Fat Reduction

The Significance of BMI

When it comes to weight watching and fitness levels today, there is a new buzz word, or shall I say buzz acronym, on everyone’s lips from pediatricians who are cautioning parents about their children’s track to weight gain, to adult weight and health counselors who are counseling their patients about how to lose weight, to your local gym worker who is training you to reach your fitness goals. You see, BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measurement like no other that can measure your body’s overall health and “portions” of the bad stuff vs. the good stuff.

It basically measures the fat content of your body, which should never go over a certain percentage that quite frankly seems to be pretty low at first glance, but when you consider that most of your body is soft tissue and muscles, and organs and all that good stuff, then you see why too much fat is a bad thing.

For one thing, visceral fat, which is the fat that surrounds and is between your vital organs like your stomach, your liver and kidneys and so on and so forth, is a major factor behind heart disease, as it’s been discovered over the past decade or so, and this is why doctors caution against a lot of belly fat and put patients on diets and recommend changes to them.

BMI is significant not only to how you look and how you feel, but it’s also important for your health and longevity. Since that has become painfully obvious, there are many gyms now that will measure your BMI for you. Heck, even the Wii Fit system measures your BMI for you and gives you rave reviews or high marks for getting a good reading. Either that, or it has your little gravatar holding it’s belly and looking depressed. All this has a point to get across, that if your BMI is at a healthy level, you will enjoy not only the fit and trim, fat reduced body that you deserve, but you will also enjoy a longer, more productive, more energetic life.

HGH in Spotlight for Fat Reduction, Muscle Building

HGH, or human growth hormone has been used as an anti aging regimen for a while, except the catch is that doctors cannot prescribe someone HGH for anti aging or for weight loss or muscle building and fat loss, but they have to hear the words “hormone deficiency” before they can give out that magical little piece of paper that allows people into the elite world of HGH injections. As you probably know, as we age, there is a certain amount of muscle wasting that happens, along with additional fat gain in parts of body that tend to hold onto fat in the first place.

Hence men and women with spare tires and beer guts as we age. This is because our bodies metabolisms slow as we get older, and also our ability to gain muscle and lose fat becomes harder to activate because our levels of human growth hormone start to go down, and this hormone is responsible for that easy physique that seems to come to us in a breeze when we are younger, even forgiving our occasional forays into the burger and fries joints with greater ease than it does when we get older.

Have you ever heard the expressions that your body changes and rearranges as you age? Or that you seem to just look at a plate of food and gain weight, whereas you didn’t have that problem when you were younger? A lot of that is due to a deficiency in HGH as we age, because this is essentially the hormone of youth. You can help your body produce more by taking an HGH supplement, and by living a healthy lifestyle, but also getting enough sleep is vital, since your body makes this hormone primarily at night when you are getting a good nights sleep.

I just watched a documentary that was about the world of illegal injections such as steroids and other abused performance enhancing and muscle building drugs, and found that HGH was not as widely prescribed as we think, mostly because the FDA prohibits it from being prescribed for what most people think it should be, which is for anti aging purposes, muscle building and fat loss, along with energy enhancement, but rather can only be prescribed for a hormone deficiency of some sort or for people with special health problems that need it.

That of course doesn’t stop some people from getting it on the black market since it is available that way if you can’t get it from a doctor. However, beware that there could be potential side effects using these injections, and that it is illegal which means you could get in trouble if you don’t have a prescription. Also be aware that they have no long term studies on these since they are used so seldom for long term and therefore they have no basis to provide a study.

What is This “Secret” to Belly Fat Loss as Seen on Ads?

I’ve been seeing this recurring ad on CNN, MSNBC and even Yahoo while I’m getting my mail, all referring to some new secret weight loss regimen that involves various women and their blogs about losing belly fat at a very fast rate.  The one I ran across and checked out was one about a woman named Nicholle who was saying that she lost 45 lbs in three months, which is a very fast paced 15 lbs per month, more than some experts may recommend, but as I can personally attest, it is very possible to do it safely, I’ve done that with the Zone diet, and I felt fine doing it.

