Friday, March 23, 2007

Should You Consume Caffeine To Lose Weight?

People seeking to lose weight are typically anxious to hearabout any trick to make weight loss easier. One way to helpspeed weight loss is to find ways to speed up the metabolism,so that more calories are burned in a day.Research has shown that caffeine is effective at speeding upthe metabolism, so that you burn more calories. According tothe Mayo Clinic, caffeine stimulates many body functions,including the heart rate, central nervous system function andmetabolism.In addition, caffeine may decrease the appetite short term. So,adding caffeine may be an effective way to jump start weightloss. There are some things to consider, however:You may see no effect if youre already a caffeine consumer. Ifcaffeine is already a part of your daily diet, you would likelyneed very high doses of caffeine to increase your metabolismabove the level at which it already functions. However, thosewho dont regularly consume caffeine may see some benefit.You must be careful where the caffeine comes from. If you startgetting your caffeine from sugary sodas, youll likely gainweight rather than lose it. However, if you get your caffeinefrom coffee, tea and sodas without sugar, you may see someresults.You must consider your other health issues. If you alreadysuffer from an irregular heart rate or high blood pressure,your doctor may have warned you to stay away from caffeine. Ifthis is the case, caffeine may not be safe for you. Be sure totalk to your doctor before adding caffeine.What if Im Caffeine Sensitive?Many people stay away from caffeine because they find that toomuch caffeine causes sleeplessness or jitters. For thesepeople, supplementing with caffeine for weight loss might seemunreasonable. However, theres one form of caffeine that seemsto be tolerated well by those who are normally caffeinesensitive.Green Tea May Be the AnswerGreen tea may well be the best way to get your caffeine forweight loss. Though green tea does contain caffeine, it is insmaller amounts than many other beverages. In addition, thecaffeine in green tea seems to be better tolerated by thecaffeine sensitive than other caffeinated beverages. This isthought to be because of the anti-oxidants in green tea.These anti-oxidants, in addition to making the caffeine less ofa problem, also offer a myriad of health benefits. Green teasanti-oxidants have been shown to lower cholesterol and preventheart disease and some forms of cancer. So, even if you dontlose weight from drinking green tea, its a healthy habit toadd to your diet.But, the best news is that in addition to being healthy andwell tolerated by the caffeine sensitive, it may just be thatgreen tea is the best way to get your caffeine for weight loss.This is because studies have shown that green tea is moreeffective in promoting weight loss than other caffeinatedbeverages. The combination of caffeine and green teasanti-oxidants appears to be more effective in promoting weightloss than caffeine alone.One important study on this subject was reported by the ObesityResearch Group. In this study, ninety overweight men and womenwere studied. First, the group was put on a low calorie dietfor four weeks. The subjects were divided between low caffeineconsumers and high caffeine consumers. At the end of the fourweek diet period, the subjects were placed on a weightmaintenance program. During this weight maintenance period,subjects either received a green tea/caffeine supplement or aplacebo. Within the groups, both high caffeine consumers andlow caffeine consumers were given the green tea/caffeinesupplement. The weight maintenance period lasted for 3 months.At the end of the study, the results were as follows:Caffeine consumers overall seemed to have higher satietylevels and lower leptin levels, which helped speed weight loss.During the weight loss period, caffeine consumers lost moreweight than non-caffeine consumers.During the weight maintenance period, the low caffeineconsumers who received the green tea/caffeine supplement keptoff more weight than the low caffeine consumers who receivedthe placebo. In fact, many of them continued to lose weight.During the weight maintenance period, the high caffeineconsumers who received the green tea/caffeine supplement didnot report a significantly higher success rate in keeping theweight off than those high caffeine consumers receiving theplacebo.While more research is needed to truly determine how green teaand caffeine can help with weight loss and maintenance, it doesappear that consuming green tea and other forms of caffeine canhelp you lose weight. In particular, caffeine and green tea maybe especially effective for those who dont consume a great dealof caffeine on a regular basis. And, since green tea is a formof caffeine that is well tolerated by most caffeine sensitivepeople, green tea may be the best way to use caffeine as aweight loss aid.You have nothing to lose by adding green tea to your diet. Itshealthy, refreshing and has no side effects. And even those whoare sensitive to other forms of caffeine can usually drinkgreen tea without experiencing unpleasant side effects. So, seeif green tea can help you in your efforts to lose weight!About The Author: Marcus Stout is President of the Golden MoonTea Company. For more information about tea, green tea andblack tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Burn Calories With Aerobics

