Do You Have Diabetes? Symptoms Of Diabetes And How To Address Them

Writen by Charlene Nuble

Diabetes mellitus is a condition resulting from the pancreas’ inability to produce enough insulin, which is needed by the body to help create energy. A deficiency of or ineffectiveness of insulin leads to high glucose levels in the blood, thus, leading to this illness.

Diabetes has two types. Type 1 Diabetes usually occurs in young people and requires frequent insulin injections, while Type 2 Diabetes is experienced by older people and is not as dependent on insulin. Majority of those who have Type 2 Diabetes have been found to be either obese or overweight.

Diabetes usually runs in the family, so it’s best to know early on if you have it. The common symptoms experienced by someone who has diabetes include unusually frequent urination and hunger, constant thirst, rapid weight loss, tiredness, numbness in the feet and hands, recurrent skin infections, itching in private parts and blurred vision. When left unattended, diabetes could escalate to hyperglycemia, which develops from an excess of glucose in the blood, and leave the person temporarily unconscious, or, worse, cause severe infections, poor healing abilities, heart ailments and numbness from nerve damage.

The direct origins of diabetes, besides heredity, remain uncertain. However, several scientists believe that diabetes can also spring from an infection in the pancreas, a disorder in the autoimmune system and even from an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.

When you notice the signs that possibly point to diabetes, consult your doctor immediately. You will be subjected to tests to determine whether your blood sugar is stable and if there is a presence of diabetes. Your doctor will then recommend an appropriate exercise regimen and diet to temper the effects of diabetes, or, if needed, prescribe medication.

People diagnosed with diabetes should avoid sugars and control the intake of fats, carbohydrates and salt. A life long low-fat, high-fiber diet is ideal. Regular aerobic exercise also helps maximize the effect of insulin treatments. Some studies show that weight management and a proper diet are often enough to keep those with Type 2 Diabetes in check and even prevent people who are diabetes-prone from developing the condition. In alternative medicine, herbs like ampalaya and banaba have also been used to help treat diabetes.

For persons with a history of diabetes in the family and are over forty years old, blood should be checked for sugar levels two hours after a hearty meal. This procedure should be done at least twice a year, as several people have been found to have had diabetes for years without experiencing any of the symptoms.

Sadly, diabetes cannot be cured. But it can be controlled with life-long treatment. Therefore, to combat diabetes, regular check-ups, a healthy lifestyle and constant vigilance are in order.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about diabetes, please go to: http://diabetes.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Curing Insomnia – A Matter Of Routine?

Writen by Richard Berry

Human beings are creatures of habit. Our bodies like routine and respond well to established rituals. Athletes and sportsmen often refer to ‘muscle memory’: the phenomena of the body remembering often repeated movements. As a frequent sufferer of insomnia, I have often thought that our minds and bodies could be similarly trained to fall asleep by way of repeating rituals. In other words, could curing insomnia be as simple as following an established routine?

When I find it hard to fall asleep, it’s usually because my mind has not sufficiently ‘closed down’. I lay there with my mind racing and sleep seems impossible. After repeating bouts of insomnia, I began to realise that my pre-sleep routine was to blame for a lot of my problems. As a bit of a computer geek, I would often stay up late on-line or coding websites, sometimes mere minutes before going to bed. I now recognize the folly of this. Following such sessions of burning the midnight oil, my brain would still be churning with the details of my time on the computer when it should instead be cooling down.

Another thing I noticed was that my pre-bedtime activities were highly varied, with no real pattern to speak of. The problem, I realised, was that my mind/body never got sent a repeating ‘time to sleep’ signal, or at least if it did it was only right when my head first touched the pillow. It seems that the mind/body shuts down much more smoothly when it has advance warning.

I have taken certain steps to solve the problems I have identified. I have developed a regular pre-sleep routine designed to slow my system down before trying to sleep.

1. I now stop working a good hour before bedtime.

2. Instead of working or browsing, I now spend the last hour of the day in ‘wind down’ mode: listening to relaxing music, taking a long hot bath, enjoying a soothing hot chocolate drink.

3. The last thing I do before washing and brushing my teeth is to check the house is all locked up and secure, visiting the rooms and doors in the same order. This not only gives me peace of mind but is a strong repeating ritual designed to signal my system that sleep is required soon.

