The Secret to Losing Weight Without Dieting, Exercise, Pills, Or Surgery!

My wife was obese. When we were first married in our twenties, she was a few pounds overweight. As the years flew by, she began craving more sweets and trending toward larger portions of fattier foods. Every New Year's Day, she began a different diet along with a pledge to really be good during the ensuing year. By every February, she was back to her old habits. Twenty years later, she was 100 pounds overweight. A decade after that, she weighed 325 pounds and stood five foot six inches tall. I'll get back to her in a moment, but first, let's talk about you.

You are probably reading this article because: (a) it's the beginning of a New Year and you're overweight, (b) you really want some easy answers, (c) you're sick of dieting and exercise, or (d) you figure that someone must have a secret cure. Well, you've come to the right place. But first, my credentials.

No, I'm not a physician or fitness guru and my degree is in marketing. But rather I'm a student of human nature. I lived with an obese person for over 30 years and have an obese sister and brother-in-law. I, myself, have had slew of exercise equipment over the years, including treadmills, cycles, rowing machines, weights, elliptical trainers, and barbells. I take a variety of supplements and have had a gym membership. I've known nutritional experts and naturopaths. My weight hasn't varied more than 10 pounds in 20 years. But I have friends who struggle with the issue and I see more and more that are. I'm approaching 60 and realize that being fit can add years to my life. But enough about me. We're here to talk about you.

There are chemists and geneticists working on engineering chemicals to vaccinate against weight gain. Eventually, you may be inoculated at birth against excessive poundage. But that's a few decades off. In today's world, weight gain is almost inevitable. Restaurants offer prodigious portions. Snack foods abound. Fast food is never low-fat. Even low-fat, and low-carb foods are high in their sugar content. Soda is loaded with calories, as is beer and wine. So where does one turn? Fruit and fruit juices? Wrong because they are also caloric by nature. Can you live on celery or lettuce for extended periods because they are low in everything? Of course they are tasteless and unfulfilling. Ditto to some cereals and tofu. There must be a better way.

If you choose not to change your diet and the thought of exercise makes you want to throw up, perhaps you're on the right path. Anorexia will keep your stomach empty and allow you to eat whatever you want. Of course you may loose your teeth from the acidic reflux and have other side affects, but so what? You will loose weight. Fine, so that may not be the answer. Oprah has endorsed Hoodia, the latest wonder-drug. But long-term studies haven't proven it safe. No diet pill alone has ever done the trick.

Okay, I've teased you long enough. It's time to reveal the secret and crux of this article. But let me first return to my wife. She reached 325 pounds and, with her doctor's blessing, had gastric bypass surgery. Within the first three months, she lost 80 pounds. Within the first four months, she lost her life. She died at age 55 from a heart attack brought on by decades of obesity and the toll it took on her heart. Which brings me to the real secret. Death. It's the first three letters of "diet." There you have it. Now you will never gain weight and don't have to be bothered with all that stress of diet and exercise. After all, it worked for her. Now before I get hate email responses, let me explain.

I loved my wife dearly and tried to get her help. I watched her go through dozens of diets, to no avail. Surgery was her last chance, albeit, too late. Those of you that are reading this article are still alive and have many choices. I'm writing this as a word of warning and hope. Don't allow your weight problem to get out of hand. Take action right now and do the right thing. Rid your house of junk food, begin to take walks, and watch those portions. Forget pills, diet powders and so-called miracle cures. Make a lifestyle change and commit to a new and better you. That's the real secret to weight-loss success without sugar-coating it, pardon the pun.

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He authored a book about his directory years, "Inside the Yellow Pages" which can be seen at his website, [http://www.poweradbook.com] and he is officially retired.

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EzineArticles - Expert Authors Sharing Their Best Original Articles Home » Health and Fitness » Weight Loss Sharon Dell Basic PLUS Author | 47 Articles Joined: September 10, 2009 South Africa Was this article helpful? 1 0 1 Lose Weight Fast and Safely With Flaxseed Oil

We know by now that restricting calories sends your body into preservation mode. Thinking it is about to enter a period of famine, it hangs onto every morsel you feed it by slowing down your metabolism; hence, dieting makes you fat.

