Hair Loss in Women: How to Feel Like You Again

 

 

What does being ‘well’ mean to you? For most of us it is a feeling of being free of illness, of feeling as though we have nothing that ails us either mentally or physically.

As an integral part of our identity our hair plays a definitely role in our feeling of wellness. It defines who we are and even plays a part in protecting our scalp and shielding us from the sun. When hair loss occurs it can have an immediate effect on our sense of wellbeing.

If you have been affected this all too common condition, read on for the best ways to really regain your sense of wellness and feel like ‘you’ again.

 

Learning to Accept Hair Loss

This is a loaded subject, because there may be people who never actually accept their hair loss. Perhaps accepting hair loss means learning to live with it, or finding ways to cope with it.

Whatever your take on it, it’s important to first consider the condition that is causing your hair loss. This may well have an effect on your perspective on it.

Are you losing your hair due to a temporary situation such as chemotherapy or as a result of another medication? Or, is your hair loss part of the natural aging process?

Consider whether you can reasonably expect your hair to grow back after a certain period of time or if this is something you will live with forever.

It is always good to take the time to fully research the condition that is causing your hair loss- for some this may mean having a deep conversation with their doctor. Others, after having a definitive diagnosis, may choose to read books on the subject or spend hours browsing on the internet.

You may also consider visiting a therapist or psychologist to help you work through the emotional aspects of losing your hair- this can be a powerful tool in your journey towards accepting your hair loss.

 

Focus on your Appearance

Appearances do matter, and losing your hair is a significant reminder of this. Now is the time to see what it is that will make you feel beautiful during this time of life!

Don’t be afraid to face yourself in the mirror. You can:

• Embrace your bare head. If it’s not too cold and you feel comfortable, making peace with your hairless appearance can be extremely empowering.


• Try on colorful scarves and hats. Aside from keeping your head warm, they easy to wear and can be matched to your clothing according to your mood. You can even layer a scarf on beneath a hat for extra warmth.


• Discover wigs. Many of us may have never dreamed of wearing a wig, but when it comes to looking like your old self there may be nothing better. You can go for a wig that matches your normal hair or try a new style, maybe even the hair you’ve always wanted!

*Once you delve into the world of wigs you’ll see that there are several significant differences between synthetic and human hair wigs, and that the prices for the two options do vary widely.

Feeling like yourself during hair loss is not an easy process but there are ways to cope and to make the experience much more comfortable. If you’ve been there before and you have any helpful tips, please share them with our readers!

 

 

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Categories: feel, feeling, hair, hair loss, loss, nbsp, nbsp nbsp

Hair Loss in Women: How to Feel Like You Again

 

 

What does being ‘well’ mean to you? For most of us it is a feeling of being free of illness, of feeling as though we have nothing that ails us either mentally or physically.

As an integral part of our identity our hair plays a definitely role in our feeling of wellness. It defines who we are and even plays a part in protecting our scalp and shielding us from the sun. When hair loss occurs it can have an immediate effect on our sense of wellbeing.

If you have been affected this all too common condition, read on for the best ways to really regain your sense of wellness and feel like ‘you’ again.

 

Learning to Accept Hair Loss

This is a loaded subject, because there may be people who never actually accept their hair loss. Perhaps accepting hair loss means learning to live with it, or finding ways to cope with it.

Whatever your take on it, it’s important to first consider the condition that is causing your hair loss. This may well have an effect on your perspective on it.

Are you losing your hair due to a temporary situation such as chemotherapy or as a result of another medication? Or, is your hair loss part of the natural aging process?

Consider whether you can reasonably expect your hair to grow back after a certain period of time or if this is something you will live with forever.

It is always good to take the time to fully research the condition that is causing your hair loss- for some this may mean having a deep conversation with their doctor. Others, after having a definitive diagnosis, may choose to read books on the subject or spend hours browsing on the internet.

You may also consider visiting a therapist or psychologist to help you work through the emotional aspects of losing your hair- this can be a powerful tool in your journey towards accepting your hair loss.

 

Focus on your Appearance

Appearances do matter, and losing your hair is a significant reminder of this. Now is the time to see what it is that will make you feel beautiful during this time of life!

Don’t be afraid to face yourself in the mirror. You can:

• Embrace your bare head. If it’s not too cold and you feel comfortable, making peace with your hairless appearance can be extremely empowering.


• Try on colorful scarves and hats. Aside from keeping your head warm, they easy to wear and can be matched to your clothing according to your mood. You can even layer a scarf on beneath a hat for extra warmth.


• Discover wigs. Many of us may have never dreamed of wearing a wig, but when it comes to looking like your old self there may be nothing better. You can go for a wig that matches your normal hair or try a new style, maybe even the hair you’ve always wanted!

*Once you delve into the world of wigs you’ll see that there are several significant differences between synthetic and human hair wigs, and that the prices for the two options do vary widely.

Feeling like yourself during hair loss is not an easy process but there are ways to cope and to make the experience much more comfortable. If you’ve been there before and you have any helpful tips, please share them with our readers!

 

 

The post Hair Loss in Women: How to Feel Like You Again appeared first on .

