How Fast Can You Lose Weight?

Weight Loss Includes Fat, Muscle and Water

When we lose weight we don't just lose fat. We lose a combination of body fat, and muscle tissue. For example, studies show that when we diet, the weight we lose is on average 75 percent fat and 25 percent muscle. Furthermore, a relatively high percentage of this weight loss is likely to be water loss. Remember, water accounts for about 70 percent of the total body weight of an average person, with muscle tissue containing roughly 75 percent water (plus 20 percent protein and 5 percent minerals), and body fat containing roughly 50 percent water.

Factors That Affect Speed of Weight Loss

The human body does not lose weight at a regular or uniform speed. Different people reduce weight at different speeds. This is because weight reduction is dependent on various factors, including: weight; diet and lifestyle; level of physical activity; health and genes (inc. metabolic rate); the level of stress experienced.

Weight Loss is Not an Exact Science

As you can see, not only does weight loss include other things besides fat-tissue, the actual speed of weight reduction is determined by a variety of individual factors. So it's difficult, if not impossible, to give a precise answer to the question "how fast can I lose weight?" However, as a rough guide, here are some basic guidelines for maximum weight loss.

What is the Most Weight You Can Lose?

It is possible to lose anything up to about 20 pounds of weight per week, but most of this is likely to be water. It will therefore be regained as soon as normal eating resumes.

What is the Most Fat You Can Lose?

The maximum amount of body fat a healthy person can lose is about 3-4 pounds per week. Typically, only obese people are likely to be able to lose this amount of fat. By comparison, a woman of average weight (about 140 pounds) is likely to lose a maximum of about 1-1.5 pounds per week.

Why You Can't Lose More Weight

The human body is not designed to shed weight. It is designed to survive! Our basic body chemistry endures from prehistoric times, when famine, rather than obesity, was the biggest threat. This is why it won't lose excessive amounts of fat in a short period of time. In fact, if you drastically reduce your calorie-intake, your brain takes active steps to slow down your metabolism, in order to conserve calories. This is one reason why we encounter a weight loss plateau.

Side Effects of Losing Weight Too Quickly

Too rapid weight loss (eg. after bariatric surgery) can lead to unpleasant side effects. The two most common effects of over-rapid weight reduction include:
Appearance of Loose Skin
If you reduce weight too quickly, your skin does not have time to shrink to your leaner body shape. The only effective treatment for this is surgical intervention, such as Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).
Gallstones
Studies have shown that people who lose excessive amounts of weight very quickly, have a greater risk of developing gallstones than those who lose weight at slower speeds. Too rapid weight reduction may also cause "silent" gallstones to become active.

Weight Regain (Weight Rebound)

Sudden fast weight reduction is usually caused by artificial changes to our eating habits as a result of (eg) very-low-calorie diet plans, or bariatric surgery. Not surprisingly, this does not give us enough time to learn new eating habits. So although our physical weight may have changed, our mental approach to food and eating remains the same. In the absence of medical supervision, or other support, we commonly find ourselves unable to sustain the new dietary habits required to maintain our lighter weight, and regain all our lost weight.

Diet Pills – Burn The Fat With Minimal Effort

Do you have flabby fat on your body? Is this fat becoming the reason to embarrassment in front of friends? Do you get depressed when you look at your self in the mirror? Having a weight problem can be a cause of a lot of problems in your personal as well as personal life. There are a number of ways you can lose weight fast and easily but the main thing you need is motivation to lose weight and a will to keep it that way after you loose it.

Indulge yourself

Let me walk you through an easy way to lose some weight with diet pills. Diet pills are drug that have special fat reduction salts which help you loose weight and keep the energy level high. But eating these diet pills alone never helps; you need to take some precautions like eating low fat high protein and fiber foods. You also need to stick to a light exercise schedule to keep yourself active.