Coupled with that, most no-fat and low fat foods are highly processed dense carbohydrates, which if not burned up by vigorous exercise will convert to fat. Put differently, people gain weight because they eat too many fat free carbohydrates, stimulating insulin production and fat storage, and not enough of the right kinds of fat.

When dieting, for a whole week you may successfully monitor every fat gram as though it were poison, then on the weekend the temptation to devour pizza, burgers, french fries, ice cream, chocolate and pastries is overwhelming. The reason for these cravings is because your body desperately needs essential fatty acids. But even if you succumb to these omega-6 laden processed foods, your body cannot convert these into the precious omega-3 oils it needs, so you eat more, piling on huge amounts of unnecessary calories.
The solution is simple. A weight loss trick known by body builders and now by you: increase your intake of essential fatty acids in the form of flax seeds.

Before you think I have lost my mind -- flaxseed oil never ever converts to body fat.

Adding essential fatty acids to most of your meals makes losing weight a breeze. You feel full for longer, you feel satisfied and it curbs cravings for sweets and fatty foods. You also have loads of energy and with shining hair and glowing skin, you look gorgeous.

Your body needs essential fatty acids to function optimally but because it cannot manufacture them, you need to supply the body with an external source by eating them every day.

The simplest and highest concentration of essential fatty acids (EFAs) is found in flaxseed oil, with cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines), egg yolks, poultry, green leafy vegetables, nuts and some fruit containing lower concentrations.

How do essential fatty acids help you lose weight?

Flaxseed oil improves your metabolism, excretes fat and toxins trapped in your tissues and even removes hard fats accumulated by longstanding bad eating habits. It curbs your cravings for sweets and bad fats without you feeling deprived or needing to use willpower, thereby reducing your calorie intake. In addition, because you trick your body into thinking it is getting enough fat, it burns excess calories instead of depositing them as fatty tissue. And finally, you feel satiated after eating.

Flax seed, also known as linseed, is described as a perfect whole food. Taking 1/4 cup of ground flax seeds per day or 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil, in addition to stabilizing your blood sugar and helping you lose weight, is a truly potent supplement with every health benefit imaginable.
This powerful anti-oxidant can be bought from your health food store in four forms: the whole seeds, ground seeds, oil and capsules.

Nutritionists prefer thoroughly chewed or ground flax seeds because they contain fiber. While whole flax seeds pass through your body undigested, the oil lacks fiber and capsules are their fourth choice.
Although ground seeds may be best and use them when you can, for most people cold-pressed flaxseed oil with lignans is more convenient.

As a matter of interest:
Two tablespoons of ground flax seeds provides the following:
Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega-3) 1,710 milligrams
Linoleic Acid (Omega-6) 480 milligrams
Oleic Acid (Omega-9) 540 milligrams
Lignin Fiber 1,003 milligrams
Lignan 13.6 milligrams
3 tablespoons of whole flax seeds = 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
14 large capsules of flaxseed oil = 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil

Who should take it?

Everyone. Regardless of whether you want to lose weight, build muscle or simply improve your health.
Completely safe to take daily with no negative side effects, most people would benefit from 1 to 2 tablespoons a day of flaxseed oil spread throughout the day. Take with meals, especially one where you are likely to overeat. Start with 1 teaspoon and gradually increase your dosage.

Sprinkle ground flax seeds on yoghurt, over fruit, on toast, in water, juice or a smoothie. Add ground or flaxseed oil to cereals, soups and salads by mixing with an equal amount of olive oil and some lemon juice.

If, for example, your goal is to eat 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil a day and you eat three meals, add 1 teaspoon to a glass of water, mix well, and drink before each meal. The nutty taste and greasy consistency take some getting used to. If you find it unpleasant, add to fruit juice instead; or block your nose while you drink it.

