Do Calorie Shifting Diets Result In Weight Loss?

The calorie shifting method of dieting is currently enjoying a massive increase in users. A staggeringly high amount of great feedback given by those that have used the method seems to be behind this. No diet works for everyone, but does this one have a better chance than any other or is it just another fad.

The way the diet differs from most diets that exist is that it focuses on shifting calories rather that drastically lowering your calorie intake. This basically means that the type of foods you eat changes on a daily basis.

The reason it works is because by shifting the foods you eat your body fails to recognize that you are on a diet. This keeps your metabolism working at a good rate. Other diets fail for the good reason that they fail to stop your body from sensing you are on a diet, which in turn slows down your metabolism and starts to store your fat instead of burning it.

The calorie shifting diet also has benefits apart from its shifting calories technique. The fact that you eat 4 meals a day definitely helps to prevent snacking and breaking your diet. You also never feel uncontrollable cravings for anything as you know that after every 11 days you get 3 full days to eat what you please.

Anyone that is looking for a weight loss program they may not have previously considered then I would highly recommend giving a calorie shifting diet a try. Results don't lie and you can find great feed back on any weight loss forum so why not give it a try the next time you are considering a weight loss program.

If you have tried other diets and failed then why not try a Calorie Shifting Diet. To find out more about shifting calories and the diets using the method click here.

The Road to a Better, Healthier You - Weight Loss Tips

Whether you want to slim down as part of your New Years Resolutions or get ready for the impending beach season, there has never been a better time to get in shape and lose that extra weight. Follow these simple suggestions to ensure you lose weight in a fast yet healthy manner.

Calorie Intake
Losing weight essentially amounts to burning more calories than you consume, which is done through regular exercise and physical activity. Exercising can be useless if you are still eating more calories than you burn, so you need to keep track of what your daily calorie intake is and make sure you burn more calories through physical activity.

Keep a Food Journal
Keeping track of everything you eat each day will allow you to pinpoint eating patterns and see where you need to improve. Make sure you keep track of absolutely everything; from the extra butter you smear to the extra spoonful of sugar in your coffee and all the contents of each meal. Try keeping it for at least two weeks (longer if possible).

Eat Healthier
This may seem like a rather broad and somewhat ambiguous category, but it is simply referring to finding alternatives to the unhealthy foods you eat (which you should be able to identify from the food journal you have been keeping). Little changes you make to your diet can add up in a big way. Try cutting back on the amount of soda you drink, or the dressing you drench your salad with. Substitute healthier choices when you go out to eat, such as opting for a salad over a greasy burger and fries. This isn't to say you have to eat healthy all the time; trying to do that is completely unrealistic and chances you are, you won't stick to it. But making small changes here and there can help you establish and implement better eating habits.

Meal Planning
One way to cut back on mindless munching and unhealthy eating is to plan your meals. At the beginning of each week, sit down and plan out three or four dinner meals that you will eat at home. Look through cookbooks and online cooking sites to get ideas for healthy yet delicious easy meals. This will help you eat better and reduces the temptation to go out to eat or order a pizza. Along with this, another piece of advice: do not go grocery shopping while hungry! Otherwise you will end up buying all the junk food in site!

Energy Supplement
An energy supplement can help curb hunger and boost your energy levels, when taken properly. If you do take any supplement of any kind, remember to do so in conjunction with plenty of exercise and a healthy diet.

Exercise
It is ludicrous to think you will lose any weight without exerting some form of physical activity. Whether it is brisk walking, dancing, or jogging, find something you enjoying doing to make sure you burn more calories than you consume.

Where To Get Weight Loss Advice

It really amazes me who people take advice from...

If you are going to take advice from someone, make sure they have the results (their body) to back up what they're teaching.

Most of the inaccurate information out there is circulated by people who have no real grasp of what it takes to achieve effective and permanent weight loss.

If you were learning to play basketball do you think it would be smarter to learn from an NBA player or a fifth grader who had yet to learn the fundamentals?

Keep in mind however, that many people will tell you with complete conviction to do things that simply do not work.

Take a good look at the people who give you health and weight loss advice. Are they lean and fit? If the answer is yes then this person could very well be a credible source of good information, but if the answer is obviously no then why would anyone listen to them?

OK, I know this sounds incredibly simple and obvious right?

Except for the fact that this is how millions of people get their advice! You can respectfully listen (no need to argue) but then you'll most likely need to disregard a lot of what you may normally hear. People mean well, yet the truth is that most are ignorant as to what it really takes to make dramatic progress quickly and effectively.

As Albert Einstein said, "The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them."

And I'll also tell you right now that your new habits might strike some people as not being "normal" by their standards.

You should take this as a good sign because "normal" is the majority. You and I both know what the overall state of health is for the majority, don't we? This is why you should want to be abnormal. And let it also be known that living life lean may have become uncommon, yet this doesn't mean that it is not natural.

It is.

So the point here is that many people are simply the victim of poor advice. Often it's the equivalent of a get rich quick scheme for the body.

Trust me, I know how tempting it can be to listen to some of the claims being made. But again, my advice to you here is simple: Listen to Doers. By this I mean people who actually practice what they preach and have the body and physical vitality as proof.

I also recommend that you seek out people that have the exact body that you wish to manifest. These are the people who you want to study. Get as much detailed information as possible regarding their diet and exercise habits. This information is worth its' weight in gold because it's coming from a credible source.

Actually, even better would be to find people who have the body that you desire but were once overweight and out of shape.

This is where you can really begin to find some empowering knowledge that you can act on.

This is called "modeling" and it is a proven shortcut to success that I recommend. Just make sure that your "model" has kept the weight off for some time (at least six months) and is not a flash in the pan.

Robert Van Gardner is the Founder and CEO of Vitality Publishing LLC, a company that helps people eliminate excess fat, while making breakthrough transformations in their physical vitality and overall quality of life. He's the author of "Living Life Lean: Discover How to Transform Your Body and Your Life -Quickly, Naturally and Permanently." To learn more and sign up for his popular 10 day course visit http://www.LivingLifeLean.com

3 Ways to Beat Muscle Building Plateaus

Have you hit a muscle building plateau? These are common. Find out the ways around them and get back to gaining mass.

You need to make sure that you have:

1) A good training program that gets you the most results in the least amount of time.

