Got Belly Fat? Lack of Sleep May Be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss.

By Lianda Ludwig

Belly fat, and gaining weight is a sign that something isn't working properly in your body. It's so unfortunate that overweight people are blamed for gaining weight by people say it's the result of them overeating and under-exercising.

The thing in common people suffer when they have gained weight is STRESS. It is stress that causes emotional eating. Stress also depressed the metabolism in a normal body, and can make you gain weight while still eating your "normal diet". And stress can also prevent restorative sleep, which in turn, slows down the metabolism.

Sleep and Stress
People under stress are oftentimes sleep deprived. Think about how stress affects your sleep. Even if you are exhausted, oftentimes your sleep is disturbed with thoughts about the issue that is stressing you. This can result in disruption of your normal sleep patterns and keep you from getting restful restorative sleep.

Sleep Deprivation & Weight Gain 
Recent findings are showing the relationship between lack of sleep, and weight gain. Research from the American Heart Association showed that even 1 hour and 20 minute difference between two groups of subjects was enough to make the sleep deprived group eat an average of 549 additional calories each day! In another study, it was found that subjects had a correlation of body fat with their sleep patterns. Those who slept the fewest hours per night weighed the most.

Lack of sleep is associated with the hormones that control your hunger and satiation cues. Not enough sleep will turn down your Leptin levels and cause Ghrelin to rise. Increased Ghrelin, stimulates appetite and makes you feel unsatisfied with the amount of food that you eat. Leptin, which is produced in your gastrointestinal track turns off the hunger by sending signals to your brain that you've had enough.

This is a perfect combination to make you over-eat, adding additional calories that you don't need!

Lack of sleep can become part of a vicious cycle. If you are sleep deprived, and have started putting on weight a frequent problem is Sleep Apnea. That's a condition where abnormalities, thought to be caused by overweight cause the soft tissue in the rear of your throat to collapse, closing off air passages many times during the night. It stops you from breathing and causes a tendency to snore. The end result is disruption in your sleep. Even when you've given yourself what would seem adequate time to sleep, you only get half as much actual deep sleep. You not only feel tired all day, but it affects your Ghrelin and Leptin levels, adding weight, and contributing to the sleep apnea!

Cutting back from the standard eight down to four hours of sleep each night also was shown to produce striking changes in glucose tolerance and endocrine function. These changes resembled the effects of advanced age or the early stages of diabetes: after less than one week!

Similar to the problems with Insulin resistance (Metabolic Syndrome, or Syndrome X) some people have been shown to be Leptin Resistant. It's like when your body is telling you stop, but you brain doesn't pay attention. And this is NOT under your control.

Rather than telling yourself that "pushing it" to stay awake longer and work by filling yourself with caffeine; you are sabotaging your efforts at weight loss, AND ageing your body and brain!

If you don't get enough sleep because you are working too hard, or playing to hard, your efforts may be "waisted" into belly fat (pun intended).

Best selling author and Coach-sultant, Lianda Ludwig, M.S. works with overwhelmed, frustrated dieters who have been burned out by repeatedly losing weight only to gain it back time after time. For most dieters, she reports, stress has precipitated weight gain and must be addressed before permanent weight loss it possible. Losing weight is not just about what you eat; it's about what's eating you.

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12 Tips to Eat Healthy and Stay Within Your Budget

By Laura Kelly-Pifer

I often hear that cost is one of the biggest reasons as to why people aren't eating healthy. Today, I thought I would share 12 of the same tips that I use in my own home to keep our food costs down and stay within budget.

First off, let me tell you that I didn't always do this. It's taken some practice and some discipline to do it. But eating healthy is an important factor in how I feel. After gaining weight after having my girls and then packing on even more due to the medication I was on for my Fibromyalgia and Rheumotoid Arthritis, it was critical that I make changes or end up like many of my family members who are suffering from obesity related illnesses. And that would lead to more medication, more depression, and not living the life that I knew I could if I just made one choice to start living healthier. And the better I ate, the better I felt. BOOM! I could start living life again!!

Are you ready to start living a healthier life? Simply begin taking these 12 tips and apply. You don't have to do them all at once but even those gradual changes over time will help produce results.

