Calcium - The Key To Quick Weight Loss

by: Priya Shah

Are you dieting your way to bone loss? Are you aware that the diet you follow may be depleting your bones of essential nutrients and increasing your chances of developing osteoporosis? Popular diets may promise quick weight loss, but calcium and other important nutrients are often missing from the menu, which can lead to bone loss. And women who consistently limit what they eat to avoid gaining weight may undermine the health of their bones, according to a study by ARS researchers in California. (1) The study looked at the eating behavior of women between the ages of 18 and 50 and found that those classified as "restrained eaters" had significantly lower bone mineral density and bone mineral content (key indicators of overall bone strength and health) than women who said they weren't concerned about what they ate. "Exercise and eating a well-balanced diet with adequate calcium, are two of the best ways to keep your bones strong and healthy." advise the researchers. Calcium is not only good for your bones but can help you maintain a healthy, low fat diet too. There has been increasing media coverage about numerous studies showing that a diet rich in calcium helps reduce body fat. Why is calcium important in weight loss? Calcium is a fat burner. High-calcium diets seem to favor burning rather than storing fat. Researchers say this is because calcium stored in fat cells plays an important role in fat storage and breakdown. Calcium changes the efficiency of weight loss . In fact, study after study has shown that the people with the highest calcium intake overall weighed the least, and the people with the lowest calcium intake had the highest percentage of body fat. (2,3,4) When overall calorie consumption is accounted for, calcium not only helps keep weight in check, but can be associated specifically with decreases in body fat. A low daily calcium intake is associated with greater tendency to gain weight, particularly in women. (5) Researchers found that adolescent girls who consumed more calcium weighed less and had less body fat than girls who consumed the same amount of calories from other sources. (6) Previous studies have shown that a higher calcium intake can block body fat production in adults and preschool children (7), but this was one of the first studies to show that it might have the same effect in body-conscious preteen and teenage girls. But aren't dairy products fattening? Some dieters consider dairy products to be fattening, but the evidence suggests the opposite is true. Consumption of calcium-rich dairy foods can actually help to reduce and prevent obesity. Over 20 recent studies show that milk products actually contribute to weight loss. A new study in obese adults, presented at the First Annual Nutrition Week Conference, showed that increasing calcium intake by the equivalent of two dairy servings per day could reduce the risk of obesity by as much as 70 percent. (8) The study provided clinching evidence that calcium in low-fat dairy products can help adjust your body's fat-burning machinery and help keep your weight under control. In another study, obese subjects placed on a high-calcium diet, with yogurt as the calcium source, showed markedly greater fat loss than those on a low-calcium diet. (9) Numerous studies have shown that dairy calcium is more effective in reducing body fat than other forms of calcium. (10) Why does diary calcium work so well? Researchers believe that other nutrients found in milk products act in synergy with calcium to reduce fat more efficiently. Glycomacropeptides (found in whey proteins derived from milk) in particular, are known to create feelings of satiety and fullness and decrease food intake. (11,12,13) Foods that are a good source of calcium include cheese, milk, ice cream, baked beans and other dried legumes, dried figs, broccoli, most dark-green leafy vegetables, and soft fish bones like those in canned salmon. Disclaimer: If you are under 18, pregnant, nursing or have health problems, consult your physician before starting any weight loss plan. The information here is not provided by medical professionals and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment. References: 1. Dieters May Lose Bone Density. April 1999; Agricultural Research magazine  2. Regulation of adiposity by dietary calcium. Zemel MB et al. [2000. FASEB J 14:1132-1138.]  3. Regulation of adiposity and obesity risk by dietary calcium: mechanisms and implications. Zemel MB. 2002. [J Am Coll Nutr 21: 146S-151S.]  4. Effects of dietary calcium on adipocyte lipid metabolism and body weight regulation in energy-restricted aP2-agouti transgenic mice. Shi H et al. [2001. FASEB J 5:291-293.]  5. Calcium intake, body composition, and lipoprotein-lipid concentrations in adults. Jacqmain M et al. [2003. Am J Clin Nutr 77:1448-1452.]  6. Higher dairy intake is associated with lower body fat during adolescence. Novotny R et al. [2003. Poster Presentation, Experimental Biology Meeting, April, San Diego, CA.]  7. The role of dietary calcium and other nutrients in moderating body fat in preschool children. Carruth BR and Skinner JD. [2001. T Int J Obesity Relat Metab Disord 25:559-566.]  8. Calcium and Dairy Acceleration of Weight and Fat Loss during Energy Restriction in Obese Adults. Zemel MB et al. [Obes Res. 2004 Apr;12(4):582-90.]  9. Dairy (yogurt) augments fat loss and reduces central obesity during energy restriction in obese subjects. Zemel MB et al. [2003. FASEB J A1088:679.3]  10. Calcium and Weight: Clinical Studies. Heaney, R.P., Davies, K.M., Barger-Lux, M.J. [Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 21(2), 2002, pages 152S-155S.]  11. Cholecystokinin decreases food intake in rats. Gibbs J, Young RC, Smith GP.J Comp [Physiol Psychol 1973 Sep;84(3):488-95]  12. Cholecystokinin antibody injected in cerebral ventricles stimulates feeding in sheep. Della-Fera MA, Baile CA, Schneider BS, Grinker JA. [Science 1981 May 8;212(4495):687-9]  13. Peptides with CCK-like activity administration intracranially elicit satiety in sheep. Della-Fera MA, Baile CA. [Physiol Behav 1981 Jun;26(6):979-83]

