Exercising is a great way to keep yourself fit and healthy, but there is also a risk of injury. However, if you follow some basic guidelines, and stay within your physical limits, you can ensure that you'll have an enjoyable and safe workout.



Warm ups:
Warm ups are essential... this cannot be stressed on enough. Starting an exercise routine without warm ups can be very damaging to your body.
It is always advisable to do some relatively gentle exercise to warm up your muscles, so that they'll be less susceptible to damage that may occur during exercises. Also, they'll ensure that they get more flexible and limber.

Just spend a few minutes getting warmed up. About 5 to 10 minutes should do. Stretch muscles and other soft tissues. This will prepare your body for the more rigorous exercise that is going to follow, and help you go for a longer period of time without feeling tired or fatigued.

The right get-up:
Fitness wear is very important. Only if you are at ease and comfortable in what you're wearing, can you perform to your optimum potential.
The right shoes are imperative. They must be suited to the type of exercise that you are doing. When buying a pair of fitness shoes, always consult with the staff at a sports equipment store, and ask for their advice. The wrong type of shoes can lead to sprains and even long-term injury.
Clothes, too, must be comfortable, loose-fitting, and, ideally, made out of a fabric that absorbs sweat, like cotton. Very tight fitting clothes can be uncomfortable, and extremely loose clothes can get in the way.
Don't compromise when it comes to fitness wear.

Cool down:
Don't come to a sudden halt in between strenuous workouts. This causes the blood to pool in your leg veins, and can leave you feeling dizzy and faint. Give time for the lactic acid being produced by your muscles during vigorous activity to be cleared by finishing your session with a few minutes of gentle exercise.

Change and Alternate:
It is a good idea if you combine strenuous activity with something that is comparatively less physically demanding. This lessens your chances of over-exerting yourself, and gives your body more time to recover from bouts of intense activity.

Stop when it starts hurting:
If exercising starts to hurt, stop until the pain has completely gone away. Saying like 'no pain, no gain' should be ignored, since they make you push yourself beyond your physical limits... which isn't a good thing, after all. If you experience physical discomfort and things like dizziness, faintness, nausea, shortness of breath etc, please visit your doctor right away.
Also, avoid exercising when you are unwell or sick.

Author Bio
Diana for http://www.health-care-information.org Offers information on various health topics such as diseases, injuries, and medical tests.
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Looking for help with losing weight? Help that goes beyond the usual lifestyle changes, portion control advice and exercise routines? Weight-loss supplements touting names like "fat burner" and "thermo max" can be enticing. But do they work? And even more important, in the wake of the Food and Drug Administration's recent ban on ephedra, are they safe?

In this article, Environmental Nutrition provides a snapshot of 10 of the most popular ingredients currently in supplements for weight loss.

Chitosan
Made from the shells of lobsters, shrimp and other shellfish, chitosan is an indigestible fiber. It is supposed to help weight loss by binding with the fat you eat, blocking its absorption. However, studies do not support this claim. Side effects include constipation and gas. People with shellfish allergies should beware.

Chromium
Most often present as chromium picolinate, it has been promoted to boost lean mass and decrease body fat. Though study findings have been inconclusive, an analysis of several studies recently concluded that supplementing with 200 to 400 micrograms of chromium picolinate could result in about a 2.5-pound weight loss per week in some people. Other studies have found a loss of body fat and an increase in muscle tissue, with no change in weight. Still others have found no effect at all. Though some laboratory studies have raised safety issues, a large number of human studies suggest it is safe.

Citrus Aurantium (Bitter Orange)
This herbal extract is a natural source of synephrine (a compound similar to ephedrine) and the supplement industry's current answer to the ephedra ban. But there are no published studies to show it is an effective supplement for weight loss. And like ephedra, its side effects include an increase in blood pressure; Environmental Nutrition recommends avoiding it.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
Both animal and human research hints at a possible role for CLA in reducing body fat and increasing lean body mass, but it's not quite ready for prime time. None of the human studies have been long-term. CLA is currently being studied in combination with chromium picolinate. CLA is found naturally in dairy foods and beef and is generally considered safe.

