Let’s face it, when it comes to diet and exercise, there is a ton of information out there and we don’t always know what’s best.  We are essentially lead in a million different directions never knowing which way to turn. Therefore, we end up on a never ending cycle trying to lose weight.  There are quite honestly, millions of things we could try to lose weight, but there are certainly a few things that are definitely worth incorporating into your diet.  I did the research and this is what I found:

DIET PILLS:

Best diet pills- Glucomannan which has tons of fiber

Worst diet pills – ones that have ephedrine which can cause sudden strokes

SNACKS:

Best snack – Inca peanuts (from Peru) which are loaded with Omega 3′s and Vitamin E which fights heart disease

Worst snack – any type of bar – they are usually made with lots of sugar or sugar alcohol that bloat you and the side effects are not worth it

METABOLISM BOOSTERS:

Best metabolism booster – Cayenne pepper

Worst metabolism booster – energy drinks which are usually a quick fix, but then cause you to crash after

EXERCISES:

Best exercise – lunges which work more muscles than sit-ups and essentially burn more calories for losing weight

Worst exercise – sit-ups: planks are much better and more effective for losing weight

This has worked for many people that have been on that never-ending cycle of battling weight loss so I thought it would be worth mentioning for others to read.  Good luck!

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If you want to reshape your body, then the key is to target your specific type of body fat.  To fight off stubborn pounds and to reshape your body for life then focus on the following according to your body type (big bottom or big middle):

For those with a big bottom type figure, fat is harder to get rid of but it is a healthier type of fat.  You are less likely to get heart attacks.  A good diet for those with big bottoms would be to eat low fat foods and to cut out saturated fats and processed foods. Include low fat dairy with every meal because the calcium in dairy increases weight loss.  It’s all about the carbs when you are heavier on bottom.  You can eat some carbs, but minimize the amount throughout your day and eat the good carbs not the bad.  A sample diet would be the following:

Breakfast:  low fat yogurt with granola and fruit

Lunch:  cottage cheese with vegetables and grilled chicken on the side

Dinner:  whole grains with lean meats such as a turkey burger on whole grain bread

Snacks:  protein shakes with low fat milk

Along with the diet would be a good exercise plan such as the following for those with big bottoms:

Do curtsey squats which work your entire lower body and then go into rows for your upper body.  This are called complexes:  squats and then rows performed back to back with no rest.  With this type of alternating workout, you get toning, resistance training, increased lean body tissue while increasing your metabolism at the same time!

For those with a big middle body type, the entire intestinal system is coated with fat that leads to your heart which is not good.  That is why those who have a bigger mid-section have higher rates of heart attacks.  Belly fat is linked to increased risk of type 2 Diabetes, heart disease and Cancer.  Furthermore, it slows down your metabolism.  The good news is, belly fat is much easier to get rid of since it’s visceral fat.  The #1 reason it is so hard to get rid of is because it’s linked to stress hormones.  So reduce your stress if you are heavier in the middle!  A good diet would consist of low carbs.  Rid yourself of refined carbs and eat anti-inflammatory foods like whole grains and healthy fats.  Replace simple carbs with buckwheat, amaranth, and barley and use healthy fats such as olive oils and avocados.  As for exercise, do lots of cardio.  Avoid steady cardio, however.  Do metabolic disturbance training.  Go slow and then fast where you crank it up and then back down after a minute.  This gives you an instant rush which uses both your aerobic and anaerobic system that boosts your metabolism in less time.  Essentially, this is more efficient, effective and fat burning in a shorter period of time.

While you are working on reshaping your body, it’s also good to learn some tips on how to look thinner in the process.  For those with big bottoms, dress with darker clothing on the bottom – make it pop up top!  Your blouse should hit the top or middle of your hips.  Wear wide-legged trousers and avoid cuts that hug hips and taper down.  For those of you with bigger mid-sections, wear v-shaped necklines to draw attention to your face and wear solid deeper tones on top.  Avoid billowy tops and busy or horizontal prints.

There is hope yet!  Try the methods above and begin to finally see some changes!

