1. Get a head start on bikini season by starting your preparations in the winter. Since it can take at least 4 to 6 weeks to see any sort of results from a diet and exercise plan, this gives you plenty of time to get ready for that bikini.

2.  Buy your swimsuits early before all the good ones are gone. This gives you the best chance of finding suits that fit well, are fashionable and are designed to flatter your particular body type.
3. Start your toning program by daily targeting such problem areas as “saggy arms.” Use small hand-held weights of about 3 lbs. to exercise your muscles. Do 25 repetitions of bicep curls, followed by 25 repetitions of tricep curls. Rest for 15 seconds before repeating twice.

4. Firm your backside by lying on your stomach with your legs stretched out and your elbows bent, with hands placed under your chin. Press your hips into the floor while lifting your head and shoulders. Lift your straightened legs as far up as possible, and then lower them back to the floor in a controlled manner. Repeat 30 times twice daily to obtain good overall tone.

5. Give your tummy a workout with standard crunches and air bicycling. Have a partner hold your feet to the floor as you raise yourself up in a crunch. Don’t put pressure on your neck, and remember that small, controlled motions do more than quick “up and down” movements. Do as many as you can. When bicycling, keep your back straight and relaxed and your legs going for at least 30 seconds.

7. Prepare for bikini season by getting a tan a few weeks early. Visit a local spa that features a good spray-on tan that looks great and protects your skin from ultraviolet rays. Keep your “fake” tan up with routine visits, and enjoy your bronze skin when everyone else is still winter pale.

For more weight loss tips, visit SlimTrim1.com.
Eat Slim, Stay Trim!

Artichokes

With the warm weather and fun new clothes, we have no doubt that every woman out there wants to look her personal best this Spring. We’ve put together a list of tips that are uniquely seasonal, and helpful for flaunting a healthy and gorgeous body. Keep reading to see how YOU can look your best this Spring.

Load Up on Produce
Add some Springtime greens such as asparagus, arugula, and artichokes to your daily meals. It’s easy to roast asparagus or artichoke hearts in olive oil, and serve it as a side with dinner. Or, make an arugula salad topped with other fresh fruits and veggies, and a low-fat salad dressing. You can even use oil and vinegar to keep it super healthy.
Adjust Your Schedule
With the daylight arriving even earlier and evenings stretching significantly later, most people are awake more in the spring and summer, and less in the winter. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that you’re eating all your meals, and that there is significant spacing between them. Make a point to eat breakfast when you wake up, a midday lunch, an afternoon snack, and a dinner. For your body’s metabolism to function correctly, it must be regularly supplied with fuel, even if it’s healthy fuel.
Add in Servings of Soup
Even though Spring might not seem like the right time to add in this diet staple, there are lots of great soups designed specifically for this season. Replace your cream soups with lighter broths so that you enjoy seasonal produce wihout the heavy calories. There are also soups that are meant to be eaten cold or warm, so try these out for hot days.
Antioxidant Cleansing
Green vegetables contain a pigment called chlorophyll that is a very effective antioxidant. Eating loads of these vegetables helps to flush out your system, and get rid of lingering waste. This is truly an effective and natural Springtime cleanse.
Avoid Diet and Low-Fat Foods
Diet and low-fat foods may sound healthy at first glance, but promises of less fat and sugar are often overshadowed by additional unhealthy ingredients that give these diet foods a better taste. Processed sugars and additives can help make a diet food seem less unpleasant, but they often make them as unhealthy as regular foods. Eat more unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables, and take more processed choices as occasional treats.
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Diet and Weight Loss Tips

“Good Morning America” is teaming up with Reader’s Digest on a special series, “13 Things Experts Won’t Tell You.” This month, Reader’s Digest unveils the secrets to weight loss, as outlined in the new book, “The Digest Diet,” a new, healthy-living plan that lists foods, exercises, and lifestyle tips that help you release fat fast.

1. You have to eat fat to beat fat.

While too much of the wrong fat (certain saturated fats in highly processed meats and trans fat found in some cookies and crackers) is bad for your health and waistline, a diet rich in the right fat — good unsaturated fats — can help both.

Good fats, like monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in olive oil, nuts, and avocados have proven to be powerful reducers of belly fat. Other sources of good fat are the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); found in fish and its oil, and in many nuts and seeds, PUFAs help release fat, too. A Dutch study found that consumption of PUFAs lead to a higher resting metabolic rate (the calories used just to live), as well as a greater DIT, or diet-induced calorie burn. PUFAs are also burned faster than saturated fats in the body.

