4 Key Things To Consider When Eliminating Calories To Tone Up Your Arms

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

You have to cut calories if you want toned arms, there is no way around this. Unfortunately, too many women go overboard here.

How many times have you heard of someone going on a 1000 or 1200 calorie diet? This is extremely common and very unhealthy.

So what's the optimal caloric reduction? Well, you should never cut more than 20%. If you are more aggressive here, the risk of arm fat rebound increases. You'll also drastically reduce your body's natural production of arm-fat burning hormones.

It's also important to note that a reduction in calories doesn't have to translate into a reduction in energy. You can actually end up with more energy than before if you do things the right way. So here are 4 things you should not do when eliminating calories to tone up your arms:

1. Using supplements to substitute whole foods. Strive to eat as much whole food as possible. Don't fall for the marketing hype. Whole food will leave you feeling fuller and will leave you much healthier. Also keep in mind that very few supplements actually work.

2. Only eating once or twice a day. This is a horrible method for reducing caloric intake. In reality, increasing meal frequency becomes more relevant when restricting calories to get toned arms.

3. Neglecting resistance training. The first thing your body will want to get rid of when you diet is muscle. Since muscle burns so many calories to begin with (it's a costly tissue to maintain), your body will want to dump it ASAP. And resistance training is the best way to retain it.

4. Avoiding balanced meals. I know this sounds basic, but so many women get caught up with taking pills and powders yet their meals are horrible! Never forget that the most important part of getting toned arms is eating balanced meals with loads of vegetables.

If only we could eat everything under the sun and get toned arms at the same time. Unfortunately, the reality is that we have to control what we eat in order to optimize arm fat loss. The good news is that it doesn't have to be painful or ultra-restrictive. And if you follow my above tips it will be that much easier! - 17269

About the Author:

Katherine Crawford M.S., a Harvard fitness physiologist and former arm fat refugee, shows women how to tone arms. Learn how to get sexy and toned arms by visiting her personal website about flabby arms without any delay!

Georgetown Weight Loss Expert Takes On The Authorities

By Josef Brandenburg

One will find a lot of written material on the war of obesity. And there is no doubt that it is a war, looking at how we are perplexed about selecting the right plan to loose weight. Why is it so difficult? Have we not seen and heard about the multiple diet and exercise plans produced over the years? The answer is yes. We have heard about these diets and plans but the problem is that they are nowhere near the fundamentals. So it is better to revisit the basics rather than to take a crappy approach for effective weight loss. However there is a lot information that needs to be clarified, because there is too much misleading information floating around.

People who are basically looking to lose weight effectively should be careful of the popular myths which can misguide them.

To begin with, aerobic activity is not the most effective method to burn calories. Although it is a fact that aerobics burns calories, it is equally a fact that it does not burn as many calories as we think it does. Hence aerobics workout sessions tend not to yield the desired results.

One need not work out for about one or one and a half hour to loose oodles of weight. It may not be a good idea at all due to non feasibility. No one has the time to workout one hour or so with such a busy lifestyle. Also it may be the worst option to consider for the reasons already discussed earlier. It is simply not as big a deal as it is made out to be.

It is completely not true that a person may have genetic limitations for weight loss. This concept is extremely demoralizing as it defeats the person even before he has taken the plunge by making him think that there would be no results in spite of tireless efforts. This false notion needs to be dismissed immediately.

It is a myth that training with weights will increase the metabolic rate of the body. One has to already be ripped to shreds for the muscle mass to increase the body metabolism. A beginner in weight training would not experience an increase in their metabolic rate due to muscle weight. This myth gives people false hope and therefore it should be done away with.

The following revelation may not sit well with the weight loss community of Georgetown, but the fact is that most of the professional nutritionists and registered nurses are an inadequate source of information when it comes to diet plans. They do have some basic knowledge but they may not have the expertise to give you the help you need. Hence you should just ignore what they have to say.

