The Answer to Weight Loss Is Easy—Doing It Is Hard!
How many times have we all said that to ourselves and have set ourselves up for failure before we even tried. Well let’s change that, right now!

Tired of Dieting? It’s Time for the Medifast Diet

Fad diets come and go but most of them typically do not work, as evidenced by the millions of frustrated dieters out there. For those who are tired of dealing with constant calorie counting and bland foods in an effort to drop those extra pounds, Medifast could be your long-awaited answer.

Overview of the Medifast Diet

The Medifast diet is not a flash in the pan–it has been around since 1980 and has proven results. In fact, Medifast has been recommended by over 20,000 doctors since 1980 and is suitable for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Medifast is a portion-controlled diet that provides all of the necessary vitamins and nutrients while helping individuals lose weight and maintain lean muscle.

Dieting doesn’t have to be about bland foods that won’t fill you up. You might be surprised by the wide array of foods Medifast has to offer.

What Can You Eat on the Medifast Diet?

A wide variety of Medifast Meals are available on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan, and you will eat five of them every day. In addition, you will eat one Lean & Green Meal every day. This meal includes five to seven ounces of lean meat, such as fish or chicken, and three servings of non-starchy vegetables or salad. Medifast offers protein and vegetable lists to help you make choices on what you can eat, and how much.

What Foods are No-Nos on the Medifast Diet?

When you are on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan, it is recommended that you do not supplement your diet with anything other than your five Medifast Meals and one Lean & Green Meal. Medifast Meals are nutritionally balanced and carefully planned to give you optimum weight loss while helping to preserve lean muscle. Adding any other foods to the diet can upset that delicate balance and undermine your Medifast weight-loss goals.

What if you have a craving for a midnight snack? Medifast has a plan for that, too. Snacks can fit into your healthy diet.

Eating Options on Medifast

Medifast offers a wide variety of foods to choose from. Gone are the days of eating meals that tasted like cardboard, and no longer should you have to endure shakes that taste more like chemicals than food. Some options include oatmeal, scrambled eggs, shakes, bars, and soups. Your sweet tooth isn’t forgotten, either–Medifast offers puddings and cappuccinos for those who need a bit of spark in their diet.

Besides the basic food options, there are specialized diets for those who need them. Diets that are tailored for individuals with diabetes, seniors over 70, and teens are all part of the Medifast plan.

Medifast and Exercise: An Even Better Plan

Any diet plan should benefit from exercise. You can lose weight faster while helping your body maintain lean muscle. If you are not accustomed to exercising when you begin the Medifast diet, it is recommended to wait for a few weeks before you hit that treadmill to give your body time to adjust to its new calorie intake. Then you can add in reasonable exercise. Always talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

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The efficacy of Medifast Meals has been clinically proven in studies conducted by researchers from major medical institutions, and over 20,000 physicians have recommended Medifast Meals to their patients since 1980.

Medifast Meals is: healthy, nutritionally balanced meal replacements that will help you reach your ideal weight and keep the weight off for life.

Medifast is a healthy diet that makes quick weight loss simple. With the 5 & 1 Plan, there is no calorie counting, no points system, no diet pills and no confusion. The Medifast diet is low calorie and consists of clinically proven meal replacements designed to help you lose up to 2-5 lbs. per week.

Because Medifast is a healthy diet, you eat every 2-3 hours, which results in you never getting hungry or lacking energy. The convenient prepackaged meals of Medifast’s low calorie diet allow you to be successful with quick weight loss.

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The diet industry is a billion dollar industry and it can be hard to decipher which programs work and which is hype. The fact that the Medifast diet plan is recommended by over 20,000 doctors since 1980, is reason enough to see that Medifast is in a league of its own.

Medifast is basically a meal replacement program. The plan compromises of 5 daily replacement meals with 1 lean and green meal. This is called the 5 & 1 Plan. The average expected weight loss is 2-5 lbs per week. Yet when reading reviews most individuals are losing considerable amounts more a week and doing safely with Medifast!

