Tag Archives: lose weight

Clean Your Liver And Lose belly fat

One of the great things about the body is its ability to tell you when something isn’t right. Take your liver, for example.

Some of the more common signs that your liver has been damaged include fatigue, poor appetite, jaundice or discolored urine. It isn’t likely that the damage was caused by your diet (at least not your meal-eating habits), but rather is the result of drinking alcohol excessively, or taking harmful prescription medications.

But even though your diet didn’t cause the problem, it can go a long way toward fixing it.

By introducing certain vitamins and nutrients to your diet, you can not only remedy damage that’s been done to your liver, but you can also prevent liver damage from happening in the first place. The average Western diet isn’t typically rich in these substances, but by making a point to include them in yours, you can improve the function of your liver and stave off damage from occurring.

Vitamin E

One of the first steps to securing better liver health is to increase your intake of Vitamin E. Foods that pack the greatest Vitamin E punch are green leafy vegetables, eggs, various seeds and nuts, and wholegrain foods. You can also find Vitamin E in vegetable oils, but only when the oil isn’t heated.

One other important note regarding Vitamin E: many people use supplements to boost their Vitamin E intake. Be cautious not to overdo it, because too much Vitamin E can be as damaging as a Vitamin E deficiency.

Cruciferous vegetables

Many vegetables are naturally cleansing to your liver. Unfortunately, they simply aren’t common in many Americans’ diets. Cabbage, bok choy, horseradish, collard greens, turnips,, watercress and wasabi all help the liver cleanse itself.

Vitamin C

Everybody knows that oranges are chock full of Vitamin C, and for that reason they’re great to maintain the health of your liver. Actually, vegetables like broccoli, red peppers and parsley have even higher levels of Vitamin C, so try to find ways to work them into your diet as well. 

“Liver Life”

Straight from the pages of “Juice Up Your Life,” Liver Life is a delicious concoction that provides the cleansing nutrients that your liver needs to stay functioning properly. As most juice recipes in “Juice Up Your Life,” it’s a simple but effective recipe that should become a staple in your diet. All you need are three apples, a half of a beet, and a juicer. Wash the apples, remove the stems, place all three in a juicer with the half-beet, and enjoy.

To read more from “Juice Up Your Life,” check out my free presentation here. <—-

Lose baby fat- no excuses!

Tired Of Holding Onto The Baby Weight? Try This Simple Workout For Radical Results..

Hey Fitlifers! Crystal Canez here showing you how to trim down the baby fat and feel like the hottie you still are! These workouts that  

Drew and I came up with are not only easy and effective. They can be done ANYWHERE! all you need is your baby and a beautiful day. 

Share the love with your body and your baby, and enjoy your day

In good health,

Crystal Canez

The Controversial Trick for Blasting Away Up to a Pound of Flab a Day

HCG—The “Pregnancy Hormone”

HCG stands for “human chorionic gonadotropin,” which is a large glycoprotein, consisting of 244 amino acids, produced in huge amounts by the placenta during pregnancy.

It’s not technically a hormone, although you will often hear it called one.

HCG’s role is to maintain the integrity of the corpus luteum of a pregnant woman’s ovary in order for her to produce the hormone progesterone, which is essential to her growing fetus. In fact, hCG is actually what is being measured when you do a pregnancy test.

Just to be clear, hCG is not the same thing as HGH—it’s important to not confuse the two.

HGH is human growth hormone, which also plays a major role in your metabolism. However, HGH is produced by your pituitary gland, particularly at night while you sleep and in response to high-intensity, burst-type exercises that engage your super-fast muscle fibers.

Increasing your natural HGH production is one of the reasons I am such a strong advocate for incorporating vigorous exercises into your total health plan—it’s especially effective for weight loss. Please make some time to review my Peak 8 video so you can make this a part of your weekly workout routine.

It All Began With Dr. Simeons

British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeons spent 30 years of his life seeking a “cure” for obesity. His research led him to investigating the links between endocrinology, obesity and psychosomatic disorders, eventually concluding that the key to the obesity problem lies within the part of your brain called the diencephalon, which includes your thalamus and hypothalamus.

Dr. Simeons’ mission was to find a way to correct the diencephalic deficiency that he believed leads to the accumulation of excess body fat. In an excellent article, Sherrill Sellman, ND, explains that Dr. Simeon’s “Eureka moment” came when he noticed very thin pregnant Indian women delivered healthy full-weight babies, despite their low calorie diets and demanding physical activities.