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Let’s face it…once you hit 40, your body needs to work harder at fighting fatigue and losing weight.   Most women begin to feel more tired and put on weight for no other reason than our metabolism not working as well as it used to.  We also begin to see wrinkles and fine lines that were never there and some women even begin experiencing many hormonal changes.  Well, there are several ways to combat these inevitable changes in our body that will be discussed in this article:

In a recent episode on Dr. Oz, he discusses several areas in which women can begin to look and feel better after 40 and how to be your best in the second half of your life.

First, he discusses FATIGUE FIGHTERS.  Most women in their 40′s have chronic stress which causes you to be tired and wired!  Daily life with work and kids alone can cause women to have chronic stress.  Dr. Oz says to keep an energy booster box with you of the following three items that are fatigue fighters:  Edamame, cheese and ashwagandha tea.  Edamame is high in protein (11 gms in 1/2 a cup).  Cheese helps to stabilize blood sugar and ashwagandha tea decreases inflammation and helps boost your energy.  These are 3 very simple fatigue fighters that you can carry with you and will give you a significant boost of energy!

Next, he discusses HORMONE HELPERS.  At 40, menopause is around the corner and women begin experiencing lots of significant hormonal changes such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood changes, decreased libido, and sleep disturbances.  Dr. Oz says that progesterone cream can be very helpful and to discuss this with your doctor.  It is much better to get a prescription than to get over the counter creams.  It is applied directly to the genital area.  After a few minutes, you will experience a tingling sensation that leads to a cascade of arousal.

Third, he discusses WEIGHT LOSS WONDERS.  Dr. Oz says that too much sugar increases your blood sugar making you more tired and want those sugary foods that pack on the pounds.  Change the foods you eat.  Eat healthier and measure your foods so that you are eating the right size portions of the appropriate foods.  One example of good foods are dried cranberry beans which are loaded with fiber to fill you up and have as much protein as a glass of milk  with only 120 calories in 1/2 a cup.  Another example is purchasing something called the EZ weight plate (ezweightplate.com) – only $20 online.  This allows you to manage your food intake and to appropriately measure your food.

Last, he discusses alternatives to BOTOX.  Gaba super antioxidant cream relaxes your fine muscles underneath the skin and works well underneath the eyes.  It’s only $59 online.  Also, PMD (personal microderm system) that takes 5 minutes to do your whole face.  This exfoliant is used weekly to stimulate collagen in order to slow down fine lines and wrinkles.  After, apply a moisturizer.  This can also be purchased online.

Dr. Oz provided some excellent information in this episode as well as listing a few of the best supplements for women over 40:

1 – Horse chestnut seed extract which helps with varicose veins.  $12 in health stores.

2 – Astragalus which is a pick me up for stress and fatigue.  Also $12 in health stores.  Take 200 mg twice a day.

3 – Borage oil supplement for skin and hair.  After 40, hair doesn’t have the same sheen as it used to when younger.  This helps the hair to look healthier and shiny and the nails to grow stronger and faster.  $9 in health stores.

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HGH is a very controversial topic and should be discussed.  On an episode of Dr. Oz, he discusses human growth hormone and its effect on women.  HGH is a natural hormone which is injected into the body to stimulate growth.  It was first used on children with stunted growth many many years ago.  Many women today consider it the fountain of youth and would do anything to take it, but is it safe?  It seems to be the latest anti-aging trend that many women are getting from their doctors, trainers and even over the internet!  Women say that they look and feel younger and have better sex.  Is it worth a try when we don’t know the effects?

Many people say that if you boost your hormone level with this synthetic HGH, you can feel DECADES younger, but doesn’t this mess with mother nature?  Can it shorten your life?  Apparently, it rebuilds elasticity and the skin begins to look younger. However, it is a potent agent and there has not been any long term data to show what may happen to those experimenting with this today.  We don’t know if it can cause cancer, diabetes, etc.  There is a good chance it will, but it is too soon to tell.

Short term studies have identified swelling, joint pain and carpel tunnel as symptoms of HGH use as well as elevated blood sugar which can lead to diabetes.  Without knowing the actual effects that HGH can have long term, are you willing to try it?

Dr. Oz does, however, offer ways to naturally and safely raise your HGH without injections.  These are definitely worth trying:

1 – L-Arginine – this is an amino acid which is a building block for growth hormone.

