15 Ways to Lose weight & get your health back

The_truth

Well-Known Member
15 Ways to Lose weight & get your health back




The obesity epidemic


Obesity is becoming more and more of an epidemic particularly in the western world where fast food, processed and sugary foods are the norm. There is really not much not much the doctors and medical specialists can do about this issue apart from raising awareness about the health risks. Government can do much more about it as they have the power to put sanctions on junk food companies but unfortunately these companies that sell junk food and sugary foods are quite powerful and even have powerful lobby groups backing them. Therefore the governments are limited to what they can do about this matter unless they really put their foot down on these companies and bring tougher regulations in.

These junk food companies promote their products in aggressive advertising campaigns. There was a programme recently where a chef from the UK went to the US and went to a primary school where he found that young children did not even know the names of basic vegetables but they knew the names of all the latest junk foods out there. This proves that the junk food companies have way too much power in the media and it is time that governments put their foot down and stopped them from promoting their products in such a aggressive manner. Children need to be educated about good and healthy food fro the beginning. Parents as well as teachers should take on this responsibility to ensure children know that healthy food is better and that their access to junk food is more limited than it currently is.


Our bodies are a loan from Allah


Almighty Allah gave us our bodies as a loan to us as a trust. He trusted us with these bodies and we are abusing them with over eating and bad food choices. We really need to get ourselves out of this now and realise that not only are we risking our health in that we are very likely develop diabetes if we continue as we are but we are also committing a major sin in that we are slowly eating ourselves to death.

As Muslims we must NEVER eat to fill ourselves but we must eat to satisfy our hunger. The fact that many of us eat to fill ourselves is the reason why there is an obesity epidemic in this world. Therefore unless you want to die an early death you must take action NOW! That means internalising the need for rapid change and taking the necessary steps in your life to ensure you NEEVR go back to how you used to be. You must think of food in a different way and not use it to comfort eat or to fill yourself up in every meal.


Here is what we must do to get our healths back:


1. Decrease your portion sizes.


This is extremely important if you want to lose weight. Eat to satisfy your stomach NOT fill it until you can’t move. That means NO MORE BINGE eating! Eat as much as you are satisfied. The best way to do this is to get yourself a smaller plate and use that for every meal. Don’t fill the plate up like a mountain but as much as you would be satisfied. If you stick to using a smaller plate and cut down your portion sizes then i promise you that you will see your weight fall off rapidly.


2. Cut out Trans fats and saturated fats.


This is extremely important if you want to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle. That means cutting out fatty foods. When buying meat then ensure it is lean. When you go butchers tell them to cut the fat off. Eat more chicken breast than chicken leg and have more fish. It is better to have more white meat like chicken and fish than red meat. Reduce red meat to know more than once a week.

Also get your proteins from lentils, pulses and seeds. Have some tofu. You must also cut out chocolate, crisps, cakes, biscuits and other fatty snacks which contain a lot of saturated and Tran’s fats. Once you have done this you will see the fat melt off and a leaner you coming out. Also replace butter or ghee with oils high in mono-saturates like Rapeseed oil and olive oil. Replace whole milk with semi or fully skimmed milk.

There are also good fats such as mono-saturated fats such as olive oil, other sources like Avocados (which is great for skin) and peanut butter, nuts and seeds.

Did you know...?
  • A jam doughnut contains 10.9g fat
  • A slice of malt loaf contains 0.7g fat
  • A teaspoon of peanut butter contains 5.4g fat
  • A pint of whole milk contains 22.8 g fat
  • A handful of mixed nuts contains 21.6g fat

3. Try new healthy foods, fruit and vegetables.


You never know if you like something until you try it. Be ambitious with your choices of healthy food. Don’t just stick to the same foods you eat everyday. There is so much to choose from out there. The more different healthy foods you eat the less chance you will get bored with the same choices and therefore less chance you will end up relapsing into eating fatty foods and snacks.

So try new healthy foods. Ever tried Pakchoi? Tofu? Star fruit? Try some fruit and vegetables you haven’t tried before and I guarantee there will be many different foods that you will like. A diverse amount of good fruits and vegetables is very good for you. The more variety the better as each fruit and vegetable has its own unique cocktail of vitamins and nutrients.


