Until recently, being obese has been attributed to having a poor diet,suffering from hormonal imbalances, genetic factors, lack of exerciseand physical activity, etc., but never to a lack of sleep. Now, severalnew clinical studies have demonstrated that sleep deprivation alsoplays a large part in making both children and adults obese.

One study cited by the American Chronicle found that kids that wentto bed late gained weight more easily than kids that had an early bedtime. In fact the study demonstrated that with just one extra hour ofsleep, kids can reduce their risk of becoming obese by an incredible 30to 36 percent. Furthermore, it was found that teenagers are sleepingless than they should. The US National Sleep Foundation recommends thatyoungsters ages 5 to 12, need about 11 hours of sleep and teenagersneed about 9 hours. The study found that the average teenager ages 13to 18 is getting only about 7 hours of sleep, which is two hours lessthan the recommended minimum. This makes teens more prone to becomingoverweight.

Another study cited by Ian Johnston of the Scotsman, found thatwomen that get less than five hours of sleep are very much at risk ofbecoming overweight. The study titled “The Nurses Health Study” ran forabout 16 years and tracked approximately 70,000 women who recordedtheir weight every two years. The findings were astonishing. Women thataveraged only five hours of sleep at night were 32 percent more proneto gaining an incredible 33 pounds .

Women are not the only ones at risk, however. A combinedinvestigation between Karine Spiegel from the University of Brussels ofBelgium and Van Cauter from the University of Chicago found that mensleeping less than 7 to 8 hours a day are more at risk of becomingobese and / or of suffering from diabetes. They performed an experimenton male patients, restricting sleep for two days, and found that sleepdeprivation altered two hormones named ghrelin and leptin which areresponsible for a person’s appetite. It is believed that the increasein ghrelin and the decrease in leptin suffered by sleep deprivedpatients cause them to crave more food and therefore eat more.

Another hormone altered by a lack of sleep is cortisol. Sleepdeprivation apparently causes the brain to instruct this hormone tostore excess caloriesas fat. Sugar levels are usually also higher in patients that sleepless than they should. Patients getting less sleep usually feel theneed for a sugar rush to give them energy. The increase in glucoselevels promotes excess insulin production and puts the patient more atrisk of becoming diabetic. Furthermore, if the sugar is not burned offsoon enough it will be turned into fat.

 

With all the evidence linking obesity to sleep deprivation

, it isimportant to analyze if our own sleeping patterns are putting us atrisk. Adults need around 8 hours of sleep. Getting a good night sleepwill not only reduce excessive daytime sleepiness but will also help usstay fit.

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Also, in the same book is an illustration by Albrecht Durer, entitled “Women in the Bath” in 1496. It is much like a sauna suit as can be seen by the wooden walls, the birch whisk, the pile of stones on the stove and the wooden tubs.

In the world of weight loss and detoxification, an increasing number of people are taking notice to the properties associated with sauna suits. Without having to spend hundreds of dollars on a home sauna or visit the nearest spa or gym to gain access, sauna suits aim to provide the same environment for people on the go. The same stimulating effects of heat associated with saunas are delivered in a jacket and pants ensemble that ultimately creates a great deal of sweat.

Numerous people use sauna suits to reduce weight, which occurs through a shedding of excess water. Sauna suits also aid people looking to detoxify their body, as impurities, chemicals, unwanted toxins, and other types of waste are also released through the amount of liquid extracted while wearing the suit. When used sparingly and with caution, many individuals are able to reap positive health benefits, but when abused and worn too long, a few disadvantages (which may seriously threaten your health) can occur.

Typical Sauna Suit Features

The average sauna suit is made of varying levels of nylon and plastic-like internal coatings. Some manufacturers have created their own line of coating (such as Teflite) specifically for the creation of sauna suits. Usually, the sweat suit is made with plastic zippers coated with a non-rust material. The cuffs are often elasticated and sometimes possess a drawstring waist attached to the jacket. Some sauna suit jackets and pants are constructed with pockets. Depending on the model, you may receive a stowaway hood, but almost all sauna suits possess a hi-seal collar, which intensifies the sweating process.

An elastic binding is placed on the waist, which helps seal in the heat and captures falling sweat. The ankles on the pants are also elasticated to elevate heat development and catch sweat. The entire makeup of the sauna suit is flexible and made to withstand rips and tears. While some sauna suits are produced as “one size fits all,” others are geared to specifically fit a male or a female. Common sizes include small (S), medium (M), large (L), extra large (XL), and extra extra large (XXL). A few sauna suits come in XXXL.

Using a Sauna Suit

As soon as you slip into a sauna suit, you almost instantly feel the increase of heat over your body and begin to detect trickles of sweat. These types of suits are constructed to help one lose weight by increasing the rate at which “fuel” is burned. The sweating not only assists weight loss, but also rids the body of unwanted substances in the system.

It is the theory that the food and fat lost through the creation of sweat is used up and will not return after you replenish your system with fresh water. In turn, one stands to lose weight quicker and faster. The sauna suit can be used during sessions of exercise, such as aerobics, riding a bike, jogging and running, or working out on a treadmill. Some people use the sauna suit while lifting weights to increase the flexibility and response in muscles.

Pros and Cons of Using a Sauna Suit

With short-term use, sauna suits help individuals shed excess water weight, jump start their weight loss goals, and cleanse their body of impurities. Usually, after a session of using a sauna suit, one feels rejuvenated and refreshed. Some claim an extra boost in energy is felt. Overall, a sauna suit makes a good accompaniment to a solid workout program that helps enhance results.

As for the cons associated with a sauna suit, improper usage can cause negative effects in health. In some individuals, their internal temperature may spike, causing complications such as stroke. Although a rare consequence, overdoing the use of a sauna suit can kill a user. When using a sauna suit, it is important to avoid weather with high temperatures, which intensifies the overall level of warmth affecting the body

, also increasing the chances of passing out or suffering heat stroke.

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This should get you on the road to real weight loss of a permanent nature. Plants suitable to an herbal weight loss program abound. Happy herbal weight loss to you!

Obesity is a growing concern in the United States. It poses many health risks as well as undermines a person’s self esteem and even subjects the person to certain types of discrimination. All told, more than half of American adults are overweight or obese and more than $30 billion a year is spent on weight loss products and services. This means that weight loss supplements are big business and the market is flooded with herbs, supplements and other weight loss products.

While some of these weight loss remedies work, many do not. When seeking an effective weight loss plan, you will likely have better luck with the natural remedies than you will with other products on the market. Many natural health products are viewed as “new” but, in fact, these weight loss aids have been around and in use for centuries. It is just that now these trends are being adopted by the western world.

HoodiaProducts such as SlimCiti Hoodia and Phentermine as well as HoodiElite are all popping up and skyrocketing Hoodia into a top position for one of the most popular weight loss supplements. These products receive great ratings for effectiveness and have very little side effects.

EphedraEphedra got a bad rap a few years ago due to people who abused the product and had some health problems as a result. Ephedra was banned for some time, but the ban has been lifted and it is making a comeback. When used correctly, ephedrine can be an effective weight loss aid.

Apple Cider VinegarApple cider vinegar is a natural diuretic and it helps to speed up a metabolism that is slow. It also naturally curbs the appetite. This supplement has been used for centuries, but is being “rediscovered” in the United States and being touted as a very effective weight loss supplement. With its nutrient rich composition, the benefits of this supplement extend far beyond weight loss.

Green TeaGreen tea is a powerful antioxidant and is often used along with black tea and white tea as a very strong combination of ingredients that metabolize fat. These ingredients are said to increase the body’s ability to burn fat while increasing energy and strengthening the immune system.

Caralluma FimbriataThis member of the cactus family acts as a natural appetite suppressant. It has been used in India for centuries. It also helps to lower blood sugar but as a weight loss aid

, it receives high marks from users.

Yerba MateThis is another natural weight loss aid that has a thermogenic effect. Excess calories are burned more efficiently with yerba mate. It is often combined with other supplements such as caralluma fimbriata for optimum weight loss effects.

VermellaThis herbal extract comes from the leaves of the Gentianella alborosea plant. It has several properties that make it a great weight loss supplement. It is a natural appetite suppressant and it enhances the body’s metabolism. Studies have shown vermella to have the same weight loss effect as hoodia gordonii.

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The difference between healthy eating and restrictive eating is the difference between a work of art and paint-by-number. Either way, you end up with a nice picture-until you get up close to take a look.

 

 

There is a harmful idea virus that has become so widespread, so ubiquitous, that it is accepted as normal. It has subtly integrated itself into our beliefs, our thoughts, our language, our behavior and our reality. It’s so pervasive that it has become “conventional wisdom” and almost no one questions it.

So What Is This Idea Virus?

It is the belief that restrictive eating is healthy eating. It usually starts with information about nutrition or weight management that mutates into rules and restriction. But the blurring of the line between healthy eating and restrictive eating is the difference between a work of art and paint-by-number. Either way, you end up with a nice picture-until you get up close to take a look.

Healthy Eating  vs.   Restrictive Eating

In Charge                    In Control

 

Nourishment               Diet

Fuel                             Calories

Quality                         Points

Healthy                        Skinny                                                       

Aware                          Preoccupied

Conscious                    Consumed

Mindful                         Vigilant

Information                 Dogma

Guide                           Rules

All foods fit                  Good or bad

Balance                       Perfection

Variety                        Temptation

Moderation                 Deprivation

Choosing                     Earning

Deciding                      Rationalizing

Flexible                        Rigid

Hunger based             By the clock

Comfort                       Portion sizes

Physical Activity           Penance

Effortless                    Willpower

Trust                            Fear

Learning                      Failing

Self-acceptance           Condemnation

Enjoyment                   Guilt   

Pleasure                      Shame

Freedom                      Bondage

The main reason that this virus is so powerful is that it has a built-in protective mechanism: the underlying belief that people who are overweight are incapable of handling freedom or choice. This belief ensures the survival of the virus because when you try to restrict yourself (or others) it actually leads to more cravings for the foods you’ve labeled “bad.” When you finally “give in,” you’re more likely to overeat, proving that you are incapable of handling freedom or choice leading to more restriction.

One of the reasons that this idea virus is so successful at replicating itself is that it initially appears to be beneficial to its host so many people will intentionally seek out. For many people that promote health, wellness and weight loss, “lifestyle change” and “healthy eating” have become euphemisms for “you’re going to be on this diet for the rest of your life.” The virus is so subtle and so ingrained that they usually don’t even realize that restriction is at the core of their message.

How is this Idea Virus Spread?

You are most prone to this virus if you’re overweight (or think you are). Everybody else that has the virus tries to give it to you in an effort to help you (or sell you something). It takes the form of rational suggestions, loving advice and even harsh criticism. 

The idea virus spreads vertically through advertising, television, magazines, books, the Internet and medical research. It is propagated by marketers, models, celebrities, reporters, experts, bloggers, researchers and legislators. It then spreads horizontally from doctor to patient, dietitian to client, friend to friend, wife to husband and parent to child. This virus is also swiftly moving from the United States to the rest of the world. 

How to Cure This Virus

Take a close look at the “picture of health” you’re painting. Is it constrained by rigid lines and someone else’s choice of colors? Or does it express your individuality, your preferences and your lifestyle? Choose now how you want to create your work of art. Here are some specific steps to rid yourself of the “restrictive eating is healthy eating” virus.

1.      Diagnose the virus. Filter everything you read, hear and say by asking, “Is this restrictive in nature?” (You might be surprised when you start to notice just how pervasive it really is!)

2.      Begin to monitor your little voice. (This virus is sneaky so it may be helpful to journal so you capture the real essence of your beliefs, thoughts, feelings and choices.)  When you notice restrictive eating thoughts from the second column above, gently replace them with true healthy eating thoughts from the first column.

3.      The virus may have you convinced that you are incapable of managing your weight without rigid rules. Find role models, health care providers and non-diet approaches that don’t propagate the virus. With time, support and new tools you can do it!

4.      Use nutrition information as a tool not a weapon. Remember, all foods fit into a healthy diet.

5.      Make the healthiest choice you can without feeling deprived. All foods fit using balance, variety and moderation.

6.      Let go of the belief that you need to eat perfectly – that is the virus talking. Accept that you’ll sometimes regret certain choices you make – that is part of healthy eating. When you don’t get caught up in guilt and shame

, you’re able to learn from your experiences.

7.      Repeat this often: “It’s just food and I can learn to trust and nourish myself without restriction.”

8.      Discover joy in creating your own masterpiece!

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Diets are often filled with confusing dogma. Learn the truth behind some of these old weight management myths.

Diets are filled with dogma about when, what and how much to eat. Certainly “the rules” are usually based on observations that make sense, but unless you understand why you do certain things, you’ll break the rules as soon as the temptation is greater than your motivation.

Let’s examine some of these myths, where they come from and how to make long term changes that will work for you.

Myth: Don’t Eat After 7pm

Your metabolism doesn’t shut off at 7:01 pm so why is this rule so common? It’s based on the observation that many people who struggle with their weight overeat in the evening. Most have already eaten dinner so they aren’t snacking because they’re hungry. They snack because of boredom, television, loneliness and other triggers.

Rather than creating a rule to address those habits, ask yourself “Am I hungry?” whenever you feel like eating in the evenings. If you truly are, eat, keeping in mind that your day is winding down so you won’t need a huge meal. If you aren’t, consider why you feel like eating and come up with a better way to address that need. Ken, a man in one of my workshops, realized he was just bored so he started doing stained glass in the evenings to entertain himself. Whatever works!

Myth: Eat Small Meals Every 3 Hours

This rule is based on the fact that many thin people tend to eat frequent small meals. However, most of the thin people I know don’t check their watch to tell them it’s time to eat – they eat when their body tells them to. They eat when they’re hungry and stop when they’re satisfied. Since that tends to be a small meal, they get hungry again in a few hours.

Instead of watching the clock, begin to tune in to the physical symptoms of hunger to tell you when to eat. And remember, your stomach is only about the size of your fist so it only holds a handful of food comfortably. By learning to listen to your body’s signals, you are likely to follow a frequent small meal pattern naturally.

Myth: Don’t Let Yourself Get Hungry

This one is based on the belief that overweight people are incapable of controlling themselves when they’re hungry. In my experience with hundreds of workshop participants, once they learn to tell the difference between physical hunger and head hunger, the opposite is true.

Think about it. When you’re hungry, food tastes better and is more satisfying. My grandmother used to say, “Hunger is the best seasoning.” Besides, if you aren’t hungry when you start eating, what’s going to tell you to stop? Of course, you also need to learn to recognize hunger and make time to eat before you’re too hungry since it’s harder to make great choices when you’re starving!

Myth: Exercise More When You Cheat

I hate this one because it has caused millions of people to equate physical activity with punishment for eating. As a result, many people either hate to exercise or use exercise to earn the right to eat.

While it’s true that your weight is determined by your overall calories in versus your calories out, exercise is only part of the equation and has so many other important benefits. Instead of using exercise to pay penance, focus on how great you feel, how much more energy you have, how much better you sleep and how much healthier you’re becoming. In the long run, you are more likely to exercise because it feels good than because you’re forced to.

Myth: Follow Your Diet Six Days a Week Then You Can Have a Cheat Day

This is absurd! What if you were a harsh, overly strict parent six days a week then completely ignored your kids every Saturday? How would this approach work for your marriage or managing your employees?

It just doesn’t make sense to try to be perfect (whatever that is) Sunday through Friday while obsessing about everything you’re going to eat on your day off. Then on Saturday you overeat just because you’re allowed to so you end up feeling miserable all day. Huh? Personally, I’d rather enjoy eating the foods I love every day, mindfully and in moderation. I call this being “in charge” instead of going back and forth between being in control and out of control.

Myth: Eat X Number of Calories a Day

Does it make sense that you would need exactly the same amount of fuel every day? Aren’t there just days when you’re hungrier than others, maybe because of your activity levels or hormonal cycles?

Rather than setting yourself up to “cheat” on those hungry days and forcing yourself to eat more food than you want on your less hungry days, allow yourself the flexibility to adjust your intake based on your actual needs rather than an arbitrary number. Important: for this to work long term, you also need to learn to tell the difference between physical hunger and head hunger.

Myth: Carbs are Bad (or Fat is Bad)

This “good food-bad food” thinking makes certain foods special. As a result, you may feel deprived and think about them even more than you did before. Worse yet, healthy foods become a four-letter word.

The truth is all foods fit into a healthy diet. Since different foods have various nutritional qualities and calorie content, you can use the principles of balance

, variety and moderation to guide you without trying to restrict an entire food group.

Truth: You Are In Charge

I assume the rule-makers are well-intentioned and don’t realize that they’ve created a tight rope that most people fall off sooner or later. It’s time to give yourself the flexibility to make decisions that both nourish and nurture you.

 

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People have always looked for the easiest way to make personal changes, and the drug companies have made a fortune because of it. But the real “Magic Pill” that enables effortless change has always been hidden within the subconscious mind, which can be accessed through hypnosis.

For a lot of folks, the trail to personal transformation and self-improvement is a long and winding trail filled with intricate barriers. Drug companies in particular have capitalized on and created massive fortunes because of the elusive search for the “Magic Pill” that will fix everything.  As it turns out, there is a secret formula for success, and it begins in the subconscious mind.

One of the presuppositions of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is that “there is a positive intention behind all behaviors.”  And based on that presupposition, when it comes to getting rid of negative behaviors, there is an equation that we must always keep in mind.  I’ll let you in on the secret formula in a minute.  But first, I have a riddle for you to solve.

Riddle: A holy man made his child drink lye, which burned out the child’s voice box.  What was the positive intent behind this action? 

If you are like most of the clients who have visited my office since 1978, you’ll exclaim something like: “There isn’t any.”  But you would be totally incorrect.  To answer this riddle, first you have to separate the behavior from the positive goal of the behavior.

The minister’s child was cursing.  And the preacher believes that if his child curses, his soul will be condemned to Hell.  So the answer is that the preacher was burning out his child’s vocal cords so that he couldn’t curse.  By doing so, he was saving his child’s soul from being destined to Hell.

The secret equation for successful change uses NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and works as follows: 

We should value the positive intention that motivates each behavior.  If we have an urge to make use of a behavior that we don’t appreciate, we can easily get rid of the urge to use that behavior. All we must do is to find another behavior and substitute it in its place. To be successful, the new action must be as accessible and effective at accomplishing the same secondary gain, but be more consciously acceptable to you.  We call this a REFRAME.

When clients come into my office, one of the first things that I do is to take a thorough case history.  Let’s imagine that they come to my office and ask me to help them lose weight.  Experience tells us that the two main reasons that people eat too much are: (1) to reduce stress; (2) because eating can be a conditioned response.  For instance, if a person eats while they are working on a computer, they will develop a conditioned response, and thereafter, every time they work on a computer they will get an urge to eat.

However, the above answer only takes into consideration the possible secondary gain received from the eating behavior.  What if they also have another behavior that is involved in the equation?  Case in point: What if being obease is also a behavior for this person?  I can hear your mind grinding right now as you think, “Being fat isn’t a behavior, what are you talking about?”

Sorry but you could be 100% incorrect.  Here is a simple classic textbook example that will clearly illustrate the fact that being fat can be a behavior.  It can be a behavior because it can supply secondary gains. 

Example: A woman is in love.  Her partner breaks up with her, and her heart is broken.  Her unconscious wants to shield her emotionally and keep her from having her heart broken again.  So it motivates her to get fat to keep her out of relationships.  That way she won’t get her heart broken again. 

Everyone is totally different.  And sometimes there are hidden elements at work causing neurotic behaviors.  These are elements that are different for each person.

Here’s another case in point: A woman comes to my office complaining of an out of control compulsion to overeat at dinnertime.  During my case history, upon questioning, the woman explains to me how she was never able to please her father.  

During an age regression, we learned that one of her early memories was of eating a meal with her family.  And dad was insisting in a very loud voice that she clean her plate, even though she was bursting.  So she finished the food on her plate because of fear, and her father praised her for eating all of the food.  It was one of the only times in her life that she could recall her dad telling her that she had made him happy.

Jump forward to present day.  Her dad has been deceased for many years, but the subconscious program he created is still at work.  She still has a compulsion to eat all of the food on her plate, even if she is feeling bloated, because by cleaning the plate, in her unconscious mind she is getting dad’s approval, and eliminating her own fear!

So if you are having a problem making personal changes, keep in mind that there is a positive intent behind all behaviors. And the secret formula for successful change is to substitute a different behavior that will accomplish the same secondary gains, but in a mode that is more consciously suitable to you, as an individual. The most effective way to get your unconscious to take the responsibility for making this kind of alteration for you is through an NLP Six-Step Reframe.

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The three essential steps required for any weight-loss program to be successful.

If you’ve reached this article, then you’ve acknowledged the first step towards weight loss. Hopefully you are taking action to implement what you learned.We will now discuss the second essential element for weight loss: burning calories.The first step was to decrease caloric intake or increase calorie-burn over the course of a day in order to maintain your current weight. The second step is to simply burn more calories. This is where your weight-loss starts.Now before you think you can just simply cut more calories instead of exercising to implement step two; don’t try it. It won’t work. You must actually exercise or perform activities that result in burning calories. You can’t avoid this step. If you want to lose weight, get active!Start simple: take your dog for a walk, work in the garden, wash your windows, wash your car, wash your neighbors car, do a few push ups, kick a soccer ball around, play catch, etc. Exercise doesn’t have to take on military connotation either. Just do something; anything. Get your body moving, and do this at least three or four times per week in 20-30 minute intervals. Are you still serious about losing weight? Or do you want to go back to pretending? You can quit reading this article any time and go back to daydreaming about weight loss instead of actually losing weight.You’ve just learned two of three universal steps to any weight loss program. If you fail to implement either one of these steps, you will not lose weight.The next article in this series discusses the third essential step for permanent weight loss.Copyright 2007, Christian Blake. This article may be freely republished as long as the author’s byline and hyperlinks are retained.

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The three essential steps required for any weight-loss program to be successful.

By now you recognize that controlling calorie intake and increasing calorie expenditure are essential to losing weight. Hopefully you have adopted daily routines that will eventually lead to the weight loss you desire. Perhaps you’re walking every morning for thirty minutes or playing tennis every Monday and Thursday. Maybe you’ve joined the local gym and committed yourself to working out three days a week. In short: you are on your way to achieving the body you’ve always dreamed of. Congratulations! Whether you accomplish this in three weeks or nine months is not relevant. In fact, it has been said the slower the weight loss, the longer it will stay off.Now you must apply step three: Permanent Lifestyle changesThe recent changes you’ve made must become permanent if you wish for your weight loss to become permanent. By very definition, “diet” is short-term. You are not on a diet! You are permanently altering your lifestyle. This is critical for you to comprehend; so don’t focus solely on calorie reduction and calorie burning. If you do, you will ultimately fail because your old habits will return and you will quickly regain your unwanted weight.It is important the activities you chose for calorie-burning are fun activities. If you hate tennis, don’t play it! If you hate running, don’t run! You must find activities that you actually enjoy. This is critical for your lifestyle changes to become permanent. Not everyone is suited to become a gym rat and spend three to four hours a day pumping iron. If going to the gym is not your thing, don’t go! How about riding a bike? Flying a kite? Burning-calories should not be associated with something you dislike. It is important that you find activities you enjoy that have the added benefit of burning calories. Failure to find those activities will result in the slow erosion of your willpower to perform activities you hate and that will eventually lead to gaining the weight back.Remember: the goal is not weight loss. The goal is a healthier lifestyle. Natural weight loss – plus maintaining your ideal weight, is an added benefit of a healthy lifestyle.

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The three essential steps required for any weight-loss program to be successful.

