I Need to Lose Weight by Eating Organic-How Can I Afford it

My DSP followers and blog readers keep me motivated. I want to pay it forward by answering your common nutrition questions. Here’s a great one: I need to lose weight by eating organic. How do I accomplish this without ending up in the poor house?
First, let me just reassure you that your ability to lose weight is not dependent on whether you eat organic foods or not. If you follow the right eating plan, you can achieve successful weight loss results without going organic. However, if you want to invest in your long-term health, an organic diet is definitely worth considering.
If you’re a regular reader, you know that I’m a huge advocate of organic foods. I know what kind of garbage farmers and manufacturers use in conventional foods, that’s why I don’t buy them. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that organic foods aren’t pricy, because they are. However, there are ways to add organic foods to your diet without going broke.

Get Rid of the Junk and Eat Sensibly

Processed junk like cereal bars, granola bars, protein shakes and low-fat cookies can put the squeeze on your wallet. Once you rid your grocery list of junk, you’ll be surprised how much moola it will free up. Put the leftover money to good use and buy a few organic food items.
How many of us eat way more than we should? Think about it. The more food you eat, the more you’ll have to buy, and the costlier your organic diet will be. If you learn to manage your portion sizes and stop eating once you’re full, you’ll not only lose weight, you’ll save money too.

Buy Selectively and Bargain Shop

I’m a pretty thrifty gal. If I get wind of a good sale, I’m there. When you find great sales on organic meat or poultry, rack up. You can pop the extras in the freezer and use them later on down the line. If you can never seem to catch natural poultry or meat on sale, buy whatever gets you the most mileage out of your dollar.
Pick and choose the kind of produce you buy organic. Produce with thick skins such as bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, lemons, asparagus and melons tend to resist pesticide penetration. So if push comes to shove, you can buy the conventional versions of these foods.
Thin-skinned and leafy produce like spinach, apples, nectarines, bell peppers, strawberries, lettuce and grapes absorb pesticides like sponges; so buy these types of fruits and veggies organic whenever possible.

Garden and Buy From Local Farmers

Have you seen the price of tomatoes lately? Whoa. You know organic tomatoes are super easy to grow and you don’t even need a yard to do it. You can get a decent size pot and grow enough tomatoes to last all summer long.
Tomatoes aren’t the only things you can put in your garden. Radishes, cucumbers, spinach, onions and herbs practically grow themselves. If you’re serious about going organic without going broke, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
If you want fresh, affordable produce, visit your local farmers’ market. The local farmers who sell at these markets usually limit or eliminate the use of pesticides on their fruits and vegetables. The produce goes straight from the farm to the market, so there are no added expenses for shipping or packaging.
There’s no need to dive into an organic lifestyle head first. It took me three years to completely transition. I started slow and inched my way up until I got where I wanted to be. You can do the same thing. Simply start by replacing a few of the foods you consume regularly and then take it from there.
Don’t spend another day confused about nutrition. Let The Diet Solution Program show you what it means to eat healthy, lose weight and feel great about yourself.

Get Lean Program Momentum Phase: 1st Month completed!

This first month was the Momentum Phase and it has been amazing! My motivation did not fell me and I only had 3 days where I didn’t workout: 1 day was my birthday, 2^nd day was Mother’s day & the 3^rd day was during a crazy weekend!

I can see some definition on my arms & legs. I am starting to see a glimpse of my abs too! I made sure I regain good night sleep and have now more energy than before...

The nutrition plan has not only been good for me but also for the rest of my family: my husband & children love Belinda’s recipes and found them really tasty. Following the nutrition plan has helped me to be more organised in the kitchen and overall improved my time management!! 

	Start	Now	Difference
Weight	68kg	65.8kg	-2.2kg
Full press-ups	3	7	+4
Knee press-ups	34	42	+ 8
Tricep bench dips	33	27	-6
Plank (seconds)	30s	51s	21s

I have exciting news about the Get Lean Program: Belinda has now re-launched her site and upgrade the E-book version of Get Lean Program into one that includes workout video downloads with Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced levels: this will help a lot, particularly for those who are not confident exercising by themselves. I bought the upgrade yesterday and I am so excited as I will be sure to improve my technique & challenge myself to higher level of fitness!