You don't need to be spending hours and hours in the gym. Instead, you need to train with the basics and get in and out of the gym in less than an hour. That's all you need. Any more time and you are just staring at the opposite sex too much!

2) You need to change that program frequently.

Don't do the same program for more than 4 weeks in a row. Whether it is chaning the exercises, switching the rep range or training order, varying your grip or stance, or making changes to the frequency with which you train, there are an endless number of ways to train and you should change your workouts every 4 weeks. Don't get lazy!

There are dozens upon dozens of exercises out there in the workout world. Ask your training partner or a personal trainer for suggestions, or just look around on the internet.

3) You have to be consistent.

You can't come and go from consistency. You need to make every workout, and eat every meal. Take a log book and record your nutrition and training. Do you skip workouts? Worse yet, do you go almost all day without eating? Are you fueling yourself with junk food? An honest evaluation of nutrition often leads to shocking conclusions. You'll find you aren't doing nearly as well as you thought.

And record your workouts too. That way you can see what you did last time, and know what you need to do to progress.

Always strive for improvement and you won't have to worry about plateaus.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Mens Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines and all over the Internet, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Hypnosis Weight Loss

There are many procedures out there today which help people loss weight effectively. Hypnosis is one of the procedure which helps in losing weight without any pills or surgery. However there are general misconceptions regarding application of hypnosis in losing weight.

I will tell you about some unknown facts about using hypnosis to lose weight and also at the end of the article, I will show how to lose fat and weight without sit-ups, starvation or pills.

Here are some facts about using hypnosis to lose weight.

1. Risk

Yes, Hypnosis is risky when not done properly. Many people believe hypnosis is not risky because it does not contain pills or surgery. It is not true. Hypnosis, when not done properly, can pose imminent danger to your health.

2. Effectiveness

Hypnosis is effective in weight loss. But, hypnosis alone will not help you to remove excess fat from your body and also lose weight. Hypnosis should be used as a part of your weight loss process.

3. How it works

Hypnosis will help one to get into the subliminal state or hypnotic stage. It is said that at this stage, your body will be more responsive and so it helps to cultivate weight loss desire deep into your mind.

4. Sessions

Mere one session of hypnosis will only have very minimal results on an individuals weight. When losing weight, hypnosis matched with psychotherapy will be more effective than hypnosis alone.

In nutshell, you should aware that hypnosis should not be used as sole process in your weight loss process. It can be used as a facilitator in losing weight. Therefore you should combine hypnosis with out weight loss management programs. In this way, you can lose more weight in a relaxed way.

Lose Weight Now Learn How To Lose Fat without situps, abrollers, Starvation or Pills. FREE Subscription available for limited time.

A New Year, A New Body - Be Resolute and Ensure Those Personal Promises Are Kept

For most people, the Christmas period is a time of eating, drinking, sleeping and generally lazing around. After all, it's been a long, hard year so why not indulge, right?

Of course, it would be difficult to argue with this. There is no better way of relaxing and unwinding with family and friends at a time of year that is not only meant for reflection on the year just gone, but also for looking to the new year ahead.

Indeed, following this short period of hedonism at Christmas, many people choose to counteract it by making resolutions to turn over a new leaf in the new year and get fit, lose weight, give up smoking or even all three. Of course, no reminders are needed as to the difficulties countless numbers of people face in keeping these personal promises.

Why many people fail though, is because of the psychological barrier created by the excessiveness of Christmas consumption, meaning that they are already 'behind' schedule by the time the resolution even starts. This scenario is avoidable though, if the correct preparations are made in the build-up to Christmas. And the key lies in starting the resolution BEFORE Christmas and new year.

If we begin with the assumption that Christmas WILL be excessive, then that's a good start, as this is the hardest time of year to fight temptation.

In the month or so before the festive period, start calming down on the chocolate, burgers and beer and start walking more. Not only will this help drop a few pounds on the waist, it will also help save a few pounds in the wallet, in the build-up to what is usually a costly period. Don't join a gym yet though, as the best deals are often found in the new year, when fitness centres try and compete for the business of all the other resolution-makers.

This first step should hopefully negate at least some of the effects of Christmas, meaning there is less ground to make up when the new year starts.

But there are also other easy body toning techniques that can be used in the build up to the festive period. The Slendertone system, for example, uses EMS (electro muscle stimulators) technology to help tone and shape the body muscles. This system can be used at work, at home or on the move, and visible results can be expected in 4 to 8 weeks. If this system is used in conjunction with some light exercise and a healthier diet, in the month leading up to the festive period and a month after, the visible results will ensure that the 'get fit, lose weight' new year resolution stands a vastly improved chance of succeeding.

For most people, Christmas is a time of little exercise and excessive consumption, and there is little point in trying to fight this. To maximise the chances of a successful 'get fit, lose weight' new year resolution, plan ahead in the build up to the festive period and ensure that there is no ground to make up due to too much turkey and wine. Follow these simple steps and the new year should bring that long-awaited new, shapely body.

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.

3 Simple Yet Effective Secrets to Lose Weight Fast

You can spend years of research with trainers, professional and doctors but there is a little secret which can help you lose weight like crazy. You see whatever diet, plan or program you might follow this is one thing you absolutely need to know in order to lose the most amount of weight and actually keep it off forever. Read on to discover what this little known secret is and how you can use to lose weight like crazy...

Consistency- Yes this is it! Consistency is the key to fast permanent weight loss. Why is it that 95% of the people regain what they lost within a matter of some months? Why is it that besides all the hard work everything comes back? You see people might work hard for the time being but might forget about exercise the moment they start losing weight. Consistency is one big and the most important secret you absolutely need in order to lose weight fast and keep it off.

Your habits will kill you- You see people start exercising with great enthusiasm and with time their level of motivation dies and they go back to their old routine habits. You see there is where consistency plays a very vital role. You need to stick to your exercise routine even when you don't want to.

Read your body- Another thing you need to keep in mind if to read the reaction on your body to your workouts and change your patterns if necessary with being consistent. Consistency might not sound like something big but this is something most people don't even consider yet its the most powerful and the only force which can help you lose weight and keep it off permanently.

