Slim While you Sleep

Slim while you sleep! It sounds almost too good to be true but this revolutionary diet devised by a leading U.S. doctor really CAN shift the pounds overnight

By Louise Atkinson

All diets promise you’ll lose weight if you stick at them for long enough. But most require huge sacrifices and a monumental amount of iron will to do so.
Now an exciting new diet from the U.S. promises you can shed more than half a stone in just one week while still enjoying potatoes, pasta and even a daily glass of wine.
The Overnight Diet is the brainchild of Dr Caroline Apovian, who has helped thousands of people to reach their ideal size in her role as a director of nutrition and weight management at the Boston Medical Centre — one of the U.S.’s top hospitals. 

Too good to be true? The Overnight Diet is different to other fad diets because it has been specifically designed to maintain lean muscle while eradicating flab and even allows room for lean carbs

She says her patients typically lose up to 9lb in the first week (and every week thereafter) on the plan without experiencing hunger or cravings — and two of those pounds are lost while you sleep on one of the plan’s fasting days.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Wrong. Dr Apovian has spent the past 25 years fine-tuning her eating plan and testing it out on clients — and the method of this simple yet effective weight loss regime is being serialised exclusively in Life & Style.
The key to the diet — and the reason it works so quickly — is the fact it is specifically designed to protect your muscles from wasting away as you reduce the amount you eat.

We all lose muscle mass as we age — at the rate of 1 per cent a year from the age of 30 — and dieting can make this worse. 

When the body detects a significant drop in food intake it immediately looks to your muscles for extra energy. This means you will potentially get thinner, but you’ll also get weaker and flabbier. When you stop dieting and the weight starts to creep back on — as it does for 95  per cent of dieters — it typically returns as fat rather than muscle.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tests show those who drink water before eating consume 75-90 per cent fewer calories per meal

Dr Apovian says the amount of lean muscle in your body is also one of the key influences on your metabolic rate (the speed at which you burn calories). The more lean muscle you have, the better your body is at burning fuel. The less you have, the slower your metabolism.
‘The poor nutritional make-up of many diets can trigger the body to rob your muscles for energy,’ says Dr Apovian. ‘You lose weight, but your muscles weaken and your metabolic rate slows. This process is called “shrinking muscle syndrome” and it’s the main reason so many diets fail.’
But the Overnight Diet is different. It has been specifically designed to maintain lean muscle while eradicating flab.
And unlike typical high-protein diets (like Dukan and Atkins) it also makes room for what Dr Apovian calls ‘lean carbohydrates’ (fruit, non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, and wholegrains) to ensure you get the best balance of nutrients your body needs for optimal fat burning.

GETTING STARTED

It doesn't matter which day of the week you choose for your smoothies day, just ensure you can stick to doing it on the same day each week.

Dr Apovian says many people choose Sunday because they’re off work, they have all their smoothie ingredients to hand and are able to spend more time preparing them than they would on other days of the week.

The plan is simple: make one smoothie for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for your evening meal. But these are no ordinary shop-bought smoothies — most of which contain fruit, sugar and very little else.

Each Overnight Diet smoothie is packed with protein to ensure you maintain lean muscle. They are also rich in fibre to aid digestion and keep you feeling full, and are made from wholefoods which contain no unnecessary chemicals or additives.

You can either follow Dr Apovian’s recipes (right) or mix-and-match to make your own favourites.
It’s important to aim for variety and create three different tasting smoothies throughout the day rather than drink three lots of the same one.

This is not only to stop you getting bored but also to ensure you get a good mix of nutrients.

Some of the smoothies are so large that you probably won’t be able to finish them in one sitting — which means you should have enough left over for a smoothie snack later in the day.

How it works

The diet is divided into two parts. For one day each week you take a complete break from food and consume three nutrient-packed homemade smoothies instead.
Dr Apovian’s studies show that this effectively ‘jump-starts’ weight loss — her patients typically lost 2lb overnight after their smoothie day. It also accelerates fat burning.
For the other six days, you follow a healthy eating diet plan that centres on providing enough lean protein (meat, fish, eggs) to feed the muscles and fuel the body so your body stays in fat-burning mode.
The good news is that during this stage you can still eat many of the foods you love including peanut butter, avocados and potatoes (albeit in limited amounts).
After one week, the seven-day cycle is started all over again with a day of smoothies to re-boot the fat-burning process and trigger another round of overnight weight loss (that means another 2lb down). 

How it works: The diet is divided into two parts. For one day each week you take a complete break from food and consume three nutrient-packed homemade smoothies instead

The idea is you keep returning to your non-food day once a week and repeating the plan until you reach your goal weight and those jeans zip up effortlessly.
The diet plan can be adapted long-term with a slight relaxation of the restrictions — for example, swapping one or two of the smoothies on your non-food day for a meal — to allow you to remain at your ideal weight for ever.
The principle shares some similarities to the now hugely popular Two Day diet (which advocates two days of restricted low-carb eating each week and a less-restricted healthy diet on the other five days), which the Mail serialised last month.
However, Dr Apovian is adamant the smoothies are so jam-packed with filling and nourishing ingredients that they won’t leave you feeling hungry. They contain a finely tuned balance of micro-nutrients to keep you fit and healthy, plus protein to maintain muscle and fibre to keep you feeling full.

Good for you: On the Overnight Diet you'll experience reduced hunger, fewer cravings, better moods, higher energy levels, more restful sleep and enhanced mental alertness

On the Overnight Diet you’ll experience reduced hunger, fewer cravings, better moods, higher energy levels, more restful sleep and enhanced mental alertness.
Higher energy levels pump up your desire to get moving with physical activity, which boosts production of a metabolic enzyme called AMP-kinase, which boosts energy levels, and increases production of a hormone called irisin that helps you burn more calories. 

