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Sunday, August 15
Saturday, August 14
Learn to cook, or learn to cook better with online cooking lessons from the 24x7 Cooking School!
http://www.24x7cooking.com/
http://www.24x7cooking.com/
Whether you are a novice or an expert, there are recipes and cooking tips on this site for you! Experienced cooks looking for new methods and recipes will be delighted with some of the dishes and recipes presented here.
Free Diet and Weight Loss Tips
Here are some free diet and weight loss tips:
Eat Consciously
This means be aware of WHY you eat. These days it is rare for us to eat simply because we are hungry. Oftentimes there is a trigger which can come about unconsciously. For example Betty was worried that if her husband quit his job she would be burdened by the role of sole bread winner. He casually brought up the matter in a conversation over the phone but while they moved onto other topics that stressful feeling she was unable to describe had resurfaced.
Moments later, having forgotten about the conversation with her husband, Betty suddenly felt a craving for chocolate cake. Yes the dark moist kind that can only be found at special bakeries in her neighborhood. As she picked up her purse to head out the door she began to think about why she had suddenly felt the need for chocolate cake. She thought through the last 30 minutes and realized her conversation with her husband had triggered her actions. Betty decided she would not punish her body for something her husband had not even committed to, so she turned back and head back home.
Eat Frequently and Eat Slowly
When you eat frequently your body no longer feels the need to store food as fat.
When you eat slowly you give your body time to digest the meal, and you therefore feel full faster. Check up to 25 times per bite. ‘Nuff said!
Eat More Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains
Believe it or not our bodies were not meant to eat hoards of meat. So rather than have vegetables with your meat, you should have meat with your vegetables. The Japanese use meat to flavor their meals, and so should you. They live the longest and this is one of the reasons why.
Your diet should consist of 75% fruit and vegetables. Try to eat them raw because when they are raw your body must work harder to digest them, and you expend more energy on digestion.
Reduce Your Sugar and Salt Intake
“Low fat” means “more sugar”. We’ll say it again. “More fat” means “MORE SUGAR”
Sugar gives your body a false sense of fullness then when you next become hungry, you crash into starvation mode and eat more than you ever imagined. So all that “low fat” nonsense is not entirely helpful after all. It’s better to stick to natural sugars like maple syrup and honey which give you true energy. For example it’s better to add maple syrup or honey to natural yogurt than it is to have a low fat yogurt because the former is more natural and closer to what Mother Earth made.
Salt intake should be reduced to reduce swelling in your legs and hands. Swelling is a result of poor circulation caused by excessive salt in the diet. Reduce your salt intake gradually by supplementing with seasoning first. Sea salt is also a better alternative to regular table salt.
DRINK WATER!!
Water makes the world go around, and makes your bowels move. There is no point in eating healthy only to have waste materials sitting in your intestines for eternity. Water will flush it out so drink at least 6 to 8 glasses a day. How does one drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day you ask? Follow this plan:
• As soon as you wake up have a glass of water
• At mid morning drink another glass
• Have another glass at lunch
• And yet another mid afternoon
• Have a glass early evening
• Have 2 glasses during / after exercise
• Have another glass before bed time.
It’s so EASY!
Exercise
Many of us hate the word exercise while others thrive and become charged up just from hearing it. Whatever category you fall, exercise is just a word. Get up and walk. Walk to the gate, walk down the stairs, walk to the grocery store. Find a park and walk there. Grab your iPod and let the music take you to another place. Before you know it your body will be urging you to get up and go for a walk, which will become a jog, then a log run like a marathon. It’s all about taking baby steps and believing in yourself. If you can’t walk, do what you can to make your heart rate increase.
Eat Consciously
This means be aware of WHY you eat. These days it is rare for us to eat simply because we are hungry. Oftentimes there is a trigger which can come about unconsciously. For example Betty was worried that if her husband quit his job she would be burdened by the role of sole bread winner. He casually brought up the matter in a conversation over the phone but while they moved onto other topics that stressful feeling she was unable to describe had resurfaced.