Categories: feel, feeling, hair, hair loss, loss, nbsp, nbsp nbsp

Experts Share their Best “How-To” Weight Loss Tips

They say it’s the little things that matter, and this is certainly the case when it comes to your weight loss programme. Sure, you need to look after your wellbeing with a healthy diet and exercise regimen, but on top of that you need a few little extras to get your body where you want it to be. So how do you do it? We’ve gathered a few wellness experts together to discuss their top “How-To” weight loss tips.

 

1. How to Satisfy Late-Night Sugar Cravings: Jackie Newgent, RD, author of The Big Green Cookbook, recommends, ‘To satisfy your sweet tooth without pushing yourself over the calorie edge, even in the late night hours, think “fruit first.” Wellness writer Leslie Barrie adds, ‘Enjoy a sliced apple with a tablespoon of nut butter (like peanut or almond) or fresh fig halves spread with ricotta. Then sleep sweet, knowing you’re still on the right, healthy track.’

 

2. How to Find the Perfect Workout Buddy: According to Barrie, ‘A workout buddy is hugely helpful for keeping motivated, but it’s important to find someone who will inspire—not discourage. So make a list of all your exercise-loving friends, then see who fits this criteria…Can your pal meet to exercise on a regular basis? Is she supportive (not disparaging) of your goals? And last, will your bud be able to keep up with you or even push your limits in key workouts? If you’ve got someone that fits all three, make that phone call.’

 

3. How to Stock Up Your Cupboard: ‘While there are heaps of good-for-you foods out there, some key ingredients make it a lot easier to meet your weight-loss goals,’ says Barrie. ‘Next grocery store run, be sure to place [these] top three diet-friendly items in your cart: balsamic vinegar (it adds a pop of low-cal flavor to veggies and salads), in-shell nuts (their protein and fiber keep you satiated), and fat-free plain yogurt (a creamy, comforting source of protein).’

 

4. How to Relieve Your Aching Muscles: After a gruelling workout, submerge your lower body in a cold bath for 10 to 15 minutes (you may have to throw some ice cubes in to get it to the 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit you’re after). ‘Many top athletes use this trick to help reduce soreness after training sessions,’ says ASICS running coach Andrew Kastor. ‘An athlete training for an important race should consider getting one to two massages per month to help aid in training recovery.’

 

5. How to Tell You’re Wearing the Right Trainers: ‘Your shoes should feel comfortable from the first step,’ Kastor asserts. To achieve this feeling, Barrie advises, ‘Shop in the evening—your feet swell during the day and stop in the late afternoon, so you want to shop when they’re at their biggest. Also make sure the sneaks are a little roomy—enough so that you can wiggle your toes, but no more than that.’

 

6. How to Pick the Right Workout Playlist:Barrie points out, ‘Running with music is a great way to get in a groove (just make sure it’s not blasting too loudly, or you won’t hear those cars!). To pick the ultimate iPod playlist, think about what gets you going.’ Kastor details, ‘I know several elite athletes that listen to what we’d consider “relaxing” music, such as symphony music, while they do a hard workout.’

 

7. How to Weigh Yourself: Newgent explains, ‘It’s best to step on the scale in the morning before eating or drinking—and prior to plunging into your daily activities.’ Barrie adds, ‘For the most reliable number, be sure to check your poundage at a consistent time, whether daily or weekly.’

Categories: barrie, barrie adds, late night, loss, loss tips, nbsp, playlist, trainers, Weight Loss, Workout, workout buddy, Workout Partner

The Exercises That Will Burn Fat and Create a Lean Body

Losing weight is certainly almost always a case of eating right and improving your fitness, but not all exercises were created equal. Whilst all exercises will improve your wellness and wellbeing in some way, you need to do certain types of exercises to ensure that you create a lean body.

 

You don’t have to go to the gym to create a blitzed body, however. There are plenty of fat-burning moves that you can do at home. You really can get your perfect body without ever even having to leave the house. It uses very little kit and very little time, because the high-powered moves (also known as plyometrics) are one of the best ways to burn calories. This is because they raise your heart rate and tone your muscles at the same time, which helps you to get fit while burning fat and getting rid of any trouble spots.

 

To stop yourself from getting any injuries, make sure that you warm up before doing any form of exercise, by doing a bit of jogging on the spot and doing some functional movements such as hip circles and arm crosses. You should then do the exercises one at a time in a circuit, then rest for a minute and do the circuit all over again.

 

Explosive press ups are one of the toughest and hard core types of exercise you can do, although they are also really simple and easy to do. They work out your chest, arms, shoulders and core at the same time. To do them, put down a yoga or Pilates mat and get into a plank position, making sure that your hands are slightly wider than your shoulders and your knees resting on the floor. Lower yourself down to the ground in a controlled way and then explosively push up so hard that your hands leave the ground.