You can save your time and prevent your weight problem from getting worse, by seeking help from a professional weight loss trainer in Georgetown. Such people are well informed and can help you loose weight unlike the others who simply keep adding more myths related to weight loss. - 17269

About the Author:

Josef Brandenburg is a Georgetown weight loss expert who is dedicated to helping normal, busy people create the bodies they have always wanted in their spare time. Hes been featured in The Washington Post and has written the books - The Body You Want and The Body You Want From A to Z. Click here to find out how to get a no strings attached 7-Day FREE Trial.

A Washington, DC Weight Loss Plan for the 21st Century Man

By Will Branden

In todays life people think that there is nothing wrong with staying home and being lazy. One does not need to go out for anything. You can get everything at your door step with a click of a button. You have cyber libraries, online shopping, online games and chat messengers through which you can communicate instantly. The advent of technology has greatly affected the lifestyle of the new generation. The internet has made us believe that it is OK to sit in front of our computers the entire day because there are medicines and electronic machines to fix all of our weight and health problems. However your professional weight loss trainer from Washington DC does not agree with this concept and will pull you out of your comfort zone and reveal the truth.

Media and internet are the major sources which lead the people into thinking that weight loss can be achieved conveniently. Its interesting to note that the weight reduction program advocated by Washington DC believes otherwise. Following are some facts about weight loss which is brought to you by the weight reduction trainer of Washington DC. These facts will help you identify the truth and discard incorrect beliefs about weight loss:

1. The road to fatness (and disease!) is living an unhealthy lifestyle: It doesn't matter whether there are tons of slimming gadgets, weight loss pills and diet programs; if you are unable to get out of a poor lifestyle, these new-age schemes of convenient, yet temporary, slimming programs are nothing but a good case of bad investment (of time and money). The secret to a more attractive physique starts with understanding that only a healthy lifestyle begets a healthy body.

2. A low-fat diet trails behind a low-carb diet: The common notion is to minimize fat intake. While this can be helpful in losing weight, your Washington, DC Weight Loss Program suggests a better diet option: a low-carb meal by avoiding foods with refined carbohydrates. Even if you get the fatty stuff off your food and replace it with high-carb and high-protein meals, it still wont work out right. You see, carbs are stored as sugar, and later on as fats if unused, so that a carbohydrate-rich diet becomes pretty much fatty in a pretty discrete way. Whats the point of getting all the fat off your diet when you are creating them anyway through increased carb-intake? Its best to go low on carbs by avoiding refined carbohydrates such as cookies, junk food, bread, pasta, etc. Get your daily carb needs from fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole wheat.

3. Working out is the sure shot way to get slim: Adopting a healthy lifestyle by regular exercises and healthy food will definitely go a long way in giving you a great physique. Your personal weight loss trainer from Washington DC will put you on a tailor made exercise program, prepared with your specific needs in mind. Although customized programs are not as popular in today's world compared to the boxed programs that most of the gyms use for their customers, it is far better because it caters to your personal needs and targets. And since our career and social life take 60% of our time, it also caters to the amount of time you can dedicate.

To sum it up, the secret of a healthy body is leading a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle is all about balanced diet and physical activity. The Washington DC Weight loss expert constantly reiterates the value of these core fundamentals. He works tirelessly to propagate these fundamentals across all men who believe the myths created by the techie world. - 17269

About the Author:

Josef Brandenburg is a Washington, DC weight loss expert who is dedicated to helping normal, busy people create the bodies they want in their spare time. Hes been featured in The Washington Post and is the author of The Body You Want and The Body You Want From A to Z. Click here to find out how to get a no strings attached 7-Day FREE Trial.

How To Gain Muscle And Weight Gain

By Cliff Wenneth

Could you teach me how to gain muscle fast? Every single hard gainer wants to know how to gain muscle fast and how to do it safely and effectively. Hard gainers, please listen up! I am happy to say that learning how to gain muscle fast is not as hard as some would make you believe but it also not as easy as you might think. But you must be prepared to train smarter and not harder. Here is some of the most popular advice I give to the hard gainer when he wishes to gain muscle fast.