What’s more, fats help you feel full—they have 9 calories per gram compared to 4 for protein or carbs. So a small nibble of something yummy, like a handful of nuts or some peanut butter on whole wheat crackers, can help you feel full for hours.

2. A daily dose of chocolate can trim your waistline.

If you’re like us, you welcome any new excuse to add more chocolate into your life. To release fat, here’s the trick: Go heavy on the cocoa and light on sugar. Cocoa contains more antioxidants than most foods and is good for so many things, including — when consumed in moderation — weight loss.

In a June 2011 study from the Journal of Nutrition, researchers looked at the effect that antioxidants found in cocoa had on obese diabetic mice. (Since a diabetic’s lifespan is, on average, seven years shorter, they were looking for any antiaging promise that increasing dietary intake of this flavonoid might give.) Their findings: The mice lived longer. The cocoa reduced degeneration of their aortic arteries, and it blunted fat deposition.

To add more cocoa into your diet, buy unsweetened cocoa and add it to shakes, coffee, and other recipes.

3. Dairy promotes weight loss.

Unfortunately some myths persist that dairy sabotages weight loss, but science proves this couldn’t be further from the truth. Research shows that those who have deficiencies in calcium hold a greater fat mass and experience less control of their appetite. What’s more, studies have found that dairy sources of calcium — like yogurt, low- or nonfat cheese, and milk — are markedly more effective in accelerating fat loss than other sources.

In one study out of the University of Tennessee, researchers showed that eating three servings of dairy daily significantly reduced body fat in obese subjects. If they restricted calories a bit while continuing with the same dairy servings, it accelerated fat and weight loss.

4. Losing weight early and fast is best.

Besides giving you a great psychological boost right out of the gate, losing weight quickly may also help you keep it off longer. To those of us who are used to hearing that slow and steady wins the race, this news is a little shocking and counterintuitive.

In a 2010 University of Florida study, when researchers analyzed data on 262 middle-aged women who were struggling with obesity, they demonstrated that shedding weight fast lead to larger overall weight loss and longer-term success in keeping it off.

5. Exercise alone is not an effective weight loss tool — you have to pair it with the right diet.

Thinking you can eat whatever you want as long as you work it off later is actually a pretty dangerous mind-set, particularly if you look at the current research. Exercise alone leads to a very modest decrease in total body weight: less than 3 percent!

I learned this lesson the hard way. From 1998 to 2006, I was the executive editor of Fitness magazine. Studying the fitness research and trying the trends were all part of my job. For years, I believed that I could eat anything I wanted because I was exercising so much. But the more I exercised, the hungrier I was. And the more I ate, the more I needed to exercise to maintain a healthy weight. Here’s what happened: I saw a steady increase in my body weight of a pound a year.

6. The difference between being overweight and a healthy weight may boil down to one move: fidgeting.

Research shows that people who are naturally lean—you know the sort: They seem to eat all day, whatever they want, and never gain a pound or an inch—automatically, even subconsciously, find ways to move to make up for any extra calories they may be ingesting.

Believe it or not, spontaneous physical activity (SPA) like fidgeting, bending, brushing your hair, doing dishes, etc. can burn 350 or more calories a day, according to Mayo Clinic research.

7. Ditch the long cardio sessions. The best way to burn fat is with interval training.

Nod your head if you do the same workout over and over. You just hit that treadmill, elliptical, or jogging path and you put in your time. Unfortunately, this exercise strategy can actually backfire when it comes to weight loss and fat burning.

Aerobic exercise demands that you increase your energy output. Because our body is always trying to stay in balance, this type of movement may actually act as a biological cue to make you eat more, which can sabotage weight-loss efforts.

Besides that, research shows that continuous aerobic exercise isn’t nearly as effective a weight-control strategy as surprising your body with aerobic interval training (short bursts of heart-pounding work, also known as HIIT, or high intensity interval training) or strength training (push-ups, squats, anything that builds muscle and power).

8. TV time is OK — but make it a sitcom.

We’re not recommending you ditch your exercise routine and sit on your couch popping handfuls of chips. But TV isn’t the weight loss devil that many experts make it out to be, particularly if you use it to make you smile and laugh.

Here’s why: Stress takes an enormous toll on your health (research shows it can increase belly fat and slow down weight loss), and laughing is the perfect stress-relieving, fat releasing antidote.

What’s more, it’s a pretty potent calorie burner in its’ own right. When British researchers looked into the number of calories burned by intense laughing and compared it to the calorie burn of other daily activities (strength training, running, even vacuuming), they found that an hour of intense laughter can burn as many calories—up to 120—as a half hour hitting it hard at the gym!