The Medifast diet plan is great for those who have a busy lifestyle and don’t have the time to shop, prepare and cook several meals a day; hence the name Medifast. Your meals and snacks are delivered right to your own door all of which can be ordered on-line or over the phone for your complete convenience.

In fact, Medifast has 70 menu choices to choose from that allows you to personalize based on your taste and dietary restrictions, ranging from kosher to lactose-free. Medifast even has a meal plan made specifically for women and their unique dietary needs.

The good thing about Medifast is that it does not offer itself as a long-term solution. Medifast looks at your goal and works to get you there. With their diet plans, customer service excellence and faith in the Medifast products, you will be thrilled with the results that Medifast can give you.

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Foundation

Reducing calories to lose weight is a scientific formula based on plenty of research studies and sound evidence. Scientists estimate that 1lb of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. By creating a deficit each day of 500 in your calorie expenditure, you should see a one pound weight loss each week. This is the recommended amount for safe and sustainable dieting.

In addition to reducing your calorie intake, burning 250-500 calories a day through exercise can help you lose an extra 1/2-1 pound more each week. Muscles burn more calories than fat. Therefore, building muscle will make a considerable difference to your body’s metabolism.

Restricting your calorie intake has been shown to improve health, reduce aging, reduce blood pressure and have a host of other benefits! Overeating puts stress on your body by making your organs work harder. The cumulative stress of years of big meals can really take a toll on your body.

Diet

There’s no real restriction on the types of food you eat; merely eat less than you normally do. Eat healthier foods: fruits, vegetables and low-calorie proteins, such as beans, chicken or turkey (without the skin), water-packed tuna, steamed/baked fish, egg whites, low fat yogurt and milk.

It takes a while to learn the calorific content of foods, but it’s well worth it. Once you start eating healthier foods, you will actually find yourself turning down high calorie foods without even thinking about it.

If you get hungry in between meals, here are some great low-calorie snack ideas:

• Low calorie Jell-O
• Thin crisps with sliced banana
• Protein bars (Zone and Luna bars – great chocolate substitutes!)
• Popcorn
• Bowl of cherries
• Low-calorie yogurt or pudding cup

Calorie Restriction: Pros

• By putting an emphasis on high volume, low calorie foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low calorie meats, you ensure your body is getting all of the nutrients it needs.
• The diet is easy to understand, and there is little restrictions on the types of food you can eat.
• Calorie restriction is a light diet that doesn’t overburden your digestive system – you won’t feel over-full and sluggish.
• If you do end up cheating with a high-calorie junk food snack, that’s fine. Just be sure to restrict your calories for the rest of the day.
• Longer life, better health, lower blood pressure and more!

Calorie Restriction: Cons

• You’re always counting calories, and need full knowledge of the caloric content of every food. Its still a diet remember!
• Careful of restaurant foods. They are full of hidden butters, creams & oils, that can contribute to extra calorie consumption.

Calorie Restriction: Recipe

Wild Rice with Enoki Mushrooms (280 calories per person)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup wild rice( (300cal)
• 3.5oz Enoki mushrooms (40cal)
• 2 bouillon tablets (60cal)
• 2 tablespoons of a shallot (14 cal)
• 4 pressed garlic(20 cal)
• 1 tbsp olive oil(120 cal)
• Salt
• Pepper

Add the bouillon to 1/2 cup of wild rice, bring to the boil, then simmer for 40 mins. With 5 minutes to go for the rice, sauté the Enoki mushrooms, garlic and shallot. When the wild rice is ready, add the sautéed vegetables to the pot with 3 sprigs of Oregano and mix together.

Season to taste and serve on a flat plate. This should serve 2 people, and at 280 calories each its great for a light lunch or dinner.

Are you committing gym no-no’s that have others around you silently cringing? What if you are and you don’t even know it?

Most gyms and health clubs have a list of rules that their patrons need to follow when using the facilities. These policies are put in place to insure that the work out area stays comfortable, organized and sanitary for all users. The rules tend to be the same for most gyms and it is important that you abide by them to make the workout experience pleasant for all. Below is a list of these rules and other important gym etiquette that shows consideration of others around you.