Month 2 is Acceleration Phase and I should see more weight loss thanks to a more efficient metabolism. I need to make sure sleep is a key priority, as I have now started to have my daily workout between 5 & 6 am!

Overall I am confident I am on track to achieve my end goals...

Do follow me on Twitter @valeriemyburgh to see my progress and hopefully get inspiration from my journey!

The Benefits To Models From the Mediterranean Diet

Three Factors Relating to Beauty and the Med Diet Regimen
While it is important for fashion and fitness models to maintain their chiseled and attractive looks, many other men and women are also concerned with their appearances. Therefore, many people in different parts of the world oftentimes find themselves trying to learn more about what fashion and fitness models do to maintain their looks and appearances.
When it comes to discerning what a fashion or fitness model does to look their best, their regimens normally encompass three routines:

• cosmetic
• fitness
• dietary

In the 21st century, a growing number of fashion and fitness models are relying on the Mediterranean diet as part of their dietary routines. There are three primary reasons why these fashion and fitness models are relying on the Mediterranean diet to keep them in top notch condition.
The Med Diet Assists in Weight Management
It goes without saying that fashion and fitness models are concerned - some would say 'obsessed' - with their weight. We live in a day and age where being in good physical shape matters on many levels.
Right or wrong, many societies the world over place a great deal of importance on a person's ability to be able to maintain a healthy weight. This emphasis on being thinner transcends the obvious health issues associated with avoiding becoming or staying overweight.
When it comes to keeping weight down, many health conscious fashion and fitness models do turn to the Mediterranean diet as opposed to the fad diet schemes that gain so much media attention all of the time. Through the Mediterranean diet, these fashion and fitness models are able to control their weight but do not have to sacrifice their health in the process.
The Mediterranean Diet Fosters Great Looking Skin
When it comes to pursuing a career as a fashion or fitness model, skin care and skin appearance is absolutely vital. Scientific research in the past thirty years has conclusively demonstrated that there is a definite connection between the appearance of a person's skin and his or her diet.
When it comes to skin care and appearance, many people have come to appreciate the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Because the diet includes a selection of food items that are rich in anti-oxidants, the Mediterranean diet is proven to assist in maintaining youthful looking skin.
Anti-oxidants work to neutralize the negative effects of free radicals. It is the presence of free radicals in a person's system that causes skin to age prematurely.
The Med Diet is a High Energy Regimen
Fashion and Fitness modeling are demanding careers. In order for a person to succeed in either one of these occupations, it is important for that person to have the energy level necessary to satisfy a very demanding schedule.
Because the Mediterranean diet is a well balanced regimen, it works to provide a person with a plentiful supply of energy. Drawing calories from a wide range of healthy foods, a person who follows the Mediterranean diet finds his or her self energetic and able to meet the demands of even a very full schedule. Here's were you can see download my eBook and several free bonuses.

I Need to Lose Weight and Fast: Which Diet Plan Should I Use?

If I had a dollar for every time someone came up to me and said, “I need to lose weight and fast,” I’d be stretched out on the sandy beaches of Hawaii without a care in the world. Low carb, high protein, liquid and cabbage soup – with all the diet plans on the market, how on earth do you choose?
Most of these diets are just a bunch of hype; so personally, I wouldn’t touch any of them with a 50-foot stick. Sorry to break it to you (I always gotta be the bad guy), there are no shortcuts to weight loss. The most effective way to lose those stubborn pounds is by using a common sense approach that favors nutritious eating over dieting.