That’s my routine, yours will no doubt be different but that doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you get into a regular pattern of pre-bedtime behaviour . The more you stick to your routine, the more your mind/body will recognise the ’shut down’ signals and the easier you will find it to fall asleep. On its own, routine may not be a complete cure for your insomnia but you should see it as a vital part of your overall strategy.

5 Tips: How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

Writen by Peter Wallander

If you have ever given birth to a baby, then more than likely, you also have stretch marks. Depending upon who you ask, these unsightly marks are a badge of motherhood to be proud of, or they are flaws that need to be gotten rid of. Regardless of where you stand in this debate, most people would like to at least diminish these particular remnants of pregnancy. This information will give you some information on the options that are available to you.

1- One thing to keep in mind is that as time goes on, the stretch marks themselves will fade in color from the bright pinkish red they are when new, to a silver color. Some people claim that this later coloring makes them less noticeable; however, most women would probably disagree.

2- If you are still pregnant, you can start to moisturize the forming marks now. This is said to reduce the severity of the stretch marks that appear. Another tip for pregnant women is to eat a diet that is rich in oils, such as nuts, safe fish and seeds, these foods along with lots of vegetables and fruits will help the skin to stretch, therefore helping to avoid the severity of any stretch marks that do form.

3- If you are no longer pregnant and want to know how to get rid of stretch marks, it is important for you to know that nothing will get rid of them once they have appeared. You can however, camouflage them with a variety of products.

4- Sunless tanning products work well for hiding stretch marks, as does the daily application of a good moisturizer. If these products do not work as well as you would like, it is possible that a dermatologist will be able to do something for you.

5- Always consult your physician before starting any type of skin regimen that you have questions about, especially anything that is herbal based or if you are breast feeding.

Accu-Check Aviva Glucometer – New for Diabetes Testing

Writen by Fern Kuhn

Now you can help make every test strip count as you can test right the very first time.

The wide-mouth strip quickly sucks on the tiny blood drop, helping 97% of diabetes fill the strip on the very first try. Since you only need a small drop of blood, you won’t have to keep retesting. The system also has over 150 automatic checks to detect and prevent unreliable results.

The ACCU-CHEK Multiclix lancet device is appears to be less painful among leading lancet devices. It also uses a pre-loaded six-lancet drum, saving you time and the need to handle individual lancets. This could help prevent accidental sticking to your finger or elsewhere

You can test from your fingertip, palm, forearm, upper arm, thigh, or calf.

Your test results appear in 5 seconds.

You do need to place a code plate in the machine everytime you open a new blood sugar strip container. But it is easy to place in the machine.

You only need a small blood sample just 0.6 microliter.

The Accu-Check Aviva has a contoured, ergonomic design with easy-to-hold rubber grips.

You can save results.

**500-value memory. **7, 14 and 30-day averages.

Coming soon: You can download test results to your PC with ACCU-CHEK Compass software or the Diabetes Assistant program, their online log.

The glucometer measures 3.7″H x 2.0″W x 0.9″D; weighing 2.1 oz. with a battery.

I like the fact that this machine automatically comes with the six-drum lancet device. Prevents accidentally sticking yourself when placing a lancet in a lancet pen that normally come with other glucometers.

The comfort of holding the machine should be easy for anyone, including senior citizens.

This is a recently new glucometer which just shows how Roche Labs are really in the forefront of helping diabetes manage glucose testing in a much easier and simple way.

The Aviva does automatically come with the alternative site cap so when you receive your glucometer, you can test anywhere.

Copyright 2005 Fern Kuhn, RN Specializing in Diabetes

http://www.diabetestestingcenter.com

http://www.laserhairremovalreviews.info

http://www.acnereviews.info

You may reprint this article as long as you keep the links active

Instant Strength Training Strategies That Anyone Can Use

Writen by Gary Matthews

Ever wondered how over the years there has been a surge of different strength training techniques that have come onto the market and then just faded away. Are you sick and tired of getting nowhere in the gym?

Well here we discuss the strength training strategies that will gain the maximum amount of muscle in the shortest time possible and have stood up to the test of time.

1. Training Frequency

The two main components of strength training are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional muscle size in the shortest period of time.

The latest research has repeatedly shown that muscles over-compensate (become stronger) up to a week after the previous workout, provided that the muscles are trained to failure.

Remember it’s not the training volume but the intensity and recuperation that are important when it comes to gains in strength and muscle.

