Glandular fever - symptoms, treatment and prevention

Glandular fever is an infection caused by the Epstein Barr virus (EBV). It is also called Infectious Mononucleosis and sometimes the ‘Kissing Disease’. Once a person catches Epstein Barr virus, it is believed that the virus remains in his or her body for life, though it usually does not cause further illness. By adulthood, 90 to 95% of people have been infected with EBV.

How glandular fever is spread

 

Glandular fever is spread from person-to-person through contact with saliva. Young children may be infected by saliva on the hands of care givers or by sucking and sharing toys, but the virus does not survive very well in the environment. Kissing results in spread among young adults.

Signs and symptoms

 

Symptoms of acute glandular fever include:

• fever
• sore throat
• swollen glands
• abdominal pain and jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes) occur less frequently.

Symptomatic infection most often occurs in older children and young adults. When the infection occurs in young children, symptoms are mild or absent. Up to 50% of people infected have no symptoms of infection at all.
The illness can last between 1 and several weeks and very rarely a chronic form develops. Illness can be more severe in those who have lowered immunity and in some ethnic groups serious complications may occur many years after the initial infection.

Diagnosis

 

Diagnosis is made by a blood test.

Incubation period

(time between becoming infected and developing symptoms)
4 to 6 weeks.

Infectious period

(time during which an infected person can infect others)
Not accurately known. The virus is shed in the saliva for up to a year after illness and intermittently thereafter.

Treatment

 

Seek medical advice if difficulty with swallowing or abdominal pain occurs.
Medication for control of fever may be required.
There is no effective antiviral drug available.
Contact sports and heavy lifting should be avoided for the first month after illness because of risk of damage to the spleen, which often is enlarged during acute infection.
Most patients with glandular fever recover uneventfully.

Symptoms of glandular fever

Symptoms of glandular fever take around one to two months to develop after infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. This is known as the incubation period.

 

Common symptoms

 

The most common symptoms of glandular fever are:

• a high temperature (fever) of 38ºC (100.4ºF) or above
• a usually more painful than any previous throat infection you may have had
• swollen glands (nodes) in your neck and possibly in other parts of your body, such as under your armpits

In addition to throat pain, you may also have:

• swollen tonsils
• the inside of your throat may be very red and ooze fluid
• swollen adenoids, which are two lumps of tissue at the back of your nose
• small purple spots on the roof of your mouth

 

Other symptoms

 

Other symptoms of glandular fever include:

• fatigue (extreme tiredness)
• a general sense of feeling unwell
• chills
• sweats
• loss of appetite
• pain behind your eyes
• swelling of your spleen – this may cause a noticeable and tender swelling or lump in the left side of your abdomen (tummy)
• swelling or "puffiness" around your eyes
• swelling of your liver – this usually causes mild pain and tenderness in the lower right side of your abdomen
•  yellowing of the whites of your eyes and skin 

 

The course of the infection

 

In most cases of glandular fever, the symptoms will resolve within two to three weeks of the initial infection. Your sore throat will be at its worst for three to five days after symptoms start before gradually improving, and your fever will usually last 10 to 14 days.
Fatigue is the most persistent symptom and can last for several weeks. However, in about one in 10 people fatigue lasts for up to six months. Most people will be able to resume normal activities within one to two months.

When to seek medical advice

 

You should contact your GP if you suspect that you or your child has developed glandular fever.
While there is little that your GP can do in terms of treatment other than provide advice and support, may be needed to rule out less common but more serious causes of your symptoms, such as (a viral infection that can cause liver disease) and.
Seek urgent medical help if you or your child experience any sudden, intense lower abdominal pain.

Glandular fever

 Glandular fever is a type of viral infection that mostly affects young adults. 

Common symptoms of glandular fever include:

• a high temperature (fever) of 38ºC (100.4ºF) or above
• sore throat
• swollen nodes (glands) in the neck
• fatigue (extreme tiredness)

Read more about the
Glandular fever is not usually a serious threat to a person's health, but can be unpleasant and last several weeks.

Diagnosing glandular fever

 

To diagnose glandular fever, your GP will first ask about your symptoms before carrying out a physical examination. They will look for characteristic signs of glandular fever, such as swollen lymph nodes, tonsils, liver and spleen.
To help confirm the diagnosis, your GP may recommend that you have a known as an antibody test.
If you are pregnant, you may be tested for other possible causes of your symptoms, such as or  to make sure there is no risk to your unborn baby.

Causes of glandular fever

 

Most cases of glandular fever are caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), one of the most common viruses to affect humans.
Most EBV infections are thought to take place during childhood and cause mild symptoms. However, if a person develops an EBV infection during early adulthood, they can develop symptoms of glandular fever.
Glandular fever is spread through saliva. It can be spread through:

• kissing (it is often referred to as the "kissing disease")
• exposure to coughs and sneezes
• sharing eating and drinking utensils, such as cups, glasses and unwashed forks and spoons

Someone with glandular fever is contagious for at least two months after initially being infected with EBV. However, some people can have EBV in their saliva for up to 18 months after having the infection. A few may continue to have the virus in their saliva on and off for years.
Once you have had glandular fever, it is highly unlikely you will develop a second bout of the infection. This is because almost everyone develops a life-long immunity to glandular fever after the initial infection.
Read more about the.

Treating glandular fever

 

There is no cure for glandular fever. Treatment focuses on relieving the symptoms, such as using painkillers to ease pain and reduce fever.
Most symptoms of glandular fever should pass within two to three weeks without treatment. However, fatigue can last longer, sometimes up to six months.
Read more about.
Complications associated with glandular fever are uncommon, but when they occur they can be serious. They can include:

• secondary infection of the brain or nervous system
• breathing difficulties as a result of the tonsils becoming massively swollen
• ruptured (burst) spleen, which is a life-threatening emergency – the spleen is an organ that plays an important role in fighting off infection (this complication is very rare, occurring in just one in 1,000 cases)

Dial 999 for an ambulance if you have glandular fever and you experience sudden, intense abdominal pain.
Read more about the.

Who is affected?

 

Glandular fever is an uncommon type of infection. It is estimated that one in every 200 people will develop glandular fever in any given year.
Most cases affect young adults between the ages of 15 to 24, although cases have been reported in people of all ages. Both sexes are equally affected.
Due to the improving standards of hygiene in Western countries, the number of cases of glandular fever is expected to rise. This is because fewer children are being exposed to EBV, which means they are more likely to develop the infection in early adulthood.

10 Workout Secrets From the Pros

Experts and successful exercisers reveal the top tips and tricks they use to get the most from their fitness routines.

 

1. Be Consistent

 

Chase Squires is the first to admit that he's no fitness expert. But he is a guy who used to weigh 205 pounds, more than was healthy for his 5'4" frame. "In my vacation pictures in 2002, I looked like the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man at the beach," says the 42-year-old Colorado resident. Squires decided enough was enough, cut out fatty food, and started on a treadmill. The pounds came off and soon he was  marathons -- not fast, but in the race. He ran his first 50-mile race in October 2003 and completed his first 100-miler a year later. Since then, he's completed several 100-mile,http://cool-health-guidelines.blogspot.com/2014/09/7-exercises-that-will-transform-your.html 50-mile, and 50k races.
His secret? "I'm not fast, but I'm consistent," says Squires, who says consistency is his best tip for maintaining a successful fitness regimen.
"It all started with 20 minutes on a treadmill," he says. "The difference between my success and others who have struggled is that I did it every single day. No in the world works if you don't do it consistently."

2. Follow an Effective Exercise Routine

 

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recently surveyed 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers about the best techniques to get fit. Their top three suggestions:

• http://cool-health-guidelines.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-2-minute-exercise-that-will-change.htmlEven 20 minutes a day twice a week will help tone the entire body.
• Interval training. "In its most basic form, interval training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, FASCISM, chief science officer for ACE. "It is an extremely time-efficient and productive way to exercise."
• Increased aerobic exercise. Bryant suggests accumulating 60 minutes or more a day of low- to moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, running, or dancing.

 

3. Set Realistic Goals

 

"Don't strive for perfection or an improbable goal that can't be met," says Kara Thompson, spokesperson for the International Health Racquet and Sports club Association (CHRYSA). "Focus instead on increasing healthy behaviors."
In other words, don't worry if you can't run a 5K just yet. Make it a habit to walk 15 minutes a day, and add time, distance, and intensity from there.

4. Use the Buddy System

 

Find a friend or relative whom you like and trust who also wants to establish a healthier lifestyle, suggests Thompson. "Encourage one another. Exercise together. Use this as an opportunity to enjoy one another company and to strengthen the relationship.

