How to Burn Fat- Doctors’ Proven Weight Loss Secret #1

If you don’t know the answer, you need to know about a simple, inexpensive way to make sure. Every time. Every day. And I’ll show you why and how this simple, doctor-proven technique can be your most powerful weapon in your fight against fat.

No matter what weight loss program you are currently on, wouldn’t you like to know whether your plan is producing results? Most of us step on the scale, or wait until our clothes fit more loosely, before we really know whether our latest miracle diet pill or plan is working. And as a veteran dieter, you know that can take many days or weeks.

But there is a way to know for certain– within hours– whether or not you’re burning fat. To see if the food, or the pills, or the exercise is really returning benefits. Immediate benefits.

Are you starving?

There are really only two ways your body loses weight (by non-surgical means). You are either burning fat, or “burning” muscle. If you are burning muscle, watch out! You have actually begun to starve. For safe, healthy weight loss, you must preserve your muscle tissue (including heart muscle) and burn fat instead.

Here are the medical facts: any time your body burns fat, chemicals called ketones are produced. Ketones are byproducts of burning fat. Robert C. Atkins, M.D., the famous low-carb diet expert, states it clearly. “When your body releases ketones,” says Dr. Atkins, “it is chemical proof that you’re consuming your own stored fat.”

And burning your own stored fat is exactly what you want to do. Dr. Atkins goes further. “If you’re not in lipolysis (ketosis), you’re in glucosis.” It’s one or the other, period. Your body is either burning sugar, from simple and complex carbohydrates you are eating, or burning your own stored fat. Both produce energy. But only one will help you lose weight!

Prove it to yourself

You may have heard about this simple method of testing for ketone release before. But have you actually used it? It really is a marvelous tool to help you see the biological proof of your diet program, quickly and easily.

Ketone test strips are available at any pharmacy. Originally developed as a testing tool for diabetics, they are sold under various brand names, including KetoStix, LipoStix, Keto-Thin, and others. They all work essentially the same way.

The test strips are simple to use. Just place the tab end of the test strip in your first morning urine stream, and note the color change. Match the color to the chart on the bottle, and know immediately whether you are burning fat– or not.

The beauty is- it’s all about you!

Perhaps the best part of this test method, aside from the ease of use, is that you get to see what is really working for you. Everyone’s body is a little different, and now you can customize your food and supplement intake from specific results of your unique body and metabolism.

The other very important benefit of this easy test method is that it can help protect your health. As stated earlier, loss of muscle can be dangerous, and eventually even fatal. If you are dropping pounds but you are not burning fat, you are risking your health. And the ketone test strips can provide this valuable feedback.

To recap Doctors’ Proven Weight Loss Secret #1: test for ketones daily. If the reading is too dark, you can increase carbohydrates to balance into the “trace” to “small” range. If you see too little or no change, decrease your carbs, increase your protein intake.

Whether you are low-carb dieting, trying a new fat loss supplement, or starting a new exercise regimen, this simple, inexpensive test method can be the most important tool you have to make sure your program is safe, effective, and actually burning fat.

Hoodia: The Lazy Way To Lose Weight?

Losing weight is the hardest thing to do. If requires so much effort and in the fast pace worked we live in where our time is demanded on so many fronts we often have no time for ourselves. And with the two minutes in the day we do have to ourselves who wants to worry about their weight? It’s a vicious cycle. It’s not that we are so lazy, but we need a lazy way to lose weight because we just don’t have time for anything else. In the past we have stumbled onto lazy ways to lose weight, but they have ended up backfiring on us, causing all kinds of side effects and health problems. It’s so hard to know what is healthy when you are trying to lose weight. News reports come out every day telling us that something we thought was good for us is not longer healthy. We need to find some healthy natural ways to lose weight quickly and easily. There are so many products out there that claim to be able to help you lose weight. Products that speed up your metabolism, products that curb your appetite. How do you know which ones really work? How do you know which ones are just trying to take your money and leave you with nothing in return? One of the newest natural weight loss remedies comes in the form of a plant called hoodia.
A group from 60 Minutes researched a natural plant extract from the cactus plant hoodia that comes from South America. They actually sent a team over there to try it for themselves. One of the reporters said that after trying the product made from the plant she felt no hunger for the rest of the day. Now that sounds like something that could qualify as a lazy way to lose weight. Hoodia is an all natural plant grown now for its ability to send signals to the brain that tell the body it is not hungry, in fact it is able to make the brain almost forget about eating al together for periods of time. So far research has shown that there are no side effects except rapid weight loss. This new all natural weight loss remedy is taking the nation by storm. Hoodia is being made into all kinds of products designed to target those who have 20 pounds or more to lose. Weight loss companies are putting it in to powders, liquids, pills. People are paying loads of money for this new product. However, there are some companies that are ripping people off. Since the product is all the rage and in demand, it can be expensive to purchase. You need to be careful about the products you choose. Find a company that offers a money-back guarantee with their product or in some cases even a free sample.