Diet pills help you out in fat reductions but one must remember that they do have a few side effects which may not pertain for a long time but initially when your body is new to these diet pills you may experience some side effects. Using diet pills under medical prescription is recommended but if your have used them before then you can even buy them off the counter.

Features of diet pills

• Help reduce weight easily and a much faster rate.
• The help you maintain your energy level so that you can work as usual.
• They help to suppress your appetite as a result of which you don't get fatter while using these pills.

Working with diet pills and the right kind of motivation can help you lose weight, gain confidence and look smart. Now-a-days, you can buy these diet pills easily as they are available in all medical stores as well as on online medical stores. The price of the diet pills may vary according to the salt used and the time they take to affect you.

Susan is professional writer, who writes articles on a number of topics. This article has been written for http://www.sueshealthcenter.com sueshealthcenter.com is one of the best site for diet pills, weight loss Tips and right kind of motivation that will help you to lose weight, gain confidence and look smart

Weight Loss For Beginners !

The key to permanently losing weight is simple: burn more calories than you consume! That's it! If your body is burning 2500 calories a day, you simply need to burn MORE than that in order for your body to start burning off your bodyfat.

But 2500 calories is alot of calories!

Actually not really! Considering your body is burning calories 24 hours a day, 7 days a week just to maintain it's essential functions. That means while you're watching TV, playing video games, even SLEEPING your body is burning calories.

On average, a good estimate of total daily calories burned at rest can be determined by bodyweight x 15. So for a 150 pound male, 150 x 15 = 2250 calories. 2250 calories a day just sitting around! Imagine that!

But before we get into anything too complicated, lets take a step back and take a look at some of the basics for maintaining a healthy body. Now, these are some of the most important, but unfortunately most overlooked aspects of losing weight and getting into shape.

Water: Yes, that's right, water. You should be drinking at least a gallon of water a day. Don't feel silly carrying around a full jug of water in the gym, it's extremely beneficial. Your body carries out thousands of processes using water, so you want to make sure that you're getting enough of it. It flushes out toxins, carries vitamins and nutrients throughout the blood, and also helps to reduce water retention. So drink up!

Vitamins: Taking your vitamins everyday is hands down the most important part of being healthy. A large majority of people do not get the amounts of vitamins and minerals they need, and getting all of the recommended amounts from food alone would result in eating a ridiculous amount. So, instead of cramming down plate after plate of food, just take a daily multi vitamin instead!

Sleep: Just like most people don't get enough vitamins and minerals, a large majority of people don't get enough sleep either. Many people do not understand the benefits from constantly getting a solid 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Not only will you be energized throughout the day, but if you are lifting weights, sleep is essential to adding muscle. During sleep, your body releases growth hormones that aid your body in reparing muscles used during your workouts. So sip down a cup of warm milk (also a good source of protein) and hit the hay!

So now that we've gone over the basics, you're ready to tackle the 3 most valuable weapons in the battle of the bulge: Diet and Nutrition, Cardiovascular Exercise, and Weight Training. Just three more steps and you're ready to lose weight like you've always wanted to!

In order to successfully lose weight quickly and permanently, you need to get your diet in check. Weight loss is almost impossible without some adjustments to your diet. No need to fret. A diet isn't an ordeal to survive, it's a way to achieve that body you've always dreamed of. A diet is simply what you eat day in, day out. A diet isn't a temporary fix to a permanent problem. To successfully lose weight, you'll need to alter the way you eat. It's no wonder people who go on quick-fix diets often gain all the weight back (sometimes more). As harsh as it sounds, you need to change your relationship with food. But don't worry, with time, there are plenty of healthy foods out there that taste great and will still aid you in losing weight. And besides, after a while you'll really start to notice how much better you feel with a steady supply of nutrient rich foods going into your body. So let's get started!

For optimum performance and health, your body needs an adequate supply of healthy carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Here are some examples of each.