The “secret” to Nicholle’s weight loss ended up being one of these new Acai berry herbal weight loss pills that supposedly helps you lose weight by increasing the energy levels and helping to remove toxins from the body.  I think acai berry is incredibly excellent for you, but as far as it’s weight loss appeal, I’m not really sure how it actually helps to burn fat, however I can see how it would definitely help you increase energy levels and feel better, which sometimes is half the battle of losing weight.

I also think it’s a great idea to add this super fruit to your diet, no matter what purpose you’re adding it for – weight loss or just to feel and look a lot better and to maintain and promote the health of your skin, organs and digestive system.  Oh, they also claim that this supplement can help your digestive and waste tracts (colon) clean which also helps to contribute to weight loss – I would agree with that claim although I haven’t tried this particular natural diet pill, I do think that colon health is pivotal to anyone’s weight loss and healthy weight maintenance after weight loss.

Nicholle says she used two products in conjunction though – one was the Acai berry supplement and the other was specifically made for colon cleansing (see Bowtrol review for our recommendation for colon cleansing), so those two together are what she says helped her to reach her weight loss goals and maintain them.  On the blog, there are pictures of Nicholle, without her head and face showing, demonstrating how much weight she lost with a large pair of pants she fit into in the Before picture and the same pair of pants, now two times too big for her.

This is certainly a very desirable outcome for many women and men.  I’d love to hear if anyone else has had this experience, or a bad experience or review with these very products being advertised so widely so we can publish it here.  Thanks!

SRT1720 a Promising Fat Burning Drug

Wow, if this was ever a “miracle pill” for people who wish they could just lose weight without even working at it, or at least eat whatever they want without gaining weight, then this is it.  It’s a new drug in development by French scientists called for the time being at least “SRT1720″.  It’s being tested on mice currently and has been found to protect the mice on the drug from weight gain even when they are put on a high fat diet.  It somehow tricks the body into going into fat burning mode supposedly, which prevents weight gain when ingesting large amounts of calories and fat.  In essence, it mimics a low calorie diet without the low calorie diet. 

Sounds great, right?  Who wouldn’t want this wonder drug?  Problem is with  drugs like this, there isn’t much information out there yet on long term effects.  Although the mice this SRT1720 is being tested on have not shown any adverse side effects as of yet, there also hasn’t been quite enough time to tell of any potential long term effects. 

The questions I would have on this drug are things like, ok once you get off of the drug, do you forever have to go back on it since your body probably reverts back to it’s old way of metabolizing and burning fat to stay thin?  They mentioned in the study that the mice that were on a lower dose of the drug did not get as much benefit as far as fat burning and no weight gain, while the mice that were on the higher doses were the ones that maintained a healthy weight and did not gain weight while on the higher doses. 

Would this then be something one could grow accustomed and therefore immune to, needing larger and larger doses in order to stay thin? Could it somehow then sabotage the body after one goes off the drug, kicking the body into maximum fat storage, making even a glimpse at a high fat meal to adhere to their thighs and belly?  Hmm, these are all questions that I’d want to know before taking this drug. 

The SRT1720 drug has not yet been tested on humans, so there is a lot more research and clinical trials that will be needed before this unique metabolic helper would make it’s way to market.  There is also another possible use for it besides weight loss and weight control, which would be for blood sugar stabilization.   Oh, and there were no side effects such as changes in eating patterns observed in the mice. 

Body Composition and Weight Control

Body composition is related to your metabolism as science and biology clearly state.  The higher the ratio of muscle to fat, the faster your metabolism will be.  It is a fact that a pound of muscle at rest will burn 60 times the calories than a pound of fat will.
Apply this theory to what type of workout you do when considering diffferent types of exercise for weight control.   Cardiovascular types of programs are great for your heart and lungs but may not have as much benefit for as long of a time as a weight training program would do.
So, the ideal workout would combine a cardiovascular and a weight training routine into your exercise program.   A weight training program will help you to build muscle and therefore fuel your metabolism to burn your calories faster and more efficiently.
As we age, we often lose muscle mass which can result in gaining weight even when we cut calories and constantly diet.  Often, people do a cardio workout alone to attempt to control weight.  With a cardio workout only, you will burn calories during the workout and for a short time afterward.
If you weight train and build muscle mass, you’ll burn more calories 24 hours a day, even at rest.
Weight training should be done at a level appropriate for your personal fitness and age.  It should be started with guidance from a trainer, gradually starting with resistance training.
Combine the weight training with cardio and adjust your diet to include more protein, vegetables and carbohydrates that are unrefined whole grains.  You’ll notice you’ll feel better, look better and have improved weight control.
Weight training is not just for body builders. It is part of a complete exercise routine that should not be overlooked.  Weight training has the added benefit of slowing bone loss that occurs with aging.