What is Dukan Diet and its side-effects?

This article gives pertinent information about Dukan Diet and its side-effects

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Pierre Dukan, a French doctor and nutritionist, challenged with the case of obesity started to look for alternative ways in curing the illness. After 20 years of thorough research he published in the year 2000, a book called, “Je ne sais pas maigrir” or translated as, “I don’t know how to get slimmer.” It gained the best-seller in France after a year it has been published.
It was made a hit in UK when Kate Middleton, now the duchess of Cambridge, tried the Dukan Diet before her marriage to the beloved Prince William, she reportedly claimed a loss of two dress sizes. It also allegedly claimed to help five million French. The book is also gaining fame in the US in the year 2011 when actress/singer, Jennifer Lopez, lost pounds after her pregnancy by following this diet.
Dukan Diet: What is it? How does this work?
Dukan Diet is similar to the famous Atkins diet. Atkins and Dukan are much alike in terms of non-intake of carbs initially and do not require portion control or counting calorie consumptions. In Atkins, it requires net carbohydrate intakes and unlike Dukan, it suggests a daily intake of oats, increase water consumption and 20 minutes of everyday brisk walking. Dukan Diet adopts four phases namely: Attack, Cruise, Consolidation and Stabilization.
Four Phases of the Dukan Diet
Attack: In this starter phase, the dieter is only allowed take protein rich foods that are exquisitely low in fat. Dr. Dukan provided 72-item list of foods to be eaten, it excludes pork, lamb, poultry products and cheeses. Food should always be cooked but without adding any fat to it, it best to cook in grilling or roasting. It also requires you to eat 1 ½ tbsp. oat bran & 1.5 liters of water per day. This phase should be followed around 2-7 days or more. Results from this initial phase within 5 days may result in 4-7 lbs. loss. This phase promotes quick loss of weight since it is strictly based on a protein-only diet.
Cruise: Cruise, the second to the fourth phase of the Dukan diet scheme. During this phase dieters who were only allowed to eat protein-only foods can now alternate a 28-items of non-starchy vegetables. They may take attack phase diet for today and take non-starchy veggie diet for tomorrow, and so this phase must go on by alternating these two types of diet each day. This phase may last long enough as much as you want by reaching your desired weight and assuring 2 pounds per week loss.
Consolidation: As one achieves the desired weight, one has to go the next phase called Consolidation, this is the maintenance phase of this diet scheme where you have to prevent putting back excess pounds. The plan in this phase is less strict compared to the first two phases. During this phase you are permitted to eat protein-only and veggie diet along with a piece of low-sugar fruit, 2 slices of whole grain bread and a portion of hard cheese. In this phase you are allowed to have 1-2 serving of starchy foods and one celebration meal per week. The phase of consolidation does not expect to loss off pounds but rather it is steadily the maintenance process.
Stabilization: Stabilization is the final phase and a life-long phase of the diet scheme. In here maintenance of the life-changing diet may be a challenging and tempting. During this portion of the scheme, one is already permitted to allow any food intake that a person wants and by also sticking to the diet rule in the consolidation phase. As Pierre Dukan suggest, that staying on the phase 1 rule once a week and eat whatever you like for the rest of the week lowers the chances of regaining weight.
Pros and Cons of Dukan Diet
Pros: The fast results of this diet scheme is beneficially rewarding and motivating. It allows you to have protein and veggie meal plan diets and does not require you to count off your calorie intakes.
Cons: It is highly restrictive and can exclude healthy foods. Dieters can experience side-effects such as symptoms of headaches, nausea, lethargy, irritable and loss of concentration. Dieters may acquire halitosis (bad breath), metallic tasting mouth and strong smell in their urines. For those people who have problems with their kidneys and liver are not advised to follow this diet plan. It is not also recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Views and Opinions by Health Experts on the Dukan Diet
There are lots of critics in this diet plan. Due to the restrictive type scheme of this diet, some fruits, grains and nuts which are healthy and have high amounts of vitamins and minerals that are vital to the nutrition of the body are eliminated. Keri Gans of American Dietetic Association, said that the lost amount of multivitamins that should be acquired from those restricted foods are not compensated in the Dukan diet. Experts have also criticized that experiencing such side-effects may not be healthy at all.