* Never perform Beyond 10 Reps - If you are lifting weights more than 10 reps, then you are stressing your slow-twitch muscle fibers which have the smallest opportunity for muscle growth. You need to take on the maximal amount of muscle fibers in every set. Remember keep the weights heavy but not more than 10 reps.

* Reduce Your Workout Time with more workout. Perform more work in less time then increased your work capacity. Work refers to the number of sets, reps and poundage within your workout. Try to complete your current workout in less time for your next work. Move from one exercise to the next much quicker. Take shorter rests. Don't be surprised if you feel out of shape![I.0.J]

* Do Only One Exercise Per Muscle Group - Yes, only one, unless you want to buy into the notion that you must mutilate a muscle for over an hour to get any growth out of it. Your goal is to simple spark your muscles into growth. Not exhaust them to death. Once you have out performed your last workout, it is time to move onto the next exercise.

* Do No More Than 3-5 Sets Per Muscle Group - Anything over and above this last go till you blow set simply exhausts the muscle beyond reason and delays your recovery ability to hit the muscle again.

* Increase Your Strength 5% Every Two Weeks - How do you expect to gain muscle fast if you continue to lift the same weights each workout? Your body is designed to tolerate stress. Battering it and let it get bigger. I would recommend aim for a minimum of 5% strength increase every two weeks. You might progress a little quicker with larger muscle groups like back and legs versus smaller muscles like biceps and triceps. I would actually recommend writing down your strength goals for six months from now and than work backwards. If you are currently dead lifting 135 lbs, aim to be dead lifting 270 lbs over the next few months! - 17269

About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at No Nonsense Muscle Building Program He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before. Get FREE BONUS Here.

Facts on High Blood Pressure Sodium Intake

By Michael Byrd

Excessive sodium intake can bring about high blood pressure so put that salt shaker down at once! We always get this advice from health professionals. This advice is good but only if you follow it.

Sodium is an essential mineral so you can't live without it. However, too much sodium intake can do more harm than good. We only need a little amount of salt to survive. However, most Americans get much more than they should. Let us see if we can solve this high blood pressure sodium intake problem.

One of the important reasons why your body uses sodium is it help in normalizing the water balance in your body. However, you need to be conscious of your sodium intake since too much of it can cause water retention in your body which can then lead to edema and an increase in blood volume. The increase in blood volume can stress the circulatory system which eventually leads to high blood pressure. Sure enough there are other reasons for high blood pressure but combined with other factors or even all by itself it is still a cause.

So how much sodium does our body really need? Our body only needs around 500 to 1,000 milligrams of sodium daily to function properly. However, for most adults, as much as 1,100 to 3,300 milligrams daily is assumed to be safe and The American Heart Association also recommends that we get no more than 2,300 milligrams or approximately one teaspoon of salt a day.

So how much salt are we getting right now? It is said that a regular American consumes between 6,000 up to 15,000 milligrams of sodium in a day and it can even get as much as 28,000 milligrams. This is exactly the reason why we need to take closer look at our sodium intake.

How come we are getting too much sodium in our diets? This is because sodium is found in almost every food that you eat especially in packaged, restaurant, and processed foods. Since we need to be watchful of our diet then it is important that we know how to read food labels so we can keep track of our total sodium intake.

When eating breakfast, lunch, dinners as well as all the snacks in between try to have some fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, whole grains and everything else that has no salt added. That way you are able to reduce your sodium intake gradually. If you wish to reduce your salt and high blood pressure sodium intake then it is best that you begin with baby steps.

If you want to reduce your salt and high blood pressure sodium intake then you can to begin with baby steps. You can stop using prepared foods and use homemade instead. Moreover, start buying fresh products instead of canned goods. Drink lots of water instead of soda and if you really cannot avoid eating packaged foods then make sure you buy only those with low sodium labels.