Lose Weight Without Starvation

by: II Research

Everyone at one point in his or her life needs or wants to loose weight. Whether it is for health reason, or just to feel better about you, deciding on a weight loss plan is not as easy as it sounds.  There are literally thousands of plans and products on the market today designed to help the overweight shed unwanted pounds.  One such plan is the low carb diet plan. On this plan, carbohydrate intake is limited to a few grams per day. By limiting breads and pastas, the body uses the fat that stored and there by the dieter starts to loose weight within weeks. Some of the foods that should be avoided when on a low carb diet are; Candy, Donuts, Cakes and Pastries. Anything containing white flour such as bread, rolls, bagels, pasta and white rice should also be avoided.  Although this may seem like a lot of choices to give up, all of these foods are very high in carbohydrates. This is particularly dangerous for those suffering from diabetes. Health expert theorize that a high carbohydrate diet could raise their blood sugar levels to life threatening levels.  There are good carbohydrate choices. Meat is naturally low in carbohydrates. Liver is the exception to this rule. Egg’s, poultry, fish, shellfish are good menu choices. They are easy to prepare and are full of vitamins. Green vegetables that are low starch include broccoli, asparagus, spinach, salad vegetables; cauliflower, green beans, Brussels sprouts and celery are also good choice foods that compliment any meal.  There are so many good choice foods to choose from, and so many ways to prepare them that the bad choice foods will not be missed when on a low carb diet.  Fiber is another essential part of dieting. Fiber helps the body in many different ways. When you do not get enough fiber it defeats the purpose of a diet.  Some of the health benefits that come from a low carb diet are; Lower insulin levels and stabilized blood sugar, which is a great health benefit to diabetics. Lower blood pressure, Lower Cholesterol, more energy, and perhaps the most important reason for dieting, keeping the weight off.  Unlike other diets, the low carb diet is safe for everyone. There are no side effects from being on this diet as there are not any food limit restrictions for a low carb dieter.  There are so many menu choices that a different meal can be prepared every day and the dieter would not have the same meal twice. For someone who has made a serious commitment to loose weight, a low carb lifestyle should be seriously considered.  Holiday meals can be prepared following low carb diet recipes that are easy, elegant, and very tasty. With all of the sites on the Internet dedicated to low carb cooking, there is no reason to fear dieting any longer.  Gone are the days when dieters had to starve themselves and suffer the pains of hunger all for the sake of loosing weight. The low carb offer a healthy alternative to dieting.  About the author: IIS is a team of researchers and writers dedicated to providing valuable, fitness information and research. Please visit http://www.info-research-online.comfor more information on this subject.