Moments later, having forgotten about the conversation with her husband, Betty suddenly felt a craving for chocolate cake. Yes the dark moist kind that can only be found at special bakeries in her neighborhood. As she picked up her purse to head out the door she began to think about why she had suddenly felt the need for chocolate cake. She thought through the last 30 minutes and realized her conversation with her husband had triggered her actions. Betty decided she would not punish her body for something her husband had not even committed to, so she turned back and head back home.
Eat Frequently and Eat Slowly
When you eat frequently your body no longer feels the need to store food as fat.
Eat More Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains
Believe it or not our bodies were not meant to eat hoards of meat. So rather than have vegetables with your meat, you should have meat with your vegetables. The Japanese use meat to flavor their meals, and so should you. They live the longest and this is one of the reasons why.
Your diet should consist of 75% fruit and vegetables. Try to eat them raw because when they are raw your body must work harder to digest them, and you expend more energy on digestion.
Reduce Your Sugar and Salt Intake
“Low fat” means “more sugar”. We’ll say it again. “More fat” means “MORE SUGAR”
Sugar gives your body a false sense of fullness then when you next become hungry, you crash into starvation mode and eat more than you ever imagined. So all that “low fat” nonsense is not entirely helpful after all. It’s better to stick to natural sugars like maple syrup and honey which give you true energy. For example it’s better to add maple syrup or honey to natural yogurt than it is to have a low fat yogurt because the former is more natural and closer to what Mother Earth made.
Salt intake should be reduced to reduce swelling in your legs and hands. Swelling is a result of poor circulation caused by excessive salt in the diet. Reduce your salt intake gradually by supplementing with seasoning first. Sea salt is also a better alternative to regular table salt.
DRINK WATER!!
Water makes the world go around, and makes your bowels move. There is no point in eating healthy only to have waste materials sitting in your intestines for eternity. Water will flush it out so drink at least 6 to 8 glasses a day. How does one drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day you ask? Follow this plan:
• As soon as you wake up have a glass of water
• At mid morning drink another glass
• Have another glass at lunch
• And yet another mid afternoon
• Have a glass early evening
• Have 2 glasses during / after exercise
• Have another glass before bed time.
It’s so EASY!
Exercise
Many of us hate the word exercise while others thrive and become charged up just from hearing it. Whatever category you fall, exercise is just a word. Get up and walk. Walk to the gate, walk down the stairs, walk to the grocery store. Find a park and walk there. Grab your iPod and let the music take you to another place. Before you know it your body will be urging you to get up and go for a walk, which will become a jog, then a log run like a marathon. It’s all about taking baby steps and believing in yourself. If you can’t walk, do what you can to make your heart rate increase.
Sunday, July 25
Best Diet Books
These days there are so many choices regarding diet and weight loss that it can get very confusing. So far my blog has discussed options for diet and weight loss for emotional eaters, diet and weight loss for those with busy schedules and therefore need diet food delivered, diet and weight loss due to doctors orders, diet and weight loss for those on a budget, and finally I also have discussed diet and weight loss for a good online weight loss program. Some of you have found my links useful so I thought I'd do a bit of research on diet books on Amazon.com.
Before the Internet I think most of us used books for information on the best diets. While books are still very popular they continue to face stiff competition from competitors such as downloadable audio books and the Internet. Luckily Amazon offers a combination of both so whatever you choose, you win.
The top 3 books I found on Amazon have the title "THIN" in them which kinda disappoints me because the goal of diet and weight loss is to be healthy, not "THIN". But I guess "THIN" sells doesn't it, even though most people are NOT THIN! It's all psychological. Anyway I've shown the top selling book below, and I've added the customer feedback I found to be the most informative - good or bad.