Categories: body, burning, exercise, exercises, lean body, loss, nbsp, time, weight

Five Foods, Drinks & Spices that Can Bump Your Weight Loss

It seems like not a day goes by without you witnessing some kind of magical weight-loss-promising product. There’s a pill, gel and machine to target any problem wellness area on your behalf – with absolutely no effort of your part, of course. More often than not, you see such adverts and change the channel, or write it off without much thought, but there’s always one product you see and think “well, maybe…” Being overweight is a real concern in this country, and millions put their wellbeing at risk by buying into these shams. In actual fact, the only way to lose weight is to exercise and eat right, and anything else on top of that can only help you along in that journey. If you do want a boost – and just a boost, mind – to your weight loss wellness, it’s better to opt for natural, home remedies, so even if they don’t work, you’re not putting yourself in any danger. Here are a few natural remedies that can help make your efforts more effective:

 

1. Flaxseed: The outer coating on flaxseed is the thing that makes you feel fuller, and so it’s this miracle layer that aids you in your weight loss. By feeling fuller, you’re less likely to overindulge in unhealthy snacks and meals, and so you can lose weight more quickly. Moreover, flaxseed is also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which is good for your heart – and that’s always a good bonus! As flaxseeds are naturally flavourless, they won’t negatively affect the taste of your food, but they might add a nice little crunch. Simply crush them up and add them to soups, cereals, salads, and oats.

 

2. Green Tea: There’s no denying the immense popularity of green tea for weight loss, but where does it come from? The reason why so many people are switching from coffee to green tea is because of its high antioxidant capacity. In addition, research shows that green tea is capable of boosting your metabolism and burning fat, both of which can be a great help when you’re trying to lose weight. Plus, as you don’t drink green tea with milk or sugar, you can cut down on unnecessary calories.

 

3. Cinnamon: You might reserve this spice for Christmas, but cinnamon is a weight loss aid you should consume all year long. By activating the insulin receptors and enzyme systems involved in carbohydrate metabolism, cinnamon helps your body to regulate your blood sugar levels, increase metabolism and reduce bad cholesterol. Add a little to your coffee or tea, sprinkle some on your breakfast cereals, or try making healthy baked goods such as flapjacks, with added cinnamon.

 

4. Black Pepper: Adding black pepper to your foods aids in weight loss the same way that any hot food does; the piperine in black perpper acts as a digestive while also helping to prevent the formation of fat. Moreover, spicy foods tend to inspire you to become more active, which is a mightily important part of any weight loss programme. And the best thing is you can add black pepper to almost any dish.

 

5. Turmeric: There are many studies purporting the benefits of turmeric, with scientists even researching methods to see if it can be used to fight cancer. Therefore, it’s not hard to see how this Indian spice can aid in weight loss. As well as reducing your risk of health concerns such as diabetes, studies have shown that turmeric helps metabolise fat. Add turmeric to any Indian-style dish, such as veggies, rice, curries, and dahls.

Categories: black pepper, Cinnamon, Green, green tea, Lose weight, loss, nbsp, turmeric, weight, Weight Loss

SENSA: The Most Talked About Weight Loss Sensation

People are always told that if they want to lose weight, they have to diet and increase their fitness. Although these things definitely do improve your wellness and wellbeing, did you know that there is a way that claims to help you lose weight without dieting?

 

The SENSA Weight Loss System is rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about weight loss products that is available on the market today. It has been featured in Time Magazine, Dateline NBC and The New York Times, and claims to help users lose weight simply by shaking scented ‘tastants’ over their food. It goes against everything that we have traditionally been taught about dieting, so is it just another senseless weight loss fad, or does SENSA actually work?

 

Hollywood celebrities have been using SENSA already, with actress Patti Stranger recently claiming to have lost 30 pounds in just 8 months by using the SENSA system. Patti says she noticed her body changing and the weight just falling off her, and the best bit was that she didn’t’ have to count calories, stick to a diet or eat any kind of pre-packaged meals.

 

SENSA has also been featured widely in the media, because it is such a unique new product. Users of SENSA receive a package containing lots of different types of sprinkles. There are savoury flavours such as onion and parmesan cheese and sweet ones such as bananas and chocolate. Users don’t have to follow a specific diet, but simply have to sprinkle these flakes over anything that they eat. The theory is that the flakes fool your brain through sense of smell into thinking that it is full, leading you to consume fewer calories. Unfortunately, the lack of diet plan and the lack of any corroborating science raises some major red flags about this diet. Most experts still recommend that you stick to a low-calorie diet and do some exercise if you want to lose weight – there really is no magic fix.

Categories: diet, Lose, Lose weight, loss, sensa, sprinkle, weight, Weight Loss

Are You Being Sucked In By These Common Diet Myths?

Weight gain and weight loss seem like such a simple thing, and so in theory they should be perfectly straightforward. If you want to improve your wellness and wellbeing, you should eat right and increase your fitness levels, right? Unfortunately, as many dieters will tell you, it’s not as simple as that. In fact, there are a whole lot of commonly held myths about weight loss and gain, and many people simply do not know fact from fiction.

 

First of all, remember that being overweight does not necessarily equate to being unhealthy. Being a few pounds heavier does not mean that you are definitely going to an early grave. It is perfectly possible to be fat and healthy or thin and unhealthy. Just on its own, your actual weight is not directly related to how healthy you are.