The Lure of the Fad Diet

When people want to lose weight, they want to do it quick, fast and in a hurry. Fad diet marketers take advantage of this desperation and use the promise of lightning speed results to reel you in.
Quick does not always equal better. In fact, when it comes to permanent weight loss, slow and steady always wins out in the end. Here are two of the main reasons faddy-type diets don’t work:

• They don’t deliver long-term results. Most fad diets require you to drastically reduce your caloric intake. This causes your metabolism to respond by slowing down. Once you revert back to your regular eating habits, you’ll gain the weight back just as fast as you lost it.

• They mangle your health. Fad diet plans deprive you of some of the key nutrients you need for good health. This can result in malnutrition, zapped energy, damaged organs, hair loss, and loss of lean muscle tissue. Sounds like a fun way to drop a few, huh.

4 Simple Rules of Eating to Lose Weight

Losing weight is certainly not the easiest thing to do, but if you remember these four simple rules, you’ll never have to hop on the fad diet bandwagon. You can lose weight gradually (remember slow and steady) and keep it off for good.

1. Stay away from processed foods. These foods are full of high fructose corn syrup, salt and chemical additives that can cause weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and cancer. Yep. This includes those frozen diet meals that some weight loss programs encourage you to buy.
2. Leave the sugar alone. Sugar is riddled with calories. If you use it to sweeten foods and beverages everyday, you can easily rack up too many calories and hinder your weight loss efforts.
3. Eat enough food. If you’re hungry all the time, you are probably not eating enough food to fuel your body. If you don’t eat enough, your body will hold on to stored fat instead of burning it off. This is not what you want to happen when you’re trying to lose weight.
4. Stay hydrated. Water is important when you’re trying to slim down because it helps to metabolize fat and eliminate toxins and stored fat in the body. So drink up!

Where Does Exercise Fit In?

When you follow a healthy eating plan, you’ll likely lose weight, even if you don’t workout. However, unless you add exercise into the mix, your metabolism will eventually slow down and you won’t see the results you want.
Your exercise routine should consist of both cardio and weight training. Relax ladies. Training with weights won’t turn you into the Terminator; it will simply help you build muscle mass and sculpt a lean, fierce frame.
Getting in the habit of working out several days week can be tough, especially if you already have a lot on your plate. Choose exercises you enjoy. This way, you’re more likely to stick with a program.
I know what it’s like to want to lose weight fast. I’ve been there and I feel your pain. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to permanent weight loss (believe me, I’ve looked). The best way to achieve long-term weight loss without jeopardizing your health is with proper nutrition and exercise.
Making the decision to lose weight is the first step to looking good and feeling even better. Watch this video to get advice on the age-old dilemma of, “I need to lose weight and fast.”

