Guys, is it time to get rid of your beer belly?  Is your waistline expanding beyond your control? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone.  Men often hold weight in their midsection and trying to reduce belly fat can be challenging. As you might expect, the best program to slim down your belly involves diet and exercise.

But what you might not expect is that your program should start with a trip to your doctor.

Why Belly Fat Matters Most

If you are overweight, reducing your overall body size is probably a good idea.  But belly fat deserves special attention.  Research has shown that holding abdominal fat can be particularly problematic to your health.  Numerous research studies have shown an association between an increased waist circumference and an elevated risk for heart disease and other conditions, including metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. 

So how big is too big?  If you measure your belly just above your hipbones and your measurement is over 40 inches (35 inches for ladies) then you are at an increased risk for certain conditions, according to the National Institutes of Health. One study even showed that waist measurements as low as 33 inches in men and 28 inches in women can be used to help identify people who are at greater risk for heart disease.

Think you’re off the hook if you’re not overweight? Think again! Even if your BMI is normal, some studies still suggest that holding excess weight around your midsection can be problematic, especially as we age.  An evaluation of over 100,000 men and women aged 50 and over showed that regardless of BMI, an elevated waist circumference was associated with a higher risk of death in older adults.

Of course, your waist circumference is only one measurement that your doctor will use when evaluating your overall risk for different medical conditions. But if you and your physician determine that belly fat puts you at higher risk for heart disease or even death, then it may the motivation you need to get rid of your gut.

How to Reduce Belly Fat

So what’s the best way to erase that beer belly?  I went to several expert sources to find out.  Not surprisingly, the solution requires careful attention to both diet and exercise.  But which component matters more?

Several recent studies suggest that exercise plays a more important role in maintaining a lean belly.  One study identified aerobic activity as a key factor.  Researchers found that men who had higher levels of cardiovascular fitness (also called aerobic fitness) were more likely to have leaner midsections, even if those men were overweight.

But of course, that doesn’t mean you should use exercise as an excuse to ignore your diet.  You can’t eat whatever you want and still expect to get rid of your paunch.

  Book author and fat-loss expert Tom Venuto says that one of the most common workout mistakes made by men is to ignore the important relationship between diet and exercise in reaching weight loss goals. 

So what kind of fitness training should you do to get rid of belly fat?  New York trainer Matt Griffin works at a gym where the clientele is mostly men.  He says that getting a lean body requires a combination of cardiovascular training and lifting weights.  “The mix of weight training and cardio keeps the body guessing and reacting to the stresses being put on it.”  Both Griffin and Schober say that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is particularly effective for burning fat and targeting the gut.

So does this mean you should ignore those popular abdominal curls?  Not exactly, says Griffin. “Getting great abs is about more than just doing a bunch of sit ups.”  He says that abdominal training should engage the whole body.  He recommends functional training to his clients.  “Core training that incorporates movement of the entire body is more relevant to everyday life,” he says.  He specifically prefers Pilatesand Gyrotonic training for men who want to get flatter abs.

But Griffin and all of the experts emphasize the importance of a comprehensive program for losing weight and getting rid of belly fat.  It’s not just about the diet or just about the gym. Trimming your waistline could impact your longevity. Take the time to talk to your doctor, and develop a lifelong plan of healthy eating and vigorous exercise to get lean and stay fit for life.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

There’s two ebooks.  “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Your Diet Can Add Years to Your Life, or You can Lose Years

We all have the ability to live healthier, stronger, and longer lives simply by eating the most nutritious foods for our bodies.The importance of good nutrition cannot be overstated. I have personally seen how an optimal diet can prevent and reverse disease. I have written books about the therapeutic power the right foods can have on such problems as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, allergies, asthma, autoimmune illnesses (including lupus) and headaches.

I firmly believe that few people can expect to have good health without paying attention to the consumption of high-micronutrient foods. The latest scientific advances in nutritional research continue to provide evidence in support of these facts.

The latest to shine a spotlight on the necessity of a superior diet is a new group of data released by The Global Burden of Disease study. It is a huge, ongoing project collecting data in 188 countries. An international research team evaluates studies on each of 79 modifiable risk factors associated with preventable deaths and loss of quality of life years, grading the evidence that links each one to early death and adding more risk factors to the list when new evidence arises.