The secrets  to overnight weight loss

The smoothies you drink on the  no-food day of the Overnight Diet are specifically engineered to produce a dramatic reduction in the body’s production of the hormone insulin.
If you have a tendency to store fat around your middle, high insulin levels could be to blame. This means that even if you’ve lost weight on other diets, you’ve probably still been stuck with love handles or a muffin top because you haven’t succeeded in reducing your insulin levels.
However, the Overnight Diet is different. It produces a drop in insulin levels while you sleep, creating week-long fat-burning targeted at your tummy and hips —just where you need it.
Lowering insulin levels is good for your health (excess insulin is now known to be a key factor behind a host of degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers), but it also has another very useful side-effect — flushing excess water out of the body. 
Our modern, high-sugar, white-flour diets mean that most of us have far too much insulin swimming around our systems, which causes us to retain extra water, making us look and feel bloated.
This excess fluid not only accounts for unnecessary pounds in weight, but it also seeps into tissues around the body, putting stresses on our health. Too much fluid in your system strains your body’s vital organs by forcing them to work harder.
Those extra stores of water are released overnight during the smoothie day of the diet.
Not only will your body immediately start working more efficiently, but you’ll notice an instant difference on the scales.
On many extreme dietary regimes (such as Atkins and Dukan) early dramatic weight loss is often due to water being flushed out of the system. But that water weight usually returns swiftly once you pass the gruelling ‘initiation’ phase as insulin levels rise once more. 

Weighing up: Not only will your body immediately start working more efficiently, but you'll notice an instant difference on the scales

The Overnight Diet is different. Going straight into the six-day ‘fuel-up’ phase straight after the smoothie day keeps insulin levels low, and effectively prevents the lost water weight from returning.
Alternating between the two parts of the Overnight Diet has been shown to enhance insulin sensitivity, which means that the hormone is working effectively to regulate blood sugar and help stop water from accumulating in your body, preventing unwanted bloating.
Of course, you could lose water weight if you just fast for the day. But sticking with the Overnight Diet is not only easier (you won’t be hungry) and better for you (the smoothies are packed with nutrients to fuel your body and brain), but the high protein levels mean your muscles are protected and your body is primed to jump-start  fat-burning from day one.
Dr Apovian’s studies show her dieters begin using fat as energy as soon as 24 hours after they started the diet.

The virtues of a smoothie day

Numerous studies have shown that giving your body an occasional break from solid food is good for your long-term health.
Dr Apovian says this is because fasting is something our bodies are genetically programmed to do.
A break from food mimics the normal ‘famine’ situation our caveman ancestors would have intermittently experienced and sends a signal to our bodies to take a break from storing fat and instead to start burning it as fuel. The result is overnight weight loss.
Normally, when food is abundant, the body’s primary source of energy is its glycogen stores (the form in which your body stores the carbohydrates you eat).
But when these run out — after exercise or a no-food day, for example — the body sends a signal to the fat cells to release their contents instead. The ‘fatty acids’ they contain are then shuttled to the muscles, internal organs and other tissues, which burn them for energy. Once the fat is burned, it’s gone, and the fat cells that once housed them shrink.

Delicious: Overnight dieters will be pleased to find they also contain decadent ingredients such as chocolate syrup and strawberries

Instead of recommending complete fasting — which is incredibly difficult for most people — Dr Apovian has created a tasty liquid-food plan. Overnight dieters will be pleased to find they also contain decadent ingredients such as chocolate syrup and strawberries. 
The smoothies have been specially designed to boost levels of a natural substance called human growth hormone (HGH) — the production of which decreases as we age.
Produced by the pituitary gland in the brain, this hormone is involved in a variety of essential bodily functions including reducing body fat, protecting lean muscle mass, and maintaining the rate at which we burn calories.
The higher your levels of HGH, the better your body will perform these fat-burning duties.
Studies show HGH levels can be naturally enhanced by getting into the habit of having a non-food day each week.
One study showed women who spent one day a week on a similar plan to this recorded a significant hike in HGH levels (they were up by 1,300 per cent) and men’s levels rose by nearly 2,000 per cent.

What to eat for the rest of the week

For the other six days of the week the Overnight Diet concentrates on healthy eating and making sure you include enough protein-rich, muscle-building foods like lean meat, fish and eggs in your regime.
This keeps muscles fuelled, your metabolism high and ensures your body burns fat. Combining a high protein content with quantities of fibre in fruit and vegetables, also means you’ll feel fuller for longer.
The plan also makes room for what Dr Apovian calls ‘lean’ carbohydrates — wholegrains, fruit and non-starchy vegetables (potatoes, bread and pasta are also allowed in moderation).
Lean carbohydrates are high in fibre, heart-healthy and disease-fighting — and you can enjoy them in abundance. In fact, there’s an all-you-can-eat option for fruit and non-starchy vegetables six days a week on this plan, meaning you’ll never have to go hungry while losing weight.

Why we need more protein

Protein is the building block for your body’s muscles. Every day muscle fibres break down (exercise also encourages this process) and are rebuilt using amino acids in the diet. Animal protein (meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs and milk) and soya foods are packed with the essential amino acids that your muscles need.
If you don’t eat enough protein, your muscles will start to break down and ultimately waste away.
We can store carbohydrates (as glycogen) and fat around the body, but we cannot store amino acids for later use.
This means we should be eating adequate amounts of protein every day to keep levels of these high and maintain muscle mass.
Let’s use body builders as an example. They consume vast quantities of protein (and supplement their diet with protein powder) to ensure their bodies repair the damage caused by lifting heavy weights and to help their metabolism stay high and burn off fat.