Just follow these suggestions together with the other means of lowering blood pressure such as exercising regularly, having more omega 3 fish oil in your diet, and reducing stress and you'll surely see your blood pressure drop down naturally. - 17269

About the Author:

Information about omega 3 has never been this easy to understand! Get more free information by going to this website on fish oil.

Mighty Memory - Martin Mak Mighty Memory Review

By Chris Jensen

The human brain is a fascinating organ, being the master control center of the body. It stores information that has been perceived by the senses. Human beings have the most highly developed brain of all. Thus, the human brain may be referred to as the "mighty biological computer". Among the many functions of the brain is storing and retrieving memories. But how does the "mighty biological computer" have a "Mighty Memory"?

Memory is not something we are born with. Instead, it is something that can be learned and trained. No matter how bad you think your memory is, you can find ways by which it can be improved.

The Mighty Memory System by Martin Mak provides effective tools for improving memory and learning. The package includes a main manual and an mp3 Alpha state recording. Alpha state brainwaves frequency ranges from 8 to 14 cycles per second. They stimulate intuition, imagination, and higher awareness; calm your mind and body while maintaining mental alertness; and improve mental processes such as concentration, clarity of thinking, decision-making, and memory. The package also includes freebies like the Guide to Mind Control, Speed Reading Monster, Study Secrets, and more.

The system trains the left and right sides of the brain and teaches techniques that help improve memorization. Moreover, it uses all your senses together with your brain to help store and retrieve information quickly and effortlessly. Whatever you read, see, hear, feel, or touch is recorded in your mind.

If you study hard but seem to retain only a bit of information or if you frequently experience information overload, if you forget things easily or if you constantly misplace your things, and if you can't learn quick enough or if you think that your memory is getting worse by the day, try the Mighty Memory System. Remember, there is no poor memory; there is only an untrained memory. - 17269

About the Author:

This author considers Ways To Improve Memory and Mighty Memory to be pretty extraordinary.

Body Building Tips To Get Bigger and Stronger Spending Less Time in The Gym

By Ricardo d Argence

You get better results when you put more effort into achieving something. The widely accepted truth that applies to most areas of life. The longer you spend learning to play an instrument, the better musician you will become.

It's a good idea to spend more time at the gym, because isn't that how you'll become stronger? Contrary to what you might think, the answer to this question is a definite no! The convention wisdom about this area of bodybuilding goes out the window, down the street, and around the corner. I know you are wondering how cutting down your gym workout time can increase your muscle mass. Well, it's true, and I will explain you why. When examining the muscle-growth process from the very basic roots and it will become clear why this is why it is the way it is.

In every way, the body is naturally geared to keep live and healthy. We feel miserable when we have not eaten or drank fluids for some time, we get a suntan because of the excessive UV rays presence, calluses are produced to safeguard our skin, etc. What would occur if we chance to split our muscle tissue in the gym? You are right if you are thinking that the muscles will get stronger and larger.

A threat to the musculature has been posed by resisting the muscle's present capacity. The body recognizes this as potentially harmful and as a natural adaptive response the muscles will increase in size to protect the body against this threat. The body will continually build and adapt as we regularly and consistently increase the workload over the weeks.

Sound simple? Ultimately it is, but the most important thing to realize in relation to all of this is that the muscles can only grow bigger and stronger if they are provided with sufficient recovery time. Without the proper recovery time, the muscle growth process simply cannot take place.

Training with the minimum amount of volume needed to get a good response should be your goal. Once you have pushed your muscles beyond their present capacity and have triggered your thousand-year-old evolutionary alarm system, you have done your job. In order to keep the time your body needs to heal to a minimum, avoid putting unnecessary stress on it.

Most people train way too often and with far more sets than they really need to. High intensity weight training is much more stressful to the body than most people think. The majority of people structure their workout programs in a manner that actually hinders their gains and prevents them from making the progress that they deserve.

You should follow these guidelines if you want to achieve the maximum gains are: 1. Train no more than three times per week. 2. Keep your workouts to one hour or less. 3. Do this for 5-7 sets for the large muscle groups (chest, back, thighs); smaller muscle groups (shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, abs) require 2-4 sets.