By far the healthiest way to consume flaxseed oil is to blend it with 1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese, with fruit, dates or raw honey to sweeten, or cayenne pepper, herbs, spices or vegetables if you prefer savory.
When flax seed is tied to a sulfur based protein, the best being low fat cottage cheese, the fatty acids are fully available to the body. This combination proved effective in a two decade long nutritional program nursing terminal late stage cancer patients back to health. It also helps prevent cancer, arteriosclerosis, strokes, cardiac infarction, stomach ulcers by normalizing gastric juices, prostate, arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, acne, depression and even immune deficiencies.

Do you see why you should add this to your daily regimen?

Buy a small bottle at a time, refrigerate the oil and shake before using; and keep ground flax seeds in the freezer to prevent them from going rancid. Never cook with flaxseed oil because heat ruins its beneficial properties.

After one day of adding flax seed to your life, do not jump on the scale, expecting to have lost a massive amount of weight. Like compound interest, it has a snowballing effect. After two weeks run your hand down the side of your body; it will feel sleeker and your skin silky to the touch. The seat and waistband of a once snug pair of jeans will be looser. And each time you wear them, they will feel looser still.

Even when you are at your goal weight, have your daily dose of flaxseed oil because you will look and feel great.

This is by far the easiest, safest and healthiest way to lose weight effortlessly without feeling deprived and fixated on dieting.

Sharon writes about various topics. Come visit her latest website about natural gas tankless water heaters [http://naturalgastanklesswaterheaters.com] and more specifically what size water heater [http://naturalgastanklesswaterheaters.com/What-size-water-heater.html] you need.

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How to Lose Weight in One-Week's Time?

Anything is possible, if you have the will. The same thing goes to losing weight in one-week's time. One reason why many people fail to lose desired pounds is that they do not have the will to stick to the weight loss plan. A plan to lose weight in one-week's time may sounds crazy. Yes it does- that only if your idea of losing weight is starvation.

Losing weight by starving yourself not only hazardous but it does not work and you are making weight loss difficult for yourself. There is an easy way to lose weight in a week and it is nothing to do with starvation. All you have to do is 3 things- Stick to eating vegetables and fruits, drink plenty of water and regular exercise.
Those are 3 simple things that anyone can do to lose weight and yet only few have the will to do so. Now, the question is, do you have what it takes to do those 3 things.

Anyone can lose weight in a week if she or he can stick to the following guideline:
1) Stick to vegetables and fruits.
The only way to feel better on the inside and look better on the outside is with healthy eating. Poor eating habit is the number one reason that caused more than half of our society being overweight. Thus, the best weapon to combat overweight is simply eating foods known to promote good health. Eating more Vegetables and fruits are always the best foods to take should you want to lose weight; they provide you with good vitamin and have antioxidant value.

If you want to lose weight fast, there are absolute best vegetables and fruits that can boost weight loss. High level of green vegetables, beans and fruits help you lose weight because they are low in calories, high in volume and high in nutrients. Moreover, when your stomach is filled up with high volume, low calorie food, there is less room for other stuff.

There is also a growing body of evidence that shows that plant-based foods help to control food cravings and overeating. In one week time, focus on eating these weight loss booster like spinach, collard greens, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Boston lettuce, green peppers, romaine lettuce, blueberries and strawberries. Although you are on vegetarian diet for a week, you can eat fish or poultry without skin once or twice, if you crave for meat.

2) Drink plenty of water.
A research by an expert in human nutrition, foods and exercise, which was presented at obesity conference in Phoenix, Arizona last year, showed that people who drank two glasses of water 20-30 minutes prior each meal are likely to lose weight faster than those who did not.

The important of well-hydrated body for weight loss is very significant. The fact that sometimes thirst may mistaken as hunger causes you eat more than you really need. Remember that drinking at least eight 8 glasses of water every day is as important to weight maintenance as it is to weight loss. By drinking plenty of water, your kidneys will be stimulated, helping to reduce water retention and in the process, your body will burn more calories.

