Natural Weight Loss Program

Natural GTF Slimming Program help body cells to utilize blood glucose and other nutrients effectively, which result in high energy level of the body cell. Thus, our body will be full of vitality and will generates radiant beauty that enriched yourself and others with pleasant feeling.

Most people want something 'instant' nowadays. 'Fast,' 'quick,' 'easy' are just some of the words we love when it comes to doing things nowadays, and weight loss is not an exemption. But how much risk you are putting yourself into just because you want to have that no-work-needed regimen. In the hope of getting into shape to be healthy, you might end up putting more harm than good.

Depending on how much calories you need to burn, you can actually have many options to help your body burn those calories. You don't even have to go to the gym to burn calories. If you are looking some ways on how to burn calories fast, you may want to try simple, easy and fun ways to burn calories and you may eventually find out your using up your calories fast.

For a 30-minute brisk walking, you can burn about 150 calories, doing the housework in 30 minutes can burn 75 to 125 calories and a 30-minute jogging can help your body burn 300 to 450 calories. Thirty minutes of your time is not too much if you will find time and choose to do activities that burn those extra pounds instead of letting them accumulate in your system. Choosing to use the stairs can even burn around 300 to 500 calories in just 30 minutes. So if you want to learn how to burn calories fast, why not look into your lifestyle and look for ways where you can incorporate activities that burn extra calories.

An hour of washing your car manually can actually burn 280 extra calories off your system, so why not do the washing yourself, shed a few hundred of calories and save money. Shopping and window-shopping can also make a difference in your aim to lose weight and burn calories. If you want to burn calories in 10 minutes, go hiking. For a hiking activity with something on your back, you can lose 100 calories in just 10 minutes.

Indeed, getting rid of those extra calories depends on some choices you can make everyday.

In the quest to get rid of those extra calories, we often are obsessed on how to burn calories fast without too much effort on our part. However, we should keep in mind that there are natural ways to burn fat and if we want to lose weight to make our lives healthier, it is but just wise to choose the healthier way of losing those extra pounds.

Diet Foods for Summer

The single easiest way to trim calories from your summer diet, experts say, is to load up on nature’s bounty. Produce is at its peak in summer. Delicious fruits and vegetables abound at farmers' markets and in your local grocery. Besides being low in calories, produce is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

Here are dietitian's picks for some of the best foods to help with weight loss during the summer.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 1: Chilled Soups
Moores loves all kind of produce but says cold soups are among her favorite low-calorie dishes. Chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are a great way to start a meal.

"Research shows that a low-calorie, broth-based soup at the beginning of the meal will fill you so you eat less at the meal," says Moores, a St. Paul-based nutrition consultant.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 2: Watermelon
Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it's hot outside?

"Half of the watermelon comes from water. …It’s a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet," says Moores.


Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 3: Grilled Veggies
For registered dietitian Dawn Jackson, a plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have. She recommends keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus, and garlic in your fridge.


Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 4: Salads
Salads make for quick, healthy meals -- with no recipes required.

"Just give the produce a quick rinse; slice, dice, toss fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheese, a handful of toasted nuts with some salad greens and a light raspberry or ginger vinaigrette, along with a whole-grain roll, and you have a meal in minutes," says Moores.

Or try bean or whole-grain salads, such as wheatberry and tabouli.

Moore suggests flavoring your salads with herbs from the garden so you can go light on the dressing. And when adding meats or fish to your salad, she says, "think of them as an accessory to the greens, vegetables, and grains."

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 5: Low- and No-Calorie Beverages
Smoothies, sweetened specialty coffee drinks, sweetened teas and sodas -- they all go down so easily, especially when it's hot outside. But the calories add up just as easily.

"Beverages can be the Achilles heel during summertime because we need to drink lots of liquids to stay cool, but liquids quench thirst and don’t usually impact our hunger," says Jackson.

Jackson recommends these refreshing drinks and treats to enjoy this summer without blowing your diet:

* Root Beer or Orange Dream Float. 1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt in 12 ounces of diet root beer or orange soda (100 calories)
* Tart Lemon Pom Spritzer. 12 ounces of lemon sparkling water mixed with the juice of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, served over ice (35 calories)
* Large Ice Skim Latte from Starbucks (130 calories)
* White Wine Spritzer. 5 ounces white wine mixed with 3 ounces lemon/lime seltzer water (120 calories)


Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 6: Fruit-Based Desserts
"Cravings don't take a summer vacation and your hot-weather sweet tooth can wreak havoc on your weight loss efforts," says Jackson. "Ditch high-calorie desserts and opt for these naturally sweet treats that can tame the most ferocious sweet tooth."

