Yoga Vs Weight Loss

Yoga Vs Weight Loss


oga exercises are widely practiced by many to reduce weight. Along with the weight reducing diet yoga helps shed excess weight effectively.

We must exercise our lungs, as often as we can, by Yoga techniques with the emphasis on deep breathing, to enable them to come alive. Yoga exercises are not strenuous. Breathing and relaxation are inseparable function with the exercises the body does. Almost all exercises, involve every part of the body - the spine, the limbs, the chest and the abdomen. There is no spot reducing exercises as in others.

Though there are more than seventy postures in yoga; a few of which when practised regularly give good results in reducing weight. A few such exercises that stimulate the endocrine glands are beneficial for obesity. These are easy to practise daily at a fixed time. You must keep in mind that a natural diet will be more suitable for these exercises.

1. Dhanurasana Method:

  • Lie on the stomach and keep both the legs together.
  • Fold the legs slowly by bending the knees.
  • Breathe slowly in the normal way and lift your head.
  • Arch the back and hold both the legs with your hands near the ankles.
  • Stretch the legs held by the hand a little further to assume a bow's posture. Look up.
  • Remain for a few seconds in this posture Time can be increased after a few days when you are perfect.
  • Release the legs and lower them to the ground.Rest your head down and place the arms on your sides and relax a while and repeat the exercise two or three times.

This exercise stimulates all the endocrine glands from the thyroid in the neck to the sex glands in the pelvic region. The abdominal muscles stretch and enable good digestion. It cures obesity if practised very regularly. It also removes fatigue and lethargy. It is helpful in all irregularities of menses and obesity caused during menopause in women.

This exercise should not be practised by people suffering from hernia, people with spinal injuries and fractures and those suffering from stomach ulcers.

2. Yoga mudra Method:

  • Assume the posture of Padmasana - sitting cross-legged, placing the legs on the thighs of the opposite side, the heels touching the abdomen.
  • Sit erect and hold your right wrist with left hand at the back. Slowly bend forward and touch the ground.
  • While bending forward it is essential to exhale first and then bend, likewise while bending backward it is necessary to inhale first and then bend, because bending forward causes the compression of the abdomen and extension of the spine. If this breathing pattern is mastered, bending exercises will not cause any cramps, pains and other discomforts or giddiness and headache.
  • After sitting cross-legged, hands folded at the back, exhale and slowly bend forward and touch the floor.
  • Stay thus for a few seconds and gradually come back to the original position by inhaling deeply and lifting the head from the ground. Repeat a few more times. Relax and unfold the legs.
  • If sitting in Padmasana causes too much pain, the asana can be started with sitting on Siddhasana, i.e. crossing just one leg on the thigh opposite to it.

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Lap Band Surgery Diet

Lap Band Surgery Diet


After Lap-Band surgery the stomach can not hold more than 4 to 6 ounces per meal. Therefore, one should be particular about nutritional value of the food with every bite.

Certain foods which cannot be allowed ever for a patient of Lap-Band are tough meats such as steak and pork chops and hamburger. Oranges and grapefruits need the skin to be removed before eating. For this matter, the fruits and vegetables need deseeding, de-skinning beforehand.

Food which need to be avoided are high fiber vegetables like celery and sweet potatoes, spicy foods, fried foods, spices like cinnamon, pepper, or onion or garlic salt. If one is unable to tolerate milk, then calcium and protein rich foods such as cottage cheese and dry milk can be added to foods for added protein.

Why protein

Lap-Band patients should take fifty to sixty grams of protein every day to avoid protein deficiency.
Lack of protein causes hair loss, edema, fatigue, muscle weakness, and a delay in wound healing. It also causes depression, anxiety, irritability, apathy, as well as gallstones, colds, headaches, low blood pressure, anemia, irregular hear rates, and, some times death too. The amount of protein can be monitored by a serum albumin blood test.

How to eat food

One should eat slowly by making tiny bites. The new stomach is a baby stomach. It requires to take protein shakes and relearning of eating skills like a new baby learns to eat. Adding new foods should be slow in process.

The patient needs to make a habit to chew foods well. It will do the patient a world of good to cut the food items to small pieces and then chew it thoroughly. Otherwise complications will happen such as vomiting, stomach irritation and swelling and stoma obstruction.

One should go back to liquid diet if solid foods cause nausea and vomiting. Drinking of 6-8 cups of water per day between meals will keep one hydrated throughout the day. Three small meals a day with adequate nutrients is to be eaten.The stomach can only hold about 1/4 cup of food at a time. Easting has to be stopped when the hunger is gone.

Having Medicine

Swallowing pills of aspirin-size or larger, or capsules or irregular-shaped pills will be difficult, so it is better to make the pills into half like the blood pressure pill. It may be required that the tri-estrogen capsules are changed to a cream form, and taking liquid antibiotics and painkillers for an infection.

Diet immediately after surgery

The first 3 to 4 days following the Lap-Band surgery patients must follow a liquid only diet. It is so important to stick to this diet that unless one has it, there will be complications like band erosion or slippage that will require additional surgery.

No caffeine is permitted for the first three months after surgery. Carbonated beverages are restricted to avoid gas, bloating, and increase in stomach size caused by carbonation and in fact are prohibited for life.

Diet immediately after two months of surgery

The second phase diet consists of a modified liquid diet (food shredded in a food processor) along with a high protein intake. The patient is required to consume two ounces of a protein every hour for ten to twelve hours a day. Two ounces of other liquids such as soup, baby food, or sugar-free gelatin three times a day is also required. So the basic foods are meat, protein, vegetables, and salads. But high carbohydrate and starchy food like bread and potatoes are avoided.

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Risks of Lap Band Surgery

Risks of Lap Band Surgery


Mechanism behind a Lap band surgery

A Lap Band is a silicone belt that goes around the top of the stomach. Lap Band surgery is one in which such a band is placed dividing the stomach into two parts with the upper part forming a pouch connected to the lower part through anarrow passage. It is a weight loss surgery like gastric bypass surgery.

The pouch gets filled up with a mall amount of time. The food which gets deposited in the pouch, takes time to empty into the stomach thereby reducing the craving for food.

Who are the clients of Lap band surgery?

If the body mass index (BMI), is between 35 and 39, then there are several associated medical problems like diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol. These are called the co-morbid conditions which make the patient an ideal case to go for the Lap Band.

Weight loss history is recorded by many insurance companies with varying stringent measures.

How the surgery is done?

With the help of a small camera, called a laparoscope, the gas band is placed around the stomach, with the pipe emptying into a port, the port being placed below the abdomen. This takes just an overnight stay.