If you are tired of feeling tired, you should begin focusingnot only to the calories you consume, but rather on buildingyour body's shape and training your strength . By focusing onstrengthening your muscles, you are building a body machinethat is capable of lifting easier, standing for a longer periodof time, run quicker and further, and perform in general better.But, most importantly by investing on your physical state, youare transforming your calorie burning machine -your body- tothat better enhanced version you always dreamt of having; thebest part is that this is still you and not a movie character.Thus, if you wish to burn more calories while increasing yourstrength and ability to function better, but you would like toavoid registering for the aerobics class your gym offers, youcan now perform another type of aerobic exercise that you willrepeat with a smile on your face. No, I am not joking. Aerobic exercises are in fact exercisesthat offer your body the much needed oxygen to operate and foryour muscles to burn more calories. So, instead of trying toput on those tight pants you so much dislike, you can sweat upand exercise while doing some of your house errands. Everydayactivities can provide you with all the aerobic benefits you somuch wish for without having to suffer by looking yourself intothe mirror while wearing those ugly exercise Lycra uniforms. Cardiovascular activities, like walking or even gardening, canprovide into your daily routine with the needed levels ofexercise you need. After all, you will feel proud that you wentshopping, cut your lawn, or washed the dog, and at the same timewere doing an aerobic exercise. Just imagine that by walking for10 to 15 minutes, twice a day, even without dieting you canreduce your size by two whole numbers! Fitness experts alsostate that aerobic exercise can significantly reduce yourwaistline, since this type of physical activity targets yourabdominal area which is where all that belly fat usuallyresides. But the best part is that aerobic exercising is notonly for those stubborn bulges around your waist. It is one ofthe best exercising methods known, to burn more calories andimprove the state of your health. People that regularly performactivities that could be classified as aerobic types ofexercise, run a lower risk of suffering later fromcardiovascular diseases, stroke, diabetes, depression,Alzheimer's disease, and in some cases even cancer. So, in order to keep fit and improve your overall ability toburn calories sooner and for longer, find a physical activityyou like and make it part of your daily routine. Then find thenext and so on and so forth. By performing the ones you selectonce or twice a week, you are less likely to quit, since youadd variety to your program and most importantly you complete anumber of jobs around the house. Now, in case you do have time to explore a more "advanced" wayof performing an aerobic exercise, you can always join that gymclass, go dancing, start up swimming or tennis, or even learnkickboxing and tai chi. The list is endless and the only thingmissing from the equation is you in order for it to besuccessfully solved: Aerobics + You = More Calories Burn = Increased Level ofFitnessAbout The Author: Kadence Buchanan writes articles forhttp://fitnessandourworld.com/ - In addition, Kadence alsowrites articles for http://thenursingcenter.com/ andhttp://4alternativehealth.com/

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Choosing The Right Aerobic Wear - A Tight-Fitting Guide