9. The real reason you’re craving junk food? You’re thinking too hard!

If you’re like many office workers, your desk job gives you a double fat increasing whammy: Not only are you sitting, inactive, at a desk for most of the day, but this type of mental, knowledge-based work actually makes it more difficult to control appetite and may make us eat more calories and fat.

Research suggests that because brain neurons rely almost exclusively on glucose as fuel, intense mental work leads to unstable glucose levels. Since the work requires glucose for maximum brainpower — well, we naturally reach for more fuel.

To outsmart this fat increaser, it’s important to fuel up on hunger-fighting foods high in filling fiber, protein and calcium. So the next time you feel that hunger pang, reach for a fat-free Greek yogurt or baby carrots with a tablespoon of peanut butter instead of a bag of chips.

10. A glass of wine a day is an effective fat releaser!

So many people have asked me if it’s okay to have a drink when trying to lose weight. Good news: Many studies clearly show that a small glass of red wine a day is good for your health. Now numerous animal studies are highlighting its great promise as a fat releaser.

In one large study of more than 19,000 middle-aged women of normal weight, those who were light to moderate drinkers had less weight gain and less risk of becoming overweight than those who drank no alcohol. And in another separate animal study done in 2006, the researchers found that resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant found in red wine, improved exercise endurance as well as protected against diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

11. All sugar isn’t evil when it comes to weight loss.

It’s no secret that America has a sugar problem: According to the American Heart Association, we eat 22 teaspoons a day on average. (They recommend six for women and nine for men.) While cutting back on sugar consumption all around is a smart, healthy move, you should also consider swapping some of your sugar for honey.

Honey has also shown great promise in animal studies for reducing weight gain and adiposity (fatness) when substituted for sugar. It’s a nutritious fat releasing alternative that also boasts antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It may improve blood sugar control, is a great cough suppressant, and it boosts immunity.

12. Skimping on sleep can negate your calorie cutting.

How long you sleep directly affects your body mass. One study found that dieters who got 8 1/2 hours of sleep nightly lost 56 percent more body fat than they did when eating the same diet but got just 51/2 hours of sleep a night. Other Columbia University research revealed that people may eat 300 extra calories a day when they get a few hours less sleep than usual.

Sleep deprivation interferes with the hormones leptin and ghrelin that regulate appetite. That means you’ll feel hungrier and are more likely to indulge in poorer eating behaviors. Also, you may look for more energy in the form of unhealthy snacks!

13. Your secret weight loss weapon may be a good HEPA air filter.

More and more research reveals that the toxins, chemicals, and compounds riddling our food supply and self-care products are contributing to the nation’s collective fat creep.

And air pollution is a particularly bad fat increaser: A 2011 study from the College of Public Health at Ohio State University found just that: Exposure to fine particulate matter (air pollution) induced insulin resistance, reduced glucose tolerance, and increased inflammation, leading researchers to mark long-term exposure to air pollution as a risk factor for diabetes. And as we know, diabetes and obesity are close cousins (80 to 85 percent of those diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are obese).

For more weight loss tips, be sure to visit SlimTrim1.com. Click here to learn more!

But what if those new fangled discoveries and quick fixes were steeped in misinformation and could actually be making you gain weight or harm your health? Oh, no thank you very much.

In an effort to clear the air and get back to solid basics, we decided to tackle the most prevalent weight loss “facts” out there and reveal them as the myths they are. See the 10 biggest weight loss myths and facts now.

ONE: EATING AFTER 8 PM IS A DIET DON’T

Myth or Fact: Myth
It’s not when you eat, it’s what (and how much) you eat. The reason some diets suggest you close the kitchen after enjoying the early-bird special is that people have a tendency to overeat at night, especially if they have skipped a meal during the day. “If you are finding yourself bingeing at night, chances are you are not eating anywhere near enough good calories during the day,” says fitness and lifestyle consultant, Ashley Borden.

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Myth or Fact: Myth
You gain weight when you consume more calories than your body burns. And yet, not all calories are the same. It’s really the good carb/bad carb distinction. “Bad carbohydrates (refined simple sugars) are rapidly digested and absorbed into the bloodstream,” celebrity nutritionist Paula Simpson explains. “If there is a high concentration of blood sugars (hyperglycemia), then [the excess sugars] can be stored as fat.” The fiber in good carbohydrates helps slow down the rate of digestion, controlling blood sugar levels, which results in a longer window of time during which the body can burn the calories from those good carbohydrates before the excess is stored as fat. What are the good carbohydrates?