DexC20 Ads Claim to “Reduce Fat Cell Formation”

I had seen a brief news story on this new weight loss and fat loss supplement called DexC20, with what is the latest plant based herbal weight loss ingredient that is likely to cause a sensation if people start to notice results, called Caralluma Fimbriata, and thought it sounded really interesting.  The short news story was about how the company had commissioned a guy to do a special small study involving ten people (yes, a small study indeed), and also lasted around 30 days.

He said that all study subjects ended up losing weight while on the product, and they also had a guy on that looked like a personal trainer and who’s resume included that he was a model as well who said he’s used the DexC20 diet product for around four months and lost roughly ten pounds of what he feels was fat, without changing his diet or excercise regimen at all.  They didn’t say whether this guy was affiliated with this product, but I had to wonder if he was compensated in any way for making those statements – just the skeptic in me I guess.

I then went to the DexC20 website where it showed me that this product could be purchased in several store, including Walgreens, CVS and GNC, and could also be purchased online.  It also held my interest a little because Shelia Kennedy, a player in the Big Brother reality show which I happen to be addicted to, was one of their testimonials, and I can testify that she looked better than she did on the show in a bikini, but I also remember her losing weight throughout the season, but I don’t know if it was because of this or just because of the stress of the game. 

They have some before and afters that look good, however, my one problem with this product is that it claims to help “reduce fat cell formation”, which shouldn’t even be a statement, because you already supposedly have all the fat cells you’re going to have for the rest of your life once you hit adulthood, so to claim to reduce fat cell formation sounds like an incorrect statement that they may need to re-evaluate.  Heck, maybe it helps shrink fat cells, but it should be stated more clearly.  Have to admit though, the product does pique my interest, and the company is supposedly now commissioning an even larger study to test the efficacy of the diet product. 

Cut the Fat, Cut the Calories

We all know that “fat” is a buzzword for something to avoid in our diets if we are trying to slim down, or cutting down on our caloric intake so that we can get skinnier or maintain a weight that we’ve already achieved through conventional, long term weight loss programs.  However, what a lot of people forget is that, just by simply cutting a lot of heavy fat out of the diet, you are actually cutting a great amount of concentrated calories as well, because calories really stack up in fat-laden foods and drinks. 

Take for instance, cheese.  Most cheeses, unless they are low fat, are loaded with fat – especially orange cheeses.  The sharper they are, usually the more fat content they have, so it would be wise to at least stick to lighter cheeses as a general rule of thumb.  Mozzarella, say, is much better than sharp cheddar because there is not as much salt or fat in the mozzarella.

Another fat heavy food is heavy creams and sauces.  Be careful with soups, because broth based soups are generally fine, but creamy soups, especially those super tasty ones you probably love, are usually off the charts when it comes to calories and fat content.  Especially heavy cream – heavy cream is extremely calories dense. 

One of the biggest faults with the low carb diets, which set your body up to block carbs basically, is that they encourage high fat foods in exchange for not eating breads and pastas.  This fat is definitely stored in unsightly areas still, like areas where you are more prone to cellulite anyways and just general fat deposits. 

Another fatty and calorie dense food is heavy desserts like cheesecake.  Cheesecake is known as one of the most decadent desserts, and for good reason.  It is loaded with not only fat, but also sugar, and may even be up to one thousand calories for a modest sized slice of this little piece of heaven.  Think about it, that’s why you feel stuffed to the gills after you eat it! 

Ice cream, of the non-lowfat variety is one of the worst culprits in high fat content and subsequently high calorie content as well, and should only be consumed as a treat few and far between.  If you’re slightly lactose intolerant, like me, you might be a little more swayed to stay away from the really heavy desserts, which are often based in some sort of dairy food. 

In short, by cutting down on the fats in our foods, we are also setting our bodies up for improved health and fitness, fat loss and weight loss since we are cutting out a ton of calories as well.  Good all around! 

