Want To Lose Weight?

Ways to Make Your Diet Work Better

Reach short-term weight loss goals for long-term wellness

By Malia Frey 

Have you started a new diet plan? Maybe you're struggling with a weight loss program that seems to be dragging. Whether you've set short-term weight loss goals or committed to long-term wellness, there are ways to make your diet work better.  And the good news is that it takes just 20 minutes of your time.

How to Make Weight Loss Happen

Research into weight loss has revealed that goal setting is one of the most important steps in the weight loss process.

Why? Because setting short-term diet goals provides a road map for long-term health and wellness. 

For example, your long-term goal might be to lose 50 pounds. Losing that amount of weight might improve your health and change the quality of your life. That's exciting! But if you lose weight at a reasonable pace, it might take 6 months to a year to reach your goal. It's hard to stay motivated for that long. 

But if you set short-term weight loss goals along the way, you'll have reasons to celebrate during the journey. These small accomplishments help to keep you motivated and remind you that you are capable of reaching the finish line.

So how do you set both long- and short-term weight loss goals? Dieters who take the time to set a SMART goal are more likely to slim down. If you're not sure how to set a weight loss goal or set up your diet plan, use this list based on recent research to set up a program that works.

5 Steps to Make Your Diet Work Better

1. Personalize your weight loss goals. The goals you set should meet your specific needs, lifestyle, and circumstances. Don't get carried away with the exaggerated ads for popular diet programs that are unlikely to work. For most people, those programs are not healthy or realistic.
   
   Losing a maximum of 1-2 pounds per week through diet and exercise is considered reasonable. But you may choose to set a more personalized goal. Researchers at the University of Washington found that sometimes dieters don't like the strict standards set by many weight loss plans. 
   
   So choose a plan and make adjustments based on your lifestyle and preferences. Before you invest any time or money ask yourself key questions about what you hope to achieve. In the long run, making this extra investment will help you to stay on track and tackle common weight loss challenges as they arise.
    

1. Get expert help. Goals set with the help of an expert are more likely to be successful. A study at the University of California found that when patients were provided with help setting up and monitoring goals in the doctor's office they were more successful at attaining those goals. And similar studies have shown that other types of practitioners can help as well.
    
   In choosing an expert to work with, try to find someone who can be involved for the duration of the weight loss process. This way they can help to monitor your progress and provide feedback. For this reason, a physician may not always be the best source for collaboration. Consider other non-clinical providers. These may include a personal trainer, registered dietitian or weight loss coach. If you don't have access to a professional expert, consider connecting with others online. 
2. Make weight loss goals measurable. In their advice to new exercisers, the American Council on Exercise recommends setting measurable goals. That means that when you set up your diet plan, you decide how you will measure your progress and include this as part of your goal statement.
   
   Weighing yourself on the scale is probably the easiest method of measuring weight loss progress as long as you weigh yourself properly. But remember that there are other ways to assess your weight. Both BMI and body fat measurements provide different ways of evaluating your body composition. BMI is easy to measure and provides a good indicator of how your weight affects your health.
    

1. Write and post short and long term goals. In a published study about goal setting, researchers in Great Britain confirmed that successful goals need to be ambitious. On the other hand, the American Council on Exercise reminds new exercisers that successful weight loss goals should be attainable. So how do you set a goal that seems do-able and challenging at the same time?
    
   The answer is to write out both long-term goals that are more difficult and short-term goals that are a little easier. The short-term goals act as stepping-stones to the larger goal. In the Great Britain study, researchers emphasized using "incremental steps that lead to progressive achievement" as being important. By defining these multiple weight loss goals, you'll set yourself up for success.  Once the goals are written out, post them in a place where you see them every day to serve as a reminder of your commitment.

1. Create deadlines for your weight loss goals. Goals are more successful when a clear deadline is attached. These deadlines should be attached to both the short-term and long-term goals and can serve as reminders to measure your progress in the process of achieving your goal.
    
   For many people, a seven-day structure works well for short-term goals. This provides for a fresh start each week on Sunday or Monday. But remember to personalize your goals and use a time frame that works for you.