Lean and clean: For the other six days of the week the Overnight Diet concentrates on healthy eating and making sure you include enough protein-rich foods like lean meat, fish and eggs in your regime

The Overnight Diet works on similar principles and recommends you consume a higher than normal intake of the right ‘type’ of protein. In general, the leaner the protein is, the better.
Although foods such as dairy products, beans and lentils contain protein, they also contain carbohydrates and natural sugars which react differently in the body and don’t provide the same level of muscle-preserving, fat-burning benefits as pure protein sources — meat, fish and eggs.
Good protein includes lean beef (steaks, topside and silverside); lean pork (chops, loin); skinless light-meat chicken and turkey; fish (both white such as cod, haddock and halibut, and oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and tuna); eggs (one whole egg or two egg whites contain 30g protein); soya products (although you need 75g tofu to get 25g protein); and protein powder.
Whenever possible, avoid higher-fat protein sources, the likes of minced beef, marbled meats, spare ribs, duck, bacon, sausages or fatty ham.
Dr Apovian’s research shows that in order for your body to operate efficiently at fat-burning mode you need to consume a minimum of 1.5g of protein per 1kg of your ‘ideal’ body weight.
So, for instance, a woman whose ideal body weight is 9st 4lb should, according to Dr Apovian, eat a minimum of 89g of protein per day to prevent muscle shrinkage and hunger pangs.
However, because even meat, fish and eggs are not 100 per cent protein, such a woman would need to eat 375g of protein-rich foods per day to meet her daily protein requirement.
A 6ft man might have a pure protein requirement of 121g, but he should be endeavouring to eat 480g of protein-rich foods per day.
The first step to finding your ‘daily protein requirement’ is to find your ideal weight according to your height.
As part of her plan, Dr Apovian has simplified things by working out exactly how much lean protein you need to eat to meet your daily protein requirement (DPR) according to your height. 

WOMEN

Up to 5ft 5in: 350g

5ft 6-7in: 375g

5ft 8-9in: 400g

5ft 10-11in: 425g

6ft: 450g

MEN

Up to 5ft 7in: 400g
5ft 8in: 425g
5ft 9-10in: 450g
5ft 11in-6ft: 480g
6ft 1-2in: 500g
6ft 3in: 540g
6ft 4-6in: 570g

Once you have found your DPR it stays with you for life. Dr Apovian believes that whether you’re trying to lose weight or merely maintain the weight you’ve lost, you should try to eat this much lean protein every day.

SIMPLE RULES FOR THE OTHER SIX DAYS

1.  Work out your own daily protein requirement (see guide above) and NEVER eat less than that in a day.  
2.  Eat as much fruit as you like.
3.   Eat as many non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, leeks, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, swede, tomatoes) and as much salad as you like.
4.  Enjoy two 240ml servings of fat-free or low-fat yoghurt, skimmed milk, cottage cheese, or cheese a day.
5.   You can have two or three small servings of wholegrains a day such as half a wholemeal bagel, 1 thin slice of wholemeal bread, 2 wholemeal or rye crackers, or a 30g portion of oats, oatbran, high-fibre cereal (if it is sugar-free and at least 6g of fibre per 100g), brown rice, wholemeal pasta, quinoa or couscous.
6.  You can have 100g a day of starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweetcorn, pumpkin, beans, peas or lentils.
7.  For fats, have 4x1 tsp servings a day of avocado, olive oil, low-fat mayo, nuts or seeds.
8.   For water, have 8 glasses a day. You can also drink black coffee, tea and diet drinks, but these do not count as part of your water allowance.

EVEN MORE RECIPE IDEAS

BREAKFAST IDEAS

Hearty Pancakes
(makes 12 – 2 pancakes per portion)
Each pancake serving is 60g protein
240g protein powder
4 eggs plus whites of 2 eggs
300g wholemeal flour
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
50g rolled oats
60g plain white flour
2 tbsp baking powder

540ml skimmed milk
2 tbsp olive oil
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix eggs, egg whites, milk and oil in a separate bowl, then pour the wet mix into the dry and stir. Spray a griddle or large frying pan with oil and pour 125ml of batter into the hot pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side

Egg and Spinach Omlette
(serves 1) 60g of protein
2 eggs
oil spray
25g low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
a handful of baby spinach
fat-free salsa
1 tbsp low-fat crème fraiche
Beat the eggs until fluffy, spray a non-stick frying pan with oil and heat the eggs until halfway set, add the grated cheese to one side of the omelette and top with the spinach. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the cheese has melted, serve with salsa and crème fraiche.

LUNCH IDEAS
Apple Tuna Wrap
(serves 3)
115g protein per serving
2 x 185g cans tuna chunks in water
60g fat-free Greek yoghurt
1 small apple, cored and chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey or agave nectar
3 wholemeal wraps
2 large handfuls of mixed salad leaves
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 large carrot, grated

1 beetroot, grated
100g alfalfa sprouts
fruit, to serve
Mix together the tuna, yoghurt, apple, mustard and honey and divide among the wraps. Top with the other ingredients, roll up and serve with fruit.

