Saturday, 9 June 2012

4 Healthy Foods to Eat to Lose Weight While You Sleep


Want a weight loss secret that is an easy way to lose belly fat while you sleep? If you make your body more efficient, it will store less fat. And you don't have to get on a calorie counting diet to make that happen. Instead, you'll just need to get a better understanding of your body's hunger cycles and sleep rhythms. Once you tap into those you'll begin burning more fat and your energy levels will start ramping up!
Research has shown our inner clocks associated with eating and sleeping cycles can be thrown out of sync with eating the wrong foods. What results is constant cues of hunger that make cravings almost impossible to resist! When you understand the natural eating and sleeping schedules of your body, you can actually lose weight and have way more energy as a result. The secret is in melatonin! You can get it naturally from foods or supplements and it will help you get a much higher quality sleep at night. Here are 4 healthy foods to eat to lose weight that will help you sleep better, and get rid of belly fat:
1. Fish
Omega-3 is really important for the production melatonin. And when you're deficient in omega-3, your melatonin levels can get really out of whack. Studies show that when we don't get enough omega-3 insomnia sets in. Not only that, omega-3 also is rich in protein. And, protein gives you the 'full' feeling. And, our body burns extra calories when its digesting protein, so you're actually burning more calories just by eating. Most fish have lots of Omega-3! You can get it naturally from sardines, salmon, and halibut. But you might also consider taking a fish oil supplement.
2. NUTS
There are tons of reasons you should be eating nuts. But here's a big one: they are a great source of magnesium. Magnesium is also integral to melatonin production. Lots of magnesium is what tells animals to hibernate. For us, when we don't get enough it can result in seasonal affective disorder. Magnesium is very important!
For example: the USDA did a study back in 2010 that found that giving magnesium supplements to folks who had a hard time sleeping were able to rest peacefully all night. Get your magnesium from nuts, lentils, soy and black beans as well.
3. MILK
Calcium is still considered important for weight loss. The amount is debatable by nutritionists. But milk really does do a body good when it comes to shedding pounds. Just like magnesium, calcium helps you sleep. They work together for absorption. If you tend to wake up with cramps or muscle soreness it may be a deficiency in calcium you're looking for. It helps to relax your muscles fibres and nerves. So drink your milk! Some other sources are sardines, fortified orange juice, dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale, and tofu.
4. CHERRIES
Cherries are one of the best fruits that help you lose weight. Just before bed,eat a few cherries. Make sure they're the tart kind though. They are the plant with the highest source of melatonin. Bananas and corn have some as well. But, not the high amount that tart cherries do. If you don't like cherries, drink the juice. Mix it with juices you do enjoy! A recent study showed that folks who drank 8 ounces of cherry juice (the tart variety) twice a day for 2 weeks actually slept more soundly.
These 4 healthy foods to eat to lose weight will help you get rid of your belly fat and lose weight while you sleep.
For great weight loss help click here!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7108363

Tuesday, 5 June 2012

Does Not Eating Make You Lose Weight?


We all know about the frustrations of trying to lose weight. If you're like me you've tried one diet after another. Maybe you actually manage to lose a few pounds only to put it back on again the minute you begin to eat normally.
So now you've decided to try something else. Just don't eat! You're bound to lose weight. Right.... WRONG. Nothing could be more harmful and it just plain doesn't work.
Does not eating make you lose weight? This is a question I've heard many times before. The short answer is 'NO'. If you stop eating you might lose a pound or two but that's all. The reason is all down to the complexities of your metabolism and the genes you inherited from Paleolithic man.
Paleolithic man were known as hunter gatherers and lived in caves. They ate the animals they could catch or food they could pick. This meant their diet was high in meat, vegetables, berries and nuts. Since they didn't farm grains were not part of their staple diet.
During the summer months food was easier to find whereas during the winter months plant growth would was sparse and animals wandered to warmer climates to find their food stores.
Because they had to rely on the seasons for the availability of food, their metabolism had to adapt to cope with the periods when food was scarce. During the summer months they were able to eat well and store fat. During the winter when less food was around their brains detected the lack of food. The metabolism slowed to conserve energy so they were able to survive on the fat stores they had built up during the summer months.
We are still genetically programmed to do this. If you decide you're not going to eat your brain interprets the lack of food as a time to conserve energy. You metabolism slows down and you burn fewer calories and fat than you would normally. So of course... you don't lose weight.
It may sound strange but it's true. Your body tries to protect you from starvation. It's a built-in safety net to help you survive. So now most people have plenty of food available. We over eat and our bodies readily store the excess as fat. But since we always have plenty of food we never burn off the extra fat stores.
You must continue to eat if you want to lose weight. You need to consume fewer calories than you actually needs in a day. In that way your body is forced to use up some of its fat store. Of course the more active you are the more calories you need.
The easiest way to lose weight is to be more active and reduce your portion sizes. Make sure you eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and drink plenty of water. It sounds over simplified but all these fancy diets are designed to do just that. So whatever you do don't stop eating. The trick is to eat your way to weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.
Living a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be hard. It can be made easier by claiming some free weight loss advice.
For more help on weight loss click here!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7084376