She suggests:

* Grilled banana sundaes made with low-fat ice cream
* Grilled pineapple with rum and pecans
* Grilled white peaches with blackberries and honey
* Frozen, dark, sweet cherries
* A chocolate-covered frozen banana (such as Diana’s Banana, with 130 calories)
* Frozen grapes

How Japanese people stay so slim and trim.

Japanese women's weight loss and slimming secrets in diet and lifestyle of Japan to lose weight and become slimmer. Some using Japanese slimming tea. It different with copmaring to western where an obesity rate of a mere three percent among women are very high.

The secret that Japan holds for staying slim is that there's really no secret to it. They are a people that follow simple rules that we all can follow to shed those unwanted pounds and keep them off. It's a lifestyle that we could conform to if we wanted it bad enough.

1. Never Overeat
The Japanese people never overeat. They believe in the quality of their food not the quantity. You can see this in what they offer in their schools such as small portions of rice, tofu, miso soup and vegetables. In North America most of us are guilty of consuming quantity not quality and it shows in the search for quick ways to shed the pounds we carry. It is easily verified by how many diet plans that are on the market.

2. Influenced by Peer Pressure
Surprisingly there is a lot of peer pressure put on Japanese women to stay slim and fit. This stems from their society where they are expected to follow the norm. Now I really don't know if I could go this far to diet just to conform to society but then again isn't that the source behind Bulimia and Anorexia in our society? Maybe not for all but certainly for the very young who are vulnerable to how they think they should look.

3. Work and Workouts
We all work as do the Japanese people but they take time out of their day to do exercise by going to fitness and yoga classes to improve their health. They also have another advantage over us as they do a lot more walking than we do. They enjoy hiking, swimming and sports more than they enjoy television. Do you think that says a little something about how they stay so fit?

4. Fats and Protein
People of Japan eat a lot differently than we do. Their diet is composed of fewer fats and lots of protein such as fish, soya, rice, vegetables and lots of fruits. There is something else the Japanese people do that is a little different from North America; they cook only very fresh foods so therefore their foods are still full of vitamins and minerals. The frozen foods that some of us eat just don't qualify as fresh.

5. Tea or Two?
Japan seems to have the modern diets wiped out of their society and I do envy them in this respect. Where the western studies of North America often encourage us away from starchy foods such as rice or noodles Japanese people are eating these types of foods and still staying slim. Even their tea holds fewer calories than ours but then they don't take it with 2 spoonfuls of sugar and milk like I do.

Healthy 4th of July Main Dish Recipes : Athenian Pasta Primavera

Athenian Pasta Primavera
This Greek-inspired pasta dish features zucchini, bell pepper, peas, fresh mint and feta. Cherry tomatoes and chopped kalamata olives also work well.

Makes 8 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION:
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 medium zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound whole-wheat penne
1 1/2 cups baby peas (if frozen, rinse under warm water and drain)
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 ounces)

STEPS
1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add bell pepper and zucchini to the onion. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just beginning to soften, 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, 1 minute more. Stir in wine and pepper; simmer until most of the wine has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook penne in the boiling water according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot.
5. Stir the reserved cooking liquid and the vegetables into the pasta along with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, peas, mint and feta.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Per serving: 305 calories;
6 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono);
13 mg cholesterol;
51 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein;
8 g fiber; 326 mg sodium;
236 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (75% daily value).
3 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat

Source : Athenian Pasta Primavera - another healthy recipe from EatingWell
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Losing Weight After Pregnancy

Nine months may appear to be a long time but losing weight after pregnancy is quite a different scenario than trying to lose weight because of general bad eating habits. So it really is important that you don't overdo it – and definitely no fad diets such as “the Cabbage Soup Diet”.

No matter how much you want to lose weight, try not to dip below 1,800 calories a day, particularly if you are breastfeeding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid site can help you design a personalized eating plan based on your age, activity level, and weight loss goals. The site even has a special section for breastfeeding moms.

