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Diet & Weight Loss

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Belly fat isn’t just unsightly and it’s not all about having a flat stomach. Belly fat increases your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The latter can lead to stroke and heart attack. In women, a wait measurement of 35 inches or more may indicate unhealthy amounts of belly fat.

So how do we get rid of it? We’ll give you 12 tips for burning off unwanted belly fat.

1. Exercise in bursts.

Interval training has been shown to be especially effective in burning of stubborn fat. Mix up your routine with high intensity interval training.

2. Stand up tall.

Having good posture at least makes your stomach look flatter and can prevent a variety of aches and pains too, making your daily exercise routine easier.

3. Work that core.

Do exercises like planks and pushups that strengthen the abdominal muscles and back.

4. Exercise for 150 minutes a week.

That’s just a little more than 20 minutes a day. Go for a bike ride or take a brisk walk. 150 minutes a week is the least amount of exercise required to lose belly fat.

5. Go hard.

Just 2 and a half minutes of very intense exercise will burn off 200 calories.

6. Eat some fruit.

Eating fruits like papaya and pineapple is good for your weight loss goals. They contain enzymes that aid in digestion and help you feel less bloated.

7. Embrace the berry.

Blueberries have been shown to potentially help some people diminish body fat levels.

8. Keep a good belly culture.

Eat probiotic foods like kefir and yogurt to help keep your intestinal flora healthy. Good bacteria means less fat.

9. Don’t cut healthy fats.

You’re trying to lose fat, so shouldn’t you cut out fat? Nope nope noooope. Studies show that monounsaturated fatty acids found in olive oil, nuts and avocados helps maintain good health and lose weight.

10. Forget soluble fiber.

Ditch the oat bran and beans.

11. Add lots of insoluble fiber.

Fruits, whole grains, and nuts are in!

12. Debloat yourself.

Avoid sodas and salty, fatty foods. They make you retain water and can cause you to feel uncomfortable. Slow down eating so you don’t swallow too much air, and don’t chew gum.

Image credit: Tony Alter, Flickr

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It’s not a closely guarded secret. We all know how bad junk food is for us, but sometimes it’s fun to have that delicious, sugary treat. This infographic does a lot to remind us of why it’s important to keep foods like Cinnabons down to a minimum. It’s pretty telling, isn’t it? And even if you don’t eat any of these junk foods, it’s a good idea to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, even if it’s only vigorous walking.

So how much does it take to burn off a single M&M? Or a donut? Or a bag of popcorn with butter?

Special thanks to Skinny Mom for putting together this informative infographic. 
 infogra

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Like you really needed another reason not to buy soda! This is yet another reminder that this common beverage is horrible for you. It rots our teeth, causes diabetes, makes us fat and with frequent consumption will cut years off your life. How do you feel about being under control though? The stranglehold that companies like Coca-Cola have on us is similar to a country under the control of a military coup.

A note from the author, John Robbins:

“Conventional medical thinking has held for some time that the association between sugar consumption and type 2 diabetes is solely related to weight gain. But new research conducted at UC San Francisco indicates that sugar intake may also be directly linked to diabetes. The researchers gathered data on sugar availability and diabetes rates in 175 countries during the past ten years, and identified that high sugar levels in a population’s food supply are linked to a high diabetes rate. This data provides support for an idea that has been steadily gaining recognition, namely that not all calories contribute to diabetes in the same way.”

Image credit: FBellon, Flickr

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Many of us lead lifestyles that slow down our metabolism. We sit too much, we eat too much, we eat too late at night, and even just aging can slow your metabolism down to a crawl.

This beverage is good for a number of things regarding good health. It strengthens your immune system, helps your digestive system remain healthy, gives you a boost of energy, helps expel toxic junk from your body and boosts your metabolism. In conjunction with proper diet and exercise, this drink can help you reach your weight loss and good healthy goals. Let’s get into it.

You will need:

  • 1 thumb-sized piece of organic ginger
  • 4 organic apples
  • 1 organic lemon

Instructions:

Leave the peels on and mix in a blender or food processor until the mixture is homogeneous. If you can’t tolerate the taste or consistency, feel free to add water. Consume immediately after preparation.

This drink is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as B vitamins. It’s great for your kidneys too.

Enjoy!

Image credit: lorna, Flickr

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Losing weight is on the minds of millions of Americans, myself included, and for good reason! Carrying excess weight can lead you down a path of troublesome health problems like type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. I know I have a few extra pounds I could lose and I’m working on it!

The only sure fire way to lose weight is to eat right and exercise. Fad diets, diet pills, and starving yourself aren’t good methods of dropping the pounds. You might temporarily, but it’ll just come right back. But in addition to a healthier lifestyle, this cocktail may help you drop those extra pounds.

You will need:

  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 handful of mint
  • half a glass of plain water
  • half an avocado
  • 1 tablespoon of ground ginger

Peel the avocado and chop into cubes. Mix all of the ingredients in a blender instead of the honey and ginger. Once blended, add the honey and ginger and stir.

Consume each morning on an empty stomach and allow for 45 minutes before having breakfast.

Image credit: Chad, Flickr

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I’m about halfway to my goal of weighing 180 pounds from my high of 210, and I have to admit, there are some days where I’m just too lazy to hit the gym, go for a run, or make myself some delicious vegetables or a smoothie. So this metabolism-boosting drink can help on those lazier days.

