Tag nutrition

Sometimes we may find ourselves easily swayed by impressive ads and glowing reviews. If you’re looking for the best pre workout supplement, you need to choose carefully. There are a lot of options available, and picking the right one can be just as challenging as picking the right workouts and exercise programs.

One of the best ways to help you choose the best pre workout supplement is to focus on the contents as they relate to what you want to personally accomplish.

The content labels of specialty pre workout supplements will generally have some, if not all, of these nutrients:

• Arginine. This is an amino acid that maintains hormone and immune function, helps the kidney extract waste products from the body, and even helps your wounds heal. As a workout supplement, it helps because it changes into nitric oxide that boosts your blood circulation and helps blood vessels to relax.
• Beta-Alanine. Working in partnership with creatine, beta-alanine can increase your strength and also enables you to work out longer. It also combines with histidine in your muscles to form carnosine. The carnosine is crucial for muscle recovery and gaining strength.
• Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). These are the combinations of three amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, and valine) popular among workout fanatics. Taking BCAAs can boost your energy and hasten muscle recovery. It also improves your stamina.
• Caffeine. Just as a lot of people need caffeine to start their day, many people who work out take supplements that contain caffeine. Caffeine wakes up the nervous system and it helps to keep fatigue at bay. It can also help you maintain your focus but don’t overindulge. What’s important is not to use products with caffeine on the label because that is synthetic caffeine; use products that contain real plants that contain caffeine such as green tea for an example.
• Citrulline. This is the duo of the amino acid citrulline and malic acid. As a combo it increases the volume of your cells. It also gets rid of ammonia in your body, thereby improving your blood flow and boosting your energy. It’s also a precursor to arginine.
• Creatine. Depending on who you’re talking to, the best pre workout supplement will probably contain creatine, as many fitness buffs consider it a requirement for exercise workouts. It’s probably the most popular supplement of all time for bodybuilders. Creatine works by pulling water into your muscles cells. This gives a quick burst of energy in your body and makes it possible for you to do a few more reps.
• Glycerol. This is converted by your liver into glucose, which your body uses as fuel. A lot of endurance athletes also love glycerol because of its hydrating benefits. It helps you to retain greater levels of fluids in your system, for a longer period of time. Body builders like it too because it improves vascular function; it dilates blood vessels.
• Taurine. It pulls more water for better muscle pump. It also improves the strength and endurance of your muscles, and encourages the production of nitric oxide which then increases the blood flow to your muscles.

For the record, we’re not saying that testimonials are useless when you’re choosing the best pre workout supplement for you. But you shouldn’t just believe everything you read online (or offline for that matter). Read the product’s labels first, find out what it contains and then make a decision that fits your personal workout routine and health goals.

Do You Need Extra Minerals and Vitamins for Energy?

Oftentimes, we feel run down and bone-tired, and that’s not always because we’re overworked. There may be another cause and the good news is that there is something we can do about it.

For many of us, the fatigue is caused by insufficient nutrients and vitamins in our diets. Below, you’ll find an easy nutritional fix that works for many people and if you need more than that because you work or workout hard, there’s an answer for that too.

In order to avoid this problem, you should have sufficient amounts of these minerals and vitamins for energy in your body:

1. Magnesium. Fatigue is one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency, along with muscle cramps, insomnia, irritability, rapid heartbeats, and high blood pressure. You need magnesium to make ATP, which is the main molecule in your body that produces energy. If your body doesn’t have enough magnesium, your cells will not be able to produce enough energy and you end up with chronic fatigue. Studies have revealed that just about everyone with chronic fatigue syndrome doesn’t have enough magnesium in their systems. For most of these people, taking magnesium supplements boosts their energy levels. Deficiency of this mineral is so common that taking a magnesium supplement when you’re always feeling tired is very likely to solve the problem. But if taking more magnesium worsens the symptoms, then this indicates that calcium deficiency is the likely culprit.
2. Vitamin B12. This is one of the most important vitamins for energy you need to consume, so you need to make sure you have enough of it. In fact, some studies show that taking B12 can dramatically boost your energy, even if there’s no deficiency. Vitamin B12 is crucial in the manufacture of red blood cells, as well as for proper digestion and absorption of food, metabolism of fats and carbs, and for protein synthesis. No wonder Dr. Oz emphasized B12’s importance in his program!
3. Iron. Fatigue is one of the main causes of iron deficiency, so if you get tired easily after exerting just a bit of effort you may want to supplement your iron level. You need iron to make hemoglobin, which is the part of the red blood cells that carries oxygen. If the tissues in your body don’t get enough oxygen, fatigue develops. However, before you immediately take iron supplements you should have your iron levels tested because excessive amounts of iron in the body can also cause fatigue.
4. Vitamin B9 or folic acid. Along with vitamin B12, you need folic acid to make red blood cells. Folic acid deficiencies are common, since the very act of cooking your food destroys the folic acid it contains. Insufficient folic acid levels can also lead to megaloblastic anemia. However, if you are lacking in vitamin B12 and you take Vitamin B9 instead, this may hide the symptoms of the vitamin B12 deficiency. So first check that you don’t have vitamin B12 deficiency before you take folic acid.

