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The raw foods diet plan is used by people who want to lose weight as well as by many who wish to live naturally and as close to nature as possible. Those who live on this plan say that a lot of the cooked food we digest goes into fat production.

One thing to be aware of is that fruits and vegetables can have pesticides so it is recommended by those on this type of diet to try to purchase organic produce.

The other item to be careful of is what happens to the fruits and vegetables on it’s way to the market. Although it would never occur to 99.9% of the population, there are those who might be picking your food, going to the bathroom and not washing their hands (among other nasties) so it is suggested that you purchase a good produce washing product and always wash your fruits and vegetables well, even pre-washed bagged salad)

Is also suggested that you supplement with b- 12, zinc and copper because if you aren’t eating meat, you may be deficient in these.

Some raw food eaters are fruitarians (mostly eat fruit), others may be juicearians (concentrate mostly on freshly squeezed juices) and there are some who predominately eat sprouts
(sproutarians).

Today a number of people who are concerned with the planet are also incorporating the raw foods diet into their lives as a political statement.

It is suggested that all of us have at least 20% of our caloric intake from raw foods. This will help our digestive systems work better and will keep our stomach and colon working well. It will also help to keep your weight in check.

It’s easy to add in raw vegetables and fruits in our daily diet and your body will love you for it.

Eat Smaller Portions

That’s right, you can still eat the items you love, but just have smaller portions!

Rather than not eating any of the pasta you love, eat a small serving. Moderation is the key, dieting doesn’t have to feel like torture.

Willpower is important; you will have to be able to stop eating your favorite pasta after you finish the half cup you allowed for yourself.

Eating smaller portions is easier if you measure out your food before you start eating.

For example: if you want some ice cream don’t eat it directly out of the carton - you’ll be sure to eat way to much this way. Instead get a small dessert dish and scoop out 1 serving and put the container of ice cream away. This way you’ll know exactly how many calories you are having.

One serving isn’t going to break your diet but if you eat it directly out of the carton you may wind up having 4 or 5 portions before you realize it.

Exercise in all forms is good. However, in order to strengthen the heart and the lungs you need to perform some type of aerobic exercise.

Aerobic exercise is any type of exercise that is performed at a moderate level for an extended time, and maintains an increased heart rate. One of the best forms of aerobic exercise is jogging.

When done regularly, not only does jogging strengthen the heart muscles but it also lowers blood pressure and reduces your risk for stroke too. Studies have shown that vigorous exercise such as jogging can lower a person’s risk of stroke by as much as 20%. Not only that, but jogging can also help to strengthen your immune system by increasing red blood cells in the body and transporting oxygen to your cells. Additionally, studies have shown that this form of exercise lowers your risk of cancer, relieves migraines and prevents symptoms of PMS in women, amongst other things.

Jogging also improves the capacity and efficiency of your lungs. This, in turn, improves the blood flow to your skin, helps your body to stay firmer and younger looking for a longer period of time.

Increased bone density is another benefit of jogging. The jolts received by your skeletal system when you run help to fortify your bones by increasing your bone density. Not only does this protect you against osteoporosis, it will also help to protect you against injuries. Another benefit it provides is that it increases your stamina and endurance - giving you more energy for your activities.

And if all of the above reasons weren’t enough to get you going, jogging also improves your mental health as well. As dozens of studies have proven, this type of aerobic exercise helps to relieve stress and tension which helps you to relax, relieves depression and insomnia.

While all of these facts are excellent reasons to run out of the door with your running shoes on, there are a few important pointers that you should keep in mind before you get started on any type of running program.

1) Start out slowly and gradually. Whenever you begin any new form of exercise it’s always best to begin slowly to give your body a chance to make adjustments.

2) Before you jog begin by warming up your muscles first. This can be accomplished by a brisk walk. Warming up before any strenuous workout can help to prevent accidents.

3) Don’t run on uneven or hard ground. This can also lead to sprains and injuries.

4) If you are jogging and you suddenly feel sick or nauseated do not continue running. Try to get something to drink immediately and seek some assistance.

5) Bring a water bottle with you when you run so that you can stay hydrated.

6) Select proper athletic shoes that were designed for running. Poor running shoes can be a cause of accidental injuries.

8) Get proper rest. Any running or exercise program can only be enhanced with proper rest. Inadequate rest in between running can either lead to injuries or may slow down the process of healing or recovery, considerably.

9) Don’t look down when you run. Keep your head up and your shoulders relaxed.

10) Swing your arms back and forth as you run. Do not keep your hands clenched.

11) As you jog, push off from the balls of your feet and land on your heels.

One of the most overlooked aspects of any diet and fitness program is getting proper body fat testing assessments. This goes far beyond just looking at a weight scale and checking out how much you weigh. You want to know that all that weight you lost is from fat and taking the time to get regular body fat tests done will definitely help you make faster progress towards you goal.

If you’re on a weight loss program and have dropped some pounds, how do you know that the loss is from losing fat. The three main components of weight changes come from water, muscle and fat. So which one, or combination of the three, caused the weight loss. If you have regular body fat tests done, then you would know what kind of weight was lost.

Here is a key point. If you want to be successful in your weight management or fitness goals, then do what successful fitness people do. All the successful dieters and fitness pro’s will take measurements, track their results and adjust it accordingly to keep progressing towards their personal goal. If the results of a test show that a total of 15 pounds of body weight was lost, a few calculations will break down what component (water, muscle, or fat) had the majority of the weight change.