Garcinia Cambogia
The extract from Garcinia cambogia fruit rind contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which supposedly curbs food intake, weight gain and storage of excess calories as fat. However, studies have failed to prove G. cambogia is an effective weight-loss aid. The most common side effects are upper respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Guarana
Caffeine is the effective ingredient in guarana plant seeds. Guarana may have a mild appetite suppressant effect over the short term. It was often used in combination with ephedra until ephedra was banned. The potential side effects are those of caffeine overdose-insomnia, restlessness, anxiety or panic.

Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB)
HMB is a natural byproduct of the breakdown of the amino acid leucine. HMB supplements are used by body builders in hopes of increasing muscle mass. A few small studies have suggested that HMB increases lean mass and decreases body fat when combined with weight training. However, studies with overweight and obese people are needed.

Plantago Psyllium
Psyllium is a water-soluble fiber from Plantago ovato seeds. Taken before a meal, it may make you feel full, causing you to eat less. While it is proved to aid constipation (that's how Metamucil works), it has not been proved as an effective weight-loss aid.

Pyruvate
Pyruvate formulas boast that they stimulate metabolism and reduce body fat. Pyruvate is found naturally in food and in the body as a result of the breakdown of carbohydrates and protein. Some studies have shown a weight-loss benefit with pyruvate supplements. But the people in the studies also exercised and cut back on calories. Moreover, the dosage used in the studies was high, requiring a handful of tablets each day. Experts say the case for pyruvate to aid weight loss is weak.

Yerba mate
Brewed into a tea, bitter Yerba mate is high in caffeine. Used in combination with other caffeine-containing herbs, like guarana and damiana, it was found in one study to delay stomach emptying time and aid weight loss. The study was short (45 days), so conclusions on keeping the weight off cannot be made.

The Bottom Line
Though all are relatively expensive and none are proved, of these top popular weight-loss contenders, chromium picolinate and CLA are probably the most studied. If you've already made up your mind to go the supplement route, you might want to give them a try. Just don't expect miracles and check with your doctor first.

By: John Connory

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More at www.phentermine-xenical-4you.com
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When all other measures fail to control morbid obesity, weight loss surgery is a source of hope to the overweight. American doctors perform weight loss surgery over 140,000 times a year.
The oldest form of weight loss surgery is the most familiar, stomach stapling. In this 30-year-old procedure, most of the stomach is sliced and then stapled shut.

After the procedure, only a small pouch remains. Shrinking the stomach so it can only hold half a cup of food makes it easier to feel full.

In fact, most people who have weight loss surgery feel full after eating the amount of food that you could put on a coffee saucer. It becomes impossible to eat more than two quarter-cup servings (about 50 grams altogether) of anything at a single meal. Weight loss follows calorie restriction.

The newer and now more common form of weight loss surgery, the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, also makes the stomach surgically smaller. In this procedure, however, the stomach is not dissected and stapled shut.

In this newer form of weight loss surgery, the stomach is cut and sutured, or sewn, and the intestines are moved so that the end of the stomach is connected farther down the intestine.

This procedure leaves a smaller stomach that fills more quickly. It also leaves a shorter length of intestine to absorb fats (and other nutrients) from the smaller amounts of food that are eaten.

With this form of weight loss surgery, you don't just eat less. Your intestines absorb less of the food you do eat. Roux-en-Y bariatric surgery produces quicker and more significant weight loss than just stapling or banding the stomach.

There's also a third approach to weight loss surgery, the lap band.

The benefit of the lap band is that the weight loss surgery to install it can be laparoscopic, that is, done through an incision as little as one inch (25 mm) wide. Lap band surgery can even be an outpatient procedure, with the patient going home the same day. After lap band surgery, many patients go back to work in three to four days and resume all normal activities (except eating) within a week. The other gastric bypass procedures require a minimum of four days in the hospital and six to eight weeks before resuming an active lifestyle.