These are some of the most common minerals and vitamins that are sometimes lacking in our diets and when we don’t have sufficient levels of them, fatigue will surface. If you already supplement and know that you are getting complete fully balanced nutrients, you may want to consider specialty energy products.

The Healthiest Minerals and Vitamins for Energy Will Be All Natural

You can find products that are designed with healthy minerals and vitamins for energy enhancement but stay away from the varieties that contain artificial stimulants such as caffeine. Artificial or synthetic anything is not a very good choice at all. Most energy type drinks on the market are terribly bad for you.

Instead, opt for nutritional supplements that naturally produce energy. The same thing applies when you’re looking to increase your stamina during a workout or hard physical work or when you’re wanting help in quick recovery after strenuous exercise.

Consuming Minerals and Vitamins for Energy is Not Enough

Of course, simply consuming minerals and vitamins for energy won’t be enough. It’s important that you make sure you have a healthy and balanced diet that includes protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats as well. With a balanced diet and adequate vitamins, minerals and fresh water, you can be healthier and feel more energetic day in and day out.

Following a rapid weight loss diet is a short term fix for something that needs a long term remedy. It’s like using a band aid when you need stitches. For the most part, many will say that rapid weight loss diet does not look like a “diet” at all.

These diet plans often include some drastic cut down on carbs and calories. This is not a good idea because that will make the body react in an equally drastic manner.

A lot of the times, these diet plans are not designed by proper nutritionists and just basing the design on their personal experience. What worked for them does not necessarily will work for you.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of such crash diets.

Rapid Weight Loss Diet Pros

Produces Results

Rapid weight loss diet does produce weight loss in a very short amount of time. Slashing down on carbohydrates and calories will definitely drop your weight because your body is no longer getting the same amount that it used to have to maintain the weight. Simply put, slashing carbs and calories will make you weigh less.

Short Term Goal

Rapid weight loss diets are great for people who just want to lose weight for a single event. This is definitely the case for the most part and I would not suggest rapid weight loss diets to be used for extended amounts of time. But for short term goals, it is indeed perfect.

Rapid Weight Loss Diet Cons

Rapid Weight Loss is Downright Unhealthy

As mentioned earlier, rapid weight loss diets are suitable for short term use specifically because they are not healthy to be followed for extended amount of time. Slashing carbs and calories from your diet for extended amount of time will cause the body to go to starvation mode and conserve what it can and can even has the opposite effect in the long run. You might very well gain instead of lose weight.

No Studies To Support All Claims

There are simply no substantial studies done on what rapid weight loss diets can do to the body if used on a regular basis. Your body needs calories and carbohydrates to function properly and there are some rapid weight loss diets that includes diminished water intake which is a no-no since our bodies are made up of at least 70% water. Sure you might get thinner but you will hardly look great if you have dry skin and hardly any meat in you.

If you noticed, I hardly had anything to write about the pros because there is simply not that many advantage for rapid weight loss diets. These diets are more like gimmicks than anything else. A proper diet plan should include carbs, calories, protein, fat and fiber and cutting out one of those things can have adverse effect in your health later on.

Being healthy is a long term goal and should not be rushed because not every body reacts the same way. You have to get to know your own body and how it reacts to change before a great nutritional plan can be created. If someone really wants to lose weight, he or she needs to put in the hard work and eat properly to achieve a healthy and sustainable weight loss plan.

Five Tips to Control Portion Sizes While Losing Weight

Diet is an important part of weight loss. Nutrition if about 70% of your overall goal and if you get it properly, you are well on your way to getting that body that you have always wanted. Eating more often with smaller meals is one of the best ways to improve your metabolism and therefore your body size.

Controlling the portion to actually make it a “small” meal is the key. Without properly portioning our smaller meals, we might end up having 6 regular sized meals instead of smaller meals which will takes us to the opposite direction of our goal. Some would just slash down their regular meals and then have some kind of shake between their meals but that might not work so well for some so here are a few easy tips so that we can portion a better and more balanced meal.

Have Some Salad

Having some salad before dinner will curb that appetite and the fibers in the salad will make us fuller. Include some protein in your salad though for additional energy that way you will feel fuller at dinner and not eat a lot. Dinner is an important meal to lessen because you are about to sleep and our bodies tend to not use a lot of energy at this time and therefore if we eat a lot, our bodies will convert the remaining resources to fat.

Buy in Smaller Servings

Buy snacks in smaller servings. Do not buy a gallon of ice cream instead, buy a pint so that you will not be tempted to finish it while in front of the T.V. Smaller sized snacks will of course make you eat less and therefore easier to manage weight. But don’t buy smaller sized snacks but place them all next to you because you will just be tempted to open them and that will just be the same thing.