These pregnant women readily dropped weight with shockingly low dietary intake—but without hunger or any damage to their unborn babies. After much research, he attributed this phenomenon to the abundance of hCG in their bodies.

Simeons hypothesized that hCG was acting on the hypothalamus of these pregnant women, telling it to mobilize maternal fat stores to protect and nourish the developing fetus.

Dr. Simeons then observed that obese young Indian boys with a rare medical condition (Frohlich’s Syndrome, or adiposogenital dystrophy) were cured of their obesity with daily injections of tiny doses of hCG. They miraculously lost their ravenous appetites and their bodies “reshaped” to normal.

These unexpected findings led Dr. Simeons to wonder if hCG could be used to stimulate the breakdown of abnormal fat reserves in non-pregnant women and men, thereby reducing obesity.

So he began experimenting with his patients.

Simeons discovered that daily hCG injections, when combined with a very specific low fat and low calorie diet (500 calories a day), resulted in astonishing weight loss—and in particular, fat loss. In fact, he reported that almost 100 percent of his test patients lost between one-half pound and one pound of body fat per day on his protocol.

Could it be that hCG was resetting the hypothalamus? Or was it merely the severe caloric restrictions that led to the dramatic loss?

The scientific studies thus far are inconclusive (many of which are cited in a later section of this article).

How Your Hypothalamus Controls Your Weight

Your hypothalamus is a collection of specialized cells located in the central part of your brain, facilitating communication between your endocrine system and your central nervous system. Your hypothalamus is integrally involved in your cardiovascular function, water balance, body temperature, sleep, metabolic processes—and fat storage.

Your hypothalamus works in conjunction with your pituitary gland to control ALL of your hormones, so it’s a very important part of your body’s overall functioning.

Your appetite and thirst are also controlled by signals sent from your hypothalamus.

If this part of your brain falls out of balance—which happens in response to stress, trauma, toxins, electromagnetic fields, yoyo dieting, etc.—you can experience excessive hunger, impaired metabolism, and accumulation of fat in various parts of your body such as your abdomen, hips, thighs, upper arms, and waist.

Getting Your Calories from Your Own Extra Fat Stores

Dr. Simeons’ weight loss theory hinges on a different way of categorizing adipose tissue. In modern medical literature, you will see body fat categorized into only two types—visceral fat and subcutaneous fat.

But Dr. Simeons believed there were three types of fat in the human body:

1. Structural fat: This “good fat” protects your major organs and joints; it is ordinarily NOT burned for energy.
2. Normal fat reserves: Also “good fat,” this type of fat is spread throughout your body to, ideally, be burned when your body needs immediate fuel. It’s your regular gas tank.
3. Abnormal stored fat: Also called adipose fat, this type of fat is not needed and is what accumulates when a person becomes obese. It is stored underneath your skin and around your organs as a spare fuel supply, causing those unsightly bumps and buldges. Your body makes this as a final survival strategy should you become malnourished.

It is problematic that Dr. Simeons doesn’t state how he arrived at his three fat types, since he doesn’t cite any scientific data explaining his classification scheme. But, assuming for a moment that we do have these three kinds of fat, this is how he proposed the hCG exerts its effects.

He theorized that the hCG directs your body to hang on to the good fat (the structural and normal fat reserves), while using your abnormal fat for fuel.

This process is kicked into operation with caloric restriction, as your body is sent into an energy deficit by the very low calorie diet. Your body is forced to use your fat reserves for fuel. With hCG, your body transforms your abnormal fat into 1,500-3,000 calories a day of energy and nutrition.

The more stored fat you have, the greater the daily fat loss.

According to hCG proponents, people are generally not hungry when they are using HCG because of the calories provided by the burning of these fat reserves. They also claim that the protocol “resculpts” the body into its optimal shape because the bulgy areas are the places that are reduced.

Of course, this assumes you make permanent lifestyle changes and avoid resuming bad habits. As successful as the weight loss may be for those who use the hCG diet, there are equal numbers of individuals who gain the weight back when they return to their former, unwise lifestyle habits.

One Example of HCG Success

A woman in her 40s had been following my nutritional and exercise guidelines for several years, yet continued to gain weight (and body fat) in spite rigid adherence to my program.