Another advantage of lap band surgery is a much lower risk of infection. Lap band surgery goes around the stomach, not into the stomach. The bacteria in the stomach do not leak into other parts of the body, and the risk of infection is greatly reduced. Lap band surgery is much less painful than the other procedures. And since pain in the muscles is so much less, patients are very unlikely to develop pneumonia or other breathing problems.

The disadvantage of lap band bariatric surgery is that not everyone can have it. The FDA at one time required that recipients of lap band bariatric procedures be at least 18 and no more than 50 years of age. It's also utterly essential not to be allergic to the material used to make the band. And if you overeat after you have a lap band in place, the effect is a little like pulling a napkin through a napkin ring. Too much food can stretch the band so that it damages the stomach. Lap band surgery is easier, but requires more discipline.

There is no form of weight loss surgery that is a complete cure for obesity all by itself. Lifetime attention to diet and exercise are still necessary. But successful weight loss surgery can give you the boost you need to regain control of your life and become truly, lastingly, healthily thin.

The Promise and Potential of "Fat Surgery" When Diets Fail
When all other measures fail to control morbid obesity, weight loss surgery or "fat surgery" is a source of hope to the overweight. American doctors perform surgical procedures to make weight loss easier well over 100,000 times a year.

The oldest form of fat surgery is the most familiar, stomach stapling. In this well-established procedure, most of the stomach is sliced and then stapled shut. After this form of fat surgery, only a small pouch of the stomach remains connected to the esophagus. The newly resized stomach can only hold half a cup of food. Having a smaller stomach makes it easier to feel full. In fact, most people who have fat surgery feel full after eating the amount of food that you could put on a coffee saucer. It becomes impossible to eat more than two quarter-cup servings (about 50 grams altogether) of anything at a single meal. Weight loss naturally follows.

Stomach stapling is the oldest form of fat surgery, and you can probably find a physician in your area who has a lot of experience doing it. In fact, you should only consider physicians and hospitals who have performed at least 100 operations. You don't want your doctor's training to be performed on you.

Other procedures are little harder to arrange.
The newer form of stomach reduction, the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, also makes the stomach surgically smaller. In this procedure, however, the stomach is not dissected and stapled shut. Instead, after the stomach's size is reduced, it is reattached to the small intestine at a lower point.

Roux-en-Y fat surgery leaves a smaller stomach that fills more quickly. It also leaves a shorter length of intestine to absorb fats (and other nutrients) from the smaller amounts of food that are eaten. With this form of fat surgery, you don't just eat less. Your intestines absorb less of the food you do eat. Roux-en-Y bariatric surgery produces quicker and more significant weight loss than just stapling or banding the stomach.

There's also a third approach to fat surgery, the lap band.
The benefit of the lap band is that the weight loss surgery to install it can be laparoscopic. The entire fat surgery can be done through an incision as little as one inch (25 mm) wide. Lap band surgery can even be an outpatient procedure, so you can go home the same day. After lap band surgery, many patients go back to work in three to four days and resume all normal activities (except eating) within a week. The other forms of fat surgery require a minimum of four days in the hospital and six to eight weeks before resuming an active lifestyle. You may be asking, "Why just shrink the stomach? Wouldn't it be simpler just to surgically remove all the fat?"

This procedure, called lipectomy, actually exists. Liposuction has the same effect. The problem with both lipectomy and liposuction is that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugars don't go down just because fat is removed from the body. Only the process of dieting seems to have this effect.

There is no form of fat surgery that is a complete cure for obesity all by itself. Lifetime attention to diet and exercise are still necessary. But successful weight loss surgery can give you the boost you need to regain control of your life and become truly, lastingly, healthily thin.

Author Bio
Author is marketer for sites such as :
Bariatric Surgery
www.healtharticledirectory.info/Category/Bariatric/53
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While raw foods are not new, the focus on eating plans that focus on them are and this trend in healthy eating appears to be gaining strength across the country. The focus of the diet is on eating uncooked, highly nutritious foods - fruits and vegetables. Of course, these foods are low in calories and extremely good for you, but eating them raw or uncooked is favored as it is believed that they lose nutritional value when cooked.

