Reality check: you can never, ever, use weight loss to solve problems that are not related to your weight. At your goal weight or not, you still have to live with yourself and deal with your problems. You will still have the same husband, the same job, the same kids, and the same life. Losing weight is not a cure for life. ~Phillip C. McGraw, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, 2003
Aug 222010
Do you feel you have hit a plateau in your weight loss journey? Are you in a need of a little inspiration?
Jul 192010
Delighted to introduce a special person to you today. Meet Ronaldo Fulieri. He is a nutritionist, dietitian, personal trainer and he has been cooking since he was a child. He uses a lot of chilli in his recipes as well as garlic and ginger – not so much for any thermogenic fat burning qualities but for the positive effect they have on your immune system.
Jul 062010
Chilli Peppers
According to Wikipedia, ‘thermogenic’ means tending to produce heat and is a word commonly applied to drugs which increase heat through metabolic stimulation. In the weight loss and body-building worlds, there is a whole range of thermogenic pills and potions which, they say, will raise your metabolism and help you burn, burn, burn off that fat.
Well, many of the thermogenic products on the market can also burn, burn burn a hole right through your wallet and some have been known to have adverse effects on health.
In the past, many thermogenic supplements contained ephedra alkaloids which were eventually found to cause adverse cardiovascular reactions as well as an increased risk of psychiatric symptoms and heart palpitations. The FDA finally banned ephedra from use in dietery supplements but those thermogenic products that are available today are still not going to be suitable for everyone.
An example is the thermogenic supplement Hydroxycut Hardcore X. While many Hydroxycut product reviews are positive, one buyer in particular posted a review which is very typical of the possible bad side effects of thermogenics should you be sensitive to them:
I’m only into my first bottle (which will be my last) and not likely going to finish it. The results aren’t on par with the old formula and the side effects suck: Headache, nausea, diarrhea (a lot), and just feeling “bad” overall. Some moderate to severe stomache cramps, gas, bloating a couple of days ago and today has been the worst by far with diarrhea trips to the restroom every couple of minutes. I’d strongly advise against using this product – anything that causes these effects cannot be good for you long term.
Other thermogenic supplements on the market include Oxyelite Pro and Lipoxathin Hardcore Thermogenics. Whether you decide to try these or any other over-the-counter thermogenic supplement please remember to follow instructions carefully, do not take more than advised and stop immediately if you suffer any ill effects
Those who find the idea of thermogenics appealing but who are not prepared to stuff their bodies full of rocket fuel (can’t say as I blame ‘em), can up their intake of natrually thermogenics foods. The results may not be as dramatic as bottled thermogenics but in the longterm simply increasing those foods that have naturally ‘heating’ properties is a healthy option as often these are the foods that are high in anti-oxidants and vital nutrients anyway.
Some naturally thermogenic or metabolism boosting foods are cafeine, chilli peppers, green tea, ginger, berries, pomegranate, grapes, grapefruit, apple cider vinegar and pure lean protein.
For a naturally thermogenic meal throw together grilled chicken breast with greens followed by wild berry and grape salad.
Sources used:
If you have ever read any diet book you know that the author declares his or her own diet to be revolutionary, fail-safe and fast. Some are stuffed with scientific explanations or long-winded justificatios for one instruction or another.
One one diet, you will have to cut out caffeine. On another caffeine is fine but whatever you do don’t go near a banana. And in yet another you can stuff your face with butter and cream just so long as you don’t overdose on green stuff.
Let’s see we have the Atkins Diet, the NEW ATkins Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Zone Diet, The Caveman Diet and the Cabbage Sout Diet. Of course there are hundreds more but you get the point.
I guess the fact that so many of us have read so many diet books is all the evidence you need that no one of these authors actually does have the best diet for everyone. It is interesting that for each different diet there is a group of avid supporters and equally avid detractors. You would think if the diet creator had in fact found the best diet that it would be firmly rooted in physiological principles that would work more or less the same magic on everyone who tried to lose weight using it. And yet, that is patently not true. Your neighbor may have lost 30lbs on a low-fat, high-carbohydrate that she now swears by and yet when you tried the same diet and followed it religiously it did not melt one stubborn ounce from your backside.
So what is really going on? Well, call it horses for courses. I can not be bothered with measuring, weighing and calculating calories. I like diets that give me a list of safe foods and then let me loose. I quickly get bored on regimented diets and soon start to cheat. Some, on the other hand like the security of counting calories, knowing exactly how many calories are in every mouthful and having clear cut guidelines to follow.
Then there are all the related diet supplements and ‘amazing fat burning’ secret formulas that are out there. Undoubtedly, some like Alli
