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dieting exercise free trials weight loss

What Does It Really Mean to Be Overweight?

Obesity is an ever increasing problem in the US now-a-days. Studies show that over 66 percent of Americans can be categorized as either fat or obese, and the medical community is even going so far as to call it an epidemic. However, with today’s aesthetic standards as portrayed by the media and the fashion community, it can be very tough to decipher what is actually a healthy weight. No doctor would recommend trying to be stick-thin, but we all know that obesity is dangerous to the health. So, where is that healthy midline? What, exactly, does it mean to the general public to be “overweight?” Here are the plain facts:

Overweight
Overweight (Photo credit: just.Luc)

The definition. Being overweight means weighing more than what is healthy. This amount varies from person to person, as it depends on factors that are unique to each person’s build. Therefore, what is overweight for you might not be overweight for someone else.

Overweight compared to being obese. It is important that you understand that overweight does not necessarily mean obese. Healthy (or unhealthy) body weight is graded on a scale, including the categories of “normal weight,” “overweight,” “obese,” and “morbidly obese.” Each level has its own set of qualifying factors and, of course, morbidly obese is the most dangerous. Being overweight means being one step above normal weight, one step below obese, and two steps below morbidly obese.

What factors are used to determine overweight? Your body mass index (BMI) is used to determine where you are categorized on the health/morbidly-obese scale. Your BMI is a measure of your body’s composition, accounting for how much you weigh in relation to your height. There are various different methods to calculate BMI. The simplest is to use an online BMI calculator, but for the most exact figure, it is a good idea to see a doctor or nutritionist. If your BMI falls between 25 and 30, you are generally considered overweight. However, it is important to keep in mind that BMI has no way of accounting for your muscle to fat ratio. This ratio can make a major difference in your overall health, and therefore can change your status as overweight. For example, if you are a serious athlete with a lot of muscle, you may weigh more than someone else your height who is at a “normal” weight, but that doesn’t mean you are overweight.

Overweight is a term that is used loosely, which makes it confusing when determining whether or not you fit into that category. Your best bet is to consult with your doctor to figure out if you are overweight, and if you could benefit from lowering your BMI.

About the Author: Tommye Lounder is a health and wellness specialist who specializes in educating people about their bodies. He enjoys researching common medical conditions, including candida expert opinions, heart health, addictions, and the body’s metabolism.

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dieting exercise free trials

Is Paleo For You?

It seems like a new diet is hitting the marketplace every other day, and every new diet seems to be dubbed as the one that works. There are so many diets out there, that if you want to lose weight, it can be hard to decide where to begin.
The latest dieting craze to hit the marketplace is called Paleo, and many people are wondering if they should give it a try.

What is the Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet basically refers to only eating the foods that our historic ancestors ate, which includes fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and nuts. This means that you should cut out legumes, grains and dairy. Basically, you want to eat only those items that can be hunted or gathered and refrain from eating anything that has been processed or sealed (so no canned vegetables). Fresh foods contain more vitamins and nutrients than those that have been processed, and they’re more healthy for you than those that tell you they’re healthy.
What’s the point of the Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet doesn’t cut out fat or carbs. Instead, it relies on you eating a healthy amount of food in order to maintain a decent body weight. Eating these foods will increase your metabolism and give you more energy throughout the day. And since you tend to eat more fruits and vegetables than whole grains, you may actually cut out a good deal of the carbs you eat on a regular basis.
Along with keeping you at a healthy weight, the Paleo diet is also known to reduce the risk of major diseases, such as heart attack, stroke and diabetes. By keeping your food intake simple, you are not clogging your body full of supplements or processed foods.

What are the benefits of the Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet doesn’t require you to count points, read labels or consume a great deal of protein shakes. The foods used in the Paleo diet are simple and real, and you know exactly what you’re getting.
Preparing Paleo-approved meals is simple. Choose a meat, choose a vegetable and you’re done. There is no need to read a ton of cookbooks or think too long about what to prepare for dinner. This will also help you decide what to eat more quickly when dining out at restaurants. Rather than spend a great amount of time reading over the menu, you can choose the option that fits best with the Paleo diet.
Is the Paleo diet right for me?