Those who subscribe to the raw food diet eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. They drink unpasteurized milk, water, juice, and tea. It is a revolutionary way to eat, but also a natural way and many of those who follow this way of eating say it keeps them thin and healthy.

However, while the raw food diet is rich in some nutrients, it lacks others. Although fruits and vegetables do have some protein and calcium, this diet may be lacking in these things. Experts are torn on whether it is healthy as a long term way of eating.

Another thing to consider when taking up a raw food diet is that most of the fruits and vegetables that you see in your supermarket are loaded with pesticides. Therefore, it might be best to consume only organic raw food.

If you decide a raw food diet is for you, you might consider supplements to compensate for the nutrients this diet is lacking. Some supplements to consider include vitamin B12, copper, zinc, and chromium. Also, proteins from plants do not the same amino acids as animal protein so you'll have to consume a variety of different type sof raw foods in order to remain healthy.

Some medical experts see great benefits in the raw food diet. In addition to enabling weight loss, the diet can ostensibly increase one's metabolism, making calorie burning easier. Some medical experts have also suggested that a raw food diet is a good antidote to eating disorders. In addition, it can help make your immune system stronger, and help the body rid itself of harmful toxins. Some supporters even claim that eating raw foods improves the look of their skin.

A raw food diet is not recommended for children, women who are pregnant, people suffering from osteoporosis, and those who are anemic. If you try a raw food diet, you should to plan your meals in advance to insure that you are receiving the maximum amount of nutrients. Also, it can be time consuming to prepare all the foods you need so make sure that you set aside the time to chop, blend and puree for each meal every day.

By: Lee Dobbins

Author Bio
Lee Dobbins writes about Low Carb and Low GI eating as well as other weight loss issues. Visit www.lowcarb-resource.com for more articles on healthy dieting.
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Reducing your saturated fat intake is only part of the healthy body formula. You need to burn more calories than you consume in order to avoid having that excess food stored as body fat. That's where exercise comes into play.

These exercise tips can get you started on the road to losing weight and keeping it off:

* Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. This is especially true if you have, or are at risk of having, heart disease, diabetes, or you are seriously overweight.

* Practice moderation by beginning with light and low impact exercises like walking, and gradually increase your intensity as your body begins to become conditioned to increased activity.

* Aim for at least 30 per day of light cardiovascular activity each day. You don't have to do all 30 minutes at once. You can spread it out over the day if you want to.

* Easy to do exercises include walking instead of taking the car on nearby errands. Take the stairs instead of the escalator when you're going to the office or shopping at the mall. Take a walk during lunch time.

* Start doing things that are both fun and provide exercise. Gardening, bike riding, window shopping downtown.

* You can make exercise more enjoyable by wearing headphones and listening to music, or doing your exercises with a friend.

Here are some dietary tips that can change, or save, your life:

These foods have been linked to various health conditions including cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Not all of these foods have been linked with all of these conditions, but each of them are worth avoiding when possible.

* High in saturated fats, these foods should be avoided at all costs: All saturated fats and oils found in butter, lard, palm and coconut oil, bacon grease.

Replace these foods with: Soft margarine (no fat kind), olive, safflower, soy, corn, canola, and peanut oil.

* These foods contain trans fatty acids and/or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and should be eaten only in very limited quantities: Hard margarines, most snack crackers, most cookies, corn and potato chips, shortening.

* These meats contain high levels of fat and can cause serious arterial blockage and heart conditions. They should be eaten very sparingly: corned beef, pastrami, pork and beef ribs, beef steak, ground meat, most frankfurters, pork sausage, bacon, liver, kidney, and processed deli meats.

Replace with these foods with skinless chicken or turkey, turkey or chicken frankfurters, ground turkey, occasional lean beef, veal, pork, lamb, fish, and vegetable dishes including beans, peas, pasta, or rice.

* Try not to eat more than 2 oz of meat, fish, or poultry per day. Replace the rest of your meal with healthy vegetables, pasta and rice.