Focus concentric muscular failure and increase weight or reps each week. If you consistantly train more than you need it will be counterproductive to your gains. Have this in mind and visit my site if you want more info. - 17269

About the Author:

Obtain the best selling natural bodybuilding program, the Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System and achieve the best results in a few weeks.

Get a Natural Energy Boost with Acai Berry

By Maxine Schill

This may be the biggest claim of acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry juice and supplements which are taking the world by storm is the excellent energy boosting properties being claimed from many of its users. Many claim to see results after just one or two weeks of taking the product. The feedback of the users suggest increased sound sleep, sharp mental skills and digestion.

It may sound a little far fetched but did you know that these fruits contain more protein than an egg? They contain multi vitamin and have a high concentration of lipids " the energy booster noted earlier. Even the levels of antioxidants are greater than 30 times higher than in grapes and wine, which have been publicized for several years as a healthful supplement for cardiovascular health.

The cholesterol levelers incorporated in the acai berry have been found to be significantly more effective than those of most other natural supplements on the market presently. Combined with heart-healthy antioxidants that promote circulation, you can see the significance of this tiny fruit.

It does not stop there. The vitamins and minerals present in this 'super' food actively encourage the uptake of important oils into the connective tissue. What is the meaning of this? To get to the point, the body takes in increased amount of oil needed for muscle regeneration and flexibility " great news for people suffering from arthritis and related diseases.

You just have to add this little magic berry in your diet to make it more healthy. Don't you want to have more energy, have a sharper mind, feel more awake and know for certain that your heart is receiving a daily boost?

Although these claims have not been confirmed by doctors or scientists, it can't hurt to try the juice or supplement. Blood Pressure, Cholesterol level and weight should be taken before starting to monitor yourself in a month or so. In this way you won't have to wait for someone else to tell you that you are getting healthier! - 17269

About the Author:

Besides nutritionally balancing your diet , you'll also get an acai berry energy boost. With all it has to offer, antioxidants, the health and nutritional value. It's easy to see why it is the #1 superfood. It's the healthiest food you can add to your diet, acai berry. Get pure organic acai berry in capsules, juice, pouches and powder to add to your favorite recipe..

Overtraining Lies, Lies, Lies

By Owen Tapp

Have you ever been told that you're overtraining? I bet those same people that have told you that you're overtraining are the same people that tell you to work each muscle group only once per week to failure every set.

I'm fed up as I'm sure you are with the Internet experts that give out bad information. Many of these people simply regurgitate useless information given to them in magazines packed with pictures of huge bodybuilders that shoot up with steroids each and every day. We've got to put a stop to this nonsense.

Do not listen to the so called message board and forum experts that argue with each other and put each other down. I'm sure you've seen it before on many of the top message boards and forums. I took advice from the people that simply 'sounded' like they knew what they were talking about. Of course, they didn't. I had to experiment myself for years before finding the truth.

Don't Let Anyone Tell You You're Overtraining... They Don't Know

Do you have any idea why someone can't look at your weight lifting program and tell you that you're overtraining? I've even heard those experts tell people that working out more than 3 times per week is overtraining. Amazing I tell you. Simply amazing. There are WAY TOO MANY factors for anyone to tell you that you're overtraining... Way too many.

Here are just a few of the factors that affect whether or not you are overtraining...

1) Hydration

2) Nutrition and Diet

3) Cardio Exercise

4) Weekly Program Adjustments

5) Intensity of Weight Training

6) Weight Training Frequency

7) Pre and Post Workout Diet

8) Supplementation

9) Total Sleep

10) Stress Levels

11) Genetics

12) Levels of Conditioning

The factors I've listed above are only a few. Can you tell me how someone can tell you you're overtraining without knowing anything about you, your life, your diet, etc? They can't!

If I told you that you could workout 7 days per week without overtraining, would you still call me crazy? Because you can do exactly that and not overtrain. You would definitely need to know what you were doing, but you could pull it off and make good progress. I don't recommend 7 days per week as I am just trying to make a point.