Spicy ‘Pepperoni’ pizza,
(serves 4)
115g protein per serving
460g chicken breast meat, chopped
280g prepared wholemeal pizza base
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ onion, halved
1 garlic clove
¼ tsp crushed chilli flakes
240ml low fat pizza sauce (from a jar) or passata
75g black olives, sliced
65g low fat mozzarella cheese, thinkly sliced
Toast the fennel seeds in a hot pan for one minute. Put onion and garlic in a food processor and process until chopped, add chicken, fennel seeds, chilli flakes and black pepper and pulse until the mixture is ground. Brown the chicken mixture in a pan for 7-10 mins until cooked through. Spread the pizza sauce over the base, top with the chicken mixture, olives and cheese and bake

DINNER IDEAS
Chicken and veggie stir-fry
(serves 4)
225g protein per serving
900g skinless chicken breast, cut into 1cm cubes,
3 tbsp olive oil
5cm fresh root ginger, or to taste, peeled and grated 3 garlic cloves, crushed
450g fresh shiitake mushrooms, caps sliced
180g broccoli, cut into florets
2 red peppers, seeded and sliced
2 bunches of spring onions, sliced

120ml dry white wine
50ml soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fry the chicken in a little oil in a large pan or wok fry for 4 minutes or until it goes brown around the edges. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the broccoli, peppers and spring onions, and stir-fry until crisp-tender. Return the chicken to the pan. In a small bowl, stir together the white wine, soy sauce and sesame oil, then add to the chicken mixture. Heat through for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Beefy mushroom burgers
(Serves 4)
115g protein per serving
460g lean minced beef
25g dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
225g button, chestnut or shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
4 wholemeal burger buns
lettuce, tomatoes and pickles, to serve (optional)
Put the chopped dried mushrooms in a large bowl and add the minced beef, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix them together then shape into 4 burgers and, using your thumb, make an indentation in the centre of each.
Heat the grill to high. Heat a large heavy-based frying pan, add the fresh mushrooms to the pan and dry-fry them for 2–3 minutes until they release their liquid. Add the onion and the olive oil, then stir to combine and continue to fry over high heat for 1 minute. Season with salt and cook until the onions soften and begin to brown. Turn off the heat and transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
Grill the burgers for  5 and 8 minutes each side. Put a grilled burger onto the bottom half of each burger bun, then top with the mushrooms and onions. Add lettuce, tomatoes and pickles to serve.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2298515/Slim-sleep-It-sounds-good-true-But-revolutionary-diet-devised-leading-U-S-doctor-really-CAN-shift-pounds-overnight.html#ixzz3G1Nq8s34

How sleeping in the pitch black could help you lose weight

Sleeping in a completely dark room helps the metabolism to work properly, scientists believe, as they warn that using iPads at night could harm the body-clock

By Sarah Knapton, Science Correspondent

IPads, televisions and computers in bedrooms may be fueling the obesity epidemic because rooms are not dark enough for the metabolism to work properly, scientists claim.

A new study suggests that sleepers need pitch black conditions for the body to produce a healthy level of hormones and regulate the conversion food and drink into energy.

But ambient light from screens, or the street light which creeps under curtains or blinds, can harm the production of melatonin and stop the body processing food as efficiently.

Scientists at the University of Granada discovered that injections of melatonin helped combat obesity and diabetes in rats by regulating their systems.

They believe recreating similar levels of the hormone though sleeping in the dark would have a similar impact in humans.

“Melatonin is a natural substance present in plants, animals and humans," said Prof Ahmad Agil. "It works as a hormonal signal released during the night to establish circadian rhythms.

“Currently this process is frequently interrupted as a result of excessive exposure to artificial lightning during the night. For instance, many people are in the habit of sleeping with their lamps, TVs or their computers switched on, or with the blinds drawn up.

“For all these reasons, it is important to try to sleep in absolute darkness, to avoid interference in the generation of melatonin.”

One in four adults in England is obese and these figures are set to climb to 60 per cent of men, 50 per cent of women, by 2050.

Three in every 10 children aged between two and 15 are currently overweight or obese.

Obesity and diabetes already costs the UK over £5 billion every year which is likely to rise to £50 billion in the next 36 years.

Prof Agil believes that the obesity epidemic is being driven jointly by sedentary lifestyles, increasing consumption of high calorie foods and excessive exposure to artificial lighting which is reducing melatonin levels.

He thinks that keeping the lights on for a long time after it gets dark could be disrupting the body's natural circadian rhythm and harming metabolism.

The researchers suggest reducing evening lighting, and the use of computers, during the hours of darkness.

Computers, televisions and iPads are particularly disruptive because the emit blue light, which is the same wavelength as morning light. A warmer, more yellow light is better during the evening, say experts.

The study was published in the Journal of Pineal Research.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11139548/How-sleeping-in-the-pitch-black-could-help-you-lose-weight.html

This bride-to-be lost six stone by TWERKING

Lindsey Jones now (Picture: Caters)

Tipping the scales at 18st, bride-to-be Lindsey Jones decided it was time to change her tune.
The 33-year-old put down the snacks and boogied away her belly at a Zumba class.
Dancing to a mix of salsa, samba and reggae has helped her shed six stone and drop from a size 22.
Now, three years on and happily married to partner Sid, she has given up her career as a beauty therapist and teaches Zumba classes five times a week.

Lindsey Jones before the weight loss (Picture: Caters)

She said: ‘It was getting to the point where a size 20 was too tight and I couldn’t bring myself to look at my real weight. I just cried standing on the scales.

Miley Cyrus is famous for her twerking stunts (Picture: REX)

‘Cream cakes were my favourite things and I was sat eating one at work when I realised I couldn’t carry on like this and I couldn’t get married at 18 stone.’
In three months she had lost 2st in time for her wedding, and through committed twerking and salsa she lost another 4st.

Lindsey Jones before the weight loss (Picture: Caters)

The mother of two, from Bewdley, Worcestershire, was even invited to meet Zumba creator Beto Perez last month.
‘I didn’t like working out or going to the gym but when I turned up to my first Zumba class it was completely different,’ she said. ‘It was like a party.
‘Nobody cared what you looked like or what you were wearing and I just danced away the weight.
‘The moves go with the music and the rhythms from all over the world. It’s been a great way to lose weight.’