Plain water, with zero calories, can really help you shed those unwanted pounds and keep them off. Sometimes we never even realize the most effective method comes from the simplest sources.
3) Regular exercise.
If you want to lose some desired pounds in one-week time, make sure you exercise on a regular basis. Exercise plays an important role in weight loss game. A 30-minute workout every day help keeping your metabolism at its peak, allow more calories convert into energy but many people could not win the challenge, which is consistency.

And to help you go through it, here is a tip, choose the type of exercise that you enjoy the most. Whether it is a stroll with your kids, a few laps in the pool, joining aerobic classes, dancing or just sticks to a 45 minutes' walk around the park each day.

How to boost your weight loss?
-Stop eating out.
-Stop taking artificially sweetened beverages of all types.
-Stop eating fried foods as it contain saturated fat.
-Stop drinking alcohol.
-Stop eating junk foods.

There are many effort involve if you want to lose weight in one week time. You would probably feel that you are living a different lifestyle and wanted to cheat on your diet, however, remind yourself of the goal for the changes you have to make.

Try to follow those simple guidelines, be more active as you can, then, you would sure be happy with the weight you had lost after one week of lifestyle transformation.

In order to lose weight fast and keep it off for the rest of your life, I highly recommend the best fast way to lose weight that has proved to work for many people all over the world.

Visit how to lose 20 pounds weight fast.

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How To Lose 10KG In 1 Month - Diet And Exercises

Here's how to lose 10kg in 1 month with diet and exercises. Warning: This doesn't involve any diet pills, jogging, or any other stupid things like that. You'll get a secret diet and 2 "next generation" exercises that'll suck pounds off your belly, thighs, hips, and butt.

How to Lose 10kg Diet
1. Eat eggs... as many as you want, as often as you want. Filling and packs a lot of protein. Minimum of 4 eggs a day.

2. Eat black beans... high in protein and fiber, 25 grams of each in 1 can. And they're cheap. Eat 1 can a day. Do it however you want, just make sure 1 can disappears by the end of the day.
3. Eat apples, as many as you want, as often as you want. Apples are high in water content and each one has 5 grams of fiber. A perfect snack. Minimum of 3 apples a day.

4. The rest of the diet is up to you. As long as you follow those 3 rules above, I'm not too worried about the bad things you do. Now, this isn't a "free pass" to screw up and eat really bad, but you don't have to be totally strict with yourself.

How to Lose 10kg Exercises
1. Spinning
No, not spinning on a stationary bike, spinning around in a circle like you did as a kid. Just spin around clockwise, with your arms out like airplane wings. Spin anywhere from 5-20 times to get slightly dizzy. It's not beneficial to get totally dizzy.

Once you get that number of spins, do multiple sets of spins with that number throughout the day.

This works for weight loss because spinning teaches the Endocrine System to be more balanced with it's hormones and hormonal releases. Since you most likely have unbalanced hormones, the spins help to unlock your ability to lose weight fast because of the balanced hormones.

There's more to it than that, but because of limited space, I can't give you all the details. But you can get all the details on spinning by clicking the link below to get my free 19 page report.

2. Hindu Squats
Hindu squats cause a massive oxygen deficit within your body. This works great for fat loss because it makes your body pillage your body fat for the instant source of energy that it needs. What you do is squat up and down as fast as possible, without weights. Touch your finger tips to the ground with each repetition.
This is the best way on how to lose 10kg in a month with diet and exercises.

Your goal is to do 100 repetitions in less than 5 minutes.

If you're sick and tired of getting the same old boring and tired weight loss advice on how to lose 10kg... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables in your diet, drink 8 glasses of water, jog, exercise more, and blah blah blah"... then you found the right person. I'll make weight loss easy and enjoyable for you... AND NOT BORING!

First, click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com to get your free 19-page report "How Spinning Around in a Circle Like a 4-year old Child will Skyrocket your Weight Loss Success". This will give you a jumpstart on how to lose 10 pounds fast.