Goal setting may seem like a trivial task but it can be a key factor in the success of your diet plan. As you move through the weight loss process, the well-designed goals will help you to stay on track. And once you've lost the weight, good goal setting skills come in handy during the weight management process. At that stage, you'll find that continuing to set and reach goals will keep your confidence high.

I have to add a couple of comments. I'm not in favor of putting a timeline on your goal. Everyone will lose weight differently, depending on your age and percentage of body fat. You do have to change your diet to lose weight but you can't starve yourself. You have to eat and exercise to lose body fat. Sometimes you'll need some professional help. Weight Loss Counselors have the experience but get a recommendation. There are no licensing requirements for counselors. 

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “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 e-book. 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 e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

How to Quit Sugar

Anti-sugar fever seems to be on the rise. Last week, a friend who does not have type 2 diabetes asked me about my diabetes diet: “How many carbs can you eat without raising your blood sugar?” Another pal is on a 21-day-cleanse – no sugars allowed. And folks in my neighborhood recently formed a support group for going cold turkey on sugar, which one member claimed is harder than giving up cigarettes: “No one wants you to smoke, but they’re happy to see you eat a slice of birthday cake.”

With the publication of books like Gary Taubes’ The Case Against Sugar, in which he blames sugar for health problems like obesity, heart disease and, of course, diabetes, the health-conscious are taking heed. Yes, I agree, but sugar isn't the only problem we have with processed foods. Yes, you see sugar in everything including foods that aren't sweet. So what's the deal? Some research indicates that sugar can cause a food dependence.  This might be the reason you see sweeteners on all the food labels. Is there any reason we need sugar in white bread? I looked in cookbooks and I don't see it on the list of ingredients.

I have to admit, all of the hysteria is kind of amusing to me. To treat my type 2 diabetes, I abandoned sugar ages ago, so not eating the sweet stuff is second nature to me by now. Scanning labels for sugar’s aliases – glucose, simple syrup, fruit sweetener – has also become an ingrained habit. And after years of listening to people question my choices – “Are you sure you can’t have a bite?”, “One cupcake surely won’t hurt?!” – the idea of people without type 2 diabetes jumping onto the anti-sugar wagon seems tinged with irony.

Although I’m unconvinced that sugar is the root of all evil or the root of all disease, I’m also pretty sure that it’s not just “empty calories.” And while some diabetes groups preach sugar can be eaten “in moderation” my personal glucose monitor doesn’t agree.

So how hard is it to abandon sugar? That depends, I think, on how much sugar you’re accustomed to eating. If you’ve got a five-Coke-a-day habit, you’re probably going to have a rougher patch than if you only indulge in dessert on weekend nights.

Think about your situation, "do you have a food dependence?" It might not be sugar, it might be salty foods or fatty foods, but any of these can cause a food dependence and can cause health problems.

Wherever you fall on the sugar spectrum, if you are thinking of going cold turkey, (that's really the best way) here are a few tips:

• Seek support. Support groups can help if you’re having trouble going it alone. Talking about what you miss – chocolate chip cookies, mint ripple ice cream, a sugar high – might make it easier. After all, misery loves company.
• Journal. Keeping a journal can keep you honest. Dieters have had a lot of success jotting down their daily intake. Logging your daily sugar intake before you try to stop might be a similarly powerful wake-up call.
• Read labels. Sugar lurks in the darnedest places – from sugar cured bacon, to low-calorie fruit spreads to sugar tobacco-cured cigarettes. Familiarize yourself with its many guises and read carefully.
• Substitute. If you need a hit of sweetness, I find frozen blueberries can do the trick. Or a little whipping cream mixed with vanilla. While you don’t want to trade in everything for artificial sweeteners, if you like the taste, ten-calorie Jello can make a good transition treat.
• Forgive yourself. Going cold turkey on sugar isn’t easy. If you do give into an Oreo cookie today, remember that there’s always tomorrow.

Sugar is a habit and can be just as bad or as addictive as cigarettes. The problem with sugar, like anything else like salt or fats, the body can only process small amounts of it in a day. So, if you have a weight problem you probably have been consuming too much sugar or other sweeteners, salt or animal fat which is also in dairy products. Once your liver becomes saturated with anything you have been eating in excess, your liver will slow-down functions. In other words, work slower than normal. When that happens, the liver will turn more animal fats and sugars into body fat and process less than normal. That’s why you add body fat.