 

5. Make Your Plan Fit Your Life

 

Too busy to get to the gym? Tennis star Martina Navratilova, health and fitness ambassador for the AARP, knows a thing or two about being busy and staying fit.
Make your plan fit your life, she advises in an article on the AARP web site. "You don't need fancy exercise gear and gyms to get fit."
If you've got floor space, try simple floor exercises to target areas such as the hips and buttocks, legs and thighs, and chest and arms (like push-ups, squats, and lunges).http://cool-health-guidelines.blogspot.com/2014/09/how-one-hour-workout-can-change-your.html Aim for 10-12 repetitions of each exercise, adding more reps and intensity as you build strength.

 

6. Be Happy

 

Be sure to pick an activity you actually enjoy doing, suggests Los Angeles celebrity trainer Sebastien Lagrange.
"If you hate weights, don't go to the gym. You can and get in shape with any type of training or activity," he says.
And choose something that is convenient. Rock climbing may be a great workout, but if you live in a city, it's not something you'll be doing every day.

7. Watch the Clock

 

Your body clock, that is. Try to work out at the time you have the most energy, suggests Jason Theodosia, MD, exercise physiologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. If you're a morning person, schedule your fitness activities early in the day; if you perk up as the day goes along, plan your activities in the afternoon or evening.
"Working out while you have the most energy will yield the best results," Theodosakis says.

 

8. Call In the Pros

 

Especially if you're first getting started, Theodosia suggests having a professional assessment to determine what types of exercise you need most.
"For some people, attention to flexibility or to balance and agility, may be more important than resistance training or aerobics," he says. "By getting a professional assessment, you can determine your weakest links and focus on them. This will improve your overall fitness balance.

9. Get Inspired

 

"Fitness is a state of mind," says fitness professional and life coach Allan Fine of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. One of Fine's tricks to get and stay motivated is to read blogs or web sites that show him how others have been successful. "Who inspires you?" he asks.

 

10. Be Patient

 

Finally, remember that even if you follow all these tips, there will be ups and downs, setbacks and victories, advises Navratilova. Just be patient, and don't give up, she says on the PARA web site: "Hang in there, and you'll see solid results.

Healthy Weight Loss & Dieting Tips

In our eat-and-run, massive-portion-sized culture, maintaining a healthy weight can be tough—and losing weight, even tougher. If you’ve tried and failed to lose weight before, you may believe that diets don’t work for you. You’re probably right: traditional diets don’t work—at least not in the long term. However, there are plenty of small but powerful ways to avoid common dieting pitfalls, achieve lasting weight loss success, and develop a healthier relationship with food.

The key to successful, healthy weight loss

 

Your weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. And if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.
Since 3,500 calories equals about one pound of fat, if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you'll lose approximately one pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Simple, right? Then why is weight loss so hard?
All too often, we make weight loss much more difficult than it needs to be with extreme diets that leave us cranky and starving, unhealthy lifestyle choices that undermine our dieting efforts, and emotional eating habits that stop us before we get started. But there’s a better way! You can lose weight without feeling miserable. By making smart choices every day, you can develop new eating habits and preferences that will leave you feeling satisfied—and winning the battle of the bulge.

Getting started with healthy weight loss

While there is no “one size fits all” solution to permanent healthy weight loss, the following guidelines are a great place to start:

• Think lifestyle change, not short-term diet. Permanent weight loss is not something that a “quick-fix” diet can achieve. Instead, think about weight loss as a permanent lifestyle change—a commitment to your health for life. Various popular diets can help jumpstart your weight loss, but permanent changes in your lifestyle and food choices are what will work in the long run.
• Find a cheering section. Social support means a lot. Programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers use group support to impact weight loss and lifelong healthy eating. Seek out support—whether in the form of family, friends, or a support group—to get the encouragement you need.
• Slow and steady wins the race. Aim to lose one to two pounds a week to ensure healthy weight loss. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your mind and body, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. When you drop a lot of weight quickly, you’re actually losing mostly water and muscle, rather than fat.
• Set goals to keep you motivated. Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children’s sakes. When frustration and temptation strike, concentrate on the many benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.
• Use tools that help you track your progress. Keep a food journal and weigh yourself regularly, keeping track of each pound and inch you lose. By keeping track of your weight loss efforts, you’ll see the results in black and white, which will help you stay motivated.

Keep in mind it may take some experimenting to find the right diet for your individual body. It’s important that you feel satisfied so that you can stick with it on a long-term basis. If one diet plan doesn’t work, then try another one. There are many ways to lose weight. The key is to find what works for you.

Where you carry your fat matters

The health risks are greater if you tend to carry your weight around your abdomen, as opposed to your hips and thighs. A lot of belly fat is stored deep below the skin surrounding the abdominal organs and liver, and is closely linked to insulin resistance and diabetes. Calories obtained from fructose (found in sugary beverages such as soda and processed foods like doughnuts, muffins, and candy) are more likely to add to this dangerous fat around your belly. Cutting back on sugary foods can mean a slimmer waistline and lower risk of disease.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #1: Avoid common pitfalls

Diets, especially fad diets or “quick-fix” pills and plans, often set you up for failure because:

• You feel deprived. Diets that cut out entire groups of food, such as carbs or fat, are simply impractical, not to mention unhealthy. The key is moderation.
• You lose weight, but can’t keep it off. Diets that severely cut calories, restrict certain foods, or rely on ready-made meals might work in the short term but don’t include a plan for maintaining your weight, so the pounds quickly come back.
• After your diet, you seem to put on weight more quickly. When you drastically restrict your food intake, your metabolism will temporarily slow down. Once you start eating normally, you’ll gain weight until your metabolism bounces back.
• You break your diet and feel too discouraged to try again. When diets make you feel deprived, it’s easy to fall off the wagon. Healthy eating is about the big picture. An occasional splurge won’t kill your efforts.
• You lose money faster than you lose weight. Special shakes, meals, and programs are not only expensive, but they aren’t practical for long-term weight loss.
• You feel lost when dining out. If the food served isn’t on your specific diet plan, what can you do?
• The person on the commercial lost 30 lbs. in two months—and you haven’t. Diet companies make a lot of grandiose promises, and most are simply unrealistic.

Low-carbohydrate: Quick weight loss but long-term safety questions

Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution launched the low-carbohydrate diet craze, focusing largely on high-protein meats and full-fat dairy products, while banishing carbohydrates such as bread, rice, and pasta. One popular permutation of the low-carb diet is the South Beach diet, which also restricts carbohydrates but favors healthier, unsaturated fats found in nuts and fish, and allows more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
The low-carb eating strategy is based on the theory that people who eat carbohydrates take in more calories and gain weight, while people on a high-fat diet eat less and lose weight. However, low-carbohydrate diets tend to cause dehydration by shedding pounds as urine. The result is rapid weight loss, but after a few months, weight loss tends to slow and reverse, just as happens with other diets.
The American Heart Association cautions people against the Atkins diet, because it is too high in saturated fat and protein, which can be hard on the heart, kidneys, and bones. The lack of fruits and vegetables is also worrisome, because these foods tend to lower the risk of stroke, dementia, and certain cancers. Most experts believe South Beach and other, less restrictive low-carbohydrate diets offer a more reasonable approach.

Adapted with permission from ,a special health report published by Harvard Health Publications.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #2: Put a stop to emotional eating

We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. If we did, no one would be overweight. All too often, we turn to food for comfort and stress relief. When this happens, we frequently pack on pounds.
Do you reach for a snack while watching TV? Do you eat when you’re stressed or bored? When you’re lonely? Or to reward yourself? Recognizing your triggers can make all the difference in your weight loss efforts:

• If you eat when you’re stressed, find healthier ways to calm yourself. Try exercise, yoga, meditation, or soaking in a hot bath.
• If you eat when you’re feeling low on energy, find other mid-afternoon pick-me-ups. Try walking around the block, listening to energizing music, or taking a short nap.
• If you eat when you’re lonely or bored, reach out to others instead of reaching for the refrigerator. Call a friend who makes you laugh, take your dog for a walk, or go out in public (to the library, mall, or park—anywhere there’s people).

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #3: Tune in when you eat

We live in a fast-paced world where eating has become mindless. We eat on the run, at our desk while we’re working, and in front of the TV screen. The result is that we consume much more than we need, often without realizing it.
Counter this tendency by practicing “mindful” eating: pay attention to what you eat, savor each bite, and choose foods that are both nourishing and enjoyable.