Second... after you get the free report, you'll be sent inside my website for even more unique and little known weight loss tips, tricks, techniques, and tactics. These unconventional tricks are a "shortcut" way on how to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks... no mention of eating carrots or celery. I promise.

Third, with my advice, you won't starve, have to go to the gym ever, or basically do anything that is a hassle for your busy life. Listen, I understand you want to lose 10kg without changing much in your diet or exercise plans... I get it. I have this completely covered. I've worked with over 3,700 clients. I know a 1 size fits all plan doesn't work. So I've come up with lots of "tricks" to personalize weight loss specifically for you and your lifestyle.

Fourth... there is no fourth. Just enjoy the free report and my website. If you don't lose 10kg with just my free information... I'd be amazingly surprised!

http://www.weightlossguide4women.com

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3 Simple Steps to Lose Weight Rapidly

You may be desperately looking for the ways to lose your weight rapidly and tried so many methods to get fast outcome. In the course of fast weight loss you deprived yourself from many foods and even go for extreme fasting approach. But fail to get desired result eventually. However, there are some ways also where you can loss your weight without the count of calories or carbohydrates and extreme fasting. Here are the 3 simple steps to help you achieving your goal and this certainly will change your concept of rapid weight loss technique.

1. Find out fat burning foods. There are various foods we take as our daily intake and some of them are excellent for burning fat. Few of them are fruits, chicken, dairy products, calcium enriched foods, nuts and so on.
2. Understand the use of fat burning foods. Pick a right combination of foods that has ample amount of protein, carbohydrate and fat. By doing this you can accelerate your metabolism and burn calories rapidly.
3. Learn about the timing of food intake. Most of us tend to take three big meals a day as we learned from inheritance. But it has proven that frequent eating habit is more beneficial for your health than three big meals. This keeps on metabolic rate and burns fat as well.

These tips are very simple for rapid weight loss. But we tend to overlook these simple but important steps while we undergo for weight lose course. By applying these strategies you definitely can get fast result without depriving yourself or going for extreme fasting method and also you can avoid expensive diet pills for fast weight loss.

This method is fairly easy and is helpful to give you steady result. On the online you can find out various plans likewise and there you can learn more about fat burning foods and proper plans to use them.

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Bike Riding for Weight Loss - Tips for Beginning A Bicycling Plan

If you are one of those people who leisurely pedal around the block or over a flat stretch of scenic road, you've probably been riding for sheer pleasure. Riding bikes for pleasure is a good form of aerobic exercise. But unless you map out a plan to "push yourself," you probably won't lose much weight.

I really get sick of hearing people say, "No pain, no gain!" But the old adage is true when it comes to riding bikes to lose weight. By pushing your cycling distance or speed, you are sure to feel some pain in your leg muscles, your hands, wrists, and your derriere-- even some pain in your throat and lungs as your body tries to accommodate your increased demand for oxygen.

HEALTH TIP: Stretching exercises prior to exercising are helpful in preventing injury!

GETTING YOUR BICYCLE READY...TO ROLL OFF THE WEIGHT
Your first concern will be outfitting your bicycle. If you need an excuse to purchase a new bike, this is an excellent opportunity! I went from a 3-speed bicycle for leisure riding, to a 24-speed bicycle for more committed exercising. Once I learned how the different gears worked, I was very thankful for the extra speeds. They make my ride faster and the hills a lot easier to handle.

We've found the guys at the bicycle shop to be very helpful, and concerned for our unique cycling needs. Rather than simply steering us toward the most expensive bicycle available (as I had expected), they asked how much riding we would be doing, whether we were trying for speed or leisure, and whether we would be riding on paved roads or dirt trails. When you honestly share your goals and level of experience, the sales clerks can match you with exactly what you need. They want you to be successful in your biking venture!
Some state laws require bicycle lights. But if you will be riding anytime from dusk to dawn, common sense demands that you have lights on your bicycle. These little accessories are battery-operated and last a long time. There are a variety of lights to choose from. My tail light has different blinking speeds, and is designed to make my bike visible to cars approaching from both the rear and the sides. Check for brightness before you buy one. Install the light where it makes the most sense.

