Think Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss

Weight loss is one of the hottest topics ever. Everyone seems to be trying to lose weight nowadays. Most diet programs are about weight loss and body weight is often used as an indicator of fitness progress. But, this is an incorrect approach.

Your ultimate goal should always be to lose fat and reducing excess body fat is what you should be concerned about. Weight loss and Fat loss is NOT the same thing! Many people confuse the two terms, often believing that they mean the same, when in fact weight loss and fat loss are very different from one another. This article will help you understand how weight loss is different than fat loss and how fat loss is far superior to weight loss in almost all ways.

Weight loss is not just fat loss

What Is Weight Loss?

(Weight Loss = Muscle Loss + Fat Loss + Water Loss)

Weight loss is attempting to lower your total body weight. It simply refers to a lower number on a scale.

Your body weight is composed of all the parts of your body such as muscles, fat, bones, water, organs, tissues, blood, water etc. When you lose weight, you lose a little bit of... fat, muscle and water.

You lose fat but very little and along with the fat you lose muscle and some amount of water. The higher you reduce your calorie intake, the faster you drop weight and the more muscle mass you lose.

Do know your muscle matters? Loss of muscle affects your health and your overall appearance.

Being fit means more than just fat loss

When you lose weight too quickly, your body cannot maintain its muscle. Because muscle requires more calories to sustain itself, your body begins to metabolize it so that it can reserve the incoming calories for its survival. It protects it fat stores as a defense mechanism to ensure your survival in case of future famine and instead use lean tissue or muscle to provide it with calories it needs to keep its vital organs such as your brain, heart, kidneys and liver functioning. If you reach a point where you have very little fat or muscle, your body will metabolize your organs to keep your brain functioning leading to heart attack, stroke and liver and kidney failure.

As the body loses more muscle mass, the body's overall metabolic rate decreases. The metabolic rate is the rate at which the body burns calories and is partly determined by the amount of muscle you have.

So the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate; the less muscle you have, the lower your metabolic rate and fewer calories you burn. This explains why it is crucial to protect your metabolic rate and not have muscle loss.

Loss of muscle also leads to loss of tone underneath the skin leaving you soft and unshapely with no form or contour. If you lose weight too rapidly, your skin won't have time to adjust either. Also muscle is what gives you strength and loss of it means a weak body.

With weight loss you shrink in size and become a smaller version of yourself with a fragile frame with saggy skin.

Weight loss works in the short run to make you smaller but is temporary, almost everyone rebounds and regains the weight. This forces you to find another diet. And then another one, and another one - because eventually they'll all fail.

What Is Fat Loss?

(Fat Loss = Loss Of Stored Body Fat)

Fat loss is attempting to lower your total body fat - i.e. the percentage of your total body weight that is made up of fat.

The right approach for fat loss is to exercise smartly and

Eat the right food to have the right body

eat intelligently in a way that maintains muscle and focuses on fat loss exclusively.

The muscle you have is not there forever. If you don't feed it and don't use it - you lose it. A proper plan with right combination of resistance and cardiovascular training with adequate progression and a right nutrition plan to support it can help you achieve this. Exercise only boosts the burning process but doesn't just melt the fat away on its own - if you do not create a deficit and feed the body too much - it won't touch the stored fuel reserves. On the hand if you drastically cut your calories and do not feed your muscle properly or don't exercise and use your muscle, you will lose it. Fat loss is about finding that right balance.

With fat loss you maintain the muscle and keep the metabolic rate running high. You also develop stronger connective tissue, tighter skin and stronger bones and joints. With fat loss you transform your body.

Fat loss is a lifestyle approach where you give your body what it needs without depriving and shocking it with threat of starvation. You get to see slow but permanent steady progress.

It may sound odd, but it's possible to get thinner without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight stays the same, even as you lose inches.

Lets see how this happens.

Muscle uses less weight than fat

Fat tissue is very loose and not dense. It occupies a lot of space in your body. Whereas muscle is more dense and takes up less space. When you lose fat, this space is freed and you can notice inch loss. If you are following a consistent strength training program then gain in lean muscle tissue will balance out this loss of fat and weight stays the same. Since muscle takes less space than fat, you lose inches and start to look more toned, lean and shapely.

consistent strength training program then gain in lean muscle tissue will balance out this loss of fat and weight stays the same. Since muscle takes less space than fat, you lose inches and start to look more toned, lean and shapely.