Eliminate The Possibility Of Seconds

This can be done easier by not serving your meals in large containers. Put your meal on a plate and finish it. Chew longer to make it easier for your body to digest the food and therefore process it better. Slower chewing also will give your body time to let you know that you are actually already full.

Mix and Match Your Meals

We are used to making salads the side dish. This time, make meat your side dish and load up on veggies and healthy grains. This will make you feel fuller faster because of the fiber in the veggies and the meat will just make things taste better. Protein is important in every meal too so make sure that you choose lean meat sources.

Master Kid Servings

If you have a kid and you cook for them, start measuring your meals the same way you measure theirs. This is an easy way to portion your meals better and can be easier on your pocket too. Having smaller meals will be easier this way and if you have a kid that enjoys eating with you, then this can also be a fun way to get into a proper diet plan.

Does Willpower Help With Your Weight Loss Journey?

Willpower is something that all of us have. Some have more of it, some have less but it is something that will certainly be useful when you are trying to achieve a goal. As they say, nothing worth achieving can be done overnight. And that applies to your weight loss journey too.

You cannot expect to lose 5 pounds in two weeks because that cannot be safely and naturally done. It can be done but it often include some medical intervention using some kind of dietary supplement that often have some side-effects that is not included in the fine print.

A weight loss journey often includes some changes in lifestyle and diet. These changes are a big deal and that is why a lot of people fail because they try to take the journey without one essential component of any endeavor and that is willpower. A weak willpower will make you eat that double chocolate cake at night when nobody is watching and make you gain back the weight that you have worked so hard to lose the past week.

A weak will power will make you finish your set at 8 repetitions when you should be doing 15. Willpower oftentimes spells the difference between success and failure. Here are a few things that willpower can do for you.

Better Workout Sessions

Having willpower will allow you to push that last couple of reps in your sets and even a couple more beyond your target. Willpower will often be the one that will get you in the gym in the first place. It allows you to push harder, run longer and improve the quality of your workout every time you come in. That will then allow you to burn more fat and feel better about yourself because you can actually feel the strength that you get from all that pumping and pulling.

This Pushes Us To Improve Your Diet

We all know that it is very hard to replace that chocolate cake with a carrot or chicken breast but an improvement in the diet is necessary if we are to improve our body composition and weight. Willpower will play a great role in pushing through this change in your diet because at the end of the day, you know that what you put in your body is healthy and will benefit you. Willpower will even get you through the change in taste. Something as simple as that can derail people from their diet plan without a strong willpower.

Gives Us The Strength To Commit

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and willpower will play a big part on this as well. Committing to change a few things in our lives can be very challenging like passing on those weekends spent on bars and parties. You don’t have to say no to all of them but you do have to make sure that you do not go out very often because that’s when you don’t get to sleep properly and end up drinking all night.

All those brews that you downed last night will have to be burned again in the gym and if you are too tired to hit the gym in the first place, then that makes things worst. Willpower will help us say no to some of these things because we know that it will be for our own good.

Don’t Complicate Your Weight Loss Goal Simplify It

Weight loss is actually simpler than most would expect. It is all about having the right nutrition and workout plan. The hard part seems to be following the set plan. Of course, it will involve changes in your routine because not changing it will give you the same result. As someone once said, if you want to keep on getting what you are getting, keep on doing what you are doing. It is very simple and yet very true. So to ignite change in your weight and ultimately physique, there has to be some changes done. Here are some tips on keeping it simple.

Stick To One Diet Plan

A good diet plan should have a good portion of protein, carbohydrates, calories, fiber and even fat. A good nutrition plan will allow someone to keep getting the right amount of energy to workout and actually produce results. When you go on a crash diet, sooner than later, the body will run out of resources and you will lose the energy to workout. Without working out, you will get thin but you will not just be losing fat but muscle as well. Losing both fat and muscle will make you look more like a twig than an hourglass.

Don’t Take Too Many Diet Supplements

A lot of people turn to “diet” supplements that offer outrageous claims of weight lose and using such supplements will not really be healthy. Many do not have appropriate research backing them up and thus is unsafe for continued use. If you hang your hopes of weight loss on supplements, you are fighting a losing battle. Stick to a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement and have a proper diet and you should be good to go.

Keep Up The Hard Work

Working out is an important part of weight lose. Our daily activities often include us being glued to an office chair and minimal physical activities. Our bodies need to be active and sweat regularly to get rid of toxins as well as keep the muscles working. Our ancestors lived a lot longer because they lived active lives and losing weight is not a big deal for them because they more or less are in the ideal weight range to begin with. But for use, just include an hour of physical activity a day and losing weight will be a lot simpler.

Don’t Let Go

This might very well be the key to keep weight loss simple. Don’t let go too early. Oftentimes, people let go and stop the routine before their bodies have reacted to it and produce noticeable results. It’s not as simple as switching a light bulb. Remember that you had years and years in building the weight that you are trying to lose so don’t expect to get rid of it in two months.

