Among all the foods, I have decided to pick the top five super foods which have been shown to lower cholesterol and can be included in a healthy diet on a regular basis.

1.            Oat for Soluble Fiber

Oatmeal and oat bran are rich in soluble fiber, a type of fiber which lowers the bad Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol without lowering the good High Density Lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol. In 1997, the FDA authorized a heart disease risk reduction health claim for beta-glucan soluble fiber from oat products. Food products containing oat bran and rolled oats, such as oatmeal, and whole oat flour can bear this health claim.

How much do you need? Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent. Some studies showed that this amount can lower cholesterol by as much as 23 percent. One bowl of oatmeal contains about 3 grams of soluble fiber. Include other soluble-fiber-rich foods such as psyllium, apples, kidney beans, pears and barley.

2.            Fish for Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Fish is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids - which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. In particular, omega 3 fatty acids are noted for its triglyceride-lowering power.

How much do you need? In 2002, the American Heart Association recommended eating at least 2 servings of fish a week, particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout and herring. If you have high triglyceride levels, AHA recommends 2 to 4 g of EPA and DHA (two specific types of omega 3 oil) as supplements under your doctors care.

3.            Nuts for Healthy Fats

Nuts rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. These tasty snacks are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have all been shown to lower the bad LDL cholesterol.

How much do you need? In 2003, the FDA recognized the benefits of nuts and their role in heart disease prevention by approving a health claim for seven kinds of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts). Limit your intake to ~ 1.5 ounces a day, as nuts are high in calories. The best way to reap the health benefits of nuts is to eat them in replacement of foods that are high in saturated fats such as meat products.

4.            Foods fortified with Plant Sterols

Plant sterols or stanols are powerful substances naturally found in plant to have the ability to block cholesterol absorption. Studies showed that eating two servings of sterols-fortified foods daily result in a 10 to 15 percent drop in LDL cholesterol levels.

How much do you need? The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that people who have high cholesterol eat 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols a day. You can find plant sterols in fortified foods such as margarine spread, orange juice, salad dressings, functional cookies etc. Most sterols-fortified foods contain at least 1 gram of plant sterols per serving. Please read the portion size and usage direction on the labels for details. It is important to note that plant sterols are not for everyone. The AHA recommends it only for people with high levels of LDL cholesterol.

5.            Soy

Soy products are great substitutes for animal products. In 1999, the FDA recognized the health benefits of soy and heart disease by approving a soy health claim. However, due to conflicting results from a large-scale review performed by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the AHA Nutrition Committee no longer recommends eating soy to lower cholesterol.

Should you avoid soy then? A simple answer is No. Although soy may not lower cholesterol to the extent we previously thought it could, the US Agency review showed that it can still lower bad LDL cholesterol by 3 percent. Since soy products contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low levels of saturated fat, AHA does consider soy products a healthy replacement for meats and other foods high in saturated fat and total fat.

Written by  Gloria Tsang, RD of http://www.healthcastle.com/

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Is the meaning of the word extreme considered negative or positive? I guess it depends on the perspective of the person. At any rate, anything that is extreme should only last for a short period. Something that is extreme keeps its thrill when it is short lived and not frequent in occurring.

An extreme weight loss diet should be kept in those bounds. Extreme weight loss diets are considered to be a jump start to a regular diet. Careful consideration should be used to determine how long an extreme weight loss diet should continue.

Are extreme weight loss diets effective?
The answer is, yes! An extreme way of eating usually involves eliminating certain types of food in your daily meals. The types of foods that are eliminated are considered food for fat cells or interfere with proper digestion.

Extreme Weight Loss Diet Examples:
*Cut out sugar. Simple sugars are an excellent source of food to help fat cells grow. Foods that contain simple sugars are candy,ice cream, soda beverages, and desserts with added sugar. Also, refined carbohydrates like white bread and rice are easily converted into simple sugars when digested. Most processed food has sugar or glucose added. Remember to check labels. Even ketchup has sugar.

*Cut out carbohydrates. Most carbohydrates are considered simple sugars. When broken down in the digestive tract, they convert into glucose and affect blood sugar levels.

*Cut out fat. Well, not completely. There are healthy fats that your body needs. The type of fats to avoid are trans fat and saturated fat. Saturated fat comes from animal products. Trans fat are made from oils that are partially hydrogenated. Healthy fats are monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and omega-3 fatty acids. Monounsaturated are found in foods and oils. Polyunsaturated is mostly plant-based. The Omegas are found in fish.

*Cut out calories. Counting calories eaten in every meal and snack, can burn fat cells quickly when you are consistent and accurate. Calories should be adjusted to activity levels.