Weight Loss Starts in the Head

by: Kim Beardsmore

Are you a ‘look-and-lose' dieter? Have you studied every diet ever created, read a zillion diet books, and yet are still unhappy with your weight? Has your quest for the holy grail of dieting become a substitute for actually making changes required to take the ill health out of your current diet? If so, you may not realise your thoughts are key to your happiness and success. Do you look at yourself and say, “I'm fat", or “My hips are too big"? Many of us look in the mirror and immediately compare ourselves to those ‘perfect' human specimens we see every single day on TV, in magazines and in the newspapers. Often we talk to ourself and make excuses, “It's my genes", “I'm much too busy to get fit", “I like myself this", as a way of protecting yourself from the way we see ourselves now and the way we want to be. If we were to be truly honest with ourselves most people actually want to lose a few pounds - if we only knew how. The good news is you CAN achieve your desired body shape with the right thinking about yourself, an understanding of how to get optimal nutrition, healthy eating habits and how to incorporate activity into your lifestyle to keep your muscles toned. But most important of all, you need a regular mental workout to keep your self-image in shape. Self-image is closely connected to the success or failure of any goal you choose to seek after, but none more so that the goal to get yourself fit and healthy. So how do you go about strengthening your self-image? Well fortunately your self-image, just like your muscles, will respond well to a regular work out. You can actually strengthen your self-image with a few daily exercises. Exercise One - Self Examination Start by compiling a list of all those negative thoughts your have about yourself...I'm undisciplined, I can't manage my time, I let people down, I can't succeed, I don't exercise enough. You will need to decide before you start this process that you won't get discouraged....these are things that you will admit to yourself but they most certainly don't have to control your life. Next, compile a second list including everything you LIKE about yourself. Keep going until this list is LONGER than the first list you compiled. You might include things such as, I am a good cook, I can make people laugh, I contribute to the soccer club, my daughter loves the way I decorate her room. Then, take your ‘negatives' list and turn it into your ‘potentials' list. You do this by creating a positive self-image to every ‘negative' you listed. Instead of “I can't succeed", write a counter belief, “I will succeed". Ceremonially throw out the ‘negatives' list - you are saying goodbye forever! Burn them, trash them, destroy them....they are no longer going to be a part of your thinking about yourself. Now, keep your list of potentials in a prominent place. On your refrigerator door, in your daily journal, or in a picture frame on your desk. Make sure you have them in front on your every single day so that you are reading them constantly and reprogramming your daily thoughts. Exercise Two: You Can Be What You Want to Be Now that you have your list of potentials... run your own visualisation stories so that you can ‘see' yourself in a new light. For example, if your list of potential includes “I eat just the right portions", visualise yourself with a moderate portion on your plate, and feeling completely satisfied at the conclusion of your meal. Read through your list of potentials every day taking a few moments of personal quiet time to reflect strongly on your visualisations. Try starting your day first thing in the morning and finishing as the last thing at night with visualising yourself being the person on your list, and doing the things you want to do. Exercise Three: Keep a Journal of Your Daily Successes Keep a record of all the positive changes in thoughts you have about yourself. We all have triumphs and ‘failures'. You must record and remind yourself of the positive changes because our human nature will replay the negatives - sometimes blowing them out of proportion. It's important to nurture and celebrate the small steps you make every day. Exercise Four: Go Easy On Yourself - You Are Beautiful Work In Progress Don't listen to the criticism...not your own nor that of others! Remember you are the designer of your self-esteem, do not hand this over to other people. You are way too important to give this away. Protect your role as creator of your own self-image and do not, take on board negative criticisms. We all make mistakes, and mistakes can be used to help us learn. Do not criticise yourself for being human and making a mistake. The only last mistake in the one from which we never learn to grow. Exercise Five: Forget About The Past The only moment you can live is the current one. You can't live in the future and you most certainly shouldn't live in the past....the challenge is to take charge of our thinking so that we think in the same time zone in which we live! For example we may be tempted to think about yesterday's failures..."If only I hadn't eaten second helpings", “If only I didn't reach for the chocolate cookies". If we concentrate on the mistakes of yesterday this will our brains to replay our failures and reinforce them to us. Yesterday is over, today is where you live....make sure that today you do NOT replay yesterday's failures and make your resolve to change TODAY. Exercise Six: Resolve to Change Today Just as you shouldn't live in the past, you can't live in the future. You can only live or change today. The oldest cliché in the world is perhaps one of the greatest truisms of all...'tomorrow NEVER comes!' There is no better time than now. So, no matter what excuses you may have to wait to take those healthy steps you know you should take, none of them are valid. Do it now, do it today. Resolve to make a different in your own life before you go to sleep tonight. Exercise Seven: Write a Plan For your Life This is your success plan. If you have not already done so it is time for you to create direction and purpose in your plans for yourself. Review your list of potentials and record next to each potential when you want to achieve this by. Exercise Eight: Carry Affirmation Cards About Yourself This is one of the fastest tools for your success. You are what you think. Strengthen your self-image every day by reviewing your thoughts. One of the easiest ways to do this is to carry affirmation cards in your wallet and review regularly. Affirmation cards are short bursts of words in business card that prompt and remind your self-image of your intentions. An example might be: I can achieve anything that I put my mind to. I will be satisfied with single helpings. Try it, you have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain! Exercise Nine: Change Your Eating Habits Now that you have set the groundwork in place, you are now ready to change your physical habits. You are ready to add a balanced nutritious diet, healthy eating habits, regular exercise and relaxation. By using these nine exercises daily to change your thinking habits, you will be strengthening your self esteem and unlocking your internal power to make a change in your life. Before you can change lifelong eating habits, you must first change life long thinking habits. We are what we think. We can't be something other than what we believe we can be! So, do yourself a favour, liberate your self-image and then, see how much more effective your healthy living plan becomes! Kim Beardsmore, B.Sc, MBA is a successful weight loss consultant. To see what you can do today to take control of your weight, visit her website at http://leanmachine.org/?refid=selfesteem-12867