What's my point? My point is no one and I mean no one can tell you that you are doing too much without taking into account all the factors that affect recovery between workouts. They need to know how your progress is coming along, how much you've been sleeping, the stress levels in your life, do you stretch, do you perform low or high intensity cardio, do you go to failure every set of every workout, etc. So never listen to someone who tells you that you're overtraining without taking into account all the factors.

How Do You Know if You're Overtraining?

Measure your strength gains from workout to workout. You should be making progress every workout. Sometimes you'll hit a little bump in the road and strength gains will slow down but they'll usually pick back up with an intelligently designed weight training program. If strength gains slow for several workouts, then you may need to make some changes.

As long as you are making progress, you don't have to worry about overtraining.

If progress slows or comes to a halt, the simple way of fixing that is to first ensure you're optimizing all the factors that affect recovery between workouts. Are you sleeping enough? Drinking enough water? Do you need to decrease the stress in your life? Simple changes can kickstart your progress again!

If you're staying sore for extended periods of time... let's say for more than 4 to 5 days in the same muscle group, you most likely need to take a break from weight training. This shouldn't happen unless you're doing way too much weight lifting and too high a frequency. Soreness is not the best indicator of recovery, but if it occurs for long periods of time, you've done too much damage and need an extended break to let your body recover. Simply take a week off.

This is How The WLC Program Prevents You From Overtraining...

The WLC Program Package includes an entire section on Rest and Recovery. You'll find some of my biggest secrets for increasing recovery between workouts. You'll learn how to prevent overtraining by finding the optimal weight training intensity for you.

Stress levels in your life must be decreased. When you decrease stress levels, you will get better results. Decreasing stress is easy when you know how. If you want to make good progress, you MUST decrease stress in your life.

Sleep is also a huge factor affecting overtraining. You must get plenty of sleep each night if you want to build muscle and burn fat optimally.

I even have a few special tactics in the WLC Program that you can use to increase recovery from workouts even more. You won't find information like this anywhere else. Use this information, and you'll never have to worry about overtraining again. You'll know you're doing everything you can to get the best possible results.

And one of the most important tactics you can use right now to prevent overtraining is to take a full one week break before and after every weight lifting cycle. With the WLC Program, a weight lifting cycle usually lasts around 10-12 weeks and then you get to take a full one week break.

The required break from weight training after each cycle allows you to make amazing progress each and every cycle. The break allows your muscle mass to decondition from any load which allows you to make amazing progress the following cycle when following an intelligently designed weight lifting program. - 17269

About the Author:

Recovery from workouts is vital to building the body you want. This Muscle Building Program is exactly what you need to get optimal results.

The Basics Of A Powerful Weight Training Program

By Emmanuel Palmer

You've seen enough action flicks to know you want the same body as the hero who gets the girl-now you're taking the next step by enrolling in a gym and getting a weight training program to get you to your goal. Read on to get the best muscle building exercises and facts that will help you understand your body better; effectively putting substance on your workouts.

There are two philosophies in weight training: the high intensity training and the periodization program. The main difference between the two is the time and aggression that you hit each session with. High intensity focuses on short and highly charged workouts with emphasis on drills that you need to do until failure (unable to lift weights because of sheer exhaustion). Periodization is training over a period of 2 to three months; wherein you will do light, medium and heavy training for three weeks per level.

If you are unsure which is a better method-it is both. They have advantages and disadvantages and the best approach is to take the parts which works for you and integrate it into your regimen. Always keep in mind though that you will need to vary the exercises and weight loads often because your body remembers the pain you subjected it to and it will prepare for it. When it becomes familiar and complacent, the workout will not be as effective as before.

The power triumvirate of serious bodybuilders is weight training, rest and nutrition. For the more inexperienced trainers, the latter two usually not as given much attention; however, it needs to be said that all three are equally essential to the success of your training. Like for resting; when you exercise and put little tears in the muscle, it is rest that repairs it and develops the tissue to become the stronger and harder muscles that you enjoy. When you work out certain days; use the remaining days of the week to concentrate on getting good sleep.