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2014/08/20/this-bride-to-be-lost-six-stone-by-twerking-4839253/

Winning at Post-Partum Weight Loss

Winning at Post-Partum Weight Loss - Six Simple Strategies For New Moms

A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But now that baby's here, you're probably wishing those extra pounds would hurry up and disappear! While it won't happen overnight, these six simple tips can help you lose that extra weight in a healthy way.

1) Try to relax and don't be in too much of a hurry to lose your extra pregnancy weight. Remember, it took 9 months for you to put it on, and you should give yourself at least half that amount of time to take it back off. In fact, eight to 12 months is not an unreasonable amount of time to give yourself. And even if it does take a year to get back to your pre-pregnancy size and shape, those pounds are all the more likely to stay off because you've lost them gradually.

You definitely should not be thinking about weight loss at all in the early post-partum weeks. Your body needs this time to recover from giving birth, readjust to its pre-pregnancy state, and establish a milk supply for your baby. Besides, most new moms find that a fair amount of weight tends to melt off all by itself in these first few weeks as excess fluids retained in late pregnancy are gradually shed.
Remember that gradual weight loss based on sensible nutrition and enjoyable physical activity is the best path to permanent weight loss. This applies whether or not weight gain is due to pregnancy, but when you are dealing with all the changes and adjustments that come with having a new baby, it's all the more important to take a slow and steady approach so you don't add to your stress level.
And speaking of stress, recent research shows that when you're stressed, your body releases hormones that can contribute to weight gain. So try not to add to your stress level at this time by putting unreasonable pressure on yourself to lose that extra weight too fast. Instead, take a long term approach and be sure to incorporate some kind of relaxation into your day, whether it's having a nap, a warm bath, or receiving a relaxing back massage.
2) Eat well and nourish yourself with healthy foods so you'll have the energy you need to care for yourself and your baby. If you restrict your calories you'll probably get tired, cranky, and lose energy, making you less apt to exercise and less able to take good care of your baby.
Cutting back too much on your caloric intake can also sabotage your weight loss efforts by forcing your body into "starvation mode." When your body isn't getting enough fuel, it becomes much more efficient at using what you do give it, so that over time you will actually gain weight rather than lose it. You are much better off to eat well and get regular, moderate exercise to help shed those extra pounds.
Remember though, that there is a big difference between eating and eating well! If you eat nourishing foods you will probably feel full sooner and you will likely need fewer calories than if you eat "empty calorie" foods like white bread and french fries. Eat a variety of healthy foods, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and make sure you are getting a proper balance of the major nutrients (protein, carbohydrate and healthy fats). You may want to talk to your doctor or midwife about continuing to take your pre-natal multivitamin, or other supplements, at least during the immediate post-partum period.
Snacking is something you'll probably want to do a lot of, either because you may not always have time to prepare a meal, or because the demands of caring for a new baby mean you get hungry more often.
Here are a few ideas for good, nutrient-dense choices for snack foods:

• apple slices spread with low fat cream cheese and sprinkled with crushed walnuts 
• yogurt with chopped fresh fruit and nuts 
• whole grain toast with nut butter 
• cheese with whole grain crackers or rice cakes 
• tomato or mixed vegetable juice with a hard boiled egg

On the other hand, try not to overdo it. Being pregnant or nursing a baby is not a license to indulge in a non-stop buffet of foods, even if they are nutritious! Eat when you are hungry, make healthy food choices most of the time, and remember that your baby is counting on you to choose wisely if you're breastfeeding, so make those calories count nutrient-wise.
In part two of this article, you'll learn why drinking plenty of pure water is important to weight loss in general, and to post-partum weight loss in particular. You'll also find out how many calories a day you'll use by breastfeeding your baby. Part three will teach you how you can burn extra calories easily and enjoyably without huffing and puffing at the gym. You'll also learn the secret that savvy new moms use to effortlessly burn up to an extra 200 calories a day -that's 2 pounds a month with no extra effort!

3) Drink plenty of water. You will probably be very thirsty if you are nursing your baby and you should drink as much as your thirst dictates. But even if you're not breastfeeding, lots of pure water is important in your quest to shed those pregnancy pounds.

First of all, water has no calories, so when compared to other beverages, it's hands down the best bet in terms of weight loss. Diet soft drinks and other low calorie beverages may have only a couple of calories, but your body craves pure water in order to be able to function properly. Besides, many people are concerned about the artificial sweeteners used in these products, and caffeinated diet drinks may increase fussiness in your baby if you're nursing. Go ahead and indulge if this is something you just can't live without, but make sure you're not doing it at the expense of your water needs.

Secondly, water is helpful in the process of burning stored body fat. Studies have shown that not drinking enough water can hinder your weight loss efforts because the liver has to work harder to metabolize waste when your body is not properly hydrated.

And finally, drinking enough water will help you feel full so you eat less. This is especially true if you're eating lots of high fiber foods such as whole grain breads and cereals. The fiber in whole grains will absorb water, making you feel full longer.

Other liquids are fine too, such as juice, milk (dairy or substitutes), and herbal teas. But do try to stay away from those empty calorie soft drinks and anything that's labeled "beverage," "punch" or "drink" instead of "juice." And even though they may be considered healthful, watch your intake of pure fruit juices. Juices contain nutrients that your body needs, but they are a very concentrated source of sugar as well. Whenever possible you are better off to eat a piece of fresh fruit and drink water for thirst.