Mindful eating weight loss tips

• Pay attention while you’re eating. Instead of chowing down mindlessly, savor the experience. Eat slowly, savoring the smells and textures of your food. If your mind wanders, gently return your attention to your food and how it tastes and feels in your mouth.
• Avoid distractions while eating. Try not to eat while working, watching TV, or driving. It’s too easy to mindlessly overeat.
• Chew your food thoroughly. Try chewing each bite 30 times before swallowing. You’ll prolong the experience and give yourself more time to enjoy each bite.
• Try mixing things up to force yourself to focus on the experience of eating. Try using chopsticks rather than a fork, or use your utensils with your non-dominant hand.
• Stop eating before you are full. It takes time for the signal to reach your brain that you’ve had enough. Avoid the temptation to clean your plate. Yes, there are children starving in Africa, but your weight gain won’t help them.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #4: Fill up with fruit, veggies, and fiber

To lose weight, you have to eat fewer calories. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to eat less food. You can fill up while on a diet, as long as you choose your foods wisely.

Fiber: the secret to feeling satisfied while losing weight

High-fiber foods are higher in volume and take longer to digest, which makes them filling. There’s nothing magic about it, but the weight-loss results may seem like it.
High-fiber heavyweights include:

• Fruits and vegetables – Enjoy whole fruits across the rainbow (strawberries, apples, oranges, berries, nectarines, plums), leafy salads, and green veggies of all kinds.
• Beans – Select beans of any kind (black beans, lentils, split peas, pinto beans, chickpeas). Add them to soups, salads, and entrees, or enjoy them as a hearty dish on their own.
• Whole grains – Try high-fiber cereal, oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat or multigrain bread, and air-popped popcorn.

Focus on fresh fruits and veggies

Counting calories and measuring portion sizes can quickly become tedious, but you don’t need an accounting degree to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s generally safe to eat as much as you want, whenever you want.
The high water and fiber content in most fresh fruits and vegetables makes them hard to overeat. You’ll feel full long before you’ve overdone it on the calories.

• Eat vegetables raw or steamed, not fried or breaded, and dress them with herbs and spices or a little olive oil or cheese for flavor.
• Add nuts and cheese to salads but don’t overdo it. Use low-fat salad dressings, such as a vinaigrette made with olive oil.
• Pour a little less cereal into your morning bowl to make room for some blueberries, strawberries, or sliced bananas. You’ll still enjoy a full bowl, but with a lower calorie count.
• Swap out some of the meat and cheese in your sandwich with healthier veggie choices like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and avocado.
• Instead of a high-calorie snack, like chips and dip, try baby carrots or celery with hummus.
• Add more veggies to your favorite main courses to make your dish “go” further. Even dishes such as pasta and stir-fries can be diet-friendly if you use less noodles and more vegetables.
• Try starting your meal with a salad or soup to help fill you up, so you eat less of your entrée.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #5: Indulge without overindulging

Try not to think of certain foods as "off limits"

When you ban certain foods, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. Instead of denying yourself the unhealthy foods you love, simply eat them less often.

If you’ve ever found yourself polishing off a pint of ice cream or stuffing yourself with cookies or chips after spending a whole day virtuously eating salads, you know how restrictive diet plans usually end. Deprivation diets set you up for failure: you starve yourself until you snap, and then you overdo it, cancelling out all your previous efforts.
In order to successfully lose weight and keep it off, you need to learn how to enjoy the foods you love without going overboard. A diet that places all your favorite foods off limits won’t work in the long run. Eventually, you’ll feel deprived and will cave. And when you do, you probably won’t stop at a sensible-sized portion.

Tips for enjoying treats without overeating

• Combine your treat with other healthy foods. You can still enjoy your favorite high-calorie treat, whether it’s ice cream, chips, cake, or chocolate. The key is to eat a smaller serving along with a lower-calorie option. For example, add strawberries to your ice cream or munch on carrot and celery sticks along with your chips and dip. By piling on the low-cal option, you can eat a diet-friendly portion of your favorite treat without feeling deprived.
• Schedule your treats. Establish regular times when you get to indulge in your favorite food. For example, maybe you enjoy a small square of chocolate every day after lunch, or a slice of cheesecake every Friday evening. Once you’re conditioned to eat your treat at those times—and those times only—you’ll stop obsessing about them at other times.
• Make your indulgence less indulgent. Find ways to reduce fat, sugar, or calories in your favorite treats and snacks. If you do your own baking, cut back on sugar, making up for it with extra cinnamon or vanilla extract. You can also eliminate or reduce high-calorie sides, like whipped cream, cheese, dip, and frosting.
• Engage all your senses—not just your taste sense. You can make snack time more special by lighting candles, playing soothing music, or eating outdoors in a beautiful setting. Get the most pleasure—and the most relaxation—out of your treat by cutting it into small pieces and taking your time.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #6: Take charge of your food environment

Your weight loss efforts will succeed or fail based largely on your food environment. Set yourself up for success by taking charge of your food environment: when you eat, how much you eat, and what foods are available.

• Eat early, weigh less. When you eat—as well as how much—may also affect your weight. Early studies suggest that consuming more of your daily calories at breakfast and fewer at dinner can help you drop more pounds. Eating a larger, healthy breakfast can jump start your metabolism, stop you feeling hungry during the day, and give you more time to burn off the calories.
• Serve yourself smaller portions. One easy way to control portion size is by using small plates, bowls, and cups. This will make your portions appear larger. Don’t eat out of large bowls or directly from the food container or package, which makes it difficult to assess how much you’ve eaten. Using smaller utensils, like a teaspoon instead of tablespoon, can slow eating and help you feel full sooner.
• Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. You will be more inclined to eat in moderation if you have thought out healthy meals and snacks in advance. You can buy or create your own small portion snacks in plastic bags or containers. Eating on a schedule will also help you avoid eating when you aren’t truly hungry.
• Cook your own meals. Cooking meals at home allows you to control both portion size and what goes in to the food. Restaurant and packaged foods generally contain a lot more sodium, fat, and calories than food cooked at home—plus the portion sizes tend to be larger.
• Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry. Create a shopping list and stick to it. Be especially careful to avoid high-calorie snack and convenience foods.
• Out of sight, out of mind. Limit the amount of tempting foods you have at home. If you share a kitchen with non-dieters, store snack foods and other high-calorie indulgences in cabinets or drawers out of your sight.
• Fast for 14 hours a day. Try to eat your last meal earlier in the day and then fast until breakfast the next morning. Studies suggest that this simple dietary adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day—may help you to lose weight.

Soda: The Secret Diet Saboteur

Soft drinks (including soda, energy drinks, and coffee drinks) are a huge source of calories in many people’s diets. One can of soda contains between 10-12 teaspoons of sugar and around 150 calories, so a few soft drinks can quickly add up to a good portion of your daily calorie intake.
Switching to diet soda isn’t the answer either, as studies suggest that it triggers sugar cravings and contributes to weight gain. Instead, try switching to water with lemon, unsweetened iced tea, or carbonated water with a splash of juice.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #7: Make healthy lifestyle changes

You can support your dieting efforts by making healthy lifestyle choices.

• Get plenty of  Exercise is a dieter’s best friend. It not only burns calories, but also can improve your resting metabolism. No time for a long workout? Research shows that three 10-minute spurts of exercise per day are just as good as one 30-minute workout.
• Turn off the TV. You actually burn less calories watching television than you do sleeping! If you simply can’t miss your favorite shows, get a little workout in while watching. Do easy exercises like squats, sit-ups, jogging in place, or using resistance bands or hand weights.
• Drink more water. Reduce your daily calorie intake by replacing soda, alcohol, or coffee with water. Thirst can also be confused with hunger, so by drinking water, you may avoid consuming extra calories.

How lack of sleep can wreck your diet

Lack of sleep has been shown to have a direct link to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. Two hormones in your body regulate normal feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin stimulates appetite, while leptin sends signals to the brain when you are full. However, when you’re short on sleep, your ghrelin levels go up, stimulating your appetite so you want more food than normal, and your leptin levels go down, meaning you don’t feel satisfied and want to keep eating. This can lead to overeating and, ultimately, weight gain.
To keep your diet on track, try to get about eight hours of quality sleep a night.