Myth: "Getting fit" means "Losing weight."

Truth: Getting fit means lowering your body fat percentage!

This Article By Written By:
Rashmi V Jolly
Online Fitness Coach & Founder of Body Redesign
Website: http://www.body-redesign.com

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rashmi_V_Jolly/2240871

Top 10 Weight Loss Tips That Burn Fat

As the number of overweight and obese Americans approaches three-quarters of all adults, dropping those extra pounds becomes a serious objective of many who are concerned with their long term health. For most, losing weight and keeping it off is a lifelong battle made more difficult with frequent on-the-run meals and failed fad diets.

Abdominal fat can be dangerous to health, as it increases the risk of heart attack, diabetes and certain cancers. Targeting belly fat has been shown to considerably reduce the incidence of health related concerns and provides for an improved level of self-esteem and confidence. Fortunately there are a variety of steps which can help with overall weight loss and specifically eliminate stomach fat. Create your own weight reduction program by choosing from these fat burning tips.

Tip 1. Eat Smaller Meals Throughout the Day

Eat smaller nutritious meals

Eating 2 or 3 larger meals per day causes the body's metabolism to stall as it's forced to process a higher number of calories. Eat 4 to 6 smaller meals each day and limit calories to no more than 300 to 400 at each sitting. Eat sensibly and avoid heavily processed foods in favor of natural choices including plenty of raw vegetables. Most important, never eat after 7 PM to allow complete digestion of your last meal before going to sleep.

Tip 2. Develop an Exercise Routine

To be successful in any weight loss plan, it's essential to incorporate an exercise regimen. It doesn't need to be strenuous, but must be done regularly on most days of the week. Use a combination of strength training and cardio to make it fun, and be sure to train for 20 to 30 minutes each session.

Tip 3. Eat at Home - Dine Out on Special Occasions

Most dieters have no concept of the excess calories they eat when dining out. Most restaurant meals include twice the number of calories as a home cooked meal. For weight loss to be successful, you must be able to control the healthy ingredients and quantity.

Tip 4. Drink Green Tea

Green tea is a known fat fighter

Studies confirm that drinking tea, especially the less processed green tea boosts metabolism when you're resting and specifically targets the release of stored fat. Brew the tea yourself to avoid the sugar added to prepackaged teas.

Tip 5. Drink More Water

Some dietary advocates promote the idea of drinking as much as 64 oz. of water daily. While the majority of studies don't confirm this, they do indicate the importance of drinking water through the day. Water reduces fluid retention naturally and promotes the release of toxins from the body.

Tip 6. Eat Slowly and Enjoy Your Food

Slow down when eating to allow your brain to send the satiety signal so you know when to stop eating. You should enjoy your food and chew each bite a minimum of 20 times to aid the beginning of the digestive process.

Tip 7. Cut the Sweets and Refined Carbs

Resist the temptation of sweets

All calories are not created equal. Refined carbohydrates and sweets are broken down immediately upon eating, providing an immediate surge of blood sugar and the desire to eat again in a couple of hours. Slow release calories from vegetable and protein sources require much more energy to metabolize and are less likely to be stored as fat.

Tip 8. Use a Smaller Plate

Most dieters don't even realize that the average dinner plate has gone from 9" to 12" in size. This means that 40% more food fits on your plate, and studies confirm that if it's on the plate, it's in your mouth.

Tip 9. Avoid Sugary Soft Drinks

The best place to begin cutting calories is in soft drinks. Each drink packs 150 to 200 calories, and most people consume several each day. Replacing sugared soft drinks with a no calorie substitute will result in losing 1 pound per week without any other changes.

Tip 10. Make These Changes Your New Lifestyle

Following these tips with the thought of short term weight loss can be beneficial, but it's important to develop a totally new lifestyle which incorporates most or all of these tips. Start by making these changes for 15 days, and be strict. You'll find that it becomes much easier as you go on, and the scale will provide encouragement.

All of these tips have been proven to deliver results. Follow as many as possible for maximum results, but don't let one or two push you away from your ultimate goal of permanent weight loss. Losing fat, especially from the midsection is critically important to living a long and healthy life.