1. Buy Family Size Portions of turkey, chicken or beef. Each week, browse through your supermarket circular for what's on special. I'll often plan our family meals around what's on sale and then prepare it in a variety of ways. Ground turkey for example can make spaghetti, burgers, and toppings for a healthy pizza, a super yummy veggie chilli or as a meatloaf. To ease into the transition from ground beef, I used a ½ and ½ ratio. And, guess what!?! No one has figured that out in my house yet. That is until today when they read this article. I also use my "Food Saver" storage system to freeze any extra that I can use for later. In fact, you'll often catch me actually cooking and prepping some meals in advance just because I'm saving time down the road. My girls keep me busy; I feel better when I know I can give them a home cooked meal verses a drive by one.

2. Invest in portion control tools. If you choose to have snacks in your home, like chips or crackers, invest in some portion control tools. I like the little snack size baggies that are perfect for one serving size. Be sure to check out the nutritional label for the exact amount and then place each serving into a baggie. Both you and the kids will know that one baggie is all you get. I also have measuring cups instead of just guessing. Referring to and sticking with the recommended portion size will help you save both money and extra calories.

3. Eat at home. I'll be the first one to admit that there are times where I just don't feel like cooking. And, we do go out on occasion. Why? Cause this momma needs a break from time to time. But here's the thing... drinks, appetizers and the main meal add up and especially when you eat out. Making a meal at home is much more affordable and you can often find a healthy version of your favourite meal online these days. And that time saving tip in Tip 1 helps me greatly when I don't feel like cooking.

4. Watch what you eat. Instead of servings meals on such large plates and in such large bowls, opt for smaller sizes. You'll be surprised at how this one simple tip can help your waistline and stretch your dollar.

5. Simple swaps can add BIG flavour. Invest in a few herbs that you can easily plant and maintain all year around. Add to dishes and be amazed at what wonderful flavour these herbs add and for A LOT less that a dried version. Some of what I keep are cilantro, basil, oregano and parsley. Also, swap oils for reduced fat broths or even better, make your own chicken or turkey stock. You can add to brown rice, quinoa, etc for even added flavour or sauté veggies.

6. Make your own dessert. Most store bought desserts a larger dose of sugar than what we need and are way too expensive. You can enjoy homemade fruit popsicles, banana or zucchini breads or Shakeology ice cream without the guilt by eating a healthier version.

7. Cook with whole grain pasta (or a low carb version). A box is inexpensive, healthier than regular pasta and you'll eat much less than the portions served out when you combine it with in season veggies. One of my favourites is so simple... pasta, extra virgin oil, diced veggies sprinkled with a little parma cheese.

8. Pack your own snacks. If you know that you're going to be out running the kids to practice or you know that you'll want to snack while at work, pack your own snacks. You'll be less tempted to snack on some less than healthier options as well as save money that would end up in the vending machine. I keep Shakeology, almonds, an apple and a P90X bar in my purse so I'm less tempted. I know myself. If I get hungry and let it go for too long, I make poor choices.

9. Make your own flavoured coffee at home. Once again, you'll save so much money over the course of a year and extra calories. You can then chose the amount of sugar, skim milk verses whole, reduced fat whipped topping and so much more. Plus, it's fun whipping up your own speciality drink.

10. Plan your meals. When you have a plan in place, it's easier to stay on track. Plan and pack your meals so you'll also have something healthier and less expensive on hand.

11. If you must eat out, skip the super size. You might think you're getting the best value for your money but over time, this choice ends up costing many folks. It starts as a few extra pounds then can turn into much more... medications, illnesses, etc.

12. Buy in season and locally. Local Farmer's Markets typically have the freshest and healthiest choices and are able to keep costs down because they aren't transporting if from all over. If you're like me, where there are only a few months out of the year where this is an option, your "Food Saver" can come in hand. I buy fresh veggies, prep and then freeze to use throughout the winter months. There's nothing worse than buying what should be a pack of fresh strawberries and having to toss them because they looked good at the store and then didn't last when you got home.

So, as you can see, these are really easy tips that anyone can apply.

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Easy And Effective Tips For Long-Term Weight Loss

By Sunny Jamwal

One of the most common resolutions that people make at the beginning of a new year is to lose weight. Millions of people struggle with being overweight or even obese. By being overweight, you are putting yourself at greater risk for developing many long-term health problems, such as diabetes. However, losing weight and keeping it off over the long term can be difficult.

When you boil it down, how much you weigh is essentially a balance between two factors: how many calories you consume, and how many you burn. When you take in more calories than you burn, you will end up putting on weight. Therefore, losing weight is basically a case of finding ways to burn more calories than you take in.