2. Exercises Per Session

Tests under strict gym conditions have revealed that you’ve only got a limited amount of (readily available) energy to use for a weight training session. Blood tests on individuals have also revealed that blood sugar levels (available energy) drop dramatically after 20 to 30 minutes of high intensity training.

As you only have a short period of time to train before our blood sugar level drops, “Exercise Selection” is crucial. You have to use Multi-Joint or Compound movements, as these offer the most training stimulus for the available amount of time. In other words, we can train many muscles simultaneously and thus use our energy more efficiently.

Performing three to four exercises with high intensity during a session are what most people are capable of. All the main structures of the body are worked hard during this time. Working on these big compound movements has a knock-on effect throughout the whole body; there is no need for specialization techniques or isolation movements.

The fact is, the whole body is worked hard, rest and recuperation is allowed to take place and at the next exercise session we push out a few more reps than before with the same weight, then we have gotten stronger i.e. more muscle.

3. Number of Sets per Exercise

After performing one complete set a compound exercise to total failure, it should be just about impossible to generate the same force and intensity for another complete set of the same exercise.

If you’re able to generate the same force and intensity for this second set then it’ll be pretty obvious that not enough effort has been put into the first set. Thus you’ll have to raise the intensity level you put out for the first set.

If you give the first set 100% effort and work the exercise hard to total failure (eg. you cannot move the bar after the last rep) then there will be not more requirement for further muscle stimulation on that specific exercise.

If you think that volume training (multiple sets) is more effective then you’re wrong! The latest research shows that single set training is as beneficial as multiple set training. Training one set will decrease the chances of over-training. It will also allow you to save more energy for other exercises required during the workout.

4. Number of Repetitions per Set

The development of muscle and strength is interrelated, it always has been. Strength training Sessions produce increases in strength that is equal to increases in functional muscle. (You’ll become stronger and grow muscle).

Cycling intensity through changes in repetitions and weight throughout a ten-week program is an effective way to maintain progression and avoid training plateaus (slumps in strength).

Repetitions can be cycled, the higher repetition range will stimulate the slow twitch muscle fibres and promote endurance. Moving further down the scale, the lower repetition range will activate the fast twitch muscle fibres and increase strength and muscle size.

Now its time to start putting these principles to work, Believe me once you start to apply these to your strength training workouts you will start to catapult your muscle gains like never before.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ muscle building e-course.

Cafeteria At Fault for College Weight Gain

Writen by Diana Keuilian

College weight gain is at an all time high, and as students continue to pack on the pounds at an increasing rate, we naturally want to know where the blame lies for this growing epidemic. Since food consumption contributes significantly to weight gain, is it safe to assume that cafeterias are responsible for the expanding waistlines of our students? Read on for three reasons why the cafeteria food you eat is making you fat, and tips to help you stop the weight gain.

1. All You Can Eat

When was the last time you were given a tray and let loose in an all-you-can-eat buffet? Although most people only experience this phenomenon while either onboard a cruise ship or visiting Las Vegas, college students often have the buffet going experience three times a day, seven days a week. That comes out to twenty-one opportunities to overeat each week. Students are handed the serving spoon, and the sky is the limit!

Let’s do some simple math together to help explain the damage done by the all-you-can-eat cafeteria. One must consume roughly 3,500 extra calories in order to gain a pound. This may seem like a large number, but when broken down between twenty-one meals, one pound can be gained each week by simply eating 170 extra calories at each meal. These 170 calories can take on the form of an extra helping of cheesy spaghetti, a salad drenched in creamy dressing, or a small, innocent-looking dessert. College cafeterias are lurking with excess calories that are on a mission to end up on your unsuspecting tray.

Cafeteria Weight Loss Tip #1: Ditch your tray. Instead of loading up an entire tray with multiple plates of food, desserts and beverages stick with just a simple plate. This will prevent you from overeating, since more food than can fit on one plate is probably more food than you need. 2. Main Dish Mayhem

College cafeterias are notorious for serving main dishes that are less than nutritious. Cheese covered pizzas, pastas and casseroles often dominate the lunch menus while fried meats, potatoes, and fat laden roasts turn up at dinner. Any direction that you turn to, in a cafeteria, will find you staring straight into the pot of something fattening.