THREE: DRINKING BROTH-BASED SOUPS BEFORE YOU EAT CAN HELP YOU FEEL MORE FULL AND, THUS, EAT LESS

Myth or Fact: Fact
A study conducted at Penn State University demonstrated that eating foods with a high water content increases one’s sense of fullness. Interestingly, drinking water on its own has not been shown to have the same impact. Evidently, water is emptied out of your stomach more quickly than water incorporated into foods you eat, so it doesn’t trigger any of the body cues that tell your brain you are full.

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FOUR: IF YOU ARE ON A DIET YOU SHOULD AVOID RED MEAT AT ALL COSTS

Myth or Fact: Myth
You don’t have to swear off red meat. Red meat, in moderation, is a great source of protein and iron. ??Which kind of red meats should you order?

FIVE: ALL GRAMS ARE CREATED EQUAL

Myth or Fact: Myth
Remember the old riddle: What weighs more — 100 lbs of brick or 100 lbs of feathers? They, of course, weigh the same, but the size of the feather pile would be much bigger than the stack of bricks. That analogy kind of helps when you think of grams of food: a gram of protein has four calories; a gram of carbohydrates also has four calories; but a gram of fat has nine calories. The difference in calories per gram is the reason why one food may have way more calories than an identical serving size of another. It’s also the reason for the proliferation of low-fat and fat-free products. Limiting the number of grams of fat you consume each day makes it easier to stay in your caloric budget (and your skinny jeans).

SIX: OVER-THE-COUNTER WEIGHT LOSS PRODUCTS THAT ARE LABELED “NATURAL” OR “HERBAL” ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE

Myth or Fact: Myth
This was a gimme, right? Ephedra ring any bells? Just because you can buy something in a health food store doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Unless and until a product’s claims have been evaluated by the FDA, you should be skeptical. And, in any event, it’s worth consulting a physician before taking any drugs. Not all diet pills are unsafe.

SEVEN: YOUR BODY HAS A BIOLOGICALLY PRE-DETERMINED SET WEIGHT AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE IT WILL FAIL

Myth or fact: Myth
Blaming your grandparents for the yo-yo-ing you see on the scale isn’t going to fly. “While our genetic heritage does play a role in our body composition,” Simpson explains, “we can still have control … by leading an active lifestyle and eating well.” And if you’re pre-disposed to be skinny (lucky bee-och — er — duck?), you still ought to be eating right and exercising — for your health.

EIGHT: IF YOU’RE NOT SWEATING WHILE WORKING OUT, YOU’RE NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH

Myth or fact: Myth
There is zero correlation between perspiration and weight loss. The only thing sweat signifies is that the body is working to cool itself off. Everyone sweats differently. And, anyway, it is not clear that working out for a shorter period at a higher intensity is better than working out for a longer duration at a lower intensity. ?In terms of weight loss, what works best for your lifestyle and your schedule is what is going to work best — because you’ll stick with it. Your muscles will continue to burn calories after both aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

NINE: YOU SHOULD WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE HUNGRY TO EAT

Myth or fact: Myth
People who skip meals or eat erratically have a tendency to overeat to make up for the food they missed. And eating too few calories actually triggers your body to hold on to fat and burn fewer calories. “Hunger is a great indication that your metabolism is turned on,” says Borden. “If your metabolism is turned on, you should feel hunger every three to four hours.” Bottom line: Being hungry is a good sign, it means that your body’s working the way it’s supposed to, to burn off calories and keep running smoothly. On the other hand, starving yourself to the point where your body thinks it needs to conserve calories for the long haul is both unhealthy and works against your weight loss goal. So don’t be afraid to eat when you’re hungry — just make wise choices.

Eath Healthier

TEN: THERE IS NO MIRACLE FAT-BURNING FOOD

Myth or fact: Fact
Not mustard, not grapefruit, not green tea, not celery. No food is going to do the work for you. While there are foods that might temporarily speed up your metabolism, it won’t be in any sustained way that will impact weight loss. Simpson points out that “much of the data to support these claims stem from nutraceutical research or studies [where] people ingested very large quantities of the particular food or natural health supplements for an extended period of time.” And don’t try replicating those studies at home. Simpson warns that consuming large quantities of certain foods may offset the body’s balance to digest, absorb or neutralize byproducts or toxins in the body. “For example, even though grapefruit has some benefits, it may also affect the way the body absorbs, processes and eliminates certain prescription drugs.”