Read More Expert Advice on Diet, Health and Nutrition

John Phillip is a Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. Visit my Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_L._Phillip/571991

How to Increase Your Metabolism to Stay Fit

Metabolism Basics

Weight loss is a major area of concern for modern consumers. Many of them would like to know how to drop their weight as quickly as possible for weddings, photo shoots, self-esteem and the like. Metabolism is one of the keys to rapid weight loss. Metabolism has to do with the speed at which the body burns fat. Some people have fast metabolic systems that seem to burn fat continuously no matter what they eat. Other people seem to have sadly stagnant metabolic rates. You may be wondering how to increase your metabolism. The following are a few tips that are designed to help you if you are:

Drink Cold Water

Water is essential

Drinking ice-cold water is one of the easiest and most popular ways of learning how to increase your metabolism. Ice-cold water provides a lovely jolt to the metabolic system. The activity burns about eight more calories per hour than drinking room-temperature water does. Drinking cold water first thing in the morning can get the system going rather quickly. The best thing about the water method is that it is not expensive at all.

Eat Frequent Meals

Another tip for learning how to increase your metabolism is to eat between five and six small meals every day instead of eating three huge meals. The first bit of food that you eat in the morning kick-starts your metabolism. Giving the body a boost every four hours or so keeps it burning. Drinking the recommended number of water glasses per day can help keep the metabolism going, as well. Medical experts recommend that every person drink at least eight glasses of water per day. You can also aid the boosting process by eating foods that will work with the metabolism. Nuts, vegetables and fruits are always good.

Confuse the System

Sometimes it is good to trick the body a little bit so that it can get a kick to the system. The consumer can keep the metabolism on its toes by changing the diet. For example, the person may eat fruits and vegetables for six straight days and then eat a huge helping of ice cream on the seventh day. The change will boost the metabolism.

Exercise as Much as Possible

Exercise is also a key to success

Finally, exercise always gives a boost to the metabolism. You can get exercise a number of ways. One way to get exercise is to take a brisk walk first thing in the morning. Another way that you can get exercise is by riding an old-fashioned bicycle. Just an hour of walking or bike riding can burn hundreds of calories. Stair-stepping is another way that you can get some daily exercise. Stair-stepping works the thighs, buttocks and the bottom of the legs. All previously mentioned activities are great cardiovascular activities.

You can try any or all of the previously mentioned activities to quickly boost your metabolic rate. They are inexpensive and highly successful methods that should cause a significant difference in the speed at which you burn fat.

Read more: How to Increase Your Metabolism to Stay Fit http://www.sooperarticles.com/health-fitness-articles/weight-loss-articles/how-increase-your-metabolism-stay-fit-1483144.html#ixzz4G0ArJyL3
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The science is in - Exercise is not the best way to lose weight

Why working out is great for health, but not for weight loss, explained in five minutes.

Wednesday Video - How to Lose 10 pounds in 2 Weeks

Can you safely lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks? Yes, it is hard, but very doableHave you been looking in the mirror and telling yourself that it’s about time you shed off those pounds? Or were you staring at a pair of skinny jeans and feeling bad that they can’t fit you anymore? Or maybe swimsuit season is fast approaching, but your body fat still thinks its winter and doesn’t want to leave yet? Whatever your reason, losing weight can be a good idea, not only for a sexier new look, but also for a healthier body.

Watch this video tutorial to learn how to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks.

Wednesday Video - 5 Common Weight Loss Mistakes - Lose Weight Fast By Avoiding These Mistakes!

The reason many people don't lose weight is because of mistakes they're not aware of. Make sure you do everything you can to avoid these mistakes! If you do, you'll lose weight effectively and fast!

Fat Loss Friday - Exercises to Lose Fat Rapidly

Would you like to learn about a handful of workouts to get slimmer easily? 

It is not a secret that high intensity workouts are what will get results. Aerobic exercises such as jogging will help burn up fat, but if you are not careful,

Cardio can help

you can also burn off lean muscle doing these (remember those scrawny cross country runners from high school?). Since muscle tissues help burn up body fat, you want to keep them around even when you are not looking to get buff. High intensity sprints on the other hand are good workout routines to lose weight fast without burning up lean muscle.