She was then unexpectedly diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma, which is a type of benign pituitary tumor that can affect major hormone pathways, including human growth hormone (HGH). A comprehensive medical workup showed she was producing almost no HGH. HGH is a major player in keeping your metabolism up.

In a “last ditch effort,” her physician prescribed the hCG diet.

She experienced moderate weight loss success on the hCG protocol and had no adverse effects from the diet, and in fact felt pretty good. She was even able to sustain most of her exercise program during the temporary 500-calorie phase, although she had to back down a little on the intensity.

So far, she’s kept the weight off.

It’s important to realize that her success was most likely not just due to the hCG weight loss phase that includes a very austere 500 calories a day diet, but also from paying close attention to the BASIC nutritional guidelines outlined above, such as exercise and eliminating practically all sugar and starches from her diet. Those 500 calories were nutrient-dense, and not junky carb calories…

This is an example of one extreme case in which the hCG protocol was successfully used along with my basic nutritional principles.

However, as with ANY weight loss plan, you must be willing to make permanent changes if you hope to keep weight off. Otherwise, you will not only put the fat back on in a hurry, but you will stress your metabolism in such a way that it will be even MORE difficult to drop weight in the future.

Remember, the vast majority of you do not fit into the same category as this patient, whose pituitary tumor led to her decision to experiment with hCG at the suggestion of her physician. But if you do choose to try it, I strongly urge you to do so ONLY under the guidance and monitoring of a trusted professional. 

Potential Side Effects of HCG

Side effects from the hCG injections can include temporary water retention, breast swelling and tenderness among other things. The 500-calorie phase of the hCG diet can cause fatigue, constipation, muscle cramps, hunger and low blood sugars.

The FDA reports one case of a pulmonary embolism possibly related to the hCG diet.

The amount of hCG injected (125 IU) is a very small fraction of the amount a pregnant woman produces (as high as 200,000 IU). 

Because you use hCG in conjunction with extreme calorie restriction, the hCG phase is limited to either 23 or 40 days, depending on the amount of weight you need to lose. And there are preparatory steps prior to the very low calorie diet, as well as a protocol to follow afterward as you transition back into a normal eating routine.

Many health practitioners have expressed concern about potential adverse effects from such severe caloric restriction.

Indeed, a 500-calorie diet is NOT something you would want to do for very long due to the potential for malnourishment and other adverse effects. This is why the hCG diet is done for only 23 to 40 days, and if people wish to lose more weight, they are instructed to take a break before doing another “round.”

Every person’s tolerance and biochemistry is different, and not everyone will tolerate this type of extreme protocol!

That said, there are many who report doing well on the hCG diet, with no adverse effects.

As with any treatment (this is more of a treatment than a diet), you should listen to your body, and make sure you’re monitored by a qualified health care practitioner.

What the Research Shows

There remains a fair amount of controversy surrounding the weight loss actions of hCG.   The preponderance of research studies show no advantage of hCG over placebo.

Most clinical trials in which patients received either hCG injections or placebo and followed identical very low calorie diets showed no difference in amount of weight lost, type of weight lost, hunger level, or mood. There are exceptions, but they are few. This may mean that the severe calorie restriction is the real key to the success of this diet. Your BELIEF that it will work might also be a contributing factor.

For the sake of completeness, the following are a few studies I ran across in my research. Bear in mind however, that the studies using actual HCG might not be indicative if you’re using homeopathic HCG, either for better or worse…

On the positive side:

• W Asher and H Harper. “Effect of human chorionic gonadotrophin on weight loss, hunger, and feeling of well-being.” Am J Clin Nutr. 1973;26(2):211-8

  This study found more weight was lost in the HCG group than the placebo group; also found hunger was decreased and feelings of wellbeing were greater.

• AT Simeons. “The action of chorionic gonadotrophin in the obese.” Lancet. 1954 Nov 6;267(6845):946-7

  Not even an abstract was available online, but Dr. Simeons has several studies published back in the 1950s and 1960s that can be ordered in hard copy.

On the negative side:

• S Lijesen, et al. “The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis.” Br J Clin Pharmacol 1995;40:237-243

  This was a meta-analysis of 8 uncontrolled and 16 controlled trials concluding that there is no scientific evidence that hCG is effective in the treatment of obesity, in terms of fat redistribution, weight loss, suppression of hunger, or increased feelings of wellbeing.