The study cited poor eating habits as the most significant risk factor for premature death worldwide. It found diet was the primary factor responsible for the greatest number of premature deaths starting in 2000 and up to the most recent data for 2013, accounting for 11.3 million deaths worldwide in 2013.

In recent decades, the American diet has undergone a transformation that has put disease-causing refined carbohydrates, oils, and animal products at the center of every meal, with natural plant foods playing only a minor role. This dietary shift became apparent when researchers looked at the data. As new parts of the world continue to adopt these eating habits, diet is becoming a larger burden on health and lifespan all over the world.

What Foods Place You at High-Risk?

When researchers looked at some of the dietary risk factors individually, they found that between 2000 and 2013 there was a global increase in the numbers of deaths associated with the following factors:

Low Fruit Consumption
High Sodium Intake
Low Fiber Diet
Low Consumption of Nuts and Seeds
Diet High in Processed and Red Meats
Based on the above dietary factors, it should be no surprise that there was an increase in the number of deaths over this same time period associated with high blood pressure, high BMI or body mass index, and high fasting blood glucose rates.

The Good News

The study didn’t yield all bad news though. Mortality due to the consumption of trans fat and secondhand smoke declined during that time and, as the authors pointed out, each of the risk factors have the potential to be eliminated or reduced in our diets. Already we are seeing a stronger emphasis on whole foods, clean eating, and a wider interest in more thoughtful food selection. Our individual choices have a huge potential to positively improve our health.

The trends the study spotlighted are reversible, and the deaths associated with a poor diet are avoidable. It took many years, but today everyone knows that smoking causes lung cancer and as a result, tobacco use is declining and so are the negative health effects associated with its use. The data suggests that this is beginning to occur with trans fat, too. We are certainly not there, yet, but we are moving toward a time when processed meats, commercial baked goods, and sugar-sweetened beverages will be viewed by everyone as dangerous.

I encourage everyone to eat a nutrient-dense, plant-rich diet of greens, colorful vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and some fruit. Make salad the main meal. Eat big salads and lots of tomato, onion, raw and cooked greens, and mushrooms. Until everyone learns to avoid processed food, excessive animal products and oils preventable diseases will continue to plague us. A diet that delivers a broad array of micronutrients via a wide spectrum of healthy foods is the most satisfying and the most healthful.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebook at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

“How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?”, is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Make Smoothies for Weight Loss

Smoothie lovers beware! Creamy and delicious weight loss smoothies can actually ruin your diet if you don't follow a few critical rules. Do you know what they are?

I found this post on WedMd.com and if you're like so many other busy people, we tend to drink our breakfast and lunch and save the meals for the evening. That's okay, but you can add a lot of calories if you're aren't careful. I stick to the 300 calorie rule. Never drink a shake or smoothie with over 300 calories. Yes, a protein shake can be a good breakfast. When you want to lose weight you have to start the day with protein and because most of us don't eat breakfast everyday and if we do we don't get the protein we need, protein shakes are a great way to have a quick breakfast either at home or on the run. 

Use this list of healthy smoothie dos and don'ts to make sure that your drink isn't too high in fat and calories. Then use the weight loss smoothie recipes and try new ingredients and boost the nutritional potential of your favorite drinks .

I'm not in favor of drinks that add calories to your diet but because we have protein drinks today and some of us are substituting smoothies or protein shakes for a meal, I've had to re-think calories in drinks. If these drinks are made properly and you can get nutritional value and use them as a substitute for a meal or a snack between meals, then maybe the drinks are worth a try. Remember that not all diets work for all people and if you start gaining weight on any diet, stop it quickly. If I gain 3 pounds, I stop what I'm doing and try something different. Just because you like the diet doesn't mean you can ignor weight gain. A food Log helps you find your mistakes. If shakes are going to max out your calories for the day, be careful. If your body can't burn all the calories you are consuming you will gain weight.

Do Measure Your Ingredients

Don’t throw ingredients into the blender without measuring them first. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a high-calorie disaster. Do measure each ingredient and tally the complete calorie count for your drink so you know how many you'll consume when you drink it.

You won't have to follow this step every time you make your smoothie, but if you measure the ingredients once and continue to use the same recipe, you’ll save yourself from making a common weight loss mistake: underestimating the impact of liquid calories.

