Detoxifying and losing some weight can be aided with some of the wonderful healthy foods and supplements, the likes of Living Social and other sites offer on a regular basis. These foods help you burn off that extra weight, give your organs a bit of a boost after all those mince pies and also often taste great.So, what are the best foods for that sense of reinvigoration ?Acai BerriesThis super food offers provides some of the most evident antioxidant levels in any food in existence and so are ideal for detox. This high level helps people avoid water build up and a number of other problems with their bodies.Ensuring you pick an Acai berry mix with a high concentration of antioxidants aids weight loss, feeling good and health in general. A number of daily deal sites provide these berries at prices of up to 70 per cent off the original and Livingsocial.com is one of them.DandelionsThis plant, often found growing as a weed is considered to be among the most nutritious on planet earth. Dandelions are a powerhouse of nutrition and a rich source of minerals and provide a number of phytonutrients. They are great at cleaning the digestive tract and go very well with salad meaning that using them in your diet on a daily basis is quite easy.BroccoliThis is one of the most common and maybe one of the most despised vegetables out there. We’re all familiar with the limp broccoli we received as a child, though you’d e amazed at how good this vegetable is for you.Broccoli produces a number of great chemicals when it is chewed, fermented, digested, or cooked and can really aid detoxification of the body. Broccoli sprouts are probably the best for weight loss and detoxification and have large amounts of antioxidant aiding chemicals in their green shoots. They also can be eaten with most foods, including meats and salads – so never leave them on your plate again.LemonsThis wonderful and also very common fruit aids enzymes in the body and converts toxins to liquids, allowing them to leave the body with ease. Drinking some hot water and lemon in the morning creates an alkaline effect and banishes toxins and lowers the acidity of food you consumer. Flax seeds can also be added to aid this effect and ensure you get the most from this daily addition to your diet.GarlicThis food has a strong antiviral and antibiotic effect and is a great food for getting rid of toxins from your body. It is also said to greatly increase the immune system and no diet would be complete without it. It can really increase health and percent people getting ill.ArtichokesAmazingly tasty and amazingly healthy, artichokes have a strong diuretic effect and help the proper removal of toxins and other things that are bad for the body. They also increase bile reduction and so are great for the liver, especially in January where it may need a bit of a kick start after it has had to deal with all of the Christmas excess.SeaweedSea vegetables and sea weed have powerful antioxidants and are fantastic for the digestive tract. The alkalize the blood and also absorb toxins from the stomach in a similar way a water softener does from pipes. They also have an unbelievably wide variety of nutrients and so provide amazing health keeping properties. They have most of the minerals found in the ocean and nearly all of the minerals in human blood in them and so are an amazing food and often gotten from.Eating these foods can really strengthen your immune system, aid your health and help with some weight loss and so should be considered for those looking to feel well .The fact sites such as livingsocial.com offer them at reduced price means there should be no excuse.
Get Slim With Atkins Diet Plan
The Atkins’ diet has been a craze for a couple of decades. Here’s how you can gain from it.
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All of you who are reading this article right now have definitely been on a diet at some point or the other of your lives. The battle of the bulge is an ongoing problem and we are always on the lookout for various means to win this war.
Along with exercise, our diet and nutrition also plays an important role in reducing our weight. Hence, this obsession persists in all of us to undertake some form of dieting. But going on a diet is definitely not an easy thing. What to eat and what to stay away from is always a perennial problem.
One of my friends told me that she ate the normal menu which she cooked for the family, but her weight loss recipe is “portion control.” This is a really simple diet plan. In this plan, you cut down on the portion of food you consume. For example, if you usually have two pieces of toast for breakfast, you should eat only one piece. If you normally eat two cups of rice for lunch, cut it down to one cup. In this way, you are automatically reducing your calorie intake by half.
Another popular method of dieting is to stop all intake of fatty foods and sugar. In this diet, you cut down on your oil, butter and ghee intake which automatically reduces your fat deposits.
While I was leafing through a magazine, I read about one of our Hollywood celebrities following the Atkins’ diet. This immediately aroused my curiosity about the diet. Though I have heard about the diet many times, I had no inside knowledge about it. So, I immediately set to work on it and found out certain basic facts’ about the Atkins diet which I want to share with my readers.
The Atkins’ diet made its first appearance in 1972 and was invented by its namesake, Dr Atkins. According to him, this method enables us to lose weight by inducing a change in metabolism. Our body burns both fat and carbohydrates to provide energy. If we reduce the intake of carbohydrates significantly, our body starts burning only fat to provide energy. This method is called “lipolysis”, which in turn induces ketosis. In ketosis, our body burns fat as fuel. Atkins also felt that ketosis will affect insulin production which will result in less fat being formed. And, once your body enters ketosis, your cravings for carbohydrates will reduce significantly which, in turn, will reduce your body weight.
