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.

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.

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.

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

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.

About The Mediterranean Diet

It's not at all profound but the Mediterranean Diet is now recognized as one of the healthiest in the world consisting as it does of large amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, salads,nuts,seeds, omega-3 rich oily fish, olives and olive oil and being comparitively low in dairy products and red meats.
The people of the Mediterranean region, particuarly Greece and Spain, are very fortunate to live in an area where naturally healthy food is readily and cheaply available. The incidence of heart disease and cancer are lower here than anywhere else in the western world and experts now believe this is due in great part to what has become known as the Mediterranean diet.
Modern farming techniques and world wide transport has changed most peoples diets dramatically in the past centuary and it is now widely believed that such changes have had an exteremely detrimental effect on our health. Fortunately the impact of these developments has not had such a catastrophic effect in Mediterranean regions where to a large extent traditional diets are still followed. Of course with the advent of Globalization and MacDonalds! this is sadly changing. However, we can all learn a lot from what has become known as the Mediterranean diet and by adopting it, vastly improve our health and longevity.
The foods that grow natuarlly and abundantly in that region and have always formed a part of the local diet are as follows:- Olives, avocados, oranges, lemons, garlic, wild asparagus, walnuts, almonds, tomatoes, artichokes, figs, pomegranates, cherries, strawberries, grapes, plums, spinach, broad beans, peppers along with many other of the more common fruits and vegetables. These provide large amounts of vitamins, minerals and fibre along with a wide variety of antioxidants and phytochemicals, the importance of which scientists are only now beginning to recognize as they discover more and more healthful benefits of including these elements in our diet.
Historically alot of the milk was produced from goats and cheese made from goats and ewes milk. Very little red meat is eaten and a large majority of the protein is supplied by oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, tuna, sword fish, boquerones and anchovies.
The main oil used is olive, traditionally cold pressed virgin, and this is used not only for cooking and in salads but also for putting on bread in place of butter.
All these foods provide a wide variety of nutriments which have an astonishing array of claims for improving our health such as lowering cholesterol, improving our immune system which thus not only fights infections but also helps to prevent cancer, increasing our metabolism, improving insulin sensitivity and thus lessening the risk of diabetes. It really has never been so true that you are what you eat. Certainly since moving to Andalucia and adopting the Mediteranean diet myself I have never been so healthy or managed to maintain my ideal weight so easily.
Of coures, in addition to all the healthy components of this diet there is the added fact that honey is often used in place of sugar and little refined carbohydrates are eaten.
All in all most experts now agree that the Mediterranean diet is the optimum diet
Here's were you can see download my eBook and several free bonuses.

My New Challenge: The Get Lean Program by Belinda Benn

I bought Belinda Benn’s Get Lean Program in January while I was doing my 5-week-detox challenge with USANA programme RESET. I felt inspired by Belinda’s story and felt it was the right workout program for me.

I took a few weeks to study and plan how I was going to complete this new challenge. RESET for 5 weeks gave me an excellent base to lose weight and now I am ready not just to lose weight but to also to shape the body I want.

Get Lean Program takes 12 weeks, Belinda says it takes 21 days to stick to a new habit and she recommends 110% effort and full commitment particularly for the first 3 weeks. So for me it made sense to have a break between RESET and Get Lean Program during the school February half-term.

When I came back from my holiday, although I had a great time...I indulged too much & didn’t do much exercise: the result I picked up some weight!! This is something I need to deal with and not beat myself up for it...each time I will go on holiday and unless it is one of my favourite Thalassotherapy Holidays I am bound to come back with a few kilos as extra luggage! It actually makes me more determined to re-focus.

My weight goal is still to be down to 60 kg by the end of June 2012. Although this new challenge is no longer just about losing weight, I am using 60 kg because that’s what I weighed when I was 25, fit & healthy. It is symbolic for me because I was not really living a healthy lifestyle at that time except working out 2 hours a day, but what strike me is that it is the only time in my life I didn’t care if someone took a picture of me! If I manage to regain this attitude, I will have achieved my overall goal that is feeling good about myself inside and outside... 

I am feeling very confident because in fact I only need to lose approximately 1.5 kg each month which is not a lot, but my fitness & physical goals are the most challenging & exciting!! I have 4 specific goals: dramatically improve the shape of my triceps and abdominals, reduce the appearance of cellulite. Finally, I want to be able to do more (FULL) press-ups than my husband... considering I am currently able to do only 2 or 3 full press-ups before collapsing!!