Once your liver has slowed down that’s when you have to stop “sugar” altogether.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.

There are two e-books. “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 e-book. 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 e-book 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

Do You Need a Detox Diet?

Detox diets are created to help you conquer an addiction to food, and yes, some people need to detox, but I always recommend a complete change in your diet. You can become addicted to sugar, salt, or fatty foods, sounds crazy, huh? Food addiction is very real, sometimes cravings are mistaken for this need to eat. Because fast food is loaded with all three of these, stopping consumption of fast food could be a detox of sort.

Another favorite diet is not really a diet, it's simply a way to empty your digestive system, it's called a "cleansing".  Your body will cleanse itself if you change your diet and start eating fresh and clean.

"Should I cleanse?" is a popular question I get in my emails. This article will tell you the truth about detox diets and cleansing. I found this post on the WebMD website.

By Katherine Brooking, MS, RD

Thinking about a “detox diet?” As a dietitian, I get questions all the time about the potential benefits of “detoxing” or “cleansing” or “fasting.”  We often hear of mega-watt celebs — everyone from Beyonce to Gwyneth — crediting liquid diets for their fabulous figures.

And with the rise in popularity of the BluePrintCleanse and similar plans, I’m seeing more and more people turn to so-called detoxification programs to lose weight, shed belly fat, clear acne, and even increase fertility… just to name a few! But before you forsake your fork, know the myths and facts about juice cleansing.

What is a juice cleanse?

Juice detox or cleanses have different regimens, but the basic requirement for most is a diet consisting of only fruit or vegetable juice (some include nut milk) for a period of one day to several weeks. Daily total calories also vary from plan to plan, but most are very low (as little as 800) to up to 1800 daily. Many of the weight loss plans are 1600 calories per day or below.

Cleansing and weight loss 

Most experts (this one included) do not recommend juice fasting as a way to lose weight. If you’re itching to shed pounds, a drastic cut in calories may seem like the fastest way to see instant results.  However, when you eat less food for a prolonged period of time, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, so you will likely gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.

On the plus side, some people successfully use juice cleanses to help banish bad eating habits. If you’re struggling with too many sweets, fast food or packaged foods, a day or two of drinking juice can be a way to “jumpstart” a new pattern of eating.  However this does not work for everyone. Some people end up feeling more hungry and grumpy with juice alone, and then go into eating overdrive as soon as the fast is over. What’s the long-term solution for weight loss? Regular exercise combined with a calorie-controlled diet of fruit, vegetables, whole grain, lean protein, and healthy fats.

Juice fasting to “detoxify” the body

Most juice cleanses include a “detox” phase during which dieters are instructed to drink only water, juice or herbal teas to help rid the body of toxins. But there is scant scientific evidence showing that fasting will detox or cleanse your body. The truth is our liver, kidneys and digestive system are well designed to rid the body of waste – there is no need to ‘cleanse’ our body through juice or other types of fasts. In some people, severe calorie restriction can produce feelings of happiness or even euphoria. But beyond a few days, fasting isn’t actually doing a body good as nutritional deficiencies may result.

If you’re considering any type of fast, it is important that you check with your doctor first. For most people juice fasting for a few days is harmless, but for others, it can be dangerous. Cleanses are not advised for pregnant and breastfeeding women, the elderly, and individuals with certain health conditions like diabetes.

The Bottom Line

Though detox diets may not live up to all the claims, for most healthy people, a day or several days of juice cleansing will not cause harm. But for lasting, long-term weight loss, hold on to your fork and keep eating healthy meals and snacks.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “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 e-book. 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 e-book 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

How Many Carbs Do We Need?

That a little complicated. How much do you run? How many times a week are you in the gym pumping iron? How active are you? Do you frame houses all day or shovel concrete? I'm not a fan of cutting carbs because the average person doesn't know which carbs to cut and all carbs are not equal. Fruits and vegetables are carbs and you need all of them.

I exclude any carbs made with white flour, and I also cut out all types of sugar. If you want to cut carbs that what you should cut. Cut any processed foods with sugar or white flour, cut any drinks with sugar or any sweetener.