Do Add Protein

chia seeds for smoothies

Do balance nutrients. If your smoothie is a meal replacement, make sure it contains each essential macronutrient: protein, fat and carbohydrates. Many fruit smoothies contain plenty of calories from carbohydrates and perhaps a small amount of fat. But don’t forget to add a good source of lean protein.

Protein helps you build muscle, which you need to maintain a healthy metabolism. Need a recipe? Try this yummy Mocha Smoothie with chocolate protein powder. If you already have a favorite smoothie recipe and want to add a boost of protein, throw in a tablespoon or two of chia seeds. The seeds will thicken your drink and provide a diet-friendly boost of fiber as well.

Don't Limit Ingredients

green smoothie recipe

Do try to use fresh or frozen fruit, such as blueberries, strawberries, mango, peaches or apples. You won’t need a recipe to combine these sweet ingredients. Don't be afraid to branch out and use ingredients such as watermelon, spinach or kale to get additional vitamins and minerals. Try this Sweet Green Smoothie to get vitamin-packed green veggies with your morning meal.

Do Cut the Fat

bananas for weight loss

Don't use high fat ingredients to get a creamy texture. A smoothie made with ice cream, gelato or a large amount of peanut butter is delicious, but it may be too high in calories to help you lose weight. Even frozen yogurt may add unwanted fat and sugar.

Do use bananas, either frozen or at room temperature, to get a thick, smooth texture without the added fat and calories.

Don't Add Extra Sugar

sugar in weight loss smoothies

Don't add unnecessary sugar. If you make a fruit smoothie, you’ll get plenty of sugar from the fruit ingredients that you add to the blender. If you add dairy, that source will also contribute lactose, a form of sugar.

Do limit the amount of honey, table sugar or other sweeteners that you add. This 175-calorie Peanut Butter Smoothie is creamy and sweet without the addition of any extra sugars.

Do Add Juice Cautiously

juice in smoothies

Do add fillers such as water or ice. Some smoothie recipes are very thick. It can be tempting to thin them out with high calorie, heavily sweetened fruit juice. But juice can add mega calories and unnecessary sugar.

Water will make your smoothie easier to drink and ice will add thickness. Experiment with a basic smoothie recipe. Try decreasing the amount of juice and adding water or ice to get the thickness and flavor that you like.

Shakes or Smoothies are great for a quick breakfast. Add protein power and watch the calories, but you can make these in minutes and take it in the car.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebook at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

“How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Get Smart About Fitness Goals

If you're trying to lose weight, get healthy, build muscle or excel at a sport, you know you need goals. The question is, how do you know if you're setting the right goals for you?

While many of us focus on a certain weight we'd like to get to, that isn't always the best approach. We often pick an arbitrary number, maybe a weight we used to be or a weight we've always wanted to be, leaving us frustrated when we end up failing.

If you really want to get results, you need goals that will actually work for you. This post comes from VeryWell.com and stresses the importance of setting goals. Personally, my goals were very simple, but harder than I thought to attain. I wanted to get back into smaller pants sizes again. I had gone from a 34 to size 38 and I couldn't stand the way I looked. If the truth be told, I think we all feel that way at one point in our lives. Some of us have the courage to do something about it and others try but fail because they always think they can find an easier way.

SMART Goals

If you've done any kind of goal-setting, you've probably run across the acronym SMART goals. That means goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

When you don't have a specific goal, it's difficult to keep exercising and to track your progress to see how far you've come. Keep in mind that you can have a variety of goals - Losing weight, getting in a certain number of workouts, improving your health or even just making better choices every day. Before you start working out, take a moment and ask yourself these questions:

1. What do I want to accomplish with this exercise program?
2. Is my goal realistic and attainable?
3. Do I know how to reach my goal?
4. Do I have a timeline for reaching my goal?
5. How will I reward myself when I get there?

For example, is it reasonable to want to lose 50 pounds in 6 months?

It's possible, but may not be reasonable unless you eat well and exercise every single day for the next 6 months.

Weight loss is often harder than we think and it's usually slower as well. Experts recommend that you lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week, but it isn't likely that you'll lose 2 pounds every single week and many people find they actually lose about .5 to 1 pound on a good week.

For more, check out How to Set Weight Loss Goals.