How to Lose Weight Safely With A Mediterranean Diet

If you're persuing a way to lose fifteen pounds in two weeks, a high protein diet, a low carb diet, a fruit diet, a no fat diet, a blood type diet, a juice fast, a diet named after a place in Miami, a grapefruit diet, a cactus diet, a coffee and cigarette diet, a diet that includes sweets, a diet based on your body type, a diet based on an ancient religion or a diet based on your hair color, then this article is NOT for you.
Fancy Fad and crash diets, such as the ones described above are not only unhealthy but they also most often cause rebound weight gain. Also most diets, even though diet gurus write them, cause an initial weight loss but the ultimate result is that you gain all of the weight back the minute you go off the plan. If you don't gain it back within a couple of diets, you are likely to gain it all back plus a bit more within a year. Crash diets dehydrate you, low calorie diets put your body into starvation mode so you plateau so you can't lose one more pound and high protein diets stress your kidneys and clog your arteries.
So how does one lose weight?
There is only one answer to this question.
You need to expend more calories than you are taking in. Restricting certain foods, eating so-called fat burning foods, or dehydrating yourself with special pills or teas does not do it. It is simple math. The only way is to eat a little less and exercise a little more. Here is the equation below:
Eating Less + Exercising More = Weight Loss.
This is not a magical formula, it is just logic. It is also not a fast way to lose weight. As I have mentioned before, this is not an article about how to lose ten pounds in three days or 30 pounds in a month. It is about safe, healthy weight loss.
In order to lose weight safely and without putting yourself at risk for such health hazards as dehydration, kidney failure, malnutrition, exhaustion, nervous dysfunction, tooth loss, dull hair, wrinkles, cellulite, sudden heart failure or stroke and lose the weight so that it stays off, you should lose no more than approximately two pounds a week!
Although that might not sound like a large amount of weight to lose it actually is! If you lose 2 pounds a week that means you can achieve a weight loss of ten pounds a month! If you only have twenty pounds to lose then your weight loss is not only quite rapid, but you have the extra guarantee that it will stay off because you have followed a sensible exercise plan that did not involve starving, exhausting or depriving yourself. If you are willing to drop your impatience and desire for immediate gratification and stick to an exercise plan and healthy eating habits, then a Mediterranean Diet is for you. Remember being slim is only good if you are able to enjoy it!
Do You Need to Lose Weight?
Fascination with Fat
If you want to lose weight, you first need to assess whether you need to actually lose weight or are simply a fashion victim. Unfortunately this society is fascinated with fat - who has it and who doesn't. As we are persuaded by so many images in the media that persuade us to believe that you can never be too thin, many of us are bad judges of our actual body weight.
If you are under the age of eighteen and reading this book, the first thing you need to do is consult with your parent about your plans to lose weight. Have her make an appointment with a physician so that he can indicate to you whether or not you are a candidate for weight loss.
If you are an adult, it is possible that you may not be overweight and are just trying to be, as Bridget Jones put it in Bridget Jones Diary 'a stick insect with eyelashes.' It is also very possible that you know you need to lose weight but have no idea where to start.
If you are obese and you know it, then you have to check with a physician first to see how your health is before you embark on any exercise program or plan. The same is also true if you have any kind of medical condition but especially a thyroid condition or heart condition. Discuss the Mediterranean Diet with them. Some physicians may not recommend a weight loss program for those who are over 40 due to genetics and hormonal changes some people naturally just round out or gain weight in a way that simply cannot be changed. If your doctor tells you your spreading hips are due to menopause or genetics, believe him! It is not clever to fool with Mother Nature.
Publisher & author: Roy Barker. Roy has an indepth and long established background with the vitamins, minerals and health industry and has researched and experimented with many diets over a thirty year period. Roy is also the author of Safe and Easy Weightloss, a downloadable e-book based on the famous Mediterranean Diet and often used by those with heart conditions and those who seek an effective and safe way to shed weight and more importantly, keep it off. Here's were you can see download my eBook and several free bonuses.

I’m Really Overweight-Help Me Lose Weight

I remember being overweight, and desperate to find a solution to help me lose weight. After a few failed attempts, I finally dropped the weight and I’ve managed to keep it off for years. So how did I do it? Since that darned magic pill didn’t work, I had to lose the weight the old fashioned way. I committed myself to the cause, ate healthy and got off my hump and exercised. If I can do it, so can you.

Whip Your Eating Habits into Shape

We live in a nation of processed foods. The result of this is a skyrocketing population of fluffy adults and children. When you’re overweight, you are at risk for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and other illnesses that can reduce your quality of life and send you to an early grave.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it ten thousand times: processed foods are no good. Do yourself a favor and boot these items out of your diet. Replace them with healthier, natural foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, lean meats, poultry, beans, legumes, seeds and raw nuts.
Don’t delude yourself into thinking you can change your poor eating habits overnight. Keep in mind, bad eating habits are easy to develop, but they’re not as easy to change. It helps if you start small by making gradual tweaks to your diet.
For instance, you might make it a point to trade in your morning doughnut for a bowl of oatmeal, a piece of nitrate/nitrite free bacon and some fresh fruit. If you eat out everyday, scale back, and commit to preparing healthy, low-cal meals at home at least twice a week.
On the days you eat out, replace a few unhealthy foods with healthier menu choices. For instance, instead of ordering a bag of chips or a side of fries with you sandwich, opt for a small salad. Continue to make small dietary changes every couple of weeks until your poor eating habits are a thing of the past.