Therefore, for the high intensity exercise session, we will be doing basic Cardio exercises. Yet, we are going to be shifting between extremely high intensities and decreased intensities. If you are just getting started, this can be quite strenuous, So it's better to begin with less and then work it up as your stamina increases. you can repeat this with cycling, stair machines, or other exercises, But doing this with sprinting is probably the best physical exercise to burn fat quickly.

To start this, we are going to first warm-up and stretch. This is a very critical thing to do to make sure you do not hurt yourself.

Afterward we start a jog-sprint-jog series. jog for 1 minute, And then burst straight into a full-out sprint for one minute, followed by returning to jogging. Keep changing from one to the next for about 20 to 30 minutes. If this is simply too strenuous for you, start out with two minute jogs with one minute sprints, Just make it a goal to build up to one minute jogs and one minute sprints. After you get comfortable with this, you can test yourself even more by repeating this up slopes, getting started with gentle slopes and working up to more challenging ones. Try this about four to five times weekly and you’ll begin to get some extremely incredible results.

Remember, that while you are doing your intense component of the workout it really does need to be extreme! To do anything else, will merely lead to an ordinary aerobic exercise session that probably won't give you the effects you would like. You need to force yourself to your max and be totally out of breath.

You can vary your workout to keep yourself from getting overly bored to death throughout your high intensity exercises. Try doing totally different workout routines or doing your running at a new place. You might sprint around the community you live in, try out the gym, or a close by park.

During off-days, try to hit the gym.

Muscle burns fat even at rest

Do a handful of weight lifting exercises to build some muscles and tone your body a bit.

This can be a great way to burn off extra fat and shed those pounds. On top of that, you are going to be building your endurance and energy at the same time too. high intensity exercises are excellent workout routines to lose weight easily and they also are more enjoyable and more reliable than normal cardio exercises.

You should make sure to talk with a physician before you do this on your own though, considering that high intensity exercises can be really taxing on your body, to begin with.

Stay with it, though and you are going to have a slimmer body and the energy and endurance you need to feel good each day!

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Wednesday Video - How to Burn Stored Fat

Everybody wants to burn off fat (that's why you're watching this) but not everyone is sure about how to go about it.

There are ways to burn fat, but do you know the proper ways to burn stored fat? 

The body is conditioned to store fat in preparation for lean times, so it burns the food you eat first instead of burning the stored fat. Since you are not likely to suffer from food deprivation or malnutrition in the near future, the body just keeps storing fat without burning it off. Here're some tips on how to burn stored fat quickly, easily and safely

Wednesday Video - Weird Ways to Burn 200 Calories

A few weeks ago we looked at what exactly 200 calories look like.

Now in this video we take a look at what you need to do in order to burn 200 calories!

Wednesday Video - 5 Must Eat FOOD for a Flat Tummy

Do you feel bloated or tired at the end of a meal? Do you always feel lack of energy? Do you struggle to lose weight despite cutting back on excess calories & doing regular exercises?

The SECRET to rapid weight loss & a flat tummy comes down to your DIGESTIVE HEALTH! You could be eating the cleanest, nutrient-rich diet in the world, but if you're not digesting well, you won't be absorbing all the nutrients from your food. As a result, wastes build up, you retain water and your body converts excess calories to fat.

Watch this video to discover 5 foods for better digestion

Wednesday Video - High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) vs. Cardio

We look at the highly trending HIIT cardio and how it stands against traditional, low-intensity cardio. Can HIIT dethrone low-intensity cardio as the best fat and calorie burning exercise? This video explains it all

Wednesday Video - Weight loss pills - Fact or Fiction

We all know that weight-loss pills are a con trick right? The only thing you will lose with these "miracle" products are your money. However, as with most things, it is not so simple and that may not always be the case.

Enjoy your bacon sandwich, while we walk you through the facts and fictions of what science can -- and maybe someday, will -- do to help people lose weight safely.

Fat Loss Friday - How to Set Weight Loss Goals – Shaping the Outcome

How to Set Weight Loss Goals: Shaping the Outcome. 