 

Many people also believe that eating spicy food helps to boost your metabolism, leading to faster weight loss. Of course, eating well boosts your general health, but does not generally boost your metabolism. Just eat a healthy, balanced diet and make sure you include plenty of protein.

 

People also think that you have to eat an extra 3,000 calories to gain a pound, and that depriving yourself of 3,000 calories equates to losing a pound of fat too, but unfortunately it doesn’t work that way either. Everybody is different, and people’s metabolism can vary hugely. In addition to this, the human body is programmed to store fat, and so it actively fights against you if you try to lose weight. All kinds of other factors can affect your weight, too, such as the time of day, how big a meal you have eaten, how much water you have drunk and the hormones in your menstrual cycle.

Categories: fitness, Healthy, loss, Metabolism, Myths, people, weight, Weight Loss

Warning: FDA Warns Against Using HCG For Weight Loss

Each year there is a new advance in the world of weight and fitness, a miracle drug that comes to light claiming to be the answer to every dieter’s dreams. Mostly these drugs turn out to be fairly useless, and sometimes they can even have the reverse effect and be damaging for your wellness and wellbeing.

 

Last year, the big thing has been for a certain homeopathic remedy which contains something called HCG. This stands for human chorionic gonadotropin, and is a hormone that is produced by pregnant women (usually found in the placenta). It has been used in the past to trigger ovulation in women who are undergoing treatment for fertility problems.

 

HCG can also allow the body to access the fat stores in the body and provide nutrients for when a woman is pregnant with a baby. This function can then be exploited to help people to lose weight. People usually take the HCG supplement plus a 500 calorie per day diet, and the theory is that this could help them shed one or two pounds every day.

 

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This is certainly the case with HCG. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration, alongside the Federal Trade Commission, have actually issued a large number of warning letters to the companies who are selling over-the counter products containing HCG and labelled as a homeopathic weight loss remedy. This is because HCG has not been approved to be used for weight loss, and the claims that the products are making does not have any evidence to back it up. In addition to this, the hormone may have health risks associated with it, due to the lack of testing and evidence, and there are also serious health effects associated with very low calorie diets.

Categories: fda, hCG, homeopathic, loss, nbsp, Pregnant, weight, Weight Loss

Nine Signs That You May Have a More Serious Health Problem

Have you been feeling concerned about your health and wellbeing lately? You may just be feeling a little run down, or you may have a nagging feeling that your wellness is being affected by something unseen, something ‘under the surface’, but it can be hard to tell and you don’t want to seem like a hypochondriac by going to the doctor with a general feeling of unease.

 

Fortunately, there are some subtle signs that you may be harbouring a more serious health problem, and if you are suffering from any of these signs and symptoms then you would be perfectly justified in heading down to the doctors to make sure that it is nothing more serious and underlying.

 

Inflamed skin can be a sign of internal distress. Abnormal capillary activity along your chin area shows that you have a distressed digestive system, and signs of this can also come in the form of flaking and dermatitis or eczema along your hairline or forehead.

 

If you have dark circles under your eyes, you are likely to dismiss it as lack of sleep. Lack of sleep is the major cause of most dark circles under the eyes, but it can also be caused by a deficiency of phenol sulfotransferase, which can cause behavioural and physical problems. If you have persistent dark circles, see a doctor to find out if something is going on.

 

Mouth sores and ulcers can also be a sign that something is wrong. It may simply be that you are stressed and run down, but if you are suffering from repeated mouth ulcers it may be a sign that you have a more serious condition such as celiacs disease or throat and mouth cancer.

 

Hair loss shouldn’t be ignored either – a bit of hair loss each day is normal, but excessive hair loss can be caused by anaemia, thyroid problems and some other conditions.

Categories: feeling, hair loss, health, health problem, loss, nbsp, problem, sign, signs, underlying

Best Ways to Lose Lots of Weight as Fast as Possible

Losing weight is always hard, but when you have 50 pound or more to lose, it can seem like an impossible task. Losing that amount of weight is going to take a great deal of determination and fitness, but you will find that your wellness and wellbeing are boosted in ways that you can’t even imagine now if this weight comes off.

 

To accomplish such a big goal, you need to stay motivated and not veer of track. You must consume a low calorie diet as much as possible and not only should your food be low calorie, it should also be healthy. You should supplement this with lots and lots of exercise. There are certain exercise tips that should help you to fuel your weight loss efforts, and the first one is a big one but a very important one.

 

You should exercise for 45 minutes at a time, if you really want to kick your weight loss up a gear. It really is annoyingly simple – you have to burn more calories than you consume if you want to lose weight. Taking a leisurely stroll on a treadmill is not going to help you because you will not burn enough calories to make a difference. In order to really lose weight you need to burn around 500 extra calories every day. If you only burn around 200 calories in your workout, your weight loss will be far slower. So, if you really want to lose weight, don’t stop at 20 or 30 minutes on the machines – keep going until you have been going for around 45 minutes. This way you will burn almost twice the number of calories and you will also tone up muscles and boost your metabolism.

