8 Ways To Lose Weight Fast

Here are some ways to lose weight fast.

1 - Take everything one step at a time. Begin simply by paying more attention to what you are eating, slowly cutting back on the bad foods and implementing more healthy foods into your diet. Once you have this under control, the next step is to add exercise to your plan. If you do not like exercising, take this one step at a time as well by implementing only 15 to 30 minutes at a time, at first.

2 - Choose foods and activities that you enjoy. If you do activities that you get enjoyment out of, you will find them to be much more successful than trying to exercise in ways that you do not enjoy. The same goes for foods that you implement in your diet: Choosing foods that you enjoy will help you enjoy your diet rather than craving bad foods.

3 - Build muscle. You lose calories based on your weight. Muscles, surprisingly enough, burn calories more quickly than fat does, pound for pound. Work out with weights to build muscle and lose weight, and then allow your extra lean muscle mass to burn more calories for you on a long term basis.

4 - Reduce your carbohydrates. Do not cut your carbohydrates out completely, because your body needs carbohydrates for energy. Cut out some of the white breads and pastas from your diet, though, to cut down on the carbohydrates that you consume. What carbs you do need to eat, you can replace with whole wheat and brown carbs for better health.

5 - Set realistic, measurable and attainable goals. Put deadlines on your goals, making them measurable. Make them realistic by choosing goals that you know you can attain. Set long term and short term goals and you will more readily achieve your expectations regarding quick and healthy weight loss.

6 - Give up the bad stuff. It may surprise you how unhealthy it is to eat candy, cookies, cakes and other sweets, and to drink soda and sugar laden drinks. Cut these bad goodies out either completely, or at least 80% of the time and the pounds will shrink away without you having to do much else to make the weight loss happen.

7 - Have a suitable breakfast. Most of your calories should be consumed early on in the day, and breakfast is no exception. Eat a nice breakfast to give your metabolism a good foundation to run from for the remainder of the day.

8 - Control portions by leaving something behind. Make sure your portions are correct based on the actual serving size of your food, and then make sure not to clear your plate completely. Exercising portion control will give you better control over what you put into your body for easy and achievable weight loss.

Implement these tips one by one and in no time at all you will begin to see a significant difference in your weight.

Skin Care Myths Explained

By Lee Peterson

There are so many myths about proper skin care, that it's
scary. From old wife's tales about preventing stretch marks
during pregnancy to what's mandatory for proper cleansing,
the falsehoods that are taken for granted have most
dermatologists shaking their heads in discord. According to
many skin care specialists, some of these myths can actually
lead to skin damage. Here we dispel five of the common fishy
tales regarding skin care.

1. Prepare your skin for summer sun on a tanning bed.
Tanning beds are dangerous because of the concentrated UVA
rays they emit. These are the same rays you get from the sun
that cause premature aging and skin cancer. Getting a light
tan on the sun bed does not protect your skin from further
damage, it just means you have already exposed it to harmful
rays. Tanning does not produce more melanin in the skin, it
just brings it to the surface.

2. Application of olive oil can prevent pregnancy stretch
marks. Stretch marks are caused when the sub-surfaces of the
dermis split, usually due to expansion of the skin beyond
its elasticity ability. This can occur during pregnancy or
because of excessive weight gain. There are no topical
preparations that will prevent this scarring from occurring.
A healthy diet, hydration and regular exercise are the best
ways to ensure your dermis remains healthy and retains its
elasticity.

3. Increasing the SPF means you can stay out in the sunshine
much longer. This is truly an unsafe belief. A sunscreen
with an SPF of 15 will block approximately 94% of UV rays.
Increasing to an SPF of 40 will only block 97% of UV rays.
Increasing the SPF does not significantly increase the
protection. What's more important is to ensure the sun block
you purchase protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Another
must is to apply the protection before you venture out in
the sun and then reapply sun screen every couple of hours,
regardless of whether you got wet or not.

4. You don't need sunscreen if you have dark skin. A darker
skin tone, whether a Mediterranean olive-toned complexion or
the skin tone of a person of color, does not give the person
extra protection from the sun. It only means that they have
an increased level of melanin. Although this does decrease
the risk of skin cancer from the harmful UVA and UVB rays of
the sun, it is only a slight decrease, and people with
darker skin tones must use sunscreen and take the same
precautions as those with a fairer complexion.

5. Eating chocolate will give you acne. Acne is not caused
by anything you eat. Acne occurs when the dead cells that
your skin sheds stick together and block gland openings.
This causes a back up of the oils that naturally occur in
your skin. Bacteria on the skin react to this and make the
condition worse. One type of food is not going to cause
acne, but a healthy diet will promote a healthier skin and
body.

Indian Food - The Misconceptions And Truths

By Rajeev Sinha

There are many myths and misconceptions about Indian food.
Lets just take a quick look at a few of them. This could be
interesting.

All Indian food is spicy: Though Indian cooking is hot and
spicier when compared with European or Western cooking,
there are lots of regions in India where the food is bland,
even sweet. In case you want to try something less-hot, go
taste some Gujarati dishes.

Gujarati cuisine has a touch of sweetness in almost all of
its dishes. Traditional South Indian cooking (except Andhra
Pradesh) is generally less-spicier than other regions in
India. Kashmiri cuisine also incorporates sweet tasting
dishes in its menu. So when someone tells you Indian cooking
is spicy, don't entirely believe them.

Most of Indian recipes are Vegetarian: Well, not entirely
true. While many sections of India are strictly vegetarian,
the array of non vegetarian food available in this part of
the world is immense.

Many of the Hindus while vegetarian have traversed to the
other side and there's a great population of non vegetarians
in India. Muslims and Christians in India also consume meat,
while Hindus do not eat them as they considered it sacred.

There is no variety in Indian cooking: Many, especially
foreigners and first time visitors to India, are of the
opinion that Indian food doesn't have so much of choices.
Indian cuisine is probably one of the most varied
food-culture on the planet!

This is actually a misconception around the world and even
in India. Chicken Tikka did not originate in India. It was
brought into India by the Mughals and has its origins in
Persia.

Indian food is all about Curry: Curry is something that was
again made popular by British-South Asian ethnic groups.
While Curry abroad may refer to a thick and spicy gravy
dish, India takes a different meaning altogether. In South
India, Curry may refer to a vegetable side-dish that is
often served with rice.

You will also find that in certain Indian regions, food is
served on a banana leaf or an areca nut leaf. These
traditions have been passed on to families since many
generations and many modern Indian continue to follow then
regardless of caste differences.

For further information and video recipes please visit the
buzzing food community at ifood. If you are an Indian food
lover you can also take a look at
(http://www.ifood.tv/r/indian/recipes) Indian Recipes and
(http://www.ifood.tv/network/south_indian/recipes) South
Indian Recipes.

A List Of High Fiber Foods

By Beth Hoover

Fiber is a critical part of the diet. Ironically your body
isn't able to digest fiber so it passes right through your
body. Fiber food is necessary because it keeps your colonic
tract healthy and keeps your body regular.

Put simply, its main job is to scrub your guts. Here is a
high fiber food listing to help you get started with your
healthy lifestyle! You may also need to know that fiber can
help you control your blood sugar and can even lower your
cholesterol. Oh and it also releases poisons from your body.

Almonds

Cashews

Flax seeds

Garbanzo beans, well cooked

Kidney beans, well cooked

Lentils, red cooked

Lima beans, cooked 1 cup

Gooseberry

Elderberry

Grapes

Grapefruit

Kiwi fruit

Rhubarb

Pawpaw

Papaya

Peanuts

Pistachio nuts

Pumpkin seeds

Soybeans

Sunflower seeds

Walnuts

Apple

Crabapple

Hawthorn

Pear

Apricot

Peach

Nectarines

Plum

Cherry

Blackberry

Raspberry

Mulberry

Strawberry

Cranberry

Blueberry

Barberry

Currant

Melon

Watermelon

Figs

Dates

Olive

Jujube

Pomegranate

Lemon

Lime

Key Lime

Mandarin

Orange

Sweet Lime

Tangerine

Avocado

Guava

Kumquat

Lychee

Passion Fruit

Tomato

Banana

Gourd

Bitter Gourd

Bottle Gourd

Cashew Fruit

Cacao

Coconut

Custard Apple

Jackfruit

Mango

Pineapple

Carrot

Wheat-bran cereal

Oatmeal

Whole wheat bread

Rice

Corn tortilla

Enriched pasta

Bulgur

Whole wheat spaghetti

Wheat flakes

Barley

Wheat bran muffin

Fig bars

Whole wheat tortilla

Couscous

Graham crackers

Pita bread

Enriched white rice

Try to add fiber to your diet steadily so that your body has
time to adapt to the rise in fiber content. Fiber has also
been shown to help with a weight loss plan, nevertheless, be
certain to talk with your health practitioner prior to
beginning any diet regimen or if you have got any illness
that may require less fiber. This is the best way to make
sure you stay healthy, especially since your physician knows
tons about you.

Addiction Trends Of The Last 30 Years

By Catherine Cosgrove

By definition, an addiction is described as being abnormally
tolerant or dependent on something that is psychologically
or physically habit-forming. Addictions come in many forms,
from substance abuse addiction to behavior addictions, all
of which may require intervention or professional treatment
to overcome. As addictions have changed and redeveloped over
time, programs have had to progressively change and modify
approaches as well. In fact, while addiction trends have
changed in the last three decades with some becoming more
problematic than others, more help is available for
overcoming addiction than ever before.

Though alcohol dependency has been a constant addiction
recognized for many years, in the mid-1970s, illicit drug
use and addiction peaked to a point almost rivaling that of
alcohol. Illicit drugs, including cocaine, heroine, and
marijuana were the primary source of drug addictions until
the 1990s. At this point, illicit drugs that were more
cheaply made and acquired, like meth, became a growing
trend.

Marijuana dependency and addiction is a source of interest
in both the medical and political sectors today. As more
states explore the legalization and government control of
marijuana for medical purposes and even recreational use,
the potential for marijuana use to peak and become as
problematic as alcohol addiction is possible.

While dependency on illicit drugs continues to be a problem
for some, prescription drug addiction has nearly
overshadowed illicit drugs in the last decade. Narcotic pain
relievers and stimulants top the list of prescription drug
addictions. In 2001, reports indicated that nearly 87
percent of prescription drug addicts were white. Some
reports also indicate prescription stimulates, such as those
used to treat ADHD, are primarily abused by people under the
age of 21. In addition to prescription drug addiction, over
the counter (OTC) drug addiction has seen a rise in the last
decade.

In addition to substance abuse, other addictions that are
behavior oriented have seen rises and falls as well. Some
behavior-based addictions that have existed for years have
only recently become recognized as genuine addictions
requiring intervention. For example, where gambling
addictions were once unacknowledged, 12-step programs for
gambling addicts are now as mainstream as AA. Similar
addictions, including sex addiction, have also seen an
increase in awareness. Certain addictions, like food
addictions, have less social stigma but have come into the
forefront as behavior addictions requiring modification
nonetheless.

For many, an addiction may stem largely from habitual
familiarity but many addictions are both psychological and
physiological. Those who struggle with addiction are bound
not only by the psychological habit but in many cases, a
physical addiction. Substances that cause the body to
respond to an absence, such as caffeine, nicotine, or an
opiate drug, make overcoming addiction that much more
difficult.

With an increase of studies pertaining to the psychological
and physical dependencies created by addiction, programs to
overcome addiction have improved as well. Programs to treat
addiction were once barbaric in some sense, ignoring the
psychological aspect of addiction. Today, programs that
focus on the individual and each aspect of their addiction
make it possible to overcome addiction once and for all.
Through various support and treatment programs that address
an individual's addiction in both traditional and
non-traditional methods, addiction recovery is becoming more
successful.

Addictions of all varieties have seen some resurgence in
different times but the core of addiction and the road to
recovery remain the same. People struggling with addiction
are often depressed and can see their life spiraling out of
control but feel too alone or ashamed to ask for help.
Oftentimes, denial is at the core of addiction, with those
suffering from addiction unable to acknowledge their
dependency. Those who are involved in an addict's life also
feel alone and afraid and may not know how to help.

Thankfully, as addiction at its core has remained virtually
unchanged, the influx of information available through the
Internet and the increase in public awareness and health
education curriculum has improved the way people can find
help. Additionally, this increase in information and
awareness has improved the way recovery and treatment
facilities are able to offer help. Treatment and recovery
centers exist for nearly all types of addictions, in nearly
every part of the country. Substance abuse hotlines and
mental health benefits through insurance companies have also
helped to facilitate addiction help. If you or a loved one
is struggling with addiction, the first step to recovery is
to ask for help.

Catherine Cosgrove is a representative of Heritage Home Drug
and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center. Heritage Home Drug and
Alcohol Rehabilitation Center offers a tranquil and
therapeutic environment to begin your recovery from alcohol
and drug addiction. Our team has worked together in
(http://www.sobriety.ca/) drug rehab centres for many years
and will give you a personal, unique, and individualized
approach to emotional healing and sobriety.

Five Fun Ways To Get In Shape

By Mckayla Anna

There are so many ways to get in shape, but they don't all
fill us with excitement! Getting fit is something that can
be fun, however, if you're a little creative about it. To
help you out I've put together five fun tips to help you get
fit again but without the traditional kind of exercise!

1) Dance Classes

One of the best fun ways to get in shape is to dance. There
are so many different types of dance class these days,
you're bound to find one that suits you. Better still, go
with a friend. It's a fantastic night out and you'll be
burning calories at the same time! When you're not out at
your class, just put on some uplifting music at home and
dance around the place. See how tired you get in just thirty
minutes - you'll be getting a fantastic workout without even
trying!

2) Play With Your Pet

If you have a dog then there's no better way to bond and
have some fun than going out for a long walk or run. Your
dog will love it: and you will too when you start to see
those pounds falling off! Even running around with them in
the back yard can have a great effect.

3) Play Some Sport

Most of us dread the idea of facing the gym regularly, but
doing something like sports with your friends can be a lot
easier to get your head around. Whatever sport you like,
even if you just end up playing catch, it'll get you moving
which will, in turn, get you back in shape without you even
realizing it.

4) Sign Up for A Charity Run

Doing a sponsored walk or run is one of the best ways to
earn some money for charity. What better motivation do you
need to get out there and to start exercising? Whenever
you're feeling tired or down about being active, just
remember that you're doing it for a fantastic reason.

5) Get A Fitness Game

These days, even playing a computer game can keep you fit!
Games such as the Wii Fit are now some of the most popular
ways to get in shape. They give you a real workout but they
make it fun, helping to take the pain out of exercising
regularly. Not only this, but they're a fraction of the cost
of buying a membership to the gym!

No matter how you exercise, have some fun! You'd even be
surprised at the
(http://www.gettinginshape.org/walking-as-an-exercise.html)
walking exercise benefits that you'll reap just by taking
your dog for a walk each day. If you still need a bit more
motivation then head on over to
(http://www.gettinginshape.org) Getting in Shape for more
exercise and dieting tips.