Don't cut fruits and vegetables, they all have nutrients your body needs. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, about half your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. So that's quite a lot. But, there's more to it that how many carbs you need -- some sources of carbohydrates are better for you than others. What the mean by "carbs" is vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs, and whole grains.

First, what are carbs? Carbohydrates are mostly found in plants where they provide energy and structure. Sugars, starches, and fibers fall into this category.

And although animals need and consume carbohydrates, you won't find any carbs in meat, fish or poultry. But you will find carbs in milk and dairy products because they contain lactose, which is also a type of sugar.

How Many Carbs Do You Need?

Your carbohydrate need can be based on your caloric intake. If you know how many calories you need each day, you can figure out how many grams of carbs you need:

Start by determining your daily calorie need and divide that number in half. That's how many calories should come from carbohydrates.
Each gram of carbohydrate has four calories. Divide the number you got from the first step by four.
The final number is equal to the amount of carbohydrates in grams you need each day.
For example, a person who eats approximately 2,000 calories per day should take in about 250 grams of carbohydrates (2,000 divided by 2 = 1,000 and 1,000 divided by 4 = 250).

Tracking Your Carbohydrate Intake

Find the carbohydrate grams on the Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods. You'll find calorie information there too, but be sure to double-check the serving size and number of servings per package.
Use the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference to calculate carbohydrate amounts for fresh foods. It's a large database that's regularly updated.
Keep a food diary to track your information. You can print out your own pages and keep them in a notebook.
Join Calorie Count to track calories, carbohydrates, and all the other nutrients, plus you'll find suggestions for a healthy diet. They also have a great smart-phone app so you can track your calories when you're away from your computer.

Which Carbs are Best

Carbohydrates include complex carbohydrates, like starches, and simple sugars such as white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and honey. As far as plant-based carbs go, choose 100-percent whole grains, and fruits and vegetables for most of your carbohydrates. The standard tip is to 'make half of your grains whole.' That way, as long as you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, you'll add a substantial amount of fiber to your diet.

Of course, you don't want to consume carbs only. You need protein and fat, just not as much. Balance your carbohydrate choices with protein sources such as lean meat, poultry, eggs, or fish, and some healthy fat such as olive oil, avocado or nuts, and seeds. Protein combined with high-fiber carbs helps keep you feel full between meals. The protein that is recommended by most professionals is seafood and poultry. The fat in these two food groups won't contain any animal fats.

Watch Out for Sugars

The worst carbohydrates sources may be sugary foods, including things made with sugar, honey, corn syrup or maple syrup. These foods usually have too many calories and little or no nutritional value.

Avoid sugary snacks, pastries, sugar-sweetened soft drinks, candy, and cookies. Watch out for heavily processed foods that often contain added sugars, even those that don't taste sweet. A good rule-of-thumb is "don't drink your calories".

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.

There are two e-books. “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 e-book. 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 e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Low Fat vs. Low Carb

What right for you? I picked low-fat because it made sense to me. Your body has to burn some calories from all the different groups. 30%fats, 20% proteins, and the rest from carbs. Your body isn't fussy where it gets the fat, if you're not eating enough fat, it takes the fat from your stored fat. It worked for me, I lost my stored fat in a few weeks. Read this article I found online at WebMD.com.

Which Is Better for Weight Loss?

By Yasmine Ali, MD

There are so many diets out there for weight loss, it is hard to know where to start and which to choose. Some recent research helps shed light on the long-running low-fat vs. low-carb debate.

Rethinking Low-Fat

A number of studies have now shown that low-fat diets may not be the best choice when it comes to weight loss, or even when it comes to preventing cardiovascular disease.

One study that looked at weight-loss results in individuals following either a low-fat or low-carb diet for a year found that those who followed the low-carb diet lost nearly 8 pounds more than did those who followed the low-fat diet.

Importantly, those on a low-carb diet also saw a greater reduction in cholesterol-based cardiovascular risk factors.

In a review of over 50 clinical trials that have examined the low-fat vs. low-carb question, researchers concluded that evidence from randomized controlled trials“does not support low-fat diets over other dietary interventions for long-term weight loss.”