4. Cut out processed foods


Processed food is not good for us as it contains many chemicals mainly to make the food last longer. Instead replace processed food like tinned and frozen processed food with fresh food, fruit and vegetables. Once you make these changes you will feel and look much healthier.


5. Reduce your Carbohydrate intake.


You need reduce your carbohydrate intake or at least have the majority of your carbs at breakfast and at lunch and have less carbs for dinner because as the evenings approaches our metabolism decreases. So in the morning start off with a bowl of porridge which will give you the carb boost you need in the morning and at lunch have a reasonable portion of carbs to get you through the rest of the day. Be sure to watch your portions at breakfast dinner and lunch.

If you are going to have rice then replace white rice with brown wholegrain rice. Replace white bread with brown wholegrain bread and white pasta with brown wholegrain pasta. Reduce the amount of potatoes you eat or replace it with red potatoes or sweet potatoes. Make your portions of carbs smaller in the evenings and have bigger portions of protein and fiber.


6. Eat healthy snacks in between meals.


If we eat just 3 meals a day and nothing in between then we may end up causing our bodies to go into starvation mode where it will grab onto whatever we eat and store it. Therefore we should eat healthy snacks in between meals like fruit, low fat yoghurt, a small handful of unsalted almonds or a nice salad. Avoid sugary, salty or fatty snacks.


7. Eat more fruit and vegetables


There is nothing better for you health wise than to eat a diverse variety of fruits and vegetables. There is So much choice out there so do not limit yourself to just the fruit and vegetables that you know. Try different fruit and vegetables as each is good for you in its own way. Remember Pomegranate and figs are Sunnah to eat so eat much of it. Berries are also very good for you. Eat much green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and lettuce, cabbage etc

You can even make a nice smoothie out of a variety of fruit and even vegetables. Try new and different combinations to see which ones work best together etc. Have fun with it. Eat more fruit and vegetables and watch your weight come off and that glow come back!



8. Cut out sugary foods.



Sugary foods will give one a sugar high's and are very bad for the teeth. They can even make you crave more food. They are also high in calories and are linked to obesity. Most cereals that are on the market are very high in sugar. Even the so called "healthy" breakfasts like special K. It is far better to have porridge oats everyday and sweeten it with a little honey or sugar free jam or even top it with mixed seeds and fruit. Oats are the best start to the day one can have as it is packed with slow releasing energy which gives you energy throughout the day.

How to reduce consumption of sugary foods
  • Swap sugary drinks for water, low-fat milk or artificially sweetened drinks to reduce your calorie intake
  • Try swapping sugary snacks for fruit or bread-based options such as fresh whole fruit or teacakes/malt loaf
  • Try to halve the amount of sugar you put in hot drinks, or cut it out completely
  • Buy reduced-sugar varieties of jam and marmalade
  • Choose canned fruit in natural juice rather than syrup


9. ALWAYS read the labels.


Look at how much sugar a product contains as well as how much saturated fat it contains. Look at the carb content as well as salt levels. Even the so called low fat range are not necessarily low sugar or salt. So always read labels from now on whatever product you are buying.


10. Drink more water

Drinking water is vital to losing weight. It is the best of all drinks in this world and the next. It is the source of all life. Without it there would not be life. So we should drink more water for it also helps in suppressing appetite.


11. Get moving.


Move around as much as you can. Take the stairs not the lifts. Walk to the shops or wherever you are going, don’t take the car. Every step is calories lost. So walk and move around as much as possible. Play with the kids and run around with them, help out in the home by doing the dishes, vacuuming and ironing. Make every excuse to take the stairs. Be as active as you can throughout the day.


12. Walk walk walk.


Enjoy a good morning walk. Walk to work if you can. Have a little walk after every meal. Try to go the long way around to the shops or to and from home. Try to take a hilly street or when you’re walking in the park walk up a hill. Walk in the park after you wake up and walk as it is very good for a person to take in fresh air and be in natural surroundings as it is also a proven stress reliever. Take up walking as it is an amazing exercise and very easy to as you can do it at your own pace.