The major difference between Atkins’ diet and other types of diet is that, while most diets restrict calorie, intake, the Atkins’ plan encourages us to eat more. While most of the diets recommend low fat, high carbohydrate intake, Atkins’ does just the opposite. Instead of carbohydrate and sugar, this diet wants us to consume plenty of fat and protein.
The core principle of the Atkins’ diet is that, by limiting carbohydrates, our body is forced to burn its stored fat, rather than carbs for fuel.
The Atkins’ diet has a four carbohydrates stage plan induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance. With the help of these four stages, you can reduce as well as maintain your weight throughout your life.
Induction – phase 1: This phase lasts for two weeks, by the end of which you can obtain significant results. Another point is that, in this diet plan you can begin at any of the phase. But it is recommended to start with induction. As you cut back on your carbohydrates significantly in this phase, you will jump start your weight loss programme. In this phase, only 20 gm of carbohydrates are allowed and hence your weight loss is significant. As you drastically cut down on carbohydrates your body shifts into high gear and starts burning fat. This takes about 48 hours to occur and you may feel hungry and irritated for the first three-four days. But don’t worry, as soon as your fat starts getting converted to fuel, you will feel fit as a fiddle. Induction will strengthen your immune system and also improve our long-term health.
Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) phase 2: In this phase, the weight loss pace slows down as you add nutrient-rich carbohydrates to your diet. During this period, you will boost your body’s ability to burn fats as well as understand your body better. You will find the right amount of carbohydrates which you can consume and still lose weight. Your body will also prepare itself for permanent weight management. The amount of carbohydrates which you can eat is increased to 25 gm per day for the first week and increased in five gm instalment for the next few weeks. If your weight loss is significant, you can increase your carbohydrate intake. A person has to be on OWL till he or she is within three-five kg of their goal weight.
Pre-maintenance – (phase 3): Pre-maintenance is a practice run for lifetime maintenance. In this phase, you are fast approaching your target. As long as you continue to lose weight, you can increase your weekly allotment of carbohydrates by another 10 gm. You will be in this phase till you reach your goal and stay on it for one month. The ultimate goal here is to achieve a state of balance called Atkins’ Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE). The ACE is your individual level of carbohydrate intake wherein you neither gain nor lose weight.
Lifetime maintenance phase 4: In this phase, you have to focus on your individual ACE and strive to stay within two kg of your ideal weight for the rest of your life. By following a sensible eating plan, you gain energy, better health and confidence in yourself.
By following these four phases, you not only achieve your dream weight but are also able to maintain it throughout your life. You can learn more about this diet by reading the book, Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. But, as with any other diet, this plan also has its pros and cons. The good point is that this diet recommends exercise as a vital part of the weight loss programme. Another point to be noted is that you cannot start on carbohydrates after you lose weight as this will result in your gaining back all that you have lost.
Medical experts advise that people who have gout, kidney problems, diabetes or are pregnant women should not follow this diet plan. As this diet is very stringent, do consult your doctor/dietician for proper advice.
Your dietician will provide you with a proper menu chart as to what should be eaten, in what quantities, etc, based on your eating habits and general lifestyle.
Happy dieting and hoping to see slimmer and fitter readers.
Lose Weight With These 3 Exercises At Home
Nothing gets you in a good mood like having a good dance. Do you remember when you were very young? How you liked to just dance. Every young person wants to go out with their friends to party or out somewhere to dance. Well, guess what? All that dancing pays off. Most young people are able to maintain a good healthy body thanks to dancing and you can do just that. Luckily, you don’t have to go out of your way to dance. If you do not have the time to go out and dance then you don’t really have to. You can dance as much as you like in your own home and that will do the trick. Dancing gets your body moving and it increases your metabolism so go and turn on that favourite music of yours and get dancing. You will be glad you did.
Yoga
So much has been said about yoga in recent years. A lot of health gurus have come out to share the many benefits that yoga can give to anyone that practices it. Unfortunately, many people see yoga like an exercise meant only for experts. The truth is that I don’t blame people for feeling that way. Most yoga masters and trainers look great and they just seem out of most people’s league. However, I want you to know that some of these teachers were not this great when they started doing yoga. They had to practice, practice and practice. That is the only way you succeed in anything you do. You don’t need to be an expert to practice yoga. You can start at your own pace at home with a yoga DVD and work your way up slowly. Yoga is great for exercising the whole body so it can play a big part in your quest for a great body.
Aerobics
If you are into looking good and being in shape and have not heard of aerobics then you are really not from this planet. Aerobics is one form of exercise that is very popular in weight loss circles and it should be because it works. It’s a good way to improve your cardiovascular health as well. Not forgetting losing those unwanted pounds. Just get yourself a good aerobics DVD and follow it. In no time you will be glad you did. Losing weight is all about taking action and starting with these home exercises will step you in the right direction.
Exercising can be fun when chosen correctly and done in the right way. By exercising at home you put matters into your own hands and that can go a long way in your weight loss goals.