Healthy Carbs:

• Oats
• Brown Rice
• Potatoes
• Yams
• Granola
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Beans (any kind will do)
• All vegetables and fruits
• Protein:
• Lean meats such as chicken, lowfat beef, fish, and turkey
• Low Fat Milk
• Low Fat Cottage Cheese
• Canned Tuna Fish
• Any whey or soy protein supplements
• Healthy Fats:
• Nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts)
• Olive Oil
• Flax Seed Oil
• Avacados

Natural Peanut Butter (also a good source of protein)

And now I'm sure some of you are wondering: "Wait, I thought carbs and fat were bad?". The answer, which may shock and appall you, is NO! Well, in some cases yes. Some carbs are bad (aka: sugar and processed junk) and some fats are bad (trans fats and most saturated fats). But good, complex carbs (such as oats, whole wheat products, veggies and fruits) are what your body thrives on. They are great for energy as well as heart health and maintaining a healthy. Healthy fats are good for the brain and the production of hormones as well as great for a healthy heart. DO NOT LISTEN TO THOSE FAD DIET EXPERTS WHO CLAIM THAT CARBS ARE THE ENEMY! THEY ARE W R O N G!!!

Now that we know what kinds of food to eat, the next logical question is "how much"? A simple rule of thumb for healthy weight loss is 10-12x your bodyweight in calories. So someone weighing 180bs would need to eat between 1800 and 2160 calories a day in order to lose weight. This ensures your body gets the nutrition it needs to stay healthy, but also taps into your fat stores to get you in the shape you want!

Cardiovascular exercise, or "cardio", as most people tend to call it, is a great way to burn some extra calories and lose weight. You see, anything that gets your heart rate elevated will cause your body to burn calories at a higher rate. The more calories you burn throughout the day, the more fat your body is capable of burning off and therefore the more weight you can lose.

It's not wonder marathon runners, swimmers, and most professional sports players are so slim and fit! They don't go a day without doing some kind of cardiovascular exercise for an extended period of time. In addition to the physical benefits of cardio (aka: WEIGHT LOSS) there are many mental benefits. Obviously losing weight and looking better will do wonders for your phsyche, but it's also been proven that exercise in general releases serontonin, a powerful hormone that may be the closest thing to a "natural" antidepression. It makes you feel great! It's easy to spot too, after you get done working out or doing a long jog, you'll instantly feel uplifted and just plain happy!

So throw on those running shoes and hit the pavement! Here are some fun ways to get your cardio...

• Running
• Walking
• Bicycling
• Hiking
• Rock Climbing
• Running Stairs

These fun activities will more than suffice to burn extra calories, which is your overall goal in the battle of the bulge. In addition to the calories that you'll burn while doing cardio, an added benefit is that your body will burn more calories throughout the day. An intense cardio session can cause your metabolism (the rate at which your body burns calories) to stay elevated for up to a day and a half! So while your sitting down watching TV, cooking dinner, or even sleeping, your body is burning calories faster and destroying the fat you've been dying to get rid of!

So you see, in the quest for losing weight and getting fit, cardiovascular exercise is an excellent tool. Not only do you get the benefits of burning calories, you also experience the effects of a raised metabolism up to 35 hours after the cardio session! You simply can't go wrong! Try to fit in a 20-30 minute cardio sessions 2-3 times a week to begin, and then once your body is ready step it up to 4-5 times a week.

And on a personal note, it's a great feeling once you've completed a long, grueling cardio session (such as a long jog, hike, or some quality time with the stairmaster). Just the feeling of being drenched in sweat, and the knowledge that you're a little less fat, and a little less closer to that body of your dreams than you were when you started your cardio. Great way to think of it, huh?

Many people shy away from this portion of the fitness journey, but weight lifting plays a key role in your body's abilityto burn fat and lose weight. You see, muscle burns calories to maintain itself. A pound of muscle can burn between 30-50 calories a day. By lifting weights, thus adding muscle, you can greatly optimize your ability to burn calories and as we've discussed earlier burning extra calories is key to burning fat and losing weight.