* Be careful of fat that's hidden in dairy products. Drink either fat-free or 1% milk. Replace other dairy products like cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and snack cheeses with their no-fat or low-fat versions.

* Avoid eating high fat snack crackers, cake, cup cakes or muffins, and replace them with low-fat baked versions.

By: Christopher Ayu

Author Bio
Christopher Ayu is the webmaster and content provider of www.swim-wear-in-style.com. He does research on the subject and this is one of the many articles posted on his site on health-and-fitness.
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If you accept the analogy that our bodies are like an engine, then it follows that this engine will perform better if it receives the type of fuel that it was designed to run on. In years gone by, before artificially processed and manufactured foods, our bodies normally received the correct nutritional balance every day.

As more and more families saw both the husband and wife holding down jobs outside the home, the dynamics of eating, exercise and nutrition began to change. "Convenience" and "fast foods" became the norm, and farms were gradually replaced by processing plants. Today, the average meal is so laden with artificial preservatives and saturated fat that our bodies are starving for the ingredients that they need, and overflowing with the ingredients that they don't need.

This nutritional imbalance manifests itself through weight problems, skin problems, tiredness, disease, and overall poor health. Although this problem has reached pandemic proportions, you can reverse the effects of poor diet in your own life if you truly want to.

Garbage In - Garbage Out

While this phrase may have been coined for the computer industry, it's very relevant when it comes to our own body. Every moment that we are alive, our body is busy manufacturing the chemicals, fluids, proteins, and tissues that are required to keep us healthy. Food, or rather the nutrition that is derived from food, is what the body depends upon to handle all of these tasks.

Everything that we consume is used, stored, or discarded by the body. The body's particular nutritional needs can vary widely depending upon what's going on inside and outside of us at any particular time. Our body makes decisions on whether to burn carbs or fat based upon our immediate energy needs, how long it has been since our last meal, and the general condition of our health.

The body burns fuel in a very specific order. Alcohol is burned first because our bodies have no way to store it for later use. Protein is burned next, then carbohydrates and, finally fat.

Because fat is consumed last, and the average person has a diet which is rich in fat, our bodies store the fat away to be used at a future time. How is this fat stored? You guessed it; it's stored as fatty tissue. And that's why we call being overweight "fat".

These excess fat stores not only affect our physical appearance, but they have a tremendous impact on our overall health. Study after study has shown that excess fat in our diets are directly linked to these medical conditions:

* Increased risk of developing certain cancers.
* Increased risk of arterial and heart disease due to elevated cholesterol levels.
* Increased risk of stroke.
* Increased risk of Diabetes.
* Increased risk of Liver disease.
* Direct impact on the body's immune system.

Doesn't it just make sense to avoid these unnecessary health risks by reducing the amount of fat that we consume every day? Of course it does.

By: Christopher Ayu

Author Bio
Christopher Ayu is the webmaster and content provider for www.swim-wear-in-style.com This is one of the many article posted on his site on health-and-fitness.
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Food has been described as ambrosia and the elixir if life. For some, eating is a biological necessity for others it is a passion that can turn into an obsession. Experts define food addiction to be a disorder where the addict is preoccupied with food, the availability of food, and the pleasure of eating. There are three recognized addictions:

* Overeating, where the addict has no control over the amount or the number of times he eats. The person has no concept of being overweight or the servings a person must eat normally. Being an overeater, the addict will indulge in uncontrolled eating binges. Being obese, the addict will be prone to hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases, arthritis, and cancer.

* Bulimisa Nervosa, where the addict binges and then tries to maintain weight by vomiting, using laxatives, excessive exercise, or even fasting. Such addicts will develop dental problems like thinning of enamel, excessive number of cavities, swollen salivary glands, fluid and electrolyte disturbances, as well as calluses and scars.

* Anorexia Nervosa, where the addict fears weight gain and so starves himself. Obsessed with weight gain and body shape anorexics will exhibit obsessive behaviors in maintaining themselves. In the process, they develop problems like disruption of menstrual cycle, emancipation, hair loss, unhealthy skin pallor, and a lack or fluids.