Source: Shine.Yahoo.com

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It’s not just what you eat or how much you exercise that matters; it’s the timing of each component that is the true secret to weight loss success. Research shows that our bodies’ inner eat-and-sleep clocks have been thrown completely out of whack, thanks to all-day food cues and too much nighttime artificial light. The result: You’re caught in a “fat cycle”: a constant flow of hunger hormones that makes you prone to cravings. By tuning in to your body’s natural eat/sleep schedule, you can finally say good-bye to your belly.

Lose Weight All Day Long

The Perfect Day of Eating

Drop Around The Clock! Follow this hour-by-hour slim-down schedule to control hunger hormones, banish cravings, and get trim and toned–fast!

6 TO 8 AM: GET MOVING.
Within a half hour of rising and before you eat breakfast, do 20 minutes of cardio. Research has found that exercising before breakfast may help you burn fat more efficiently. If you can get outside, even better. Early morning sunlight helps your body naturally reset itself to a healthier sleep/wake cycle (regular indoor lights don’t have the same effect).

How to Burn More Calories with Every Workout

6:55 TO 8:55 AM: DRINK UP.
Before every meal, drink two 8-ounce glasses of water. Research shows that people who drank this amount lost 5 pounds more than non-guzzlers.

Try Refreshing Sassy Water Recipe to De-Bloat Your Belly

7 TO 9 AM: EAT BREAKFAST.
The alarm clock also wakes up ghrelin, the “feed me” hormone made in your stomach. Ignore ghrelin and your body will produce even more, eventually making you ravenous. To suppress ghrelin’s effect, eat a mix of complex carbs and protein, such as eggs and whole grain toast, within an hour of waking.

10 TO 11 AM: MUNCH MIDMORNING.

Ghrelin begins to rise again a couple of hours before lunch. It turns off when you chow down, particularly on carbs and protein, so have a small combo snack, like blueberries and Greek-style yogurt.

12 TO 1 PM: HAVE YOUR MIDDAY MEAL.

Galanin, another hunger hormone that makes you crave fat, rises around lunchtime. However, dietary fat causes you to produce more galanin, which then tells you to eat more fat. Instead, fill up with complex carbs and protein, such as chicken-vegetable soup or black bean chili.

2 TO 3 PM: TAKE A NAP.
Instead of hitting the vending machines, find a quiet place to grab a few Zzzs. (Hint: Your parked car is the perfect impromptu sleep pod!) Just set an alarm–15 to 20 minutes will energize your body without affecting your ability to sleep at night.

3:30 PM: GET BUZZED.
Need a boost? This is your last chance to have a cup of joe. Drinking coffee after 4 PM disturbs circadian rhythms and can keep you from falling asleep at night.

4 TO 8 PM: TRIM AND TONE.
Now’s the time to do your strength training, plus any additional cardio. This is when your body temperature is highest, so you’re primed for peak performance. In one study, subjects who worked out in the late afternoon or early evening built 22% more muscle than morning exercisers.

5 TO 7 PM: TIME TO DINE.
To ensure you don’t wake up hungry in the middle of the night, add a serving of healthy fats, such as flaxseed or fish oil, to your meal. If you’re a wine drinker, pour a glass now. Drinking later can delay dream (REM) sleep, waking you frequently during the night.

9 TO PM: HAVE A PRESLEEP SNACK.
Enjoy a carb-based bedtime snack, such as a serving of low-fat frozen yogurt. Nighttime carbs create tryptophan, which helps your brain produce serotonin. This feel-good chemical triggers your body to make melatonin, the sleep hormone.

9 TO 10:30 PM: POWER DOWN.
Step away from digital devices, including the TV. They emit a blue spectrum of light that’s even more disruptive to sleep than regular bulbs. Do something calming–read, take a bath–in dim light so you’re ready to nod off when you hit the sheets.

9:30 TO 11 PM: GO TO SLEEP.
Crawl under the covers at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends. Having a regular sleep-and-wake schedule helps you fall asleep faster over time.

TELL US: What time of day do you find the hardest to stick to your diet?
–By the editors of Prevention

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Burn Calories During Commercials

Don’t fast-forward: Use commercials to squeeze in these easy but effective strength moves

Every hour-long TV show has about six commercial breaks that last 3 minutes each, so you can get a decent total body workout while you watch—no gym necessary. This workout is great for beginners, but it’s also good for exercisers of every level, since extra bouts of activity throughout the day help to keep your metabolism revved, says Prevention’s fitness advisor Wayne L. Westcott, PhD, of Quincy, MA.

Do 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise, followed by the aerobic component, until the show starts.