First, Figure Out Your Motivation to Set Weight Loss Goals. Set Weight Loss Goals that Fit into Small Jars and Take Short Moments to Reach. Success in Weight Loss Goals: Keeping the Written Record. Weight loss is going to take time, almost the same time it took to put it on. If you think in that way, then when you are about to set for yourself weight loss goals, with these tips in mind, you will be better able to prepare for the journey ahead.

You can shed pounds without following complicated plans, without eating frozen or liquid meals, without craving your favorite foods, or shelling out hard-earned money. If you want to keep off extra pounds for good, then traveling like lightning isn’t the best way to get there. (After all, it took time to put on the weight.)

Instead climb aboard a slow, steady train. You’ll feel the bumps. You may have some extra stops on the way. You will still reach your destination and enjoy the foods along the way.

First, Figure Out Your Motivation to Set Weight Loss Goals

What's your motivation?

Answer the why, and make it a big why. Why do you want to lose or keep off your weight? If your motivation is to wear that size 8 dress or to fit into those good jeans from last year, then you may setting yourself up not to make the long journey, because you won’t have a strong enough motive to keep the weight off in the future.

On the other hand, if you motivation is to be healthy and feel good about yourself, you will likely make your new eating and exercise habits part of your new lifestyle. It’s lifestyle you are ultimately affecting here. By making this a major reason of your ultimate goal, you will have a stronger motive to achieve it and maintain it.

Set Weight Loss Goals that Fit into Small Jars and Take Short Moments to Reach

Now, as you have begun your journey, it’s time to think about goals. Often people reach for goals that are impossible to achieve, and set themselves up for failure. For example, dropping 35 pounds in two months or swearing not to eat a certain food. Then, when they don’t meet those goals, they easily feel defeated and are apt to give up.

Instead, shoot for goals that are realistic and short term. Then, repeat. I learned this from a friend of mine.

I suggested to her: aim to lose 1 or 2 pounds per week. She retorted in a way that I thought she was joking with me, when she said she was going to lose a half a pound per week. A year later she was 32 pounds less, which represents 23% ahead of her set goal. Though it was over a year mind you, nevertheless, she did an unthinkable task, by breaking it into baby steps. And she kept herself motivated by reaching those doable steps each week and by sometimes exceeding them.

Short term weekly goals. Realistic half pound goals. Amazing. She expected success all along, because she wasn’t over extending herself. A couple less sodas this week. An extra walk or two outside next week.

Success in Weight Loss Goals -- Keeping the Written Record

Keep records of your progress

Another key to her success, I believe, is this: She weighed herself on a consistent day, Saturday morning. This was was to keep herself from worrying about the midweek fluctuations and to never record herself right after a meal.

I think this contributed to her ultimate success. Her goals were measured using a consistent standard. This weekly result she would record in her notebook, along with the few things she did that week to accomplish her result.

To Summarize the Steps on How To Set Weight Loss Goals for Success

First, start with a high-ground motivation. Next, make yourself a simple attainable goal and place it within a doable time-frame. Finally, be consistent in your application of it by recording your results it in a notebook every week.

As the last word, to echo the first thoughts. Weight loss is going to take time, almost the same time it took to put it on. If you think in that way, then when you are about to set for yourself weight loss goals, with these tips in mind, you will be better able to prepare for the journey ahead.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Fat Loss Friday - Weight Loss Tips That Can Work For Everyone

If you are someone who is trying to lose weight and are in a quandary because you don't quite know how to approach it, there are some great weight loss tips that could help you no matter who you are, how old you are and what your issues may be. They work for everyone and truly go down as some of the best weight loss tips in the world of weight loss.

Don't do the diet thing 

Dieting is difficult

They don't work because they can't last and when they break, you fall hard and go looking for comfort in food. You find yourself stressed, frustrated and even heavier than before.

Don't cut out specific food  

If you really love something, telling yourself you are never going to eat it is living in denial. You will want it more and more and eventually cave in to a less than controlled binge situation. A far better approach is to allow yourself foods you love as an occasional treat where you can savour it. It doesn't kill the balanced eating but it nips the possible binge thing in the bud!

Pay attention to yourself 

A sense of well-being goes a long way in giving you and your balanced eating approach some stability. So go ahead and do things for yourself that make you feel good.

The exercise thing is true

Exercise is crucial

 

Exercising for half an hour daily whether you are walking, gymming or dancing, is going to get you great results. Believe this. And remind yourself every time you are feeling a little lazy.

