Why is the Homeopathic HCG Diet Called the Pregnancy Diet?

By Amelia Handley

The homeopathic HCG weight loss program is often referred to as the pregnancy diet. So many people hear this and immediately have questions come to mind. Does this mean that dieters are supposed to be pregnant? Does this somehow indicate that dieters are supposed to not be pregnant? Or does it mean that dieters have to have a history including pregnancy in order to undergo the program? Actually the answer is no.

So why is it called the Pregnancy Diet? It's a little odd at first, but the term did come about for a reason. HCG's official name is human chorionic gonadotropin. It's a glycoprotein hormone produced during pregnancy. It's created by the developing embryo soon after conception and later on by the placenta.

The human chorionic gonadotropin protects the corpus luteum of the ovary throughout pregnancy. By doing so it ensures that progesterone production continues as necessary for healthy pregnancy/fetal development. Studies continue to study the possible connection between this hormone and the immune tolerance of pregnancy as well.

The relationship between HCG and pregnancy is known to the general public because of the noticeable increase in HCG during pregnancy. It's one of the signs used to determine pregnancy using early on tests.

The use of HCG in fertility treatments is another connection that defines the hormone for the general public. It's used as a parental fertility medication. It can help to trigger ovulation. It can increase progesterone production (as is obvious by its vital function during pregnancy). It can be used in male fertility treatment (stimulating testosterone production).

HCG as a weight loss aid was introduced by Dr. Simeons over 50 years ago. The original plan was dependent upon daily injections. Recent evolution of the HCG and its administration has led to reputable homeopathic oral formulas that enable dieters to take advantage of the weight loss benefits without injections. The oral administration method has increased the general acceptance of the method leading to a massive explosion in the popularity of HCG weight loss method in the last year. - 17274

About the Author:

Amelia Handley studied exercise science at university with a minor in Nutrition. Yet she still found herself veering from diet to diet in order to control her weight. With HCG Diet Direct she's found a program that allows her to combine her desire to control her own body weight with her education and not feel off balance.

Sleep and How It's Affected by the Food You Eat

By Jeremy Jackson

You probably know by yourself that after you had a good night sleep you feel much better and have more energy. Having a good sleep is important for your body as well and for its health also. You should know that foods you eat can have an impact on your sleep, some on them improve it and some oppositely, can distract it and make your rest impossible.

Products like fruits, cereals and whole grain breads, green leafy vegetables, mushrooms can help to improve your sleep. Also spices including dill, sage and basil for instance also will aid in improving your sleep.

You should remember those days when your parents put you to bed with a cup of milk and there was a reason to that. Milk actually helps with the sleep a lot. It's rich in substance called tryptophan which again helps in creating a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that controls sleep.

Apart from milk tryptophan can be found in products such as honey, turkey, egg whites and tuna, which are considered to be the sleep improving snacks.

Caffeine is what you should avoid before your bedtime. This stimulant can help you in the morning to wake up quicker but it's not good if you're trying to fall asleep. Chocolate, coffee, tea, soft drinks, cocoa all contain caffeine so these products better leave for the next day.

Another substance called tyramine should be avoided. Foods like as bacon, cheese, sugar, ham and tomatoes contain it in large amounts so avoid them.

Try to avoid spicy foods soon before you go to bed. They can cause indigestion and heartburn that can affect the quality of your sleep. You might think that alcohol help you to fall asleep but it also have negative effect by making you thirsty during the night and causing waking in the night to urinate.

Not just food you eat is important but quantity and time then you eat as well. Try not to eat directly before you get to bed and stick to lighter evening meals to avoid potential bloating, indigestion and general discomfort.

To improve your sleep you could also consider taking some supplements or vitamins. Magnesium, calcium, vitamins B6 and B12, valerian all help with sleep.

Having a good sleep is important to feel good and be healthy that's why do everything to improve it. If food stops you from truly pleasant night sleep then change it for better and healthier products. - 17274

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Wonderful Creative Protein Shake Recipes To Make Everyone's Day

By Thaya Kareeson

People are paying more attention to what they eat and how they live. Exercise routines that really push a person are often part and parcel of everyone's daily schedule. However, some people find that instead of getting stronger, bigger muscles, they are experiencing muscle depletion. Adding protein to their diet sometimes is difficult and that's where creative protein shake recipes come in.

One top and competition winning shake recipe is the Chocolate Mint Super Shake. Take one quarter of a cup of water, five ice cubes, and one scoop of chocolate flavoured milk protein isolate or MPI/Casein. Add one third of a cup of cottage cheese, two teaspoons of ground flax seeds, twenty-five grams of pecans, a taste of cocoa, and two or three drops of mint extract. Together, this makes a great shake!

Creativity can keep people on a healthy path more than a strict diet and exercise routine. The more someone gets bored with their lifestyle changes, the more likely they are to fall back on bad eating and exercise habits. Creative exercises and food can keep people interested. The variety offered by different protein shake recipes makes taking protein easy, and it's such an important part of a good workout routine.