The Real weight loss secret- Can you imagine yourself losing 9 lbs every 11 days from now? Yes you heard it right "9 lbs every 11days guaranteed". This is the single most effective way which helps you lose weight. It is truly an absolute breakthrough in the weight loss industry. If you don't know this than you are missing out on the best ever secret "Guaranteed" to help you lose weight right away. So are you ready to drop some pounds within the next 11 days? Read on to discover this rare secret right now click here- Earth shattering weight loss secret guaranteed to help you lose weight within 11 days

Eliminate Belly Fat By Doing Stomach Exercises

Summers over? Thats good isnt it? If you missed out all the summer fun because of the belly fat that you couldn't manage to lose, dont be sad. Now we have three more seasons before the next summer arrives. What does that mean? It means that you have three seasons for you to do your stomach exercises regularly and hope that by next summer youll have that flat stomach that youve been dreaming of all your life. Imagine this, even if you do one stomach exercise for 5 minutes a day before summer comes, do you think that youll get that flat stomach you desire eventually? Believe me, its doable.

Now is the time for renewal and for new beginnings. Summer is a season where half dressed males and females flaunt what theyve got, with bare midriffs and lean tummies. Stop! Halt! Do you dare go out in your bathing suit next summer? Or are you worried about that unsightly little (or so youd like to think) bulge where your tummy used to be? Dont fret! There are several stomach exercises that can help you get your tummy back into shape in no time. Here are two stomach exercises that are very good and effective (if done faithfully) that will help you get that lean stomach that you can flaunt. Before you start, do remember to consult with a pro and always start with a good warm up session to avoid any injury.

The Hip Lift

For this exercise you will need a mat or a towel. First lie on your back on a flat surface, like the floor. Make sure the mat or towel cushions your spine. Now place your arms beside you with the palms facing up toward the ceiling. Lift your legs up into the air at a ninety degree angle with your torso. This means that the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling. Keep your legs as straight as possible and try not to bend your knees. Now, while contracting your stomach muscles and pulling your bellybutton towards your spine, try slowly lifting your hips to a few inches off the floor. Now hold this position. Make sure your legs are still straight. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position. You can try this a few times every day.

The Seated Torso Twist

For this stomach exercise, you begin with a sitting position. First, bend your knees so that your feet are flat against the floor. Place your feet slightly apart (about hip width). Put your arms straight out in front of you with your fingers interlocking. Now contract your stomach muscles and slowly lean back to about forty-five degrees. While still holding this contraction, rotate your torso to the right as far as you can comfortably. Remember to use your stomach muscles to control your movement. You dont want your arms to lead this movement, but need to have your upper body moving. One you have rotated to as far as you can, rotate back to the starting position in the center. Now repeat the movement and rotate to the left side. Keep in mind that you need to go slow. Never allow the momentum to twist you and make sure your movements are controlled.

Okay, now it's your turn to flaunt your flat stomach to the world.

Juzaily Ramli and Tommy Lehmann own a blog that provides free stomach exercises for all. Feel like losing some of that stomach fat but don't have the time to do it? See how you too can benefit from their page on stomach exercises for busy people.

How to Lose Weight

It's not easy to figure out the "magic" formula on how to lose weight. It is a challenge for many of us, since we all have an individual path to the quickest weight loss. Any diet should have a foundation of proper diet and exercise, which will not only help you lose weight, but will also keep you healthy, and when you're healthy, you look better too.

You can use these simple guidelines, which have successfully been used by others:

You will need:

- Cookbooks for healthy meals.

- Your food, diet, and exercise journals.

- Stock up on healthy foods.

Step 1:

Take small steps. If you want to lose 40 pounds or so, decide what increments you can live with, say losing 5, 10, or 20 pounds, and take a breather in between.

Step 2:

Stick with foods you enjoy. Learn to prepare them in healthful ways. The more you are enjoying what you are eating, the more likely it is that you will continue on the path to making wiser food choices, and will shed those pounds!

Step 3:

Put a lot of fiber into your diet. High fiber content keeps you full longer. Lower calorie fiber foods would include vegetable pastas, popcorn (without the butter), oatmeal, and many vegetables are high in fiber, such as celery.

Step 4:

Start an exercise program. If you can't do a sit-up, start out with stretches and touch your toes. Pick exercises you can live with, and build up to as many exercises in one session as you can. If you detest exercising, dancing is a form of exercise too.

Step 5:

Carry healthy snacks with you at all times to avoid the pitfall of buying fast food or eating out of vending machine when you are starving!

Fast weight loss is harder to maintain. Remember that when you lose weight gradually, you are more apt to keep the weight off for good. The conventional wisdom for optimum weight loss is one-half to 1-1/2 pounds per week.

The new easy weight loss program taking the diet world by storm:
http://Fat-Loss-4-Idiots.org

SomerSize Me

Suzanne Somers is probably best known around the world for her role as Chrissy in the hit comedy Three's Company? Where she played ' the dumbest blonde in the world' is seems since that role Suzanne has proved that she is not so dumb after all.

She is probably nearly as well known for her Thigh Master device and its extremely well remembered TV advertisements. Recently, she has developed a new diet and nutrition plan, which she rather cleverly calls the Somersize diet.

Suzanne makes no secret that the basis of many of her ideas for Somersize come from combining the best parts from other diet plans. She has combined what she has learned from studying a vast amount of diet and nutrition literature into one useful diet plan.

SomerSize teaches people how to eat the correct combinations of foods to help kick start their body's metabolism, as a means of losing weight and gaining health. Most people's bodies in the modern world are only geared to dealing greasy foods that do little to help our natural metabolism to function.

Suzanne's extensive research has revealed what she considers to be one of the main culprits for our increased weight and reduced metabolism. She believes that simple white flour plays a huge part in our weight problems. The reason for this is that flour features extremely highly on what is known as the glycemic index.

The glycemic index indicates how much certain foods will increase the production of insulin within the body. Increased insulin production equals a rapid return to hunger after eating as a result we eat more often and eat more at each sitting.

Increased insulin also makes it far more difficult for the body to keep up its energy levels, making people lethargic and lowering metabolism and increasing weight.

Suzanne's earlier publication 'Get Skinny on Fabulous Food' was the basis for the SomerSize plan. The original book was not a diet plan as such, more a teaching tool for people to understand why they eat what they eat, and how to control it.

Somersize is a simple idea that divides foods into four separate groups. Proteins and fats are combined, as one group, because fat and protein when combined cause the bodies digestion of food to slow down greatly.

Another group is carbohydrates as Suzanne is concerned about products made from white flour. She considers that carbohydrates made from other grains are better suited for diet and increased metabolism.