This sounds simple when put this way, but of course, actually putting this principle into practice is more difficult. However, it is important to remember this simple idea so that you can know what to focus on. Realizing that effective weight loss is a matter of burning more calories will help you realize that there is no magic solution to being overweight. You cannot just take a pill every day and expect to see the pounds vanish. You are going to have to put in some effort if you want to lose weight.

Fortunately, there are some simple and effective techniques that you can use to help yourself lose weight. You can start using these techniques right away. For example, start keeping a food diary or journal. Write down everything that you eat for a week. No matter how small a piece of food is, you need to write it down. At the end of the week, go back and see exactly what you are putting in your body.

You may be amazed at how much you are eating. Seeing your diet written down in black and white makes it easier to cut back on what you eat. Having a record of the food you are eating also helps you identify areas where you can cut back. You may not even realize how much you are eating throughout the day.

Another good tool for helping yourself lose weight is to find a buddy. If you know someone else who is trying to lose weight, such as a friend or relative, have them join forces with you. The two of you can keep each other motivated. If one of you becomes discouraged, it will be easier to get back on track if you have someone pushing you to do so.

Always make sure that you eat a good, healthy breakfast. Too many people skip breakfast entirely, or if they do eat breakfast, they eat something processed and unhealthy. A tasty bowl of whole-grain oatmeal with fresh fruit is a much better way to start your day off properly.

Losing weight can be a difficult journey, but it is worth it in the end. You can add years to your life by shedding those excess pounds. With the simple tips in this article, you can start losing weight right away.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Easy-And-Effective-Tips-For-Long-Term-Weight-Loss&id=7688147

The Way You Think Affects Weight Loss

By Nicholas Dean

Negative Images Can Kill You

When you think a positive thought you are thinking a thought that can be extremely empowering. Negative thinking and images can make you not lose weight at all and sabotage any efforts that you might be putting towards losing weight.

If you have any kind of negative images about yourself then you end up robbing yourself of the energy that you need to help you with losing weight. You will feel unmotivated, depressed and powerless. This is why a negative image can literally kill you.

How to Avoid a Negative Image

You can easily succeed in achieving your goal if you start having thoughts that are positive about it. First, acknowledge these types of negative feelings that you might be having. Transform those images and thoughts into positive ones the moment you feel them coming on. Know that you can achieve your goals faster with positive images and thinking.

Write Down Positive Affirmations

Writing down positive affirmations and saying them daily about your weight loss can also help to overcome negative images. In the morning get into the habit of saying positive affirmations out loud. One example of a positive affirmation weight loss is "I am losing weight in healthy way right now". When you do meditation in the morning be sure to include positive affirmations in with your meditation.

Write Down Your Feelings

Have a daily journal and log in your feelings which might be negative. Start to acknowledge that you have these feelings. Write down whenever you feel as if you cannot overcome the cravings that you are having. Maybe you want a coke really bad and might be battling not drinking one. Don't ignore these feelings. The more that you acknowledge these feelings then the less power they will have over you.

Create a Support Group

Losing weight can be hard. Everyone at some point will struggle during the process of becoming healthy. Create your own personal support group to help you get through the hard times. If you are unsure as to who you can trust at home then research health support forums and chat rooms and find people who also need support and encourage each other during the process. This is also a great way to meet some new friends. Talk with them whenever you start feeling down and struggling with weight loss.

Conclusion

If you are serious about losing the extra pounds then get rid of all negative thinking fast because it will hold you down and discourage you. Start thinking positive right now about losing weight and know that you can do it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Way-You-Think-Affects-Weight-Loss&id=7695063

Vita Burn Diet Exposed: Miracle Diet or Scam?