Dreaming is productive 

Go ahead and dream! Dream about the fabulous slim and toned figure you will have in a few months. Dream about the amazingly cool clothes you will be able to wear and dream about how many compliments you will get for looking that HOT. You will be amazed at what strong allies these dreams can be for your weight loss goals.

Don't buy food on impulse 

You can't resist what's inside your own house in your own kitchen. So don't put in there. Telling yourself that you are buying it for your brother or mum (or anybody else) is just a pure white lie to yourself!

These weight loss tips are really simple, no brainer ones. But they are also really underrated and you will be surprised by how many people swear by them. They are little initiatives that go a long way in helping you lose weight and keeping it off!



Read more: Some Weight Loss Tips That Can Work For Everyone http://www.sooperarticles.com/health-fitness-articles/weight-loss-articles/some-weight-loss-tips-can-work-everyone-1482616.html#ixzz49Dcb7PZF

Wednesday Video - Does eating before bed make you fat?

There are many theories behind weight gain along with many answers. One of the things that everyone agrees on, though, is that eating before going to bed will make you fat.


But is it really that simple? So in this short video (from ASAP Science) we tackle the weight loss question: "Will Eating Before Bed Make You Fat?"

Fat Loss Friday - How to stop regaining the weight you lost

You Don't Have To Regain Weight-Top 10 To Avoid

As many weight loss surgery post-operative patients know, it is possible to regain weight after having weight loss surgery. If you aren't a weight loss surgery patient, the same applies to you too. A nutritious, active lifestyle is the key to losing weight AND maintaining your weight loss regardless of how you do it. Learn the Top 10 reasons how to do it. Follow the opposite of the Top 10, you can have weight loss success.



It is possible to regain weight after having weight loss surgery. After you've achieved your weight loss, many post-operative patients think they are done and slip back to old habits. Whether you lose weight through weight loss surgery, work with a weight loss coach or do it on your own, you can regain lost weight. A new, healthy lifestyle is the key to lose weight and keep it off.

Here's the Top 10 reasons how to do it:

10. Don't exercise.

9. Don't bother drinking water.

Water is essential to keep the weight off

8. Drink alcohol, soda and fruit juice.

7. Grazing throughout your day.

6. Eat mostly carbs in your meal, especially sugary, refined carbs.

5. Ignore taking your vitamins or take them whenever convenient and if you remember.

4. Protein first? Eat protein after you eat your mostly carb-heavy meals only if there's room.

3. Don't bother keeping a food and exercise journal.

2. Don't get support either by a support group, online support, or your own weight loss coach.

And the number 1 way:

1. Thinking you are cured, your surgery will do all the work in maintaining your weight loss, and never have to be concerned about emotional eating or food issues ever again.

Losing weight is a process. We didn't gain our weight overnight and it won't come off overnight either. Keep this list and refer to it. You can maximize your weight loss and the rate that you lose. When we make the decision to have surgery and lose weight, we want it NOW.

Rather than focus strictly on the number on the scale, appreciate all the positive changes you're making. When you reach your desired weight, you will have experienced all sorts of little and big "wins" along the way. By following the Top 10, you'll no longer need a seat belt extender, you'll be able to zip up jackets, wear your jeans you haven't worn in years, you'll have more energy, you'll be able to participate in activities that would have exhausted you before, and many more that will be special and unique to you. Losing weight can be a wonderful adventure and journey with many wins along the way.

The process of losing weight is to change your habits. You need to discard the old habits that made you heavy in the first place and replace them with new, healthy habits. The above Top 10 are the best habits you can incorporate into your life. Habits are learned behaviors. Unhealthy habits caused us to become overweight or obese. You can relearn new, healthy habits that will allow you to lose weight and maintain it. I've never maintained any weight that I lost before. How did I do it? I did it by following the Top 10. You can too.



Source: Cathy Wilson from ArticlesFactory.com

Wednesday Video - Where does your burned fat go?

It's one of those great mysteries - When you burn fat, where does it go? Many people, even some doctors, think it’s just “burned up.” But that’s not possible! So what actually happens?

In this short video find out where your fat really goes!