Here is an example to clarify how body fat testing and your weight loss goal goes hand in hand.

It’s the first week of your diet and fitness program and you want to make sure that you start it correctly. The local fitness center does physical assessments and body fat testing, so off to the gym you go to get checked and see where your levels are at. Six weeks later committing to a good diet and fitness program has resulted in a 15 pound weight loss. Now it’s time for another assessment to see the hard facts on how you’re progressing.

The results of the assessment will show how much of that 15 pounds was fat. Generally, if only 1 to 4 pounds of weight loss is water and muscle but the rest was fat, then the diet and fitness program is a success and you should continue on the program you’re on. If only 5 pounds of weight from the 15 is fat according to the body fat test, then there is a problem with the diet or fitness program you’re on. It would be wise to make some changes as this perhaps indicates that some dehydration or muscle wasting may be occurring. Continuing with the same program may cause a problem with your health if followed too long. In this case, a change in your program and another assessment 4 to 6 weeks later will determine if the new program is getting better results in fat loss instead of water or muscle loss.

If you are truly committed to lose fat and achieve good health and fitness, then you need to distinguish between just overall weight loss and true fat loss. As you continue your weight loss program, each body fat test gives you the chance to make small changes in diet or exercise routines to see if the next assessment produces better results. Not only does this get you closer to what the ideal program is for you, but it also helps keep you focused on staying with the program and not give up or quit. You will stay motivated by trying to better the last assessment.

Now that we see the importance of body fat testing, your first step is to decide if you want a professional assessment person to test you or learn to do it yourself. There are advantages and disadvantages to each decision.

A professional body fat tester can usually be found in most fitness centers and gyms. They have the experience, knowledge and tools to make accurate tests and can suggest a course of action to improve the results of the next test. It takes on the average of about 15 to 30 minutes to complete and you will get a copy of the test to keep. The cost can range between twenty to fifty dollars per test and should be done every 4 to 6 weeks. Some disadvantages are the costs to having it done, searching out a qualified assessment professional and perhaps the slight embarrassment you may feel to have test done.

If you decide to do the test yourself, you will need to learn how to take proper body fat measurements, purchase the tools or equipment for accurate assessments and keep testing many times in order to learn how to do it correctly. An advantage to do your own test is that you can have the privacy and convenience of testing as many times and often as you want in your own home.

Most people will want someone else to do it because of the learning curve involved to take accurate assessments. Another valid reason is to have the option of some suggestions by the professional on what you can do tweak your current program and make solid improvements for the next test.

Now that you know the importance of body fat testing, you should do a little research and get more details on how to incorporate it into your program. This just may be the key ingredient for you to make real progress towards your weight loss and fitness goal.

I just had a chance to watch Billy Blank’s new Tae bo DVD and I think that he has outdone himself.

If you enjoy any of Billy’s previous DVD’s then you will surely want to get your hands on this one as quickly as possible.

Here is just a small clip from the new DVD.
Enjoy!

Green tea was discovered when plant leaves accidentally dropped into a pot of water that the emperor was boiling. He was pleased with the incredible fragrance that came from the pot and green tea was discovered!

Green tea has many properties that can assist with over all good health and nutrition.

The Chinese have known this for centuries. In the Chinese culture, green tea is even given to children as young as three months old. It is used to treat everything from indigestion to arthritis.

Green tea contains many healing properties. The newest one being studied is weight loss. Studies have shown that antioxidants that are found in green tea have properties that may assist in weight loss.

Green tea has become the most popular weight loss supplement that is on the market today. Nutritional experts believe that green tea antioxidants have a lot to do with the overall benefits.

Study after study has shown that the natural chemicals that are in green tea such as the green tea antioxidants assist the body by speeding up the metabolism in burning fat and calories at a faster rate.

There are no known side effects to green tea antioxidants, making it safe for everyone.
Consult a dietician or nutritionist and you will be told that green tea antioxidants are excellent for a number of health reasons.

Weight loss is a big concern for millions of people around the world. Green tea antioxidants can assist those who have weight loss goals achieve those goals and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. When you go to the gym and speak to a physical fitness trainer, he or she will advise you that green tea antioxidants are great for over all weight loss and good health.

Green tea antioxidants come in pills, powders, tea for brewing and also weight loss patches. Weight loss is difficult and with green tea antioxidant working for you, the goals that you set for yourself are achievable.

Literally every diet product in a health and nutrition store will have green tea antioxidants or green tea extract in the list of ingredients. A study that was recently conducted in Germany concluded that green tea antioxidants, when taken in the proper dosage, could assist the overweight in achieving their weight loss goals.

In another study that was conducted on ten healthy men, half were given green tea antioxidant and the other half given a sugar pill. The study concluded that the men that were given the green tea antioxidant had an increased energy level and a greater weight loss. It was concluded that green tea antioxidants stimulate the metabolism rate that in turn speeds up the fat burning process leading to greater weight loss.

Undoubtedly, the scientific community will continue to study the benefits of green tea antioxidants. Early results indicate that the medicinal properties are vast and it may take years to study them all.

Although green tea may assist in weight loss, the results are minimal and there are many who believe that the weight loss can actually be attributed to drinking the 8-10 ounces of water that you make your tea with, not actually the green tea.

I personally drink green tea for the health benefits, but if it can also help a bit with my weight loss efforts, I’ll take it.