I Can Make You Thin: the Revolutionary System Used By More than 3 Million People - By Martin Russell "Self Help Doctor"
Best Customer Review - 611 of 624 people found the following review helpful:
"For almost 3 years now I have been handing this book and 'mind-reprogramming' CD to every patient who comes to me to lose weight, or who is caught up in the mentality of diets, scales, cravings, or overeating. I am *delighted* that this version of "I Can Make You Thin" is finally available on Amazon.com rather than having to hunt it from the UK site. The long wait is over! At the risk of making this book seem too simple, here are Paul McKenna's 4 golden rules...
- Just listening to the CD over and over doesn't seem to be enough. The book plays a big part too. Expect to re-read the book at least once. You can succeed without the CD, so if it doesn't suit you, no sweat.
- Don't add more rules. Extra rules almost always conflict with the four golden rules. Must eat breakfast? No. Just eat when you are hungry. Have to eat only fresh food? Check you really want to eat it, and whether you might want to eat anything else a bit more. Etc, etc.
- Having trouble visualizing? Just act 'as if' you are visualizing, or on the CD just leave it to Paul.
- Don't make exercise the focus. Improved fitness will improve your chances of living longer, but unfortunately the best research evidence is that exercise doesn't help much in losing weight. Keep to the four rules, which are all about food and getting back in control.
- If you have a question or a difficulty, the answer is somewhere in the book. The book alone truly is comprehensive (unlike watching YouTube videos or reading this review.) Indeed the updates have covered the two or three remaining gaps I had found before, including the extra information for self-sabotage issues."
Geez that was a long review but I think well worth reading if you are serious about making the best decision for your diet and weight loss program. I have a copy of this book and tend to agree with the reviewer although I do feel it is easier said than done. I think purchasing the diet and weight loss CD in addition to the diet and weight loss book would be a good idea because a voice can keep you more motivated whereas a book can be tossed aside.
Other popular diet and weight loss reads are as follows:
Before the Internet I think most of us used books for information on the best diets. While books are still very popular they continue to face stiff competition from competitors such as downloadable audio books and the Internet. Luckily Amazon offers a combination of both so whatever you choose, you win.The top 3 books I found on Amazon have the title "THIN" in them which kinda disappoints me because the goal of diet and weight loss is to be healthy, not "THIN". But I guess "THIN" sells doesn't it, even though most people are NOT THIN! It's all psychological. Anyway I've shown the top selling book below, and I've added the customer feedback I found to be the most informative - good or bad.
I Can Make You Thin: the Revolutionary System Used By More than 3 Million People - By Martin Russell "Self Help Doctor"
Best Customer Review - 611 of 624 people found the following review helpful:
"For almost 3 years now I have been handing this book and 'mind-reprogramming' CD to every patient who comes to me to lose weight, or who is caught up in the mentality of diets, scales, cravings, or overeating. I am *delighted* that this version of "I Can Make You Thin" is finally available on Amazon.com rather than having to hunt it from the UK site. The long wait is over! At the risk of making this book seem too simple, here are Paul McKenna's 4 golden rules...
1. When you are hungry, eat.
2. Eat what you want (not what you think you "should".)
3. Eat consciously and enjoy every mouthful.
4. When you are full stop.
McKenna needs to be given great credit for showing people HOW to live these habits. Hopefully you are buying this for the results, not just to have a fun read and a relaxing, new-wavy listen. As a doctor, I have counseled people who thought it didn't work for them, but it turned out they hadn't gotten the rules into their behavior, so here are some extra pointers... - Just listening to the CD over and over doesn't seem to be enough. The book plays a big part too. Expect to re-read the book at least once. You can succeed without the CD, so if it doesn't suit you, no sweat.
- Don't add more rules. Extra rules almost always conflict with the four golden rules. Must eat breakfast? No. Just eat when you are hungry. Have to eat only fresh food? Check you really want to eat it, and whether you might want to eat anything else a bit more. Etc, etc.
- Having trouble visualizing? Just act 'as if' you are visualizing, or on the CD just leave it to Paul.
- Don't make exercise the focus. Improved fitness will improve your chances of living longer, but unfortunately the best research evidence is that exercise doesn't help much in losing weight. Keep to the four rules, which are all about food and getting back in control.