7 Easy Steps To Weight Loss

weight loss is about sensibility

 

Sensibility is your new mantra. After all, doing everything sensibly in your life is the key to living well. You don't need to feel trapped behind the prison of your own body anymore. All you need to do is control your portion sizes by eating less and eating sensibly. You think that's easier said than done? Well, like all things in life, eating less is a learned experience and takes some practice and patience. Our problem nowadays is that we're too lazy to turn this practice into a perfectly balanced meal plan.
"The problem for most people is that they maintain certain habits that make eating less quite difficult," says Pat Booth, assistant director of the Nutrition Services Department at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center.
Old habits are hard to break, however, tomorrow you'll be looking back at the "old" you and feeling good about the "new" you that's yet to come. Get our point? It also has a lot to do with your self-image. You must first change mentally in order to change physically.

getting started on your easy steps

 

Anyone who has ever tried dieting knows the immediate feeling of deprivation that accompanies most plans. The result for most of us is that we can't stick to it. Instead of drastically cutting your diet, try gradually accustoming yourself to eating less. Take smaller portions. Leave a little on the plate. In time, you'll find you need less food to feel satiated.
As you practice putting less on your plate, consider these seven steps to eating less (the following list is taken from Mr. Paul Wolf, health correspondent, and we highly recommend it):

1- Mini-meal is the operative word

 

Ideally, every time you eat, your plate should have some protein, a little fat and a little fibrous bulk to ensure that you feel full and satisfied. This takes some planning. It ultimately means losing the "mindlessly munching on pretzels" habit. "Even if you eat fruit as a snack, healthy as it is, you won't feel completely satisfied because it doesn't have any protein and fat," Booth says.
An apple followed by, say, some plain yogurt, will do more for satiety than two apples. A baked potato, which has 100 calories, contributes more to satisfaction than 20 potato chips, which, at 114 calories, adds up quickly. Top that spud with a quarter-cup of low-fat cottage cheese (100 calories), and you have a filling, healthy snack for 200 calories.

2- Don't deprive yourself

 

You don't want to feel deprived or hungry; drastically cutting calories will only slow down your metabolism by driving your system into famine mode. Don't count calories; just eyeball your portions. Let's say you hope to reduce your daily caloric intake from about 2,500 to 2,000. Focus on reducing your portion sizes by about 20%.
Within a matter of a couple of weeks, you will be adjusted to the new serving sizes and they will seem normal.
Read on for more of our easy steps to weight loss...

3- Eat delicious and well

 

Every diet regimen should permit the occasional treat and nice meal out. Eat delicious food, but eat it in smaller portions. Obviously, cream sauces and fudge brownies at every meal will thwart your weight loss goals. Learn to enjoy ordinary food as well as extraordinary delicacies.

4- Eat your calories, don't drink them

 

A can of Dr. Pepper soda contains 150 Three of these a day is an extra 450 calories. If you add commercial beverages, juices and sugary lattes to your diet, you practically need a calculator to tally the calories that don't do a thing when it comes to fulfilling your appetite. Stick to water and tea and get your calories from more filling and satisfying foods.

5- Exercise is the perfect partner

 

Your diet will be all the more successful if you combine it with regular exercise. Approach your exercise and diet plan with a focus on how you look and feel, not how much you weigh. In other words, think in inches lost, not pounds. Remember that weighs more than fat.

6- Make meals last

 

Yes, two Balance protein bars have only 360 calories and also contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. But you can down these suckers in a matter of seconds. Where's the chewing satisfaction? A couple of nutrition bars are not a meal or even a mini-meal for that matter. The satiety centers of the brain may not get the message right away that you've had enough. Eat slowly, chew carefully and don't put more food in your mouth when you haven't dealt completely with the last bite.

7- Discover your food triggers

 

What makes you succumb to temptation? Do you turn to the pantry the instant you turn on the TV? For some, if it's in the house, that's all the temptation they need. For others, stress is a trigger. The stress hormone cortisol fuels cravings, according to Pamela Peeke, M.D., author of Fight Fat After Forty. Everyone knows that bigger portions won't fill the empty spaces of our lives or give us lasting relief from unpleasant moments. Discovering your triggers is a step toward self-control, which is the basis for eating less.
So next time you see one of those annoying infomercials, follow this three-step exercise: pick up the remote, change the channel, then put the remote back down.

easy weight loss is

possible Diets don't work. Not only do they leave you miserable and feeling hungry, they actually make you gain weight by slowing down your metabolism. Instead, watch your portion sizes, don't consume sugary beverages, eat slowly, do a little exercise, and you'll be in no time.

Tips to help you lose weight on the plan

Get off to the best possible start on the NHS Choices 12-week weight loss plan with these 12 diet and exercise tips.

1. Don’t skip breakfast

 

Research shows that eating breakfast helps you control your weight. Some people skip breakfast as they think it will help them loose weight but missing meals doesn’t help us lose weight and isn’t good for us because we can miss out on essential nutrients.  It could also encourage us to snack more throughout the day because you feel hungry’. Check out .

2. Eat regular meals

 

Some people think missing meals will help them lose weight, but it has been shown that eating regularly during the day helps to burn calories at a faster rate as well as reduce the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar. Find out more about

3. Eat plenty of fruit and veg

 

Fruit and veg are low in calories and fat and high in fibre – three essential ingredients for successful weight loss. They also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals. Read up on .

4. Get more active

 

Studies show that regular activity is key to losing weight and keeping it off. As well as providing numerous .exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can't cut through diet alone..

5. Drink plenty of water

 

People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. You can end up consuming extra calories when a glass of water is really what you need. You should– or more if it’s warm or you’re exercising.
 

6. Eat high-fibre foods

 

Foods containing lots of fibre will keep you feeling full for longer, which is perfect for losing weight. Fibre is only found in food from plants, such as.

7. Read food labels

 

Knowing how to read food labels can help you choose healthier options, and keep a check on the amount of calories, fat, salt and sugars you eat. Use the calorie information to work out how a particular food fits into your daily calorie allowance on the weight loss plan. Find out more about .

8. Use a smaller plate

 

Studies show that people who use smaller plates tend to eat smaller portions and still be satisfied. By eating with smaller plates and bowls, you may be able to gradually get used to eating smaller portions without going hungry. It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it’s full, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.

9. Don’t ban foods

 

Don’t ban any foods from your weight loss plan, especially the ones you like. Banning foods will only make you crave them more. There’s no reason you can’t enjoy the occasional treat as long as you stay within .

10. Don't stock junk food

 

To avoid temptation, avoid stocking junk food, such as chocolate, biscuits, crisps and sweet fizzy drinks, at home. Instead, stock up on healthy snacks, such as fruit, unsalted rice cakes, oat cakes, unsalted or unsweetened popcorn and fruit juice.

11. Cut down on alcohol

 

Did you know a standard glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate, and a pint of lager has about the same calorie count as a packet of crisps? Over time, drinking too much can easily contribute to weight gain. Find out more about .

12. Plan your meals

 

Plan your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the week, making sure you stick to your calorie allowance. Try to plan for four to seven days’ worth of meals and snacks. Make a shopping list, but don’t shop when you’re hungry as that can lead to high-calorie impulse buys!

How to Lose Weight in 4 Weeks- Diet Chart for Weight Loss

Ratios darling hubby wrote a very . Making us  girls acquainted with the point of view of the opposite sex. We all were totally impressed and agreed to every word he said. So let’s take the same thought a little further.
To stay fit and maintain your shape a regular workout helps a lot. But when it comes to losing weight and getting back in shape, a regular workout or exercise routine won’t suffice. You will have to take it a step further and take care of your diet in order to lose weight. Even the gym instructors would tell you so. Exercise and diet are the two sides of a coin. You can achieve weight loss with just one of them. A regular exercise routine and a healthy diet is your route to salvation.

I’m following a Indian diet myself by a leading dietician. Me, my cousin, some of her friends and a lot of people I know have taken diet from this dietician. And we all have lost a considerable amount of weight to say the least.
You must be thinking that the diets given by the dieticians are personalized then how can we all follow the same diet routine with our different weights and blood groups. For starters, he doesn’t gives the diet according to the blood group. Though, generally the diets given by dieticians are personalized. I have noticed a similarity In the diets given to me.

and others. And since now, that I know his diets are universal. I’d want YOU, Ratios lovely readers to reap its fruit as well.

When I first went to this dietician, he told me to get some blood tests done. Like thyroid checkup, blood sugar, serum insulin in my case since I have. So it’s just not about losing weight but getting to know the underlying reason of piling on the kilos. In my case it was increased serum insulin levels. But in my cousins case all her tests wee OK, she was gaining weight because of her erratic routine and the junk food she so loved. So if you think that you are doing everything right but still gaining weight, the first thing you should be doing is finding the underlying reason for it.
 First things first, If everything with you is fine your weight gain is due to lethargy, wrong dietary habits and erratic routine. So When u go on a diet make sure that whatever plan u follow it must be timed right as well. You must wake up latest by 8:00 ( that’s for the late risers, even I used to wake up by 10 or 11). This is the most important thing in your routine because the body has its own clock and you shouldn’t mess with it.

