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For years, experts have been telling us that if we want to lose weight there are certain rules we must follow. making sure we eat breakfast and ensuring we have five small meals a day are among them.

However, controversial new diet e-book six Weeks to OMG is telling you to  forget everything you know and turn dieting on its head.

Ranked no.7 in the iTunes Health &  Fitness chart, the book is written by sports scientist Venice a Fulton, who says the problem with current diet books is that they are full of clichés.

‘We’ve been listening to the same diet rules for years and they’ve become so ingrained in our culture that we won’t  listen to anything new,’ he says.take breakfast. We’ve all heard the saying: ‘Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper.’ however,  Fulton believes this is the worst diet  cliché of all them all.

‘in 2000, French researchers reporting in the British Journal of Nutrition were among the first to show that a typical high-energy breakfast of toast, yoghurt and fruit actually blocked fat loss throughout the entire day,’ he says.

He believes we should skip breakfast and eat our first meal at around 10am. ‘That way, your body has a chance to live off its own structure,’ he says. ‘for most of us, our major source of fuel throughout the day is blood sugar from food. If we avoid using this, we give ourselves a chance to live off our supply of body fat. in caveman times, body fat was supposed to get us through the day until we found an alternative source of fuel, ie food.’

But surely breakfast is supposed to kick-start your metabolism? no, that is just another science cliché, claims Fulton. ‘Metabolism, or your metabolic rate, is simply the speed at which bodily processes are carried out,’ he says. ‘So our metabolism is always on, it’s just slower when we’re asleep. When we get up, light hits the eyes, melatonin (the sleep hormone) shuts down and the brain knows we’re ready to go. all bodily processes rev up, including hormones that affect how we deal with food. in a nutshell, when we wake up, the metabolism wakes up.’

Another weight-loss booster Fulton explores is having a cold bath first thing in the morning.

‘If you expose the body to cold temperatures, it will use stored body fat as fuel to keep you warm,’ he says. ‘in 2002, research in the Journal of Applied Physiology reported that cold water exposure could increase body fat burning by 376 per cent.’

And, if you really want to boost your weight loss, Fulton advises drinking a cup of black coffee after your bath.

‘Caffeine boosts your central nervous system by stimulating the fight-or-flight response via adrenaline,’ he says. ‘this forces fat cells to empty their contents into the blood. these free fatty acids are then transported to your muscles and used as an almost limitless fuel.’

Lastly, Fulton believes there’s no such thing as a healthy snack and suggests eating three square meals a day. ‘by constantly grazing, you’re never allowing your body to use stored fat as a fuel supply,’ he says.

Although this might sound like a normal morning when there’s no hot water and you’re late for work, Fulton advises starting the day this way for six weeks, combined with the dieting tips in the book, and using the principles every day for life.

‘they aren’t short-term diet ideas because they complement how we’re designed to live generally,’ he says.

Six Week to OMG, £4.99. Available  on all major formats.

TRY THIS ONE AT HOME:

In the case of a diet that recommends starting a day with a cold bath (a faintly horrifying thought), you’d do well to read the fine print. in the case of Venice a Fulton’s book, take notice of the fact you can start things off at 20C – that’s room temperature and really not as horrendous as you’d think.

Because I’m a wimp and also severely lacking in the thermometer department, I winged it a bit, getting into a puddle of tepid water, then gradually cooling it down. It dramatically reduces the shock but is still invigorating.

A little tougher was skipping the Coco Pops. since its replacement – black coffee without sugar – is like Easter without eggs,  I opted for caffeine tablets. It doesn’t sound all that healthy but, come lunchtime, you’ll be reducing your portion sizes.

If you’re the sort that engages in prolonged swearing matches with your alarm clock, it might be worth biting the bullet and going back to the treadmill.

It can seem impossible at times to achieve weight loss goals. a common pitfall for new exercisers is that they overdo it and then the pain the next day keeps them from continuing. how do you determine the key to successful weight loss?

In order to effectively drop pounds, you must first understand your goals. What results would you like to see from your weight loss? Do you want to drop a few sizes? is a certain weight the one you are after? are your primarily interested in improving your health?

The weight you lose weekly should be charted. Keep a diet journal so that you can make a note of your weight loss. Keep all of your diet information in the same book. In order to remember your daily intake, write down what you consume. The fact that you are writing it down will decrease the likelihood that you will desire it.

When you let yourself go too long without eating, you will naturally crave foods that are high in calories and fat. This is a primal instinct that is hard to eliminate. You can avoid these complications by planning ahead and bringing those foods with you for your meals. Prepare lunch in advance rather than eating junk food on the go. when you make your own lunch, you can control fat and calorie content, which is often high in restaurant meals. In addition, you can also save money!