- If you have a question or a difficulty, the answer is somewhere in the book. The book alone truly is comprehensive (unlike watching YouTube videos or reading this review.) Indeed the updates have covered the two or three remaining gaps I had found before, including the extra information for self-sabotage issues."
Geez that was a long review but I think well worth reading if you are serious about making the best decision for your diet and weight loss program. I have a copy of this book and tend to agree with the reviewer although I do feel it is easier said than done. I think purchasing the diet and weight loss CD in addition to the diet and weight loss book would be a good idea because a voice can keep you more motivated whereas a book can be tossed aside.Other popular diet and weight loss reads are as follows:
Friday, July 16
Tony Little-America's Personal Trainer
Tony Little, America's Personal Trainer, has a wide variety of products offered on his website.... .
One of the things I lack is the mental fortitude to stick to a diet and exercise plan. Tony Little's plan recognizes this and includes tools to help you overcome such obstacles. Tony has first hand experience with tough life experiences. When he was younger he was blind sided by a bus which left him physically and emotionally destroyed. He spiralled into severe depression, and it was only when he hot rock bottom in 1985 that he decided to turn his life around. Many weight issues are caused by emotional and physical pain (for example swollen feet - CLICK HERE to buy Tony Little SPECIAL SHOES) so I highly recommend this program for people with emotional eating problems.
Tony Little also offers the world's greatest sleep pillow. CLICK HERE to BUY IT!
Tony Little, America’s Personal Trainer, has sold over $3 billion dollars in fitness products throughout eighty-one countries. More than 40,000,000 people have benefited from his exercise programs. Tony was inducted into the Fitness Hall of Fame in 2006. Few trainers are world renowned. His “HyperActive” personality and “You Can Do It” phrase are known worldwide. Tony Little has been in the business of providing health and fitness solutions for over 20 years.
One of the things I lack is the mental fortitude to stick to a diet and exercise plan. Tony Little's plan recognizes this and includes tools to help you overcome such obstacles. Tony has first hand experience with tough life experiences. When he was younger he was blind sided by a bus which left him physically and emotionally destroyed. He spiralled into severe depression, and it was only when he hot rock bottom in 1985 that he decided to turn his life around. Many weight issues are caused by emotional and physical pain (for example swollen feet - CLICK HERE to buy Tony Little SPECIAL SHOES) so I highly recommend this program for people with emotional eating problems.Tony Little also offers the world's greatest sleep pillow. CLICK HERE to BUY IT!
Tony Little, America’s Personal Trainer, has sold over $3 billion dollars in fitness products throughout eighty-one countries. More than 40,000,000 people have benefited from his exercise programs. Tony was inducted into the Fitness Hall of Fame in 2006. Few trainers are world renowned. His “HyperActive” personality and “You Can Do It” phrase are known worldwide. Tony Little has been in the business of providing health and fitness solutions for over 20 years.
eDiets - Low Budget Diet Program Available!!
"eDiet was my wake up call. Their online calculator showed I was one point above the safe BMI level, which is considered a danger zone. I had just lost my job and knew I couldn't afford a diet plan, so I was pleasantly suprised to find I could sign up for an eDiet plan for just $17.96 a week! This is far cheaper than the average of $179/ week I have been seeing on other sites. Since joining I have lost 35 lbs my way, using eDiets as my guide. Thanks eDiets, bikini here I come!"
Dr Phil Endorses Bistro MD
Dieting is Easier When You Love the Food. Delicious meals shipped to your door. It's a proven strategy that works!
"If anyone would have told me that I could eat Bistro MD gourmet food AND lose weight I would not have believed them . . . I am very pleased with the Bistro MD product and the service."
Your Doctor Designed, Chef Prepared Bistro MD Diet Delivery Plan contains the following attributes:
• Customized Bistro MD menu options.
• Your own Bistro MD dietician to help you lose weight and keep it off.