Get Up and Get Moving

When you’re trying to whittle your waistline, it’s all about the burn, baby. Once you remove all of the processed junk from your diet, you’ll automatically reduce your caloric intake and lose weight. However, if you don’t do something to set that metabolism on fire, it will slow down and you won’t see any additional weight loss results.
You don’t have to take the “whole hog” approach to exercising to see results. The most important thing is that you do something to get your body moving. Jump up and down for 10 minutes or take a stroll around the block – if it’s more physical activity than you normally get, you’re good.
Of course, as your fitness level improves, you’ll have to add to your exercise routine to keep those weight loss results coming.

Get Committed to Your Healthy Eating Plan

When we talk about losing weight, we always tackle the nutrition and exercise side of things. Let’s talk for a bit about the commitment dropping weight requires. Losing weight and keeping it off is hard work; it requires some serious lifestyle changes.
There are going to be times when you feel discouraged and disappointed, and days when you experience setbacks. If you’re committed – and I mean really committed, you’ll be able to pull yourself up, dust the cake crumbs off, and press on. If you’re not ready to dig your heels in and put in the work, you’ll be disheartened by the results.
Losing weight with proper nutrition and exercise can make you feel healthier and produce lasting results. Watch this video to learn how The Diet Solution Program can help you lose the fat and keep it off for good. If this program could help me lose weight, you can do it, too!

This Mediterranean Diet is Oh So Tasty!

It may comes as a surprise to some but there is more to the Mediterranean than sun, beach and wine there is the Mediterranean Diet.
For many years now the inhabitants of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea - (such as Southern Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon and Israel) have been considered to be among the healthiest in the world enjoying both high life expectancy plus showing health benefits like low incidence of chronic diseases and in recent years many studies have been made to discover why and if it has to do with more than just the sunshine!
Traditionally, their diet has been based on the livestock, fishing and agriculture of their land and reliance on foods from a rich diversity of plant sources including fruits, whole grains, nuts, beans and seeds. In Northern Africa for example, couscous, vegetables and legumes form the centre of the diet, in the Eastern Mediterranean, bulgar and rice along with vegetables and legumes and in Southern Europe, the basis is formed by rice, polenta, pasta with plenty of vegetables and legumes and everywhere bread is eaten at most meals (but without butter!). Nutritional research has shown the advantages of a diet HIGH in vegetables, fruits, grains, monounsaturated fats and various complex carbohydrates but LOW in cholesterol and certain forms of saturated fat and led to greater public awareness.
It is true that these foods, like those foods consumed by the rest of Europe and the United States are rich in fat, BUT& of a different type!
Let me explain this: There are three types of dietary fats:

• Saturated fats, (from animals)
• Polyunsaturated fats (from plants, seeds, nuts and vegetables)
• mono saturated fats (olive oil). Olive oil isn't only delicious (and somewhat expensive) but it's also rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, E and K as well as iron.

The health and therapeutic benefits of olive oil are vast: namely&
· it does not have the same cholesterol raising effects as the saturated fats found in animal fats
· it contains anti-oxidants that discourage clogging of the arteries and chronic diseases including cancer
· and it also has lubricating properties in so far as it acts as a laxative, aids digestion and protects the intestine from ulcers.
Now, this 'Mediterranean diet' - (though not exactly a diet in the ´slimmers´ sense of the word), has led to a style of eating that is a move away from relying on manufactured food stuffs to recipes consisting of natural and healthy ingredients eaten raw or minimally processed.
So what typically comprises 'The Mediterranean Diet?'
When, in 1993, The Harvard University School of Public Health and Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust (a Boston based educational organisation) held a conference on the Mediterranean diet and its influence on public health, reviewing data concerned with the dietary traditions of those countries bordering the Mediterranean, the committee developed the 'Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid', the main points of which are summarised as follows:

• plenty of food from plant sources, including fruit, vegetables, breads and grains, beans, nuts and seeds
• use of Olive Oil replacing other fats and oils
• fresh fruit daily
• Seasonally fresh and locally grown foods in preference to processed foods
• Saturated fat should constitute less than 20 per cent of total calories
• small amounts of cheese and yoghurt (containing live cultures which may contribute to good health)
• daily moderate amounts of fish and poultry weekly and only a few eggs
• very little red meat
• a glass of wine (especially red) with meals as it contains anti-oxidants and has cholesterol reducing properties (although optional as there are contraindications for women related to breast cancer)
  

Natalia Kim is a journalist for www.beginning-exercise-and-weight-loss-help.com Here's were you can see download my eBook and several free bonuses.

Free Weight Loss Hypnosis For Everyone From The Famous Harley Street in London

London, England – A leading media fitness and diet expert has teamed up with one of Harley Street’s leading Hypnosis / NLP therapists  Trevor Hoskisson to offer free home study weight loss hypnosis to help reduce the obesity crisis across the world.
Weight Loss Mind Power For Life is a groundbreaking new eight day weight loss hypnosis and NLP system that focuses on dealing with the 8 key problem areas of people who struggle to lose weight…

• Sleep
• Motivation Mindset
• Focus
• Comfort Eating
• Motivation To Exercise
• Eating Habits
• Emotional Eating
• Stress

By approaching each of these areas and then concentrating on the ones which resonate with the user most, those with weight problems can significantly change their habits by tapping into the subconscious mind.
Simon says: “Hypnosis is quite misunderstood due to ‘on stage’ entertainment, and that’s why it’s important to educate about the huge benefits that hypnosis can have on somebody that wants to lose weight. A lot of the time people yo-yo diet again and again and they repeat the cycle because their habits have been hard wired. That can be changed”.
Those looking to get started with weight loss hypnosis can get started by watching the free video at www.weightlossmindpowerforlife.com and then entering their details to claim their first free hypnosis session ‘Super Sleep’.
“We decided to give away the sleep session because it’s such a common problem related to weight loss and not many people realise it” added Simon.

 For more information on Weight Loss NLP / Hypnosis click here to find out more information

Squeezing Healthy Meal Plans into a Hectic Life

Just like a lot of you guys, I’m super busy. There are things I just don’t have time to do. However, no matter how hectic my life gets, I always make time for healthy meal plans. Is it easy? Not always. But good health is something I value; so the extra time I put into planning and preparing wholesome meals is well worth it. No matter how rushed life gets, you too can find time for good nutrition.

Plan Your Menus Ahead of Time

Instead of playing mealtimes by ear, plan your menu a week in advance. Weekly menu planning only takes a few minutes, but it can make working healthy meals into your life a lot easier. You can create a simple menu template on your computer or you can take a blank sheet of paper, divide it into sections and write down your meals and snacks for the week.
Some of you might find it more convenient to use a dry erase board for menu planning. There’s no right or wrong way to create a menu. It’s all about what works best for you. The only stipulation is that the meals you plan must be nutritious (no processed foods allowed). Once you finish making your menu, stick it on the refrigerator or somewhere else that’s visible.

Get Your Grocery Shopping Done in One Swoop

Preparing for Healthy Meal Plans. Plan a Menu, and Impulse Buys Will Be Thwarted.

You’re more likely to stick with a nutritious meal plan if you don’t have to make a mad dash to the grocery store everyday. Use your preplanned menu to make a list of all the foods you need to prepare your meals. Designate one day a week for grocery shopping so you can get it over with.
Take your list with you to the store so you won’t forget anything. No more running back and forth to the market because you forgot important ingredients. Using a list also helps you stay on track and reduces the temptation to fill your buggy with cookies, chips and other junk.