A truly great weight loss plan will focus on both diet and exercise. Clear your schedule for a few hours a week to enjoy some fun workouts. Finding the exercises that you enjoy will help you push past those old excuses about not having enough time. Do you enjoy spending time with your friends? then you could play a game of basketball with them, or some other sport you like. are you a wild one? Try taking salsa lessons! are you happiest when you are basking in the glories of nature? Go on a hike in the great outdoors or explore your local park.

The first and most important step is to get rid of all the unhealthy food from your home and vow that it’s not allowed back in. Stock your pantry with only healthy food that’s good for you so that it’s all you’ll have to eat. The more difficult it is for you to eat junk food, the less likely you are to eat it.

Weight loss programs are more likely to be adhered to when you have a support network of family or friends cheering you on. your friends can help to encourage and motivate you if you ask for their aid. your friends can give you a much-needed lift when your are out of motivation. Turn to your friends for moral support when you want to open that bag of potato chips! Surely, you would be willing to help them stay motivated, too!

There is more information available about visit them here see Vanna J. Deangelis’s site there’s a lot of details not covered on this page, find those details on Author’s web blog to locate more.

Amy Sweezy was in the middle of eating a fast-food burger and fries when her cell phone rang.

it was the new Jersey Herald asking her to be a contestant in the Lighten Up weight-loss contest.

“I went from eating that burger to really focusing on losing weight,” Sweezy said Monday.

Sweezy, 47, of Fredon, was the female winner in the Lighten Up contest, having lost 25 percent of her weight. She lost 49 pounds, going from 195 pounds to 146 pounds. She had high praise for the Sussex County Y's Health and Wellness Director Alma Duyvetter.

“I love that woman,” she said.

James Oscovitch, 46, of Byram, was the male winner, having lost 33 percent of his body weight, dropping 90 pounds, from 270 pounds to 180 pounds.

“I owe my life to you Rob,” he said to his trainer, Rob Austin, of RDA Fitness of Byram. “I was not the biggest or the heaviest to enter the contest, but probably the most unhealthy,” said Oscovitch, who will be celebrating his 20th wedding anniversary with his wife, Bonnie, on Wednesday. He noted that he weighs less now than he did on the day he was married.

this year's Lighten Up contest attracted the most applicants in its five-year history. The contest was expanded from six contestants last year to eight this year, and there were some changes during those weeks, as a few candidates chosen could not complete the competition. Together, the final group lost a total of 517 pounds.

Winners were chosen based on percentage of weight lost.

for the women, Linda Watson, of Vernon, came in second place, losing 48 pounds, or 24 percent of her weight, from 203 to 155 pounds. June Robbins, who joined the contest seven weeks in, lost 41 pounds, or 19 percent of her weight, going from 221 pounds to 180 pounds.

Jennifer Post also dropped 41 pounds, or 11 percent of her body weight, going from 357 pounds to 316 pounds.

The men's portion of the contest was a close finish, as Oscovitch lost 33.3 percent of his body weight, and Brian Vaughan, of Andover, who dropped from 431 pounds to 290 pounds, lost 32.7 percent of his body weight.

Scott Capwell, of Hopatcong, lost 27 percent of his body weight, going from 280 pounds to 205, for a loss of 75 pounds. Mike Devita, of Matamoras, Pa., lost 19 percent of his body weight, going from 399 pounds to 324 pounds.

“This changed my life,” said Devita. “Prior to this I was alive, but I wasn't living. I am living again.”

The 15 weeks were marked with victories both large and small. Buying new clothes and fitting into a smaller size was a cause for celebration for all of the contestants.

“I wasn't in the plus-size section!” remarked Robbins in one of her weekly posts.

Not only weight-loss goals were reached. Vaughan is no longer left breathless by simple tasks and is back on the basketball court with his brother. Mike DeVita is playing basketball with his son, Vinny, instead of watching from the sidelines. Linda Watson, who hadn't ridden a horse in awhile due to her weight gain, is back in the saddle and Scott Capwell topped off his 15 weeks of the challenge by skydiving, something he'd been wanting to do for years but had been unable to accomplish because he was over the weight requirement. Jennifer Post, of Andover, rejoined a belly-dancing troupe and has found new energy that enables her to keep up with her son, Jacob.

“It really is amazing what you can accomplish with the human body,” Capwell said.

Post and Vaughan are brother and sister, and were accompanied by a large family contingent on Monday who applauded their accomplishments and those of all the contestants.

as the female winner, Sweezy received gift certificates for clothing from amazing Markdowns, kickboxing and to a local gym, plus a T-shirt. Oscovitch was given a gift certificate to the Blue Morel restaurant in Morristown, tickets to “Leap of Faith” on Broadway, certificates for a gym and kickboxing and a T-shirt.