It's a good idea not to try and overdo it when starting out. A first time lifter can experience soreness like they've never felt before. It's always good to find a balance between pushing yourself, and knowing your limits. So to start out, try lifting 2-3 times a week, giving your body adequate time to recover. Start doing full body workouts, utilizing all major muscles.

Let me just add one simple thing. If you're lifting weights hoping to add muscle, you're going need to have you diet in check. Muscles are made out of protein and water, so it should be common sense to incorporate many high protein foods (meats, milk, cottage cheese, ect...) in your daily diet.

However, it's hard (and not to mention expensive) to buy and eat all that food. That's why there are protein supplements! Protein bars and powders are a great way to get that extra amount of protein your muscles need to be big and strong! Just mix the powder with milk or water for a great protein drink. Protein bars are a great option for those of you with "on-the-go" lifestyles are don't have alot of time to prepare and pack the meals you need. You can purchase them at nearly any grocery store or health food store. Purchasing online is a great advantage and will save you money!

Even if at first the soreness might turn you away from a vigorours weight lifting regiment, the long lasting benefits of lifting weights greatly outweight the occasional soreness. Gaining muscle, losing fat, and gaining strength are just a few of the many benefits from pumping irons. Pretty soon, the rush of adrenaline you from lifting will lure you back to gym day after day! Weight lifting is key to success in acheiving permanent weight loss, so grab a dumbell or two and start lifting!

Well there you have it, you have a great start on the journey to weight loss and a better body! Good luck!

Steve Urbick is a self-taught fitness guru. By accumulating knowledge from various internet weight loss and fitness sites, Steve has successfully helped others change their body for the better.

Water - for Healthy Weight Loss

Are You Interested in Healthy Weight Loss?

An abundant daily intake of pure‚ healthy water is absolutely essential for healthy weight loss. A healthy increase in clean water will enhance nutrient absorption‚ the hydration of your skin, weight loss, detoxification and every healthy and necessary function of your body.

Drinking clean, uncontaminated water is the most essential action you can take every day to keep your body healthy inside and out. What is not as well known is that it is also absolutely essential for healthy, sustained weight loss. Here’s why:

Fat Metabolism

Healthy weight loss, meaning the loss of unnecessary fat rather than the loss of healthy muscle tissue, results when our liver converts stored fat into usable energy. Our liver’s ability to metabolize fat and actually shed excess fat is directly related to the amount – and quality – of the water we drink every day. Without enough water, the liver is not able to perform this function. And to be very clear, if the liver is not able to perform this function, no amount of exercise to burn calories or reduction of calories consumed will result in fat loss. Not only is water necessary for the liver to function at all, but increasing the amount of clean, healthy water we drink can accelerate the process of fat metabolism significantly.

Appetite

An increase in water intake will also naturally suppress the appetite and aid in digestion and assimilation of nutrients. When not enough water is consumed, the large and small intestines are impaired in their ability to absorb and assimilate nutrients. Even if a person is eating healthy, nutrient rich foods, their body will not be getting the full benefit of those nutrients if they cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream. And since food cravings are often a result of nutrient deficiencies, this can also create a further obstacle to sustained and healthy weight loss.

Metabolism and Detoxification

Just as an increase in intake of clean water will naturally accelerate fat metabolism and decrease appetite, it will just as naturally speed up the body’s overall metabolism. Each and every function of the body, at the cellular level, requires an abundant intake of water. The more water available, within reason, the more quickly and efficiently the body can perform all of its millions of processes. Most specifically, detoxification or the removal of waste from the body’s tissues requires a regular and abundant supply of clean, uncontaminated water. It must be understood that each and every cell of the body produces cellular waste. This waste must be removed regularly and efficiently to prevent toxic build up in the tissue. Without an abundant supply of water, cellular waste builds up in the tissue, creating a toxic and unhealthy environment for the cells, and also impairing their ability to absorb nutrients from the bloodstream. This can be another cause of chronic nutrient deficiency and the nagging food cravings which result from it.