• Complete Bistro MD program material for guidance to healthy weight loss.
• Fed Ex delivery for peak Bistro MD freshness right to your door.
• No Cooking, No Counting, No Cleaning!
• No Commitment. You can cancel at any time.
Your Bistro MD diet plan choices are as follows:
A full week plan with or without snacks – your choice at $159.95 to $179.95 per week
A full work week plan with or without snacks – your choice at $159.95 to $179.95 per week
The Dr. Phil Show recently featured Bistro MD as a key component of the battle against Obesity in America. He called it “The Best Home Meal Available!”
Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D., weight loss program - - It’s a proven strategy that works! Losing Weight Has Never Tasted So Good!
Save 10% Off Gourmet Diet Home-Delivery Plans from BistroMD.com - Coupon code: Summer10
Ladies! Your fitness training meal program as arrived from BistroMD - Learn what all the buzz is about!
A-List Celebrities and Starlets use BistroMD Diet Meal Delivery Program to Lose Weight
Start Your Diet Today!
"If anyone would have told me that I could eat Bistro MD gourmet food AND lose weight I would not have believed them . . . I am very pleased with the Bistro MD product and the service."
Your Doctor Designed, Chef Prepared Bistro MD Diet Delivery Plan contains the following attributes:
• Customized Bistro MD menu options.
• Your own Bistro MD dietician to help you lose weight and keep it off.
• Complete Bistro MD program material for guidance to healthy weight loss.
• Fed Ex delivery for peak Bistro MD freshness right to your door.
• No Cooking, No Counting, No Cleaning!
• No Commitment. You can cancel at any time.
Your Bistro MD diet plan choices are as follows:
A full week plan with or without snacks – your choice at $159.95 to $179.95 per week
A full work week plan with or without snacks – your choice at $159.95 to $179.95 per week
The Dr. Phil Show recently featured Bistro MD as a key component of the battle against Obesity in America. He called it “The Best Home Meal Available!”Losing weight has never tasted so good. They are just what the doctor ordered! With her team of nutritionists and award-winning chefs, the founder of Bistro MD, Dr. Cederquist, researched and developed the complete menus you'll enjoy. Prepared from the finest raw ingredients according to unique, original recipes, these delicious, high-quality meals are unparalleled for quality and value.
It's worth a try!
Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D., weight loss program - - It’s a proven strategy that works! Losing Weight Has Never Tasted So Good!
Save 10% Off Gourmet Diet Home-Delivery Plans from BistroMD.com - Coupon code: Summer10
Ladies! Your fitness training meal program as arrived from BistroMD - Learn what all the buzz is about!
A-List Celebrities and Starlets use BistroMD Diet Meal Delivery Program to Lose Weight
Start Your Diet Today!
Wednesday, July 14
Diet to Go - Try It Before You Buy It!
Diet-to-Go is a company which describes itself as a company that’s obsessed about the healthiest, most affordable, and best tasting calorie-restricted meals on the planet. Diet-to-Go’s goal is for you to love their meals so much that achieving your goal of losing weight, maintaining weight or improving your overall health and well-being becomes a lot easier.The Diet-to-Go website offers a free diet analysis too, so you can perform a self assessment of your needs. The Diet-to-Go meals are personalized under the following dietary categories:
• Low Fat Diet-to-Go Meal Plan which conforms to the guidelines of all major health organizations, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Dietetic Association. They are low in sodium and strictly calorie controlled at 1,200 or 1,600 calorie plans.
• Low Fat Vegetarian Diet-to-Go Meals (contains dairy and/or egg) come in two different calorie levels - 1,200 and 1,600. Both plans are low in sodium. Their low-fat Vegetarian meal plans offer a 5-week menu of real honest-to-goodness, freshly prepared food that tastes great with no additives!
• Low Carb Diet-to-Go Meal Plan - Unlike many weight loss companies, Diet-to-Go prepares all of its meals daily in their own chef-run kitchens where each meal meets strict ingredient and calorie requirements.