These simple pointers will keep weight lose simple and you don’t have to get on the hype of the new age weight lose gimmicks. The formula of weight loss has been around for a long time and it is as simple as the pointers mentioned above. Just keep it up and you will get there in a healthy manner.

5 Reasons Why Weight Loss Is Hard To Achieve

Weight loss is a simple concept that a lot of people are having a hard time achieving. It seems to be quite simple, exercise + proper nutrition = weight loss right? Well, it is that simple in a nutshell but a lot of people get lost on the proper execution of it. Having the right ingredients and a cookbook does not guarantee a fine meal; does it?

Here are a few things why we have been having a hard time reaching that ideal weight that we are aiming for and below that, some weight loss tips you can use any season of the year.

Weight Loss Struggle 1 – Impatience

A lot of diet and exercise programs before had long time tables but since a lot of people prefer a quick fix, many unsustainable diet fads and exercise programs have popped up. Many people tend to lose interest way before their bodies have adapted to the program and show any results. Being impatient never has benefited anybody when it comes to fitness. The winning formula remains to be perseverance and hard work. Working out and sweating for a week will not get rid of the flab that you have put on for years. Have faith in your program and diet plan and you will see results in time.

Weight Loss Struggle 2 – Cheating

This goes to the exercise and diet too. When doing the exercise, do not cheat your way through your workout. Follow strict form and make sure that you follow your trainer on what to lift and how many repetitions you have to do. Do not say that “that’s too heavy” or “that’s too light”. You have a trainer for a reason so follow their advice. If you are one of the people who is able to afford a nutritionist, follow the programs that they have designed for you. Don’t have a hidden stack of chocolate or secretly buy ice cream or cake on your way home. You are not cheating anybody but yourself.

Weight Loss Struggle 3 – Lifestyle

Losing weight is not a quick fix. It often requires an overhaul of ones lifestyle. Losing weight requires changing a few of you routines and that includes what you buy and bring home to the house. It also involves limiting some of your normal daily activities like watching T.V. and how much time you spend online. The reason people in the old days are a lot more fit than most of us now is because they did not spend every waking hours in the house watching T.V. and chatting online.

Weight Loss Struggle 4 – Target Weight

Make sure that you set an achievable goal so that you can actually get to it. Please don’t aim to lose 5 lbs. in a week because you will just be breaking your heart. An achievable goal is like 10 lbs in 2 months. That can still be hard for some and depends entirely on your dedication to the goal but this is where your personal trainer can be of help because a reasonable goal depends on many things like eating habits, genetics, how hard your workout programs is and more so a clear communication with your trainer is key not only in setting the target weight but on how to achieve it.

Weight Loss Struggle 5 – No Support System

Losing weight is kind of like recovering from an addiction in many ways. You also will need a strong support system because it simply cannot be done alone. Your family and/or friend can provide you the emotional support that you will need and your trainer will provide the push that you will inevitably need when you get to the point that you are getting tired and thinks that you cannot go on.

Weight Loss Tips For the Summer, Winter, Fall and Spring

Losing weight can be quite an ordeal but the summer is one of the few reasons that can really push someone to lose weight. Many want to go to the beach and have a beach worthy body, some just wants to fit in to that bikini but whatever it is the reason, losing weight still has the same formula for success.

Choose a Proper Nutrition Plan

Notice I said nutrition instead of diet? Because nowadays, it seems that the definition of the word diet is closer to “starving” than an actual diet. You do not have to avoid food. You just have to take in the proper nutrients in the proper proportions. Do not completely cut out carbohydrates in your diet because that will put your body into survival mode and actually try to reserve as much as it can and therefore produce “stored” energy a.k.a fats. The old pattern of eating smaller meals more often is still a great way to go as long as you get enough nutrients in a day. You can cut back on carbs and calories but not complete taking them out of your diet.

Get More Sleep

It sounds counter-productive but sleep actually helps you lose fat. People who do not get enough sleep generally eat more to try and boost themselves. Most will turn to caffeine and sugar for that boost of energy. But regular intake of simple sugar will cause more fat. Making sure that you get 6 to 8 hours of sleep allows your body to recover from your day and when you wake up, you will feel energized naturally.

Do Cardio Exercises

You burn calories a lot faster if you include cardio in your workout routine. It depends on you what cardio you want to do but make sure that you do it properly. Also, if you are really serious on losing weight, you can do pure cardio on the days that you are not lifting weights. Make sure that you keep yourself hydrated though because the body needs water to turn fat into actual energy. Plus you don’t want to be hydrated and just collapse on the treadmill now do you?

Eat Slowly And Chew Your Food Properly

When you chew your food properly, the better it will be digested and processed by your body. This makes sure that all of the nutrients of what you are eating actually end up in the body and not the toilet. If you eat fast and don’t chew that much, big chunks of food end up in your digestive track and the harder it is for your body to digest them and most end up being wasted. Eating slow also allows your body to react properly and let you know that you are already full. Most of the time, when you eat fast, you don’t realize that you are already full fast enough so you end up eating more. The point is, give your body time to communicate with you.