*Cut out toxins. Doing a detox diet can flush out unwanted undigested food and parasites. Detoxifying uses plenty of water which is very good for healthy systems and cells. Bloating will cease and your body will be better prepared to accept and absorb nutrients. The nutrients will then assist your metabolism and lower fat cell production.

To be successful in using one of these diets, be consistent and drink plenty of water.

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Tips for Weight Loss Success

Here are some tips for weight loss success:

1.     Eat regular meals.  People who eat regular meals consume fewer calories than those who eat irregular meals.

2.     Use a plate, sit down, and enjoy your meals. Folks who do this eat 43% smaller portions than those who eat out of containers or on the run.

3.     Get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day.

4.     How much and what you eat makes a big difference.  Enjoy normal portions of foods that are high in fiber (fruits, veggies, whole grains) and rich in lean or low fat protein is the secret to feeling full.

5.     Think positive: Focus on the benefits of a healthier lifestyle rather than the scale.
Eat at the same times every day (including snacks). Sure you cant do this all the time, but some people find that knowing when to expect their next meal or snack makes them a lot less likely to graze. Our body appreciates rhythms, from seasons to tides, so why not give it what it craves?

6.     Make only one meal. Instead of making something high-cal for the family and low-cal for yourself, get everyone on the same healthy-eating page. Weight loss and maintenance is easier when everyones eating the same thing -- and youre not tempted to taste someone elses calorie-dense food.

7.     Remember that little things add up. So keep eating a little fruit here, some veggies there, continue grabbing 10 minute walks between meetings. Weight loss is a journey guided by your unique needs, so hook into what works for you -- and do it!

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1.     Ice Water

Probably the most powerful weight loss tool at your disposal, and also the cheapest, is plain old ice water (who’d a thunk!). Drinking plenty of water is great for your body because it helps you feel full, boosts your metabolism, and it contains zero calories. Furthermore, some studies suggest that drinking just two extra glasses of ice water per day can help boost your metabolism by as much as 30%. This equates to about 5 pounds of fat loss per year!

2.     Vegetable Juice

Vegetable juice is every bit as nutritious as fruit juice but with about half the calories. Most vegetable juices are also rich in fiber which can help make you feel full and in turn eat less.

3.     Fruit Smoothies

Mix-up a delicious batch of smoothies using your favorite fruits and a little bit of skim milk. Do not consume smoothies with added sugar, whipped cream, honey, or other sweeteners that can add hundreds of calories – in other words, don’t eat smoothies from your favorite local restaurant or ice-cream shop and think that you’re eating healthy because you’re not!

4.     Fruit Juice

Fruit juices have loads of vitamins and nutrients, but it’s important to make sure that there’s no added sugar…sorry Sunny D and Tang! Also remember that the pulpier, the better. Fruit juice with lots of pulp contains added fiber that can help you feel more full and eat less.

5.     Black Coffee

Coffee has plenty of positive health benefits and best of all, it contains no calories! Black coffee is rich in antioxidants that can help boost your mood, improve concentration, reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer, as well as many other benefits. Keep you coffee consumption at 4 cups or less per day – as with anything, moderation is the key.

6.     Green Tea

Like coffee, green tea has a plethora of positive health benefits and contains plenty of helpful antioxidants. It also helps to boost your metabolism if consumed on a daily basis, which can help to speed up your body’s fat-burning mechanism – as much as a 40% increase in some cases!

7.     Milk

The calcium in Low-fat or skim milk can help contribute to the breakdown of fat cells in your body. Too much milk, though, can pack on the pounds because it does contain a lot of calories, so stick to 3-4 small servings per day in order to benefit from milk’s weight loss benefits.

8.     Protein Drinks

Protein drinks, such as from powders or pre-mixed varieties, can have a great effect on your weight loss regiment, because lean muscle is very efficient at burning fat. In other words, the more muscle you have, the more fat your body will burn. Protein is a big part of this equation, because it’s the building block of muscle growth.

9.     Fiber Drinks

There’s many fiber-rich drinks on the market today, and they can be a great tool for any weight loss program. Fiber helps to make your body feel full, and it also has plenty of other positive health benefits as well.

10.  Apple Cider Vinegar

Sounds a little gross, and it may be too gross for some people to try, but apple cider vinegar is a sort-of “old school” health drink that was very popular in the ’70s as a weight loss tool. Although there aren’t any scientific studies that actually prove it works, many fitness gurus swear by it, saying that it greatly boosts your metabolism if taken regularly…Hey, it’s worth a try! Here’s a recipe to make your own apple cider vinegar. Kick start your metabolism with the same ingredients used in the 1970’s version of the weight loss drink. A pinch of cayenne pepper and dash of garlic juice adds spice to your apple cider vinegar drink and may increase your circulation. In addition, some dieters use this drink to wash down a B6 vitamin three times a day.