Categories: burn, calories, exercise, fast, Lose, Lose weight, loss, weight, Weight Loss

Steal Their Secrets: How The Top Celebs Lost Weight

Let’s be honest – looking at celebrity weight loss photos is a secret guilty pleasure for most of us! Studying those before and after photos and reading about how they achieved this – be it through fitness, crazy diets or surgery – is quite addictive.

 

Most of us assume that you’d need an enormous paycheque to get the same look of wellness and wellbeing, but is that really the case? We’ve looked at a few of the weight loss techniques that have been put in place by celebrities and assessed how healthy and pricey they really are.

 

Diana DeGarmo, for example, has been following a five factor diet, which consists of five small meals on six days of the week, and one day where you cheat and eat whatever you want. Diana is an ex contestant on American idol and shrank three dress sizes in just two months with this healthy and achievable diet.

 

Valerie Bertinelli has been following a three meal and three snack a day plan. This is portion control at its very best and really doesn’t cost much. The celebrity has shed 25 pounds using this method.

 

Arden Myrin, the TV comic, has shed 30 pounds all of her own accord by simply sticking to a three meal a day plan and avoiding flour and sugar altogether. No snacks are allowed on this diet, and although it is affordable, skipping the snacks could actually slow down metabolism in the long run.

 

Robin Quivers tried out a plan which invited him to lose 21 pounds in 21 days – and he surpassed it by three pounds. Results like these are unpredictable, though, and losing a great deal of weight in a very short space of time can actually lead to further gain in the long run.

Categories: celebrity, diana, diet, loss, nbsp, pounds, weight, Weight Loss

The Seaweed Diet: How Kelp Can Help with Weight Loss

You may think of it as an unhealthy side dish when you order a Chinese, but not only is sea weed a nutrition-packed way to enhance your wellbeing, it may also promote weight loss. Wellness writer Tamra Mercieca, founder of Naked Therapy, explains, ‘Seaweed has been used in Asian dishes for centuries but is now fast gaining recognition for weight-loss benefits. High in vitamins A and C, seaweed contains plenty of protein and is one of the few non-animal sources of B12, making it an excellent food for vegetarians. Wakame is a type of brown seaweed often used to flavour traditional dishes such as soups and salads.’

 

In fact, in 2006, Japanese researchers found that it is the brownish pigment in wakame, fucoxanthin, that helps to promote weight loss. Researchers at the Hokkaido University in Japan gave fucoxanthin to obese rats on top of their regular diet, and found that these creatures lost five to 10% of their body weight. According to Mercieca, ‘Fucoxanthin works by stimulating the production of a protein that increases the burning of fat. It was also found to reduce LDL cholesterol (or bad cholesterol) and improve triglyceride levels (which affect metabolism).’ Study professor, Dr Kazuo Miyashita, noted that if it is effective in humans, fucoxanthin could potentially be developed into new types of medication to combat obesity.

 

However, despite a lack of research in how effective seaweed can be as a slimming aid in humans, this hasn’t stopped celebrities from trying out seaweed right now. In an effort to keep her weight down, even Victoria Beckham has tried a posh mix of seaweed and algae, and Foods For Life nutrition consultant Yvonne Bishop-Weston argues that this eating regime isn’t as crazy as it sounds. Bishop-Weston comments, ‘Algae and seaweed are superfoods, with many of the vital nutrients our bodies need. Algae such as chlorella aid detoxification, help reduce water retention and break down fat deposits.’ However, she adds, ‘Victoria used algae and seaweed shakes as part of a personalised nutrition strategy. We are all different and there is no perfect one-size-fits-all weight-loss program.’

 

It’s not just weight loss that eating seaweed provides; seaweed is also an excellent skin treatment, showing promise in the treatment of conditions such as acne. Mercieca notes, ‘Demographic studies haveshown that people who regularly eat seaweed have fewer problems associated with mineral depletion, and generally live longer. Seaweed has been found to help prevent cancer and heart disease, lower blood pressure and even prevent ulcers and kill bacteria. It has been shown to cleanse the body of pollutants and improve hair condition. It has been said that the thick, black, lustrous hair of the Japanese is partly due to their regular diet of brown sea vegetables. The Japanese certainly take seaweed eating seriously, downing as much as four kilograms of the plant per person per year. Japanese women who eat a diet high in kelp have reported lower rates of breast cancers.’

 

So then, how do you work seaweed into your diet? For sports dietician Emilie Isles, sushi is the answer. ‘When eaten in appropriate portions, sushi can provide an excellent source of carbohydrate and protein, and often includes some vegetables, making it low in fat,’ Isles points out. ‘In the right amounts, sushi is an appropriate everyday option, although you need to watch out for varieties that contain fried meats and creamy mayonnaise because of their saturated fat content. The other thing to be mindful of is portion size, as sushi can be very easy to over-consume. Seaweed is most likely to promote weight loss when incorporated as part of a balanced diet, which includes adequate fresh fruit and veggies, as well as regular activity.’