You should also try to limit your intake of coffee and caffeinated tea. Doing so may help both you and your baby regulate your sleep habits. Some babies get very fussy and hard to settle when mom is breastfeeding and drinks caffeinated beverages.

Drinking lots of water is one of those things that seems easy in theory, but in practice it can be difficult to accomplish. One effective strategy to help make sure you get enough is to place water bottles strategically around the house. You can buy small plastic bottles of water by the case at the grocery store or you can buy the refillable type of bottle that you might take to the gym or on your bike.

Put a bottle anywhere you spend time during the day: near your favourite nursing chair (put several here-you'll probably use them all!), near baby's change table, on the bathroom counter, on top of the washing machine, on the kitchen counter, on your desk, on a shelf near the front door, beside your bed, on the kitchen table, etc. Each morning, spend 3 or 4 minutes making the rounds collecting yesterday's empty bottles and replacing them with fresh ones. This way, you'll be more likely to drink lots of water because there will always be some close at hand.

4) Breastfeed your baby if at all possible. Depending on the age and weight of your baby, you can use around 800 calories a day producing milk for her. Besides the host of other benefits that breastfeeding affords both you and your baby, quicker postnatal weight loss is one advantage that all new moms welcome. Even if you are returning to work or can't breast feed full time for any reason, any amount of breast milk is good for your baby, and as a perk, will help you use up additional calories for as long as you are able to continue.
In addition, breastfeeding releases natural hormones that help you relax. Since the hormones released when you are stressed can contribute to weight gain, it only makes sense to counter this with activities that help you relax. Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to do this, and you and your baby will also benefit in so many other ways. If you need more information or support with breastfeeding, visit La Leche League International on the web at http://www.LaLecheLeague.org
In part three of this article you'll learn ways to burn extra calories easily and enjoyably without sweating it out at the gym. You'll also learn the secret that savvy new moms use to effortlessly burn up to an extra 200 calories a day -that's 2 pounds a month with no extra effort!

5) Get moderate exercise on a regular basis. Of course, you should get the go ahead from your doctor first, and you will likely need to wait longer if you've had a caesarean birth, but most new moms can begin a gentle fitness program very soon after their baby is born.

Exercise is definitely one of those things that most of us feel obligated to do and few of us seem to enjoy. In fact, for many moms, having a new baby seems to be a great excuse not to exercise. After all, you're legitimately busy, sleep-deprived, and probably a bit nervous about leaving your precious bundle with someone else while you head to the gym. But wait! Who ever said you had to pump iron, punch a bag or jump around in a fitness class for an hour to get your exercise?

The whole key to sticking with a fitness program is to choose an activity you enjoy. If you enjoy hiking outdoors, why not invest in a baby carrier so you and your baby can do this together? There are all kinds of baby trailers on the market now so your baby can join you on a bike ride or even a cross country ski outing if these are activities you enjoy. If swimming is fun for you, why not offer to take a friend's teenager to the pool. She can sit close by with your baby on the pool deck while you do a few lengths, and then you and your baby can enjoy a leisurely lunch or cup of tea while the teen gets a chance to play in the pool in return for helping you out. Yoga classes for moms and babies are also popular now, and this can be a very enjoyable and relaxing way to spend time with your baby while you exercise.

For the new mom who wasn't active before pregnancy, gentle forms of exercise such as taking a stroll are ideal. If you can find another new mom close by to share this time with, your walks will become a pleasant activity that you look forward to, instead of part of your dreaded post-natal fitness program. If your health unit or community nursing program offers a drop in program for new moms you will be able to connect with other moms there. Or perhaps you've stayed in touch with a mom you met in your pre-natal classes. As you start to feel more energetic you can increase the length and the intensity of your walks. Ans if the weather is bad you can always walk around the mall and enjoy the sights.

Gentle dancing or rocking while holding your baby is also excellent exercise that both of you can enjoy. When your baby is fussy or tired and nursing her doesn't seem to be helping, why not put on some music and introduce her to your favourite dance steps? She won't mind if you don't get the steps right, she'll just enjoy being close to you while you move, and you'll get the fitness benefits. Most babies will enjoy dancing with you even when they're not tired and cranky. As she gets older your dance dates will probably be greeted with giggles and squeals of delight.

Remember though that moderation in your exercise program is the key. Even if you bounce back quickly from your baby's birth and are feeling very energetic, be sure to start slowly and increase your exercise level gradually. Too much too soon can set you back by causing you to feel exhausted later on in the day. This can lead to grouchiness or a bout of the baby blues, neither of which will motivate you to continue exercising! Remember the old adage, "always leave 'em wanting more." This should be your fitness mantra in the first few postpartum months. In other words, stop before you've had enough and you'll be more likely to continue with your fitness program the next day.

6) Wear your baby often. Using a sling or carrier to keep baby close during the day will make your baby happier, plus it will give you a little extra weight to pack around as you do your daily chores and activities. It may not seem like much, but as your baby grows you'll be increasing the amount of weight you're carrying while you go about your daily routines. And that adds up to extra weight loss for you.

Instead of using a stroller when you take a walk, put baby in the carrier. Instead of putting her in a swing or rocking seat, rock her to sleep in your arms or in your baby carrier while you stand and gently bounce to and fro. When you go to the grocery store, carry her in a sling instead of putting her in the shopping cart. In fact, if you're lucky enough to live within walking distance of your grocery store, you can even make this a daily outing to pick up a few items each time. Your baby will enjoy the extra closeness of being in a sling or carrier as you do laundry, tend the garden, or even take some time out for a hobby like bird watching. Babies in our society seem to spend so much time strapped into various pieces of equipment. Most will love the opportunity to be closer to the person they most adore-you!