Some tips for doing lost weight after pregnancy:

1. Load up on "super foods"

Fish is one of these "super foods" because it's packed with DHA, an essential omega-3 fatty acid that helps your newborn develop a healthy brain and nervous system. The best sources of DHA are cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, and tuna (stick to canned light tuna because albacore tends to be high in mercury).

Milk and yogurt are also super foods because they're high in the calcium you need to keep your bones strong. And don't forget the protein. Lean meat, chicken, and beans are low in fat and high in protein and fiber. They're good for you, and they'll keep you feeling full for longer.

2. Breastfeed

Whether breastfeeding can actually help you lose weight is still up in the air - some studies find that breastfeeding exclusively can help you return to your pre-baby weight faster, while others find no difference in weight loss between women who breastfeed and those who bottle feed.

What is for sure is that breastfeeding is good for your baby, boosting immunity and providing a number of other important health benefits. And nursing exclusively lets you add about an extra 300 calories a day to your diet (you can add slightly more calories if you have a really big eater or twins). Just make sure that if you do breastfeed, you don't use it as an excuse to eat whatever you want.

3. Drink up

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day prevents you from getting dehydrated. It also fills you up so that you don't eat as much, and some research has found that it may speed up your metabolism.

Whether you need the often-recommended eight glasses a day isn't certain, so Johnson recommends using the color of your urine and how often you need to go to the bathroom as guides. If you're drinking enough fluids, your urine should be relatively clear, and you should be going to the bathroom about every three to four hours.

4. Aerobic

Diet is important, but it's only one part of your post-pregnancy weight loss plan. You also need to incorporate aerobic and strength training exercises after pregnancy to burn calories and keep your muscles and bones strong. "Exercise, beyond helping you lose weight, provides so many benefits to a new mom," Johnson says. "It helps with depression, it helps with the sleep issue ... it helps in relieving stress - and having a new baby in the house can definitely be stressful."

You don't have to hit the gym to get back in shape after pregnancy - taking a brisk walk with your baby in the stroller is enough to get your heart pumping and muscles working. "You want to shoot for at least 150 minutes a week," says James M. Pivarnik, PhD, FACSM, professor of kinesiology and epidemiology at Michigan State University and president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine. With a new baby, finding 30 minutes in a row might be impossible, so Pivarnik suggests breaking up the time into 10-minute increments. Then try to work your way up to 20- or 30-minute sessions.

Lugging around a baby all day is itself a workout, but you still need to add some strength training. Use light weights - or even a couple of soup cans - as resistance. Many health clubs and community centers offer "mommy and me" classes that will let you incorporate your baby into your workout routine. But before you start any exercise program, get your doctor's approval, especially if you had a C-section.

5. Do enough sleep

It may seem impossible to get a full eight hours of sleep when you have a baby summoning you like clockwork throughout the night, but being sleep deprived could make it harder for you to shed the baby weight. In one study, new moms who slept five hours or less a night were more likely to hold onto their extra pregnancy weight than women who slept seven hours. When you're tired, your body releases cortisol and other stress hormones that can promote weight gain. "Also when you're exhausted, you don't feel like taking good care of yourself," Johnson says. "You're less likely to choose healthy food. You're more likely to grab something through a drive-through. You're also less likely to get physical activity."

Your friends or family members may have told you to "sleep when your baby sleeps," and that's good advice. Catch as many naps as you can during the day and go to bed early - at least until your baby starts sleeping through the night.

6. Get advised from doctor or nutritionist

If you're struggling to lose the weight, enlist the help of your doctor and a dietitian. The dietitian can help you design an eating plan that will let you lose weight safely and effectively while the doctor can guide you on how much weight you need to lose and when you can start exercising.

NOTES : GT&F product is containing with chromium that can help us to get more optimum metabolic in our body.