We held off on buying a speedometer and odometer unit for our bikes, but once we got serious about losing weight and getting in shape, this feature became a "must have." You simply cannot track your progress without knowing how far and how fast you're riding.

If you already have a bicycle, take it to the bike shop for a safety inspection each season. They should check the gears, tires and brakes to make sure everything is working properly. They can adjust your seat to fit your height and adjust the handlebars to fit your reach, making your ride more comfortable. If you're lucky, they might even clean and polish your bike!

If you want to save money in the long run, you can find books and videos that teach you how to care for your own bicycle. It's always a great idea to know how to change your own flat tire and adjust a loose chain.
Another must have is a bicycle pump. Ask your bike dealer how many pounds of air pressure to put in your bicycle tires. Check the tires each time you get ready to ride! We guessed at the air pressure one summer day, and lived to regret it. We rode the bikes to the swimming pool, not realizing that one tire was too full. While we were cooling off in the water, the hot sun was rapidly expanding the air in the tires-one tire blew as it sat in the parking lot. The day in the sun was not so fun, once the pool closed and we had to wait for a truck to haul us home!

HEALTH TIP: Talk with your doctor first, and get his or her blessing before you increase your rate of physical activity!

STAYING COMFORTABLE ON YOUR BIKE
Sitting for long periods of time on a bicycle seat can cause pain, discomfort, and even serious blood circulation problems in avid bicyclists. At your local bike shop, you'll find a variety of bicycle seats made specifically for your comfort and health. The salespeople at our local bike shop encouraged us to try out new seats on our bikes for a few days. My husband found the split seat to be more comfortable for himself, while I opted to keep my old gel seat. Someone has even invented seats that look more like a bird perch than a bicycle seat!

HEALTH TIP: Get off your bicycle seat and walk around every 25 minutes or so to get the blood flow to important unmentionable parts of your body.

Think about your clothing...you don't have to have padded biker shorts and special clothing to start riding bikes. There are actually scientifically engineered fabrics designed to pull sweat away from your body in the summer and to keep you from getting hypothermia in the winter. But for now, just wear layers of comfortable sports clothes.

Make sure your clothes aren't so tight that you are miserable trying to pedal. But they shouldn't be loose enough to become entangled in the bicycle chain, either! If you become overheated, strip off a layer. If you get cold, add a layer. Wear light or bright colors to allow drivers to see you easily.

It really helps to have a small cargo rack on the back of your bike. Mine looks like a little shelf over the back tire. It has two bungee cords to keep any cargo securely fastened to the bike. I've used it to tote a small picnic cooler, a shopping bag or extra clothes.

I had the bike shop attach a water bottle holder to the bike under my seat. I can grab a quick swig as I ride or pour some water over my pulse points to cool off a bit. Take small sips of water when needed during your bike ride, rather than chugging huge gulps.
A helmet is almost a must. Life is filled with hazards-and biking has its share. Be smart. Wear a helmet. You can buy a cool rear-view mirror for your helmet. The mirror helps you see when it's safe to turn and lets you observe traffic coming up from behind.
I recommend wearing sunglasses-both for the sun and for bugs! At certain times of the year, the air is thick with flying insects. Getting a tiny bug in your eye is a painful event. For contact wearers, carry a contact case and lens cleaner on bike rides for just that reason. Some day you'll be glad you did!
HEALTH TIP: Shake your hands downward frequently to get the blood flowing and to prevent pain or numbness in your arms and hands.

MAPPING OUT A WEIGHT LOSS PLAN
You will want to keep a record of your daily diet and food intake, your weekly body measurements and weight, as well as your bicycling miles and time.