Facts to Consider About Weight Loss Goals

• The more weight you lose, the harder it will be to lose weight. The less weight your body has to move around, the fewer calories it will burn doing so.
• The closer you get to your goal, the harder it is to reach it. There may be several reasons why you're not losing weight and being aware of those pitfalls can help you avoid them, or manage them when they happen. 
• The weight you can maintain may not be the weight you want to be. We all have an exercise threshold - The amount of exercise we can comfortably fit into our lives. We can often stretch that threshold, but it's important to know exactly where it is so you can decide if that's realistic for you.
• The scale isn't always the best way to track progress. The scale won't tell you what you've lost and/or gained and, sometimes, it can even lie to you. Be sure to use other tools to track your progress.
• Weight loss isn't the only goal you can have and may not even be the most motivating. Giving up the Weight Loss Obsession may be your first step to success.

After you set your goal, your next step is to find out how to reach it. If you want to lose weight or become better at a sport, you need to do some research to figure out where to start. 

It's helpful to know what you have to do before you get started. You may be surprised at the daily effort it takes to reach your goals and you may not realize that your body isn't ready for the amount of exercise you need to reach your goals. It takes time to build strength, endurance, coordination and it also takes time to get used to making exercise a part of your life. That's true, you buy those exercise tapes or join those classes and find out you can't do the workouts, so you quit. No one ever tells you that you have to start off slow and build-up your strength and endurance to do those workouts. It can take weeks of exercise to build that strength. That's why I recommend "walking" for a beginner. First just strolling for 30 minutes a day and than increase your speed and increase the time as you get stronger. After you can walk for one hour at a rate of 4 miles per hour, than you're ready for a more strenuous workout.

How to Stick With Your Goals

• Schedule your workouts
• Be prepared by always having your workout bag with you, bringing your lunch to work, etc.
• Be prepared for those times when you feel like skipping your workout
• Keep a food and workout journal to stay on track and measure your progress
• Take your measurements regularly

Programs to Get You Started

• 4-Week Slow Build Workout Program - This program is all about starting slow and gradually building a solid exercise habit.
• 4-Week Jumpstart Program - This program focuses on workouts, not weight loss, which gives you built in SMART goals to track and accomplish.
• 12 Weeks to Weight Loss - This is an in-depth program that takes you through 12 weeks of cardio and strength training workouts. You can find a wealth of information on the internet.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

There’s two ebooks.  “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Quick Weight Loss Methods Can Work For Some

Dieters are often tempted by the words “quick weight loss” or “lose weight fast.”  Many trendy weight loss programs promise that you will lose weight quickly and keep it off.  The problem is that many of those fad “crash” diets aren’t realistic and don’t work.  But that isn’t necessarily because quick weight loss is bad.

Losing weight quickly can actually be part of a healthy weight loss plan.  If you want your weight loss to last, however, the fast weight loss phase has to be part of a larger, more comprehensive approach that includes long-term lifestyle changes to help you maintain your slimmer physique. As a rule-of-thumb anyone can loss about 5% of their weight real fast by going on fad diet that's mostly all liquids. As long as you put some nutrition in your liquids like "Ensure" you can do a liquid diet for one week and you will lose some weight. The thing is that you won't lose any body fat. Most of what you lose will be the stores food in your digestive system. It's just a way you can clean yourself out. 

Quick Weight Loss Methods

So how do people lose weight quickly?  Common methods include low calorie diets (LCD) and very low calorie diets (VLCD).  Dieters should know the difference before they choose a weight loss plan. 

• Low Calorie Diet:  Weight loss programs that provide 1,000 – 1,200 calories per day for women or 1,200–1,600 calories per day for men are considered to be low calorie diets.  According to the Weight Control Information Network, these diets often include regular foods that are sometimes combined with meal replacement shakes or products.
   
• Very Low Calorie Diet:  VLCDs are often liquid diets or diets that include little or no regular food.  Very low calorie diets provide up to 800 calories per day. These diets generally require medical supervision and can only be maintained for a short period of time.  Patients who are obese may work with their physicians to lose weight on a VLCD, like Optifast, to improve their health.

Popular Diets to Lose Weight Fast

You’ll see some trendy low calorie diets, including the M-Plan Diet and the 3-Day Military Diet advertised online and in fashion magazines or tabloids.  Their attention-grabbing strategies often appeal to dieters who are looking for something new and something easy.  The plans are generally not backed by legitimate weight loss companies, physicians or registered dietitians and they are usually not effective for long-term weight loss.