Do you enjoy some healthy sweating? Do you participate inaerobics? If so, did you know that the wrong aerobic wear canadversely affect your workout? I bet the chance of an ignorantnod is half-half. Many people are unaware of the fact thataerobic wear is an essential part of the aerobic workout, andwhen the wrong attire is worn, discomfort and irritation mayoccur, hampering the exercise's progress. Now let me give you aquick overview of what to look out for when shopping foraerobics clothing. First things first. It is absolutely necessary to purchasepieces that fit loosely and allow for free airflow. If you arewearing tight, binding aerobic wear, your movements are likelyto be severely limited and make the exercising ineffective. Ifyour size is M, choose M. Don't opt for an S which will makeyou look like a poor sausage. Some people like to just throw on a sweat suit and head out forexercise class, and this is fine since this type of aerobic wearis lightweight, loose fitting and made from breathable material.However, if you prefer to leave the house looking posh andfashionable, even when the aerobics class three blocks away isyour destination, there is a variety of aerobic wear to choosefrom that will add an element of style to your workout. This type of active wear is available in many designs, as wellas a wide array of colors and designs. An afternoon visit to amajor sporting goods store will take you through many aisles ofavailable aerobic wear. Items available to add to your work outwardrobe include shirts, shorts, pants, tank shirts and shoesall made from free- airflow material which makes you feel verycomfortable during the workout. When shopping, don't forget about the shoes. The shoes areextremely important! Good aerobic wear shoes should fit well,but not be too snug. There are shoes especially made to be wornfor aerobics, and while they may swing a bit to the costly side,the investment is worth it considering that it will save youfrom suffering in pain in the middle of your exercise. If you happen to be a common size, the Internet has plenty tooffer in this arena. Many of the online vendors offer "buy oneget one free" specials, as well as free shipping. Why wastegasoline and walk for hours when you can sit cozily in yourchair and shop for your aerobic wear online? It can be purchased separately as individual pieces, or isavailable in two and three piece outfits. Buying pieces singlyallows you to mix and match your favorite colors, but if youare not sure how to coordinate colors you'd better get a set.Aerobic wear sets feature tops with matched bottoms, andsometimes a matching, lightweight jacket. A few good pieces inneutral colors will allow you to periodically add new items ofaerobic wear as used pieces become too worn to be functional. The clothing you wear when exercising does not have to beboring, nor does it have to cost a fortune. With just anafternoon of shopping, you should be able to bring home anentire wardrobe of stylish, economical aerobic wear that willkeep you on your toes!About The Author: http://www.top-entertainment-news.comprovides readers with the latest reviews, articles,commentaries and write-ups on all entertainment, music, moviesand http://www.latest-entertainment-news.com

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Lose Weight and Live Longer

In one study, published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, scientists found that the hearts of people who ate less food and followed a well balanced diet had very similar characteristics to those of younger people.Research from scientists at the University of Florida showed that calorie restriction may reduce the death of brain cells related with age. They added that eating fewer calories may reduce the risk of developing degenerative diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers and helps to keep the brain young so it can function normally for a longer period of time. In another study, evidence suggested that eating less, even later in life, may prolong life. Other research indicated that reduced food intake may improve symptoms related to diabetes mellitus and cancer.Okay, we know that eating less improves health but how do we go about it? What diet do we choose? Well, firstly, the high protein, low carb - type diets have been associated with too many health risks, especially in the long term (or at least research results have been very controversial). Keep in mind, although these types of diets may work, they do so only because of calorie restriction, not because of macronutrient priority.Healthy diets that are supported by research are those which (I prefer to use the term lifestyle rather than diet, by the way) are reduced in calories, are below 30% of total calories from fat and less than 10% calories from saturated and trans fats and include slow carbs (rather than low carbs) which include high fiber such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates low in starch.High fiber, low starch carbohydrates load you up but are not loaded with calories. The other thing is that these carbohydrates digest slower and keep your blood glucose levels more stable, helping to reduce hunger pangs, and to improve your bodys fat metabolism.Personally, I think there are a few diets out there that are pretty effective such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig (which now have online versions), but can get pretty expensive with the pre-packaged meals that accompany them. The Zone diet falls in this category but is also very difficult to follow in the long term.The one online diet plan I feel gives you the best bang for your buck is Dr. Kushners Personality-Type Diet at Diet.com. Its not very difficult to follow because it is designed to fit your lifestyle, which means you dont have to make drastic diet changes. They ask you to fill out a free diet personality questionnaire or profile of about 60 questions (most online diets, by the way, offer free profiles) and then they design a personalized plan thats easy to follow. They have pretty good online tools and support (forums) to help you along the way. The plan was designed by a doctor and its philosophy is line with a lot of scientific research. It consists of healthy balanced nutrition and offers guidance on physical activity as well. Its based on real foods (from your supermarket), not pre-packaged food products. So, eat a little less and enjoy a long and healthy life.