By : http://www.promotehealth.info/

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Here are the exercises that are effective and don’t require any equipment at all.
Now you have no more excuses!
Here are 12 great exercises that you can do at home, without the need for any equipment:

1. Walking – If the weather is nice, it’s wonderful to get outside and enjoy the scenery around you while you exercise. However, if the weather has other ideas, you can just as easily get an effective walking workout at home. If you have a flight of stairs, go up and down them a few times. (You could even grab a load of laundry as you’re going that way anyway!) This will help to tone up your legs, while getting some low impact aerobic exercise as well. If you don’t have any stairs available, just walk around the house a few times – it may not be very exciting, but it will do the job!
2. Jumping Jacks – These are always fun, as they bring back memories of being a kid! Who hasn’t done jumping jacks for fun as a child? Well, surprise – they are also great cardio exercises, and good for warming up, too.
3. Pushups – These are probably not the most favorite exercise of many people, but while they can be hard to do, you can find easier ways to do them. You don’t need to pretend you’re “Rocky”, and do them with one hand; just do what works for you. Do them on your knees, instead of keeping your legs straight. Or, do them standing up against a wall. You will be building up arm strength and working out muscles in your chest area.
4. Leg Lifts – These are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs. If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.
5. Crunches – The best exercise for building up and strengthening abdominal muscles. When you’re just getting started, don’t worry about getting your head all the way up. So long as you’re going up until you feel the stretching of the muscles, you will see some benefit.
6. Jogging In Place – Jogging is a great exercise for your heart. You can jog in place at home while watching TV or listening to music. The only equipment you will require is a good pair of shoes, to eliminate any stress to your legs.
7. Squats – These are wonderful exercises for your legs and buttocks. You can even just try these by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair, if you’re finding them to be too difficult. As long as you’re able to do a few repetitions, you will be providing some benefit to your body.
8. Light Weight Lifting – No, you don’t need to go out and buy expensive weights for this! Just use whatever you can find in your house. Start out with something lighter, such as a can of peas, and work yourself up to heavier items. You can use milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles or even water jugs.
9. Dancing – Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart. Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well, and give your overall feeling a boost.
10. Step Exercises – Using the steps in your home, you can do repetitions which will tone your leg muscles. (Just remember to be careful!)
11. Lunges - Begin the lunge by taking a large step forward, keeping your head up and torso erect. Lower your hips and allow your trailing knee to drop to a point just before it touches the floor - never let the knee touch the floor. To return to the start, push off with your forward leg and then step back when the knee is completely straight. Repeat with other leg, 10-15 reps each leg.
12. Stair Running - Stair running isnt usually considered a resistance exercise, and in fact, it makes hefty demands on your cardiovascular system. However, it also does an incredible job of conditioning the lower body. If your knees are in good shape, try doing 10-20 one-story sprints, preferably two stairs at a time. As you get stronger, work up the number slowly, keep one hand on the stair rail to catch yourself if you lose your balance. Give yourself a bigger challenge by wearing a backpack filled with nice and heavy books.

To avoid having a basement filled with expensive dust-collecting equipment, keep these points in mind when deciding to purchase:
» Your fitness goals - do you need an equipment for your fitness goal?
» Cost of the equipment - can you afford?
» Long term plan of usage - can you continue to use the equipment to exercise?
» Variations that the equipment provides - will the equipment meet your needs as you get more fit?

What are the benefits of working out at home?
» No driving to and from a fitness club
» Workout on your schedule
» No expensive monthly membership fees

Getting some exercise is important. Use what you have in your house, and work out in the comfort of your home. You will be more likely to keep up with the exercises when you’re comfortable, so just get up and start exercising!

By: www.fitwatch.com

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Fat burning foods are foods that burn more calories than the calorie content of the food itself, thereby fighting stored fat. Fat burning foods help lose fat even while you sleep.

If you skip meals and food, it will slow your metabolism and your health will deteriorate.

There are certain foods which actually burn more fat than the calorie content of the food itself. These fat burning foods are natural plant foods. If you eat these fat burning foods and do some exercise, it will boost your metabolism and burn more calories (fat) at a faster rate for several hours even after exercise. Full list of the fat burning foods is available.

List of Foods that burn fat: Fat Fighters

1. Fruits rich in vitamin C - Citrus Fruits: like limes, lemons, oranges, guava, grapefruit, papaya, sweet lime, tangerines and tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and fiber and have fat burning properties so they may be called as fat burning foods or fat burners or fat fighters.
Vitamin C helps the body process fat faster and also stimulates the carnitine amino acid which speeds up the bodys fat-burning capacity.
Vitamin C dilutes the fat and makes it less effective and helps in releasing the fat from the body.

