Thirty Days To A Slimmer You

If you’ve suddenly gained a lot of weight, and find it hard to lose weight, it may because you have hidden allergies.

We’re all different, and we respond in different ways to what we eat. Many people have hidden allergies, and they can trigger weight gain. These allergies can appear at any time: you can be fine with a particular food for years, and suddenly develop a sensitivity.

A friend suddenly started to gain weight in her thirties, and said she felt as if she were “ballooning”.

She had an inspiration to get a blood test, and found that she was allergic to gluten. Within days of eliminating all flour and wheat-bread from her diet, she lost inches off her waist, and her weight started to fall away. She also felt a lot better – her mood swings vanished – and her skin cleared.

Allergies come and go. If you find that you’re allergic to a food or foods, eliminate them from your diet for a several months. Then start reintroducing them gradually – you may find that the allergy has gone.

If you’re suddenly gaining weight, consider that your first step in losing weight may be to be tested, to find out whether you have hidden allergies.

Technorati Tags: weight loss, allergies

Considering a vegetarian diet to lose weight, because you think that a vegetarian diet is healthier?

Many people think that meat is the culprit for a lot of weight gain and consider a vegetarian or part-vegetarian diet in order to lose some weight. While it is true that meat has fat, it also has a lot of protein that people on a vegetarian diet have to make up or in other ways like peanut butter, soy products and tofu. The actual crux of the matter is not the absence or presence of meat but the entire balance of the food groups.

You need balance in your diet, especially if you want to lose weight

A person may not eat meat at all, but the vegetables he devours are laden with trans fat and other unhealthy oils. Green beans may be great but deep fired green beans are another story altogether.

Vegetables are great, but if the only vegetable your family likes is French fires or starchy corn and peas then it may not be in the best interest of healthy eating. Contrary to popular pinion, many people on a vegetarian diet often have high cholesterol because they feel they can indulge in oils as they skip the meat.

Similarly people who do eat meat may make healthy choices like lean meats and grilled varieties. They may like the flavor meats add to meals but they don’t go overboard with fried chicken drumsticks and fatty cuts of steak.

How to diet if you’re a vegetarian

If a vegetarian needs to diet to lose weight, he should do two simple things. One is to change the way he cooks the vegetables by switching to steaming, boiling, or stir frying with canola or olive oil or better still, fat-free cooking spray.

Second, he can increase the quantity and variety of vegetables he has. Try to pick a different color vegetable for each day of the week. Add spices to make up for the relatively bland flavor due to less oil used. Most spices have zero calories and a dash of coarsely ground pepper or paprika can add zest to any vegetable.

Devour salads whenever you can with little dressing. If you love creamy ranch dressing, have it on the side so you need to only dip your fork in it, not have dollops of fat on your healthy greens.

Technorati Tags: dieting, vegetarian, lose weight

Are your kids a little more chubby than they should be? Consider making weight loss a family affair. Losing weight is good for you: you’ll have more energy and more confidence, and so will your kids.

Family weight loss the easy way

Here are some easy tips to help the whole family to slim down:

* Clear out your cupboards and pantry of sweet treats. With calorie-heavy snacks always on hand, it’s hard to resist them when hunger strikes;

* Have breakfast. A bowl of high-fiber cereal and fruit starts the day right;

* Your children pick up their attitude to food and weight from you. Don’t talk about losing weight in a negative way, emphasize the positive factors of having more energy to have more fun;

* If your children baulk at eating their vegetables, don’t give up. Take the attitude that you eat for health, not only for pleasure. Keep serving the vegetables, without comment.

Technorati Tags: weight loss, kids, lose weight, family, tips