• FL Greenway and GA Bray. “Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in the treatment of obesity: a critical assessment of the Simeons method.” West J Med. 1977;127(6);461-3

  Researchers concluded, “Placebo injections appear to be as effective as hCG in the treatment of obesity.”

• RL Young, et al. “Chorionic gonadotrophin in weight control. A double-blind crossover study.” JAMA. 1976;236(22):2495

This double blind controlled study was performed on 202 individuals, and researchers found no statistically significant difference between subjects receiving hCG and those receiving placebo.

There are numerous other studies, which Naturopathic Doctor Kathryn Retzier has done a good job of outlining here, in her online article.

Final Thoughts and Suggestions

It is important to recognize that there is no “magic bullet” for weight loss, and this is one of the primary reasons why I cannot, in the end, endorse the hCG diet.

If you are among the 2/3 of the population that is overweight, I would strongly recommend first severely limiting starchy carbohydrates, grains and sugars as they tend to increase insulin resistance, which makes it virtually impossible to lose weight.

If you are not getting the results you need, you might want to consider products I have found useful, like Biothin and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), both of which contain safe ingredients and have established science behind them. Additionally, I would urge you to work up to a high intensity exercise program like Peak 8. This may be THE most important missing factor in your weight loss plan.

Using those two supplements, along with carbohydrate and sugar restriction, exercise, and the other recommendations I’ve discussed, has been shown to work for the majority of people trying to lose weight. 

I believe that the extreme low-calorie, low-fat intake required during the hCG weight loss phase is simply too severe, and could pose unnecessary health risks. Additionally, I couldn’t picture myself doing Peak 8 exercises on that kind of restriction, and that effectively eliminates your most potent—and absolutely proven—weight loss aid.

Additionally, this diet does nothing to change the lifestyle habits that sent your weight ballooning in the first place, and there’s no evidence it actually helps you keep the weight off long-term.

Lastly,  the science behind hCG is not definitive and, as a result, I don’t recommend the HCG protocol. I strongly believe the other methods I have described are far superior, and would be your best and primary approach.

For a more natural approach and a healthier lifestyle watch our FREE presentation online. Click Here.

Worst Drinks On The Planet To Consume…

BEWARE: 11 Things You Should Avoid When Gulping Down Your Next Drink Of Choice….

If you are looking to pack on a lot of belly fat, these products will help you do it. Stay away from these products for a flat belly.

#1: Vitamin Water:

It says it only has 13 grams (g) of sugar. However, there are 2.5 servings per container. So there are 32 g of sugar in one 20 oz. bottle of Vitamin Water.

#2: Welch’s 100% Grape Juice

It says there is no added sugar but when you look on the label—just 8 oz., only about half of what somebody will drink in a glass of juice—has a whopping 39 g of sugar. Even worse, it is fructose, which is a kind of sugar that is easily converted to belly fat.

#3: Coca Cola

The second ingredient is high fructose corn syrup and just 8 oz. has 27 g. of sugar. Now I don’t mean to pick on Coke, most other soft drink brands are just as bad. Don’t forget that most soft drinks also contain a hefty amount of caffeine so you keep drinking more and more.

#4: Amp Energy Elevate

It contains 29 g of sugar per 8 oz and there are two servings, 16 oz, in the can shown in this picture. That means that you are getting nearly 60 g. of sugar in just one ca

#5: Sobe Cranberry Grapefruit

This flavored beverage has 26 g of sugar per 8 oz., and the bottle shown here is 2.5 servings, meaning that you are getting over 60 g of sugar if you were to sit down and drink this product. Keep in mind that 4 g of sugar equals one teaspoon. Would you dump 15 teaspoons of sugar into a glass of water and drink it?

#6: Rockstar Energy Drink

If you drink this, you are certainly not going to look like a chiseled rock star, you are going to look like an overweight couch potato. Each can of Rockstar Energy Drink contains 62 g of sugar.

#7: Gatorade

I was shocked to find out that it contains high fructose corn syrup as its second ingredient and to think that they market this product towards athletes. What athletes really need is an abundance of fresh water and healthy high nutrient foods to replenish their bodies.

#8: Tropicana’s cranberry juice

What’s more, this beverage contains high fructose corn syrup and 32 g of sugar per 8 fluid ounces.