The best muscle building food are meals that are rich in carbohydrates and protein. Examples of these would be chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, etc. As much as possible, do not pig out on high fat content food to fill your calorie needs. If you prefer, consume protein shakes and muscle building supplements to add to your nutrient requirements for the day.

Never forget to warm up and stretch before you start your workout session. What this does is lay the foundation for your exercise; preparing your body to perform at its best by stimulating the blood flow to vital organs, raising your body temperature and increasing flexibility. Make it a practice to stretch even between sets and as you cool down after your training.

When you are bulking up you need more calories so do not load up on extreme aerobic training in the beginning stages. That being said, cardiovascular training is important to the health of your heart so never neglect this aspect in your training. As you get closer to your weight objective; increase the frequency and time you allot for aerobic exercises.

A perfect weight training program is the holy grail of all bodybuilders and professional trainers alike- much desired but few take the effort to see it through. And while mistakes may litter the path to the amazing physique of your dreams, with determination and persistence it will not fail to come. - 17269

About the Author:

Emmanuel Palmer enjoys learning about the best muscle building strategies. Click on here to the most effective Weight Training Program today.

Free Weight Loss Plans

By Owen Jones

The race to fitness is on and a lot of people are getting in on the act. Some people do it in order to have a sexy body, some people just do it because they are ashamed of their body, while others do it just to remain fit and healthy. As such, there are many fitness programs available on the Internet, in gyms, spas and fitness centres all over the world. Some are very - so expensive that you will lose weight just by trying to earn the money needed to pursue these fitness programs.

One may not have to go to the gym or the spa or any fitness center and spend a fortune just to slim down and obtain that longed for beautiful body. There are many books available in the bookstores] offering weight loss programs that seem convenient and free. However, the books are not though. These weight loss programs, or diet plans are gaining immense popularity because of their publicity, testimonials and reviews and you may be confused as to exactly which one to follow. So before choosing which weight loss plan to follow, try reading the following summaries of the most popular diet programs out today.

The Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Dr. Atkins: This diet plan encourages a high protein diet and fewer carbohydrates. You can eat loads of vegetables and meat but must not eat bread and pasta. You are not restricted on your fat consumption so it is OK to pour on the (right) salad dressing and freely spread on the butter. However, during the diet, some people may find themselves short on fibre and high on fat and cholesterol. Grains and fruits are also strictly limited.

The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet by Drs. Heller. This diet plan also recommends following a low carbohydrate diet. It suggests eating mostly meats, vegetables and fruit, dairy and grain products. however, warns against taking in too many carbohydrates. So-called "Reward Meals" can be quite high in fats and saturated fats.

Choose to Lose: by Dr. Goor. Restricts fat intake. You are given a "fat" budget and you are given free reign on how to use it. It does not pressure the individual to regulate his carbohydrate intake. Eating meat and poultry as well as low-fat dairy and seafood is fine. You may also consume vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta. This weight loss plan is fairly healthy, because it recommends correct amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as saturated fats. Watch your triglyceride levels though. If they are high, cut down on the carbohydrates and eat more unsaturated fats.

The DASH Diet. Recommends eating a moderate amount of fat and protein but lots of carbohydrates. It was primarily designed to lower blood pressure. The diet plan follows the pyramid food guide and encourages a high consumption of whole wheat grains and fruit and vegetables and low-fat dairy. Some dieters think it advises too much eating to produce significant weight loss.

Eat More, Weigh Less: by Dr. Ornish. Primarily a vegetarian food and low-fat diet. Warns to look out for low-fat dairy and egg whites. This diet program is poor in calcium and restricts the consumption of healthy foods like seafood and lean poultry.