This diet is split in 4 weeks period with the diet changing every week.
Before starting the diet weigh yourself and write it down somewhere. This way you know where you started and you feel good to see the scales going down.
Some things you need to follow this diet:

1. No salt after 7:30
2. No aerated drinks. Yes that includes even the diet version.
3. Restrict mango and banana
4. Restrict potato and rice.
5. No artificial juices as well.
6. Half an hour of aerobic exercise daily. If u want to join a gym good enough. But if due to any reason maybe time or money constraint u can’t join a gym. All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes to do some aerobics, a skipping rope to do at least 500 skips (5 sets of 100 skips and increasing it as you go). 1.5 -2 kg dumbbells for toning your upper body. Just these basic things and you are set.
7. 20 mind of breathing exercise. ( I’m talking about Babs Ramrodded Ramayana)

Without further ado I present you with the Indian diet.

Week 1

 

8:00 am (as soon as you wake up) – 2 glasses of meth seeds water ( soak 1tsp of meth seeds in 2 glasses of water. Strain out the meth seeds and drink the water. Helps a lot in water retention and bloating) 5 soaked almonds with the skin. 1 Kali smirch u don’t have to chew it just swallow it down.
9:00 am – 1 toast (brown bread) with maul lite buttr / hung curd dressing/ salad and chutney
11:30 am – one fruit of your wish
1:30 pm – A small plate of salad before starting the meal. The fibers in the salad fills u up which in turn prevents false hunger that makes u overeat.1 bran chapati (mix wheat flour and wheat bran in equal proportions.) with 1 bowl ( normal sized satori ) of lad. Generally at my place Dal is cooked at night so I used to store the Dal made at night for the other days lunch, u can do the same.
5:00 pm – 1cup of milk or tea with 2 biscuits(just ramie, no other biscuits)/ 1 small bowl Bhutan Channa/ 1bowl popcorn ( not the buttery act 2 ones but air popped popcorn without the butter)
7:30 pm –A small plate of salad before starting he meal. 1 bran chapati with 1 k vegetable ( any vegetable not rajah, Channa or kaddish)
8:30 pm – one fruit of your wish

When this week ends, weigh yourself again. I’m sure u must have lost weight. I lost 1.8kgs in the first week itself. U lose the max in this week because you lose all the water weight and the bloating is gone. The further weeks you are surely going to lose weight but it won’t be this much.
Now to the next week.

 

 

Week 2

 

8:00 am (as soon as you wake up) – 2 glasses of Tulsidas leave water ( soak 5 Tulsidas leaves in 2 glasses of water. Strain out the leaves and drink the water.) 5 soaked almonds with the skin. 1 Kali smirch.
9:00 am – 1 tost (brown bread) with maul lite butter / hung curd dressing/ salad and chutney
11:30 am – one fruit of your wish
1:30 pm – A small plate of salad before starting the meal. 1 sandwich (2 brown breads with panier filling, if you are a vegetarian and egg whites, if you are a non vegetarian.)
5:00 pm – 1cup of milk or tea with 2 biscuits
7:30 pm –A small plate of salad before starting the meal. 1 bran chapati with 1 k vegetable (this week you can take rajah, Channa or kaddish )
8:30 pm – one fruit of your wish
This week I lost just .9kgs

Week 3

 

8:00 am – 2 glasses of meth seeds water. 5 soaked almonds with the skin. 1 Kali smirch.
9:00 am - 1 glass of milk and a fruit
11:30 am – one fruit of your wish
1:30 pm – 1 bran chapati and any vegetable
5:00 pm – 1cup of milk or tea with 2 biscuits/ 1 small bowl Bhutan Channa/ 1bowl popcorn (not the buttery act 2 ones but air popped popcorn without the butter)
7:30 pm – 3 cps steamed or roasted chicken o fish + salad (non vegetarians)
Any one of the following for vegetarians:
1. 1 bowl Dal .+ 1 bowl curd + salad
2. 1 bowl veg + 1 bowl curd + salad
8:30 pm – one fruit of your wish

Week 4

 

8:00 am - 2 glasses of meth seeds water. 5 soaked almonds with the skin. 1 Kali smirch.
9:00 am - 1 glass of cold coffee and a BB toast
11:30 am – one fruit of your wish
1:30 pm – This week you have a lot of options which you can take alternatively.

1. 1 bowl sprouts + fruits
2. 2 bowl vegetables + salads
3. 1 bowl Dalia + 1 BB toast
4. 1 bowl vegetables + 1 BB toast
5. 1 bowl kaddish + 1 quarter plate rice

5:00 pm - 1cup of milk or tea with 2 biscuits/ 1 small bowl Bhutan Channa/ 1bowl popcorn (not the buttery act 2 ones but air popped popcorn without the butter)
7:30 pm – 1 bran chapati and 1 bowl vegetable.
8:30 pm – one fruit of your wish
By the end of the month you will definitely lose 3-6 kg I lost 4.3 kg in a month with POD. I’m sure u can do better.
He also gave me some really good yang as well. According to him when on a diet your social life won’t stop but you can still manage your weight without locking yourself at home. Some pointers for it. :

1. When you go out with friends try to have your lunch or dinner at subway. The healthiest option out there. Take a veggie delete sub in brown bread and eating out won’t harm your diet and weight at all. Tell them not to put mayo in it though.
2. If you don’t have a say in the place of eating then make your choices sensibly. If you go to eat Chinese have rice rather than noodles. Order stir fried veggies instead of Manchurian. And control your proportions. Don’t take fried starters. Avoid those thick soups they are no good.
3. When going out just pick 2 fruits before sitting in the car and eat it on your way to the venue. When you are already a little filled before going out. Your somewhat filled stomach helps your mind take the right decision.
4. If eating Indian, order tandoori chapati rather than butter naan or amaranth. Take less gravy since it is the most fattening.

Even if you don’t want to lose weight keep these points in your mind and you will be able to maintain your weight easily.
So go on a diet now and get your svelte figure back.
P.S.: I really want to thank Rita for giving me a platform to share my thoughts and ideas without having me to bear with the responsibility of making a whole blog work. Thanks, and I hope I get to rite here in future as well.

7 Day flat belly diet plan

Celebrity trainer James Cardigan's Clean & Lean diet plan can help you lose all the unwanted flab. The diet involves cutting out 'toxic' foods that encourage the body to store fat — including alcohol, sugar and processed foods. Meals on James's diet plan are full of fish, lean meat — including and chicken — and fresh, preferably organic vegetables.

James says, "My diet works on the principle that your body's natural state is lean and fit, not sluggish and fat. But processed foods and drinks and excess sugar pollute the body, causing fat to cling to the hips, thighs, bum and tummy. However, as soon as you stop doing the wrong thing, your body responds very quickly, and you'll get lean fast. But you have to believe you can do it. It doesn't matter how often you have failed in the past. What matters now is focusing on what you want and taking action."



Food rules Make these changes to your diet to lose weight and get a flat tummy fast!


1 Cut the C.R.A.P: Avoid the four main food groups that cause fat to cling to our bodies: caffeine, refined sugar, alcohol and processed foods.



2 But allow yourself a weekly cheat meal. Once a week, enjoy an indulgent meal of whatever you fancy, from creamy pasta to a slice of chocolate with cream. As ong as you're eating clean, healthy food of the time, an occasional high-fat treat actually speeds up your metabolism.


3 Take fish oil supplements: They burn fat and supply essential fatty acids.


4 Always have breakfast: Eat within one hour of waking up. If you don't have time for a proper breakfast, just grab a piece of fruit and a few nuts.


5 Don't eat after 8pm: Eating a large meal in the evening when your body is slowing down or sleeping is a bad idea for your digestion and weight.


Five food swaps for flat Abs

Bad croissants: Full of fat, sugar and no goodness Milk Most non-organic milk is filled with hormones Standard yoghurt Most are full of sugar Margarine Full of chemicals Beer High sugar and calories


Better wholemeal bread: Fiber is good for digestion Organic milk It's chemical-free Organic yoghurt It's free from pesticides Olive oil spread Full of essential fatty acids Organic cider Less alcohol and calories.