#9: Starbucks Doubleshot Energy plus Coffee

It has two servings per container with each serving containing 14 g of sugar. This means that a can of this “coffee” drink contains 28 g of sugar.

#10: Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix

It is loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Keep in mind, the average “small” margarita weighs in at a huge 400 calories!

#11: Mr. and Mrs. T Sweet and Sour Mix

It has high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient. Yet another reason why mixed drinks are hazardous to your waistline.

For a FREE PRESENTATION on the worlds healthiest drink… <—–

How many bites of food are you eating? New Technology Fights Fat…

Ok, how crazy have we gotten if we really have to monitor how many bites we are eating people?

There is something we believe to be fundamental in any weight loss program and unfortunately it is NOT a watch that counts your bites. It’s called SELF DISCIPLINE. Get some. Regardless, for the person that needs to strap an odometer on their dome… this is for you.

Researchers have developed a way to fight obesity by helping people answer one fundamental question: How many bites of food are you eating?

By Heidi Heilbrunn, Greenville News

Armed with the right tool: The device counts bites by tracking your wrist movement.

The Bite Counter, a wristwatch-shaped device being marketed to weight-loss clinics and fitness professionals, uses technology developed by a Clemson University team for the military to track body movements in clearing buildings of insurgents in Iraq, says Adam Hoover, an electrical engineering professor who handled the technical aspects of the design.

It’s expected to be on the consumer market in about a year for about $100, he says.

Like a pedometer, it keeps count of a repetitive physical movement. But putting fork to mouth is more complex than walking. “A pedometer can’t tell what kind of motion you’re making. This tracks a very specific motion,” Hoover says.

The wrist rotation necessary to move a fork from plate to mouth turns out to be the critical motion in eating; the machine counts bites with 90% accuracy, he says.

It also counts bites taken without the use of a fork or spoon, such as eating an apple; the rotation of the wrist is the same whether eating with the hands or utensils, Hoover says.

Hoover and his co-inventor, psychologist Eric Muth, have found that one bite generally averages about 25 calories.

Muth says he eats about 80 bites a day — 20 each at breakfast and lunch and 40 at dinner. But the healthy number of bites can vary from one person to another, he adds. “The first thing is to make it obvious that they’re eating more than they think. If they know that, the behavior change will come a little easier.”

Still, he says, you have to want to change.

Marjorie Nolan, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, who was not involved in the device’s development, says such a device could be helpful for some people. “This would be a good tool for someone who generally knows what is healthy and unhealthy but maybe has more of an issue with portion control,” she says.

Patrick O’Neil, director of the Weight Management Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, is just beginning a study to determine how effective the Bite Counter may be in aiding weight loss.

The data aren’t in yet, he says, but “any approach people take in what we call self-monitoring … usually helps people control their intake.”

Leave a comment in the Facebook box below, if you think this is as crazy as I do…

Build Six Pack Abs And Lose Weight

Yahoo Health has assembled 10 expert tips to keep your stomach flat and lean. Here are a few of them. To read the rest of the tips, you can click on the link below:

Eat at the magic hour:

Have a snack that contains protein between 3 PM and 4 PM. It will boost your metabolism and balance your blood sugar.

Beef up on a belly-zapping hormone:

Eat as close to zero grams of sugar as possible. This will keep your insulin levels low, and also keep your glucagon levels high. Glucagon, a hormone, helps keep your belly flat

Chew on this:

Chewing prevents bloating. Chew food until it is like applesauce in your mouth. Digestion begins in the mouth, and better-digested food means less gas and bloating.

Size matters:

Eating portion-controlled meals will reduce your abdominal flab.

Building muscle, losing fat, and improving overall health is dependent on one very important hormone — insulin. The website Bodybuilding.com offers 6 tips to get your insulin sensitivity high and keep it there. Here are three of them:

Tighten the reins on refined carbs:

One of the primary reasons people develop diabetes is their overconsumption of refined carbs and sugars, which causes their pancreas to continually pump out more and more insulin.

Have some healthy fats:

Another way to increase your insulin sensitivity is by optimizing the rate at which your body processes carbohydrates by eating plenty of healthy fats.

Stay active all day:

Most people hit the gym regularly, but they succumb to long periods of inactivity during the rest of their day. This is asking for trouble.