Today is Sunday and I am on Day 5 of this 12-week program and it should take me until the middle of May 2012.  Today’s workout tested my ability to do tricep bench dips and push-ups...perfect for my goals:

68kg (I am 2 kg behind, I need to be approximately 64.5kg by the end of March 2012)

Measurements: Waist 33”, chest 36”, hips 39”, Thighs 24” right & 23.5” left, bicep 13”

2/3 full press-ups maximum and a total of 34 knee press-ups within 3 sets

33 tricep bench dips

30 second lasting plank

For my abdominal goal, I am combining the normal 6 weeks Get Lean Workout Program with Belinda’s free bonus Breakthrough Abs 12-week-program.

After starting Belinda’s Get Lean Program for now a few 5 days, these would be my recommendations:

1.       1. Get organised and make sure you nutrition program is manageable, so you can easily have your food weekly shopping ready the day you start (my food weekly shopping and deliveries fall on a Tuesday, hence why I decided to start Get Lean Program on a Wednesday)

2.       2. I made lots of mistake at first on the correct portion of the recipes... I sometimes forgot to divide between 4 & 6: as a result I probably eat too much... no wonder why I didn’t feel hungry at all: now I make sure that I note the portion for 1 person on each recipe.

3.       3. I have tried many diet plans before that failed because I had to cook 2 different meals in the evening and at the weekend and it was too much for me to stick with. I have tested some of the evening meals on my husband & kids and I had fantastic feedback: they all said the meals were tasty which is great for me, easier to cook for all!! So from now on, all family meals are from Belinda’s Benn Get Lean Nutrition Program. I just make sure my portions are the right ones. So, if you also have to cook for others do test the reactions: at the end of the day, you will help others to eat a more balanced and nutritious (low glycemic) diet!

4.      4. I have exercised before at a gym and in specific exercise workout sessions, so it is easy for me to follow the instructions of the Get Lean Workout Program e-books. If you haven’t, it is worth investing joining a gym for the first month at least or paying a few personal training sessions with someone who can go through the exercises and make sure you are doing them correctly.

The Diet Solution Recipes: How to Make Your Own

Some people are intimidated by the idea of preparing healthy meals; so they either eat grilled chicken everyday, or they stick to theDiet Solution recipes listed on this site. Newsflash! These are not your only options for nutritious meals. Making your own healthy recipes is easier than you think. Simply start with the right ingredients and learn to channel your inner chef.

Choose Natural Ingredients

When you’re preparing your recipes, always use wholesome ingredients. With all of the different foods on the market, trying to determine what’s healthy and what’s not is kind of difficult. I have one rule that I follow – keep everything as natural as possible.
Natural foods include fresh produce, whole eggs, free-range poultry and lean meats. These foods are not processed and they do not contain trans-fats, preservatives or any of the other chemical additives that make them dangerous for human consumption.

Use Organic Fruits, Veggies and Meats Whenever Possible

Those of you who read my blog or follow the DSP program know where I stand with regard to organic foods. I choose organic meat, poultry and produce for my family because these foods don’t contain synthetic chemicals, sewer sludge or genetically engineered materials.
Besides, when I think about feeding my little one food that can potentially cause or contribute to life-altering conditions, it motivates me to buy organic every chance I get.
Despite what manufacturers say, your body was not designed to handle the toxins in processed foods.

Prepare Food Using the Right Kind of Oil

You’ll find a lot of recipes that require food to be sautéed, baked, fried or grilled. If you want to make your Diet Solution recipes as healthy as possible, forget about using shortening and vegetable oil. Instead, use olive oil, real butter or coconut oil–all organic of course. All of these oils are healthy and can add nutritional value to your meals.
Coconut oil is great for deep frying foods. Olive oil and real butter can be used for sautéing. If you try to deep fry your foods in olive oil or butter, you may set your kitchen on fire, so please, don’t do it! You can also use olive oil to coat your meats and vegetables before grilling or baking them.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment in the Kitchen

Recipes are not etched in concrete. You have every right to modify them by swapping out unhealthy ingredients for ingredients that are more nutritious. For instance, if you come across a recipe that calls for milk, you can make it healthier by replacing it with raw milk, almond milk, or coconut milk.
If you don’t like a particular food, or you want to give a recipe a different flavor, simply replace or eliminate the ingredients of your choice.  Also, don’t be afraid to get in the kitchen and use healthy ingredients to whip up a few original concoctions of your own. Chefs do it all the time. I’m definitely not a chef and I do it too.
Sometimes my self-created mixtures are a big hit and others times – not so much. The point is there are a lot of delicious, healthy recipes to be made; so get in that kitchen and start mixing! I’m always itching to try new foods. If you come up with a dish that you absolutely love, send me the recipe so I can taste test it.
You don’t have to deprive yourself of delicious meals to slim down with our Diet Solution recipes. Watch the video to find out some simple and basic ideas that are delicious and creative.  The Diet Solution Program will teach you how to eat hearty and still lose weight.