Prepare Extra Food and Keep Meals Simple

Prepare more food than you need for one meal so you can have leftovers for the next day. For instance, instead of preparing half of a chicken for dinner, go ahead and pop the whole thing into the oven. When you get ready to eat the leftovers, simply heat them up. Cooking enough for more than one meal reduces your time in the kitchen and makes mealtimes less taxing (take it from the queen of leftovers).
Gourmet meals are nice (and yummy), but they’re overrated. Unless you’re throwing a fancy dinner party, the meals you prepare don’t have to bear any resemblance to a gourmet meal. If you enjoy cooking this way, it’s perfectly fine. But if you’re short on time, quick dishes like salads topped with boiled eggs or salmon work for any meal.
When you live life at record speed, sticking to a nutritious meal plan can be tough. However, if you want to lose weight and improve your health, squeezing time out of your busy day to plan and prepare wholesome meals is important. Give the tips above a try – they just might work for you.
Want a jump start on healthy meal plans? The Diet Solution Program can help. Don’t spend another day with a diet that takes up all of your time!

New Study shows Mediterranean Diet To Be Great For Weight Loss And your Heart

Known as the heart health diet, the Mediterranean Diet soon became popular, but its role may be changing. In the 1960s it was discovered that some people in the Mediterranean, particularly those from Crete, had a significantly longer life expectancy than people elsewhere in the world. Their diet, which is high in vegetables, meat, pasta, beans, cereals, olive oil and wine, seemed to have the ability to protect them from heart disease and stroke.
Today though, it may become known as a weight loss diet. Spanish Researchers studying the eating habits of 1,547 men and 1615 women aged 25-74, recently found that the more closely subjects followed the diet, the lower their body fat levels became. This was surprising, because, in other studies it had been seen that Mediterraneans were not exactly slim and that contrasted sharply to the usual expectation that if you're fat, you're more likely to die of a stroke or heart attack.
The Mediterranean diet, is lower in foods like pastas, cheese, red meats, milk and lard than a common European diet, which some believe account for the difference in longevity. But sticking to lower glycemic carbs like the beans and cereals also causes a lower insulin response which is linked to the storage of fat in our bodies. Low carb advocates say that the Mediterranean diet works even better when its modified to lower the carbs, believing it will speed up the fat loss while continuing to provide the positive heart benefits.
So get the best of both worlds. Eat like Crete, with a low carb twist. And speed your way to quick weight loss and a long healthy life.
Karen Wild is an author and contributing writer for the popular www.healthy-low-carb.com an online information source for low carb diets, free low carb recipes, diet basics, books, product reviews and informative up to date dieting research. Here's were you can see download my eBook and several free

Lack Of Sleep May Be Keeping You Fat

You might not be aware that the amount of sleep you get has a direct effect on how much weight you are able to lose. Studies have shown us that the body’s capacity to burn fat is affected by how much sleep you get every night.
Studies that have investigated the link between sleep and weight loss have made two significant findings. Firstly, the body burns fewer calories when you sleep less. Secondly, when you don’t get enough sleep, your body tempts you to eat more.
A study by Dr. Christian Benedict of Uppsala University in Sweden found that men who are sleep-deprived but still eat the same amount of food as usual burn between 5-20% less calories than when they get enough sleep. The team discovered that even just a single night of missed sleep slows down the body’s metabolism the next morning.
On top of this, it’s also been found that sleep deprivation leads to more cravings to eat. Another study by Marie-Pierre St-Onge of the New York Obesity Research Centre found that people who were deprived of sleep fed themselves an extra 300 calories on average during the day in comparison to well-rested people.
These two studies are just two of many research studies that provide evidence that sleep-deprivation is directly linked to gaining weight. The findings from research suggest that sleep plays a part in how your body manages the hormones that control your hunger. When you are tired, you are more susceptible to giving in to your desires to eat fatty foods.