To read the rest of their tips, click on the link.

Insulin—One of the Most Important Hormones for Successful Weight Loss

Building muscle, losing fat, and improving overall health are dependent on the optimal functioning of one important hormone — insulin. Insulin resistance leads not only to diabetes and numerous other chronic diseases, but also makes it more difficult to lose fat.

If you’re looking for that six-pack physique, you need to lose body fat to expose the abdominal muscles underneath. And while your diet will make or break your success as 80 percent of achieving ideal fat levels is related to the food you eat, exercise is also important because it too will help you normalize your insulin levels; in fact, this is one of the most potent benefits of exercise in general.

A recent article on Bodybuilding.com also discussed various tips for improving your insulin sensitivity, many of which mirror my own advice, such as:

Limit carbs, except vegetables: One of the primary reasons you develop diabetes is due to overconsumption of non-vegetable carbs and sugars, which causes your pancreas to continually pump out more and more insulin until, eventually, you become insulin resistant.

Increase healthy fats: As you cut carbohydrates from your diet, you need to add fats. Healthy fats help increase your insulin sensitivity by optimizing the rate at which your body processes carbohydrates. Sources of healthy fats include olive oil, coconut oil, butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk, and organic pastured egg yolks. For more information about how healthy fats can help you lose weight, please see this recent article.

Eat plenty of fiber: Fiber-rich meals help slow the release of sugars, allowing for a more effective insulin response. What constitutes as good sources of fiber? Primarily vegetables, beans and fruits—not grains—and soluble fiber sources like organic psyllium.

These are all tips I give to my coaching students and when followed correctly they add to their personal transformation in a big way. If you are not 100% satisfied with your body and would like someone who has demonstrated success over and over, you can apply here. <----

Magic In A Pill?

“Missouri Women Gains 10 Pounds On So Called Fat Burners!”

Fat burning pills have inundated the market in the last ten years, mainly because of people’s obsession with the so-called Perfect 10 figure and the increased incidence of obesity. The busy way of life that most people lead in the 21st century has also prevented a big number of the population from following a strict diet and exercise program.

So in comes the fat burning pill.

But is it effective? Is it safe?

We’ve broken down some of the important facts that you need to know about these fat burning medications to help you make an intelligent decision on whether to use them or not.

What fat burners are for and how they work:

Fat burning medications are drugs that control or reduce weight. They work in various ways. Some are formulated to suppress the appetite and prevent a person from craving certain foods. Others are designed to stimulate the metabolic ability of the body, while others interfere with the body’s absorption of certain nutrients like fat.

Available fat-burning pills and their ingredients:

There are a host of fat burners and weight loss pills available in the market today. Some of the more popular names are Orlistat, designed to inhibit fat absorption; Symlin, which has been marketed to promote a feeling of being full; the appetite suppressant called Sibutramine; and other drugs that can work as appetite suppressors, fat burners and even act as stimulants.

Some of the more common ingredients that can be found in fat burner pills are caffeine, synephrine, green tea, carnitine, hoodia, 7-keto or a combination of some of these. Ephederine has also been used as primary ingredient in stimulant-fat loss pills, but this has been made unavailable following several incidents of extreme side effects.

Potential adverse effects:

Some of these pills have been known to cause adverse health effects that can even be life-threatening. Some of the documented negative effects include heart valve damage, high blood pressure, insomnia, addiction, anxiety, lack of energy, palpitations, steatorrhea or oily bowels, stomach pain and flatulence. (ew…not too sexy folks)

Do these pills work?

According to some who have tried these medications, they do help burn fat and reduce weight. However, their positive effects are counterbalanced by the many side effects that one can get from using these pills. If you are tempted to try one of these, a consultation with a doctor is the first thing you should do, particularly if you have an existing health problem.

Fat burning pills are the commercial market’s answer to people who like to achieve their desired weight without too much effort and within a short period of time. However, the dangers associated with these drugs might not be worth the amount of weight you will lose. We recommend that you stick with the true and tested ways of losing weight – proper diet, exercise and healthy living.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to lose radical weight and gain muscle is to increase your intake of these three things… WHAT ARE THE THREE? Watch Video Presentation <-----

Abdominal Workout From Home

Drew demonstrates how to work your abs out from the comfort of your couch. Really simple moves and tips that you can do right now.