Is Your Microwave Meddling With Your Hormones?

Do you store your food in plastic containers? Do you ever put plastic in the microwave? If so, think twice about it.
In the Your Plate, Your Fate series, you’ll learn about the dozens of chemicals found in our foods that mimic the hormone estrogen. These gender benders cause early sexual development in children, reproductive difficulties for adults, and they promote the growth and spread of cancer. And they’re quite common in plastic.
Researchers at Tufts Medical School were using plastic test tubes to store a line of estrogen sensitive breast cancer cells. That is, until they noticed the cells were multiplying wildly. Turns out the supposedly “inert” plastic test tubes were leaching a chemical that behaves just like estrogen.
When researchers at Dartmouth heated plastic wrap and vegetable oil in a microwave, they found the oil had “500,000 times the minimum amount of xenoestrogens needed to stimulate breast cancer cells…” Read that again if it didn’t sink in the first time.
The solution is simple. Use glass or ceramic to store your food. Never eat or drink anything that came into contact with hot plastic. Stay away from plastic water bottles (remember – they could have been heated in transit!). And avoid canned food, if possible. The inside of the cans are coated with plastic and the acid in the food breaks it down.
In the Your Plate, Your Fate series you’ll learn about the many other uninvited dinner guests that could be making you sick including:

• The cookware that leaches known cancer-causers into your meals – and it’s found in more than 80% of all cookware sold!
• The household staple that sucks up to 97% of the nutrients out of your food and a safe, time-saving alternative to choose
• The only two brands of canned foods that don’t contain BPA – a powerful xenoestrogen associated with prostate cancer, breast cancer and even fertility problems
• The family heirlooms that could be exposing you to dangerous levels of lead – a deadly metal that is high enough in 40% of Americans to significantly increase stroke and heart attack risk.

What is this Mysterious Mediterranean Diet?

There isn't really any one Mediterranean Diet! However, there's a whole swag of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The basic Mediterranean Diet has common characteristics even if the sourrounding countries differ in culture, language and recipes to some extent.
Predominately, the diet is made up of:

• An extensive intake of fruits, vegetables, bread and cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds
• olive oil is a source of mono-unsaturated fat - common to the Mediterranean area
• some dairy products, fish and even poultry are consumed in sparing to moderate amounts, and some red meat(not much)
• eggs are consumed in low to moderate amount say 1 to 4 eggs a week
• fortunately wine is acceptable but in low quantities ie. 1 - 3 glasses per day

A good question to ask is - Does a Mediterranean-style diet follow American Heart Association dietary guidelines?
Mediterranean-style diets are often close to US dietary guidelines, but not exactly.
People who follow the average Mediterranean diet eat less saturated fat than those who eat the average American diet. In fact, saturated fat consumption is well within US dietary guidelines. More than half the fat calories in a Mediterranean diet come from mono-unsaturated fats (mainly from olive oil). Mono-unsaturated fat doesnt raise blood cholesterol levels the way saturated fat doe
The incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is lower than in the United States. Death rates are lower, too. However, there are some who feel this may not be entirely due to the diet. Lifestyle factors (ie. more physical activity and extended social family support structures) may also play a part. At this stage this is just a theory. However the research tells all - the diet has existed for umpteen years.
If you would like further proof of the mediterranean diet benefits resulting from research and qualified researchers you could try visiting http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/348/26/2599 or http://my.webmd.com/content/article/67/80070.htm. Both of these sites give good food for thought(excuse the pun).
'Olive oil plays a central role, but it is not alone,' says Dimitrios Trichopoulos, MD, PhD, of Harvard School of Public Health.
'Its among the divine mix of several factors that, when used in combination, help provide strong evidence of something that is very important - eating the proper diet can significantly reduce your risk of early death.'
He and researchers from Greece studied some 22,000 adults, aged 20 to 86, from all regions of that country; most previous studies tracked only older people who were more likely to die during the study. The participants answered detailed questionnaires about their eating habits throughout the four-year study. Then they were rated on how closely they followed the key principles of the Mediterranean diet.
Sticking to the Mediterranean diet cut the risk of death from both heart disease and cancer. For every two points higher on this 0-to-9 scale - with top numbers going to those most closely following the Mediterranean diet - the death rate dropped by 25%.
The findings by Trichopoulos may also help explain why Asians, who typically use these other cooking oils, also have lower disease and death rates. Although they rarely use olive oil, they traditionally follow other principles of the Mediterranean diet - lots of produce, legumes, nuts, and minimally processed grains, with little saturated fat.
'The message remains the same, and is consistent with other findings: A diet lower in saturated fats and higher in monounsaturated fats, and potentially, polyunsaturates, will result in better health outcomes,' says Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, of Tufts University and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association.
'If the main message that Americans get is to just increase their olive or canola oil consumption, thats unfortunate because they will increase their caloric intake and they are already getting too many calories. What they need to do is eat more fruits, vegetables, and legumes and fewer foods rich in saturated fats.'
Some of this information has been referenced from The New England Journal of Medicine, June 26, 2003. Dimitrios Trichopoulos, MD, PhD, professor of epidemiology, Vincent L. Gregory Professor of Cancer Prevention, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, senior scientist and director, Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Researcher Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston; spokeswoman, American Heart Association.
So in a nutshell, there is sound evidence that the Mediterranean Diet can help reduce heart disease, cancer, weight gain and of course reduce the risk of early death. However, it would be a mistake to think this outcome is based on the use of Olive Oil alone. The diet is diverse and allows for taste and creativity which is often lacking in most other diets. This alone warrants further investigation from those who seek a healthy, easy diet that has flavour and is fullfilling. Remember too that just as in all worthwhile diets, moderate level exercise should not be overlooked.
Publisher & author: Ray Darken. Ray 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. Ray is also the author of Safe and Easy Weightloss, a downloadable e-book based on the popular Mediterranean Diet. Here's were you can see download my eBook and several free bonuses.

