Sunday, October 3, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
THE ROLE OF WATER IN WEIGHT LOSS
Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Although most of us take it for granted, water may be the only true 'magic potion' for permanent weight loss. Water suppresses the appetite and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.
Help Those Kidneys
Here's why. The kidneys cannot function properly without enough water. When they do not work to capacity, some of the load is passed on to the liver. One of the liver’s primary functions is to turn stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it cannot work at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat; more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.
Shed Water With Water
Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. When the body gets less water, it perceives this a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is then stored and this shows up as swollen feet, hands and legs. Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs - plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released.
If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt may be to blame. Your body will tolerate sodium only in certain concentrations. The more salt you eat, the more water your system retains to dilute it. But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy - just drink more water. As it is forced through the kidneys, it takes away excess sodium.
The overweight person needs more water than the thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, it follows that the overweight person needs more water. Water helps maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss.
Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot more waste to get rid of - all that metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste.
Water Relieves Constipation
Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. The colon is one primary source. Result? Constipation. But, when a person drinks enough water, normal bowel function returns.
So far, we have discovered some remarkable truths about water and about weight loss. The body will not function properly without enough water and cannot metabolize stored fat efficiently. Retained water shows up as excess weight. To get rid of excess water you must drink more water. Drinking water is essential to weight loss. How much water is enough? On the average, a person should drink eight (250ml) glasses everyday. However, the overweight person needs one additional glass for every 12kg of excess weight.
The amount that you drink should be increased if you exercise or if the weather is hot and dry. Water should preferably be cold - it is absorbed more quickly into the system than warm water. Some evidence suggests that drinking cold water can actually burn calories.
To utilize water most efficiently during weight loss, follow a schedule:
* Morning: One litre consumed over a 30 minute period
* Noon: One litre consumed over a 30 minute period
* Evening: One litre consumed in the early evening between 5 & 8 PM.
When the body gets the water it needs to function properly, its fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, you have reached the "breakthrough point'.
What does this mean? Endocrine gland function improves. Fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost. More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat. Natural thirst returns. There is a loss of hunger almost over night.
If you stop drinking enough water, your body fluids will be thrown out of balance again and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst. To remedy this situation you have to go back and force another breakthrough.
Protein - The Key to Effective Weight Loss
Herbalife is a long-time believer in the power of protein. For years, we've offered our customers a wide variety of protein-rich products to enhance their weight loss, weight management and nutrition. Recent scientific studies have created a new understanding of the role protein plays in a healthy diet and in weight loss especially. It's nothing less than a nutrition revolution and, as always, Herbalife is ready to take you there! HerbalWorx.cc
Protein for Healthy Living
According to the latest statistics, the obesity epidemic continues to grow worldwide and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Those who have adequate amounts of protein in their diet, however, may find they've escaped being part of this alarming trend! That's because the latest nutritional research indicates that protein has numerous dietary benefits that give a boost to weight-loss efforts.
One of the principal advantages of protein is that it creates a feeling of fullness and satisfaction in the body that makes overeating much less likely. Besides being filling, protein is a smart addition to any weight-loss or weight management program because of the effect it has on carbohydrate cravings.
As nutritional research has documented, carbohydrates trigger the brain to crave more carbohydrates, leading to a cycle of carbohydrate eating that becomes hard to control. Protein can block that triggering effect in the brain. If you eat protein with a carbohydrate it will reduce the cravings caused by eating the carbohydrate.
Not all proteins are created equal!
As you incorporate protein into your diet, remember that not all protein is equal when it comes to calories. For example, a serving of steak has 1,500 calories! That's why Herbalife created a variety of healthy protein products to help you get adequate protein in your diet and lose weight. Our meal-replacement shakes offer a combination of heart-healthy soy protein, vitamins and minerals in great-tasting flavours that satisfy your taste buds as well as your appetite.
Eat Smaller Portions, But Eat More Often
If your goal is to lose weight, the worst thing you can do is eat nothing all day and then consume one big meal at night. The body is a survival system. If more than four hours go by without food, your metabolism slows down in an effort to preserve energy and to help the body to survive. This means that while ordinarily you might burn 80 calories an hour talking on the telephone, you will now burn only 60 calories an hour. You could and should have eaten something earlier; you would have lost more weight.
Your goal is to feed your body scientifically so that you are not tired, you burn the maximum fat and you are never hungry. The best way to do this is to eat more often than the traditional three times a day. The idea is to eat often, but eat smaller portions than usual! Every time you eat a little something, your metabolism speeds up in order to process the food taken in and release energy to you for immediate use.
The Correct Amount of Protein
The body absorbs protein in small amounts of about 20-30 grams per meal. For this reason, it is inadvisable to consume more than that in one sitting. Excess protein is stored by the body in the form of fat, the same as any other excess calories. The ideal way to consume protein then is in three or more smaller portions a day, as opposed to one large portion a day.
The Herbalife Weight Loss Program is a perfect fit:
One serving of Herbalife Formula 1 in yoghurt or fruit juice. On the weight loss program this is taken twice a day, usually breakfast and lunch.
A mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack of a small tub (200 grams) of low fat yoghurt gives the body more protein – we even have chocolate protein bars for those with a sweet tooth.
Dinner should consist ideally of a lean meat protein source, such as skinless chicken, fish or a low fat pork or veal. In this way the body is getting a continuous supply of protein that is not too much and will be burnt up by the body and will keep the metabolism running at an optimum level. It is also getting a minimal amount of saturated fats.
To view our Herbalife products click on this link: HerbalWorx.cc
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