Again feel free to share this video and spread the love of a healthy and vital life.

Think. Feel. Become.

Fitlife Team

Drink And Still Shrink

How Smart People Drink And Remain Skinny…

Interesting article from Fitness Magazine I like most of this article, and think it serves the masses. However, if you want to step away from the masses and step your game up big time, then Juice Up Your Life is what you need.

By Liz Plosser

Your favorite thirst quencher may be brimming with more calories than an ice cream cone. Here’s how to drink and still shrink.

Drink and Still Shrink

Glug, glug, glug. That’s the sound of pounds being poured on. Studies show that we’re chugging 411 liquid calories daily, almost 130 more than we consumed in 1990, and all those sips are adding up. “We don’t compensate for what we drink by cutting back on food,” says Barry Popkin, PhD, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “We still eat the same amount.” So slurp a whipped coffee drink at breakfast, a few cans of soda in the afternoon, and a couple of cocktails with dinner and you’ve just doubled your calorie intake — and your chances of weight gain — without realizing it. “Sipping versus chewing changes how our bodies recognize and process the calories we take in,” Popkin explains. Some experts suspect that eating, which involves munching and crunching, sends signals to the brain that trigger satiety. “Drinks don’t require as much effort to consume, so it’s easy to overdo them,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. You can still enjoy your faves and not gain an ounce: Just follow our sip-smarter guide.

Hit the Bottle

A water bottle, that is. The old eight-cups-a-day rule no longer has merit, researchers say, because we get plenty of H2O from other sources, including fruits, vegetables, coffee, and tea. But sipping at least a few glasses of water daily can deliver some serious benefits, including weight loss. “Thirst can masquerade as hunger, so a lot of times we eat when really our bodies just need water,” says Keri Glassman, RD, author of The O2 Diet. To tell the difference, drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes. If your stomach is still grumbling, have a snack. If not, you were probably dehydrated.

Soda Can-Dos

The average American downs almost 48 gallons of soft drinks a year, according to Beverage Digest, a publication that tracks industry trends. This makes soda the largest single source of calories in our diet, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and such sugary beverages increase our risk for diabetes and heart disease. Slowly, though, we’re starting to cut back. Thirty-four percent of soda sippers in a survey by Mintel, a market research firm, say they’re drinking more water and less of the carbonated stuff to stay healthy and prevent weight gain. More than half the respondents worry about the artificial sweeteners in diet soda. Although studies are inconclusive, some experts believe that diet beverages also cause people to pack on pounds, in part because the sugary taste triggers cravings for the real thing. Those findings may help explain why we now guzzle one-third less regular soda and 10 percent less diet than we used to, according to Mintel.

Sip Tip: Need your daily soda fix? Limit yourself to one or two cans a day and drink more good-for-you beverages, like low-fat milk and plain water.

Happier Hour

We’re a nation that loves to celebrate with a drink; we consume more than 500 million gallons of wine, beer, and spirits a year. Research shows that we would imbibe even more if liquor contained functional ingredients, such as antioxidants, enzymes, and vitamins. “There’s a growing number of people who want to sip a cocktail and get health benefits at the same time,” Taub-Dix says. We’re also watching our waistlines and choosing skinnier drinks. Seven of the 10 top-selling domestic beers are light beers. And customers keep asking for more: Budweiser just launched a new brew called Select 55. With only 55 calories per 12-ounce bottle, it’s the lowest-calorie beer on the market. Here’s a reason to toast: Women who drink one to two servings of wine, beer, or liquor a day tend to gain less weight over time than teetotalers, according to researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Some studies indicate that regularly drinking a small amount of alcohol may reduce our appetite.

Sip Tip: Moderation is key. While too much alcohol can hurt your health, experts say that a little bit daily may boost it. Stick to no more than two 5-ounce glasses of wine, 12-ounce bottles of beer, or 1-1/2-ounce glasses of liquor a day.

Get Juiced

OJ accounts for more than half of all fruit-juice sales in the United States, and no wonder: We each consume more than four gallons of it a year. “A cup a day is fine, especially if you have trouble getting your daily servings of fruits and veggies otherwise,” Taub-Dix says. “But eating a piece of fruit is the better choice, since it packs more fiber into fewer calories.” A medium orange has about 60 calories, 12 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of filling fiber; an 8-ounce glass of juice has 112 calories, almost twice as much sugar as the fruit, and only half a gram of fiber.