The most common health problems are obesity, alcoholism, diabetes, bulimia, food allergies, and food intolerance.

The signs that you are addicted to food are:

* Uncontrolled cravings for particular foods. Some are addicted to sweets, others to soft drinks, yet others to coffee.
* Continuous or frequent eating. No fixed meal times an addict will eat throughout the day.
* Sharpened hunger on consumption of specific foods.
* Anxiety attacks, feelings of nervousness, low sugar, a headache, stomach gripes and grumbles.
* Withdrawal symptoms.
* Fatigue.
* Extreme irritations.
* Intolerance to foods.
* Feelings of guilt at having eaten.

The very cornerstones to curing the addiction are to:

* Identify and avoid what are known to be trigger foods or drinks.
* Put into practice a diet that is nutrient rich, healthy, and helps maintain or loose weight.
* Make lifestyle changes. Adopt a healthier lifestyle and include plenty of fresh air as well as exercise.
* Focus on personal and spiritual development. Seek inner peace, calm, and joy. Practice meditation and deep breathing.
* Plan to have activity filled days to distract the mind from food.

Even if you have a niggling doubt that you may be a food addict you must seek help. Nip the problem in the bud before it grows into something unmanageable and serious. You must consult a nutritionist, doctor, psychologist, or an eating addiction center or specialist. There are programs run by groups like Overeaters Anonymous that run 12-step programs which are extremely beneficial.

By: Paul Wilson

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Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888Discuss.com/food/, the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for Food Forum, including topics on all about food, food network, food recipe, health food, food gift, different food and more. His article profile can be found at the premier Food Article Submission Directory www.1888Articles.com/food-and-drink-articles-13.html
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I'm going to talk about something today that most of you have probably never heard...that there is a distinction between good trans fats and bad trans fats. There is some evidence that the good trans can help you with fat loss, muscle building, and even cancer prevention, while the bad trans fats have been shown to cause heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and the general blubbering of your body.

I'm sure most of you have heard all of the ruckus in the news over the last few years about just how bad man-made trans fats are for your health. If you've been a reader of my newsletter and my "Truth about Six Pack Abs" e-book program, then you definitely know my opinion that these substances are some of the most evil food additives of all and are found in the vast majority of all processed foods and fast foods on the market today. In my opinion, man-made trans fats are right up there with smoking in terms of their degree of danger to your health. After all, they are one of THE MAIN factors for the explosion of heart disease since approximately the 1950's.

As you may have heard recently, the FDA has mandated that food manufacturers include the grams of trans fat on all nutrition labels starting back at the beginning of this year. This means that as inventory is replaced in the grocery stores, you should start to see grams of trans listed on all packages from now on, providing you with an easier way to avoid them.

With all of the talk about trans fats in the news these days, I wanted to clarify some things, particularly regarding bad trans fats vs. good trans fats. If you've never heard of good trans fats before, let me explain in a bit.

The Bad Trans Fats

First, the bad trans fats I'm referring to are the man-made kind. These are represented by any artificially hydrogenated oils. The main culprits are margarine, shortening, and partially hydrogenated oils that are in most processed foods, junk foods, and deep fried foods. These hydrogenated oils are highly processed using harsh chemical solvents like hexane (a component of gasoline), high heat, pressure, have a metal catalyst added, and are then deodorized and bleached. A small % of the solvent is allowed to remain in the finished oil. This has now become more of an industrial oil rather than a food oil, but somehow the FDA still allows the food manufacturers to put this crap in our food at huge quantities, even with the well documented health dangers.

These hydrogenated oils cause inflammation inside of your body, which signals the deposition of cholesterol as a healing agent on artery walls. Hence, hydrogenated oil = inflammation = clogged arteries. You can see why heart disease has exploded since this crap has been loaded into our food supply over the last 5 to 6 decades. As time goes on, and science continues to unveil how deadly these oils really are, I feel that eventually they will be illegal and banned from use. The labeling laws were just the first step. In fact, certain countries around the world have already banned the use of hydrogenated oils in food manufacturing or at least set dates to phase them out for good.