The fruit group is included for its healthy supply of natural unrefined sugars, which Suzanne says are far healthier than sugars found in nearly every processed food.

The last group is vegetables, she encourages the eating of all kinds of vegetables, or a least the ones that are low in starch.

The SomerSize plan has a detailed list of foods that Suzanne considers should be eliminated while participating in her system. There is a lot a very useful, simple to follow information and guidelines for people that are looking for a viable diet that allows plenty of variety to avoid the dieter's worst enemy, food boredom.

Ageless-Diva provides a full range of official Suzanne Somers products, such as the FaceMaster, the ThighMaster, SomerSweet and Spray On MakeUp.

How To Lose 20 Pounds In 30 Days

There are a lot of us, you know! We want to lose a couple of inches around our waistline and have the scale show less. Why does it seem so difficult to make this happen?

Well, if your beliefs are anything like my beliefs was, you are probably thinking that dieting means so much trouble, will power and tormenting. You have to go hungry all day and when the evening comes you just don't have enough energy to cook food for your children and then put them to bed. Waking up the morning after and not really finding the motivation to keep going another day.

Stop! This is not what dieting is meant to be. Dieting should be fun and interesting. Of course, you should see less pounds on the scale every other day or so. Today, we don't have to feel like crap to do good. We could and should feel extremely well and you should feel an increase in stamina and concentration. Are there any diets working this way?

I don't have to tell you, but of course there is. Many of todays diets are not killers, actually you will feel better once you start the diet. The new diet is called calorie shifting diet. It doesn't starve you out, it won't make you rule certain food groups out and you don't have to read labels, weigh every calorie, no calculations and no upper limits. Do you see a but coming? There is a but, but it is only a small but. You have to cook your own meals from fresh groceries and you have to stop eating just short of full. Sounds easy? It is.

The purpose of this diet is not to starve every ounce of fat out, instead it affects your metabolism into burning fat better and at the same time your insulin level stabilizes and this prevents from putting new fat into the fat cells.

If you want to make the diet more effective you could combine it with exercising. There are new findings within the exercising area. Today there are more effective programs that take less time to use successfully.

Back to the dieting. In the calorie shifting diet you go on a diet for eleven days and then you get three free days. During the three free days you could eat whatever your heart desires but I recommend that you use some common sense, don't go to the local fast food bar or something like that. During the diet period you are given a diet that is based on the foods you like. Alcohol is allowed but only a glass of wine per day, no more. If you don't want to you don't need to consume any alcohol at all.

Jennifer Olsen was a master of failing at different diets. She understood that there were more to losing weight then just going on a diet. Today she has lost nearly 50 pounds with the calorie-shifting diet and meanwhile she has finished reading 'Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle' and she is implementing what she learned into daily activities.

She made a mini-site that gives examples of diets, complete fast weight loss diets and reviews of books that helped her stop living the unhealthy life and turning around into a more healthy life-style. If you are interested in learning more please Click Here!

A Holistic Approach to Weight loss & Fitness

World Health Organization has observed that obesity has now reached epidemic proportions globally. More number of people are dying due to obesity and resultant disease. Weight loss and fitness is not just an issue of shedding a few pounds and pumping up the muscles temporarily and losing it all the moment we stop whatever program we are in. It is a total lifestyle change involving the body, mind and spirit.

The systemic approach of the modern science has spawned the huge sickness industry which while bringing relief from much complex disease does not address the fundamentals of wellness which is prevention. The progress of medical science does bring relief from pain and to some extent healing which is however a natural mechanism of the body aided by medicine. Given sufficient time and proper nourishment the body is able to address the problem and heal by itself.

The basis of all ayurvedic and natural therapies of ancient times were based on the simple principle of assisting and providing the body with natural and organic nutrients to stimulate the biological mechanism towards total healing instead of just addressing the symptoms. The role of various herbs especially herbs like Ganoderma rich in anti oxidants and over 200 components with healing properties cannot be over emphasized. The ancient system is an integrated system to create wholeness in body, mind and spirit. One without addressing the other aspects could only address part of the problem. This is true of the modern medical system which addresses the physiology and not the mind and the spirit. A complete human being is an amalgam of all three and not just a physical mass.

Recent research has conclusively established the role of mind and the spirit in all healing process. The science of Yoga and Meditation now plays a crucial role in all therapies which involves creating wellness as opposed to treating sickness.

All who are interested in weight loss, fitness, anti ageing and general good health must address the following questions:

What are my health goals? Is it treating sickness or working towards wellness?

Do I require all these unhealthy fast foods and snacks which give immediate gratification but long term pain?

Am I in rhythm with nature which is doing simple things like early to bed and early to rise, less automation and more physical work and activities, relaxing when the body sends out signals of stress and tiredness, maintaining cleanliness and avoiding all modern mores which prevents the body from recouping and rebuilding?

Do we want our children to be brought up as couch potatoes leading moronic and violent lives and growing into mentally and physically unhealthy adults creating an unbalanced society?

If the answer to all these questions is a big NO then we must begin the process now or it would be too late for all of us and the global society which is mindlessly adding up junk in every aspect in the name of growth and progress.

We must begin a process of a total lifestyle change which is natural, holistic and healthy.

R.G. Srinivasan is a certified trainer,writer and author. Check out his blog at http://alternative-healthnews.blogspot.com

A Simple Yet Proven Weight Loss Plan Completely For Free

There are many ways a weight loss regimen can be administrated. You can purchase expensive pills, go through exercises and workout with an expensive personal trainer or coach, or you can purchase expensive weight loss courses or programs that contains something you already know. There are many hot weight loss programs out there touting their uniqueness and fantastic quality; actually weight loss is a billion dollar industry.

Walking: The Free Weight Loss Program

Oftentimes people ignore the free life long weight loss program that you have been gifted with: walking. If you are overweight and need to lose some of this excess weight, then now is the time to wake up and start walking. Making such a regime part of your everyday life will really help you to become fat free within a very short amount of time.

How To Start A Walking Routine

The first thing that you need to do is wake up early and go out to a lush green lawn, field or park that is located near your home. Begin by taking a slow, steady 15 minute walk for the first week that you do this. Then, during the second week you should increase this time to 25 minutes and then increase it to 35 minutes the third week. By the fourth week of your program you should be taking walks that last 45 minutes. You should then do this throughout your entire second month. Of course, you are also going to need to exercise some control over your diet in order for this weight loss program to work. While you can still eat whatever you want, you should eliminate all of the fatty and sugary foods and drink at least 20 glasses of water per day.