2 – Nut butter – take 2 tablespoons each day or eat more lean protein.

3 – Sleep – this is the most important!  You need to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.  Use a cooling eye mask and block out light!  You will sleep better this way.  Also, get a sleep machine with low frequency sound.

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Dr. Oz has a great recommendation when it comes to detoxing your body with the following 48 hour weekend cleanse:

Breakfast:  1/2 cup quinoa; rinsed, 1/3 cup chopped prunes, 1/4 cup rice milk, 1 cup water, pinch of nutmeg, 1 tsp grated ginger

Snack:  detox drink or sliced celery, radishes or cucumbers with salt and pepper and lemon juice only.  No dressing!

Lunch:   Berry Smoothie; 1/2 cup almond or hemp milk, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1/4 cup banana, 1/2 cup ice

Snack:  detox drink or sliced celery, radishes or cucumbers with salt and pepper and lemon juice only.  No dressing!

Dinner:  Vegetable broth soup and sauerkraut with sliced apples.

Do not eat anything after 7;m.  You may have a cup of dandelion tea at bedtime, however.

Try epsom salt baths as well.

This should be done over 2 days.  You may also try this every few months to cleanse the body.  It is not recommended that you do this daily for an extended period of time, just on occasion over a 48 hour period.

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For those of you who LOVE carbs and cannot live without them, there are ways to at least downsize your cravings for carbs.  Most of us reach for the carbs when we get the urge to munch on something.  This not only adds calories, but increases carbs in your diet that you otherwise may not have had because it’s easier to go for carbs when you want a quick snack fix.

The following are ways in which we can cut down those carb cravings:

1 – Create an environment for success by removing processed foods from your home that are high in sugar and fat and replacing them with whole, natural foods.  This will give you no other option than to choose a healthier snack.

2 – Eat protein every 3 hours.  If you are on the go, protein shakes are great.  You can take them with you.  It’s easy and simple so no excuses!

3 – Exercise in 2 minute bursts – do this when you have the urge to eat carbs.  Squats, lunges, or even situps are great.

Just by doing the above, you can greatly cut down your urge to eat carbs within 1 week.

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Dr. Oz gives some great advice when offering us some shortcuts to losing weight:

1 – Eat an apple before lunch – 15 minutes before.  This will take 187 calories off your lunch!  Fiber takes up space and fills you up so you don’t eat as much.  You can lose 5 lbs. a year with this shortcut!

2 – Refrigerate your cans.  When you refrigerate your canned goods, the fat becomes solidified to the surface and can be scraped off.  You can lose 6 lbs. a year doing this.

3 – Dilute your juice with 1/2 seltzer.  This cuts calories in half and eliminates half the sugar.  You can lose 13 lbs. in a year!

4 – Fake a carbohydrate.  Substitute a vegetable in place of a carb such as cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes.  You can lose 12 lbs. in a year!

5 – Replace oils with applesauce – replace half the oil with this when baking.  You can lose 6 lbs. in a year and you won’t even taste the difference!

6 – Workout with a partner.  You are more motivated to work out when you go with other people.  You can lose significantly more weight because you are less likely to disappoint others by not showing up.  Plus, you get the encouragement to move when you workout with others.  You can lose 13 lbs. in a year with this method!

Dr. Oz does also mention that there are shortcuts we should never take  when dieting and they are the following:

1 – HCG diet – this can have a disastrous effect on your diet.  HCG takes away your hunger and you can lose weight, but you will most definitely gain it back over time.  You essentially destroy your metabolism doing this diet because you are starving yourself.

2 – 100 calorie bags – buy the big bag instead and put an amount in ziploc bags.  You waste more money buying these individual bags.

3 – Never take the elevator.  Walk a flight of steps instead.  This will help build muscle mass and is great exercise.

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According to a recent episode on Dr. Oz, there are 5 major habits that he believes are making America fat!  He states that we are all guilty of mindless eating at times where we don’t even realize what we are doing.