Practice Good Hygiene

There is nothing worse than working out and right next to you is someone emitting a foul body odor. This is disruptive and bothersome to the people trying to get a work out done, but instead are being distracted and repulsed by someone who chooses not to wear deodorant or wash their workout clothes on a regular basis.

On the flip side, don’t overload on perfumes and other strong scents that could be equally distracting to other exercisers and may even cause breathing difficulties for those with asthma.

Don’t Hog the Machines

There is usually a 30 minute time limit for cardio machines at busy times in the gym. This is to ensure that all members get a chance to use them. Respect these times. If you want to have a longer cardio session, then switch to another machine, or do some weights and come back afterwards.

Clean Up After Yourself

This is one of the most important rules to follow. After using a machine, free weights or even a gym mat, whether you have sweated or not, wipe it down. All gyms have sanitary sprays or wipes and you must use them. This prevents the spread of germs and will help keep all members healthy.

You Leave It, You Lose It

This applies to all equipment in the gym, but has specific reference to the weight lifting machines. Yes it is recommended to take breaks in between sets but do not wander off and expect to just hop back on the machine. Other users cannot keep tabs on where you go and shouldn’t have to. To keep a machine, just take your break beside it, so that everyone knows it is still being used.

Sticking to these simple rules of etiquette will ensure that your gym experience, as well as that of your fellow gym members, will be more enjoyable.

Diets, detoxes, healthy eating. The summer is probably the best time to do any of these things, because your body doesn’t need as much food to sustain itself.

Weekends are often difficult to make nutritional changes, so try making some changes Monday through Friday. It is remarkably easier packing yourself a different lunch than making two separate meals for you and your family on the weekends. Plus, people enjoy indulging in the finer things on the weekends.

If this is your first time doing a detox, consult with your doctor prior to making any drastic changes to your diet. If you have done a detox before, follow these tips to improve your detox experience and efficiency!

All Natural Detox Tip #1 – Eliminate Coffee

Most people are wary to give up coffee altogether, since growing accustomed to the stimulus often more than once a day. To curb these cravings or any coffee-withdrawal headaches try drinking green tea. Most people are loath to give up coffee, even for 5 days of the week. The question for these people is: if you can’t give it up for 5 days, isn’t it a sure sign you’re addicted?

All Natural Detox Tip #2 - Eat Lots of Colorful Foods

Vegetables and fruits provide all the natural sugar intake you could want – the brighter, the more abundant, the better. Fruits and vegetables are high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that help prevent and treat diseases.

Fruits and vegetables are low in glycemic index, so those with diabetes or other sugar-restricted diets should still be able to eat as much as they desire.

All Natural Detox Tip #3 - Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day

This is one of the most important aspects of detoxing your body. Water flushes yoru system of unwanted waste; helps boost your metabolism; and gives you a feeling of fullness longer. Water also helps keep your energy up.

A summer detox is a great way to make your body healthy as it enters into the colder months. You will feel cravings often, but it’s probably nothing that a tall glass of water can’t cure. If your cravings are over-whelming, judge on a scale of 1-10 how bad it is. If it’s a 1, forget about it. If it’s a 5, stay strong! It could be worse! If your craving is a 10 out of 10, try a tall glass of water and counting to 100 to get your mind off it.

Many people want to know how to lose weight fast. However, some people do not truly understand the aspects and concepts behind quick weight loss. To understand how to quickly lose weight, you must first understand a bit about your body and how it works.

Here are not only some tips to help you lose weight, but also explanations as to why they work.

Eat Small Meals
You don’t need to starve yourself, and you truly don’t need to limit the types of food you eat, though it does help. If you eat several very small meals throughout the day, rather than three large meals, you will have an easier time shedding the pounds.

When you consume large meals, your body does not digest all the food. Instead, it takes a portion and stores it as fat for a future energy supply. If you feed your body large amounts of food, it will not have enough time to break down all the various particles before the food passes into the next digestive phase. Therefore, instead of breaking down the food and using it as energy, it reserves it.

Stay Active
Even if you don’t have enough time in a day to dedicate an hour to exercise, you can still take certain measures to make sure you are staying active. For example, the next time you need to ascend to the upper floors of a building, take the stairs instead of an elevator. Also, if you need to go somewhere that is close by, walk or take a bike, instead of driving.