Don’t Force Through Your Workout

Lifting too heavy weights when working out will not make you lose weight. As a matter of fact, you might even gain weight if you keep doing that. Muscle tissues are heavier than fat so you might have lost a lot of fat but gained muscle so for the scale, mass is mass. You might even gain instead of lose if you go all Arnold on the weights.

Stay Active

This is the simplest advice that you can get when it comes to getting that beach body. It’s simple enough that anybody gets it but effective enough to bring anybody results. It does not matter that much what you do as long as it gets you moving. Walk the dog more often, trust me even the dog will like this. Do some power-walking in the morning. Anything as long as it gets the blood pumping, do it more often.

Drink Healthy Green Smoothies and Maximize Your Weight Loss Goals

Drinking green smoothies is indeed very healthy and good for weight loss. In fact, you can drink them every day.

What’s more, you are free to choose your ingredients and you may also vary them from time to time. As there is a wide variety of veggies and fruits, you can actually explore more on the ingredients you use in your green smoothies.

Drinking green smoothies with the same ingredients day in and day out can be boring at times and you are only getting the same level of benefits.

Tips for Making the Most Out of Your Green Smoothies:

Add Several Slices of Avocado

Adding avocado to your smoothie will not only make it creamier but will also make it healthier since avocados are a good source of protein and fats.

Use Frozen Fruit

Organic frozen fruits are best for green smoothies. When you use frozen fruits in your smoothie, they will make your smoothie colder and thicker. Frozen strawberries, peaches and cherries are simply delicious. It is also a good idea to vary your fruit ingredients.

Add Nut Milk

Nut milk can also be added into the smoothie. Try to add almond milk to make your smoothie creamier. However, if you think your smoothie already tastes great, then you can just add a little water or ice.

Include Lots and Lots of Greens

It is a healthy way to include great amounts of greens in your smoothie as this will help flush out the toxins from your body. You can add red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, carrot greens, beet greens, kale, chard or spinach. For a more nutritious recipe, you can include more greens to your recipe. When you do this you do not only get a healthy dose of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants but also do something good to speed up your weight loss.

Aside from this, the presence of more greens will create a balance in the mixture and taste as they will reduce the sweet taste of fruits. Eating the same kinds of greens every day is not healthy as greens contain little amounts of alkaloids that if taken in large doses can cause toxicity. The key is to add different varieties of greens every other day. By doing this you will discover a whole new flavor each time you use a different variety.

Make it Deliciously Sweet

Although some fruits are naturally sweet, they are not created equal. One orange may taste sweet, while another orange may taste a bit tangy. To make your smoothie sweeter, you can add medjool dates, agave nectar, honey or more fruits. Medjool dates are quite healthy as they contain potassium and fiber. They are also good for digestion, boost your energy and reduce blood pressure.

Prepare a Different Green Smoothie Recipe Every Day

Trying a new recipe can be quite fun and exciting, and the same is true for smoothies. You can find many smoothie recipes online. Try every recipe if you can and make your own as well. Sooner or later you will find what tickles your taste buds the most.

7 Health Benefits of Including Green Smoothies in Your Diet

If you are looking for a tasty and nutritious drink, try drinking a green smoothie. Green smoothies contain ingredients that are essential for health improvement. Read on to see in what ways green smoothies can improve your health.

They Help You Lose Weight Naturally

One of the effective ways to lose weight is to drink green smoothies. They provide the minerals, vitamins, low-calorie whole food, fiber and nutrition you need for losing weight effectively, safely and quickly.

They Are Rich in Antioxidants

Green smoothies contain high levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants. These natural substances are important for your optimum fitness and health. Because of the presence of phytonutrients and antioxidants in green smoothies, your body is protected against diseases.

Green Smoothies Contain Lots of Fiber

Smoothies are more nutritious than vegetable or fruit juices due to their high fiber content. The whole vegetable and fruit used in smoothies are rich in nutrition and fiber. Fiber is good for the colon and essential for easy bowel movement. That is why smoothies are considered healthier compared to green juices.

They Improve Mental Focus and Clarity

A healthy diet can enhance your mental focus and clarity. Green smoothies are healthy alternatives to coffee, so it is a good idea to drink a delicious smoothie in the morning instead of a hot coffee. As they are caffeine-free, smoothies can provide greater energy and alertness. They can also reduce nervousness and anxiety.

They Reduce Your Appetite

Much like a wonder drink, green smoothies can help a lot in reducing your cravings for fats, salt, unhealthy sweets and junk foods. Whether you believe it or not, an amazing thing happens when you regularly drink smoothies, and that is, you will want to eat greens, veggies and fruits more instead of unhealthy foods.