Eat Right for Your Type: This scheme is really unusual because it bases its recommendations on your blood type. For example, it advises plenty of meat for people with the blood type O. However, diet plans for some blood types are nutritionally imbalanced and too low in calories. Furthermore, just for the record, there is no evidence that blood type can affect dietary requirements.

The Pritkin Principle: It focuses on cutting back on the amount of calories by eating 'watery' foods that make you feel full. It recommends eating vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads and low-fat dairy, which it says is fine, although it also restricts protein sources to lean meat, seafood and poultry. It is healthy because it provides low amounts of saturated fats and high amounts of vegetables and fruits. However, it is low on calcium and limits lean protein sources.

Volumetrics: It recommends consuming fewer calories. It recommends about the same foods as Pritkin but limits fatty food and grain foodstuffs like popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This program is fairly healthy given the high amounts of fruit and vegetables. It also recommends eating fewer calories and saturated fats.

The Zone: It is fairly low on carbohydrates but fairly high on proteins. It encourages low-fat protein foods such as fish and chicken plus vegetables, fruits and grains. It is also a healthy diet but lacking in grains and calcium.

Weight Watchers: High carbohydrates, yet moderate on fats and proteins. A very healthy diet plan and very flexible too. It allows the dieter to plan his own meals rather than offering recipes, although there are WW TV dinners in the shops. - 17269

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Are you interested in a rapid weight loss plan? If so, please visit our website called Quick Weight Loss

Berries In Colours Reflect Power In Antioxidants

By Anastacia Sampson

For high Vitamin C doses we may indulge in fresh strawberries. While many other berry fresh types abound! From blue-staining blueberries (that are blue-purple in colour) to raspberries, cranberries, mulberries and other juicy sweet berries.

Not all berries are sweet, some are harmful and fatal. Whenever anyone is in the wild and comes across wild berries, mushrooms and other unknown varieties it is worth not even trying them for taste. The knowledge of what is poisonous is helpful before taking a wild trial and trying out the foods we assume are safe. Generally mushrooms look appealing, they are a fungus and can be dangerous.

In our stores the small button mushrooms are most common and safe. They're mostly water, while shitake mushrooms are known to be very health supporting. Berries are nutritious and supply various levels of protective antioxidants. Blueberries have an abundance of antioxidants to reduce our rate of ageing and help ward away the development of disease. Cranberries are used therapeutically for urinary tract infections. A susceptibility to kidney stones can be lessened by taking cranberry juice. There are medications for urinary and bladder problems that incorporate cranberries.

Medical studies display the potency of cranberry juice to protect against some forms of kidney stones. Blueberries have also been shown to effectively protect and treat urinary tract infections. It is these blueberries and cranberries that prevent the harmful bacteria from latching onto the urinary walls. The harmful bacteria are unsupported to grow and therefore cause ill health. It happens that in different countries certain berries tend to grow and are more popular and available. Although access to fresh berries at our nearby grocery stores is not general we do have access to frozen and canned berries. As they are fragile, berries are not suitable for mass transport and storage in fresh form.

The mulberry tree provides the mulberry fruit, the mulberries not only feed us but the leaves of that tree feed silk worms. Using berries to make juice is an age old practice and we can always find berry flavoured juices or concentrated berry juices.

It is known that bakery products of pies and tarts often include berry ingredients. Often we have the cherries on ice-cream or cakes. Another decorative piece that is nutritious and a colourful appeal! Usually preserved, red cherries are available in packages in grocery stores. Valuable iron levels are in loganberries, blackberries, black currents and raspberries. The gooseberries may be more common and have a yellow tinge. Vitamin E levels in useful levels are found in the blackberries!

Generally berries are high in fibre, minerals and vitamins relative to various other fruits. Berries may be minor juicy fragile ball-like fruits, yet they pack a punch for nutritional health. - 17269

About the Author:

Anastacia Sampson is a Nutritional Medicine Practitioner and freelance journalist, and lives in East London in South Africa. It is through consulting and advising the public on nutritional information that her health book has been published. Anastacia Sampson also runs a website, Healthy Living, where you will find information on relationships.