Just a Minute, I want to put in my two cents. Am I sure that they have a valid point. You need some fats for your joints and for your heart. But my point is that you don't need animal fats. Seafood provides "good fats" and nuts prove "good fats" and there are several more plants like avocados that have good fats. That's why I like the Mediterranean diet for long-term weight loss and good health.

This food pyramid shows you everything you can eat on the Mediterranean diet and how often.

But Better Than Nothing

However, when compared to no diet at all, the low-fat diet did turn out to be more effective for weight loss. The lesson here seems to be that any dietary change aimed toward weight loss is a better step to take than doing nothing at all. Yes, in a short time period, like three months, I lost about 10 pounds of pure fat.

Yes, in a short time period, like three months, I lost about 10 pounds of pure fat. A low-fat is restrictive. My theory is if you don't eat animal products you won't consume any animal fat and your body will have to burn your body fat. So I was basically on a seafood diet for a few months. No meat, and only non-fat dairy, I didn't drink any calories, and I was eating 6 small (300 calories) meals every day. Sounds crazy, right? It's the best way not to get hungry.

If you’re going to change your diet, though, why not get the “biggest bang for your buck” and go for the most effective dietary plan?

Higher-Fat Diets With Added Health Benefits

Higher-fat diets that focus on good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats), like the Mediterranean diet, have been found to prevent cardiovascular disease and breast cancer as well as slow cognitive decline, all while resulting in modest weight loss.

In the latest results released from the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial at the 2015 American Heart Association meeting in Orlando, Florida, the higher-fat Mediterranean diet actually showed more weight loss (a little over 2 lbs.) than the low-fat control diet.

Researchers believe that this may be due to the nature of the fats inherent in the Mediterranean diet. Yes, and I'll explain, animal fats from dairy and meat will cause you to add body fat and if you look over the food pyramid you'll notice there is fish and poultry but very little meat. There is dairy, but you should restrict dairy to low-fat or non-fat. This is not a quick weight loss diet. Most people like this diet because if they stick to the food pyramid you don't have to count calories and you do lose weight over time. The more you increase your activity, the faster the weight will come off but it will take your body a little time to adjust to this new diet.

Olive oil and nuts fall into the category of “good fats,” which are low in saturated fat and high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats. They are also high in polyphenols, nutrients which have been found to play a role in preventing cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.

Thus, the healthy fats are likely processed and metabolized differently by the human body, and the result is reassuring: eating more of these healthy fats does not result in weight gain at all.

You can tweet me with questions at #ray0369

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.

There are two e-books. “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 e-book. 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 e-book 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

Waist Size, Not Weight May Be The Key To A Longer Life

Even those who aren't overweight are at risk of death if they've got a paunch

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

I'm continuing the post from Yesterday with more material from WebMD.com.

That spare tire you're toting around could be increasing your risk of an early death, a new study suggests.

What's more, the increased risk associated with having a larger waistline occurs even if a person's body-mass index (BMI) indicates a healthy weight, said lead researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis with the University of Sydney in Australia.

People who carry extra weight around the middle -- also called "central obesity" -- but have a normal BMI have a 22 percent higher risk of death than people whose fat is stored elsewhere in their bodies, the study found. In folks with a BMI that indicates obesity, the risk of early death was 13 percent higher for those with central obesity or fat around the middle.

The study also found that a large gut poses an even greater hazard for heart health. The risk of heart-related death is 25 percent higher for someone with central obesity and a normal BMI. It's 26 percent greater for those with an overweight BMI and extra abdominal girth, and 56 higher percent for an obese BMI and central obesity, the study found.

BMI is a rough estimate of a person's body fat based on height and weight measurements. Normal BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overweight is 25 to 29.9, and obese is 30 and over. Someone who's 5 feet, 9 inches tall is considered normal when weight is between 125 and 168 pounds. Overweight is 169 to 202 pounds. Obese is 203 pounds or higher. 

Waist-to-hip ratio is a measurement used to determine if there is excess belly fat. Stamatakis said waist-to-hip ratio is calculated by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

"If a person's waist-to-hip ratio is over 0.85 if they are female, or over 0.90 if they are male, then they should be concerned and look into ways to alter their lifestyle to lose or reduce the 'paunch,'" Stamatakis said.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “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 e-book. 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 e-book 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

Why Is The Fat Around Your Waist So Dangerous?