Couch Potato Exercise

1. Couch Push-Ups
These modified pushups sculpt your triceps and chest.
Facing a couch, kneel on the floor about 2 feet away from it. Cross your ankles, and place your hands shoulder-width apart on a cushion edge. Slowly bend your arms, and lower your upper body until your chest touches the couch. Hold, then press up again.
2. Side Crunches
These work your oblique muscles for a trimmer tummy.
Lie on the couch on your left side with your legs together and your knees bent. Place your right hand behind your head with your elbow pointing toward the ceiling. Wrap your left arm across your waist. Contracting the oblique muscles along your right side, lift your shoulder off the couch, bringing your rib cage toward your hip. Hold, then slowly lower. Repeat, then switch sides. (If your couch is too soft, you may need to do this exercise on the floor.)

Cardio finish: Do crossover punches. While standing, twist from your waist, and alternate punching your fists diagonally across your body.

3. Armchair Stands
This variation on squats tones your butt and thighs.
Sit on the edge of a chair or couch with your feet shoulder-width apart. Without using your arms, press into the floor with your feet, and stand, tightening your butt muscles as you rise. Keep your abdominals tight and your back straight. Hold, then slowly lower yourself. Before you touch the chair, stand up again.

Cardio finish: Walk or jog up and down stairs.

4. Armchair Dips
These moves are the ultimate arm flab fighter.
Sitting on the edge of a chair (or couch), place your hands on the edge on either side of you. Move your feet out so that your butt is off the chair, and your knees are bent at 90-degree angles. Bending your elbows so they point behind you, lower yourself as far as comfortable. Hold, then slowly press up again.

Cruches work!

5. Leg-Up Couch Crunches
Watch your form on these for maximum flat-belly benefits.
Lie on your back on a couch with your knees bent, your feet up on one end, and your hands behind your head. Pressing your lower back into the couch, slowly lift your head, shoulders, and upper back off the couch. Hold, then slowly lower. (If your couch is too soft, you may need to do this exercise on the floor.)

Cardio finish: Do knee lifts. While standing, alternate bringing your right elbow down to meet your left knee, and vice versa.

6. Scissors
These will help your legs look amazing in skinny jeans.
Lie on your back on a couch (you may need to angle yourself for more room) with your hands (palms down) under your butt and your legs straight up in the air. Keeping your knees slightly bent and your feet flexed, slowly spread your legs as far apart as comfortable. Hold, then slowly bring your legs together, resisting as you press them in.

Cardio finish: Do side slides, stepping your right foot out to the side, then sliding your left foot to meet it. Repeat in the opposite direction, doing this as quickly as you can.

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Even if that coach helps out by phone, with no face-to-face contact, it can translate to more weight loss, the experts found. Either approach results in more weight loss than going solo. The studies will be presented this week at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“The ‘remote’ intervention, to me, is very exciting,” said Dr. Lawrence Appel, a professor of medicine and director of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health. He led one of the studies.

Weight loss tips

Weight-loss support and education delivered over the phone or a website, he said, was effective. “We don’t discourage in-person,” Appel said. “Going in, we thought it would be the best intervention.” The researchers found otherwise. “Given their druthers, the people said, ‘I prefer not to come in,’ ‘I prefer to use the phone, the Internet.’”

In the study, Appel and his colleagues assigned 415 obese men and women, average age 54, all with at least one cardiovascular risk factor such as high blood pressure, to one of two programs. In one, patients got weight loss support remotely — by phone, a website and email. In the second, they got in-person support during group and individual sessions, along with remote support.

A third comparison group met with a weight-loss coach at the study start. They could also meet with the coach at the end. In between, they were on their own, referred to websites on weight loss and given brochures.

Those in the self-directed group lost less weight. On average, the self-directed group shed 1.7 pounds, the remote group lost 10.1 pounds, and the in-person group 11.2 pounds over the two-year study.

A higher proportion of those in the intervention groups lost 5 % or more of their starting weight. That may not sound like much, but experts agree it is enough to make a difference to your health.

In the second study, Dr. Thomas Wadden, at the University of Pennsylvania, and his team assigned 390 obese adults to one of three types of programs. One group was termed ”usual care” and saw their doctors for weight-loss education and support every three months. One group received brief lifestyle counseling, including visits with their doctor every three months and monthly sessions with lifestyle coaches. One group received enhanced lifestyle counseling, which included everything the brief lifestyle counseling group got, along with being offered a choice of meal replacements or weight-loss medications.
The weight-loss medicines were either orlistat or sibutramine. Orlistat now carries a warning about potential liver damage. Sibutramine is not available in the United States now, after reports of an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes with its use. By the end of the study, most were using the meal replacements, not the medicines.