Let’s consider the extra fat and calories that are found in the main dishes that are typically served in the cafeteria. An average serving of lasagna has 550 calories and 22 grams of fat. Two slices of pizza have 540 calories and 28 grams of fat. A serving of fried chicken has 480 calories and 26 grams of fat. When you consistently eat main dishes like these that are high in fat and extra calories the only possible result is weight gain.

Cafeteria Weight Loss Tip #2: Eat only a small serving of the main dish. This will prevent you from eating an extreme amount of excess calories, since the main dishes are usually very rich in calories and fat. Fill the rest of your plate with fresh vegetables and whole grains. 3. Desserts Galore

What is a visit to the cafeteria without topping it off with a mouthwatering dessert? Cookies, brownies, cakes, pies and ice cream are often just what you need to get your mind off of that exam that you need to study for. Women are especially prone to indulging at the dessert bar, due to their chocolate-loving, sweet teeth!

What most students do not realize is how quickly these extra calories add up, resulting in weight gain. A typical large cookie contains over 200 calories and 15 grams of fat. A typical brownie can pack over 400 calories and 25 grams of fat. These are often the calories that end up pushing you over your daily caloric needs, resulting in fat storage around your waist, hips and thighs.

Cafeteria Weight Loss Tip #3: Limit the number of desserts you eat each week. Rather than grabbing a cookie or brownie everyday, designate a day or two each week as your dessert day. This will prevent daily extra calories, and will make the desserts you do eat more enjoyable.

The next time that you are in line at the cafeteria pay attention to what ends up on your plate. Remember that most college weight gain is a result of a mismanaged diet. If you would like more information on avoiding college weight gain, visit www.AvoidTheFreshman15.com to download free information.

Diana Keuilian, Certified Personal Trainer, and author of “Avoid The Freshman Fifteen”, has a proven method for avoiding college weight gain. Visit http://www.AvoidTheFreshman15.com to learn more. She is also the head Fitness Trainer for the nation’s leading online fitness site http://www.HitechPersonalFitness.com and board member of http://www.HitechTrainer.com

6 Steps to Clear, Acne-Free Skin

Writen by Ron King

6 Steps to Clear, Acne-Free Skin

Hundreds of medications, treatments, cleansers and cosmetics are available for people with acne, but the most important elements of an acne-fighting program won’t cost you a cent.

1. Nourish your skin by eating a healthy and balanced diet.

Most health care specialists agree that a healthy diet will benefit your skin. Cut down on caffeine, sugar and refined carbohydrates, all of which can activate the hormones that tell your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. Add more fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, juices and other healthy treats to your daily diet, and you’ll see in improvement in your skin.

2. Drink lots of water to maintain the skin’s elasticity.

Plenty of water is essential to the health of your skin. One of the main activities of the body’s self-healing system is to filter the blood, a job performed mostly by the kidneys, with help from the skin in the form of perspiration. This self-healing system removes the toxic wastes of metabolizing food and of other harmful substances that get into our bodies one way or another.

This purification system operates efficiently only if the volume of water flowing through it is sufficient to carry away the wastes. 6 to 8 glasses (64 fluid ounces) of water a day is the recommendation. To reach your quota, carry bottled water with you in your car, your purse, your briefcasewherever you go.

Get the water habit, and your skin will thank you for it.

3. Exercise regularly for good circulation.

Get into a regular routine of exercise. Do it for at least half an hour, five days a week. Exercise improves your blood circulation, helping your body clear toxins from your system, including your skin. Better circulation also increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Exercise also relieves stress, which is a common cause of acne flare-ups. Last but not least, exercise releases endorphins, the “feel good” substance in your brain that puts a smile on your facethe best beauty secret of all.

4. Cleanse your facethen tone, moisturize, and exfoliate.

At night * First remove your makeup with an oil-free makeup remover and a cotton ball. * Then wash your face with lukewarm water and an oil-free, non-comedogenic (doesn’t block pores) cleanser. * Pat (don’t rub) it dry with a soft towel. * And apply an oil-free moisturizer.

In the morning * Wash your face as directed above, then use an alcohol-free toner. * Next apply moisturizer. * Then apply makeupall oil-free and non-comedogenic.

Once or twice a week use an exfoliator with alpha hydroxy acid or glycolic acid. This will aid in the shedding of dead skin cells, the “food” for the bacteria that cause pimples.

If you exercise during the day, you’ll need to wash your face a third time, immediately afterward.

