pregnancy.

• A pregnant woman who has already used alcohol during her pregnancy should stop right away.

• Because nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, women of childbearing age should talk with their doctor about how to prevent an alcohol-exposed pregnancy.

• Health professionals should ask women of childbearing age about their alcohol use, tell them about the risks of alcohol use during pregnancy, and advise them not to drink alcohol during pregnancy

If your goal is to lose weight or maintain your current healthy weight, here are some tips to help you achieve that goal. Remember, to maintain weight, you must balance calorie intake with calories burned through physical activity. If you eat more than you expend, you gain weight. If you eat less (reduce calories) than you expend, you lose weight! Make healthy choices a habit. This leads to a healthy lifestyle! Make a commitment to eat well, move more, and get support from family and friends. Even better, start eating healthier and being active together!

Remember to be realistic about your goals. If you try to reduce the calories, fat, saturated fat, and sugar in your diet AND promise to make a drastic change in your physical activity level, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Instead of trying to make many changes at once, set smaller, more realistic goals for yourself and add a new challenge each week.

Conduct an inventory of your meal/snack and physical activity patterns. Keep a food and activity journal. Write down not only what you ate, but where, when, and what you were feeling at the time. You will see what triggers your hunger and what satisfies your appetite. What foods do you routinely shop for? What snacks do you keep in the pantry?

Eat enough servings of vegetables and fruits per day. The amount you should eat depends on your age, sex, and activity level. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 provides advice about how good dietary habits for people aged 2 years and older can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases. )If you’re adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, try substituting them for higher calorie, less nutritious foods. Check out FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov for suggestions on how to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, and healthy recipes.

Eat foods that are high in fiber to help you feel full. Whole grain cereals, legumes (lentils and beans), vegetables, and fruits are good sources of fiber that may help you feel full with fewer calories.

Prepare and eat meals and snacks at home. This is a great way to save money, eat healthy, and spend time with your family. When preparing meals, choose low-fat/low-calorie versions of your favorite ingredients and learn how easy it is to substitute. For example:

Switch to 1% or nonfat milk and low-fat cheeses.

Use a cooking spray instead of oil or butter to decrease the amount of fat when you cook.

Prepare baked potatoes with low-fat blue cheese dressing or low-fat plain yogurt instead of butter or sour cream.

Start by using a scale and measuring cup to serve your food.

Read food labels to determine serving sizes. One bowl of cereal may actually be two ¾-cup servings. A small frozen pizza may contain up to three servings (check the nutrition information label). This could add up to more calories than you think you’re getting. Being aware of serving sizes may make it easier to avoid those extra calories.

Choose snacks that are nutritious and filling. A piece of fresh fruit, cut raw vegetables, or a container of low-fat yogurt are excellent (and portable) choices to tide you over until mealtimes. Take these snacks with you for a healthy alternative to chips, cookies, or candy.

Take your time! Eat only when you are hungry and enjoy the taste, texture, and smell of your meal as you eat it. Remember, it takes approximately 15 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that you are full.

If you choose to eat out, remember these important suggestions: Watch your portions. Portion sizes at restaurants (including fast food) are usually more than one serving, which can result in overeating. Choose smaller portion sizes, order an appetizer and a leafy green salad with low-fat dressing, share an entree with a friend, or get a “doggy bag” and save half for another meal.

Forgive yourself. If you occasionally make mistakes, don’t give up! Forgive yourself for making that choice and keep working on it. Eat an extra healthy lunch and dinner if you had a high-calorie, high-fat breakfast. Add more physical activity to your day.

Remember physical activity! Aim for at least 30 minutes (adults) or 60 minutes (children) of moderate-intensity physical activity five or more days of the week. If you are just starting to be physically active, remember that even small increases provide health benefits. Check with your physician first, and then start with a few minutes of activity a day and gradually increase, working your way up to 30 minutes. If you already get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, you can gain even more health benefits by increasing the amount of time that you are physically active or by taking part in more vigorous-intensity activities.