Categories: acne, bishop weston, diet, japanese, loss, promote weight, regular diet, seaweed, weight, Weight Loss

What Every Teenage Girl Should Know About Losing Weight

When a teenage girl wants to lose weight, extreme care has to be taken to ensure that she is not taking risks with her wellness and wellbeing. Teenage girls are particularly susceptible to eating disorders, so care must be taken to ensure that any weight loss is undertaken in a sensible and structured way.

The best plan for teenage girls focus on the idea that gradual weight loss is best, and that weight loss should involve healthy eating and exercising in equal measures. Teenage girls must understand that skipping meals is actually counter productive and could sabotage their weight loss efforts rather than aid them. Going long periods without food actually slows down your metabolism and makes losing weight very difficult indeed. Teenage girls are prone to trying the starvation diet methods, but must understand that when they go for a long time without food, their body simply learns to store fat rather than to burn it. Your body effectively thinks that it is being starved and so when any fat comes along it holds onto it in starvation mode as it thinks that it does not know where the next sustenance is coming from. Teenage girls are often prone to skipping breakfast, too, and this is another method that can really slow down the metabolism and make weight gain far more likely than weight loss.

Teens should also skip unhealthy lunches such as chips and fizzy drinks, and opt instead for something like a chicken salad sandwich on whole grain bread, plus a piece of fruit and a glass of water or skimmed milk.

It may sound straightforward, but another thing that teenage girls need to bear in mind is that they may not actually be overweight. Body types and heights can vary enormously, so a tall girl may weight two or three pounds more than her short friends, without being overweight in any way at all. Many teen girls are obsessed with losing weight, even although they are actually already thin, and this is not healthy and should be avoided at all costs.

 

Categories: girls, losing, Losing Weight, loss, teenage, teenage girl, teenage girls, weight, Weight Loss

About.com Yoga

I know it’s the season to flog weight loss, but I can’t in good conscious tell you that yoga is going to make you skinnier. I wholeheartedly believe that it can make you healthier, happier, and stronger, but skinnier is very debatable. Here’s my take on yoga and weight loss.

Categories: debatable, loss, skinnier, weight, Weight Loss, yoga

How to Deal with the Trauma of a Miscarriage

Miscarriages are incredibly painful experiences. Trying to cope with the loss of your unborn child is a difficult time, with emotions ranging from resentment and guilt to shame, anger and sadness. Women often feel responsible and worthless when they miscarry, as well as experiencing the secondary losses of the life you’d planned and the family you’d hoped to build. It can change your ideas on your identity and femininity, and you may feel lonely and isolated. Though it may be offered in abundance, you’ll no doubt feel absent from your partner, feeling as though their grief isn’t the same as your own. Here are some of the best ways to grieve your loss and cope with the reality of your miscarriage.

 

Recognise that you are mourning

The first step to mourning is to realise that that’s exactly what you’re doing. The bereavement process applies here, so you need to give yourself time to process the emotions you’re feeling and accept them. There is no set time period for doing this – it’s whatever feels right for you. People grieve differently and in different time periods. Let your feelings out, and don’t feel ashamed of them – this is a difficult time, and people will appreciate that. You have every right to cry, mourn and feel sadness. Some women find it helpful to keep a souvenir of their baby, in the form of an angelic statue or pendant to remember them by – others plant a tree or special plant in the garden.

 

Realise that your thoughts and emotions are normal

There are several emotions which are often attributed to this mourning period, which include denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Miscarriage can often leave people feeling cheated and angry, as something that they’d hoped for and felt strong emotions for was taken away from them without warning. With denial, you quite simply don’t want to accept the reality of the situation. This stage is usually accompanied by strong emotions – this is a devastating time, especially if you’ve been trying for a long time to get pregnant. Anger is another common emotion, spurred on by the fact that you’re angry at so many aspects of the situation – yourself, the reality, doctors and your partner. If you’re a religious person, you may find yourself bargaining with fate or God – what this stage means is that you want what happened to your and your partner to be a mistake or a dream. You may offer god your prayers, charity or a more devoted faith in return for the situation to be a mistake. Depression, understandably, is a difficult stage but one which is experienced by many people. This can be easy to get stuck in for a long time, particularly if you’ve struggled to have a baby for a long time. However, it is a good sign that you’re moving through the stages of grief as you should. Finally, acceptance allows you to move past the pain and accept the reality. This is a place of peace where you can begin to resume normality in your life. It doesn’t remove the sadness or loss, but does mean that you’ve accepted you can’t change what has happened to you.

 

Avoid belittling your loss

Miscarriages aren’t commonly recognised in society, so there is no set way of dealing with this form of loss. People may not know how to react to the news, or how to speak to you, because of this. However, you should realise that you did suffer a loss, regardless of what people say. Though the loss is large and devastating, you shouldn’t blame anyone or yourself for the situation. This will only cause harm to you and others around you.

Categories: depression, difficult time, emotions, feel, long time, loss, miscarriage, people, strong emotions, time

Could Cutting Out Alcohol Help You to Lose Weight?

Weight loss and fitness are important topics for discussion. Everyone wants to know the latest tricks for improving wellness and wellbeing, and there is always a diet trend, exotic fruit which is rumoured to speed up metabolism, magic shakes that are meant to make you less hungry or even which weight loss supplements are trendy.