Fat Loss Friday - Increasing Protein Intake: Same Weight Loss, Less Muscle Loss

For many, weight loss is an important component of lower back pain treatment. Whether the cause of your back pain is muscular or spinal, excess weight puts greater loads on the lumbar spine and musculature, increasing incidence of pain and injury. Along with an active lifestyle, a strong core and a well-rounded diet, maintaining a healthy weight helps your back stay healthy.

When losing weight to help relieve back pain, it's important to make sure the weight you're losing is fat weight and not muscle weight. Muscle loss in the core can lead to poor posture, improper body mechanics and spinal instability.

Exercise is important to keep the weight off

Exercising as part of weight loss will help you both lose weight and maintain muscle, but a new study suggests that adding more protein to your diet in conjunction with exercise will help maintain muscle better than exercise alone.

Researchers analyzed three groups of participants: one which received the daily recommended amount of protein, one that received twice as much and a final group that received three times the daily recommended amount. Participants were fed these amounts for 10 days prior to dieting, then embarked on a 3-week period of regimented dieting and exercising, the only difference being protein intake between the groups.

Researchers found that all participants lost almost the same amount of weight in 3 weeks - 7 pounds - regardless of protein intake. Those who ate more than the recommended daily requirement of protein saw no difference in muscle use of protein between the 10-day pre-diet period and the diet period, while those who received the recommended amount saw a decrease in protein use by muscles. The high-protein dieters lost less muscle and more fat than the control group.

See more on this study at http://www.fasebj.org/content/27/9/3837.

The results of this study suggest that dieters can lose the same amount of weight but have less of that weight be muscle and more of it be fat if they up their intake of protein,

Protein can be delicious these days

although results plateau once you hit double the recommended amount; to ensure you're eating a balanced diet rich in other healthy food groups, then, it's likely best to keep your intake no higher than double your recommended amount.

If you have a health condition and are trying to lose weight, it's best to consult with a dietician or other health professional to ensure that your specific nutritional needs are being met.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Amee_LaTour/1290690

Wednesday Video - Man Boobs | How To Treat, Manage and Eliminate Gynecomastia

In this video men's style, grooming, fitness and lifestyle expert, Aaron Marino of http://www.iamalpham.com http://www.aaronmarino.comhttp://www.peteandpedro.com, talks about how to treat, manage and elimnate gynecomastia. Man boobs are an embarrassing situation but this video will break down why man boobs happen and the different treatment options out there to get rid of or eliminate your man boobs. 

Fat Loss Friday - Breaking the Weight Loss Plateau

One of the most frustrating aspects of weight loss is reaching a weight loss plateau. Thankfully, breaking the weight loss plateau is a relatively simple task once you know what causes it. When we first undertake a weight loss goal we tend to lose a lot of weight initially then the amount slowly declines over a period of weeks or months until we reach the point where we stop losing weight altogether, and it's not that we don't need to lose more weight either. This is referred to as a weight loss plateau. 

Why is the weight not coming off?

You know you're doing all the right things but you're just not losing the weight. In the first week of your program you tend to lose the largest amount of weight. Much of the weight loss this first week is actually excess fluid and can constitute as much as 9 lb (4 kg) or more depending on your starting weight. Fluid loss can represent as much as 50% of total weight lost in the first week. There are several factors that contribute to a weight loss plateau including (but not limited to);

· Insufficient Calories Consumed

· Muscle Loss

· Weight Loss

· Lack Of Discipline

· Physical Adaptation

· Exercise Ability

· Over Exercise

· Enhanced Fitness Levels

Lets deal with these one at a time.

Insufficient Calories Consumed 

The human body requires a MINIMUM of 1200 calories per day to function. If you consume less than that (on a crash diet for example), your body will interpret that as being in a famine and will reduce your metabolism (the bodies ability to burn calories) in order to protect itself and be able to survive for longer. This will stop it from burning fat stores. Solution: Maintain a reasonable calorie consumption. Use a BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) calculator to determine how many calories your body requires per day to maintain itself. Once you have determined approximately how many calories your body requires to operate, reduce you calorie consumption to 500-700 calories less than that without going under 1200 calories. More than a 700 calorie deficit may lead to muscle loss which is the next cause of a weight loss plateau.