Best spelt bread: No tummy-bloating gluten
Organic almond milk: Doesn't contain lactose that can cause bloating Organic full-fat yoghurt Makes you feel full and is less sugary than low-fat options Organic butter Natural and additive free Good red wine Grape skin contains restorative, a great antioxidant


Tummy toning moves
James Ligand says, "Exercise smarter, not harder. So, if you are trying to lose weight, don't go mad with exercise — get more out of less." These moves can help you get a flatter tummy as they reduce levels of hormones in the body, which encourage fat around your middle.

Weight Loss & Diet Plans

 Everyone wants flat abs. Belly fat is not just an eyesore, but fat around the middle may be dangerous and is the target of the New Abs Diet for Women.

Author and editor-in-chief of Mn's Health and Women's Health magazines, David Zinczenko claims to have the formula to burn belly fat and get washboard abs in just six weeks by changing the way you eat and exercise.

Updated with new research, a portion distortion decoder, and tips on using food to boost health, the New Abs Diet for Women is easier to use and even more effective at melting belly fat than Chernenko's 2007 book, Abs Diet for Women, he tells WebMD by email.

 

Diet and exercise work better together than alone. In order to get flat abs, you need both. Half of the book is devoted to strength and interval training exercise diagrams to guide your fitness plan of 20 minutes, three days a week during weeks three to six.

The plan promises up to 12 pounds of belly fat weight loss during the first two weeks of the plan, when exercise is optional, although walking is highly recommended.

Tips throughout the book provide solid and helpful dieting advice. But whether you'll get flat abs is less certain.

"While improvement in the appearance of stomach muscles is possible with a healthful diet and exercise, losing up to 12 pounds of belly fat in two weeks is unrealistic," says weight loss nutritionist Elisa Zied, MS, RD.

The New Abs Diet for Women: What You Can Eat

 

Front and center on the plan are the 12 power foods featured in the menu plans. These foods are highlighted because they are nutrient-rich, contain protein, calcium, and healthy fats. Portion sizes are prescribed to keep calories in check, even for power foods.

Within the 12 power foods, there are lots of options to add variety and satisfy a wide range of palates.

The New Abs Diet 12 Power Foods – (acronym spells abs diet power)

1. Almonds and Other Nuts eaten with skins intact.

2. Beans and Other Legumes

3. Spinach and Other Green Vegetables

4. Dairy: Fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese

5. Instant Oatmeal: Unsweetened, unflavored

6. Eggs

7. Turkey and other lean meats. Lean steak, chicken, fish

8. Peanut Butter – All-natural, sugar-free.

 

9. Olive Oil

10. Whole-Grain Breads and Cereals

11. Extra- Protein powder(Whey)

12. Raspberries and Other Berries

Eat six mini meals a day with an emphasis on protein, prescribed at every meal to keep you feeling satisfied and to repair muscles. Meals are centered on power foods showcased in three weeks of diet plans and recipes. Calories range from 1400-1600 daily.

Drink plenty of water, limit alcohol to 2-3 drinks per week, and once weekly you can splurge on a cheat meal and eat anything you like.

What's not on the menu are refined crabs, baked goods, sugar, white rice, pasta, high fructose corn syrup, fried foods, margarine, foods made with partially hydrogenated oils, whole-fat dairy, fatty meats, saturated fat, and trans fats.

How A One-Hour Workout Can Change Your Life, Not Just Your Body

What if a one-hour workout could lead you to your dream job with your dream salary? What if it was the thing that helped you find The One? What if it kicked your self-doubt in the a$$ and produced confidence you haven’t felt since you won the third grade spelling bee?

Working out should not simply be about burning calories or getting smaller thighs. It is truly an opportunity to step into your power, connect to your best self and transform into an empowered and profound conversation with yourself.

But how do you accomplish this when much of society mostly equates fitness with weight loss and external appearance?

Let me explain.
When I was studying dance in college, I discovered how using could dramatically improve my performance, focus and sense of confidence.

Every day before class, I would sit for 20 minutes, write down the ways in which I felt like I was struggling as a dancer, then turn them into positive mantras.

Then I would continue to write the ones I truly wanted to embody, over and over again. My pen would glide over the paper. It was more than just writing; it was like a moving meditation.

I would close my journal and head into dance class and like magic, my balance was better, I picked up choreography faster and my teachers were singling me out more and more. It became clear that the affirmations helped to silence the negative and fearful voices that would often run through my mind on a regular basis, allowing me to simply be present and open to the moment.

But what was even better was that I began to recognize that the power to change and focus my mind not only had a dramatic affect on my physical performance, it began to effect every other area of my life as well. I was kinder to myself. I had more in social situations. I felt more at home in my body. As a result, I was attracting success quite naturally.
Now, what if you could take this principle of positive self-talk to your everyday workouts, boot camps, spin classes and marathon training runs so that you could improve your entire life?
Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Write it out.
 
Spend 15 minutes before your next workout with a pen and paper. Spend the first five minutes writing down whatever fears or doubts you are experiencing.
Take another five minutes to transform them into affirmations.

Example:

FEAR THOUGHT: I am not talented enough to have a career doing what I love.
AFFIRMATION: I have innate, brilliant talent to accomplish everything I want in life.
Take the last five minutes to pick one that you want to focus on today. Without letting your pen stop moving, repeat the affirmation over and over again. Let your mind and body relax as you are writing. Keep writing despite any self-judgment that comes up.

2. Keep it systematic.
 
Take yourself through this process every single time before you head into any workout. It takes a little practice, but eventually, the mind will begin to relax through the writing.]

3. Use the rhythm.
 
If your workout includes music, turn your affirmation into a phrase that you can repeat to the rhythm of the music. Repeat it to yourself, or even out loud throughout the workout. Once you have a few memorized, you can add more.

I-hate-to-exercise

Many of us enjoy exercise, probably more just tolerate it, but have you ever known someone to detest it with every fiber of their being? Today, we have a question from a reader with precisely that issue. She hates exercise, and even feels near to tears when she has to do it. Moreover, she doesn’t get the that many of us – even the ones who would rather be doing something else – enjoy after a workout. Well, she’s not alone. Regular exercise is http://cool-health-guidelines.blogspot.com/2014/09/transform-your-body-with-these-7.htmla major  for many of us, so let’s take a look at some general strategies those that hate exercise can employ, as well as new ways to think about and approach exercise. I don’t have any end all, be all answers, but I do have some good ideas. First, the question:

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. There is no one  to take. There’s no one exercise that works for everyone, everywhere, under any circumstance. That you’re “desperately wanting to exercise,” however, is a good start. Here are my suggestions for getting started and making it stick. Oh, and – most importantly – enjoying it!

Get a Workout Partner

 

More importantly than just finding someone who will workout with you, make a series of pacts with your buddy. First, if one person doesn’t show or backs out, the other person must also back out. Second, pledge to keep training until the other person stops. that if someone else’s workout depends on yours, you will be more likely to exercise, so as not to disappoint or let down the other person. Drill sergeants have been doing essentially this for millennia – making the group suffer for the mistake of one in order to compel the one to shape up.

Tinker with Your Neural Reward System

 

Normally, the release of dopamine makes us feel good about completing a goal. That goal could be finishing a tough work assignment, a game of chess, or completing a hard workout. And the dopamine release, if it happens reliably enough, also . Is there something you love and enjoy every time you experience or obtain it? Maybe it’s an episode of your favorite TV show. Maybe it’s a long hot bath. Whatever it is, indulge yourself with a healthy  every single time you work out. If you’ve ever trained a  to do anything, this will be familiar.http://cool-health-guidelines.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-2-minute-exercise-that-will-change.html You might even feel a little silly, but don’t. We’re all , and we all respond to  in similar ways. It’s just that some of us have already learned to associate exercise with neural.You probably haven’t, so you need to do a bit of formal. Eventually, you won’t need the reward anymore. Like a good dog no longer needs a treat in order to sit, stay, or come, you’ll come to associate exercise with its own inherent reward – especially after seeing the results.

Make Your Short Workouts Shorter and More Intense

 

I say this a lot, and for good reason: acute bouts of ultra-intense training is more effective and, unsurprisingly. What does this mean, in real world terms? Increase the intensity and reduce the volume. not more reps. Run (or bike, or crawl, or swim) as fast as you can for a short period of time, not pretty fast for a long period of time.

Just Move and Play

 

You say you hate “exercise.” That’s fine; lots of people hate it. But what about movement in general? Is there any physical activity you can bear? Walking? Gardening? Hiking? Rock climbing? Playing catch? Frisbee? I refuse to believe that any and all types of physical undertaking make you miserable. If you can find the will to get up out of bed and walk to the kitchen for breakfast in the morning without crying, you can walk a little farther – say, around the block several times – as well. Don’t worry about calories or reps or weight or the next guy. Just move and play.