The web site http://www.OpenFitness.net is an excellent way to track your progress. It is very easy to use-simply type in your information you wish to track. As the only community fitness web site of its kind, you'll find it to be a fantastic motivation tool that will print out charts and graphs to show how much progress you've made in a few days, a week, or a month!

It keeps track of your food, vitamin, and supplement intake. Thousands of foods have already been analyzed by experts for number of calories, fat, carbs, and protein. You simply select the foods you ate from a pull down feature, and the daily total is tallied for you. Make sure you don't exercise when you've just eaten, or when it's almost meal time. Both times will slow you down.

No matter how humiliating it is, measure your arms, legs, chest, waist, neck, hips and thighs once a week. The software keeps track of your weight and body measurements. The thrill of seeing those same inches melt away in the coming weeks will be worth the effort. It's especially impressive seen as a graph!

Consider investing in an instrument that actually measures body fat-there are inexpensive pincer-type instruments that measure fat by pinching you, or buy a set of bathroom scales that cost more but calculate body fat quite painlessly.

Try to ride 4-6 days per week. When you map out your weight loss plan, your short-term goals will change as you change. You'll quickly develop stamina for longer distance. As fat turns to muscle, your speed will increase. Each week, try to increase either your mileage or your speed.
You know how far you've been able to ride, thus far. Start keeping track of the exact route you are taking, the total mileage, and the length of time it took you. Make notes in your records for special circumstances. Did it get dark outside so you were forced to cut your ride short? Did the road crews dump a layer of gravel on your normally paved road?

What was the weather like? Was it dangerously hot? Was it windy? The wind can be your friend or your enemy. When the wind is behind you, your ride is a breeze...but coming from any other direction, be prepared to huff and puff. Accept any length of time as a job well done and simply get the ride accomplished!

Finally, add an upper body workout three times per week. Bicycling works your legs, but to get the rest of your body firm and trim, you'll need to exercise your upper body, as well. The http://www.openfitness.net web site, created by a certified personal fitness trainer, has excellent features which allow you to design and track this portion of your fitness program, as well.

Bicycle riding is a fun, inexpensive form of aerobic exercise-it's good for every part of you. But be warned-you will need to buy a whole new wardrobe for the thinner, more beautifully fit body that emerges!

Sharyl Calhoun
See our 9 Day Cleansing & Fat Burning Program page at [http://www.fastandnaturalweightlossprogram.com]

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Secrets of Gastric Bypass Surgery: Lose Weight Without Surgery

There's more to gastric bypass than surgery and rapid massive weight loss. Patients who undergo weight loss surgery (WLS) sign-up for a lifetime of rigid behaviors to guarantee their long-term success.
Just imagine: If you knew what those behaviors were, could you lose the weight and keep it off without surgery? Take a look at the four rules WLS patients live by:

Rule 1: Protein First:

The first rule for living after Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is Protein First - that means eating protein for three daily meals, and protein must be 50 percent of food intake. Animal products are the most nutrient rich source of protein and include fish, poultry and meat. Dairy protein, including eggs, is another excellent source of protein. Nuts and legumes are also good sources of protein, but sometimes difficult for the bariatric patient to consume.

Science is proving that a protein rich diet will prompt weight loss and increase energy. The body contains over fifty-thousand different active proteins all made out of the same building blocks: amino acids. Amino acids are made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen as well as sulfur, phosphorus and iron. Many diseases - including obesity - indicate an amino acid deficiency.

Weight loss surgery patients don't have a choice, they must eat lean protein or they will get sick, anemic, and weary. Weight loss will cease if they eat processed carbohydrates instead of lean protein. Dumping or vomiting may also result if patients do not eat lean protein for the first half of every meal.

The distinction must be made between high fat proteins and lean proteins. A gastric bypass patient cannot tolerate high fat proteins such as bacon, fatty beef or sausage products or greasy fried chicken: these foods cause nausea and vomiting. In addition, these high fat protein rich items are contributors to obesity and should be avoided by anyone wishing to control their weight.