You will need:

  • 2 teaspoons of honey
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 cup of water

First, you’re going to want to boil the water. Once boiling, remove from heat and add the cinnamon. Allow to cool for a bit, but it should still be warm. At this point, you can add the honey. Just remember: don’t ever add honey to boiling water. The hot water destroys important nutritional elements of the food.

Drink half before bed, refrigerate the rest, and consume the cold beverage first thing in the morning.

Of course, missing just one day of exercise or eating bad on one day isn’t going to make you gain all the weight back. Help yourself to some cheat days now and again.

Enjoy! And good luck on your fitness goals. I’m sure we’ll get there.

Image credit: Giyu (Velvia), Flickr

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These days, a lot of people are wanting to lose weight. It makes sense when you consider that obesity is an epidemic in many places in the world and just about everyone knows it’s bad for you. Consuming this beverage, in conjunction with healthy eating and exercise, will help you lose weight. You can also use it to lower your risk of heart disease, some types of cancer, high blood pressure, and can even reduce the severity of the common cold or influenza. Here’s what to do:

  1. Bring a liter of water to boil.
  2. Add 5 green teabags and remove from heat for 3 minutes.
  3. Remove the tea bags.
  4. Wash one whole organic orange and cut it into fine slices with its peel included.
  5. Transfer the green tea to a glass jar and add the orange slices, along with some fresh mint leaves.
  6. Close the jar tightly and store in the refrigerator overnight.
  7. Consume one cup in the morning upon waking and one cup before each meal.

Good luck with your weight loss goals!

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Pulling weeds totally stinks, but it’s one of those things we all have to do sometime. I’m sure you’ve pulled this one out of your yard more times than you can count. But did you know that this tough little weed is one of the strongest medicines on the planet? Wow!

Plantains come in two major varieties in BC, Canada: Broadleaf and Lance, although there are more than 200 varieties of plantain that yield similar results. It grows in similar conditions as dandelions, in rocky, poor soils. Often times, you’ll find them in gravel pits or in driveways. The plantain was first brought to North America by Europeans. The Native Americans called the plantain the “White Man’s Foot,” in an observation that where the white man went, so arrived the plantain.

Plantains have some pretty incredible medicinal uses. Did you know they are a good remedy for mosquito bites? Plantains are astringent in nature and draw toxins from the skin. If you’ve been stung by a bee, bitten buy a bug, have acne, or just about any other skin ailment, crushed plantains placed as a poultice over the skin can bring relief. Just bandage the skin for 4-12 hours and let it do its thing.

It’s also been noted to help with hemorrhoids. Ouch.

It’s also known to help people whose digestive system has been damaged by medications, Celiac disease and food allergies. The leaves can be made into a tea, added to food, or even made into chips.

The plantain is truly an amazing plant for the human body, treating a variety of health problems. Even if you don’t have any health problems, they’re good in salads, stir fries, you name it! This vegetable will keep you fighting-fit for the rest of your days.

Image credit: F. D. Richards, Flickr

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Did you ever have mac and cheese with cut up hot dogs for lunch as a kid? I know I sure did. But before you think about feeding your own kids this meal, you need to learn a thing or two about the health impacts of hot dogs.

Hot dogs are controversial because most people aren’t really sure of what’s in them. But they’re cheap and easy to cook, so what could be so bad?

According to one study, children who eat more than 12 hot dogs a month have a 9 times higher risk of developing childhood leukemia. Other reports say that children who are born to mothers who eat at least one hot dog a week during pregnancy double their risk of getting brain tumors at some point in life.

Hot dogs contain nitrates, which are an additive. Nitrates serve to combat botulism, a deadly disease. During cooking, processed nitrates combine with amines naturally in the meat and form a cancer-causing compound in the meat called N-nitroso. This compound worsens the chance that you’ll get cancer of the mouth, bladder, esophagus, stomach and brain.

So here are our healthy hot dog tips:

  1. Don’t buy hot dogs that contain nitrates
  2. Don’t let your children consume many hot dogs, even nitrate free ones.
  3. If your local grocer doesn’t carry it, request that they begin carrying nitrate-free hot dogs only.
  4. Write the FDA a letter and express your concern about nitrates in hot dogs.
  5. Contact your local school board and find out if they serve nitrate hot dogs in the cafe. If they do, request they stop.

Image credit: rob_rob2001 Flickr

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More and more people are interested in losing weight – and it makes sense! About a third of Americans are obese and another third are simply overweight. I have good news and bad news.

The bad news? Losing weight isn’t an easy task. It takes a lot of hard work at eating well and getting plenty of exercise and rest.

But the good news? I know of a miracle drink that’ll help blast the fat right off of you! Let’s get down to it:

You will need:

  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon of raw honey
  • 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons of organic, fresh squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:

Simply place all of the ingredients in a blender, blend well, and serve. You can keep the beverage refrigerated if you don’t drink all of it.

In addition to helping you speed your metabolism, this drink can help lower blood pressure, balance good bacteria in the gut, and help your body digest the healthy food you’ve been eating.

Good luck with your weight loss goals and enjoy!

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