The bonus for mom is that extra weight to carry equals extra calories burned. Over the course of a year this can add up to significant weight loss, in a very healthy way for all concerned. Depending on how often you carry your baby, and how much she weighs, you can easily burn an extra 100-200 calories a day just by carrying her along for part of your day. Anytime you're on the go, try to carry your baby with you and you'll be getting the benefit of the increased calorie burn that comes with packing around an extra 10, 15, or 20 pounds.

And there you have it, six painless ways to lose those extra pregnancy pounds effortlessly and without stress. Remember, your baby won't be small for long so try not to get too preoccupied with weight loss. If you eat well most of the time, get some moderate exercise on a regular basis, and follow the rest of the tips in this article series, you'll get back in shape with hardly a second thought.

Susan Peach is a retired La Leche League Leader, a dance and fitness instructor, and mother to two teenage boys. She is also the creator of Mambo Moms, a fun and gentle Latin dance based fitness program that helps new moms get back in shape while spending quality play time with their babies. Find out more at http://www.mambomoms.com


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Peach 

How It Is Possible To Ensure Losing Weight Right After Pregnancy   

by Jared Dulle

Many women notice that as soon as they have a baby, people begin questioning them about how long it will take them to return to their normal weight. In a culture that is filled with people who suffer from obesity and high BMIs, we are a little bit obsessed with weight. Today, it is assumed that after a woman has a baby, she should be in a big rush to lose all her baby weight. All women are not the same, though, and you have to lose weight at your own pace. The following suggestions will help you if you're trying to lose weight after pregnancy.

To begin with, you will have a hard time losing your baby weight if you don't get sufficient exercise. Physical activity is a requirement for anyone who wants to lose weight, after pregnancy or anytime. But you can't make your workouts too intense following a pregnancy. You do want to do aerobic and strength training regularly. You should, however, stick to low intensity exercises. You can actually get a good workout by pushing your baby's stroller if your pace is healthy. Working out burns calories. Yet you also have to recognize that, after you've just given birth, you have to take things a little slowly.

How much weight did you put on during your pregnancy? This is not usually a question a new mom wants to be asked. It is a fact that your weight after pregnancy is directly impacted by your weight before pregnancy. If you were in the "normal" range for weight and gained the recommended amount of weight given to you by your doctor, you shouldn't have any problems dropping pounds. Obese women tend to have a harder time losing the weight after pregnancy. You will have a very difficult time losing the weight you gained during pregnancy. If you have had problems with weight gain in the past it is a good idea to consult your doctor before you begin a weight loss routine.

Diets are not the answer! This may not be what you'd expect to hear. The fact is that when you are caring for a newborn you should not limit yourself with restrictive diets. Limiting your food intake or cutting out specific foods can work against your weight loss. New mothers actually have enough on their minds as it is without the added burden of having to conform to a strict diet.

It isn't going to help you right now if you start trying to cut out foods that you crave. Just eat what your body tells you to!

It is not uncommon for a woman to struggle with the challenge of getting the pregnancy weight off. For others it comes quite easily. There are of course many factors that play a role in the ease or difficulty you have getting rid of that weight. Everything from your pre-pregnancy weight to your exercise routine will factor in to the rate at which you can get back to your "old" size. Try not to freak out about it-every woman is different. Don't let anyone make you feel like you have a timeframe because you don't.

Most of these techniques may easily be extremely helpful for your needs during and also right after the pregnancy period. Having said that, if you one of the females who have difficult to get pregnant, then take a look at the following site about the Pregnancy Miracle Book and discover more about a proven program to improve your odds to get pregnant naturally within 8 weeks or even less.

Source:http://goarticles.com/article/How-It-Is-Possible-To-Ensure-Losing-Weight-Right-After-Pregnancy/6122522/

How to Lose Weight Fast

How to Lose Weight Fast: A Proven 3-Step Plan That Works

By Kris Gunnars

There are many ways to lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time.
However, most of them require you to be hungry and unsatisfied.
If you don’t have iron willpower, then hunger will cause you to give up on these plans quickly.
The 3-step plan outlined here will:

• Kill your appetite.
• Make you lose weight fast, without being hungry.
• Improve your health at the same time.

Step 1 – Eliminate Sugars and Starches

The most important part is to remove sugars and starches (carbs) from your diet.
These are the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the most. If you didn’t know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body.
When insulin goes down, fat has an easier time getting out of the fat stores and the body starts burning fats instead of carbs.
Another benefit of lowering insulin is that your kidneys shed excess sodium and water out of your body, which reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight .
It is not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds (sometimes more) in the first week of eating this way, both body fat and water weight.
This is a graph from a study comparing low-carb and low-fat diets in overweight/obese women.

The low-carb group is eating until fullness, while the low-fat group is calorie restricted and hungry.
Cut the carbs, lower your insulin and you will start to eat less calories automatically and without hunger.
Put simply, lowering your insulin puts fat loss on “autopilot.”

Step 2 – Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, a fat source and low-carb vegetables. Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day.

Protein Sources:

• Meat – Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, bacon, etc.
• Fish and Seafood – Salmon, trout, shrimps, lobsters, etc.
• Eggs – Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.

Protein is the macronutrient that contributes most to fullness and eating adequate protein can raise your metabolism.
Low-Carb Vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Kale
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Celery

Don’t be afraid to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables. You can eat massive amounts of them without going over 20-50 net carbs per day.
A diet based on meat and vegetables contains all the fiber, vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. There is no physiological need for grains in the diet.