Let Walking Become A Habit That Sustains Your Ideal Weight

If you follow this program, after three months you should start to increase your pace of walking. Start up with 25% increase. Soon enough you will see the results of the dramatic effect this pace increase has on your metabolism. We are talking about an increased feeling of wellness in addition to your weight loss. As soon as you have achieved your weight loss goal, you can eat some sweet foods as long as you keep walking regularly. If you follow this simple weight loss plan which means you make walking as a habit, the amount of pounds that you lose will be permanent and your body will become as fit as it is meant to be.

Gary Holdon is a writer and internet publisher. Read his popular articles about weight loss plans, fast weight loss and more fitness articles

10 Common Mistakes You Should Know When Trying To Lose Weight

Losing weight is not always an easy task. In reality, it can prove to be a very hard challenge to most people. So, read these 10 tips to avoiding some mistakes that could make you lose control and start storing those stubborn fats again. These are the 10 common mistakes people do when trying to lose unwanted weight:

1. Never rush into the hardest weight loss program you can find.

Many people decide in a moment of desperation to follow a super-strict diet program and fail. Especially, if you never have any dieting experience and are not 100% sure you can stick with it. Choose other program that you feel most suitable for your current condition and make sure you can stick with the program.

2. It won't happen overnight!

This is a common mistake. You can not realistically expect things to happen overnight. When setting your goal, start with small; however be prepared to go far. If you ever heard someone saying that he/she lost pounds in short amount of time, don't make it your goal to match his/her performance. Every person achieved very different results.

3. Don't go exercising everyday.

Another common mistake is to exercise too often, as it will not help you at all. Your body needs time to rest and expand the muscle mass after each training session. Give your body a chance to re-group itself. A 2 days rest after 5 days training is great for your body

4. Cutting down too many calories is really a bad idea.

Everybody knows cutting down calories is one of the basic foundations of all diets. However, you have to be extremely careful about cutting down your calories intake. Cut too many of it and your body will start storing anything it possibly can. This is not a very good way to lose weight.

5. Never, ever skip meals.

This is the most common mistake people do. Some people think that skipping one or two meals could help them achieve their goal faster. They don't understand that diet is all about controlling the food that you want to eat and not starving yourself. If you skip meals, your body will reacted with lowering your metabolism rate and string more fats during this process.

6. You don't have to check your weight everyday.

Every people are eager to see some results of his or her efforts in the shape of lost pounds. However, you should not let this drive you to checking your weight everyday. The daily fluctuations of your weight will eventually have you depressed and soon you will find that you are ready to quit your diet program. This is very bad!

7. Never let emotions drive you.

Aside from the eagerness, there are other emotions that influence dieting. If you find yourself used to reaching out for ice cream or snacks when you are in the bad mood, than you should overcome these issues and never allow them to interfere with your goal.

8. Seek as much help as you can.

Not everyone was born with iron will and nerves of steel. Never hesitate to ask from your friends or from instructors and don't try to solve all the problems you might encounter by yourself.

9. You should eat your favorite foods.

This is also the common mistake people do when dieting. There is nothing wrong with eating your favorite foods. Diets are just food control methods, not jails! Is okay to eat foods you liked once in a while though it's considered forbidden. If such treats are not frequent, then they will make no difference in the long run.

10. Write everything and analyze it.

If you wish to know how much you eat, then write everything down and analyze the list for things that should not be there. Sometimes, your hunger will drive you to eat something that you should not eat. Just be honest with your self.

Losing weight will requires a lot of dedication and motivation on your end. However, if you follow this guide, I believe you will have a successful diet in no time.

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4 Sure-Fire Tips For Effective Weight Loss

Are you just plain fed up because you haven't lost weight for a long time now on that latest fad diet, well please stop! Don't even think about trying another diet, because it will only produce the same results as you have already seen before.

Have a look at the four sure fire tips found below that are based on "Scientific Principles" that have always been around, but are not followed by the majority of weight loss programs you see these days.

So lets have a look:

1. Increasing Your Metabolism

In order to produce Sustained, Permanent and Long-Term Weight Loss, it's imperative that you boost your metabolism. And the most effective way to raise your metabolism is to have a greater proportion of functional muscle on your body.

The only way to build this lean muscle so you can raise your metabolism is through "Strength Training". There's no other method that works wonders on the Metabolism like Strength Training.

By performing Strength Training, you'll effectively increase the amount of functional lean muscle on your body so that your metabolism will elevate.

After a Strength Training session your body will undergo a significant increase or "Spike" in Metabolism, which will allow you to burn much more fat then you were able to before.

2. It's All About Lean Muscle

"The amount of fat the body can burn is directly related to the more lean muscle your body can hold."

If your muscle system can sustain more energy and use this energy significantly when performing strength training, then it will be able to burn off the calories you eat and the excess fat on your body.

In other words, if your muscles become stronger and can hold more energy then you should be able to release this energy more efficiently to increase your metabolism, and to burn off excess calories that you have eaten.

Once we can build more lean muscle through our own strength, then our bodies will become more efficient at burning fat.

It's also the amount of lean muscle on your body that makes you look good Once you burn off the excess fat from your body, the lean muscle underneath your skin will be exposed making you look healthy, energetic, and well toned.

3. Decrease Your Daily Calories

For years now, we have been told to use dieting to rid the excess fat from our bodies.

The trouble with this concept is that the low calorie restricted diet would throw the body into starvation mode, with the body holding onto the fat and using precious muscle tissue for energy.

This would then lower the metabolism causing greater muscle loss and when the diet is broken the unwanted fat would not only return but actually increase because to the lowered metabolism.

The way around this is to cut your daily calorie intake by a small amount of calories only. This will stop any starvation mechanisms from clicking in. You can do this by making up a seven day eating plan and writing down every thing you eat for the week, and then work out the calories you have eaten with a calorie counter. Divide this figure by seven and you have your daily calorie value.

Decrease daily calorie value by a couple of hundred calories per day and no more. This will generate slow weight loss and the majority will be fat loss only. The daily calories should be consumed during the day with small frequent meals.