There are always small ways you can stay active. Sometimes, all it takes is a little creativity and desire to lose weight.

Consider Diet Pills
Some people do not like the idea of taking supplementary diet pills, but many of them are safe to use. These pills help boost your metabolism, allowing it to burn more calories than it would on its own. If you have any fears about taking foreign pills, consult with your doctor or physician first. They can tell you how your body will react to dietary supplement pills.

There are also diet pills that put necessary vitamins and nutrient in your body. Certain vitamins and nutrients also help boost your metabolism, along with helping your immune system.

Do Cardio Exercises
Cardio exercises specifically target your extra fat, rather than your muscles. Muscle training, such as lifting weights, is great for building strength and tone, but poor when trying to burn fat — though it does burn some fat. The best exercises for burning fat are cardio exercises, such as running, swimming, stair climbing and other exercises.

You should not wonder how to lose weight fast; you should already know the answer. Hopefully these tips can help you not only understand what helps your body lose weight, but why certain things help your body lose weight.

It’s no mystery that a diet full of fried foods, giant portions, decadent desserts, alcohol, and sugary soft drinks will lead to weight gain. And there’s little question why the pounds pile up when you take in more calories than you burn in physical activity. But how do you explain weight gain when your lifestyle includes regular exercise and a healthy diet that is controlled in calories? Gaining weight is absolutely maddening, especially when you really don’t understand why the needle on the scale keeps going up.

Several things should be considered if you are gaining weight while watching calories and being physically active. More than likely, it’s a variety of things working together that have resulted in the weight gain.

“Weight gain is so complicated; there are so many factors that can impact your weight. It is more likely a combination of things more than just one factor,” explains Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don’t Work.

Here are five factors that can cause the scale to creep up when you least expect it.

1. You Might Be Gaining Weight Because of Lack of Sleep
The body functions best when well rested. “When you don’t get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and, biochemically, you store fat more efficiently,” says May.

When you’re tired, you also don’t handle stress as well, so you may reach for food as a coping mechanism. Further, you may be taking in extra calories from late-night snacking. Some people think eating might help them get back to sleep, but all it really does is add more calories to their daily total.

Symptoms that you may not be getting enough rest include fatigue, low energy levels, nodding off easily, and feeling irritable.

Strive to get eight hours of sleep each night.

“Add about 15 minutes to your bedtime and see how you feel,” suggests May. “Continue to experiment with additional 15-minute increments until you find the … amount of sleep that is right for you.”

When you develop good sleeping rituals and get regular exercise, you sleep better, she adds.

2. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Stress
We live in a society that demands we do more, be more, and achieve more. Stress moves us forward and helps cope with life’s demands, but it also affects our mood and emotions.

“Stress response, whether it is ‘fight-or-flight,’ juggling too many responsibilities, or coping with financial pressures, triggers a biochemical process where our bodies go into survival mode,” explains May. “Our bodies store fuel, slow down metabolism, and dump out chemicals [cortisol, leptin, and other hormones] which are more likely to cause … obesity in the abdominal region.”

Many people reach for food to help ease the stress. But, of course, this doesn’t work in the long run.

“Food is a temporary fix because it does not deal with the real stressors that must be addressed in order to reduce the trigger for eating and fix the problem,” says May.

Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, says stress eaters tend to prefer high-carbohydrate foods because these foods trigger an increase in the brain chemical serotonin, which has a calming effect. “It is almost like self-medicating,” she says. “Many people binge on starchy foods to make themselves feel better.”

Both May and Bowerman recommend relaxation techniques as well as exercise, which also burns calories and provides other health benefits.

3. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Medications
Some prescription drugs used to treat depression, mood disorders, seizures, migraines, blood pressure, and diabetes can cause weight gain, from a modest amount to as much as 10 pounds per month. Some steroids, hormone replacement therapy, and even oral contraceptives may also cause gradual weight creep. Your medicine cabinet might be the cause of your weight gain if you’ve gained 5 or more pounds in a month without a change in your lifestyle.