Relearn the Meaning of Exercise

 

While I’ve always been active, there was a time when I hated – truly hated – what I considered to be the optimal form of exercise. Back when I was an endurance athlete, running marathons and then competing in triathlons, I began to hate my training. http://cool-health-guidelines.blogspot.com/2014/09/exercises-body.htmlI was fit and active and thought I was doing the best thing I could for my body, but I really dreaded working out. Eventually, I realized that not only was my training unpleasant and miserable, it was also extremely unhealthy. That revelation forced me to relearn the meaning of exercise. I had to move, I had to train somehow, but I couldn’t continue on my current trajectory. I had to start all over and accept that maybe, just maybe it would be okay to take it easy and lift some weights, move really fast for short periods of time, and take actual rest days. Once I accepted that exercise didn’t have to miserable to be effective, everything fell into place.

Examine Your Past

 

Your disdain for exercise may be long-held and deep-seated. Perhaps your gym classes as a kid were particularly brutal and unforgiving, and you just learned to associate exercise with misery. I felt that way, early on in my school career. But amidst all the wedgies and purple purples and teasing, I learned to love exercise by finding something I loved to do (and something I was already doing on my own as a kid): running. Ironically, I hate running distance nowadays, but my love for movement in general has never waned. Look back to and face down a precipitating event – if one indeed exists. Identifying it may be enough to start the road to recovery.

Try Different Modalities

 

Some need more regimentation, direction, and structure to their exercise. Some need more freedom, randomization, and boundlessness. Many people do better at the gym and laze around at home; others never quite get over their self-consciousness and instead prefer working out solitary, whether that’s in the garage or at a secluded spot in the park. I’m a big fan of both slow-moving high intensity training, a la , as well as something as seemingly intuitive but sneakily per iodized and systematic as . If you dislike training and want it to be over with as quickly as possible while remaining effective, try Body by Science, explained by Dr. Doug McGuffey (its creator). If you hate training but want to love it, try a  by a Worker Bee who attended one). I challenge you to try Montana and not want to move often and move well.

If You Hate Exercise, This Will Probably Change Your Mind

Here’s how to tackle each one of your exercise excuses, get into action, and give your body the attention it craves.

1. “I need to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day to get results.”

Most of us have a number that we think we should “hit” in order to exercise “enough.” For some people, this is the daily recommended minimum of 30 minutes. For others, it’s 45 minutes of weight-training plus another 45 minutes of cardie.
I’m not going to put up a fight with your number here. What I am going to do is challenge your idea of starting with that number right away. You see, even though 30 minutes a day might not seem like a lot, 30 minutes a day for the next 5 years is actually to process.
So yes, everyone can do 30 minutes of daily exercise for one week. But how many people can do that for the next 5 years?
Exactly. Starting small–like really small, maybe 5 minutes or less–has the advantage of bypassing your brain’s fight-or-flight response, the mechanism that make you sabotage yourself when you are trying to do something that seems “big” for too long.
This way, instead of mindlessly starting with an exercise program, you focus on building the habit first, and then once you are exercising a little bit every day, you are ready to expand how much exercise you do.

2. “I don’t want to have to force myself to do it.”

If you have to force yourself to do it, then there is a 90% chance that you are doing it wrong and you will never stick to exercise.
“But,”you might say, “I have friends who have made that happen.”
Yes, some people are motivated by challenges and others pushing them. Others hate it.
If you are one of the people who hate it, stop trying to change yourself. And of course, stop treating yourself as if you were one of those people who are motivated by challenges and being pushed. The more you use this approach on yourself, the more you’ll hate exercise and of course, the more you won’t do it!
Instead, change the way you approach exercise. Stop falling into what I call the “Happiness Paradox Trap.” Instead of starting with what you think you “should do,” start with what feels good.

3. “I’m not motivated enough.”

We think that motivation is the answer to sticking to exercise. If only we wanted it enough, then we would make it happen.
However, that is not true. Motivation is always there. If you feel you wish you exercised more, then you are motivated to exercise. If you are not doing it, it’s not because you are not motivated. It’s because something stops you.
It might be the activated fight-or-flight response we talked about in #1. For example, when you feel that you have too much to do, the fight-or-flight response kicks in, and you do nothing. Does this ring a bell?
People who have already made exercise a daily ritual, don’t depend on boosting their motivation to get off the couch and exercise. They just do it, naturally, without debating it with themselves, desperately trying to get themselves into action.
Again, is not the real issue here. It’s something else that holds you back. Maybe you think you need to devote 1 hour and you don’t know how to do that. Or, maybe you think you need to suffer to get results. Whatever the real reason is, find it. Only then will you be able to figure out a way to remove the obstacle that is on your way.

4. “I don’t need exercise. I only want to lose weight.”

Many people just care about their weight, nothing else. Yet, our bodies are naturally wired to feel good when we move. Here is a quick list of the

• Decreases the risk of various diseases and bad health conditions, like high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, certain types of cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases.
• Increases longevity. According to a Taiwanese study, just 15 minutes of daily exercise prolong life by three years. Not bad, huh?
• Improves mood. Exercise does not just help depressed people, it helps everyone. A quick workout or walk stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed.
• Increases your energy levels. Regular physical activity boosts your endurance, and helps your heart and lungs work more efficiently. And yes, that means more energy available for you. It seems that if you feel “too tired” to exercise, then you must exercise!
• Improves sleep. Yes, regular physical activity can help you sleep better and fall asleep more easily, as long as you don’t exercise a couple of hours prior to bedtime.
• Improves sex life. Erectile dysfunction? Lack of libido? Just lack of energy? Exercise may help with all of that.
• Helps you better control your weight. Exercise helps you burn calories, plus you build muscle that generally burns more calories than fat. Exercise is a great add-on to a diet, or weight maintenance plan.
• Gets you better lab results, even if you are fat. Did you know that an obese person who is fit, i.e., exercises regularly, will show better lab results than a thin person who never exercises? That’s right. The weight does matter. But fitness matters even more.

Do you still think that exercise won’t help you?

5. “I need ‘all my ducks in a row’ before I start thinking about exercise.”

Maybe you are currently busy. Or, you are planning a trip next week. Or, your child just got sick. Shouldn’t you just wait until you can give exercise 100% of your attention?
This rationale once again sounds plausible, but just like the “I don’t have time” excuse, is it really true? Is not starting because you are not “ready,” the best thing for you right now? Is neglecting yourself and your body for a few more weeks/months/years a good strategy?
Finally, how many months or years will you spend before you get “all your ducks in a row?”

6. “I find exercise boring.”

I feel for you. Sometimes I find it boring too. Especially when I attend fitness classes that last for an hour or an hour and a half. Yet, is really moving your body for 5-10 minutes boring?
I could go on and say to find something that you actually like. Yet I know that for most people, exercise itself is rarely the issue. Having to do it for “too long” is the issue.
That’s why I said that if 30 minutes are boring, try 5 or 10.
Now if this idea of starting small stresses you out, let me remind you the wisdom of tip #1–the fact that you may want to be exercising one hour daily, doesn’t mean you have to start from one hour right away! You can start small, and as you feel more and more comfortable build your way up!

7. “I have negative past experiences.”

I understand that you came last at the sprint race when you were at school. I understand that you may feel embarrassed when you attend fitness classes. Luckily, your past does not need to define your future.
A client of mine wanted to start jogging. She started by walking around the neighborhood. Yet, she found out she felt really uncomfortable feeling that her neighbors were watching her.
She accepted that, and worked her way around it. Instead of walking around her own block, she walked around the block next to her own block. Ta-DA! Problem solved. A few months later she was already jogging 2 miles a couple of time a week.

8. “I dislike the whole package of exercise, but not exercise itself.”

If you think you need to exercise for an hour, take a shower, and drive to the gym and back, then you have two hours gone, just like that.
You might like moving your body, but you certainly don’t like having to spend all this time working out! Who could blame you?
Luckily, exercise that gets you results doesn’t have to take all this time and scheduling brainpower.
1. Do something that takes less time – e.g.
2. Automate. For example, if you go to the gym after work, make sure your gym is bag is ready from the day before, so you don’t have to deal with that as well during your busy morning.

9. “I don’t have enough time to exercise.”