Success Stories:
"I am on my second shipment from Diet-to-Go and I am really pleased. The food is good, and this is the easiest thing I have ever done. I feel really committed to a goal after starting the program. Normally, I sabotage myself by not getting to the store, or lack of planning, being too tired to cook...etc. But everything is there right down to the pre-measured condiments (no fudging!)."
Read more success stories here
PROS
• Diet-to-Go meals are delivered and include all condiments, which means less money out of your pocket• Diet-to-Go meals are delicious and keep you motivated
• The Diet-to-Go plan is reasonably priced compared to other competitors
• The Diet-to-Go plan maintains strict guidelines around sodium, sugar and not just fat content of their food
• Diet-to-Go has delivered nearly 1,000,000,000 meals to homes across the US since 1991 to thousands of happy customers.
CONS
If you travel for business it could be difficult to receive your Diet-to-Go meals. Diet-to-Go probably works best if you have a non-travelling job.
Get $20 off your first order with Diet to Go! Use coupon code CJ2000 at checkout
FREE Meals for a Day with Diet-to-Go! Use coupon code CJFM19 at checkout.
Sunday, July 11
THE MEDIFAST DIET - Read This Before You Try!!
Medifast is a highly effective meal replacement diet, which has been around for over 25 years. The Medifast diet has been recommended by over 20,000 physicians and has been clinically proven at Johns Hopkins Hospital through official clinical trials. Additionally, third-party studies published in leading medical journals have deemed meal replacements to be an effective means of weight loss and weight maintenance. 
Medifast is a growing company in the weight loss market. In Fall 2007, Medifast added a celebrity dieter to their national advertising, Kristy Swanson from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to continue creating widespread brand awareness. Medifast is offering customers a FREE week of product with the purchase of a 4-week supply. Customers also receive Free Shipping with the purchase of a 4-week supply.
Medifast Meals are nutritionally complete, low-calorie, and low-fat—providing everything your body needs to lose weight quickly and safely. Medifast Meals contain a medically designed balance of protein and carbohydrates, as well as 24 essential vitamins and minerals per serving—ensuring your daily nutritional requirements are met while losing weight on the program. Unlike fad diets that restrict a specific macronutrient such as protein or carbohydrates, Medifast is nutritionally balanced—allowing you to maintain lean muscle as you lose weight. This helps you continue to burn fat as you transition, and maintain your weight loss long term.
Medifast - $50 off any purchase of $275 or more! Use Coupon Code: JULY31G good until 7-31-10
Most Medifast Meals are formulated with heart-healthy soy protein, which may reduce the risk of heart disease according to some research studies. Soy’s naturally occurring isoflavones may also help reduce the risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis. Soy protein is a complete protein—providing all of the essential amino acids. Medifast also manufactures a product line formulated with whey protein, for customers who have an allergy to soy or prefer a non-soy product.
Additionally, third-party studies published in leading medical journals have deemed meal replacements to be an effective means of weight loss and weight maintenance.
PROS
Clinical studies indicate that most people lose an average of up to 2-5 lbs per week with Medifast;
- Medifast Meals may be used interchangeably, so you can choose any five Medifast Meals you want;
- The Medifast 5 & 1 Plan provides approximately 800 to 1,000 calories per day and 80-100 grams of carbohydrates, depending on your personal selections;
- Doctor recommended and may even have insurance coverage for individuals who qualify;
- Medifast does NOT contain any added herbal stimulants, ephedrine, or other ingredients that might be harmful to your body;
- Medifast has a web based support system;
- The Medifast Transition, Maintenance, and Exercise Plans pick up where the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan ends, and teach you how to sustain your weight-loss results long term!
- Two week Medifast samples are available, so you don't have to committ right away. Click here for your sample.
CONS
- Requires a personal committment to change your body and health. Not for the flaky people;
This diet is worth trying. It has been well researched, it comes highly recommended by professionals, and it has a strong track record, having been in business for over 25 years.
Have you tried this diet? Please comment.
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