They Help You Increase Consumption of Veggies and Fruits

According to the American Cancer Society, eating 5 to 9 servings of vegetables and fruits every day can prevent an individual from getting cancer or other diseases. Most people do not like the taste of vegetables so they rarely eat them. However, drinking a cold glass of green smoothie will do the trick. The most convenient and quickest way for you to consume some leafy, dark greens and vegetables without even tasting them is to eat them with fruits. This is possible when you prepare a nutritious green smoothie since the fruits you use will mask the flavor of the veggies. Thus, even though your smoothie may taste like strawberry, banana, mango or pineapple, you are still consuming healthy amounts of tomatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, and other types of veggies.

They Are Good for Your Skin

When you eat healthy foods, you get radiant and clearer skin. As they are good sources of fiber, green smoothies make it possible for you to get rid of body toxins properly and not through the skin. This explains why you get a healthy and glowing skin when you drink smoothies regularly.

Indeed, no drink or food is a surefire guarantee for weight loss. If the amounts of calories you take in are still more than what you burn, your efforts at weigh loss will be useless. You should be able to find a way to consistently burn calories by regularly exercising and following a healthy diet. Following a healthy diet means eating the right kinds of food and drinking healthy beverages such as green smoothies.

Green smoothies refer to blended beverages that contain leafy greens, veggies, healthy fats and fruits. Healthy fats include coconut, flax, hemp seeds and almonds. Examples of leafy greens are parsley, mint, Swiss or rainbow chard, wheat and barley grasses, kale and spinach.

The ingredients actually may vary, depending on the individual’s preference. Some people use all raw, fresh ingredients, while others use frozen fruits to create green smoothies with a thicker texture similar to that of an ice cream. However, the ideal smoothies for weight loss usually contain very few ingredients such as veggies, fruits and greens alone.

Green Smoothies are Low in Calories

More often than not, the ingredients that are used to make green smoothies are a combination of whole foods that are low in calories. Thus, they are considered as ideal drinks for losing weight. Chips and cookies or other high-calorie snack foods can be quite tempting, but drinking green smoothies instead of snacking on high-calorie foods is a wise strategy to lose weight.

Green Smoothies Keep You From Feeling Thirsty

According to experts, most people don’t actually drink 8 glasses of H2O daily. Some people, if not most, like the taste of sweet carbonated drinks or high-calorie beverages more than the taste of water, so they tend to buy these drinks more. Aside from that, most people choose beverages or drinks other than plain water to quench their thirst. These drinks primarily contain lots of sugar and great amounts of calories that can lead to weight gain. When preparing your smoothie, you can always add more H2O into it. By doing this, you will be able to drink more water and this will reduce your cravings for sweet or high-calorie drinks.

Green Smoothies are Very Filling

The veggies and fruits present in your green smoothie are not only low in calories but are also high in fiber. As you consistently include green smoothies in your daily diet, you will gradually lose weight. The USDA claims that eating more veggies and fruits can prevent overweight and obesity. Furthermore, based on a certain research review that was published in the 2005 “Nutrition” journal, a diet that contains high fiber is important in maintaining a healthy weight.

Because of the great amounts of water and fiber found in green smoothies, they are the best examples of drinks that are very filling. They will keep you from feeling hungry for long periods of time. For this reason, you will have the tendency to eat less as your cravings are reduced. Thus, many weight losers like to drink green smoothies.

5 Advantages of Green Smoothies

You must have heard a lot of people talk about green smoothies and all their health benefits. Why do so many people nowadays love it? What makes them become a popular drink these days? They are packed with essential ingredients needed for optimum health and not only that but there are also more advantages in drinking smoothies than any other drink. Here are some reasons why it is more beneficial to drink green smoothies than other beverages.

They are easy to prepare.

It only takes a few minutes to prepare a healthy green smoothie at home. They are also quite easy to prepare. As long as you have the equipment such as a blender, a pitcher or any container, there is no reason you cannot make a healthy smoothie for yourself. All you have to do is to select the kinds of veggies and fruits you like, and after that you can mix them well with the use of a blender.

They are easily digested.

Fiber-rich green smoothies are not hard to digest. In fact, since they are liquefied and blended, smoothies are quickly digested. This means your body does not need to put in so much effort to digest it so that the nutrients can be extracted. Green smoothies relieve and prevent constipation.

They are cheap.

Buying a glass of smoothie from any juice bar can cost you up to $6. However, when you make your own green smoothie at home, it will only cost you a few cents. Besides, you do not have to spend much on your vitamins since drinking a single glass of smoothie already contains lots of vitamins.

Green smoothies come in handy.

After you have made your own green smoothie, you can keep it in a container and store it in a fridge. You can store it up to twenty-four hours or so and drink it anytime you want. You can then take the chilled smoothie with you wherever you go, be it at work, the gym, the park or on a train. You can store your green smoothie in a stainless steel or a glass container as this is the most recommended storage option.

They contain veggies that you would not eat or drink alone.