13. Cardio and weight training.


One can do cardio anywhere, so if you want to do it at home then you can or you can join a gym (same sex gym). Doing cardio is very important not only to lose weight but to built stamina and endurance. Therefore it is recommended to do cardio at least 3-4 times a week for half an hour each session. If you can do cardio in the morning then it is better and will also give you a better sleep at night. Doing cardio activity in the morning before eating anything is said to burn a lot more fat than if a person had something to eat because the body uses up its fat reserves.

It is best to do HIIT (High intensity Interval training) which is a cardio activity done only for a very short while no more than 20-30 minutes but it is done at high intensity intervals meaning that a person goes at it quite hard. So the way to do it is for example you walk for 5 minutes and then suddenly you start running for 30 seconds. Then you jog slowly for 2 minutes and then run for another 30 seconds. You keep repeating this high and low intensity walking, jogging and running for 20-30 minutes. HIIT is said to increase the body’s metabolism throughout the day so after your workout the body will continue burning fat throughout the day. If you can do morning cardio then do it whenever you can throughout the day or even in the evening. If you can do it morning and evening then this is even better.

However it would also be better to combine ones cardio routine with a strength training regime. This can be done at home if one has the right equipment or at the gym. The best Strength training is one that targets the core and legs. Like for example dead lift, squat, lunges etc. Other strength training can target specific muscle groups such as the shoulders, chest, back and arms. Strength training also increases ones metabolism because the more muscle one has the more the body has to burn fat.

So combining both strength training and cardio is the best way to make ones body like a fat burning machine. It will also strengthen and condition ones body making one leaner and healthier.


14. Persevere & NEVER give up


If you trip or fall then get up and continue. Don’t ever give up! You are bound to slip now and again, but so what? Learn from it and move on. Get on with it and keep in mind your end goal and where you want to be. Focus on the end result for the end result will be a good one as long as you stick to doing what you have to do to get your health back on track.


15. Making lifetime changes to your health.



Losing weight and becoming healthy is about making life changes not just dieting for a short period of time. It is about looking at food in a whole new way. Not seeing it as something that will comfort us when were down or as something we can abuse and binge on. We should use it as something that will nourish us and give us strength and energy for Almighty Allahs Ibaadah (worship). It is truly a blessing from Allah and if we look around us most people in the world do not have food for days on end yet we abuse it like anything. If we continue abusing food then not only are we risking getting many diseases and an early death but we will also be accountable on the Day of Judgment for what we put into our stomachs and the fact that we abused our bodies by over eating.

Therefore we must not look at these changes as something that we are doing for the short term but we must make long term life changes so that we may take care of the bodies Allah has loaned to us and optimize everyday of our lives in order to have enough strength to please Allah and worship him for that is the ONLY purpose of our creation.


Conclusion


Now you know what to do there are NO more excuses. Do not think to yourself that you will start tomorrow for tomorrow never comes. Start NOW! Internalise the need for change and know that time is NOT on your side. You have made enough excuses in your life but now there are NO more excuses. If you want an early death then carry on as you are and you will regret it forever in the hereafter that you wasted you one opportunity in this life to do as much good as you can in order to please Allah and gain high ranks in the hereafter just because you could not control your food intake. So now is your chance and it could be your very last. So grab this opportunity and do not let it go!


May Allah enable us to make the best of our health in this world so that we may optimize our worship unto Almighty Allah. Ameen
 

queenislam

★★★I LOVE ALLAH★★★
:salam2:

:ma:

Thank you
for sharing this good information here,
brother.
:jazaak:

Take care,
~Wassalam :)
 

strive-may-i

Junior Member
Somehow i seem to recollect, as I go through this post... I recollect like I heard it in one of the sermons, dont recollect who said it... But thinking about it, its definitely beneficial both for bofy and soul...

Say the zikr la Ilaaha illallah , in spirit body and soul as you walk brisk...
 