“Every drug works a little differently to cause weight gain, from increasing appetite, altering the way fat is stored, to how insulin levels change,” says May. “And not all drugs have the same side effects on all people.”

In the case of antidepressants, weight gain may not even be related to the action of the drug — feeling better can also result in a heartier appetite. Some drugs can cause fluid retention that shows up on the scale as weight gain, but is not fat, and is usually easily corrected.

Experts say that some of the most common types of medications that may cause weight gain are:

• Steroids
• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics
• Antiseizure medications
• Diabetes medications
• High blood pressure medications
• Heartburn medications

But it’s important to remember that a few extra pounds may be well worth the trade-off of what a particular medication does for your overall health, experts say. Further, even if your medications are the cause of your weight gain, you still need to be mindful of eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.

“Rarely is the problem solved with a change in meds,” says May. “These things can contribute, but rarely are the sole cause of the weight gain.”

If you suspect your medication is causing weight gain, talk to your health care provider to see about changing your prescription. But whatever you do, don’t go off your medication without seeking medical advice.

“There could be very serious consequences if you stop taking your medication without consulting your physician,” says May.

4. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of a Medical Condition
The most common medical condition that causes weight gain is hypothyroidism. A deficiency of thyroid hormone can decrease metabolism, causing appetite loss and weight gain.

“If you are feeling fatigued, lethargic, swelling, hoarse voice, intolerance to cold, sleeping too much, or headaches, you should see your doctor for an easy test to determine if you have hypothyroidism,” says May.

Much rarer is a condition known as Cushing’s syndrome — a disorder caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol — that can also result in weight gain.

5. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Menopause
Women reach menopause at a range of ages, but most are in midlife and are often less physically active than when they were younger. Along with aging comes a natural slowing of metabolism. At the same time, hormonal changes can trigger hunger, depression, and poor sleep.

“It is multifactoral. When women go through menopause, they lose estrogen, causing their shapes to change — usually a loss of hip and thigh weight. And they start to gain more in the middle,” says Bowerman. She explains that estrogen favors fat deposition in the lower body, and when you lose this hormone, fat is more likely to be deposited in the midsection (much like men). This spare tire around the middle has been not so affectionately called the “menopot.”

The key to avoiding this extra belly fat is to maintain and increase the amount of lean body mass, which will, in turn, increase your metabolism or calorie burn rate.

“Women need to understand how critically important weight lifting and strength training is to their health,” says Bowerman. And don’t worry, doing strength training won’t make women muscle-bound, experts say.

Exercise also helps offset bone loss that can come with menopause. A combination of exercise and a healthy, calorie-controlled diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is the answer to thwarting menopausal weight gain.

During any one year, more than half of all Americans go on a diet to lose weight. For many people, it is difficult to lose more than a few pounds, and few succeed in keeping those pounds off. The difficulty in losing weight and keeping it off leads many people to turn to a professional or commercial weight loss program for help. When considering joining a weight loss program, choose wisely.

Almost any of the commercial weight loss programs will help you meet your goals, but only if you are motivated enough to decrease the amount of calories you eat or increase the amount of calories you burn through physical activity each day (or both).

What Should I Look for In a Weight Loss Program?
Make sure it is safe. Whether you create your own weight loss program or use a commercial one, make sure it is safe. A safe diet should include all of the recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for vitamins, minerals, and protein. The diet should be lower in calories (energy) only, not in essential vitamins or minerals. In general, a diet containing 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day should be selected for most women; a diet between 1,200 calories per day and 1,600 calories per day should be chosen for men, however, speak with your doctor first.

Slow, steady weight loss. The program should be directed toward slow, steady weight loss unless your doctor feels your health condition would benefit from more rapid weight loss. Expect to lose only about a pound a week after the first week or two. With many calorie-restricted diets, there is an initial rapid weight loss during the first one to two weeks, but this loss is largely fluid. The initial rapid loss of fluid also is regained rapidly when you return to a normal-calorie diet. Thus, a reasonable goal of weight loss should be expected. The rate of weight loss should be 1 pound to 2 pounds each week.