5. Protect your skin from the sun and harsh weather.

One popular myth about acne is that tanning will clear it. It may seem so at first, but soon you will notice that your tanned skin becomes less pliable, making it less able to shed oil and dead skin cells, which clog your pores. Your acne will become worse, not better.

Always wear sun block with at least an SPF-15 UVA & UVB rating. If you’ll be outside in the sun for long, wear a wide-brimmed hat.

6. Get plenty of good-quality rest.

Your immune system requires energy to do its work, including the work of protecting your skin from acne. The deep sleep the brain needs for “recharging” comes several hours into the sleep cycle. That’s why a few hours here and there won’t do. Most people need at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Consider it beauty sleep.

If you make these 6 items part of your daily routine, you’ll look better, feel better, and have less need of expensive acne treatments and cosmetics.

Visit Ron’s website Latest-Acne-Solutions for the latest research into acne relief.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted as long as the resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.

Best Celebrity Hair Styles for Your Face – Part 5 of 6

Writen by Perriann Rodriguez

Should you get bangs?

Bangs are a great way to spice up your hair style. They can put life into a drab look, even modernizing it. Bangs are making a big comeback today. But bangs do not come in one size. There are many different types of bangs to choose from, all with different effects on your hair style. Below are some of the more common types of bangs.

One thing to keep in mind, before you get bangs cut, is that it may take awhile to grow out the bangs if you do not like the look. You may be able to see what bangs will look like to standing in front of a mirror and placing some of your own hair around your forehead.

Below are descriptions of some more common types of bangs. For examples of these types of bangs, visit http://bangs.hairresources.net

‘Not Really Bangs’ Bangs-These types of bangs are created when you make a very deep side part, either on the left or right, on your head and drape the hair from one side over to the other. If you were to pull the hair straight down in your face, the hair would not really be that short. This type of bangs will require some sort of hair spray to keep the hair from falling into your face. This is a great type of bang to try, as it doesn’t really involved getting hair cut, as it is just the illusion of bangs.

Fringe Bangs-This type of bang is just a hint of bangs. They do not completely cover your forehead, just a subtle effect. They work to soften a hair style, draw attention away from high foreheads or other facial features.

Choppy Bangs-This type of bangs is very popular. The hair is very choppy, meaning not a straight or even angled line. Choppy bangs can range between short and long lengths. They are not a full bang, but add visual lines that can help accentuate your facial features.

Straight Bangs-This type of bang is cut straight across the forehead, with no angles whatsoever. It can be cut to medium length bangs and even very short bangs. This type of bang is also great to broaden a narrow face shape.

Long Bangs– We named these the eyebrow bangs because they are long, full and right at or below the eyebrow. The long bang is sometimes worn very long and practically covers the eyes. This type of bang is sometimes called the Seventies Sexy Bang, and it is best suited for face shapes that are narrow, heart or pear shaped.

Side-Swept Bangs– We call this the face-framing type of bangs. These are not a full bang, but rather long or short fringes that are angled down the side of the face, basically swept to the side, off of the face. These types of bangs work great for heart and oval face shapes. It is probably one of the more popular types of bangs that are worn today by women.

Basic Bangs– These are normal bangs ranging in length from short to long. The shorter version of this bang works well for narrow face shapes.

Layered Bangs– This type of bangs has added shorter layers on top of longer layers. These types of bangs are great for adding height and texture in the crown area. Styling this type of bang may require extra time and the use of hair care products such as gels, mousses and creams to keep all the layers in place.

In short, bangs are a great way to camouflage a high forehead, or accentuate certain facial features. In our final part of Best Celebrities Hair Styles for Your Face Shape, we will cover how you can actually try on hair styles before you get them cut so that you can be assured that the hair style you have selected will work with your face shape and features.

Perriann Rodriguez is the founder of Hair Resources, online resource centers for hair styles, hair extensions, hair loss, beauty salons and more. Visit Hair Resources for better hair days! http://www.HairResources.com http://www.HRHairStyles.com

Don’t Be a "Big Loser" – Why You Should Say No to Quick Weight Loss

Writen by Tom Venuto

Patience. It’s the one thing you never seem to have when you’ve got a body fat problem. You want the fat gone and you want it gone now! And why not? It seems so do-able. Everywhere you look, you read and hear promises of quick weight loss and you even see people losing weight quickly. We have reality TV shows that actually encourage people to attempt “extreme” body makeovers or see who can lose weight the fastest, and the winners (or shall we say, the losers), are rewarded generously with fortune, fame and congratulations.