Source : CBS

10 Ways to not look old, Anti Aging Initiative

In a study called Factors Contributing to the Facial Aging of Identical Twins, a team of doctors from the Department of Plastic Surgery at Case Western Reserve University studied the effects of lifestyle and environment on the facial aging process of 186 sets of twins. Although the study looked at multiple factors in lifestyle and environment, smoking and sun exposure were extremely significant to the aging process. Specifically, here are the results:

1. Smoking: For those pairs of twins where one twin smoked and one didn't, the minimum perceived age difference among the twins were 5 years. For every ten years of smoking, the twin who smoked looked approximately 2 ½ years older in appearance. Why is this so? Smoking causes blood vessels to constrict, resulting in decreased blood flow to skin. Further, it depletes the body of Vitamin C, which is key for keeping skin plump and moist. This in turn causes capillaries to become permanently damaged, increased dryness and skin dehydration due to a diuretic effect, a grayish complexion and lastly, an increase in wrinkles, including crows feet.

2. Sun Exposure: Increased sun exposure was associated with an older appearance, especially as the twins got older. Those twins with outdoor hobbies such as golf and tennis had a perceived older appearance, while those who used skin protection (sunscreen) led to a younger appearance. Why is this so? High amounts of sun exposure breaks down skin's structural tissues (collagen and elastin). As a result, skin looks mottled, freckles become more permanent, and skin becomes dried out, leathery, wrinkled and saggy.

Ok, great. So now we have living proof of these bad boys and their effects on your skin. But guess what, there are other lifestyle choices that can affect the aging process. Here are eight more enemies of your skin:

3. Alcohol: Alcohol dilates small blood vessels, increasing blood flow near the skin's surface. This can cause the skin to look wrinkled, red and flushed. What you can do: Try to limit yourself to one alcoholic beverage per day.

4. Caffeine: Caffeine can cause water loss from your body and skin, resulting in a lack of plumpness. What you can do: Make sure you drink plenty of water and limit intake to 300 mg a day.

5. Extreme Weather: Exposure to cold winds and low temperatures or extreme dry heat can dehydrate your skin, leading to wrinkles and roughness. What you can do: Use a good moisturizer and a humidifier if you are in an especially dry climate.

6. Eating Disorders: Depriving your body of important nutrients, vitamins and minerals required for proper cell turnover and growth can cause skin to become dry and thin. Further, hair and nails can become brittle and thin. What you can do: Make sure you are eating enough calories so that your metabolism stays high and your body is properly nourished.

7. Lack of Sleep: Not enough sleep deprives your body of needed rest and doesn't allow skin to regenerate. You'll look and feel tired, develop dark circles and bags under your eyes and your skin will become saggy. What you can do: Get at least 7 1/2 hours of sleep a night, if not more.

8. Stress: Stress and worry cause frowning, and over time muscles in the face actually conform to that movement, developing lines and wrinkles. What you can do: Monitor your stress levels throughout the day and find healthy ways to release the stress you feel through breathing and relaxation techniques.

9. Refined Sugars and Low-Protein in Your Diet: Refined sugar and carbohydrates can disturb collagen production, resulting in wrinkles and sagging skin. Further, spikes in your insulin levels can cause excess amounts of secreted oils, resulting in acne and breakouts. What you can do: Focus on whole grains, fruits and vegetables for your carbohydrates and a minimum of 20% of your calories from lean proteins.

10. Saturated Fats or VERY Low-Fat Diets: Saturated fats (butter, cream and high-fat dairy) can cause skin to age and become more wrinkled. However, not having enough healthy fats can harm the oil barrier of your skin, which protects from fluid loss and infection. Too little fat can result in Eczema, Dermatitis (inflammation of skin) and Acne. What you can do: Make sure you eat a well balanced diet that incorporates healthy fats, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates.

As we get older, our lifestyle choices become even more important...especially when it comes to the aging process and looking and feeling our best. Have you witnessed anything like the twin phenomenon? Have you made a lifestyle change that has helped you to 'reverse' or slow the signs of aging?

Source : Shine from Yahoo.com

Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.

Everyone knows the keys to losing weight: Eat less and exercise more. Sounds simple enough, but in the context of real life and its demands, it can be anything but simple. So how do successful losers do it?

People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.

"If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Top ten worst foods of 2009

Top ten worst foods of 2009
1. Pepperidge Farm Roasted White Meat Chicken Premium Pot Pie - There are 510 calories and 9 grams of saturated fat in this baby. Oh wait - that’s just for half a pie. The whole thing has 1020 calories and 18 grams of saturated fat.

2. Romano’s Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce - This dish will set you back a staggering 2,430 calories and nearly three days’ worth of saturated fat (57 grams) plus 5,290 milligrams of sodium - more calories and saturated fat than two Macaroni Grill Tuscan Rib-Eye steak dinners.