Sip Tip: Be sure to pick a carton labeled “100 percent juice.” “There are plenty of impostors out there containing a lot of added sugar. For a healthier fix and to slash the calories, mix juice with seltzer or club soda,” Taub-Dix says.

Good Sports Drinks

Five years ago a straight-up sports drink, like Gatorade or Powerade, was pretty much the only option for quenching your post-workout thirst. Now enhanced waters, like Vitaminwater Zero, and protein drinks, such as Muscle Milk, are filling the gap. “This category used to cater mainly to athletes, who needed to rehydrate after hard workouts,” says Sarah Theodore, global drinks analyst at Mintel. “But sports drinks have evolved to meet the needs of all sorts of exercisers, from those looking to lose weight to people who want to build muscle.”

Sip Tip: “If you’re hitting the gym for less than an hour, low-cal sports drinks or flavored waters are great,” says FITNESS advisory board member Leslie Bonci, RD, author of Sport Nutrition for Coaches. “The sweet taste can heighten your desire to drink, helping you stay hydrated.” If your sweat sessions last an hour or more, stick to the full-calorie varieties. Long workouts increase your body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol, which can weaken the immune system, says David C. Nieman, PhD, a researcher who studies exercise at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Sipping a sports drink provides just enough fuel to decrease the stress on your system, reducing cortisol levels.

Energy Boosters

Today there are hundreds of choices for those in need of a quick pick-me-up, including energy shots (small low-calorie or calorie-free drinks promising supersized caffeine levels), energy-drink mixes, and fortified water jacked up on vitamins. Many energy drinks contain megadoses of caffeine (145 milligrams or more for every 8 ounces), so experts caution against making them a daily habit. “Too much caffeine can cause anxiety and insomnia,” says Paul Arciero, PhD, an associate professor at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. While fortified water may seem like an easy way to get the nutrients you need, it’s not the best answer. “Water with vitamins is no substitute for eating whole foods, which have a variety of compounds and antioxidants to help your body stay healthy,” says Keri Gans, RD, a nutritionist in New York City. Plus, one bottle can have eight teaspoons or more of added sugar.

Sip Tip: Arciero recommends consuming less than 600 milligrams of caffeine daily. If you take a multivitamin, limit yourself to one bottle of fortified water.

6 Rules to Drink By

Keep count. No more than 10 percent of your total daily calories should come from beverages. If you’re eating 1,800 calories daily, that’s 180 calories, or a glass of orange juice and half a can of soda.

Double-check labels first: Some bottles contain two or more servings.

Time it right. Drink most of your high-cal beverages during the day, when you’re most active and likely to burn them off.

Savor the flavor. Is a mocha coffee whip calling your name? If you’re going to indulge, take the time to enjoy it. Ordering it as part of a meal means you won’t register how many calories it has.

Pace yourself. Whether it’s cocktails or soda, have a glass of water between each round. You’ll consume fewer calories and stay hydrated at the same time.

Milk it. A glass of skim milk — especially good for curbing before-bed munchies — ranks just behind water and tea when it comes to RD-approved drinks. Also on the list? One-hundred-percent juices such as pomegranate and cherry, which are rich in antioxidants but whose whole fruits are not always easy to find or eat.

We hope that this article helped you with your fitness goals. Remember it is our mission to help as many people as possible with these healthy tips. Help us spread health by sharing this article.

Healthy Recipe – Eggplant Tacos – Meal Of Choice *

The New Lean Tacos That Will Blow Your Doors Off… And Your Fat.

The New Lean Tacos are another healthy Mexican option remade to pack a punch of fat-fighting, high-energy nutrition to keep you on track. However, the taco shells in tacos are problematic for our fat-loss efforts as they are generally either fried or contain high amounts of starchy carbs. We’ve come up with a tasty solution.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces flank steak
• 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut width-wise into half-inch rings
• 1 green or red bell pepper cut lengthwise into strips
• 1 medium white onion cut into strips
• 1 jalapeno cut into circular rings
• 1/4 cup of cilantro – chopped
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 tablespoon of pink salt
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 diced medium tomato or tomato salsa (red or green)
• 1/4 cup of feta or goat cheese
• lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 1 medium avocado or pre-made guacamole