At the end of the two years, 86 percent were still participating. Those who received the enhanced lifestyle counseling lost the most: 10.1 pounds. Those in the usual care group lost just 3.7 pounds and those in the brief lifestyle counseling group lost 6.4 pounds.

Those in the enhanced lifestyle group were more likely to drop 5 percent of their starting weight, according to the report.

Both studies suggest a model using primary care doctors works, said Wadden, professor of psychology and psychiatry and director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the university. That model is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which makes recommendations based on evidence of benefits and harms.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Susan Yanovski of the U.S. National Institutes of Health pointed out that the participants got the meal replacement and medicines at no cost. “Whether patients would be willing to pay for these therapies, or insurers would be willing to reimburse for them, is not known,” she said.

Appel estimates his program would cost less than $500 for the two years and speculates that employers might pay. Wadden said his program would cost about $1,300 for the two years. He said employers or insurers might pay in the future.

One in three U.S. adults is obese. Both studies were funded by the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The study led by Appel was also supported by other sources, including Healthways, a disease-management company that has a consulting agreement with Johns Hopkins. One study author has received consulting fees from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck and royalties from Taylor & Francis Publishing.

More Information

For information about healthy food choices, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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There are diets that work fast and are easy to follow. However, if they are followed for a long period of time, there are many health risks involved. Therefore, it is very important that you consult a professional dietitian and a doctor both, before going on a diet to get safe and healthy results. Let us take a look at some of the easy diets that work fast. Read more on fad diets.

Eat Slim, Stay Trim

Simple Easy Diets that Work
Here are some really quick and easy diets that work.

Atkins Diet
In this diet, the intake of carbohydrates is reduced to a great extent. Carbohydrates are required by the body to generate energy. When you restrict the intake of carbohydrates, the body starts utilizing the fats stored in the body for energy generation. There are four phases of the Atkins diet viz., induction phase, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance phase and lifetime phase. In this diet, you are supposed to eat the following foods:

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Salads
• Fish
• Eggs
• Asparagus

These are the foods which do not have carbohydrates and are used in the Atkins diet.

Zone Diet
Zone Diet is an easy diet that works and the specialty of this diet is that it does not restrict any kind of foods and snacks in the diet plan. The theory behind the zone diet is that you have to consume 30% proteins, 30% fats and 40% carbohydrates. A zone diet calculator will help you in calculating the content of these nutrients in different foods. In addition, the zone diet maintains the hormonal levels to a normal value and helps in a healthy weight loss.

Cabbage Soup Diet
Cabbage soup diet is a diet which is meant for weight loss and is done for seven days. In this diet cabbage soup is taken along with fruits. Read more on cabbage soup diet recipe. This diet is done for seven days and each day there is a permutation and combination of cabbage soup diet and fruits. For detailed information read cabbage soup diet.

Low Glycemic Index Diet
Low glycemic index diet is particularly effective for diabetics and pregnant women. Low glycemic index diet is a good way to keep your baby healthy, as soon as it is born. Low glycemic index diet is very beneficial for women with gestational diabetes. Women with fat accumulated in their thighs and abdomen, can have a lot of benefits from the low glycemic index diet. Read more on diabetic diet.

Read more on the following:

• SlimTrim
• Detox Diets
• Diet Tips

There are many other free easy diets that work fast, available on the internet. However, you must consult a dietitian or a doctor before you follow any one of these. This was all about easy diets that work fast.

For more weight loss ideas and tips, visit SlimTrim1.com..

Eat Slim, Stay Trim

7:30 AM: Have Breakfast
“Eating breakfast kick-starts your metabolism — especially since we don’t eat for around ten hours overnight,” says Di Prima. “Eggs are a high-satiety food and good to begin the day with.”

Keep your carbohydrate intake light at breakfast if you’re trying to lose weight; think one slice of wholegrain toast instead of two, and include beans or spinach rather than the empty calories of white bread, jam and butter.

“Aim to get 25 percent of your total day’s calories at breakfast, with five other small meals throughout the day. Think breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper — and two dainty snacks — like a princess!”

Eat Right! Burn Fat!

9:00 AM: Skip the Morning Latte
Forgo the large, full-fat latte in favor of a small, skim latte, or better still, try tea. “This will save a lot of calories,” says naturopath Kevin Griffiths. “It will also help keep sugar cravings in check, and blood sugar levels on an even keel.”