When saline is injected more into the gas band, the narrow passage becomes still narrow further restricting the food flow.

After Lap Band Surgery: Aftercare

One needs to follow a nutrition plan including vitamin supplements prescribed by the surgeon or nutritionist. The nutrition plan may be of liquid diet for some weeks, until soft foods can be tolerated and solid foods ultimately.

A specific exercise program, may also be taken up.

The surgeon has to check the patient many times to properly adjust or his/her band. As times go, a patient requires six to eight such adjustments during the first 18 months of the surgery.
Patients typically lose 50% to 60% of their excess body weight within two years after the procedure. Additional plastic surgery may be indicated, depending on how much weight is lost.

Lap Band Complications

Slippage of band: This can occur as weight loss happens. When the stomach goes above the band, heartburn and vomiting may happen. This has to be laparoscopically fixed.

Erosion of band: Sometimes the band can erode into the inside of the stomach.

Deflation of the band: The band can have leakage which can deflate it which can happen on the band, the port, or the tube connecting both. As a result the stomach pouch can get enlarged defeating the purpose of having the pouch.

Blockage of the stoma: The narrow passage can get blocked at times because of its being too narrow.

Consult a Qualified Surgeon

Losing weight without being malnourished is something which needs qualified guidance. This is critical to the success of having the surgery. One can avoid complications, and weight loss can be achieved according to one’s desire.

It is good that the surgeon verifies the number of procedures undertaken by him, and to increase one’s own knowledge about further examination so that office support in case of emergency can be requisitioned.

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Successful Lap Band Surgery Examples

Successful Lap Band Surgery Examples


Some successful doctors

Case 1

Dr. Rumbaut and his team at San José, the most prestigious Private University Affiliated Facility in Northern Mexico, have performed about 1800 Lap-Band procedure without a single case of death.

The mean excess weight loss after 18 months in this case is approximately 67%, other complications with the slippage and erosion of lap band are less then 1%. Infection, bleeding, pneumonia, etc. all less than 2% and all patients were discharged before one week.

Case 2

Dr. Franco Favretti, and Dr. Gianni Segato, two of the most experienced Lap-Band Surgeons in Europe at Saint-Pierre Hospital in Brussels have performed well over 1,700 Lap-Band cases. They have the distinction of performing this surgery along with two other team members namely Dr. Cadiere and Dr. Himpens, in October 1992.

The treatment requires 5 to 6 days stay in Italy which starts meeting the patients at Venice International Airport on Thursday. The patients get admitted to the hospital on Friday Morning for pre-op tests, undergo surgery on Saturday and get discharged from the hospital on Monday.

After surgery, the patients are requested to stay a few more days to make sure about their recovery. After that they are taken for sightseeing to nearby Venice.

By Friday the patients can go back home and can resume work.

Case 3

According to the records of Dr. Cadière and Dr. Himpens, who have done 3000 cases already, not many patients received reimbursement from their insurance.

One patient mortality that in their case was due to over-eating, and esophageal perforation when death occurred some 4 weeks after surgery. The erosion rate is 1%, Pouch dilatation rate is 6 % and band-removal rate 3% after 3.6 years.

Case 4

Dr. Andreas Osterwalder is one of the most experienced Lap-Band Surgeons in Europe at the Ars Medica Clinic near Lugano.

The patients are required to bring the reports of the basic tests like lab/chest x-ray and ECG which prove the fitness to stand general anesthesia for at least 2 hrs, a sonography of the upper abdomen (to exclude gallstones). They are also required to bring reports of a gastroscopy as proof against any gastric disease.

The patient can fly to Zürich, and then to Lugano Airport in Agno to be picked up from there. One should go prepared for a stay of 2-3 days in a hotel room.

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Cost of Lap banding surgery

Cost of Lap banding surgery


On an average, the cost of Lap Band surgery comes from $17,000 to $30,000 that includes treatment and travel.

Reimbursement from insurance companies

Although there was no provision from the insurance companies to reimburse the cost of Lap Band surgery (mainly because it was mistaken as cosmetic surgery), slowly the life risk aspect of the surgery is being realized which is why they are paying for most part of it certified by the doctor according to the NIH standards.

Expense overheads borne by the hospitals

The arrangements are such that the patients are received from the airport to the hotel where a stay of 4-5 days is arranged. The hospital stay is just for one night.

The out-of-town patients get scheduled within three weeks. Most patients can go back to work within 5 days and can start their exercise regime within 10 days. All required Pre-Operative Exams are done on the day prior to surgery.


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What is Lap Band Surgery?

What is Lap Band Surgery?


Why lap band surgery is needed?

When there is a craze for food after exceeding the permissible weight limit, then usually dieting is prescribed. But eating less amount of food does not satisfy the food craving, in most of the cases, so an alternative is to besearched for that.

The alternative that one can think of is to reduce the stomach size so that one feels full after eating a certain amount. That is exactly what is done with lap band surgery, wherein a small pouch in the upper part of the stomach is created.

The idea is to fill up the smaller upper pouch of the stomach to give a filled up feeling because it fills quickly with less food. Because of the narrow opening it takes longer to empty into the lower part of the stomach, which means that the next pang of hunger is delayed.

Placing the Lap Band

The procedure involves placing a silicone band around the upper portion of the stomach, so that the stomach gets divided into two with the upper part being a small pouch with a narrow opening to the bigger lower part.

A gastric band device is introduced in the abdomen through a tiny incision of 1 cm. The operation is performed under general anesthesia and takes about 30 minutes to one hour to complete.
The band is a hollow cylinder itself. It can be inflated if further constriction is required, and can be deflated if vomiting, obstruction, oesophagal enlargement, etc. happens.

The band can be inflated by a reservoir of saline solution positioned under the skin at the upper abdomen connected by a tube. Normally six to ten band adjustments during the first year is required for a patient.

Apprehensions and facts about Lap Band

Lap Band involves no major surgery of the stomach and no inside stapling. Adjustments can be done without further operation. When the objective is achieved, the laparoscopic removal of the band is possible.

The Lap Band reduces the size of a normal stomach of 1000 cc’s by 15 to 30 cc's which is about the size of an egg.

Weight loss is slower in case of Lap Band, than in gastric bypass. One can lose only 38 percent of excess body weight during the first two years after which the weight becomes static.

Weight loss is a journey. A journey is meant to help one through. This procedure involves less pain, less risk leading to effective treatment of the weight.

Who qualify for the operation

Though the intake of less food helps the patient continually lose weight, not everybody qualifies for the procedure. People who are obese and require controlling their weights from gaining dangerously exponential proportions are the ones who are normally given this treatment. Although the band can be placed permanently, still it is possible to remove at any time.