Rule 2: Drink lots of water
Dieters are often told - drink water. Drink a minimum of 64 ounces a day - eight glasses a day. Gastric-bypass patients don't have a choice: they must drink lots water. Other beverages including coffee, tea, milk, soft drinks and alcohol are forbidden. Water is the essential fluid for living. Water is one of the most important nutrients the body needs to stay healthy, vibrant and energetic. A tell-tell sign of a gastric bypass patient is the ever-present water bottle.

The human body is a magnificent vessel full of water. The brain is more than 75 percent water and 80 percent of blood is water. In fact, water plays a critical role in every system of the human body. Water regulates body temperature, removes wastes, carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells, cushions the joints, prevents constipation, flushes toxins from the kidneys and liver and dissolves vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for the body's use.

Nutritionists say a precise measure of the body's need for water is to divide body weight (pounds) in half and drink that many ounces every day. That number could well exceed 200 ounces a day for morbidly obese people actively engaged in weight loss.

The body will panic if actual water intake is significantly less than required. Blood cannot flow, waste processes are disrupted and the electrolytes become imbalanced. Proper hydration prevents inflammation, promotes osmosis and moistens lung surfaces for gas diffusion. It helps the body regulate temperature, irrigate the cells and organs and promotes all functions of elimination. Certainly by drinking plenty of water many people could resolve inflammation and elimination problems that result from insufficient water intake. Adequate water facilitates weight loss.

Rule 3: No Snacking
Gastric bypass patients are instructed to avoid snacking. No exceptions.

Snacking is the worst possible thing a WLS patient can do. If patients snack they cease to lose weight and could possibly regain weight. In addition gastric bypass snackers risk severe swings in blood sugar levels and glucose overdose, they fail to move forward to the healthy life that surgery makes possible. They feel like failures when the WLS does not result in weight loss.

The nature of gastric bypass surgery gives patients an edge on beating the snacking habit. When a patient eats three protein-rich meals a day the body's fuel requirements are met and satiation results. Hunger does not occur if water is sipped throughout the day. If a patient is taking vitamins they will not be nutritionally wanting. Given that, patients who snack are doing so out of the very habit that contributed to obesity.
If a dieter must snack they must be mindful of their choices. Fruits, vegetables and lean proteins will contributed to wellness and weight loss. Processed carbohydrate convenience foods fail to meet nutritional needs or facilitate weight loss and should be avoided.

Successful WLS patients understand that snacking is bariatric purgatory. When they begin to snack weight loss will cease and weight gain will certainly result. Successful weight loss patients - those who maintain their weight loss years after surgery - do not snack. The same is true for all successful dieters regardless of the means by which they initially lost weight.

Rule 4: Exercise
The final rule, the one WLS despise the most, patients must exercise every day.

Nothing is more disappointing than hearing a gastric bypass patient brag that they didn't have to exercise to lose weight. It's true; patients will lose weight without lifting a finger. But patients who do not use the time of rapid weight loss to incorporate exercise into their lifestyle are doing themselves a grave disservice.
Obesity cripples the body. Bone tissues are compromised, joints are swollen, the vascular system is inadequate and the skeleton overburdened. As weight is lost, the burden on the bones, joints and vascular system is decreased. However, the body is a magnificent machine. Given proper nutrition and physical motion it will rebuild its broken framework. The systems can become strong and vital.

The most effective way to heal the body from the ravages of obesity is to exercise. Exercise means moving the body: walking, stretching, bending, inhaling and exhaling. Exercise is the most effective, most enjoyable, most beneficial gift one can bestow on themselves in the recovery from life threatening, crippling morbid obesity. People who successfully maintain their weight exercise daily.

Conclusion:
Successful weight loss surgery patients will tell you these are the four rules they live by, that the gastric bypass is only a tool to facilitate mindful behavior for better health. They will confirm that weight control, even with surgery, takes a lifetime of diligent attention to their bodies and behavior. They will assure you it isn't easy, but the results are worth the effort.

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author of many articles about life after gastric bypass. Ms. Bailey is the webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

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