11:00 AM: Ditch the Juice
Have an apple instead. “A glass of apple juice has the calories of almost three apples,” says Di Prima. Studies also show that regular fruit juice intake may increase diabetes risk by 50% due to massive sugar hits. “Also, the fiber — which is what helps you fill up faster — is left out of the juice. By making this one swap you’ll save calories every day.”

1:00 PM: Love Your Lunch
“Don’t eat at your desk. Get outside, go for a walk and be conscious when you do eat of what’s going into your mouth,” says Di Prima. “If you want to cut carbs, have a stir-fry with extra sprouts and vegies, but ask for fewer noodles. Eat fish with salad instead of fries, and if you must have bread, ditch the top of the sandwich and have it open.”

3:00 PM: Avoid the Afternoon Sugar Slump
If you don’t want to look like the Michelin Man, drink water and avoid soft drinks. A Harvard study of 6000 people found that drinking just one soft drink a day (diet or standard) increased the risk of obesity by 31%. And now there’s more evidence that diet drinks are as bad as normal ones; one university study found that rats fed artificially sweetened drinks for ten days gained more weight than those fed sugar-sweetened drinks. Researchers theorize that when you eat artificial sweeteners, your body prepares for a large intake of calories. When these fail to materialize, your body demands food by making you feel hungry. Di Prima agrees. “Soft drinks are liquid candy. Aim to make water the main drink that passes your lips, outside of a daily coffee and a glass or two of skim or low-fat milk. And aim for a maximum three or four glasses of wine or beer per week. “Beat sugar and salt slumps by having solid food snacks at your desk, such as low-fat yogurt or fresh fruit.”

4:00 PM: Breathe Easier
Although morning exercise suits many people, for athletes looking for that extra endurance — or for those who are asthmatic or easily exhausted — working out between 4pm and 5pm may be best. One study of 4800 people by the American College of Chest Physicians found that lung function peaks (at about 20% higher) during this period, with midday exercise returning the lowest lung function.

“The main thing is to exercise at a time that’s best for you,” says Rob Daly, an exercise physiologist from the University of Melbourne. “For people with depression, sunlight on the eyeballs in the morning is good. For others, afternoon works better. The main thing is to do it — not just think about it.”

7:00 PM: Enjoy a Drink
There have been countless studies trumpeting the health benefits of moderate daily alcohol intake (emphasis on “moderate”), with wines — especially the newer organic breeds – linked to reductions in arterial and cardiovascular diseases. So go ahead, we’re not saints or robots.

But try to aim for low-alcohol (and therefore low-calorie) varieties, and don’t be fooled by the latest low-carb beers; it’s the calories that count, and there’s actually little difference in calories content between standard beer and the low-carb varieties.

8:30 PM: Stop Eating
“Unless you are an insulin-dependent diabetic, it’s better not to eat two to three hours before bed,” says Di Prima. “If you are tempted, give your body an ‘automatic’ brain signal that eating is over for the night. This might include washing the dishes, putting away all the leftovers and flossing and cleaning your teeth thoroughly. If you’ve done this, you’re less likely to be tempted to put anything but herbal tea past your lips late at night.”

Source: Jane Washington from HealthSmart

For more weight loss ideas, be sure to visit SlimTrim1.com – Eat Slim! Stay Trim!

Researchers from St. Louis University’s Doisy College of Health Sciences recruited 34 people between the ages of 50 and 60, who were either overweight or toward the high end of normal weight. The participants were split into two groups — the first group of 18 was put on a diet, while the second group of 16 exercised.

Exercise - lose weight

The dieting group reduced their total calorie intake by 16 percent per day for the first three months of the study. For the final nine months, the dieters reduced their caloric intake by 20 percent.

The second group exercised to burn 16 percent of their caloric intake per day for the first three months, then increased their workouts to burn 20 percent of their calories for the final nine months.

By the study’s end, both groups lost roughly 9 to 10 percent of their total body weight. However, the researchers found that the participants of the dieting group lost muscle mass during their weight loss, while the exercising group did not.

“If push comes to shove and somebody wants to know if they should diet or exercise to lose weight, I would suggest exercise, provided they are willing to put in the extra time and effort and not offset the gains they make by eating more,” said Edward Weiss, the study’s lead author.

Though the most effective weight loss strategy is to combine diet and exercise, the researchers emphasized that people who only exercise to lose weight are missing out on some unique health benefits of calorie restriction.

“It’s important that dieting not be seen as a bad thing because it provides enormous benefits with respect to reducing the risk of disease and is effective for weight loss,” Weiss said. “Furthermore, based on studies in rodents, there is a real possibility that calorie restriction provides benefits that cannot be achieved through exercise-induced weight loss.”