The contest was sponsored by CKO Kickboxing, The Sussex County Y, Snap Fitness, Martino's Pizza and Pasta, PB&J Stores, Curves of Jefferson, Newton Medical Center, Nitro Fitness, amazing Markdowns, Foundational Health & Fitness, RDA Fitness and Sensible Addictions.

All of the women received gift certificates for clothing from amazing Markdowns and gym gift certificates. All of the men received gift certificates to area gyms and to the Blue Morel.

“2012 is filled with a lot of major events for me. I really want to be healthier and slimmer for them!” wrote Sweezy in her application for Lighten Up.

Lighten Up contestants will ‘Weigh In'

While some of our Lighten Up contestants have reached their weight-loss goal, others are still working toward their final weight. It's not over.

We've invited all eight contestants to “weigh in” as often as possible in our new blog coming soon at www.njherald.com, “Weighing In.”

We've asked them to keep us updated about their continued success and weight maintenance. We'll also be posting some questions for them to answer as the months go on.

and, we'll be reaching out to past Lighten Up contestants as well, asking them to “Weigh In.”

The public will be able to comment on our blog, and “Weigh in” with their own weight-loss advice.

by Ray Guilfoyle on Apr 15, 2012 1:32 AM EDT in Roto Roundup the huge news of the day for fantasy owners was the news that Giants closer Brian Wilson could miss the rest of the season with structural damage in his right elbow and could face surgery.

Brian Wilson has "structural issues" with his right elbow, in the words of manager Bruce Bochy. And, Bochy conceded Saturday afternoon, Wilson "likely is heading toward surgery." the Giants planned to get second and third opinions on the MRI exam

Brian Wilson has "structural issues" with his right elbow, in the words of manager Bruce Bochy. And, Bochy conceded Saturday afternoon, Wilson "likely is heading toward surgery." the Giants planned to get second and third opinions on the MRI exam

Your best source for quality Texas Rangers news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan perspective.

Wilson's health has been a subject for concern since late last season when the closer missed nearly the entire month of August with 'elbow discomfort'. when Wilson did return to pitch a few innings at the end of 2011, he didn't

Losing Health and Human Services v. Florida would be a defeat for the Obama administration, but it does not have to be a devastating one.
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I hope I got your brain churning last week about considering your nutrition, exercise and overall health. but now you are thinking, “Great, I know I need to make some changes but how it the world do I even begin?”

Four pieces of advice to help you get started:1. you are the only person that can motivate yourselfYou can read a million blogs, set new Year’s resolutions, find a gym buddy or personal trainer, but at the end of the day they are useless if you don’t want it yourself. you are the only one who makes the decision between happy hour and the gym, a cupcake or an apple. Make your choice and go for it! do it for you because you deserve it!

2. Realize doing it right takes time!Like everything else in life, you have to put in the hard work to get the results you want. Sure, eating only celery for three days straight is going to help you lose a couple of pounds very quickly. but you’ll only gain the weight back when you start eating real food again (believe me I know!) Eating healthy and working out doesn’t give you immediate results, but over time you will see change in your body, energy and self-confidence, so be patient and enjoy the ride!

3. Make a goalYeah, yeah, everyone tells you make a goal and work hard to achieve it. Yes, I guess I am going to be one of those people as well. but before you disregard it completely, I am talking about goals such as going to the gym three times a week or eating carrots at least once a day. Small personal goals will give you a sense of accomplishment! Setting goals can provide motivation and shows that we are capable of accomplishing what we put our minds too.

4. in the words of Nike, “JUST DO IT!”Let go of any excuses, get off the couch and do it. Easier said than done, I know, but no one regrets being healthy and happy, at least not that I know of!

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Stay clear about the gap between where you want to go and where you are now by monitoring your progress.STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Studies suggest that having a safe-to-eat plan makes you more likely to reach diet goals
• It’s easier to start slacking off when you begin to dwell on how much progress you’ve made
• Believing you’ll succeed is key, but believing you’ll succeed easily is a recipe for failure

(Health.com) — Eat less, exercise more. That’s the recipe for losing weight, and we all know it by heart. So if we want to get slimmer, and we know the formula, then why can’t we do it?

Commitment is important — in fact, it’s essential — but it’s only the beginning. the key to successful dieting is bridging the gap between what you want to do and actually doing it. the desire is there; you just need a plan.

The scientifically proven tactics on these two pages will help you do just that. I say that with confidence — not only as a social psychologist who studies motivation, but also as someone who has benefited from these tricks firsthand.