 

Whilst these things all do exist, the big question is what happens to the body after you stop these kind of fad diets and trends; the answer is, the weight piles back on.

 

One of the true pillars of losing weight is eating real food. That means fresh fruit, seeds, vegetables, nuts and organic or free range animal products.

 

Giving up alcohol is also really key for weight loss. If you want to lose weight, you absolutely have to do it – just for a little while. Try to stay off alcohol for a month, and see what happens. When you drink, your body has to burn it off straight away, which means that any food that you eat is stored so that you can burn off the alcohol instead. Going out for a meal is the worst scenario, as you are eating and drinking at the same time.

 

On top of that, you want your liver to be in great condition for weight los, as it is an important part of fat emulsification. If your liver is not working, then it is much harder for your body to break down and get rid of fats.

 

Sunshine and happiness are also vital ingredients of weight loss. Getting some sunshine helps to boost your vitamin Dlevels, and this, in turn, boosts your metabolism. Making sure that you are happy also helps to guard against comfort eating on unhealthy foods like carbohydrates and sugars.

Categories: Alcohol, body, Lose weight, loss, nbsp, Tricks, weight, Weight Loss

How to Set the Course for Your Personal Weight Loss Journey

We all have different reasons for wanting to lose weight. Some of us just want to fit into that new dress while others what to enhance our overall wellness. Taking the first step in determining which programme to follow and which goals to set is probably the easiest thing to do in terms of effort, but this can still be a complicated step to take. At the end of the day, you are responsible for your own wellbeing, and the weight loss plan you eventually choose is, evidently, up to you. However, there are helpful hints available to shape the way you make that decision.

 

1. Acceptance and Reason: On an emotional and mental level, acceptance and reason are the hardest stages to overcome, and they often go hand in hand. If you’re overweight, say, this probably means your health is deteriorating. This usually goes alongside high levels of bad LDL cholesterol and high blood pressure. In this example, you need to accept that your current condition of health is due to your excess weight, and then this becomes your reason to lose weight: your immediate concern is to get to a healthy weight so that your wellness improves. As I’ve previously mentioned, everyone needs their own reason or driving force to help them achieve their personal weight loss goals – you just need to be true to yours.

 

2. A Clinical Perspective: If you’re planning on losing weight, that’s obviously going to have an impact on your health and body and so it’s extremely advisable to consult your doctor. In weight-related conditions, cardiologists and nutritionists are the go-to experts so start there. These medical health professionals can help you set your goals and decide upon the course of your weight loss journey without coming into conflict with your individual needs. If you have medical conditions or unchangeable lifestyle traits, for example, this will determine ultimately what you can and cannot do.

 

3. The Objective: Once you have your reasons and medical perspective in place, it’s time for you to actually engage in your weight loss and set a goal. This needs to be something specific and that you can reasonably attain. While setting a big end goal – like losing 40lbs overall – is a good idea, setting little objectives or check points along the way can help you to stay motivated. If you say you want to lose 10lbs a month, then all you have to do is focus on that one small goal instead of striving for the big one. Before you know it, in four months time you would have reached your 40lb goal without stressing 40lbs worth over it! Make sure all your goals – both big and small – are realistic. However, when you lose weight, you might find the number on the scale doesn’t move much as muscle weighs more than fat, so you might want to use a different measuring system like clothes sizes, BMI or waist size.

 

4. The Plan: Most dieters try to lose weight by just changing their food intake, or just by exercising, but the truth is you need both for effective weight loss. When it comes to what you eat, you need to consume enough calories to sustain your daily needs which, as you’re engaging in physical activities, will be a little bit more than you think. Dividing your daily food intake into frequent small meals rather than three large meals is a good idea. Eat fruits and vegetables, lean meat, dairy products, rice/cereals/bread, even chocolates – the key is to not deprive yourself but let yourself have a little bit so that you don’t crave more later on.

Categories: Acceptance, food intake, Goals, Lose, Lose weight, loss, loss journey, Objectives, personal weight, reason, weight, Weight Loss

Best Tricks to Lose Weight Without Losing Your Wellness

Losing weight and improving your fitness doesn’t have to be an awful process. It is possible to improve your wellness and wellbeing without going to any swanky resort or putting yourself through hell down at the gym.

 

If you’re trying to do it the easy way, fibre is your friend. Fibre helps you to absorb the fat and cholesterol in your body and it also travels down your digestive tract really nicely which helps to stop any excess weight from water retention or constipation.

 

The recommended daily consumption of fibre is 30 grams, and it should be easy enough to get this into your diet. For breakfast, you could have a cup of Greek yoghurt with granola, some popcorn for a snack, chickpeas with your lunch, apples and almonds as a snack and then broccoli and quinoa with your evening meal, and that would fulfil your dietary requirements.

 

There are also easy ways to drop a few pounds quickly. For example, most people consume a great deal of calories at night, which is a bad idea because your metabolism slows down and you find it harder to burn off these calories again at that time of day. A really simple strategy to help avoid this is to make sure that breakfast is the biggest meal of the day. If you start with, for example, a 500 calorie breakfast and then have 400 for lunch and a 200 calorie tea, with a couple of 100 – 200 calorie snacks during the day. This will give you your total calorie content for the day but just in the reverse order to what you might expect.