The_truth

Well-Known Member
15 Foods To Help You Lose



WebMD Feature from "Good Housekeeping" Magazine




By Denise Foley

Want To Curb Your Appetite And Stop Sugar Cravings? Then Put These On Your Grocery List.
Thirty billion a year -- that's about how much Americans spend on slim-down products, many of which don't even work. A better way to get real weight-loss results? Go grocery shopping. New research points to more than a dozen foods, from beans to beef, that can help you fight hunger, kick your candy addiction, boost your metabolism-and ultimately shed pounds. And some of these superfoods deliver health bonuses too.

1. Eggs. Skip the bagel this morning. Eggs, which are full of protein, will help you feel fuller longer-a lot longer. A multicenter study of 30 overweight or obese women found that those who ate two scrambled eggs (with two slices of toast and a reduced-calorie fruit spread) consumed less for the next 36 hours than women who had a bagel breakfast of equal calories. Other research has shown that protein may also prevent spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to food cravings.

2. Beans. You've probably never heard of cholecystokinin, but it's one of your best weight-loss pals. This digestive hormone is a natural appetite suppressant. So how do you get more cholecystokinin? One way, report researchers at the University of California at Davis, is by eating beans: A study of eight men found that their levels of the hormone (which may work by keeping food in your stomach longer) were twice as high after a meal containing beans than after a low-fiber meal containing rice and dry milk. There's also some evidence that beans keep blood sugar on an even keel, so you can stave off hunger longer. Heart-health bonus: High-fiber beans can lower your cholesterol.

3. Salad. Do you tend to stuff yourself at meals? Control that calorie intake by starting with a large salad (but hold the creamy dressing). In a study of 42 women at Penn State University, those who ate a big, low-cal salad consumed 12 percent less pasta afterward-even though they were offered as much as they wanted. The secret, say researchers, is the sheer volume of a salad, which makes you feel too full to pig out. Health bonus: A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people who ate one salad a day with dressing had higher levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and carotenoids-all disease fighters-than those who didn't add salad to their daily menu.

4. Green tea. The slimming ingredient isn't caffeine. Antioxidants called catechins are what help speed metabolism and fat burning. In a recent Japanese study, 35 men who drank a bottle of oolong tea mixed with green tea catechins lost weight, boosted their metabolism, and had a significant drop in their body mass index. Health bonus: The participants also lowered their (bad) LDL cholesterol.

5. Pears. They're now recognized as having more fiber, thanks to a corrected calculation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At six grams (formerly four grams) per medium-size pear, they're great at filling you up. Apples come in second, with about three grams per medium-size fruit. Both contain pectin fiber, which decreases blood-sugar levels, helping you avoid between-meal snacking. This may explain why, in a Brazilian study that lasted 12 weeks, overweight women who ate three small pears or apples a day lost more weight than women on the same diet who ate three oat cookies daily instead of the fruit.

6. Soup. A cup of chicken soup is as appetite blunting as a piece of chicken: That was the finding of a Purdue University study with 18 women and 13 men. Why? Researchers speculate that even the simplest soup satisfies hunger because your brain perceives it as filling.

7. Lean beef. It's what's for dinner-or should be, if you're trying to shed pounds. The amino acid leucine, which is abundant in proteins like meat and fish as well as in dairy products, can help you pare down while maintaining calorie-burning muscle. That's what it did for 24 overweight middle-aged women in a study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Eating anywhere from nine to 10 ounces of beef a day on a roughly 1,700-calorie diet helped the women lose more weight, more fat, and less muscle mass than a control group consuming the same number of calories, but less protein. The beef eaters also had fewer hunger pangs.

8. Olive oil. Fight off middle-age pounds with extra virgin olive oil. A monounsaturated fat, it'll help you burn calories. In an Australian study, 12 postmenopausal women (ages 57 to 73) were given a breakfast cereal dressed either with a mixture of cream and skim milk or half an ounce of olive oil and skim milk. The women who ate the oil-laced muesli boosted their metabolism. Don't want to add olive oil to your oatmeal? That's OK-it works just as well in salad dressings, as a bread dip, or for sautéing.