But some low calorie diets are endorsed by brands that you’d recognize.  Nutrisystem, for example, has Fast 5+ Kit to help new dieters lose five pounds in their first week.  During that week, dieters follow a structured eating plan that provides approximately 1000 calories.

Dr. Anthony Fabricatore is the Vice President of Research and Development for Nutrisystem.  He says that the Fast 5+ Kit is meant to be part of a long-term plan. He explains that “after the first week, customers transition to the calorie level that is tailored to their estimated metabolic needs to support a continued 1-2 pound loss per week.”

But Nutrisystem is not the only commercial diet program to include fast weight loss as part of the first weeks of the plan. Diets like Atkins and The South Beach Diet also include a low calorie stage in the beginning to boost your weight loss. 

If you have excess money and don't want to take the time to research the liquid diets that you find online, than try something like Atkins and see if it works for you. Most of these diets can have you losing weight almost immediately, but your not losing fat. Unless you're losing body fat the weight will come back soon after you return to your normal diet.

Why (Some) Quick Weight Diets Work

So why would a dieter follow a short-term, low-calorie diet if their rate of weight loss is ultimately going to slow down?

  According to Fabricatore, short-term quick weight loss can provide a boost to dieters. In his experience as a clinical therapist he sees dieters gain two specific benefits. 

• Quick results.  When people start a diet, they invest time, money and effort.  If they get a quick return on their investment, they are more likely to continue to invest and stick to their plan for a longer period of time. 
   
• Positive beliefs. When a dieter believes that they can lose weight, they boost their chances of reaching their weight loss goal.  It’s a concept that psychologists call self-efficacy; the belief that you can carry out a specific task.  A week of successful quick weight loss can help you to boost your belief system and build self-efficacy.

Quick Weight Loss Drawbacks

Low calorie diets and very low calorie diets are not for everyone.  Very low calorie diets are only appropriate for people who are under medical supervision. In most cases, they are used with people who are obese or whose health is at risk because of their weight.  Low calories diets, like the Fast 5+ Kit by Nutrisystem, are not always medically appropriate for dieters with diabetes or other medical conditions. Don't get sucked-in to a trap that makes you believe you have to buy something to lost weight. As long as you take a nutritional drink like "Ensure" every day, you can lose weight your first week on a chicken soup diet and I just made that up. The cabbage soup diet was very popular for quick weight loss a few years ago and it worked, but you still have to get some nutrition or you lose your energy and become weak.

In addition, transitioning off of a low calorie diet can be problematic.  After quick weight loss, dieters must either switch to a more traditional diet or go back to their old eating habits.  People who go back to their old eating habits are likely to gain the weight back.  And dieters who move to a traditional diet can be disappointed when their weight loss slows down or stalls.  But, Fabricatore says that this disappointment can be prevented if a dieter has clear expectations about the transition from the beginning of the diet. 

And lastly, quick weight loss diets, alone, don’t provide dieters the opportunity to learn important healthy habits that they need to sustain their goal weight for life.  This is why transitioning to a longer term traditional weight loss plan is important. When dieters invest in a well-balanced comprehensive long-term weight loss plan – that may include a fast weight loss phase – they learn healthy habits like portion control, finding time for exercise and moderation.  Ultimately these are the skills that will keep them lean for life. 

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

There’s two ebooks.  “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. Smashwords is offering a discount coupon for my book. Use the code at checkout and the price drops from $3.99 to $1.99. If you are a Kindle user, the ebook should be uploaded on Amazon this week. As it becomes available on other sites I'll post it.

What is a Calorie?

I write about calories all the time and we read about calories constantly but do you really know what a calorie is?

A calorie is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. Calories in food provide energy in the form of heat so that our bodies can function. Our bodies store and "burn" calories as fuel. Many dieters count calories and try to decrease caloric intake to lose weight.

The Definition of Calorie vs. Kilocalorie

When the word "calorie" is used in nutrition settings, by dieters or simply by consumers who are talking about food, they are usually using a casual definition of calorie.

But they are actually referring to kilocalories. This is how the two terms are different.

The definition of calorie (cal), or small calorie, is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celcius.
The definition of kilocalories (kcal), or large calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celcius. A kilocalorie is equivalent to 1000 small calories. Kilocalories are sometimes called "food calories" or simply shortened to "calories" when referring to the energy in food.
Another unit of measurement used to quantify energy is called the "joule." One small calorie is equivalent to just under 4.2 joules. A kilocalorie (kcal) is equivalent to approximately 4.2 kilojoules.