Fat Sources:

• Coconut Oil
• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Lard
• Tallow

Eat 2-3 meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a 4th meal.
Don’t be afraid of eating fat, trying to do both low-carb AND low-fat at the same time is a recipe for failure. It will make you feel miserable and abandon the plan.
The best cooking fat to use is coconut oil. It is rich in fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). These fats are more fulfilling than others and can boost metabolism slightly
There is no reason to fear these natural fats, new studies show that saturated fat doesn’t raise your heart disease risk at all .
To see how you can assemble your meals, check out this low carb meal plan and this list of low carb recipes.

Bottom Line: Assemble each meal out of a protein source, a fat source and a low-carb vegetable. This will put you into the 20-50 gram carb range and drastically lower your insulin levels.

Step 3 (Optional) – Exercise 3-4 Times Per Week

You don’t need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it is recommended.
The best option is to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. Do a warm up, lift weights, then stretch.
If you’re new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice.
By lifting weights, you will burn a few calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight .
Studies on low-carb diets show that you can even gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat.
If lifting weights is not an option for you, then doing some easier cardio workouts like running, jogging, swimming or walking will suffice.

Optional – Do a “Carb Re-feed” Once Per Week

You can take one day “off” per week where you eat more carbs. Many people prefer Saturday.

It is important to try to stick to healthier carb sources like oats, rice, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruits, etc.
But only this one higher carb day, if you start doing it more often than once per week then you’re not going to see much success on this plan.
If you must have a cheat meal and eat something unhealthy, then do it on this day.
Be aware that cheat meals or carb refeeds are NOT necessary, but they can up-regulate some fat burning hormones like leptin and thyroid hormones.
You will gain some weight during your re-feed day, but most of it will be water weight and you will lose it again in the next 1-2 days.

Bottom Line: Having one day of the week where you eat more carbs is perfectly acceptable, although not necessary.

What About Calories and Portion Control?

It is NOT necessary to count calories as long as you keep the carbs very low and stick to protein, fat and low-carb vegetables.
However, if you really want to, then use this calculator (opens in new window).
Enter your details, then pick the number from either the “Fat Loss” or the “Extreme Fat Loss” section – depending on how fast you want to lose.
There are many calorie counters you can use to track the amount of calories you are eating. I like Cron-O-Meter – it is free and easy to use.
The main goal is to keep carbs under 20-50 grams per day and get the rest of your calories from protein and fat.

Bottom Line: It is not necessary to count calories to lose weight on this plan. It is most important to strictly keep your carbs in the 20-50 gram range.

Other Weight Loss Tips to Make Things Easier (and Faster)

Pretty much all you have to do is the 3 steps:

1. Eliminate high-carb foods.
2. Eat Protein, Fat and Veggies.
3. Exercise 3-4 times per week (optional, but recommended).

However, there are a few other tips that you may find useful if you want to speed things up even further.
None of these are old wives’ tales, they all have scientific evidence to back them up.
Drink Water, Coffee or Tea: Satisfy your thirst with water. If you’re a coffee or a tea drinker, then by all means drink as much as you want as both can raise your metabolism slightly.
Use Smaller Plates: Studies show that people automatically eat less when they use smaller plates. Strange, but it works.
Sleep Like a Baby: Poor sleep is associated with weight gain and obesity, taking care of your sleep is important.
Reduce Stress: Being stressed can elevate the stress hormone cortisol, which can cause fat accumulation in the belly.
Good sleep and reduced stress levels can also help prevent cravings, the dieter’s worst enemy. There are many other tips to prevent cravings in this article.

Bottom Line: It is most important to stick to the three rules, but there are a few other things you can do to speed things up.

You Will Become a “Fat Burning Beast”

You can expect to lose 5-10 pounds of weight (sometimes more) in the first week, then consistent weight loss after that.
I can personally lose 3-4 lbs per week for a few weeks when I do this strictly.
If you’re new to dieting, then things will probably happen quickly. The more weight you have to lose, the faster you will lose it.
For the first few days, you might feel a bit strange. Your body has been burning carbs for all these years, it can take time for it to get used to burning fat instead.
It is called the “low carb flu” and is usually over within a few days. For me it takes 3. Adding some sodium to your diet can help with this, such as dissolving a bouillon cube in a cup of hot water and drinking it.
After that, most people report feeling very good, positive and energetic. At this point you will officially have become a “fat burning beast.”
Despite the decades of anti-fat hysteria, the low-carb diet also improves your health in many other ways:

• Blood Sugar tends to go way down on low-carb diets.


• Triglycerides tend to go down.


• Small, dense LDL (the bad) Cholesterol goes down .


• HDL (the good) cholesterol goes up.


• Blood pressure improves significantly .


• To top it all of, low-carb diets appear to be easier to follow than low-fat diets.

Bottom Line: You can expect to lose a lot of weight, but it depends on the person how quickly it will happen. Low-carb diets also improve your health in many other ways.

You Don’t Need to Starve Yourself to Lose Weight

If you have a medical condition then talk to your doctor before making changes because this plan can reduce your need for medication.
By reducing carbs and lowering insulin levels, you change the hormonal environment and make your body and brain “want” to lose weight.
This leads to drastically reduced appetite and hunger, eliminating the main reason that most people fail with conventional weight loss methods.
This is proven to make you lose about 2-3 times as much weight as a typical low-fat, calorie restricted diet.
Another great benefit for the impatient folks is that the initial drop in water weight can lead to a big difference on the scale as early as the next morning.
Here are a few examples of low-carb meals that are simple, delicious and can be prepared in under 10 minutes: 7 Healthy Low-Carb Meals in 10 Minutes or Less.
On this plan, you can eat good food until fullness and still lose a ton of fat. Welcome to paradise.

Source: http://authoritynutrition.com/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible/