Sunday, March 23, 2014

Cool Weight Loss Tips

While weight loss requires much discipline and planning, there are always tips to make the process easier and more efficient. We polled members of our medical weight loss clinics to find out some of their most effective methods for achieving success with easy weight loss programs. Read on for some inspiration and tips for making dieting easier.

  1. 1. Time it. Instead of browsing the aisles of the grocery store and wandering into dangerous territory, give yourself a time limit. Have your list ready and allocate a minimum amount of time—just enough to get your items and get out of the there. You’ll be less likely to wander into the junk food or processed foods sections.
2. Don’t skip. The worst thing you can do when you’re dieting is skip meals. Our bodies go into starvation mode when we go for too long without eating—this is not good, as your body will actually store fat. This slows down your metabolism and decreases your overall calorie burn.

3. Only use healthy cooking methods. Squash the urge to fry your dinner and instead only cook using healthy techniques such as steaming, roasting, baking, braising, poaching and broiling.

4. Slow it down. Many of use eat way too fast, which ultimately results in overeating and blowing it with even the best easy weight loss programs. Your stomach needs a good 20 minutes to signal your brain that it’s full, so give it what it needs. Slow down, don’t gulp and savor the meal.

5. Fill up on liquids. Many members of our medical weight loss clinics opt to start their meals with a low-sodium soup—research shows that those who eat soup at the beginning of their meal consume less calories overall throughout the meal. Another good option is to drink natural smoothies made with fresh, whole fruits and vegetables.
image: designerzcentral.com

Monday, March 17, 2014

5 Weight Loss Foods

Easy weight loss programs are supposed to be exactly that—easy, effortless and simple. Weight loss is really just a matter of the most basic math—eat fewer calories than you burn and you will shed pounds. Yet there are tricks to making the process even easier, and one of them is choosing the right foods.

Much research shows that certain foods help you lose weight, due to their protein or fiber content, which ultimately slows down digestion, staves off cravings and satiates hunger for hours on end. Whether you use weight loss products, follow a low-carb diet or both, below are some foods that can help you kick up your weight loss efforts.

Eggs. Nothing starts your day off better than a protein-rich breakfast—and eggs make the perfect first meal of the morning. The protein content in eggs can help you feel fuller throughout your entire day, and therefore, make you less likely to snack mindlessly.

Soup. Research shows that starting a meal with a cup of broth-based soup will fill you so that you eat less at the entire meal. However, stay away from cream-based soup or those that include butter.

Coconut Milk. According to a myriad of studies, the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut milk may speed up your metabolism and promote weight loss. However, read the labels carefully—you want to choose the unsweetened, lower-calorie varieties to enjoy the maximum weight loss benefits.

Apples. Apples are packed with fiber and can satisfy a sweet tooth as well as any weight loss products designed to satiate a sugar craving. Studies shows that whole fruits have significantly more benefits than juice or sauce, as they contain more fiber—so eat the real deal whenever you can.


Beans. Beans are an excellent source of protein and fiber, which makes them slower to digest. Plus, they’re packed with nutrients that are essential for a healthy body, yet are low in calories and fat, making them ideal for easy weight loss programs.

image: mexconnect.com 

Monday, March 3, 2014

Tips for Getting Your Greens in



Increasing your vegetable consumption is essential for successful weight loss programs. However, we understand that not everyone likes vegetables—in fact, many members of our medical weight loss clinics complain that it’s very difficult to incorporate more veggies into their diet. Since greens are such a fundamental part of healthy weight loss, we’re sharing some tips for increasing your intake in delicious and creative ways.

At our medical weight loss clinics, we recommend that our members strive to eat between eight to10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Try some of the tips below for reaching that goal.

Start at breakfast. Since it’s the most important meals of the day, breakfast is an ideal time to get your greens in. Make your omelet or scramble more interesting with an array of your favorite veggies—they’ll increase your nutrient and antioxidant intake while adding flavor, crunch and texture. You’ve got so many great options to try—from spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes to onions, peppers and avocados.

Toss veggies into your soup or casserole. One of the best ways to enjoy your greens is to add them into your soup or one of your favorite low-carb casseroles. You’ll learn to love the taste of carrots, beans, tomatoes, peas, onions and whatever else you want to throw in when they’re in the mix with other foods.

Puree your greens. If the taste of greens makes it difficult for you to really go the distance with your diet, try pureeing some healthy greens like spinach or kale and mixing them into ground beef and turkey recipes, such as hamburgers and low-carb meatloaf.
Juice it up. When you’re working one of our weight loss programs, it’s an ideal time to jump on the juicing bandwagon. Use a juicer or powerful blender to create tasty concoctions with a base of apple or pear juice to disguise some of the “veggie” tastes and make it easier to up your intake.

image: andevidencelibrary.com

Sunday, February 23, 2014

3 Clever Tips for Easy Weight Loss

When you work with easy weight loss programs, you can experience safe, effective weight loss that makes you look great and feel healthier. If you want to sustain these results, it’s essential to make lifestyle changes and adopt healthy habits for the long term—but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Read on for some easy ways to maintaining the results of diets and weight loss products.

1. Think addition, not subtraction. Instead of focusing on what you’re going to eliminate, think about which healthy foods you can add to your diet. Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables helps you experience success with easy weight loss programs, so make it a goal to eat five to nine servings per day. Make it easy by incorporating fruits and veggies into your recipes in addition to eating them alone or on the side. Find ways to add other healthy foods that are high in protein and fiber as well.


2. Have treats when you’re not at home. Depriving yourself of your favorite foods can ultimately lead to binge eating, so it’s better to indulge every once in awhile, rather than try to avoid them completely. Indulge in your treats and cheat meals somewhere other than home, so you don’t have the treats in the refrigerator or pantry. Plan your indulgence and make it an outing, such as walking to the frozen yogurt store. Be sure to practice moderation—don’t let the treat turn into a day of decadence.

3. Be selective about nighttime eating. It’s easy to snack mindlessly and overdo it after dinner, as for many, it’s the first opportunity to relax and wind down from the day. Avoid plopping down in front of the television with a bag of anything, as it’s easy to lose track and let the calories accumulate. It takes our stomach about 20 minutes to signal your brain that it’s full—you can easily devour a bag of chips in that time. Only allow yourself low-calorie snacks after dinner, such as a piece of fruit, a handful of nuts or weight loss products such as Control Crisps or Drizzles.

image: goodforacne.net

Monday, February 17, 2014

3 No-Fail Techniques for Weight Loss Programs

Have you ever wondered how some people are able to have success with weight loss programs and maintain the results for the long term? Luckily, many of our members have lost the weight they wanted and kept it off, and are sharing their tips for how you can do the same. Whether you use medical diet pills, weight loss products or rely on an intense fitness regimen to get results, you can always learn from other people’s experiences.
  1. Log your calorie intake. One of the best ways to start a diet off strong is to log all your meals in a food diary. It helps us pull ourselves back in line when we are tempted to stray and makes us pay attention to everything we put in our mouths. Make sure to include all drinks, sauces and condiments, as their calories add up fast and can quickly cause damage if we overlook them.
  2. Find a support system. Whether you enlist a good friend or connect with a group of people on the same medical diet pills as you are, it’s extremely helpful to have support from others who are on a journey similar to yours. Another good option is to join a support group or find an online community that offers a forum where you can obtain tips and information, share recipes and help each other stay motivated.
  3. Don’t swear off your favorite foods. If we try to eliminate our favorite foods from our life, it can ultimately cause us to binge on those items and overeat. When we deprive ourselves of our favorite food, it can backfire and make us obsess about it. Even if your favorites are fattening, indulge in them once in awhile—in moderation, of course. Having a cheat day every now and then or a meal that’s not in line with any diets or weight loss programs is not the end of the world. Just get back on track the very next day without any guilt and you won’t affect your overall results.


 image: mybodyhealth.net

Monday, February 10, 2014

Getting back to the gym

Whenever you’re trying to have success with easy weight loss programs, physical activity can significantly boost and expedite the process. If the physician at your medical weight loss clinic okays it but you haven’t been to the gym in years, getting back in there can be intimidating. However, all you really need to do is devise a safe and effective workout program that will give you the confidence to hit the gym, no matter how long it’s been.

Stretch. Hit the stretching area of the gym before you do anything else. A stretching warm-up is important for preventing injury and will give you time to check out where all the equipment is. Do a series of stretches that target your major muscle groups, such as your quads, calves, shoulders and upper back. You will also benefit from doing some neck rolls going in each direction.

Warm up with cardio. Hit your favorite cardio equipment for a 10 to 15 warmup to get your heart pumping. Make sure to check with the physician at your medical weight loss clinic to determine which equipment is safe for you to use. Start at a steady pace, but after a few weeks, start incorporating intervals to get the most out of your session. This will increase your metabolism and boost caloric burn. Try the treadmill, elliptical machines, Stairmasters, rowing machines and exercise bicycles—but don’t just stick to one, switch it up every time you work out.

Strength training. Once you’re warmed up, this is a great time to do some strength training. Hit the free weights or your favorite machines and get some high-intensity reps in. Try some dead lifts, bicep curls, bench dips, leg and chest presses, and work with some resistance bands—just get in there and get moving.

More cardio. After strength training, go back to the cardio room to do some intervals, building up the intensity and duration over time. Cardio workouts burn calories and boost your energy, which helps you reach your goals with easy weight loss programs.

Cool down. Once you’ve completed a strong cardio session, do some stretches to cool down. This helps reduce soreness and assists with muscle recovery, while giving you some time to relax after your killer workout. 

Sunday, February 2, 2014

3 Surprising Weight Loss Foods

If winter weight has you down and your New Year’s resolutions flew right out the window, then it’s time to re-focus and find new ways to make weight loss more manageable. Often times, it helps to have some tricks up your sleeves to improve your chance of success with medical weight loss programs. A common one is to transform your refrigerator into an arsenal of healthy foods that help you burn fat. Fill it with weight loss products, fruits and veggies, and foods that lower the glycemic index and raise your metabolic rate. Read on for three unique but excellent choices.

1. Watercress. Watercress is an often forgotten about leafy green vegetable. A close relative of arugula, cabbage and mustard greens, watercress is extremely versatile—it can be served as a salad green, steamed, or used in soups and sandwiches. It yields a tasty, peppery flavor and is loaded with an array of powerful antioxidants and important phytonutrients that help detox our systems while boosting energy. It’s an excellent source of zinc, manganese and vitamins A, B, C and K.

2. Coconut Milk. Coconut milk is rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), specifically lauric acid, that have been found to raise our metabolic rates and promote weight loss. While it should be consumed in moderation, coconut milk is a great alternative for those on medical weight loss programs because of its high fiber content. It also boasts a bevy of essential vitamins such as C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6, as well as minerals including calcium, iron, sodium, selenium, magnesium and phosphorous. In addition, it is lactose-free so is a good choice for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant.

3. Cactus Pears. Also known as “prickly pears,” these delicious fruits are loaded with antioxidants that yield anti-inflammatory benefits. They are low-calorie and free of saturated fats and cholesterol, and have a high fiber content that fills us up as well as many of the top weight loss products on the market. Cactus pears are delicious eaten raw, grilled, roasted or broiled and also produce delicious juice.

image: 
healthyeating.sfgate.com