The Paleo diet hasn’t hurt anyone, so as long as you’re okay with eating meat and vegetables and cutting out dairy, grains and  legumes, trying the Paleo diet shouldn’t be that hard to accomplish. And since there is not counting points or reading labels, you can choose Paleo-approved foods more easily than other diets. People have been using the Paleo diet for years. If you start the Paleo diet, you will see an increase in your energy levels, and you’ll start to look better too.

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dieting exercise HCG weight loss

Weird Side Effects From HCG Weight Loss Drops And Shots

If you type “HCG side effects” on the Google or Yahoo! search bar, the first three or five websites that pop up will most likely inform you that there are no known HCG side effects whatsoever, and then proceed to trying to convince you to buy their product through various marketing strategies. But HCG side effects are real, and if you visit well-established health and nutrition websites like Drugs.com and Webmd.com, you will get the correct information that HCG drops side effects as well as reactions from HCG injections are very real indeed, and what’s more, these trustworthy sites will also denounce the use of HCG as a weight loss treatment in line with the United States Food and Drug Administration’s views on the subject.

HCG is a hormone released by the brain’s pituitary gland, the reproductive system of the female body during pregnancy, the fast-growing cells of an embryo or fetus, and sometimes by cancerous tumors. There is no proof that HCG has a hand in burning off calories and fats or increasing metabolic drive and energy levels, and the approved used for HCG are all directly related to its true functions on the human body: as a pregnancy test and as a marker for cancerous growths to test the presence of HCG in a growing baby or a tumor, and as a treatment for fertility problems in women. These approved uses are a far cry from the claims of those selling HCG as being as effective for weight loss as appetite suppressant foods or diet pills.

Taking HCG oral drops and shots or injections can put you at risk for experiencing weird side effects. Men who follow the HCG diet may notice to their astonishment the increase of breast size, a condition known as gynecomastia. This is because HCG, as a hormone much associated with pregnancy functions in the human body, can indirectly cause breast growth and soreness, even in men. Women too can experience more pregnancy-related side effects, such as acne, pain around the hips, mood swings, swelling of the extremities, nausea and vomiting that is similar to morning sickness. Depression and irritability occur frequently among pregnant women and can happen to those taking HCG too. And what’s worse, HCG may actually promote weight gain rather than the much touted weight loss, for pregnant women naturally gain weight, and HCG can trick the body into mimicking the same reaction because of its true nature as a pregnancy-related hormone.

HCG is not approved as a weight loss treatment, and HCG drops and shots should not be treated as such. Take HCG only when approved by your doctor and for the health uses it is proven to be beneficial.

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exercise weight loss

Using the York C202 Cycle to Lose Weight and Burn Calories

The York C202 Cycle is one of the most popular exercise bikes on the market and is helping thousands of people in the country not only to lose weight and burn calories, but also to have fun and create themselves a healthier lifestyle.  The reason people buy the York C202 Cycle is because it is a very cheap exercise bike, but also extremely good quality and comes with some great features that make exercising more fun than it really should be.

How the York C202 Cycle helps you lose weight

OK, so you know how an exercise bike works and might have some pre-conceived ideas about them.  Well, it’s not just about pedalling like mad and hoping the weight will fall off.  There’s a website called Exercise Bike Planet that contains exercise bike reviews and prices and we were initially looking for York C101 cycle prices – this is the lower-end model, but we saw the York C202 Cycle and fell in love with that instead.

York C202 Cycle comes with lots of cool features

The thing with the York C202 Cycle is its sheer breadth of functionality and data that is available at your fingertips with the little computer screen it has near the handlebars.  We love this tool, and it is this that motivates us to lose weight.  The reason being is simple – it lets you set your targets for fitness, which means you can track your progress and continually try to improve yourself.

Track your progress with the York C202 computer

Some of the numbers you can track on the screen include how far you have pedalled for and the speed you were travelling at.  For a real insight into how you are doing you can also look at the amount of calories that you are burning in each session as well as your heart rate which is recorded using the pulse sensors in the handlebars for beats per minute.  Just being able to view these figures lets you improve yourself because every day you can strive to beat your previous best.  This is undoubtedly one of the best ways to get fit and lose weight with an exercise bike – and the York C202 Cycle really does do it all.

How much does a York C202 Cycle cost?

Prices vary so make sure you Google the website Exercise Bike Planet and on there you will be able to find the best deals and a price comparison on this exercise bike.  Ultimately we would really recommends this fitness cycle, and if you like spinning at the gym then you really cannot go far wrong with getting a York C202 cycle and exercise bike.