4. Fast Walking Burns Fat

All you need to do now is incorporate "Fast Walking" into your weight loss program to hasten the burning of excess fat.

Not only is fast walking better much easier on the hips, but it also produces a greater percentage of fat loss as opposed to jogging or running.

Here are some of the benefits of Fast Walking.

Easy to Perform
Most Conventional
All Natural Body Movement
Doesn't Cause Injuries
Can Be Done Anywhere
The Best Minimal Effort Exercise for Fat Loss

"I can't stress enough how Fast Walking is necessary in every weight loss program."

Your next step? To take what you have just learned and apply them to your weight daily weight loss regime.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your 'free' weight loss e-course.

Top Three Tips To Losing Your Belly

January has finally come - The month we all dread, cause lets face it. We are faced with that annual obligation to make some sort of self improving change, or resolution as more commonly referred to. So I thought that we could all use some extra tips on how to lose that extra belly fat that we are to resolve this year.

Number One - Many so-called "health foods" are actually cleverly disguised junk foods that can actually stimulate you to gain more belly fat... yet the diet food marketing industry continues to lie to you so they can maximize their profits. All we need to do is stay away from what we know is bad, and watch what we eat - overeating and binge eating are our worst enemies.

Number Two - We should all start with the most obvious, a little extra cardio always helps to burn the fat. I prefer to jog. some to bike, but there's also skiing, canoing, walking, sports and everything under the sun that makes you sweat. All followed up with lower to upper abs exercises to emphasize the stomach muscles.

Number Three - STICK TO A PLAN! This is the hardest but most effective thing we can do! running Monday Tuesday is great! but not if we watch football every other night. Doing eighty five crunches last night is working well towards the cause... but far from productive if its only a bi Tuesday routines.

Losing the belly fat and gaining those six pack abs truly isn't the easies thing to do in three weeks. But we all know its achievable. We need to watch what we eat - exercise and stick to that routine that's sticky noted to our bathroom mirror. With all that in play, we're bound for success!

Check out my blog for what I use for my ab routine.

http://drewsabs.blogspot.com/

Calorie Shifting Diet - Scam or A Sound Weight Loss Method

Calorie Shifting is causing a lot of controversy these days. Many people have used it with great success and stand by it, yet there are also other voices who claim that calorie shifting is a scam and nothing more. I thought it would be appropriate to shed some light on the subject.

Calorie shifting isn't a diet really, but a weight loss method. Calorie Shifting diet is synonymous with the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet, which was the diet that actually brought calorie shifting to the world, but in fact there is another diet which is based on calorie shifting, and I'll get to that later on.

Is the calorie shifting diet a scam? It depends on whom you ask. If you ask one of the people who used it and lost a lot of pounds with it then you'd get a resounding NO! But if you ask anyone who tried it and failed then you'd get a yes. The reason is that as far as weight loss programs go, a scam or not a scam is usually a pretty personal thing. If something works for you then it's magic, if not, then it's a scam. The truth is, of course, quite different.

The truth is that calorie shifting isn't a scam. It's a dependable weight loss method. It doesn't work for everyone. No diet plan works for all the people. Some people will be disappointed by it. But for many people, calorie shifting will be just the thing that they'll need to jump start their weight loss efforts.

As I said previously in this article, there are currently 2 diets which makes use of the calorie shifting method:

1. Fat Loss 4 Idiots
2. Yay Food

Fat Loss 4 Idiots is the one with the longer track record. It has been used by tens of thousands of people worldwide. It's not perfect, but it has worked for many people. You can learn more about it on this website: http://CalorieShiftingDiet.com

To read a detailed review of Fat loss 4 Idiots, visit this webpage:
Fat Loss 4 Idiots Reviews and Testimonials.

John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. To read a comparison of the 2 Calorie Shifting based diets, click here: Calorie Shifting Diets Reviews

Ways To Loose Weight Fast

Almost everyone you meet will tell you they're having some type of weight problem. People are always looking for ways to lose weight fast. The truth of the matter is, there is no safe way to lose weight fast except for the tried and true methods of cutting calories, eating healthy and exercise daily. There are ways that you can drop some excess water weight very fast which will shed as much as 10 pounds in a few days. While these are very fast ways to lose weight, they are not by no means a long-term method for weight loss.

If you're looking to lose a few pounds fast because you have an event or social gathering to go to, then you may want to look into some of the short-term detox diets. These are the diet and put you on a straight juicing diet or you are on a particular type of food restriction that allows you to drop excess water weight very fast. People may even see results as soon as the first day. Keep in mind once you stop diets such as these, the weight will most likely come back on and rather fast. These are very good way s to jumpstart a diet but you need to have a plan that you'll stick with to keep the weight off.

The low-carb diets are also good ways to drop weight fast and are on the more healthy side then the detox diets. These can be done for longer periods of time with great results. If done correctly you can use this as a regular way of eating as you are able to incorporate carbohydrates back into your diet after your induction period. You don't want to totally cut out all carbs from your diet as this can cause serious health problems but you do want to limit the amount of carbs, especially the bad carbs, that you take in. People also see results as soon as the first day one on this type of diet and can generally average a pound a day of weight loss while doing the low-carb diets.

If you are going to go on an extreme diet to lose weight fast you want to be sure that you'll take the necessary vitamins and nutrients to help your body to keep working at its best. When you kut out certain foods from your diet you're cutting out much needed nutrients which can also do much damage to your body. Before starting any type of diet you want to be sure to talk with your doctor to make sure you're not doing something that will harm your body. Together you and your doctor can come up with a good diet plan that will have long-term effects rather than just immediate results.

There are many fad diets out on the market today that promise to have fast weight loss results. Be sure to do some research before starting any of these types of diets as you want to be sure you're not doing any harm to your body.

To learn more about Ways To Loose Weight Fast to tone and tighten your abs along with diet and nutrition tips to help achieve your weight loss goals try visiting http://www.SixPackAbExercises.com

Diet Myths Part 3

It is really hard to tell the truth from the hype with all of the information out there in the world about dieting. I have compiled a list of dieting myths to assist you in your quest for truth and your journey to your weight loss goals.

Myth #1 If I skip meals I will lose weight faster
Truth: It has been proven in studies that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than those who eat a healthy breakfast and eat 5 or 6 times a day. Eating often keeps you from getting overly hungry and eating too much at your next meal. Eating often also keeps your metabolism running in high gear.