2. Apples: Pectin in apple restricts the cells to absorb the fat; and also encourages water absorption from the food which helps in releasing the fat deposits from the body. The antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an apple body shape.

3. Calcium Rich Dairy Products: Calcium in dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt act as fat burner that can boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. According to Professor Michael Zemel at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, (Obesity Research, April 2004; vol 12; pp 582-590), dairy-rich diets with same calorie restriction can nearly double the rate of weight and fat loss. Eating 3-4 servings of dairy products a day is more effective at enhancing weight loss efforts than calcium supplementation alone. Dairy products may therefore be termed as fat burning foods or fat burners.
The researchers found:
Overweight people who consumed 3 servings a day of calcium-rich dairy lost more belly fat than those who followed a similar diet minus two or more of the dairy servings. The calcium supplements didnt work as well as milk.

4. Nuts help feel full while also increasing the bodys ability to burn fat, says author Jordi Salas-Salvado of the University of Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain.

5. Chillies: Foods containing chillies or cayenne pepper are considered to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermo genic food, so it causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chilies.

6. Cardamom: Cardamom is a thermo genic herb like Capsaicin that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat.

7. Curry leaves (Curry Patta): Curry leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits in the body.

8. Garlic: An effective fat burning food.

9. Proteins: Protein rich foods and high fiber foods are the best as foods burning belly fat. Protein needs more energy to digest than fat as so eat low calorie dairy products, beans, whole grains, oatmeal, eggs, etc. as much as possible.
Lentils are high in protein and soluble fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels, therefore lentils are a great tummy flattener," according to Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of The F-Factor Diet.

10.  Green Tea: Studies show that green tea revs up your metabolism, so drink several cups a day.

11.  Fish oil: Fish oil supplements are a great way to shed pounds. A recent study found that fish oil is great for helping your body burn fat more efficiently. You may lose up to 2 kg over 3 months.

12.  Some of the other foods that may be included in the list of fat burning foods are asparagus, beet root, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, chillies, beans, soybeans, sweet potatoes, blueberries and watermelon.

13.  Honey: Honey mobilizes the extra fat deposits in the body.

14.  Avoid Salt and Sugar: Avoiding salt and sugar can shape you up very fast.

Note that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. This can be done by eating fat fighting foods and doing some physical activity. This will help your body burning up the excessive stored fat.

Article By: Padma Mehta and Prakash Mehta (www.fatfreekitchen.com)

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First of all, who is in charge? You or your food? Decide now how committed you are going to be in trying and extreme diet. The more committed and consistent you are, the faster and better results youll have.



There are necessary changes in your food choices that need to place. Make your decision now to go full out without looking back. Move forward while being in control of your habits and completely focused on your meal planning and preparation.

Set yourself up for weight loss success by limiting your involvement in other areas of your life. A good time to start is when your life is in balance. Choosing to switch to a new way of eating right before a wedding, in the middle of a move, or at the start of new job, probably are not the best times to change your food regime. It will be easier to keep organized if your life is at an even state without major life changes.

3 Things to know before you learn about extreme weight loss diets that work

1. Meal plan. Plan meals and snacks at least 2 weeks in advance. Planning will enable you to buy the necessary food for your meals.

2. Shopping list. Organize a shopping list for all of the foods, herbs, and spices you will need. Make sure your list is complete. If you are missing some items, it is easy to slip back into old habits because you were not prepared to eat what you had planned.

3. Prepare. Prep snacks and other meal items in advance. Cook double and save the rest for another day. Chop up fruits and veggies and place in easy to go bags or containers. Make a weeks worth of snacks.

3 Extreme Weight Loss Diets That Work

1. Sugar free. Sugar is an excellent food for fat cells. They love it and thrive on it. As soon as sugar is gone, the fat cells stop producing and the old ones melt away. Once off of sugar for at least 2 weeks, you will stop craving it as much. Check food labels for sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Beware of sugar filled beverages.

2. Raw food. A raw food diet eliminates sugar as well. Consuming mostly fruits and vegetables, you will gain energy while speeding up your metabolism.

3. Cleanse. A cleansing diet works quickly. This type only lasts for a week or so, it is not a lifestyle change. Although participating in a cleansing diet several times a year is very beneficial to your digestive tract. You will notice that bloating is significantly reduced.

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Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a persons weight and height. BMI is used to indicate if you are normal, overweight, obese, or underweight.
Formula to calculate your BMI:

Underweight BMI < 18.5

Normal Weight BMI: 18.5 to 24.9

Overweight BMI: 25 to 29.9

Obesity BMI >= 30

Alternatively, you can also use  BMI Chart to determine your BMI. Use the following BMI Chart to determine your body mass index (BMI).

Please note: This BMI chart is for adults, 20 years old and older.

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