Apart from achieving a good weight loss curve, the operation is taken up in case of patients who continuously vomit making intake of solid foods impossible.

To gain an insight about weight-loss needs, the BMI Calculator can be used to determine the current Body Mass Index.

Post operation care

Advantage of the operation is that the stoma size can be adjusted post-operatively without any further surgery.

All surgical weight-loss operations require the patients to consume less than 800 calories of food per day during the first 18 months and up to 1200 calories per day after 36 months.

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How to reduce Belly fat?

Reduce Belly Fat



Abdominal fat, also known as visceral fat, stomach fat or belly fat, is not just a matter of vanity anymore. Doctors are increasingly sounding the alarm about the health dangers of belly fat, as more Americans are diagnosed daily with obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Scientists in Sweden have reported that patients taking conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA for short, lose fat- especially abdominal or belly fat. CLA is a special type of fatty acid, and is available in the U.S. without prescription.

In a 2001 trial, people taking 4 grams of CLA a day lost nearly 4% of their body fat and reduced their tummy fat over 12 weeks, with no other dietary or exercise changes.

Another Swedish study in 2004 found that CLA “might slightly decrease body fat in humans, particularly abdominal fat,” without changing body mass index. No harmful side effects were reported.

A 2004 review study on weight loss supplements from Creighton University Medical Center reported that “results for conjugated linoleic acid were positive in three clinical studies, with few adverse effects.”

A 4% reduction of fat may not sound like much, but its importance for your health can be profound. Doctors at Laval University in Quebec, who specialize in the study of abdominal fat, say that even a 5% to 10% reduction in belly fat can reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease by as much as 60%.

While CLA may not be the cure for belly fat all by itself, it is certainly one way to target belly fat loss. In combination with some (or all) of the other powerful, proven methods I will share with you in this series, it could make a profound difference for your waistline- and your health.

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America's Fattest and Fittest Cities - A Survey

Top 25 Fittest 1. Albuquerque, N.M.
2. Seattle, Wash.
3. Colorado Springs, Colo.
4. Minneapolis
5. Tucson, Ariz.
6. Denver
7. San Francisco
8. Baltimore
9. Portland, Ore.
10. Honolulu
11. Washington, D.C.
12. Omaha, Neb.
13. Tulsa, Okla.
14. Boston
15. Virginia Beach, Va.
16. Milwaukee
17. Sacramento
18. Louisville-Jefferson, Ky.
19. Columbus, Ohio
20. Philadelphia
21. Austin, Tx.
22. Nashville-Davidson
23. Charlotte
24. Atlanta
25. Oakland, Calf.
Top 25 Fattest 1. Las Vegas
2. San Antonio
3. Miami
4. Mesa, Ariz.
5. Los Angeles
6. Houston
7. Dallas
8. El Paso
9. Detroit
10. San Jose
11. Long Beach, Calf.
12. Memphis
13. Chicago 14. Arlington, Texas
15. Oklahoma City
16. Indianapolis
17. Forth Worth
18. New York
19. Fresno, Calif.
20. Wichita, Kan.
21. San Diego
22. Phoenix
23. Jacksonville, Fla.
24. Kansas City
25. Cleveland

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nnovative Ways To tackle People With Bad Health Habits

reduce weight immediately


For lunch, Joy Hesemann loved to dive into a platter of deep-fried, crunchy chicken tenders with a side of ranch dressing. At night, she'd fry up ground beef for Hamburger Helper or another boxed meal for her family's dinner. Later, she'd plop in front of the TV or computer screen and rip into a bag of Oreos or potato chips.

"I knew I was constantly overeating and eating the wrong things, and I wasn't exercising," admitted Hesemann, 27, an administrative assistant from Streamwood, Ill. "I wanted to change, but I needed some motivation."

That came in the form of a new research study at Northwestern University investigating innovative ways to rehabilitate people with lousy health habits. The prerequisites: a chummy relationship with saturated fat but no acquaintance with fruits and vegetables; leisure time spent gazing at a TV or computer screen, along with an "allergy" to exercise.

In other words, a typical American lifestyle.

"That was me," Hesemann said. She signed up.

The study was designed by Bonnie Spring, a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, to make change as easy as possible.

Spring knows it's overwhelming for someone with a raft of unhealthy habits to overhaul an entire lifestyle. So she wants them to just change two unhealthy behaviors to see if the others will tag along. Sort of a buy two, get two free sale. Her method is based on the Behavioral Economics Theory used by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman.

She's also helping these fat-food-loving couch dwellers flip their lifestyles with an arsenal of high-tech tools including a specially programmed Palm Pilot to monitor eating and exercise; virtual visits with a personal coach and an accelerometer which straps around the waist to record the intensity of their movements. (You call that a brisk walk")

Participants are assigned to eat more veggies and fruits or cut down on saturated fat; and cut back on "screen" time or increase exercise.

"We're trying to figure out which two behavior changes give you the maximum healthy bang for your buck on all unhealthy behaviors that we're trying to modify," Spring said.

"The new behaviors come along for the ride in one of two ways -- a complementary behavior or a substitute behavior," Spring explained. "If watching TV means you also snack when you watch, then eating and snacking are complementary behaviors for you. If I can get you to cut down on your TV, you'll probably automatically cut down on your snacking. I make your life simpler by just asking you to change one. The complementary behavior is a bonus that comes along for the ride."

"A substitute behavior replaces or crowds out another behavior," Spring said. An example would be eating more fruits and vegetables, so you would nibble strawberries instead of being elbow-deep in a bag of Cheetos.

Hesemann's assignment for the four-month study was to slash most saturated fat from her diet and break a sweat for an hour a day. She also got a crash course on healthier eating and strategies to inject more physical activity into her day such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

She recorded every bite of food and minute of exercise in the ever-present Palm Pilot, which had software to monitor her daily progress. With each entry, an image of a thermometer with a rising "temperature" showed her intake of saturated fat so far that day (she was allowed 20 grams) and her minutes of exercise.

"It was dreadful to have to write it down," Hesemann said about logging in her food. She learned her favorite fried chicken tenders lunch soared past her fat quota as did her beloved Italian sausages. "I said 'Oh, my god. I'm never eating those again!' I hated seeing that thermometer rise."

At the end of each day she'd download the data into her computer and send it to her personal coach. The coach would zip Hesemann encouraging e-mails ("You're doing a great job!") or friendly reminders to get off the couch ("You need 30 minutes more of activity each day.")

As with all participants, Hesemann's recordings in the Palm Pilot and contact with the personal coach gradually tapered off over the four-month period of the study. This latter period is when it gets interesting for Spring. She's waiting to see who falls off the wagon.

"It's really hard to maintain a new healthier lifestyle," Spring said. "At first it's novel and exciting and then the novelty wears off. You tend to revert back to the old habits. There's kind of an inertia that pulls you back."

Spring is anxious to see which two behavior changes best helped people maintain their healthier habits. But she won't know the results until the study ends in 2008.

In the meantime, Joy Hesemann now races up and down the stairs at work instead of punching elevator buttons and hits the gym three days a week. She bakes skinless chicken for dinner and nibbles strawberries for dessert. She's lost 40 pounds and dropped three dress sizes. She's even eliminated high fat foods from her 6-year-old daughter's meals. Six month after the study, Hesemann's new healthy ways show no sign of abating.

"This program made me more conscious of the foods I'm eating. And the exercise is a blast. I still have my fallbacks, but if I go to McDonald's I'll get the grilled chicken sandwich instead of the comforting, nasty foods. For me this is a new way of life. "

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High Salt Diet may lead To Ulcers

Hight salt diet = ulcers


Bethesda, Md--Scientists from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) have discovered that diets high in salt may increase the virulence of the pathogen Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which is the most common cause of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum.

"Apparently the stomach pathogen H. pylori closely monitors the diets of those people whom it infects. Epidemiological evidence has long implied that there is a connection between H. pylori and the composition of the human diet. This is especially true for diets rich in salt," says Hanan Gancz, Ph.D., of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, who presented the research May 22, 2007 at the 107th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Toronto. The research was conducted in the USU laboratory of D. Scott Merrell, Ph.D., assistant professor of microbiology and immunology. High concentrations of salt in the stomach appear to induce gene activity in H. pylori, making it more virulent and increasing the likelihood of an infected person developing a severe gastric disease.

H. pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium that can live in the acidic environment of the stomach and duodenum which is the section of intestine below the stomach. It is the most common cause of ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, accounting for up to 90% of duodenal ulcers and up to 80% of gastric ulcers.

Infection with H. pylori also causes gastritis, and infected persons also have a 2- to 6-fold increased risk of developing mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, and gastric cancer compared with uninfected counterparts.

H. pylori infection is common in the United States and is most often found in persons from lower income groups and older adults. About 20% of persons less than 40 years of age and about 50% of persons over 60 years of age are infected. Most infected people do not have symptoms and only a small percentage go on to develop disease.

Previous research has focused on the affects diet has on the stomach environment where H. pylori resides, but until now scientists have overlooked the response of the microorganism specifically to these dietary queues. Working from the epidemiological evidence that H. pylori infection combined with a high-salt diet results in an increased incidence of severe gastric maladies, Gancz and colleagues decided to look at the direct effect a high concentration of salt had on both the growth and gene expression of the bacterium.

"We noted that H. pylori growth rate shows a sharp decline at high salt concentrations. Moreover, bacterial cells exposed to increased salt exhibited striking morphological changes: cells became elongated and formed long chains," says Gancz. "We conclude that H. pylori exposed to high levels of salt in vitro exhibit a defect in cell division."

They also discovered transcription of two genes responsible for the virulence of the bacterium was increased during high-salt conditions.

"The altered expression patterns of some virulence genes may partially explain the increased disease risk that is associated with a high salt diet in H. pylori infected individuals," says Gancz.

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences is located on the grounds of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. The University provides military and public health-relevant education, research, service and consultation to the nation and the world. USU is a typical academic health center with a unique focus on health promotion and disease prevention and the specialized mission of educating health care practitioners to deal with peace and wartime casualties, natural disasters, emerging infectious diseases and other public health emergencies.

This work was supported by a grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

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Weight Loss Surgery can Brain Damage

Weight Loss Surgery Risk



Weight Loss Surgery Side Effect


After weight loss surgery, some patients risk brain damage from vitamin B-1 deficiency, researchers report.

Too little vitamin B-1 -- thiamine -- causes a syndrome called Wernicke's encephalopathy. It's most often seen in malnourished alcoholics.

If treated right away with vitamin B-1 shots, patients quickly recover. But if the syndrome isn't recognized quickly, it can result in permanent brain damage.

And that can be a problem, says Wake Forest University researcher Sonal Singh, MD. Singh and Abhay Kumar, MD, of the University of Iowa, found 32 reports of Wernicke's encephalopathy in weight loss surgery patients.

"Early diagnosis is essential," Singh tells WebMD. "Yes, thiamine shots are helpful. But you get full recovery only when it is given early. Once [advanced symptoms] develop, there is going to be neurological damage."

Singh and Kumar report their findings in the March 13 issue of the journal Neurology.

Tricky Symptoms

Wernicke's encephalopathy has three classic symptoms: jerky, uncoordinated movement; uncontrollable eye movements; and mental confusion.

That sounds easy to recognize. But not all weight loss surgery patients who develop the syndrome get all three symptoms. And some patients have unusual symptoms, such as hearing loss, weakness, convulsions, and tingling or numbness in the arms and legs.

Symptoms of Wernicke's encephalopathy most often occurred four to 12 weeks after weight loss surgery. However, one case began a year after surgery, and another started only two weeks after surgery.

There's one major warning sign for weight loss surgery patients: frequent vomiting. Twenty-five of the 32 reported patients were vomiting after their surgery.

However, not all the patients had this symptom. And many developed vitamin B-1 deficiency even though they were taking oral thiamine supplements, suggesting that deficiencies in other nutrients may also play a role.

How often do weight loss surgery patients get Wernicke's encephalopathy? That isn't yet known. Singh says it's an issue that clearly needs study.

"Maybe giving shots of thiamine after surgery would prevent this," Singh says. "We might do it preventively rather than waiting for symptoms to appear. That, too, needs to be studied."

Bariatric surgeon Ioannis Raftopoulos, MD, assistant professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, says he regularly monitors thiamine levels in his patients and routinely gives his patients thiamine supplements, either orally or by monthly injections.

The result: Raftopoulos says he has never had a patient develop Wernicke's encephalopathy.

"This kind of thing only happens when a patient has been vomiting for weeks," Raftopoulos tells WebMD. "That kind of neurological impairment means a patient has had a lot of problems for a long time. That is why the key here is patient follow-up. All my patients have my personal beeper number so they can contact me immediately, before there is a serious problem."

Singh says patients should immediately call a doctor if, after weight loss surgery, they have coordination problems -- especially changes in their gait -- or any changes in their hearing or vision.


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Top 10 antioxidants for Weight Loss

Top 10 antioxidants for Weight Loss


1. Blackberries
5,75 millimoles per 100g serving

This wonderfully delectable summer fruit came out tops. Blackberries give an antioxidant kick of 5,75 millimoles per serving.

Blackberries are also fat-free, and a source of folic acid and vitamin C, so there's no holding back. Whip them into smoothies, make a wicked fruit coulis to serve with desserts, or simply have them fresh.

You can freeze blackberries and use them all year round. This can be done by coating the berries with a mixture of sugar and ascorbic acid (ask your pharmacist), but it is generally better to freeze lightly boiled berries to which sugar has been added.

2. Walnuts
3,72 millimoles per 100g serving

Nuts are great health foods – they're cholesterol-free, generally low in sodium and a great source of vitamins and minerals. But in terms of antioxidant content, walnuts seem to beat the rest of the nut family with 3,72 millimoles per serving.

Toss these nuts into salads, mix them into muesli, or include them in rice pudding or apple tart.

Just make sure that you have no more than a handful of walnuts per day. If you're overweight, cut this amount to a handful no more than three times per week.

3. Strawberries
3,58 millimoles per 100g serving

Strawberries are sexy, fun and – best of all – so low in calories that you can eat as much as you like without giving your weight a second thought.

These fruits should also form part of your diet for another reason: they're packed with antioxidants and clock in at 3,58 millimoles of these health-boosting components per 100g serving.

There's no need to tell you that strawberries are a great addition to desserts, smoothies, salads, and even cocktails – just make sure you eat them as fresh as possible.

4. Artichokes, cooked
3,56 millimoles per 100g serving

The humble artichoke also made the top-10 list. Apart from the 3,56 millimole/100g antioxidant punch, artichokes are a good source of iron.

These veggies also help to reduce bowel upsets and help to let good bacteria flourish in your gut.

Cook artichokes for 20 minutes with a slice or two of lemon, a bay leaf and salt. The leaves and the heart can then be eaten.

5. Cranberries
3,13 millimoles per 100g serving

The cranberry really is a super-food. Numerous studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory properties of this fruit can help to prevent and treat urinary tract, and possibly other, infections.

One reason why cranberries are so healthy, is because of their high antioxidant content (3,13 millimoles per 100g).

As cranberries are generally too tart to eat fresh, go for the canned varieties and use these in both sweet and savoury dishes.

6. Raspberries
2,87 millimoles per 100g serving

Raspberries have a long history of being used to treat conditions ranging from tonsillitis to stomach aches and also to strengthening the womb in pregnancy.

Now we know that these berries are not only a good source of antioxidants (2,87 millimoles per 100g serving), but are also high in vitamin C.

Ask your grocery store if they stock fresh or frozen raspberries, and use them in fruit salads, deserts or eat them with yoghurt for breakfast.

7. Blueberries
2,68 millimoles per 100g serving

Another berry, this time the blueberry, made the list. This only goes to show that berries really are super foods.

Apart from the high antioxidant content (2,68 millimoles per serving) there is also preliminary evidence that berries can thwart cholesterol and help prevent liver cancer.

Blueberries are not sour and can be eaten raw. This will preserve their vitamin C content.

8. Cloves, ground
2,64 millimoles per 100g serving

Who would have thought that cloves, a great addition to anything from chicken dishes to Christmas mince pies, could have magic health-boosting properties?

Well, this spice made the top 10 antioxidant list – and with good reason. It contains 2,64 millimoles of antioxidants per 100g serving.

While it's more difficult to get your daily antioxidant injection from this spice – simply because we generally use it in small quantities – you should still try to incorporate it in your diet.

9. Grape juice
2,56 millimoles per 100g serving

You already know that a daily glass of wine can kick-start your health. But plain old grape juice seems to be even better – at least when it comes to levels of antioxidants (2,56 millimoles per serving).

Research shows that red grape juice can improve cholesterol levels and inflammatory markers associated with heart disease. This action has been linked to the antioxidant content of the juice.

But be warned: grape juice has a high sugar content and can add quite a few calories to your diet. Don't drink more than one glass of juice, diluted with water, per day.

10. Cranberry juice
2,47 millimoles per 100g serving

As mentioned above, cranberries have strong anti-inflammatory effects and are particularly useful in preventing urinary tract infections.

As fresh, raw cranberries are too tart to eat, cranberry juice is the ideal way to tap the benefits of this fruit.

Try to drink a small glass of cranberry juice every day – especially if you're prone to urinary tract infections. Or combine cranberry juice with iced Rooibos tea for a refreshing summer drink.


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Is the weight loss program that you have chosen safe?

Is the weight loss program that you have chosen safe?

Since the awareness about obesity has increased widely. There is also mushrooming of weight loss solution companies .It has become an industry owing to the inquisitiveness of people to turn slim overnight .Even those who are little obese are also joining the bandwagon. But caution must be employed while choosing the weight loss solutions Read on.This article covers
  • Why people join weight loss programs?
  • What all are the options available for them?
  • Which is the best weight loss program?
With the percentage of obesity and overweight rising in the world, especially drastically in the United States, it comes as no surprise that people have started to opt for one or the other weight loss solutions available today.

Many people gain weight due to stresses in lives and very little exercise combined with a high-fat and on-the-go diet. However, whatever the reason may be, it is always good and healthy to lose weight and with so many options available today, losing weight has become easier than never. However, be aware of any program or supplement which promises magical results to you.

Weight Watchers

One of the most common and fast weight loss solutions available on the market today is Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers offer individuals looking for weight loss, a complete range of weight loss solutions, along with corporate solutions as well, which can be tailored according to requirements of any company, or individual. You can sign up for Weight Watcher's online program, attend their meetings, or find about other e-tools which the company offers. By subscribing to their web site, you can also receive their newsletter and low-fat recipes. The program never claims that it is possible to lose weight by simply a magical solution and stresses the importance of a healthy lifestyle in order to lose weight. Weight Watchers has been established for quite some time now and has proved to many customers about the efficiency of their weight loss solutions.

NutriSystem

Another popular weight loss solution is NutriSystem. A commercial weight loss program, NutriSystem also provides a host of services for people who are looking for weight loss solutions. Similar to Weight Watchers, NutriSystem also provides consultation online, through meetings, and other e-tools which are available on their website. NutriSystem focuses on the consumption of a low-caloric diet which stresses the importance of balanced nutrition. The diet follows the Food Guide Pyramid and follows the basic 60% carbohydrates, 20% fat, and 20% protein diet theory. However, NutriSystem also focuses on the "glycemic index". This index measures the quality of carbohydrates and divides them as good or bad carbohydrates. For an individual who is following the NutriSystem weight loss solution, the program will stress on the consumption of their pre-packaged meals which are supposedly containing food in the correct portion size. However, the drawback being that once the program ends, dieters usually have no idea about which food items to take or how to prepare low-caloric food items. The dependency on packaged food increases drastically. NutriSystem does not claim to be a fast healthy weight loss solution and emphasizes a healthy lifestyle along with a regular workout session.

eDiets

eDiets is an online weight loss program which promotes itself as a program which understands that every person requires a different dietary program, and the site sells customized eating plans to people who are willing to invest. With very reasonable prices for their eating plans, eDiets also offers information on caloric consumption, food items to eat and not to be eaten, lifestyle changes required, and also informs individuals about various types of exercises which are good for weight loss.

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Vinegar and Pickles for Weight Loss

Vinegar and Pickles for Weight Loss


Managing insulin levels is a key aspect of weight loss for many people with metabolic imbalances.

Nutritionist Carol S. Johnston of Arizona State University East in Mesa looked at the role of vinegar and has found that 2 tablespoons of vinegar before a meal can dramatically lower the increased insulin and blood sugar (glucose) levels that typically occur in people who have type 2 diabetes. In her study, she looked at a group made up of a third type 2 diabetics, a thid who were pre-diabetic, and a third with no signs of diabetes. Measuring blood levels after a high-carb breakfast, Johnston found that vinegar improved the readings for all 3 groups, but results were most dramatic among those who were prediabetic. In their case, vinegar cut their blood sugar increase in the first hour after eating by as much as half.

Johnston decided to study vinegar after coming across earlier reports, including a 2001 study, that found that pickles could lower the blood-sugar spikes that take place after eating. Johnston and her researchers speculate that a particular acid found in vinegar and pickles may prevent digestion of carbs in the stomach.

In another study, Johnston had half the volunteers take a 2-tablespoon dose of vinegar prior to each of two meals daily for 4 weeks, and the other group members were told to avoid vinegar. Interestingly, the vinegar users had an average 2 pound weight loss over 4 weeks (as much as 4 weeks in some participants), compared to constant average weight in the group not drinking vinegar.

Note that actual vinegar or pickled foods seem to do the trick but vinegar supplements don't work, because they don't contain acetic acid, which, based on studies, is the ingredient Johnstons suspects is helping control blood sugar.

Note: I can tell you that I'm now starting most meals with a salad with a real vinagrette (not a bottled version, but one I make myself with vinegar and olive oil). And whenever I have a sandwich, I'm adding a few pickles on the side, with not a bit of guilt! I can feel it helps me, and in general, if it can't hurt, why not!

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LAP BAND SURGERY - SOLUTIONS

Lap Band Solutions is "The Most Experienced Lap-Band Team in North Texas." We offer the safest and only adjustable weight-loss surgery in the United States. The Lap-Band System is adjustable to meet your individual needs. It is designed to help you achieve sustained weight-loss, a healthier life style, and the quality of life you deserve.



  • A safe and proven alternative to gastric bypass surgery
  • 30 minute laparoscopic Lap-Band procedure
  • No hospital stay
  • Fast recovery
  • Financing avaliable
  • Cost covered by most insurance carriers
  • FDA approved

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The latest weight loss advice

Latest weight loss advice


Feeling fat? Forget the diet and dump your tubby friends instead. That's the conclusion of a study reported widely today that looked at the social networks of 12,067 people researchers followed for 32 years. The American research found that obesity can spread from person to person, much like a virus.

"People were most likely to become obese when a friend became obese. That increased one's chances of becoming obese by 57%," reports the IHT.

"There was no effect when a neighbour gained or lost weight, however, and family members had less of an influence than friends. It did not even matter if the friend was hundreds of miles away - the influence remained. And the greatest influence of all was between mutual close friends. There, if one became obese, the other had a 171% increased chance of becoming obese too.

"The same effect seemed to occur for weight loss, the investigators say, but since most people were gaining, not losing, weight over the 32 years, the result was an obesity epidemic."

The researchers say that they do not want people to drop their fat friends, because friendship is good for overall health. Instead, they suggest, "why not make friends with a thin person, and let the thin person's behavior influence you and your obese friend?"


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Weight-loss pills

Weight-loss pills


Popular weight-loss pills

A number of weight-loss pills are available at your local drugstore, supermarket or health food store. Even more options are available online. Most haven't been proved safe and effective, and some are downright dangerous.

Herbal or dietary supplement The claims What you need to know
Bitter orange Decreases appetite
  • Touted as an "ephedra substitute" but may cause health problems similar to those of ephedra
  • Long-term effects unknown
Chitosan Blocks the absorption of dietary fat
  • Relatively safe, but unlikely to cause weight loss
  • Can cause constipation, bloating and other gastrointestinal complaints
  • Long-term effects unknown
Chromium Reduces body fat and builds muscle
  • Relatively safe, but unlikely to cause weight loss
  • Long-term effects unknown
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) Reduces body fat, decreases appetite and builds muscle
  • Might decrease body fat and increase muscle, but isn't likely to reduce total body weight
  • Can cause diarrhea, indigestion and other gastrointestinal problems
Country mallow (heartleaf) Decreases appetite and increases the number of calories burned
  • Contains ephedra, which is dangerous
  • Likely unsafe and should be avoided
Ephedra Decreases appetite
  • Can cause high blood pressure, heart rate irregularities, sleeplessness, seizures, heart attacks, strokes and even death
  • Banned from the marketplace because of safety concerns, but may still be legally sold as a tea
  • Despite the ban, many ephedra products still sold on the Internet
Green tea extract Increases calorie and fat metabolism and decreases appetite
  • Limited evidence to support the claim
  • Can cause vomiting, bloating, indigestion and diarrhea
  • May contain a large amount of caffeine
Guar gum Blocks the absorption of dietary fat and increases the feeling of fullness, which leads to decreased calorie intake
  • Relatively safe, but unlikely to cause weight loss
  • Can cause diarrhea, flatulence and other gastrointestinal problems
Hoodia Decreases appetite
  • No conclusive evidence to support the claim

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B-12 injections for weight loss: Do they work?

Injections for Weight Loss


There is no evidence that vitamin B-12 in any form — including vitamin B-12 injections — enhances weight loss. One study published in 2005 suggested that people who took a number of different supplements, including vitamin B-12, gained weight more slowly over a 10-year period than did those who took no supplements. However, many factors have to be considered, including the fact that people who take dietary supplements tend to be more health conscious, which may contribute to better weight management.

Although vitamin B-12 is an important vitamin, it is not likely to directly impact weight loss.


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six pack abs






six pack abs

The Bicycle exercise is the best move to target the rectus abdominis (i.e., the 'six pack') and the obliques (the waist), according to a study done by the American Council on Exercise. To do this exercise correctly:

1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straight the left leg out to about a 45-degree angle while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 12-16 reps.

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Lose Weight in a Busy Schedule

1. Commit to a specific schedule

When you fail to plan you plan to fail. Don't try to haphazardly fit your workouts into your schedule without any rhyme or reason. Don't think you're guilty? If you've every told yourself "I'll workout as soon as I get some time", you were in direct violation of this key principle.

In order to set yourself up for success, you will need to take the time to literally write your workouts into your weekly schedule. In order to be effective, you will want to be following your exercise program at least 3 days per week. Anything less would be kidding yourself.

Therefore, right in the midst of all of your appointments, "to-do" lists, etc., should be a written plan for your weekly workout routine, so that you will never be in the dark as to when you committed to yourself to go.

2. Utilize the weekend

Take advantage of the fact that it only takes 3-5 days per week to put together an effective, results-producing workout. One trick to help you pull it all off is to workout on the weekends. One of the benefits to this course of action is that your schedule is more flexible and under your control during this time.

What is also means is that when the hectic weekdays roll back around, you will only be responsible for working out 1-3 days during the work week.

3. Keep your workouts as a high priority

One of the biggest mistakes that even many people who have scheduled a workout program into their schedule make is allowing it to be bumped off of their schedule to easily.

Although things will occassionally come up that will cause you to have to reschedule the workout you had planned, you must be vigilant in making sure that only the most important emergencies are allowed to temporarily take you off of your plan.

In the event that one of those important emergencies does happen and you can't make it to your workout, reschedule with yourself to make it up on the next possible day that you are available to do so. If your own health, fitness, and efforts to lose weight are not a priority to you, they certainly won't be so to anyone else.

4. Enroll others in your goals

Don't go at this alone. Let the important people in your life know what you are up to. You love interest, spouse, parents, children, co-workers, and close friends will often pitch in and help you to meet your fitness or weight loss commitment to yourself if you make them aware adn ask for their support.

Leverage these relationships to delegate some of your normal responsibilities or even allow you to shift appointments that you have with them as you restructure your schedule for your workout. If any of them are into exercise or trying to lose weight themselves, don't hesitate to form a buddy system with them as you move forward with your program.

5. Don't beat yourself up

No matter who you are, there will be times in your workout program that you just aren't able to keep it up as you would like due to outside demands. Don't be too tough on yourself on this.

Remember that it is what you do consistently over a long period of time, not what you do in spurts, that truly counts. Just make sure that you get back on the horse full force as soon as you can and continue to press forward, doing your best to avoid slacking off again.

No matter what goals you have for health, fitness, or weight loss, you CAN fit an effective exercise program into that hectic schedule of yours and be amazingly successful at getting the exact results that you want!

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LOOSE WEIGHT BY DRINKING WATER

LOOSE WEIGHT BY DRINKING WATER



Don't roll your eyes!
The potion for losing that excess body fat is all around you. It covers two thirds of the planet. If you eat right and exercise at the intensity, frequency and duration proper for you, but still can't get rid of a little paunch here and there, you're probably just not drinking enough water.

No need to get defensive. You're actually quite normal. Most people don't drink enough water. Most people are also carrying around a few more pounds than they would be if they did drink enough water. If you can't seem to get that weight off, try drowning your sorrows in nature's magical weight-loss mineral. It works, and here's why:

"What on Earth is 'metabolism', anyway?" People use the term all the time, but ask them what it means and you'll get all kinds of answers. Merriam Webster defines it as, "The process by which a substance is handled in the body." A little vague, but that's really all it means.

There are many forms of metabolism going on in your body right now, but the one everyone is talking about it the metabolism of fat. This is actually something that the liver does when it converts stored fat to energy. The liver has other functions, but this is one of its main jobs.

Unfortunately, another of the liver's duties is to pick up the slack for the kidneys, which need plenty of water to work properly. If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering its total productivity. It then can't metabolize fat as quickly or efficiently as it could when the kidneys were pulling their own weight. If you allow this to happen, not only are you being unfair to your liver, but you're also setting yourself up to store fat.

"I've tried it and I couldn't stand it!" The problem is that, though many decide to increase their water intake, very few stick with it. It's understandable. During the first few days of drinking more water than your body is accustomed to, you're running to the bathroom constantly. This can be very discouraging, and it can certainly interfere with an otherwise normal day at work. It seems that the water is coming out just as fast as it's going in, and many people decide that their new hydration habit is fruitless.

Do take heed , though. What is really happening is that your body is flushing itself of the water it has been storing throughout all those years of "survival mode". It takes a while, but this is a beautiful thing happening to you. As you continue to give your body all the water it could ask for, it gets rid of what it doesn't need. It gets rid of the water it was holding onto in your ankles and your hips and thighs, maybe even around your belly. You are excreting much more than you realize. Your body figures it doesn't need to save these stores anymore; it's trusting that the water will keep coming, and if it does, eventually, the flushing (of both the body and the potty) will cease, allowing the human to return to a normal life. It's true. This is called the "breakthrough point."

One recent finding, as irresponsible as it may be, that caffeine increases the body's fat-burning potential has many people loading up on coffee before going to the gym. This finding may hold some degree of truth in it, but caffeine is, in essence, a diuretic, and diuretics dehydrate. Caffeine may increase the heart rate, causing a few more calories to be burned, but this is at the expense of the muscles, which need water to function properly. This isn't doing your heart any favors, either. It's already working hard enough during your workout. Never mix caffeine and exercise. In fact, your best bet is to stay away from caffeine all together. It's a big bully that pushes your friend water out of your system.

Water is the best beauty treatment. You've heard this since high school, and it's true. Water will do wonders for your looks! It flushes out impurities in your skin, leaving you with a clear, glowing complexion. It also makes your skin look younger. Skin that is becoming saggy, either due to aging or weight loss, plumps up very nicely when the skin cells are hydrated.

In addition, it improves muscle tone. You can lift weights until you're blue in the face, but if your muscles are suffering from a drought, you won't notice a pleasant difference in your appearance. Muscles that have all the water they need contract more easily, making your workout more effective, and you'll look much nicer than if you had flabby muscles under sagging skin.

"Eight glasses a day? Are you kidding?!" It's really not that much. Eight 8-ounce glasses amount to about two quarts of water. This is okay for the average person, but if you're overweight, you should drink another eight ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight you carry. You should also up this if you live in a hot climate or exercise very intensely.

This water consumption should be spread out throughout the day. It's not healthy at all to drink too much water at one time. Try to pick three or four times a day when you can have a big glass of water, and then sip in between. Don't let yourself get thirsty. If you feel thirsty, you're already becoming dehydrated. Drink when you're not thirsty yet.

Do you think water is yucky? Drinking other fluids will certainly help hydrate your body, but the extra calories, sugar, additives and whatever else aren't what you need. Try a slice of lemon or lime in the glass, or if you really think you hate water, try a flavored water. Just make sure you read the labels. Remember that you're going to be consuming a lot of this fluid.

It's probably a good idea to stop drinking water a good three hours before you go to bed. You know why.

"How cold should it be?" This is debatable. Most experts lean toward cold water, because the stomach absorbs it more quickly. There is also some evidence that cold water might enhance fat burning.

On the other hand, warmer water is easier to drink in large quantities, and you might drink more of it without even realizing it. Do whatever suits you, here. Just drink it!

When you drink all the water you need, you will very quickly notice a decrease in your appetite, possibly even on the first day! If you're serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an absolute must. If you're doing everything else right and still not seeing results, this might just what's missing.

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Misconceptions About Exercise & Weight Loss

Misconceptions About Exercise & Weight Loss


Exercise burns relatively few calories and therefore makes an insignificant contribution to changing the energy balance.
  • Even though total calories expended during exercise seems to be low, a negative energy balance of as little as 200 calories a day can result in weight loss over time.
    • For example: A 170 lb person decides to add one hour of tennis, three days a week to their schedule. Adding this will replace 1 hour of watching television.
      • Calories burned playing tennis = .045 calories a minute per pound of weight
        • So: 170 lbs X .045 X 60 minutes = 459 calories
      • Calories burned watching television = .008 calories a minutes per pound of weight.
        • So: 170 lbs X .008 X 60 minutes = 81 calories
      • 459 calories - 81 calories = 378 more calories burned for each hour of tennis
  • Intense activity (anaerobic exercise) can burn fat hours afterward; 3 to 14 hours.
    • Anerobic activity can burn 9 times as much body fat for every calorie expended as compared to aerobic exercise
    • An increase in physical activity will automatically result in an increase the amount of food eaten.
      • In lab tests, when moderate exercise is performed food intake either remains the same or decreases. At the same time, weight will decrease. With longer periods of sustained activity, food intake will increase in response to increase caloric expenditure. In this case, weight will remain the same if the diet is ad lib.
    • Exercise can be used to reduce fat from a specific area of the body.
      • Fat loss will occur in a preprogrammed proportion dependent upon genetics, sex, and hormonal levels.
        • Areas with the largest amount of fat lose more fat although although these areas will seem to be totally reduced last.
        • With adequate fat loss muscular definition will be achieved in the peripheral and gradually toward the waist, hips, or thighs.
      • Exercise will help burn calories and maintain lean body weight which can result in fat loss. Increases in muscle in specific areas can change the appearance of those areas but will not result in specific loss of body fat.
      • If the muscle mass improvements out pace fat loss in a specific area, girth can be greater.
    • Sauna, steam baths, or sweat suits are effective for losing weight.
      • Any weight loss occurring in saunas or steam baths is fluid loss. These fluids will be replaced and the weight will come back.
    • Passive exercise machines can be used to reduce body weight.
      • Many machines exists that are electronically powered, which do the work for you. These types of machines won't assist in weight loss or fat reduction.

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Reduce Weight by Watching TV

Reduce Weight by Watching TV


I LOVE my TV! The idea of being able to watch TV as I lose weight sounds pretty good to me. With EnterTRAINING, the idea is that you can watch TV and use your TV to motivate you to exercise.

The merchant for this weight loss product says that "EnterTRAINING turns your TV into your own personal trainer. If you are not exercising hard enough, the TV volume goes down. If you don't get back on track, the TV turns off until you do." EnterTRAINING is a "method for motivating fitness. It employs electronic entertainment as a reward system for cardio target zone training performance while using The EnterTRAINER. The more desirable the reward (TV show, music, video game) the more motivated you are to maintain your cardio target."

For me, this sounds like a bit more work than I am willing to do because I Iike watching my TV with some salty crunch snack by my side and a nice soft seat for my bum, but I am including it just in case you are one of those people that can do exercise given the proper motivation. For me, I think I would rather watch the blank screen, so I am not sure it would work for me.

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Lose Weight by Standing Around

Lose Weight by Standing Around


With the Power Plate, you can stand around on their machine and let them shake you skinny. Basically, you can jiggle your jiggles away.

The merchant for this weight loss product says that the "Power Plate is one of the most unique fitness ...devices on the market today. Advanced Vibration Technology ...stimulate[s] enhanced muscle strength and performance. The Power Plate produces a vibration through which energy is transferred to the body. This mechanical stimulus produces a stretch reflex which, depending on the frequency, results in rapid and intense muscle contractions 30-50 times per second." So basically, all you got to do is stand there and let this contraption shake you. I don't know what kind of headache you'll get but I think the idea of my body moving while I just have to stand there is pretty darn appealing.

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Lose Weight by Lying Down

Lose Weight by Lying Down


Luxury Hypoxi is a way you can lose weight while you lie down and relax. Now, that's the kind of exercise I can do well and do for hours at a time.

The merchant for this weight loss product says that the Hypoxi L250 is the "pioneering active inch loss therapy that targets fat burn from the lower body whilst the client gently trains in a comfortable reclined position." It's a lot of words but I did pay attention to the phrase "reclined position" which means lying down.

"At the heart of the L250 is Hypoxi's unique vacuum chamber. Through a combination of alternating vacuum therapy, an integrated lounger for the client to relax on and a bicycle ergometer so that gentle exercise can be undertaken, the L250 promotes targeted inch loss and increased lymphatic drainage from the lower body..., [this is] an experience more like.. spa therapy than a form of exercise.

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Lose Weight by Sitting


By using the Hula Chair, you can lose weight on your fat a$$ by just sitting on your fat a$$ all day long.

The merchant for this weight loss product says that the Hula Chair is "the biggest sensation in Japan! ... Experience better overall health with our patented Hula Chair. This modern miracle combines the best of ancient traditional Chinese medicine with 21st century space-age technology. Improve your balance and coordination as it gently aligns your spine and improves blood circulation. You’ll love how it feels as it works out your abs and mid-section. And there’s no better way to warm up for any activity. You’ll never experience a more pleasurable workout ! Simply sit upright in the Hula Chair, press the button and let its elliptical motion work wonders on your body.

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