Clean Water

Why is it necessary that the water you drink be free of contaminants? Our bodies do have considerable ability to filter toxins and contaminants out of water, but this water filter process is primarily performed by the liver. The more we use the liver as a water filter to filter chlorine, lead and other contaminants out of the water we drink, the less time it can put into converting excess body fat into energy. So the cleaner and healthier the water we drink, the more we are supporting our liver to perform the fat metabolizing we need for healthy and sustained weight loss. Bottled water varies widely in quality, and is often no more free of contaminants than tap water. A quality home water filter is the best way to provide clean, quality water to your body.

How Much Water?

How much water is necessary? There are varying opinions on this subject. Many recommend six to eight glasses of water a day. Common sense suggests that there is no single amount of water that is right for all people under all circumstances. Surely a 250 pound 6’3" person in 100 degree temperatures needs more water then a 140 pound person of 5’2" in a more temperate 70 degree environment. Fortunately, common sense also suggests an easy and reliable "rule of thumb" for gauging your water intake that will adjust for changes in season, temperature and even exercise level. Quite simply, the amount of color in the urine our bodies produce is, in most cases, an accurate way to judge if we are drinking enough water. Unless there is reason to suspect some condition which would affect the color of urine, such as jaundice, simply noticing the color of urine and adjusting water intake accordingly is an excellent way to make sure to get the right amount of water. If the urine is very dark, your body clearly needs more water. Increase the amount of clean, filtered water you drink over a period of several days until the urine is consistently very light in color. In almost all circumstances, this is a good indication that you are giving your body the amount of water it needs, and you will be well on your way to healthy weight loss.

Water is the Key

For fat metabolism, appetite suppression, improved digestion and assimilation of nutrients and overall metabolism, an abundant supply of clean, healthy water every day is absolutely essential for safe, effective and sustained weight loss.

This article is presented by Ann Hession, owner of Great Water Now. Great Water Now is dedicated to providing quality information about water and health and promoting the use of home water filters for health and longevity.

By Ann Hession

Best Diet for Weight Loss !

Some thing tasty and yummy and yet you lose weight……

All the best diet plans are based on restrictions on carbohydrates, fats and high calorie products. During diet plans you can take fruits, green leafy vegetables, roughages and foodstuffs having less calories.

Top Diet Plans:

The Cabbage Soup diet has been used by dieters for years. This diet includes many versions but the simple one is that if you eat cabbage soup when you are hungry it will fill you up and will help you stay on low calorie diet. While you are on cabbage soup diet you must not take oily, fatty foodstuffs. This diet has very low calories. Therefore cabbage diet is among the best diets to lose weight.

The Sonoma diet was first prepared by Dr. Connie Gutterson. This diet includes antioxidant vegetables, juicy fruits like blueberries, spinach, whole grains and little almond oil. You can even add a glass of red wine. Sonoma diet is also approved as one of the best diets to lose weight.

Slim Fast diet is very helpful in controlling hunger for more than four hours. Slim fast diet is balanced, nutritional and rich in calcium and proteins. The Slim-Fast Diet plan is planned for dieter to take six times in day. You can add fruits, yogurt and cottage cheese. Fresh vegetables, meats and nuts are also a part of slim fast diet. It is not only diet cautious but also gives you a good flavor and taste. It can be considered as the best diet plan to lose weight especially for teenagers.

Negative calorie diet is less of a diet and more like diet helper. It consists of a list of foodstuffs whose net calorie account is less than total calories taken to digest them. These include high roughages, low fats, fruits and vegetables. Roughage is key content of negative calorie diet. The calorie output here is negative thus it will help losing weight.

By Oliver Turner