However, keep in mind that as companies are starting to phase out the use of hydrogenated oils in processed foods, they are replacing them, in most instances, with highly refined polyunsaturated oils. These are still heavily processed oils using high heat, solvents, deodorizers, and bleaching agents. Even refined oils are known to produce inflammation in your body...a far cry from natural sources of healthy fats. Once again, for the best results, your best bet is avoiding highly processed foods altogether and choose whole, natural, minimally processed foods. Your body will thank you!

The Good Trans Fats

Ok, after having trash talked the man-made trans fats, let me clearly state that there IS such a thing as healthy natural trans fats. Natural trans fats are created in the stomachs of ruminant animals like cattle, sheep, goats, etc. and make their way into the fat stores of the animals. Therefore, the milk fat and the fat within the meat of these animals can provide natural healthy trans fats. Natural trans fats in your diet have been thought to have some potential benefit to aid in both muscle building and fat loss efforts. However, keep in mind that the quantity of healthy trans fats in the meat and dairy of ruminant animals is greatly reduced by mass-production methods of farming and their grain and soy heavy diets. Meat and dairy from grass-fed, free-range animals always have much higher quantities of these beneficial fats.

One such natural trans fat that you may have heard of is called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and has been marketed by many weight loss companies. Keep in mind that these man-made CLA pills you see in the stores may not be the best way to get CLA in your diet. They are artificially made from plant oils, instead of the natural process that happens in ruminant animals. Once again, man-made just doesn't compare to the benefits of natural sources.

Now that all of your labels should be listing grams of trans fat, keep in mind that if a quantity of trans fat is listed on a meat or dairy product, it is most likely the natural good trans fats that we've discussed here. Otherwise, if the quantity of trans is listed on any processed foods, it is most likely the dangerous unhealthy crap from artificially hydrogenated oils, so stay away!

I hope you've enjoyed this interesting look at good trans fat vs. bad trans fat and use the info to arm yourself with more healthful food choices for a better body.

By: Mike Geary

Author Bio
Visit truthaboutabs.com/freenewsletter.html to receive a free "Training & Nutrition Secrets of a Fitness Junkie" ebook as well as your own free personalized metabolic rate calculator.
Michael Geary is a nationally dual certified personal trainer (NCSF-CPT, AFAA-CPT), and author of the internationally-selling "The Truth about Six Pack Abs" 2004-2006 at truthaboutabs.com
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Next time you have a meal, look at your plate - what colors do you see? If its mostly white and brown then your diet might be colorblind!

In order to have a healthy diet you need foods from all the food groups and that means a colorful plate. Just eating meat and potatoes won't provide you with the essential vitamins and minerals you need to stay in your best health - you need to add in colorful fruits and vegetables!

If you want a good balanced diet, here's some colors you might want to see next time you look down at your plate:

Green

Green colored foods like peas, kale, spinach, honeydew melons, kiwifruit, dark leafy lettuces, and leafy greens contain lutein which helps maintain good vision and can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

Another green group includes broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, swiss chard, brussels sprouts, rutabaga, turnips, cauliflower, and watercress. These foods contain indoles, which can help reduce the risks of cancer and reduce tumor growth in cancer patients.

Yellow

The yellow orange colored food are high in bioflavonoids, which work in combination with vitamin C to help reduce the risk of cancer and heart attack. They also contain powerful antioxidants and help maintain healthy skin, strong bones, and good vision. The foods in this group include oranges, tangerines, pears, lemons, nectarines, grapefruit, peaches, apricots, pineapple, pineapple, yellow raisins, and yellow peppers.

Blue and Purple

Blueberries, purple grapes, blackberries, black currents and elderberries contain
Anthocyanins which can reduce the risks of heart attack, cancer, diabetic complications, Alzheimer's disease and age-related memory loss. Dark purple foods contain phenolics, which are powerful antioxidants and can help to slow the effects of aging.