3. Progresso Traditional, Vegetable Classics, and Rich & Hearty soups - Half a can averages more than half of a person’s daily quota of salt. Instead, CSPI says try Progresso’s Health Favorites reduced-sodium soups with up to 50 percent less salt. Also, see: Hidden sodium in foods you wouldn't think to check.

4. Dove Ice Cream - A half cup has about 300 calories and an average of 11 grams of saturated fat - that’s half-a-day’s worth of the bad stuff. You may be better off with these 5 frozen treats under 100 calories.

5. The Cheesecake Factory Chris’ Outrageous Chocolate Cake - It’s layers of chocolate cake, brownie, toasted coconut pecan filling, and chocolate chip coconut cheesecake. CSPI found each five-inch-high slice weighs three-fourths of a pound and has 1,380 calories, 32 teaspoons of sugar, 33 grams of saturated fat and 5 grams of trans fat. Yikes!

6. Smoothie King’s Grape Expectations II - It’s one of Smoothie King’s “Snack Rights” with 550 calories in the 20-ounce size and 1,100 calories in the 40-ouncer. Proof that not all smoothies are good for you (but these are).

7. Pop Secret Movie Theater Butter Popcorn Snack Size Bags - Just one snack-size bag has 11 grams of bad fat, 7 of which are trans fats. Instead, CSPI says choose Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop or Smart Balance Smart ’N Healthy - both are made with no partially hydrogenated oils. Also, see this review of microwave popcorns from Consumer Reports.

8. The Starbucks Venti (20 oz.) Caffè Mocha with whole milk and whipped cream has 450 calories and 13 grams of bad fat - more like a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in a cup. But you can lose all the bad fat and all but 170 calories if you order a tall (12 oz.) with nonfat milk and no whipped cream.

9. Chipotle Chicken Burrito - With rice, pinto beans, cheese, chicken, sour cream, and salsa, you get 1,040 calories and 16-1/2 grams of saturated fat - the same as three Subway Steak and Cheese 6-inch Subs. Plus the burrito comes with 2,500 milligrams of sodium! Ordering it without cheese or sour cream cuts the saturated fat to 3-1/2 grams, but you still end up with 810 calories and 2,300 milligrams of sodium. Ay Caramba! Here's another burrito that will shock you.

10. Cold Stone Creamery’s Gotta Have It Founder’s Favorite - 12-ounces of ice cream, pecans, brownie pieces, fudge, and caramel adds up to a whopping 1,600 calories and 42 grams of saturated fat. That’s about the same as five single-scoop ice cream cones. And watch out before you have this frozen concoction.

How Snacks Food fit into your weight-loss plan

Well-planned, healthy snacks can complement your weight-loss plan. Here are creative and healthy ways to satisfy your hunger.

Your stomach is growling, but lunch is hours away. You could indulge yourself with a snack, but you think it's best to avoid treats altogether and wait for lunch. Not so, if weight loss is your goal.

Though you may feel guilty about snacking, snacks aren't necessarily bad. In fact, mini meals several times a day can help manage hunger and reduce bingeing. Eating a healthy snack of low-fat crackers or fruit may stop you from taking second or third helpings at your next meal, dramatically cutting the calories you consume. Also, healthy meals often lose out to busy schedules. A grab-and-go snack could be the difference between some nourishment and none at all.

The key to incorporating snacks into your weight-loss plan is to plan them with variety, moderation and balance in mind.

Choose healthy snacks
Select foods that satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important nutrients. Here are some of your best snack picks:

Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which give you energy with staying power. Look for items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pretzels and whole-grain crispbreads.

Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only a small number of calories. They also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.
Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds provide protein, so you will feel fuller longer. They can be high in fat, but it's mostly monounsaturated, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities.

Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus many other vitamins and minerals. Dairy products can be high in fat, so choose the low-fat versions. Some yogurts have extra added sugar, so look for low-calorie or "light" varieties.

Though snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess calories if not eaten in moderation. For example, a single serving of almonds (about 23 kernels, or a handful) contains 163 calories. But if you eat a cup of almonds, the calorie count jumps to 800-plus calories.

SOURCE : http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-diet/HQ01396