Let’s face it. Everyone wants to get the fat off as quickly as possible – and having that desire is not wrong – it’s simply human nature. However, you must become aware of some serious problems that can occur if you try to force it and lose weight too quickly. The faster you lose weight, the more muscle you will lose with the fat, and that can really mess up your metabolism. An even bigger problem with fast weight loss is that the loss just won’t last. The faster you lose, the more likely you are to gain it back. Think about it: We don’t have a weight loss problem today, we have a “keeping the weight off” problem.

Weight loss will be the healthiest, safest and most likely to be permanent if you set your goal for about two pounds per week (and even if you lose only a single pound each week, that is healthy progress). This is the recommendation of almost every legitimate and respected dietician, nutritionist, exercise physiologist and personal trainer, as well as exercise organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Dietetic Association.

Are there any exceptions to this rule? Is it ever okay to lose more than two pounds per week? The answer is yes. It may be ok to lose slightly more than two pounds per week if you have a lot of weight to lose because the rate of weight loss tends to be relative to your total starting body weight. Generally the rule is that it’s safe to lose up to 1% of your total body weight per week, so if you weigh 300 lbs to start, then 3 lbs a week is a reasonable goal.

But there IS a catch.

What really matters is not how much weight you lose, but how much FAT you lose. Where did your weight loss come from? Did you lose body fat or lean body mass?

“Weight” is not the same as “fat.” Weight includes muscle, bone, internal organs as well as lots and lots of water. What you really want is fat loss, not weight loss. If you only wanted weight loss, I could show you an easy way to lose 20 or 25 pounds in about 5 minutes. Just come over to my house. I have a really sharp hacksaw in my garage, and we’ll just slice off one of your legs, after all it’s just extra “weight” right?

Let’s look at an example with some numbers so you can really grasp this concept of weight versus fat and then you can see, clearly illustrated, what will happen when you lose weight too quickly (because I know you probably don’t believe me and you STILL want to lose weight as fast as possible read on and it will all become clear to you).

As an example, let’s take a 260 pound man who has a lot of body fat to lose – let’s call it 32%. With 32% fat, a 260 pounder has 83.2 pounds of body fat and 176.8 pounds of lean mass. Using this example, let’s look at a few possible scenarios with losses ranging from two to four pounds per week.

Weight Loss Scenario 1:

Suppose our 260 pound subject loses four full pounds instead of the recommended two pounds per week. Is this bad? Well, let’s see:

If he loses a half a percent of body fat, here are his body composition results:

256 lbs 31.5% body fat 80.6 lbs fat 175.4 lbs lean body mass

Out of the four pounds lost, 2.8 pounds were fat and 1.2 were lean mass. Not a disaster, but not good either. Thirty percent of the weight lost was lean tissue.

Weight Loss Scenario 2:

If he loses a half a percent of body fat and only three pounds, here are his results:

257 lbs 31.5% body fat 80.9 lbs fat 176.1 lbs lean body mass

These results are better. Although he lost less body weight than scenario one, in this instance, 2.3 pounds of fat and only 0.7 lbs of lean mass were lost.

Weight Loss Scenario 3:

What if he only lost two pounds? Here are the results:

258 lbs 31.5% body fat 81.2 lbs fat 176.8 lbs lean body mass

These results are perfect. Even though our subject has only lost two pounds, which seems slow, 100% of the two pound weight loss came from fat.

Weight Loss Scenario 4:

Now let’s suppose he loses three pounds but he loses more body fat: .8%

257 lbs 31.2% body fat 80.2 lbs fat 176.8 lbs lean body mass

These are the best results of all. When the weekly fat loss is .8%, 100% of the three pounds lost is fat.

So the answer to the question is yes – it’s safe to lose more than two pounds per week but only if the weight is all fat or at least mostly fat with minimal lean mass losses.

If you take example one – with thirty percent lean tissue loss and compound that over a few months, you’re talking about a massive muscle tissue loss which can dramatically slow down your metabolism and turn you into nothing more than a “skinny fat person” (a person with low body weight because they lost all their muscle, but still holding stubborn body fat because they slowed down their metabolism).