Muscle Loss 

All bodily tissue requires energy to maintain itself, including fat. Muscle requires FIVE TIMES the amount of energy to maintain itself than fat does.

You need to build muscle to lose weight

The higher the muscle percentage in your body the greater your caloric needs. Unfortunately, diets sometimes lead to muscle loss. The bodies primary source of energy is carbohydrates, followed by protein then fat. Your muscles are made of protein so if your body runs out of carbs it may turn to muscle as an energy source if those muscles are no being maintained by exercise. Unfortunately, muscle loss leads to a lower metabolism. Solution: Eat a diet rich in protein and exercise in conjunction with your reduced calorie diet to maintain muscle mass and prevent muscle loss. If necessary, vitamin supplements may be utilized to ensure correct nutrition.

Weight Loss 

Huh? Isn't losing weight the whole point? Yes it is! But as you lose weight the number of calories your body requires to maintain itself also reduces. As mentioned earlier, even fat needs calories to maintain itself. Solution: As you lose weight, check your BMR regularly to see how many calories your body requires per day and maintain a calorie consumption around 500 calories less than that. But remember, don't consume less than 1200 calories.

Lack Of Discipline 

After several weeks of a new weight loss program many people tend to lose focus. They start indulging their cravings for unhealthy foods more than they should and they cut corners on exercise, skipping one day under the pretense of exercising twice as much the next day etc. This decreases the BMR and increases calorie intake which effectively stops weight loss.

Stay motivated and disciplined 

Solution: Staying motivated during a weight loss program can be a challenge. One of the best ways to overcome this issue is to find a weight loss buddy. Having someone to exercise with and be answerable to can be an effective motivator. Another great motivational tool is a printable weight loss goal setting worksheet. Print it out, fill it out and place it on the fridge, where you will see it regularly and it will remind you of what you are trying to achieve

Physical Adaptation 

Our bodies adapt themselves to our calorie consumption and physical activity levels. When we begin an exercise regime, our body is required to make several changes to adjust to changing workloads. Our muscles have to rebuild themselves and this requires many calories. But, over time the body finishes adapting and burns less calories for the same activities. Solution: Don't allow you body to adapt. Vary your exercise program by changing the intensity, duration, frequency and type of exercise. If you always do weights then go do some cardio, grab a jump rope and skip for 15 minutes. You can also utilize interval training where you swap and change between different types of exercise for set amounts of time.

Exercise Ability 

Whenever you do an exercise regularly you become better at it and your body requires less calories to perform it. A trained athlete burns less calories playing their sport than someone who isn't trained in that sport. Solution: Once again, don't allow your body to adapt to a single exercise. Mix it up, if you're always doing weights then go for a run, switch from the treadmill to a rowing machine etc.

Over Exercise 

If you exercise too much your body adapts and reaches a point where the extra energy consumed in exercise is offset by a DECREASE in the amount of energy used when not exercising.

Sometimes you need a break

In other words, when you increase exercise intensity, your body decreases the number of calories consumed during the rest of your day. Solution: Allow yourself recovery time. Take a break for a few days with some low impact exercise like swimming or tai chi. When you return to your normal exercise routine, pull back a little and only increase intensity when needed to maintain weight loss.

Enhanced Fitness Levels 

As your fitness level increases, your body efficiency increases and requires less calories to operate. Enhanced fitness causes a reduced resting metabolic rate and fewer calories required for normal daily activities. This is partially because your cardio-pulmonary efficiency is increased and your resting heart rate is lower. Solution: Congratulations! You're officially fit and healthy. You can justifiably feel proud of yourself. Concentrate on mixing up your routine to maintain progress and life will just get better and better! Another thing to keep in mind is that weight loss is not the only aspect to increasing your fitness. It is possible to lose inches without losing weight. This is because if you build muscle through resistance training that muscle weighs MORE than fat but requires LESS space. A person who weighs 200 lbs with 25% lean muscle will be smaller than another person of the same height and weight who only has 20% lean muscle. So in summary there are four main things to remember:

1. Keep track of your BMR (how many calories per day your body needs to maintain itself).

2. Maintain a calorie consumption of 500-700 less than your BMR without going below the 1200 minimum.

3. Engage in exercise to prevent muscle loss.

4. Mix up your exercise program to prevent your body from adapting.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Julia_Bell/416005