What Is a Calorie?

You may think that calories are only important to dieters. We often hear that people eat fewer calories or burn more calories with exercise to lose weight.

But calories are important for everyone. A calorie isn't actually a thing, it's a unit of measurement. A calorie measures the amount of energy in the food and beverages that we consume. We all need this energy to live and stay healthy. Everything we do relies on the energy that comes in the form of calories.

The food we eat becomes the fuel that runs our bodies. Healthy food provides calories (energy) and important nutrients to build strong bones and muscles. Drinks also contain calories. But not all calories are healthy. Sodas, for example, are often referred to as "empty calories." That means that they provide calories but have no other nutritional value. That's the kind of calorie that adds fat to your body.

How Calories Create Weight Gain

Calories in food provide essential energy, but if you consume too many you will gain weight. Excess calories are stored as body fat. Your body needs some stored fat to stay healthy. But too much fat can cause health problems.

So how do you make sure that you don't eat too many calories? It's important that you understand your caloric needs. That is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic metabolic functions and daily physical activities. You can calculate your caloric needs using simple formulas or online calculators. Search "How many calories do I burn?"

The daily recommended caloric intake for the average American can range from 1,000 to 3,000 calories per day. But that number is a general estimate and the number can vary based on a number of variables.  Your specific, individual calorie needs depend on several factors such as your activity level, metabolism, age, sex, medical condition, and amount of body fat. It's so complicated that no one should compare themselves with another person. No two persons will burn the same amount of calories.

Calories in Food

Different types of food provide different levels of energy. That is, the three macronutrients are not all equal in the number of calories they provide. Each gram of protein and carbohydrate provides 4 calories, but each gram of fat provides 9 calories.

Because fat provides more calories per gram, many dieters and healthy eaters try to limit the amount of fat in their diet. But some types of fat are necessary for a healthy body. Polyunsaturated fat, for example, helps you to maintain a healthy heart. And even though carbohydrates provide fewer calories, some carbs are not as healthy as others. Refined carbohydrates, for example, are considered empty calories.

So are all calories the same when it comes to weight loss? Experts generally agree that a calorie is a calorie. It doesn't necessarily matter where your calories come from. To lose weight, you need to consume less and burn more.

However, some calories provide special weight loss benefits. For example, calories from protein are helpful in building and maintaining muscle. When you have more muscle, you are better able to stay active during the day and burn more calories. And calories from foods rich in fiber help you to feel full and satisfied throughout the day so you eat less and slim down.

Learn to Count Calories to Lose Weight

Experts estimate that if you consume approximately 3,500 excess calories you will gain one pound. So to lose one pound, you need to create a calorie deficit. You need to decrease your caloric intake by 3500 calories or burn an extra 3500 calories. You can also combine both methods to reach the correct calorie deficit.

You can reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories per day to lose one pound each week. A 1-2 pound decrease in weight is considered a healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss. The most important thing to remember is to not cut calories too drastically. Going on a very low-calorie fat diet can put your health at risk and cause health problems.

Sounds simple, right. They're wrong. That theory was adopted back in the 1950's and since than we know that it's not that simple. All calories are not equal and that's because we have processed foods today. Back in the 1950's no one ate processed foods and except for pestacides, most produce was organic.

Today, most processed foods or manufactured foods can't be processed by the body, so the body stores those calories as fat.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

There’s two ebooks.  “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Want To Live Healthy?

You can stop getting colds twice a year, stop feeling run-down and tired. You can have more energy, lose body fat and be a happier person just by changing your diet. Sounds crazy? It the truth.

The science is clear: Eating the right foods can lead to a longer, healthier life.

Yet some people, as they get older, find it harder to eat right. This can happen for many reasons: Maybe they don’t feel like eating. Maybe they have trouble cooking or eating. Maybe they don’t know what’s healthy.

Maybe they do and they just don’t like the idea of kale.

“You know what? You can live a long, healthy life and never eat a piece of kale,” says Cheryl Rock, a professor of family medicine and public health at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

She’s all for finding food that you like -- healthy food -- and building on that.