The top 5 mindless eating habits that are making us fat are the following:

1 – Artificial Sweeteners – this is the number one worst habit!  Artificial sweeteners can disrupt our regulatory system which controls our hunger – we don’t get the same satisfaction and we want more and more where our body begins to crave these artificial sweeteners.  We end up using a lot more than just using regular sugar because it desensitizes our taste buds.

2 – Eating out of the package is the second biggest worst habit!  You cannot approximate portions this way and you end up over eating.  It’s like a bottomless pit!

3 – Meal multitasking – for example, eating while driving or talking on the phone and you are not paying attention to how much you are consuming.  Also, eating while watching television or on the computer can cause you to over eat.  These are horrible habits that must be broken.  It’s much better to just take 15 minutes out for each meal and to sit down and enjoy the meal.  This will allow you to control how much you are eating.

4 – Eating with others – one tends to eat more when eating and socializing with friends.  It’s better to eat slower and watch others eat while you talk!

5 – Low fat food labels  - these give us a green light to eat more – just because something is low fat doesn’t mean it’s low calorie.  Some low fat foods which are acceptable are milk, yogart and cheeses which are part of a good diet!

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Dr. Oz has come up with a 7 day miracle plan that will boost your metabolism an get it on the right track for good!

Day 1 – Check your metabolic rate on doctoroz.com.  There is calculator on his site to help you determine your metabolic rate.

Day 2 – Cut 100 calories from your diet per day.

Day 3 – Add protein – your body will burn twice as many calories by digesting protein as opposed to carbs.  Add 2 meals a week of fish.

Day 4 – Eat every 3 hours; from 6-8am eat breakfast, from 10-11am have a snack, from 12-2pm eat lunch, from 3-5pm have another snack, from 5-7pm eat dinner.  Do not eat anything after 7pm!  A bowl full of pistachios and apricots is a great snack and about 250 calories.

Day 5 – have 3 drinks on ice.  Doing this will burn 1 pound a year.

Day 6 – Take Zinc – this contains a hormone called leptin that controls hunger.  This will allow you to feel full quicker and you won’t be pushed to eat when you are no longer hungry.  Take 15mg per day.

Day 7 – Exercise in bursts – you will burn more calories when you dance then walk.  It wakes up your muscles as opposed to walking.  Do this after a bad meal and it will burn fat faster.

The following are metabolism boosters that cost under $20:

White Bean Extract – take one a day before a big meal.  This blocks starch from being absorbed into the body and digested.  This will allow you to take in less calories and to lose more fat which will help in gaining more muscle to boost your metabolism!

L-Arginine – this is a building block for muscles which boost metabolism.

Pickled Peppers – the vinegar in these helps prevent storage of fat.

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Two out of three Americans are overweight or obese.  Something has to be done because it’s getting out of control.  Many people suffer from a variety of illnesses because of obesity and being overweight.  Do you want to be one of them?

The following are the top five reasons to want to lose weight:

1 – To reduce high blood pressure

2 – To reverse or prevent diabetes

3 – To lower bad cholesterol

4 – To lose up to 30% of your belly organ fat

5 – To decrease your risk of breast, endometrial and colon cancers

In order to lose 10% of your weight, you need to be more conscious of your food choices.  For example, choose low fat, low carb foods as opposed to full fat foods and foods that are high in carbohydrates.  Don’t give up on the foods you love, but limit your intake. Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and seek a support system to help you in this process.

Here are some examples:

Rather than having regular pizza if that’s what you love, try eating pizza on whole wheat crust with part skim mozzarella, crushed tomatoes, fresh basil and lots of veggies instead of meats.  This is a much healthier version without giving up on pizza!

If ribs are your what you love to eat, then try this lower sodium, low in sugar method:  Use chicken breasts and a few pieces of ribs mixed together and the following ingredients; 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup onions chopped, 1 clove chopped garlic, 3 cups tomato sauce, 2/3 cup agave syrup, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons worcestchere sauce, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.  It’s delicious and you won’t tell the difference between the chicken and the ribs.

Basically, there are a ton of ways to really eat healthier if you put your mind to it and google some healthier choice recipes for the foods you love.  Make it a goal to lose 10% of your weight now before joining the rest of the overweight and obese Americans. Time is not on our side because as we get older, it’s much harder to achieve.

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