Try a Wheat-Free Diet for Better Health

The gluten contained in wheat products can cause or contribute to digestive disorders and joint problems. If you suffer with these conditions, a wheat-free diet may be just what you need to relieve your uncomfortable symptoms. Need another reason to consider going wheatless? Kicking this food out of your eating plan can also help you drop those unwanted pounds (I thought that might get your attention).

Millet is commonly used as a wheat substitute for both gluten free and wheat free diets, as well as quinoa, brown rice, and sprouted grains.

A wheat-free diet is often confused with a gluten-free diet. Although wheat products contain gluten, these two types of diets are not the same thing. When you’re on a wheat-free diet, you simply eliminate all foods that contain wheat. When you follow a gluten-free diet, you not only give up wheat, you also eliminate barley and rye.

Digestive Problems and Wheat

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can cause abdominal pain, bloating, gas, changes in bowel movements and cramping. People with IBS may be constipated one minute and have diarrhea the next. The urge to have a bowel movement can get so intense sometimes that it’s hard to control. Can you imagine being stuck in traffic feeling like this?
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome vary from person to person, and they can come and go. Gluten intolerance has been shown to produce or pronounce IBS symptoms. Since gluten is found in wheat, eliminating it from your diet can help reduce the symptoms.
You don’t have to have irritable bowel syndrome for wheat to cause digestive problems. When you eat wheat, it can clog up the intestines and make digestion difficult. A wheat-free diet can promote a healthy digestive tract by allowing food to flow through easier.

Go Wheatless and Drop a Few Pounds

Wheat is found in bread, pasta, baked goods, cereal, ice cream, gravies and other processed foods. These types of foods have no nutritional value and they make it hard for you to lose weight. On top of the empty calories you get when you load up on processed wheat products, you ingest all kinds of unhealthy chemical additives.
When you boot wheat out of your diet, there’s nothing left to eat but lean meats, fish, poultry, fruits, beans, nuts, legumes and vegetables. These foods are nutrient-dense and lower in calories than processed foods. When you opt for healthier foods, you automatically reduce your caloric intake, so you have an easier time slimming down.

Lose the Wheat to Reduce Joint Pain

Gluten can hinder your body’s natural defenses against joint pain caused by osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. If you have either of these conditions, a wheat-free diet may help reduce discomfort. Also, when you suffer from joint conditions, being overweight will amplify the pain. The weight loss you experience from a wheat-free diet will take some of the pressure off of your joints and help ease pain.
When you’ve been eating wheat all of your life, the thought of eliminating it from your diet can be scary. If going wheat-free is difficult for you, take small steps. Start off by cutting your intake by half. After you do this for a while, continue to reduce the amount of wheat you eat. Before you know it, you’ll be wheat-free and on the path to better health.
Want to get healthy, but don’t know where to begin? The Diet Solution Program can get you on the right path and keep you there. Our recipes are all friendly to a wheat-free diet, too.