When inquiring about a commercial weight loss program, be sure you are provided with a detailed statement of fees and costs of additional items such as dietary supplements or foods. Other important questions to ask of any potential weight loss program include:

• Does the staff consist of qualified counselors and health professionals such as registered dietitians, doctors, and exercise physiologists?
• Are food choices flexible and suitable?
• Are weight loss goals set by the client and/or the health professional?
• What percentage of people complete the program?
• What is the average weight loss among people who finish the program?
• What percentage of people have problems or side effects? What are they?
• Is there a maintenance program to help keep the weight off once it’s lost?

If you plan to lose more than 15 pounds to 20 pounds, have any health problems, or take medication on a regular basis, your doctor should evaluate you before you start a weight loss program. A doctor can assess your general health and medical conditions that might be affected by dieting and weight loss.

Also, a doctor should be able to recommend appropriate programs and help you come up with a sensible weight loss goal. If you plan to use a very-low-calorie diet, you definitely should be examined and monitored by a doctor.

What Should I Look for in a Weight Loss Program?

Your weight loss program should include plans for weight maintenance after the weight loss phase is over. It is of little benefit to lose a large amount of weight only to regain it.

Weight maintenance is the most difficult part of controlling weight and is not consistently implemented in weight loss programs. The program you select should help you improve your dietary habits, increase your physical activity, and help you change other lifestyle habits that may have contributed to your weight gain in the past.

Being overweight is too often viewed as a temporary problem that can be treated for a few months with a strenuous diet. However, as most overweight people know, weight control must be considered a lifelong effort. To be safe and effective, any weight loss program must address the long-term approach or else the program is largely a waste of money and effort.

Turns out, it’s not the occasional piece of Death by Chocolate Cake that does in our weight loss efforts. It’s the universal wish to lose a lot of weight ASAP and the expectation that we can simply diet it away easily.

Weight control experts call it the false-hope syndrome — when dieters have unrealistic expectations about exactly how long it will take to shed excess pounds.

Unfortunately, research shows that unrealistic expectations boost the risk of dropping out of a weight loss program. And though at least one study has found that dieters may temporarily eat less if their expectations are too high, that undereating may be replaced by overeating at the very next temptation.

Experts agree that unrealistic weight loss objectives are counter-productive and can trigger failure. The best way to go: smaller, realistic goals, says Janet Polivy, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Toronto at Mississauga, Canada.

The question is: How do you set realistic weight loss goals?

5 Ways to Set Sensible Weight Loss Goals
When WebMD asked the experts for their tips on setting realistic weight loss goals, their recommendations came down to a few simple strategies. But before you put these to use, remember to talk your weight loss plans over with your doctor.

Resolve to lose slowly
“Medically, most clinicians would say goals of losing five to 10 percent [of your start weight] are achievable,” says Jennifer A. Linde, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

So if you weigh 200 pounds, a reachable target would be to lose 10 to 20 pounds.

Do the math.
“A realistic goal is losing 1 to 2 pounds a week to stay healthy,” says Linde.

That means being realistic about your time frame. If you need to lose 25 pounds, figure you are embarking on at least a three-month program. Fifty pounds? Assume a time frame of at least six months. Aim to burn 500 to 1000 calories a day either by eating less, exercising more, or both.

Set short term goals.
Reach for mini milestones. Instead of focusing on just losing 25 pounds, go for — and celebrate — that first 5-pound loss.

Track your progress.
Record your successes in a way that works for you. Take advantage of online programs, use a notebook, or keep a journal. Whatever keeps you on track.

Think about long-term goals.
“It’s OK to think big, Linde says, “but it may mean starting small and working towards a big goal.”

So if your long-term goal is losing 50 pounds in a year, for example, maybe your short-term goal is getting through the day without eating too much.

There’s an old saying: Lose it slowly, keep it off. This adage makes sense for at least one reason: Losing weight slowly means you’ve had time to adopt new behaviors, like eating less and exercising more.

And when you focus on the process of changing your habits — not just on losing weight — those new and healthier habits will be a big boost in helping you attain your weight loss goals.