9. Grapefruit. It's back! A 2006 study of 91 obese people conducted at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found that eating half a grapefruit before each meal or drinking a serving of the juice three times a day helped people drop more than three pounds over 12 weeks. The fruit's phytochemicals reduce insulin levels, a process that may force your body to convert calories into energy rather than flab.

10. Cinnamon. Sprinkle it on microwave oatmeal or whole-grain toast to help cure those mid-afternoon sugar slumps. Research from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture found that a little cinnamon can help control post-meal insulin spikes, which make you feel hungry. Health bonus: One USDA study showed that just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowered the blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

11. Vinegar. It's a great filler-upper. In a Swedish study, researchers found that people who ate bread dipped in vinegar felt fuller than those who had their slices plain. The probable reason: Acetic acid in the vinegar may slow the passage of food from the stomach into the small intestine, so your tummy stays full longer. Vinegar can also short-circuit the swift blood-sugar rise that occurs after you eat refined carbs such as white bread, cookies, and crackers.

12. Tofu. It seems too light to be filling, but a study at Louisiana State University showed that tofu does the job. Researchers tested it against chicken as a pre-meal appetizer for 42 overweight women-and the participants who had tofu ate less food during the meal. The secret: Tofu is an appetite-quashing protein.

13. Nuts. Yes, they are fattening: A handful of peanuts is about 165 calories. But research shows that people who snack on nuts tend to be slimmer than those who don't. A study from Purdue University found that when a group of 15 normal-weight people added about 500 calories worth of peanuts to their regular diet, they consumed less at subsequent meals. The participants also revved up their resting metabolism by 11 percent, which means they burned more calories even when relaxing. Health bonus: Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids. And researchers at Loma Linda University recently found that eating 10 to 20 whole pecans daily can reduce heart disease risks.

14. High-fiber cereal. Studies show that you can curb your appetite by eating a bowl for breakfast. But how well does it really work? Researchers at the VA Medical Center and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis tested the theory against the ultimate diet challenge: the buffet table. They gave 14 volunteers one of five cereals before sending them out to the smorgasbord. Those who'd had the highest-fiber cereal ate less than those who didn't have as much fiber in the morning. Try General Mills Fiber One (14 grams per serving) or Kellogg's All Bran With Extra Fiber (13 grams per serving).

15. Hot red pepper. Eating a bowl of spicy chili regularly can help you lose weight. In a Japanese study, 13 women who ate breakfast foods with red pepper (think southwestern omelet) ate less than they normally did at lunch. The magic ingredient may be capsaicin, which helps suppress appetite.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/15-foods-to-help-you-lose
 

The_truth

Well-Known Member
Fight Stubborn Fat With 5 Diet Solutions



Clingy fat can’t fight the nutritious might of the right diet. Take these slimming solutions to your stomach – loosen fat’s grip and expose your better body!


by Shannon Clark Sep 08, 2011


Many of us dedicate ourselves to a good training program. At the end of the day we are in better shape, but are unsatisfied when we look in the mirror. You can focus on building lean muscle with plenty of good exercise, but what is it that transforms our body into that toned and shaped mode?

Just as you wouldn't put low-grade fuel in your new $50,000 sports car, putting anything less than premium food in your body is likely to keep it from performing to the best of its ability.

Many people think they are on a good diet, but myriad mobs of almost-inescapable processed foods that fill grocery stores encourage the retention of our fat. Processed food places excess stress on the body. They make it hard to burn off that last (and most important) layer of flab.

So if you're frustrated by being unable to shake that last layer, then let's get down to the nitty-gritty and eat a deflated diet to burst that fat balloon and produce a slim and healthy body.


1. Is Your Diet Fishy?


Fresh fish are your friends in the flab battle. Your preferred fish choices should be ones with low mercury levels: flounder, haddock, herring, mackerel, perch, pollock, salmon, sardines, scallops, shrimp, sole, tilapia and trout. Mercury consumption causes negative health side effects.

Out of that list: Salmon, Mackerel, and Trout are your top 3 choices because of their high omega-3 content. If you can't consume fish on a regular basis, find a quality fish oil supplement. It's a smart move!