Myth #2 I should cut out dairy if I want to lose weight
Truth: Recent studies have shown that women who eat 3 to 4 servings of dairy daily, actually lose up to 40% more fat than those who don't. There is something nutritionally in dairy products that we don't get anywhere else. There are many non and low fat dairy products on the market today and the smart dieter is taking advantage of that.

Myth #3 Nuts are fattening and I should stay away from them if I want to lose weight.
Truth: Nuts are a great part of a successful weight loss plan. Nuts are high in essential fatty acids, these support many body functions and have been shown to aid in weight loss. Nuts should be eaten in moderation and only raw nuts have the nutritional benefits that support your weight loss.

Myth #4 The more strict the diet, the more weight I will lose
Truth: when a diet is really strict, eliminating whole categories of food, or only allowing you to eat certain foods, the less effective it will be. Chances are high that you will get tired of the diet, and tired of feeling like a failure because you can't live up to the strict rules, and quit. This starts the destructive beat up cycle that ends in more crash dieting, making your goal seem farther and farther away.

Myth #5 There are certain foods that I can never eat again
Truth: As soon as we tell ourselves that we can't have something, it is all we think about. When you agree to treat yourself to the foods you love once in a while, you will be less likely to binge. Also consider way to make your favorite foods lighter, maybe using light sour cream or whipped cream or using low fat cheese. There are many ways to enjoy healthier versions of your favorite foods.

By busting these diet myths you are further along the path to your goals. Keep your eyes open as new fad diets and gimmicks are happening all around you. Educate yourself and make changes that you can live with for a lifetime.

Over 90% of diets fail. Don't be another statistic! You can have the body you have always dreamed of! - Let me show you how Diet Myths

1 Cardio Trick To Lose Belly Fat - Maximize Your Belly Fat Burn Rate

One of the best ways to lose belly fat is through cardio workouts. Cardio can burn a lot of fat in a relatively short period of time, as long as it's done in the right way to maximize your fat burn rate. The sad thing is, that most people do cardio in a way which doesn't help them to burn the maximum amount of fat and also consumes way too much of their time.

So what is the wrong way to do cardio? Or better yet, what is the 1 cardio trick to lose belly fat fast?

The wrong way to do cardio, which is the more common form you see in gyms, is the long duration, low-medium intensity cardio workouts. You probably know what I mean: people who get up on the treadmill and simply use to it to stroll for an hour, barely picking up their feet. Others may run at a slow pace which may be great for a warm up, but it's not the best way to lose belly fat, not by a long shot.

Not that I blame those people, they've simply been filled with misinformation. They've been led to believe that they need to do long workouts in order to burn any fat at all. Of course you need to do things for a long time if you're doing it at a slow pace like a turtle. Your body barely feels any exertion.

The 1 trick to lose belly fat with cardio involves doing short duration, high intensity, interval cardio workouts. By doing such workouts you get the body to really feel the burden, work your heart through a whole range of beat rates, burn a ton of fat, and do it in less time. The downside is that you need to work hard. If you don't push yourself, you will not be able to burn enough belly fat to make it worthwhile, but if you are prepared to make the effort, you can have a massive cardio workout in 20--25 minutes flat.

So the trick to doing cardio to lose belly fat is to do it a high intensity level which means that you will only be able to keep it up for a short while, and then to lower your intensity level for a while to catch your breath, and push yourself into higher intensity again. If you do this cycle for the entire 20 minutes of workout, believe me, you'll be huffing and puffing, and sweating profusely. What's even better, is that your body will be burning calories a higher rate for a long time afterwards because you've really pushed it to the wall.

Try doing this kind of cardio. If you do just this 1 trick to lose belly fat, you will see and feel the results.

To read more about how to get flat abs, click here: Tricks To Lose Belly Fat.

John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life.

To read about a massive cardio oriented fitness program, click here:

Turbulence Training Review - Learn The Secrets Of Cardio.

Effective Weight Loss Guide That You Always Forget

Keeping off unwanted pounds is never a walk in the park. There is always something or someone out there that will ruin your weight loss plans for you. Therefore, it is crucial that you find other ways to step-up your existing program for shedding excess weight. Here are a few tips that can give you more thrust on your weight loss plans.

Small Frequent Feeding Is The Key

By limiting your food intake to only three times in a day, you allow your body to starve needlessly between mealtimes. In turn, your body will react as if there is a mini-famine going on, so it will shift into mini-survival mode, meaning it will reduce your metabolic rate to conserve energy.

In contrast, by eating 5-6 small meals in a day, your metabolic rate will be revved up; burning more calories and helping you lose weight. Remember, the trick is to eat small amounts of food without allowing your body to feel starved; so do not overfeed yourself during mealtime.

List Down The Food You Eat

You are what you eat. So by writing down everything that passes through your mouth, you will have a better chance of getting to know yourself. At the end of the day, you will be surprised at what type of foods you eat. As an added enlightenment, your list will allow you to realize how much money and effort ultimately goes down the sewer; this will compel you to spend less on junk or unnecessary food items.

Never Skip Breakfast

Whatever you do, never forget breakfast. Why? Because it will allow you to fire up your metabolism early on in the day. That means you will have longer hours to burn off calories. If you skip breakfast, on the other hand, your body will try to conserve more energy by slowing down metabolism.

You will also find that having breakfast will spare you from hunger pangs later in the day; this will allow you to be more careful or discriminating on your food choices which means you will have a lesser tendency to binge on food.

Walk By The Minutes, Not Distance

Usually, fitness experts suggest that thirty minutes of walking is enough exercise for most people. In reality, spending this amount of time walking is only good if you want to maintain your present weight. If you really want to lose weight, you need to do more than the usual thirty minutes. Adding fifteen minutes more to this exercise regimen, making it forty-five minutes, will allow you to burn more calories; that is an additional 300 calories, which can translate to about thirty pounds in one year.

Use Smaller Plates

This is one of the best ways to trick your appetite. You see, scientists have found out that a person tends to eat more when a bigger quantity of food is served, while lesser food on the table would mean lesser food intake. Using this data, you can cheat your appetite by serving food on smaller plates. This way, your plate will always look as if it is filled to the brim, but the actual amount of food in front of you is less than you imagine.