 

Beating your cravings is also possible. Instead of depriving yourself altogether or tucking in straight away, the best way to beat cravings is simply to delay gratification. Tell yourself that it’s not that you won’t indulge, but that you won’t indulge straight away.

Categories: breakfast, calorie, easy, fibre, loss, nbsp, Tricks, weight

Could These Strange Tricks Help You to Lose Weight?

Losing weight is not always a case of simply eating less and increasing your fitness. There are other things that you can do to improve your wellness and wellbeing by reducing the amount of food that you eat.

 

One trick that many people swear by is sniffing an apple, a banana or a peppermint. This strange tip is actually backed up by science. A research project was run by Dr Alan Hirsch from the University of Chicago, who did a trial involving 3,000 volunteers. During the trial, he found that the more people sniffed these items, the less they felt hungry and the less they ate, leading to increased weight loss. A theory suggests that when your brain smells food it feels like it is eating, and so is tricked into feeling full. This could also explain why people who cook from scratch also tend to be slimmer, as they spend a long time inhaling the smells of the food and so probably eat less in the end.

 

A rather drastic trick is to hang a mirror opposite where you sit at the table. Looking at yourself while you eat reminds you the entire time of your goals, and makes you more conscious of what you are eating and how much.

 

The colour blue is also thought to be very useful in weight loss. Studies have shown that the colour blue acts as an appetite suppressant (which is why you won’t see many restaurants decorated in blue). Use blue dinner plates or a blue cloth to help discourage your appetite. On the other hand, you should avoid the colours, red, orange and yellow in your dining room, as studies have shown that these colours actually encourage your appetite, and so if your décor, plates, tablecloth or even clothes are any of these colours you are likely to eat more food than you would otherwise.

Categories: blue, colour blue, Colours, Food, loss, people, Tricks, weight, Weight Loss

Are Your Scales Lying to You? Measure Your Progress Better

As soon as you begin to watch your weight loss wellness, your eyes become transfixed by the number on the scales. However, while the scales technically show you how much weight you’re losing, they’re not actually the most effective tool for monitoring your progress. In fact, the scales can actually be detrimental to your wellbeing as well as your progress, making  you think you’re no closer to getting the body you want when, in actual fact, you’re doing great!

 

According to fitness author and natural bodybuilding champion Cécile Bayeul, ‘When we start a diet, we see immediate improvements on the scale just by changing our food habits. Every beginning of a diet and training programme is very motivating. We are so happy to see the pounds going down that we don’t really try to understand the why behind it…However, weight training (yes, you should be weight training if you are looking to lose fat) will also make you gain muscle. In addition, because a large part of your initial weight loss comes from losing excess water weight and glycogen (excess carbohydrates), eventually you will start to lose only 1-2 lbs a week, and at times the scale might even stay the same. And this is when we start losing our motivation.’

 

Once you see the number on the scale stop moving, you can think your diet isn’t working anymore and logically ask yourself; “What’s the point?” This thought process is what makes dieters give up the battle for a better body, start eating bad foods again and eventually gain twice the amount of weight.‘When you reach a plateau, stop using the scale,’ Bayeul urges. ‘The scale is a very good motivator at first, but it becomes a big psychological obstacle after the weeks go by. What I want you to do instead is to use progress pictures. Start from the first day of your diet. Take these progress pictures every two or three weeks with the same position and the same clothes. If you want to, you can also take some measurements with a tape measure and write them down on your progress pictures. Measure your hips and your waist at the very minimum. You can also add to that some thigh measurements and some arm measurements as well.’ That way, you have an accurate picture of how your body is changing.

 

The key thing to remember is that weight loss and fat loss are not the same thing. When people say they are “big-boned,” they’re not (always) in denial about their size; they really do just have larger bone mass which equates to a higher number on the scale. Likewise, when you’re gaining muscle through your fitness regime, you’re losing fat and looking great but the scale can distort that perception of yourself, and discourage your efforts. Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton lost five kilos whilst doing Strictly Come Dancing, but that was all muscle loss (she had hardly any fat on her to begin with, let alone five kilos worth!) There’s no reason for women to fear building their muscles. In fact, you should embrace it for the following reasons:

 

1. Gender differences: ‘Women don’t produce the amount of testosterone that guys do,’ Bayeul asserts. ‘Because of this you will not get manly looking muscles. Thus, do not be afraid of lifting those weights.’

 

2. Faster weight loss: Bayeul points out, ‘Every pound of muscle burns up to an additional 50 calories. So ten pounds of extra muscle not only will give you some killer curves, but the ability to burn up to an additional 500 calories a day!’

 

3. Curves to die for: ‘Building muscle is the key to not only permanent weight loss, but also to the fit curves you are looking for,’ Bayeul assures.

Categories: loss, Muscle Gain, nbsp, Progress, progress pictures, scale, Scales, weight, Weight Loss, Weight Training