Although eating veggies is quite healthy, most people still prefer to eat more fruits than vegetables. Since vegetables are combined with fruits in making green smoothies, you will get to eat some vegetables without even tasting them. More often than not, the flavor of the veggies is somewhat masked by the fruity flavor that it is even hard to distinguish the veggies used in green smoothies.

A green smoothie is not only good for adults but also for children. Most children don’t like, if not hate, vegetables. However, they love to drink a cold glass of chilled smoothie. The best way to prepare green smoothies for kids is to use lots of fruits instead of veggies until they become more comfortable with the taste.

What if You Were Told to Stop Dieting?

Doesn’t that sound fabulous? The problem with many people today is that they have been told several myths about nutrition and dieting. The problem with most diets is they do not deliver all of the nutritional goodies that your body needs. So your body begins to crave things which are not healthy for you in its search of what is lacking.

Your diet fails, and you gain weight. If you stop dieting today and start eating “real” food that is whole and unprocessed, you will not only achieve and maintain a healthy weight, but you will improve your heart health and your chances at living a long and fitful life.

Another untruth which you may have been told is to follow a fat-free diet to lose weight. Did you know that many fat-free foods are chock-full of unhealthy nitrates and sugars? Your body actually needs fat in your diet, as long as it is healthy fats. These are found in the whole, unprocessed foods like nuts, fruits and vegetables.

These are usually very low in calories and extremely high in the essential vitamins and nutrients that your body does need. So instead of gaining weight by eating a sugar-filled fat-free diet, you lose weight and fat.

When foods are modified to last longer on store shelves, the effect is unnatural. Remember that most one ingredient foods like an apple or banana are perfect as is.

Did you know removing the pulp to make apple juice causes it to lose most of its value for both overall health and weight loss? A typical apple contains just 72 calories and a healthy 3 grams of fiber. But 8 ounces of store-bought apple juice nearly doubles the calorie count to 120, and you receive no helpful fiber at all.

Stop Dieting and Stick to Whole Foods

Stick to whole foods and your weight loss efforts are rewarded. When you stop “dieting” and simply eat what you already know you should, unprocessed foods like dried beans and peas, whole grains, fish and lean meat, you will find your body quickly heading in the direction of its ideal weight. You will also find that you can eat more while consuming fewer calories and “bad fats”, and this in turn helps you drop the pounds.

This is because natural vegetables, fruits and whole grains are extremely high in complex carbohydrates and fiber that help regulate your digestive system.

When your digestive system is not working perfectly, your body begins to store fat. And the reason why many people today overeat is because processed foods have much less nutrition, vitamins and nutrients than a natural diet delivers.

Stop Dieting and Stop Eating Processed Foods

Processed food is also chock full of preservatives, sugars, sodium, trans and saturated fats. These will lead to fat and weight gain, and also take years off of your life. And since your body notices less fiber and nutrients coming in, you eat more of those bad foods to attempt to get what your body is so powerfully craving.

One of the great benefits of today’s technologically advanced information-filled society is the ready knowledge that fruits, vegetables and whole grains form a healthy diet.

Yes, doughnuts and fatty salad dressings taste great. But they can lead to fat and weight gain, and a multitude of health problems. To stop dieting, stick to whole, unprocessed foods for the bulk of your diet when you want to lose weight and gain total body health.

An Introduction to the Belly Fat Epidemic

Millions of people struggle with weight loss. One of the primary areas in which fat collects is around the midsection. We’re talking about abdominal fat or belly fat. And as you get older, the fat continues to accumulate around the midsection. It’s so common that we even have names for it. We call it the “spare tire,” “beer belly,” “muffin top,” or “love handles.”

Why is Belly Fat is So Difficult to Get Rid Of?

There are many different reasons why fat likes to accumulate in the midsection, and those reasons are the same explanations for why it’s so difficult to get rid of. Let’s start by exploring why belly fat is so difficult to get rid of and then we’ll dive into what belly fat is, why it’s so dangerous and how to get rid of it for good. Because it is possible to have a trim and healthy waistline.

Age and Hormones

Two things happen as you age. The first is that your metabolism slows down. So this means that you automatically burn less fat and calories during a standard day. The trouble is that you’re still probably consuming the same number of calories. The extra calories are stored as fat.

The second reason that fat accumulates as you age has everything to do with your changing hormones. Both men and women begin to see a decline in their sex hormones. We’re talking about testosterone and estrogen in this case. The decreasing amount of these hormones changes where the body stores fat. In both men and women, more visceral fat is stored.

Another way that these hormones impact fat storage and weight gain is through sleep changes. In women particularly, the hormonal change affects sleep quality. Sleep has been directly linked to appetite hormones like leptin. It may feel like your body is working against you. Your hormone levels drop, making you store more fat and making you hungrier.

Stress and Belly Fat

Stress is one of the biggest causes of belly fat. Cortisol is a hormone that is released when a person is under stress. The body shifts all of its focus to help you survive a fight or flight situation – even if you’re not in any actual danger.