The One Food Babies Should Never Eat

Earlier this week, I let you in on one of the dirty secrets of the soy industry – the use of the dangerous chemical hexane in the extraction process. And if you think you’re not eating soy, you might be surprised. This cheap protein is packed into everything from “health food” bars, burritos and smoothies, to sauces, pizzas and other packaged foods.
And while these foods may send us to an early grave, where we really should be looking is the cradle.
In fact, baby food formulas made from soy (and most of them are) may be one of the worst things we can do for the long-term health of our babies and children.
And even if you do not have a baby, surely you have grandchildren, nieces, nephews or friends who need the information in this letter. We hope you’ll pass this along to those you care about.
Here are eight reasons why you should NEVER put a baby on soy infant formula:
1. Caustic Chemicals: Soy protein isolate is the primary ingredient in soy formulas. Unless it is listed as organic, this ingredient is treated with caustic hexane.
2. Exposure to GMOs: Almost all soy is genetically modified. But even if you choose organic soy formula (like Earth’s Best), the issues below still remain as health concerns.
3. Estrogen Exposure: It is estimated that infants fed exclusively soy-based formula receive an estrogen dose equivalent to five birth control pills, daily.
4. Proper Growth & Development: Soy is high anti-nutrients, known as phytates. These molecules actually block the uptake of essential minerals. For this reason, soy formulas have been known to cause a zinc deficiency in infants. Zinc is essential for normal growth and development.
5. Lower IQ: Soy formulas do not have lactose, which is broken down into glucose and galactose. Galactose is valuable for brain development. Anthropologists have demonstrated that the more intelligent species of mammals have greater amounts of lactose in their milk, and human milk contains one of the highest concentrations of lactose. Soy-based formulas contain table sugar and corn syrup instead.
6. Brain Function: Soy formulas lack cholesterol. This is a required ingredient for making myelin – the fatty sheath surrounding nerve fibers. Myelin makes it possible for nerves to carry information from one part of the brain or body to another.
7. Thyroid Function: Soy contains goitrogens. These are chemicals that can impair thyroid function. The thyroid affects weight, metabolism, mood and the functioning of other endocrine organs.
8. Exposure to Heavy Metals: The aluminum content of soy formula is 10 times greater than milk-based formula and 100 times greater than unprocessed milk. The toxic effects of aluminum range from kidney failure in infants to Alzheimer’s in adults.
When it comes to baby food, the breast is always the best (so long as mom is consuming a healthy diet).
If someone you love is feeding their baby soy formula, please pass this important information on. You just might save a life.
And speaking of the health of our little ones, in the Your Plate, Your Fate health transformation series you’ll learn:

• Which toxic chemical increases a girl’s risk of developing breast cancer later in life by five times compared to girls with lower exposure

• The common food preservative, when consumed during pregnancy can increase a child’s risk of brain tumor by two to three times, compared to children whose mothers ate none.

• Why women getting just three grams of this fat each day reduced the risk of premature delivery by 33%

• How children born to mothers who ate two grams of this fat every day during pregnancy and lactation, scored higher on IQ tests at age four than children whose mother’s ate none.

• The type of baby food in which just one jar can expose a child to 100 times the EPA’s daily limit of dioxins – dangerous endocrine disrupting chemicals.

We hope you’ll pick up your copy of Your Plate, Your Fate today. This one-of-a-kind health transformation system will show you how to optimize your nutrient levels using the right cooking techniques… protect your DNA from the damage that speeds aging and encourages cancer… balance your blood sugar, while still enjoying decadent desserts… and even release fat stores and renew your vitality with the most powerful (and delicious!) detoxifying foods on the planet.

What is the RESET Maintain Phase:

Well done if you have finally reached you ideal weight. If you are like me and would rather not having to do it all again, the Maintain Phase is for you:

You continue to replace 1 out of 3 meals with a Nutrimeal shake and the 2 other meals need to be low-glycemic ones.

Continue to replace 1 snack with a USANA nutrition bar and the 2^nd snack needs to be low-glycemic to.

Continue your workout program to a moderate level. Continue to drink a lot of still water and take USANA Essential or HealthPak supplements.

Transform Phase Week 5

Monday morning is weigh in: lost another 600grs... I was nervous as I thought I didn't do enough exercise during the week, but it was ok because I stuck with my healthy diet!

We are still snowed it today, so I am varying my workout: 40 minutes clearing the snow out of my drive!

Tuesday: It was still icy and too dangerous to jog outside, so reverted to the living and did 45 mins of Super Circuits by Winston Squire. This is perfect for beginners!

Wednesday: Again, no jogging possible today... I miss it a lot, I enjoyed working out outside! Back in my living room and did 45 minutes of ‘Danni- Sexy Legs Now’ by Danni Levy. Quite enjoyed it (but was not prepared you need a Swiss ball –which I did have- but could do similar exercise on the floor on the sofa)