Each one — especially #2 — helped me lose almost 50 pounds after my son was born three years ago.

Strategy #1: be very specific

Understanding nutrition labels FDA advisory panel backs diet drug

When we make goals that are vague, like “I want to lose weight,” we set ourselves up to fail.

Motivation happens when your brain detects a difference between where you are and where you want to be. When you are specific about your goal (I want to lose 10 pounds), that difference is clear, and your brain starts throwing resources (attention, memory, effort, willpower) at the problem.

A clear target looks something like this: “I want to weigh 135 pounds. I weigh 155 now, so that’s a difference of 20 pounds.”

Being specific gives you clarity because you’ve spelled out exactly what success looks like. That means more motivation — and better odds of success.

Health.com: “I did it!” Weight-loss success stories

Strategy #2: create an OK-to-eat plan

Faced with unexpected temptations — the dessert menu, the catered work lunch — we end up eating things that sabotage our weight-loss goals. the best way to guarantee you make the right choices is to create an “if-then” plan:

“If the dessert menu arrives, I’ll order coffee.”

“If I am at a business lunch, I’ll have a salad.”

Studies suggest that coming up with safe-to-eat plans makes you two to three times more likely to reach your diet goals.

Health.com: Willpower secrets from the pros

Strategy #3: Track your success

To stay clear about that gap between where you want to go and where you are now, monitor your progress. Keep getting on that scale; mark the days you exercise on a calendar.

Another thing: When you think about the progress you’ve made, stay focused on how far you have to go, rather than how far you’ve come. if you want to drop 20 pounds, and you’ve lost 5 so far, keep your thoughts on the 15 that remain.

When we dwell too much on how much progress we’ve made, it’s easy to feel a premature sense of accomplishment and start to slack off.

Health.com: 25 ways to cut 500 calories a day

Strategy #4: be a realistic optimist

As much as we want to believe otherwise, losing weight isn’t easy. It turns out that it’s important to accept this.

Believing you will succeed is key, but believing you will succeed easily (what I call “unrealistic optimism”) is a recipe for failure. take it from the women, all obese, who enrolled in a weight-loss program in one study.

Those who thought they could lose weight easily lost 24 pounds less than those who knew it would be hard. the successful dieters put in more effort, planned in advance how to deal with problems, and persisted when it became difficult.

So don’t try to tamp down your worries — they can help prepare you for shape-up challenges.

Health.com: best superfoods for weight loss

Strategy #5: Strengthen your willpower

The capacity for self-control is like a muscle: It varies in strength from person to person and moment to moment. just as your biceps can feel like jelly after a workout, your willpower “muscle” gets tired when you overtax it.

To strengthen it, pick any activity that requires you to override an impulse (such as sitting up straight when your impulse is to slouch), and add that to your daily routine. And take baby steps. instead of going junk-free overnight, begin by eliminating, say, those chips you eat by the bag, and substitute them with a fruit or vegetable.

Hang in there, and sticking to your diet will become easier because your capacity for self-control will grow.

Copyright Health Magazine 2011

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On her decision to go blonde: "I want to go black and I was in a natural color so it was easier to go blonde first. now I am attached to it (the blonde hue) and keep going lighter and lighter but it's easy to go to black from here."

On her weight loss: "I have no idea how I continue to lose weight. I'’s actually pretty annoying because I have no butt. It's an issue. I'm eating McDonalds at like 3 a.m."

On her new commercial for VitaCoco: "It’s all about nature and health and coconut water, which is very good for your skin, especially after a hangover."

AUDIO: Rihanna Features Chris Brown on Sexually Charged 'Birthday Cake' Remix

On her fashion career: "I have a small collection that I do for Armani – 7 to 10 pieces, apparel and accessories. the fall collection is already done and the spring collection is coming up. I am also pursuing a fashion line of my own. I want to earn it so I am working with designers that I respect and companies that I respect. I want people to trust me before I can say, 'Buy this because it's mine.'"

PHOTOS: 2011 Fashion Risk Takers: Rihanna, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj.

On her two songs with ex-boyfriend Brown: "the first song that came about was 'Birthday Cake.' I reached out to him about doing 'Birthday Cake' because that is the only person that made … sense to do the record. just as a musician, despite everything else. I thought about rappers and the hottest R&B artist right now is Chris Brown, so I wanted him on the track and in return, he said 'why don’t you do the remix on my track?' We did the two records so our fans could come together, there shouldn’t be a divide. It’s all music."

It's really sad, in my opinion, that kids don't engage in the kind of playful and imaginative exercise that was typical for children before computers and smart phones took over their imaginations.
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