When making the protein shake called Blueberry Pie, add a cup of frozen blueberries, quarter cup of vanilla yogurt, one or two scoops of vanilla flavoured MRP or low carb meal replacement protein with a teaspoon of flax seeds, ground. Add a quarter cup of whole oats and a quarter cup of crushed graham crackers, then add just enough cold water to make the drink smooth.

All types of protein shakes help to repair muscle tissue that has been damaged after a really tough workout. Consider adding fruit like bananas or berries to protein shakes. Frozen fruit added to a protein shake recipe can help make the shake thicker and tastier. Strawberry goes great with chocolate as well as vanilla.

Some of the best protein shake recipes aren't shakes at all. Protein powder can liven up cooked oatmeal, if you add a single scoop for each serving. Fat free and sugar free pudding can turn your protein powder into a pudding shot. One scoop of powder plus two tablespoons of pudding and an ounce of ice water allowed to thicken can be eaten with a spoon happily. Keep in mind that this will add around fifty calories to your usual shake's allotment, and another six grams of carbs.

As well as adding protein to a diet, it's important to ensure your food intake is well rounded on a daily basis. Other things are hard to add to a diet easily, like fruits and vegetables. Even fat is sometimes required as part of a muscle building diet. Combine a half cup of creamy all natural peanut butter with a quarter cup of honey and one and a half scoops of vanilla protein powder. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until it's ready to be rolled into one inch balls, which are chilled in the refrigerator until they're firm and ready to eat. This is a high fat recipe so be sure to always record your food intake to keep track of fat on a daily basis.

Protein shake recipes work well at turning boring protein shakes into something appetizing that you look forward to taking. Creativity is essential in helping anyone maintain a new lifestyle change, moving from bad eating habits to healthy ones. Protein shakes are important to strong and tough workouts as well, as they help prevent muscle depletion and help repair muscle tissues. In the end, remember that it's your stomach that has to handle what ever you add to your shakes. Don't be afraid to create a new recipe all your own!

Protein shake recipes can help make boring hum drum protein shakes into something more. The more creativity a person throws into their new healthy habits, the more likely they are to stick to them. Protein shakes are helpful in keeping a person from experiencing muscle depletion. Remember that ultimately, it's your own personal taste palette that has to be satisfied, so don't be afraid to try new recipes! - 17274

About the Author:

Individuals are becoming more health-aware. With this increasing consciousness of what good health can do, more people are exercising, on daily basis. We do however have info on how to lose weight more specifically how to lose belly fat

Five Ways to Start Losing Weight

By Chris Robinson

Many fail to lose their weight consistently. Typically, those are individuals that try every new-coming slimming strategy hoping to succeed at last, but normally success pass them by.

Same mistakes are repeated over and over again, that's why people keep failing at their weight loss plans. It's understandable because as a normal human being, you keep ignoring things that don't make you feel comfortable.

Bellow you will find 5 things that should help you to make first steps to successful weight loss.

1) Keep track of everything you eat by writing it down.

Majority considers that diets they have are healthy but same time are surprised why weight isn't coming off. To keep the track of what you eat and find the faulty piece in your diet, write everything down what you eat. Just get yourself a notebook and simply start writing all down.

Chocolate sweet, crisp, another sweet, your partner's uneaten pizza slice ... In the end of the day you will be surprised how many unhealthy stuff you actually eat.

2) Eat only when you are hungry, drink only when you are thirsty.

Ask yourself "why" every time you reach for food or drink. Ok, water doesn't count. You might eat when you're sad, depressed, happy, tired or for millions of other reasons. If you're bored, go out with friends or watch the movie, if you're tired have a sleep etc. Eat only then when you're hungry and drink when you're thirsty.

3) Do not starve yourself.

It's a common mistake thinking that starvation actually can help you lose weight. It sounds logic; if you gained weight with overeating then you can lose it with not eating or eating very little. It doesn't work like that. Firstly, most will break at some point and then will eat anything. Secondly, bodies are built to survive and they will start saving energy and use "internal reserves".

Forget about starvation and start eating healthy meals. Have 3 (better 5) well balanced meals every day and drink plenty of water. Your usual unhealthy snacks replace by healthy options like nuts or fruits and vegetables.

4) Have your favourite foods occasionally.

Don't exclude your favourite foods from your diet completely but treat yourself with them, once a week let's say. Remember of moderation of course and don't forget that you're on a diet. This will help you to keep going and you won't feel that bad and depressed.

5) ... and exercising.

If you've never exercised then start small. Start with 5 minutes a day and add an extra 5 every week. Get yourself a treadmill and some weights and start doing something. You won't even notice how your exercising will increase from 5 to 30 or even 60 minutes a day. - 17274

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Do Supplements Really Help Your Workout And Make You Stronger?

By Vari Hemluisha

Do supplements really help your workout? Many are manufactured specifically to boost the results you get at the gym. Whether or not they will work will depend on several factors but many can make quite a difference.

Of course it partially depends on the brand of the supplement. For example, a poor quality brand may not be absorbed properly into the body. Obviously, if it is just passing through you, you are not getting any benefit. It can also depend on the type of workout you are doing.