Losing weight is an American tradition. We’re the most overweight country in the world, and we need to do something about it. It’s unhealthy, unsightly, and very expensive to be overweight. Not trying to be harsh; just speaking the truth.With all the hype and late-night infomercials trying to sell you the latest techno-gadgets for burning fat while you sleep, it’s no wonder people don’t know where to turn or who to trust. The truth is most programs can bring you success. If you’re unsure which weight-loss program to follow, simply choose the one that most suits your lifestyle. But before you invest any money, you will need to understand the three essential steps that must be taken for any weight-loss program to be successful. There is a universal, three-step process that must be followed to lose weight and keep it off for life. No weight loss program in the world will work for you if you do not follow and adhere to these three steps. No matter whom you talk to, where you spend your money, what gym you join, or what personal trainer you hire – they will all fail you unless you decide to apply these three steps to your own life. Do you really want to lose weight? Or do you just want to pretend? Keep reading if you’re serious.The first step is controlling your calorie intake in order to maintain your current weight. This can be accomplished two ways: reduce the number of calories you eat over the course of a day, or increase the number of calories you burn over the course of a day. Optimally, you should be consuming just as many calories as you are burning. This will halt the weight gain and allow you to move on to the second step.Adjusting your caloric intake or increasing your calorie-burn is essential if you want to lose weight. There’s no way you can avoid this step. Unfortunately, the American lifestyle is sedentary by nature. Luxury equates to less labor; at least in our eyes.You cannot gorge yourself every evening at the local buffet and then go home, plop onto the couch, and watch television the rest of the night. If you’re going to stuff yourself with food, you must then burn calories equal to that meal before you stuff yourself again. It’s as simple as that. If you don’t want to run or lift weights, then you shouldn’t be visiting the buffet to begin with. Make sense?The next article in this series discusses the second essential step for permanent weight loss.Copyright 2007, Christian Blake. This article may be freely republished as long as the author’s byline and hyperlinks are retained.

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A recent Australian study compared the use of lap band surgery and dieting and demonstrated that lap band surgery was a far superior solution to the problem of obesity. Or did it?

If you are contemplating lap band surgery then you might well be encouraged by the results of an Australian study which reported that, in a controlled test, lap band surgery proved to be far more effective in the long term than a very restrictive 500 calorie diet. However, before you rush off to your surgeon, you might just like to take a moment to examine the study closely.

The study involved a total of 80 patients half of whom were given lap band surgery and half of whom were put on a very low calorie diet of just 500 calories.

After six months both groups were showing similar results and had lost about fourteen percent of their starting weight. However, at the end of two years the results for the two groups looked very different.

The lap band surgery patients had lost about twenty two percent of their starting weight and showed a marked improvement in their health and quality of life. By contrast, the dieting group had re-gained much of the weight they lost in the first few months of their diet and, on average, were only just over five percent below their starting weight.

This result would seem to confirm what many people, including most doctors, already know and this is that dieting, other than to lose the odd pound or two now and again, really doesn’t work. It would also appear to make a strong case for gastric banding.

Lap band surgery is one of several options open to patients as a solution to the problem of morbid obesity and is generally only considered once a patient’s BMI reaches 40. Exceptions can be made and lap banding offered to patients with a BMI as low as 35, but this is normally only done when the patient is also suffering from a potentially life threatening medical condition which is linked to being overweight. For the majority of patients this means that lap band surgery would normally be considered at the point at which they are about 100 pounds overweight.

In the case of this study however the patients chosen for the study were just 50 pounds overweight. So, can we really rely on these results when this is not the target group to which lap band surgery would normally be applied?

The truth of the matter is of course that lap band surgery can be very effective in cases of morbid obesity and is proving to be a very popular choice with many patients. As with all forms of obesity treatment however it is vitally important that we collect sound data so that the various different methods can be evaluated and patients given accurate advice on which they can base their treatment decisions.

Studies of this nature certainly do not add to the base of knowledge which we need to be building and have more to do with grant funding from a lap band manufacturer than they do with any desire to advance the treatment of obesity.

Of course that is only the writer’s view and you may well disagree.

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