One thing you should know is that water weight losses sometimes distort the numbers, especially when you first begin a new nutrition and training program. It’s very common to lose 4 – 5 pounds in the first week on nearly any diet and exercise program and sometimes even more on low carb diets. Just remember, its NOT all fat – It’s water!

The best advice you will EVER get is to focus on losing fat, not losing weight. If you lose three to five pounds per week, and you know it’s all fat, and not lean tissue, then more power to you!

Of course the only way to know this is with body composition testing. For home self-testing, I recommend the Accu measure as first choice. I suggest using the bio-electric impedance analysis body fat scale only as second choice behind calipers for home self testing because this device gives some funky readings sometimes.

Even better, get a professional caliper test from an experienced tester at a health club, or even a water (hydrostatic) or air (bod pod) displacement test.

From literally hundreds of client case studies, I can confirm that it’s rare to lose more than 1.5 – 2.0 lbs of weight per week without losing some muscle along with it. If you exceed 2.0 to 3.0 pound per week, the probability of losing muscle is extremely high. If you lose muscle, you are damaging your metabolism and this will lead to a plateau and ultimately to relapse.

Lack of patience is one of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to losing weight. If you want your weight loss to be PERMANENT, you have to take off the pounds slowly.

This is one of the toughest lessons that overweight men and women have to learn – and they can be very hard learners. They fight kicking and screaming, insisting that they CAN and they MUST lose it faster.

Then you have these TV shows that encourage the masses that rapid, crash weight loss is okay. I say to the producers of these shows SHAME ON YOU! To the personal trainers, registered dieticians and medical doctors who are associated with these programs, I say DOUBLE SHAME ON YOU, because you should know better.

The rapid weight loss being promoted by the media for the sake of ratings and by the weight loss companies for the sake of profits today makes it even harder for those of us who are legitimate fitness and nutrition professionals because our clients say, “But look at so and so on TV – he lost 26 pounds in a week!”

Sure, but 26 pounds of WHAT – and do you have any idea what the long term consequences are?

Short term thinking, folks foolish. There are hundreds of ways to lose weight quickly, but only one way to lose fat and keep it off in the long term.

Do it the right way – the healthy and sensible way. Take off the pounds slowly with an intelligent nutrition and exercise program – make this a new lifestyle, not a race, and you will never have to take the pounds off again because they will be gone forever the first time. No more yo-yoing.

Tom Venuto is a certified personal trainer, natural bodybuilder and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” You can get info on Tom’s e-book at http://www.burnthefat.com. To get Tom’s free monthly fitness newsletter, visit http://www.tomvenuto.com

Fat Loss Guide – Eating And Exercise

Writen by Michael Russell

When people are planning to start on a fat-loss program the very first thing they want to attack is their belly. They all have a dream of turning a beer gut into a rock hard six-pack. But after only a few weeks of hard work, nothing seems to happen and soon they will give up.

In this article I will try to explain, why this always happens and that you may also be using the wrong exercises, or the right exercises but in the wrong manner. Either way you are not doing yourself any good.

But you must never give up – it’s only for losers to quit! Remember that!

The very first thing you must always have in your mind is: All abdominal exercises strengthen abdominal muscles, and only that! Your abdominal muscles are covered by at thick layer of fat when you begin – then they still will be covered by the very same layer of fat when you finish. Yes, of course you will have stronger abdominal muscles but you will still have the same look.

If you want to have visible abdominal muscle, you will first have to lose fat! And you do that by dieting and aerobic exercises, that way you will burn more calories than you take in. When you have reduced your waistline a bit, then you are ready to move on to those abdominal six-pack exercises

All you have to do, is to reduce calorie intake and do some light exercise to burn calories. Losing fat can only be done by exercising more and eating less – it’s very simple, nothing complicated about that!

Do some light exercise 30-minutes every day, if you want to you can even break the 30-minutes down to 3 10-minutes exercise sessions – doing whatever you like to do, biking, walking, light jogging, rowing or even climbing stairs! Anything will burn calories!

It seems to make sense to eat five to six meals every day, instead of the regular three meals. That’s because your body can handle small meals much better than big ones – your digestive system simply cannot absorb those big meals, therefore much of it will turn into fat!

It will take your brain about twenty minutes to get the message that your stomach is full, so be careful to eat slowly as well. How often have you eaten beyond the capacity that is required simply because the message hasn’t got through?

NOTE: Diet or exercise regimes should not be embarked on without seeking the advice of a health care professional.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Weight Loss