First of all, the fat around your waist is a different kind of fat. Second, only a 1 or 2-inch layer will cover your abdominal muscles and the rest will build up inside the muscle layer around your liver and heart slowing down the functions of those organs. Not good. The Liver has over 100 body functions and is the safeguard to the blood stream. It has to process everything that enters the bloodstream. A slow working liver is a major problem for your health.

Fatty liver is a condition in which the cells of the liver accumulate abnormally increased amounts of fat. Although excessive consumption of alcohol is a very common cause of fatty liver (alcoholic fatty liver), there is another form of fatty liver, termed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease), in which alcohol has been excluded as a cause. In nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, other recognized causes of fatty liver that are less common causes than alcohol also are excluded.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a manifestation of an abnormality of metabolism within the liver. The liver is an important organ in the metabolism (handling) of fat. The liver makes and exports fat to other parts of the body. It also removes fat from the blood that has been released by other tissues in the body, for example, by fat cells, or absorbed from the food we eat. In nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the handling of fat by liver cells is disturbed. Increased amounts of fat are removed from the blood and/or are produced by liver cells, and not enough is disposed of or exported by the cells. As a result, fat accumulates in the liver. The brain and the heart seem more important but the Liver is important because it protects your blood and it's the quality of your blood that keeps the heart and brain working well.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is classified as either fatty liver (sometimes referred to as isolated fatty liver or IFL) or steatohepatitis (NASH). In both isolated fatty liver and NASH there is an abnormal amount of fat in the liver cells, but, in addition, in NASH there is inflammation within the liver, and, as a result, the liver cells are damaged, they die, and are replaced by scar tissue. Liver disease is very serious, you only have one liver. The liver is the largest interior organ and has the most work to do. 

Why is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease important?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is important for several reasons. First, it is a common disease, and is increasing in prevalence. Second, NASH is an important cause of serious liver disease, leading to cirrhosis and the complications of cirrhosis--liver failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and liver cancer. Third, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with other very common and serious non-liver diseases, perhaps the most important being cardiovascular disease that leads to heart disease and strokes. Fatty liver probably is not the cause of these other diseases, but is a manifestation of an underlying cause that the diseases share. Fatty liver, therefore, is a clue to the presence of these other serious diseases which need to be addressed.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver facts

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD) is the accumulation of abnormal amounts of fat within the liver.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can be divided into isolated fatty liver in which there is only accumulation of fat, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in which there is fat, inflammation, and damage to liver cells.
NASH progresses to scarring and ultimately to cirrhosis, with all the complications of cirrhosis, for example, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver failure, and liver cancer.
The development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is intimately associated with and is probably caused by obesity and diabetes.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is considered a manifestation of the metabolic syndrome.
The symptoms of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are primarily those of the complications of cirrhosis in patients with NASH; isolated fatty liver infrequently causes symptoms and usually is discovered incidentally. The complications of cirrhosis include:
Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding
Mental changes (encephalopathy)
accumulation of fluid (ascites, edema)
Liver cancer
The differentiation of isolated fatty liver from NASH usually requires a liver biopsy.
The most promising treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are
diet,
exercise,
weight loss, and
possibly bariatric surgery.
Several drugs have been studied in the treatment of NASH. There is little evidence that any drug is effective in slowing the disease progression of NASH.
Many diseases are associated with NASH and are part of the metabolic syndrome. These diseases should be screened for and treated, for example, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia and diabetes.
Isolated fatty liver rarely progresses to NASH or cirrhosis.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, including NASH affects young children as well.
NASH will become the number one reason for liver transplantation unless effective and safe treatments are found.

Most overweight people don't take "being overweight" seriously. Thousands even 10's of thousands of people die every year from illnesses and diseases caused by being overweight. But it's more than just your weight, it's really about the amount of body fat you carry around. Some people with excess body fat aren't really overweight. The definition of overweight to the medical community is your percentage of body fat. If the percentage of fat is too high, your overweight. 

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