“If you’re eating foods you like, then you’re more likely to stick with it. You won’t force it down for four days and then go out for a double cheeseburger,” Rock says.

It’s more than just finding the right foods. Michele Bellantoni, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, points out that you need to eat them in the right amounts, too.

“It looks like the optimal calories [for most older adults] will be 1,800 [a day],” she says. “And for successful aging, we think about the entire body, rather than just specific organs.”

Many foods are especially good for certain parts of your body. Bellantoni suggests starting with 1,800 calories, then splitting that up with proteins for your muscles, calcium for your bones, and a basic heart-healthy diet.

That approach can do a lot of things for you:

Make sure you have salmon and other fish like trout and herring. They’re high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce the risk of heart disease and slightly lower blood pressure, among other benefits. Shoot for two servings a week.

You should also know that the fiber in veggies -- also found in whole grains -- helps lower your odds of cardiovascular disease. It also helps digestion and regularity, which often are a problem for older adults.

Remember that no one food is going to help your heart, any more than just one would help your brain or your bones or your muscles or any other part of your anatomy.

You need a complete, healthy diet.

“If you’re eating a lot of fish but, in addition to that, you’re living on ice cream and candy and stuff like that,” Rock says, “it’s not going to save you.”

It Can Help Your Brain

A loss of memory, a big worry among some older adults, has been linked to, among other things, a lack of vitamin B12. You can get that in:

• Meats
• Fish
• Milk products
• Some breakfast cereals

Alzheimer’s disease has been linked to chronic inflammation, which can be caused by foods like white bread, french fries, red meat, sugary beverages, and margarine.

The science is still emerging on the relationship between some foods and brain health. Check with your doctor or dietitian.

“There was some issue with the Food and Drug Administration disallowing food claims for memory loss,” says Adam Drewnowski, the director of the Nutritional Sciences Program at the University of Washington.

“I would not want to identify a specific food that prevents memory loss. I probably would tell someone that if you want to be functioning well, then some fruits and antioxidants will do better for you than another slice of cake.”

Antioxidants, found in many vegetables and in fruits like blueberries, help reduce inflammation. They also help you get rid of damaging stuff created when you convert food into energy.

It’s important to realize that good brain function may be as much about what you don’t eat as what you do.

“Your brain runs on blood flow, just like your heart,” says Rock. “So if you’re eating a lot of saturated fats, it makes it less likely that you’ll have those nice clean arteries to supply that brain tissue with blood.”

Make sure you have tomatoes, blueberries, green leafy veggies like spinach and kale, turmeric, and nuts (especially walnuts).

You should also know that those omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon and other oily fish, are inflammation fighters.

Okay, you might not know what inflammation really is. You don't have to know. All you need to know is that inflammation is what ages your body and many people right now are walking around with a body that's 20 years older than they really are. In Great Britain doctors tested hundreds of people all age 38 and found that some body a body older than their real age and some had bodies younger. 

The doctors determined that some of the aging process is because of DNA but most of the aging process is due to lifestyle. How active you are and how you eat.

Eating the right food can help your muscles

They’re always breaking down and getting built back up again. That’s just the way your body works. As you get older, you need more protein for that rebuilding process.

“So if you don’t eat enough protein, you’ll be breaking down more than you’re rebuilding,” Rock says.

Make sure you have low-fat or fat-free yogurt, cheese, milk, lean meats, fish, other seafood, and beans.

You should also know that eggs are an excellent source of protein and don’t have the saturated fats that meat have. Don’t worry about the cholesterol in your eggs, Rock says. It’s not absorbed well by your body, anyway.

It Can Help Your Bones

Older adults need calcium, because it promotes healthy bone growth. Getting enough vitamin D is important, too, because that helps you absorb calcium.

It’s not always easy.

“The risk for low vitamin D in older adults, that’s kind of a challenge, because it’s not like there’s lots of foods that are high in vitamin D,” says Stephen Anton, from the Department of Aging and Geriatric Research at the University of Florida.

Calcium is also difficult for many older people to absorb, yet too much can cause constipation. It’s something you need to discuss with your doctor or dietitian.

Make sure you have yogurt, low-fat cheeses, and milk for calcium. Few foods naturally carry vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D are in fortified foods.

You should also know that in addition to being a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, canned salmon is full of calcium and has some vitamin D.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

There’s two ebooks.  “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.