Take Your Time When You're Eating

It takes time for a train to travel from Station A to Station B. In the same manner, the distance between your brain and your stomach will require several minutes before your whole system will realize that you are already full and that you do not need food anymore. Studies have shown that it takes about 20 minutes before the brain will realize that you are indeed stuffed. By eating slowly, you allow your brain to catch up with your body signals which makes you feel satiated.

Indeed, doing the usual weight loss plans may not work for you. Nonetheless, instead of making excuses, you should let your creative juices flow. Losing weight demands a high level of creativity, so you should never leave your weight loss plans at the mercy of fortuitous events. You can boost your efforts by using products like Zylorin. Click on http://www.zylorin.com/ for more details about this supplement.

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com

Jillian Michaels On Turbulence Training

Jillian Michaels, the famous trainer from the TV show The Biggest Loser Club, recently recommended one online diet and fitness program in a broadcast she did. The program she recommended is Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne. I have already written a few articles on this program and why I think it's excellent for people who wish to lose fat, tone up, and improve their fitness levels. And now it seems that an expert like Jillian Michaels agrees with me, how great is that?

But, seriously, there are a few things I need to say about Jillian Michael's recommendation (and I provide a link to it at the end of this article). First of all, she said the Craig Ballantyne trained the actors who portrayed the spartan warriors in the movie 300. This isn't true, but it's a common mistake since he did invent the famous Bodyweight 500 workout. Second, she said that in 2 weeks, people who use Turbulence Training will see a definite difference in their abs. I have no doubt that this is true, but she failed to say anything about the nature of Turbulence Training.

This program is indeed based on intensive training more than it is on dietary guidelines. What I mean that while this program will give you results, it requires work on your part. Even though Craig Ballantyne says that you will only need to do 3 short workouts each week, you need to understand that these workouts will be intensive. I highly recommend using Turbulence Training as Craig Ballantyne is one of the most serious and respectable training experts there are today. With what he teaches you, I have no doubt you will see results.

Click here to listen to Jillian Michaels review of this program

John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. To read more about fast weight loss, click here: Does Turbulence Training Really Work?

Fat Loss 4 Idiots - Is it Possible to Lose Weight While Eating All You Want?

Did you know there is a diet that works because you get to eat four meals a day? Think about that, you actually can eat yourself thin if you know which foods to eat and when to eat them. This is exactly what the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet plan does for you.

If you want to understand how this diet plan works you need to understand how your metabolism works. Your metabolic rate is the speed at which you burn calories. The faster it is the more calories you burn with the result being less body fat. You can accomplish this by simply eating nutrient dense foods that your body needs in the first place.

The cells of your body need calories to function because this is where they get their energy. This energy comes in the form of carbohydrates, protein, and different fats. What is important to remember is that not all calories are created equal and the types you eat can make a big difference in how your metabolism responds.

This is where Fat Loss 4 Idiots can show you exactly which foods you should be eating to get this metabolic response. Healthy foods high in complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber and vitamins and minerals are what is recommended to boost your metabolism.

Here's why eating these so called negative calorie foods can help you lose weight. It takes energy for your body to digest and then process the foods you eat. The more nutritious the food the more energy needed to extract those nutrients. By controlling what you eat and when you eat it you can further increase your base metabolic rate. Your body needs certain types of nutrients and calories at different times of the day and by giving it what it wants and when you will see good results.

Here's one last thing to think about. Many diets restrict the amount of calories you eat. The problem with this is that once your caloric intake drops below what your body needs to maintain itself your metabolism will begin to slow down. When this happens your body begins to hold onto its fat stores and it becomes impossible to lose anymore weight. If your intake of calories gets low enough your body will actually begin to break down its own muscle for energy while keeping its fat stores in reserve.

Fat Loss 4 Idiots helps you avoid this problem by allowing you to eat plenty of healthy food that keeps your energy supplies high which boosts your metabolism for optimal fat loss. If you are tired of starving yourself for little to no gain then consider giving this new way of losing weight a shot.

For more information about how the Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet can help you lose weight and improve your health please visit the Metabolism website by Clicking Here.

Sports Drinks: A Better Solution?

Exercisers spend millions of dollars on special sports drinks, even though none increase endurance more than the food from which they are made.

You become tired during exercise because you run low on fluids, salt and calories. As long as you replace these three components, you do not need to pay extra for a sport drink.

If you are going to exercise for more than 25 minutes, you can increase your endurance by drinking fluids. If you are going to exercise for more than 45 minutes, you can increase your endurance with sugared drinks, which provide a quick source of calories. Sugared drinks such as fruit juices, soft drinks and sports drinks can be absorbed just as rapidly as water.

The potassium listed as an ingredient in some sports drinks is irrelevant since you will not become potassium deficient from exercise, and you get plenty of potassium in virtually all foods. The only mmineral you need to replace during exercise is salt.

When you exercise, you lose water through sweat. Sweat contains much less salt than blood does, so you lose far more water than salt, which causes blood levels of salt to rise. You have to lose more than two pints of water for the salt concentration in your blood to rise high enough to make you feel thirsty. By the time you feel thirst, it is too late to catch up on your fluid loss and you will have to stop exercising. By then you are dehydrated and you may become nauseous, get muscle cramps, or feel dizzy. If you ignore the warning signs of dehydration, you can convulse and pass out.

Eating salt stimulates you to drink, and raises your blood salt level high enough to make you feel thirsty and able to retain fluid. Some sports drinks contain salt, but most people don't like the taste of a salty drink, so the salt content is usually too low to meet your needs for salt during heavy exercise.

Previous studies showing that temperature or carbonation affect absorption have been not been supported by more recent research. Your drink can be chilled or warm, as you prefer. If you prefer the taste of a sports drink over other beverages, use it. If your favorite beverage is a cola, iced tea, lemonade or plain water, that's what you should drink when you exercise. Research overwhelmingly shows that you will drink the most of the fluid you like best.

Since your drink won't supply enough salt to meet your needs when you exercise for several hours, you'll also need to eat salted peanuts, potato chips or anything else with salt that tastes good to you. For calories, it doesn't make much difference what you eat as long as it doesn't remain too long in your stomach and cause intestinal discomfort.

When you're not exercising, don't get in the habit of using sports drinks or any other sugared drinks to quench thirst. They'll add up to a lot of calories with little other nutritional value. Use plain water or other calorie-free beverages instead.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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