And like you have probably already seen; they are all over the internet in blogs and success stories of people who have apparently used the Green Coffee pills and lost a ton of weight. But we here at Channel 4 are a little skeptical and aren't sure that we've seen any real proof that the Green Coffee works for weight loss. So we decided to put these products to the test. What better way to find out the truth than to conduct our own study?Green Coffee is the latest weight loss fad. This so called Superfood that you take as a supplement to lose weight have been getting a lot of international attention. To get started, I volunteered to be the guinea pig. I applied for a bottle of Vita Burn. While there are many emerging Green Coffee ads online, Vita Burn is one of the most credible and trustworthy suppliers on the market. It included the free trial of the product and it did not try to fool me into agreeing to additional hidden offers. Another reason why I chose Vita Burn is because it is the most concentrated and purest Green Coffee product on the market. This would give me the most accurate results for my test. Here is what Vita Burn claimed on their website... 4 Times More Weight Loss Than Diet And Exercise Boosts Energy Throught the Day Effective Appetite Suppressant Works Quickly, Proven Results We were pretty skeptical, but wanted to find out for ourselves if this product could actually do everything that it claimed. Most of the success stories talk about combining Vita Burn with colon cleansing products to achieve maximum weight loss. I decided to do the same. The idea behind combining the products is that while the Vita Burn encourages weight loss and increases energy, colon cleansing helps rid your body of toxins and allows your body to work and burn calories more efficiently. So I chose Pure Detox Plus to test. Here is what Pure Detox Plus claimed on their website... Helps Eliminate Bad Toxins that have Built Up Over the Years Removes 'Sludge' from the Walls of the Colon Helps Get Rid of Gas and Bloating Helps to Regulate the Metabolism And the Pure Detox Plus, like the Vita Burn, had a free trial with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and had no hidden offers. Putting Vita Burn to the Test Both the Vita Burn and Pure Detox Plus arrived within 4 days of having placed my order online for the free trials. The bottles I received held a month's worth of intake which worked out perfect as I was to follow the supplement routine for 4 weeks time and document my progress throughout My 4-Week Vita Burn Diet Test : Vita Burn + Pure Detox Plus Take Vita Burn once a day Take one Pure Detox Plus pill per day My Results Week One After one week on the diet using both products I was surprised at the dramatic results. My energy level was up, and I wasn't even hungry, an apparent effect of the Vita Burn which curbs the appetite. I honestly felt fantastic. And I didn't even change anything about my daily routine. On day 7 I got on the scale and couldn't believe my eyes. I had lost 4.1 Kilograms. But I still wasn't convinced as they say you lose a lot of water at the beginning of any diet. I wanted to wait and see the results in the upcoming weeks. But it sure was looking up! I now weighed under 9 Stone for the first time in years! Week Two After two weeks of using both supplements, I started the week off with even more energy and was actually sleeping more soundly than before. I was no longer waking up during the night and tossing and turning because my body was actually able to relax (this is a result of getting rid of the toxins I think). Plus I still managed to lose another 3.2 Kilograms, putting me at an unbelievable 1.1 Stone of weight loss, in just 2 weeks. I must admit that I'm starting to believe that this diet is more than just a gimmick. Week Three After 3 weeks all my doubts and skepticism had absolutely vanished! I am down, 2 full dress sizes, after losing another 2.7 Kilograms. And I still have a ton of energy. Quite often, around the third week of other diets, you tend to run out of steam. But with the Vita Burn and Pure Detox Plus diet my energy levels don't dip, but remain steady throughout the day. I no longer need that cat nap around 3pm in the afternoon! And I am even noticing that my stomach is digesting food so much better. No bloating or embarrassing gas after I eat! Week Four After the fourth week, my final results were shocking. I lost an unbelievable 1.8 Stone since starting the Vita Burn and Pure Detox Plus diet! Actually everyone at Channel 4 is kicking themselves for not having volunteered to be the guinea pig. Using the Vita Burn and Pure Detox Plus in week 4 I lost 1.4 more Kilograms. But to be honest I really didn't have much more than that left to lose. And I am definately going to continue taking the Vita Burn afterwards because it has so many antioxidants and vitamins that makes my skin look unbelievable. I couldn't be any happier with the results. I Lost 2.5 Stone in 4 Weeks, No Special Diet, No Intense Exercise Conclusion Like us, here at Channel 4, you might be a little doubtful about the effects of this diet, but you need to try it for yourself; the results are real. After conducting our own personal study we are pleased to see that people really are finding success with it (myself included!). Here's How You Can Try These Free Diet Trials For Yourself Follow the links to the free trials I have provided and know that you are getting quality products that work - no strings attached! Remember, the best results are from using both products together. I'm not as confident that you will see results like what I achieved if you only use one. Besides, with the discounted shipping costs you'll be on your way to looking much slimmer and better for under £5. But hurry! Our report has generated a lot of buzz and these free trials won't be available forever! Good Luck with your weight loss! Julia Miller http://easydietplan.co/best-diet-products-d/?adword=