Orange

Dark orange foods like pumpkin, sweet potatoes, apricots, peaches, carrots, cantaloupes, mangoes, and butternut squash contain beta-carotene, a powerful antioxident that can help keep your immune system healthy as well as maintain good vision and can even aid in reducing heart attacks and cancer.

Red

Tomatoes, guava, watermelon and pink grapefruit are all red colored foods. These foods contain lycopene which has been much publicized lately as helping to protect against prostate cancer. In addition, these foods can help reduce the risk of breast, and skin cancer as well as reduce the risk of heart attack.

Red onion, cherries, kidney beans, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, beets, red apples (with the skin), and red cabbage contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that can help control high blood pressure as well as reduce the risks of cancer, heart attack, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes complications.

One way to get a colorful plate at every meal is to try to fit in 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Try to include food from all these color groups at least once during the day and you will be surprised at how much your health improves.

By: Lee Dobbins

Author Bio
Lee Dobbins writes for the A2Z Vitamin And Herbs Guide For Natural Healing where you can find out more about vitamins and herbs as well as natural healing methods.
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Going out to eat can really put the brakes on your weight loss program unless you have exceptional control over what you eat. Although many restaurants now offer choices for many types of diets, it's whats on the rest of the menu that might tempt you to stray. Often high in salt, sugar and oil most restaurant food tends to be higher in calories that what you might prepare for yourself.

And Americans are eating out more and more. According to Dr. Caroline Cederquist, a physician who specializes in weight management, less than 20 percent of the calories Americans consumed were eaten outside the home in 1978 but in 2003, that number had climbed to 50 percent. Combine that with the fact that obesity in Americans is growing each year with as many as two thirds of Americans being overweight and you might come to the conclusion that eating out can be hazardous to your waistline.

One problem is that restaurants often serve huge portions. That combined with the fact that we have been conditioned to clean our plates can result in a huge weight problem. You may feel morally obligated to eat everything on your plate -even if your health and your weight might suffer as a result. If you eat out a lot, you may become accustomed to these large portions and start to eat like that at home as well.

Another problem with restaurant eating is that they often serve bread or rolls - and usually not the healthy whole wheat kind either. Now, when you know you are going out to eat, you probably eat less throughout the day or delay or skip eating and by the time you get to the restaurant you are starving. So what do you do when they bring the rolls? Of course, you dig in eating way to many rolls.

You might be dining with a group that likes to savor the experience and order appetizers before the meal but did you know that restaurant appetizers tend to be extremely high in calories? For example, a basket of fried onions can have a whopping 2,000 calories. Eat a few appetizers to be polite and you'll have to run the treadmill for hours to work it off!

Many restaurants now offer free soda refills. Plus the soda glasses tend to be large to begin with so you are receiving greater servings of this sugary beverage. The tendency may be to order seconds because it's free and you want to take advantage of that but remember, just the soda alone can put you far over your daily recommended allowance of calories for weight loss.

Perhaps the greatest restaurant challenge to any dieter is the buffet. With so many choices you may be tempted to get one of everything! Since you can go back as many times as you want you might overindulge. You want to make sure you get your moneys worth, right?

So what can you do if you must eat out several times a week?
First of all, make sure you stick to your diet plan. Don't give in to eating wrong foods "just this once." Choose entrees that have lots of vegetables and avoid dessert entirely. When your meal comes, set half aside immediately and even ask for a doggy bag right away so you won't be tempted to eat the second half when the first is done. Don't starve yourself before going out to eat and you will be better able to avoid eating those rolls as well as overeating when the meal comes. If you are not starving when you order, it will be easier to order a healthy meal an stay away from fatty, high calorie entrees.

Generally, if you stick to sensible and healthy eating patterns both at home and when eating out you will be developing good eating habits that will help you lose weight and keep it off for life.

By: Lee Dobbins

Author Bio
Lee Dobbins writes about Low Carb and Low GI eating as well as other weight loss issues. Visit www.lowcarb-resource.com for more articles on healthy dieting.
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