I love this one. Even though we know people busier than us, who actually exercise, we keep saying “we are busy.”
Have you ever thought that is actually a lie? If there are busier people than you who make it happen, then so could you. Yet even though we acknowledge that, we still believe that yes, “we are too busy to exercise”.
What is even better is that the people around us also believe us. You see, they too use the “I don’t have time” excuse. Maybe not for exercise. They may do with cleaning, DE-cluttering, or something else. If they spoil it for you, then you will be able to spoil it for them.
So admit that time is not an issue. It’s probably something else. Maybe you don’t like it. Maybe you are afraid you’ll have to give up something else in favor of exercise. Whatever the real reason, you need to find it if you want to give your body a chance to thrive!:)

10. “I have so much to do, and exercise will have to take time from things I don’t want to give up.”

Now you might indeed be worried that exercise will take too much of your time. Time that you are not sure you should “sacrifice” in order to take care of your body.

A 2-Minute Exercise That Will Change Your Life & Help You Lose Weight

Did you know that you can visualize your way to health? Even success?
I know that may sound woo-woo, but hang on.
For sure, getting the health you want requires making conscientious choices—but once you know how, that stuff becomes second nature and doesn’t feel like work. It just becomes a way of life.
Too often though, women don’t even get started, or they quit before they’ve gotten very far, because they don’t believe that they can have the body or health they desire.
Here are some of the common statements I hear when patients first come to me:

• I’m so fat. I can never stick to a diet.
• I just don’t have the time to exercise.
  
• My mom and grandmother were overweight, so even if I wanted to lose weight, I doubt that I could.

Sound familiar?
These defeatist thoughts are tuber-common and set us up to fail. The trickiest part of changing health is changing our beliefs. But once we do, the changes we make last forever.

Make Shift happen: Visualize success!
 
Most of us were taught that health was either something we had or didn’t have—maybe it’s just in our genes, for example—and we certainly weren’t taught it's something we can control! We tend to think negatively about our bodies and our ability to make shift happen. We hand our health over to experts. We focus on the obstacles. And we get STUCK. Because what happens in our mind has a tremendous influence over what happens in our body!
But have you ever considered that there is another way to think about—and create—health?
Athletes do this all the time: they visualize their success down to the specific details of their moves on the court or field, to hearing their team’s song on the victor’s stand.

• Bjorn Borg, the 1970s world champion tennis player talked about mastering the perfect serve by visualizing it happening before he even tossed the ball into the air.

• Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali was thought to be so successful because he emphasized his mental agility over his substantial physical prowess, using affirmations, visualization, mental rehearsal, and self-confirmation.

• Jack Nicklaus, world champion golfer, said, “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp in-focus picture of it in my head.”

And it’s not just the big boys who've got this mastered!

• Mary Lou Rotten, the first American to win the all-around gold medal in the Olympic Games said in an interview with Time Magazine that on the night before the finals in women's gymnastics, she lay in bed mentally rehearsing her performance.

• Gabby Douglas, another Olympic Gold-winning gymnast, also used this tool. “I visualized the floor set I wanted to do, and then I went out and hit the best floor routine of my life. It proved to me just how powerful my mind can be.”

The Secret Sauce: See your body and health goals as a fiat accomplice.
Getting healthy requires that that we believe in ourselves, get our beliefs unstuck, and create new thought patterns that lead to sustainable practices. We do this by visualizing our success, just like world-class athletes.
Here’s what I teach my patients: Getting healthy requires us to actually see ourselves as healthy (or fit or slimmer or sleeping better or fill-in-the-blank) before we even get there. We have to think ourselves well! It’s a form of emotional fitness and mental retraining. So, for example, if your goal is to lose weight for a wedding this summer, here's what you'd do:

• Imagine yourself feeling fit and sexy, wearing that perfect-sized peach silk dress, your Michelle Obama “guns” blazing, to your Biffs upcoming summer wedding—before you even start to change your eating habits.

• Visualize taking that dream trip of yours, completely headache-free, because you made the lifestyle changes necessary to free yourself up from those nasty overstress that were triggering them, you started drinking more water, and getting more sleep.

• Revel in the image of standing on top of that mountain with your arms in the air in a victory dance because you had the energy to make that climb—because you got your blood sugar balanced, lost 20 pounds, and started a great exercise plan with a fantastic trainer.

• Imagine that your period practically sneaked up on you because it was so PMS-less and cramp-free that you didn’t even notice it coming because you quit drinking so much coffee and added green veggies and flax seeds to your daily diet!

If you believe you can get to your health goals, you're more likely to do the things that get you healthy, such as making quality food choices, getting regular exercise, going to sleep at a healthy hour, surrounding yourself with people who make you happy, even changing to a healthier job environment that doesn’t give you headaches!
OK, maybe right now you don’t. Because you’ve been practicing the other way of thinking your whole life. It’s all you were ever taught. But I am here to tell you that I believe in you. Because I see women turn it around all the time.
It takes practice and determination to go at it over and over until the new skill is second nature. Sure, there will be some times that you don’t stick the landing. But you just get out there and try again.

Visualizing Your Goal…and Making It STICK
 
The first time you do this, give yourself up to 20 minutes to really play with the dream you want to create. After that, you can do this practice in two minutes max each day and get a lifetime of benefit!

Here are the steps to translate your goals into real and lasting health success:
 
1. Find a quiet, comfortable place to relax for 20 minutes. Have a notebook and pen in hand, or your fave electronic writing device. Make sure you’ve blocked out all distractions—cell phone, kids, partner, e-mail. You want to focus.
2. Close your eyes and take four deep breaths—inhale deeply, exhale deeply.
3. Now identify the goal you want to create. Get really detailed and specific about it—imagine the sensation you feel having accomplished your goal, imagine your surroundings. Think about what you're wearing, what you see, what you smell, how your friends and loved ones respond to the changes you’ve made. Imagine that it’s already happening.
4. Imagine that you're incredibly proud of yourself. You are positively glowing!
5. Capture this image in your mind’s eye. (Write it all down, too, so you don’t forget!)
6. End your session with a personal “huddle.”
7. Return to it for several minutes every day.

Reinforce your new practice with the following affirmations:

• I am amazing.
• I can do anything.
• I am prepared to succeed.

Make sure to call this image up when making specific health choices, for example, when deciding between that muffin or veggie sticks and hummus, or when you're torn between going for a quick run or getting glued to Facebook.
And what I said earlier about having a pit crew for accountability really makes a difference. All successful athletes have coaches (and often teams) who believe in their success and hold them accountable to their goals.

7 Ways to Jumpstart Your Fall Workout

Now that school is about to start, its a good time to review your exercise and eating habits.  If your busy summer has thrown your exercise program out of wrack, there is a simple solution.  Get started again already!  Your body misses the regular exercise and nutritious foods.

Here are 7 tips to get you going:

1. You need targets to reach.  Set realistic goals such as restarting your active lifestyle, eating better, burning body fat and

2. Start today with a 30-minute walk. Do this walk every day, somewhere, at some point.  Walking at the mall, at work or at the park works. You can break it up into two 15-minute walks if you want.  Walking during the day keeps your metabolism active.

Walking 30 minutes a day can also help you burn body fat, lose weight, lower bad cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, improve heart function, reduce risk of diseases such as diabetes and cancer and increase energy.

Also, start today with your full of nutritious, whole foods that you like.  Use a food journal to track what you eat and get your friend to be an accountability and workout partner.  Social support is critical for your success.

3. On Day 2, begin doing a  need to build lean muscle in order to burn fat, lose weight and transform your body. Do your body weight exercise routine 3 days a week.
Reward your progress each week with something like a full body massage or a special meal. Also, measure your progress each week by checking your body fat percentage and body weight.  Looser fitting clothes also indicate that your body is changing even if you don’t lose weight in a particular week.

4. On Day 3, start a 20-minute interval cardie routine, such as sprint or jogging intervals.   To prevent boredom, you can change it up with activities like biking, tennis, soccer, swimming, basketball, flag football, etc. Do cardio sessions 2 days a week.

Group exercise classes or boot camp sessions are also great options for cardie or strength training.

5. Schedule a fun activity each week such as hiking, bowling, jump rope or a walk at the lake. If you do something like this more than once a week, that’s even better. The purpose is to stay active with enjoyable activities.
 




6. Start training for a running event, such as a 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon.  Group training clubs for these types of events are everywhere now.  These clubs are a great place to make friends with fitness-minded people.  The challenge will be fun.  You will need to incorporate regular strength training workouts to prevent losing muscle mass during rigorous running event training.

7. Buy an exercise video. This saves you time by not having to go somewhere to workout.  You may need equipment like dumbbells and medicine balls to do these types of workouts.