If you are trying to lose weight yourself, don’t neglect the importance of getting enough sleep. If you are someone who has trouble falling asleep at night, you may be able to benefit from sleep hypnosis.
Sleep hypnosis is a method of relaxing your body and mind to help you drift into sleep. It has often been used to cure cases of insomnia.
Contrary to what many may believe, hypnotherapy is very safe and can’t cause you any harm. In fact, it is a much safer method for falling asleep than many of the over-the-counter sleep inducing products that you can find. Using medication to fall asleep can leave you dependant on drugs, whereas sleep hypnosis can help you fall asleep naturally without having to put any manufactured drugs into your body.
Sleep hypnosis helps train your body and mind relaxation techniques that allow you to sleep peacefully. Because of the stresses that occur during the day, stressful thoughts can occur that are stored in the subconscious mind.
When you try to sleep at night, the subconscious takes over. If there are lots of stressful thoughts floating around it will have difficulty relaxing and drifting into sleep. The purpose of sleep hypnosis is to eradicate this problem by helping your mind to relax deeply and do away with the stress that prevents you from resting.
Getting a good amount of sleep will help you lose weight in many ways. First of all, being as your body has more time to refresh, your bodily systems such as your metabolism will be working at full force. This means you will burn calories much quicker.
Also, if you are feeling lethargic, it’s more likely that you’ll be tempted to graze on unhealthy snacks. If you are feeling refreshed on the other hand, you will feel less urge in the body to fill up on unhealthy foods.
There’s great news as you can get a FREE Sleep Hypnosis session!!

Diet Plans to Lose Weight Need Not Be Complicated

With all of the conflicting information about nutrition, it’s no wonder people give up on their diet plans to lose weight after only a few days. Dropping weight can feel like an uphill climb, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Don’t let others make the process more complicated than it actually is.
Don’t get me wrong, losing flab certainly has it challenges (trust me, I’ve been there). I’m simply saying if you’re armed with the right information, slimming down is not as hard as it seems. If you boot all the processed foods out of your diet and replace them with nutrient-dense, natural foods, you’ll lose weight and feel healthier before you know it.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Adding a variety of fresh fruits and veggies to your daily diet can help you get the vitamins and minerals you need to support important functions of the body. For instance, calcium helps support bone health. Vitamin C helps the immune system thrive. B vitamins work to ease stress, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. And vitamin A supports healthy vision and skin.
Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber. Carbs are important because they provide fuel for the body. Fiber regulates the bowels and expands in your stomach to help you stay full longer. The longer you stay full, the less you eat, and the more likely you are to drop body fat.

I have always been a supporter of free roaming chicken, grass fed meets, and whole organic eggs. It just makes sense.

Poultry and Beans
When you make beans and poultry a part of your regular diet, you are giving your body the protein it needs to maintain good health. Protein is referred to as the building block of the body for a reason. This nutrient is found almost everywhere in the body. Without it, you’ll face problems like fatigue, skin ulcers, sleeping difficulties, weakness and organ damage.
Skimping on the protein can also cause crankiness, depression, anxiety and other mental issues. Also, when you add this compound to your diet, you are less likely to overeat because it makes meals more satiating and helps control your appetite.

Lean Meats, Fish and Raw Nuts

Adding lean meats to your diet will ensure you get the iron you need to build hemoglobin and transport oxygen to the cells in your body. When you don’t get enough iron in your diet, your chances of suffering with iron deficient anemia increases. Symptoms of anemia can include fatigue, problems regulating the body temperature, headaches, dizziness and weakness.
The importance of fat in the diet is underrated. When you avoid eating healthy fats, you do your body a huge disservice. Healthy fats build the brain, provide the body with energy, help produce hormones, and provide cushion for your internal organs.
Fats also enable the body use vitamins more efficiently. Make fish and raw nuts staples in your diet so you can get some of the fats you need for good health.
If you rid your diet of processed junk and replace them with the foods listed above, you can shed unwanted pounds without frustration. The weight isn’t going to come off overnight, but it will eventually come off. Oh, and remember. No diet plan is complete or 100 percent successful without exercise.
If you don’t have a plan, trying to lose weight can be frustrating. Let The Diet Solution Program provide you with effective diet plans to lose weight.