Fish Oil

Fish oils are derived from the fat of a variety of oily fish. Fish contain a natural source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFA), which is an important nutrient that provides many health benefits.

Reel In Your Fish Oil Today!


2. Make Room For Tea Time


Another great way to boost your defence against stubborn fat is by having tea on a regular basis, especially green tea. Tea is a healthier option than coffee, and having some green tea is a great way to kick-start your metabolism.

Have a cup or two each day, and you'll be well on your way to trim and tone ... Green tea also provides you with numerous antioxidant benefits, which can help to fight free-radical damage.


3. Focus On Healthy Fat


Fat consumption can be good and bad for you, depending on the type of fat you consume. If you overload on saturated or trans fats, then extra fat and other negative side effects might be in your near future. On the flipside, filling your diet full of unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids is the perfect way to keep fat in check. Just remember, it's important to get a good ratio of omega-3 fats and omega-6 fats.

Ideally, your ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid should be 4:1, a far cry from the 15:1 ratio most people currently get (balance is a wonderful thing).

Foods richest in omega-3 fatty acids include: flaxseed oil, soybean oil, canola oil, salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and walnuts. Combine these with the right amount of omega-6 fats you can get from corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil and cottonseed oil to get the best results.

Other healthy sources of dietary fats to keep an eye out for: avocados, natural nuts and nut butters and seeds.


Omega-3

As more and more people have become concerned with their general health, many are considering supplementing the essential fatty acids needed on a daily basis into their diet.

Satisfy Your Omega-3 Needs!


4. Picking And Curbing Your Carbs


Yes, limiting your carbohydrate intake is important to shave off that last fatty layer, but you don't have to take an ultra-low approach - just place more emphasis on getting plenty of protein and foods rich in healthy fats.

The carbs you do eat should come from fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies should account for at least 60 percent of your total carbohydrate calorie intake. The remainder comes from all-natural and slow-digesting sources like beans, legumes, oats, brown rice and quinoa
.
All processed carbohydrates (even if they say whole grain) should be avoided.


Garlic is to vampires, as processed carbohydrates are to your diet.


5. Herb And Spice Advice


The right herbs and spices can do wonders to your diet. These flavor savers encourage a lean and toned body. Herb perks and spice niceties can save plain meals by keeping flavors interesting, dynamic.

Ginger and ginseng are two herbs that have long lists of health benefits, and plenty of taste to turn a bland meal into a flavor fiesta in the blink of an eye.

There is a world of spices to explore, so start adding some healthy pep to your diet!

Source: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fight-stubborn-fat-with-5-diet-solutions.html
 

strive-may-i

Junior Member
Slimming is contagious, befriend the one who slimmed

:salam2:

Slimming down is contagious, and is picked by others in the same social circle. So, if someone is obese, and wishes to slim down, befriend or acquaint some one who recently lost considerable weight with diet/exercise. It works out. And, this is backed by research :)

But be warned, dont feel inspired by the skinny types!

Hope this helps!
 

strive-may-i

Junior Member
:salam2:

Always about losing weight ........*sigh*.
Can anybody tell me how to gain weight.??

:wasalam:
There are these few, to whom no matter how much you tell, it does not work out, because their body wont listen :)

Try the opposite of some of suggestions here :p. Do not skip meals, get sufficient sleep, exercise, worry less, hurry not much... And, as long as you are healthy, and fighting fit, you need not be concerned much.
 

tayek1967

New Member
Rules of fitness.

I am very glad to read your article. everybody get very benefit to you. we know somethings but we have not habit to read more. I hope anybody like it, thanks.
 

dy23brown

New Member
You can probably get in touch with them. By the way, the vast majority of people try to consume such products in order to have a better well-being A few days ago I had a very severe back pain due to overwork. So I remembered that my brother told me about these cbg gummies and I decided to try it. After taking this product, the stress began to subside, and I was able to get rid of the state of depression and remember the moments when I was funny. It is quite widespread, so you can try it either.
 
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