Creatine supplements, for example, have been shown to help a weight lifting workout. They make the muscle stronger and capable of doing more reps. Because you can lift more weight for more times, you will get more out of the workout and muscles will gain more in mass and size. However, creatine is only useful for anaerobic exercise. You do not get the same benefits when doing aerobic exercise.

Everyone can benefit from taking mineral and vitamin supplements. They will specifically help your workouts because they help your body operate at peak performance. There are many brands of these supplements and many are not easily digestible so it is important to get ones that are high quality.

Protein supplements have been popular for years and are sold as a way to build up more muscle. Whether this will help you or not will really depend on how much protein intake you have from your diet. You absolutely need the nutrition from protein to feed your muscles. If you are not getting enough from your meals then taking a supplement will help, ideally after your workouts.

Glutamine is an amino acid that is often touted for helping muscle recovery from workouts. It helps to repair muscle after you work out and protects it from being used for fuel during your workouts. Perhaps more importantly, it feeds your immune system so supplementing with glutamine helps to keep your immune system strong while you are working out hard.

Thermogenic substances that speed up your metabolic rate are also often used. These are such things as caffeine, guarana, ephedra and kola nut. Ephedra is no longer on the market, however. These supplements are sometimes used to get more energy for working out and to help burn more fat. Caution should be used in taking these types of products, however. Those who have heart conditions should check with their doctors first.

There are many supplements that can be taken to enhance your workouts. First make sure you are getting good nutrition both in terms of your diet and any vitamin and mineral supplements. Then you can experiment and see what works best for you. - 17274

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Are Contraceptives Preventing You From Losing Weight?

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

They have changed and improved a lot since women first started taking them. You see, the newer versions are much easier on the female body, less potent and equally effective.

Nonetheless, the question still remains as to whether or not oral contraceptives cause weight gain in the female body.

Well, the science shows that they can. However, the gains in weight were modest. Here are the possible mechanisms that can cause said weight gain:

1. Poor insulin functioning. This is more of an issue for women with pre-existing insulin issues. The main problem with decreased insulin functioning is that it can cause weight gain. One way to tell if you have poor insulin functioning is to look at the size of your abdomen.

2. Less catecholamines. Catecholamines are the fight or flight hormones your body secretes when the occasion arises. And they do a great job at mobilizing fat so that your body can burn it. In fact, a lot of energy pills are made to increase catecholamine secretion.

3. Amino acid disruption. The main issue with not getting enough amino acids is that it compromises recovery. And if you are not recovering properly, you will start to hit plateaus. Said plateaus are horrible for your progress and motivation.

4. Bloating. Since contraceptives are estrogen-like substances, they can cause excessive water retention which can leave you with the dreaded bloated look. One way around this issue is to take diuretics. This approach, however, may not be very good for your health.

In the end, deciding not to take contraceptives is a very personal decision. And remember that each individual will react differently to contraceptives.

Now if you feel like what you're taking is causing excess weight gain, you should talk to your primary care provider for additional options. You may want to try a less potent formulation or stop taking them altogether until you reach your goal.

Finally, I would like to point out that acting on the information in this article is critical if you don't want to forget what you have learned. - 17274

About the Author:

Writer Katherine Crawford, a Harvard fitness expert and former flabby arms sufferer, instructs women on how to lose loose arm fat. Discover how to get sexy arms by visiting her website about how to tone up arms now!

A Enhanced Pace Of Life With Abs Work Out

By Trevski Hindy

A leaner and fit stomach area is not only for vanity's sake. It also serves your health as well. It is proven that belly fat is among the most dangerous fat on your body. Excessive belly fat can lead to a number of health complications, including increased risk of heart disease. Abs work out along with healthy eating can help you attain a healthier and more appealing stomach area.

There are a number of exercises that will target your center. Along with a healthy diet, you are sure to start seeing results. The hardest part of any new endeavor is sticking to it. Once you have made up your mind that a leaner waist line is what you want, there is no turning back.

The traditional system of training your abs includes the classic crunch. With this exercise you must first lie flat on your back. Bend your knees so that you have both feet placed firmly on the floor. Place your hands behind your head and pull your abs in, but do not strain your neck, and pull your shoulders off of the floor. You can also put your hands across your chest.

Another popular option is the bicycle crunch work out. Once again, you will lie on your back. Place your hands behind your back and lift your legs off of the ground and begin motioning your legs as if you were riding a bike. When you bend your left knee bring it to meet your right elbow. You will alternate knees to meet with alternating elbows. All the while you will be lifting your shoulders off the ground with the crunch of your abs, not the strain of your neck.

A full vertical crunch is another effective ab busting work out. You lie flat on your back and place your hands on your head. Your legs are fully extended upward and you pull your shoulder blades off of the floor with your ads. Your legs remain outstretched the entire time.

If you want to do another variation of the crunch, this is possible with the reverse crunch. You lie on your back and extend your legs upward, only half outstretched. You draw your abs inward so that your shoulders rise off of the floor. You will use the muscles in your stomach (abs) to lift your hips off of the floor.

This is just one ab work out among many that can help you on your journey to leaner and flatter abs. Stick to it and you will be enjoying flatter abs before you know it. Good Luck! - 17274

About the Author:

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