Your brain cannot tell the difference between stress from rush hour traffic frustrations and a bear chasing you. It reacts the same way, which is to essentially shut down digestion and shift energy to help your muscles. Your heart rate and breathing increase, and all your fuel is stored as fat.

Yep, cortisol tells your body to store your energy and calories as fat. It tends to store it right in your midsection.

Good Old Fashioned Genetics

You can take a look at your family members and know whether or not you’re prone to belly fat. It tends to be genetic. There are three basic body types; mesomorph, ectomorph, or endomorph.

Male endomorphs tend to store fat in their abdomens and often have the “beer belly” that has become common. Female endomorphs tend to be curvy and store their fat in their backsides and breasts. They’ll be described as pear shaped or have an hourglass figure.

Mesomorphs, if you’re curious, tend to be muscular and athletic, while ectomorphs tend to be tall and thin. Female mesomorphs may store fat in their abdomen and can be described as apple shaped. Of course there are many different combinations of these body types and there is evidence that specific genes determine how many fat cells you have, as well as where those fat cells are most abundant.

Your Diet

You’re probably not surprised to learn that what you eat has an impact on your body fat. In fact, diets that are high in sugar and starchy carbohydrates cause insulin resistance. When your body is becoming insulin resistant it stores fuel as fat rather than signaling your cells to uptake the calories for fuel.

You eat more because you’re tired and your cells need the fuel. Unfortunately, this cycle leads to fat accumulation in your abdomen and eventually it can lead to diabetes. This is one of the reasons it’s important to recognize fat accumulating on your stomach and to take steps to get rid of it.

Childbirth and Your Abdomen

Childbirth doesn’t make you gain belly fat. What it does do for women is change the look of your stomach. After having a baby a woman may find that her stomach has lost its muscular tone. The good news is that even after having many children, a woman can get her flat stomach back.

Abdominal fat isn’t fun, and it makes clothing difficult to find and uncomfortable to wear, but there’s more to belly fat than meets the eye. In fact, belly fat is the most dangerous type of fat. Let’s take a look at the research behind the dangers of belly fat and then we’ll move into a discussion about how to get rid of belly fat.

Smoothies for Weight Loss and a Flat Belly

Flat belly smoothie recipes which help you lose weight should also make you feel full. This promotes fat burning and overall fitness, and keeps your stomach full of healthy foods instead of making you crave unhealthy snacks.

A peanut butter and banana smoothie blended with nonfat milk, chocolate whey protein powder and a few ice cubes is surprisingly great for weight loss, and tastes outstanding as well.

Keeping with the chocolate theme, you can create a yummy mocha smoothie that is a healthy alternative to sugary and fatty snacks. When you get that sweet tooth craving, combine a few ice cubes with a half cup of low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, one shot of espresso and a couple of teaspoons of cocoa powder. Blend until smooth, and allow this high-energy chocolatey smoothie to contribute to your weight loss by replacing baked goods, candies and other unhealthy, fat producing snacks.

Good and Simple Smoothies for Weight Loss

Watermelon is extremely low in both fat and calories. And when you combine it with lemon sherbet or low-fat vanilla yogurt and some ice cubes, you have an incredibly simple smoothie that fills you up while promoting weight and fat reduction.

For an equally simple weight-loss smoothie, cut up a banana, add a few strawberries and an orange, and slip in some low-fat yogurt or milk. Then blend with a few ice cubes for a unique and flavorful combination that will help you trim your waistline while also quenching any hunger cravings you may have.

Blueberries are commonly referred to by leaders in the health and nutrition industries as the perfect food. Super high in wonderful antioxidants which aid in losing weight, when combined with flaxseed oil, a large banana and apple juice or honey, blueberries form the basis for a great tasting weight-loss smoothie that might become your new favorite breakfast drink.

Combine one half of a large banana with 1/2 tablespoon of flaxseed oil, 1/2 tablespoon of apple juice concentrate or honey, and 1 teaspoon of psyllium seed husks. At 8 ounces of water, 1/3 cup of soy protein and 1/4 cup of frozen blueberries to blend together this healthy, fat burning smoothie.

And from the respected Doctor Oz comes a breakfast drink that the good doctor enjoys himself. Very high in fiber, low in calories and heavy on the vitamins, this green drink powers up your energy and your taste buds while promoting fat and weight loss.

Add 2 cups of spinach with one half a cucumber, one half of a bunch of parsley, and one quarter head of celery. Add 3 carrots and 2 apples, as well as one quarter orange, one quarter lime, one quarter lemon and one quarter pineapple. Blend well for 28 to 30 ounces of a delicious weight-loss smoothie that you can use to start your day in a healthy way.

You can find more “Belly Fat Success Tips” in our weight loss category found at http://myfitnessnut.com and while you’re they, be sure to subscribe to our monthly fitness newsletter and be kept up to date on the latest developments in the world of health and fitness.