Mesotherapy for Fat Loss and Cellulite?

Mesotherapy is a fat loss method that is catching on here a little more in the US and has been used in France for quite a while now as a nonsurgical, noninvasive spot fat loss treatment that uses natural ingredients, injected at key points below the skin to target the fat (adipose) below the skin and “melt” it away, making it get swept up in the body’s natural elimination process and eliminate from the body via natural expulsion through the urine, sweat and other natural body secretions. 

Yuck, right, but wouldn’t that be pretty awesome if you saw a a lot of fat loss in local areas becuase of this?  Cellulite reduction creams and treatments today are largely in cream form, and many of them do provide some benefit, but they really only are beneficial if you use them regularly and with somewhat vigorous massage, the real machine behind cellulite reduction since massage helps break apart the fat deposits so the body can then smooth them out, creating a smoother look instead of the pocketed look of cellulite. 

Mesotherapy is a shot that is inserted slightly below the skin, where the fat layer forms, and it supposedly actually breaks the fat cells apart and essentially kills them off, allowing them to die and then be harmlessly evacuated from the body via evacuation through excretions that the body normally emits, such as the urine and sweat. 

Some women have reported excellent effects with mesotherapy, while others aren’t as thrilled.  I’m not sure if this method has officially been accepted to be performed over here in the US, but a similar thing called Lipolysis is available that uses essentially the same principle as mesotherapy, but just uses a different solution to kill the fat cells.  Because it gets rid of fat it may also help reduce the appearance of cellulite by reducing the amount of tissue that can bunch up and pucker, creating the spongy look we all can’t stand. 

Love Your Legs for Cellulite Reduction

I recently purchased a DVD online called “Love Your Legs” that targets exactly what it says it does and more – your legs, oh and your butt too.  But don’t those two go hand in hand?  They sure do, especially since many of the exercises that you do for your legs and thighs, both outer and inner, are also going to help to tone and trim your butt. 

This DVD, called “Love Your Legs” was something I found online because I wanted to try something that would target my saddle bag area, as well as help me to reduce cellulite in my problem areas, which are the backs of my thighs, sides of my thighs (ie saddle bags) and my buttocks.  The DVD is marketed to also be able to help cellulite, so I was happy that the DVD also included segments on how to massage to get rid of cellulite, as well as dietary tips and exercises to help sculpt out those problem areas that so many women have.

There is a segment from renowned dermatologist Howard Murad, who also has several cellulite product out himself and wrote a book that is acclaimed on how to manage and get rid of cellulite called “The Cellulite Solution”.  I’ve only done the workout twice now, but it consists of about twenty minutes or fifteen minutes of lunges and other targeted exercises for these notorious trouble areas. 

Drinking Alcohol and Body Fat

Let’s get something clear.  Drinking alcohol frequently will pack the pounds on.  And do you know why?  Not just because of the calorie content of many alcohols, especially the flavored ones like coconut rums and flavored vodkas, but even regular old alcohol, but because our bodies treat alcohol as sugar, and thus our bodies are going to go at the alcohol and burn it first before it burns the fat, which is what we all want it to burn ideally, since this is what we want less of on our  bodies.

I was going to get cellulite reduction treatments for a while, and the woman who was administering the treatments told me that I should really try to avoid alcoholic drinks at all costs if I truly was serious about attacking the excess fat and cellulite on my body.  Not only because alcoholic beverages (except she said a glass of red wine is typically metabolized differently) are burned like sugars, but because they also leaves trace toxins behind in our bodies many times, and this toxin trail often leaves us with excess cellulite and fat, which is very difficult to get rid of. 

The problem with alcohol also happens to be that when we drink alcohol, our sense are dulled, and our inhibitions and judgement are impaired, so what starts off as one drink often ends up as several highly caloric, sugary drinks that can pack in as many as 200 calories per drink.  Make it a really sugary drink like a margarita, and you’ve got almost 400 to 500 calories per drink. 

Add in the fact that you could consume quite a few, and the fact that they are burned like sugar, and you are looking at a potential for an extra 1500 calories added onto your daily calorie total (think, 1500 is many times the recommended daily allowance total for many people), and you’ve got 1500 extra calories that aren’t even going to be burned off properaly, and instead will be stored as extra fat, and yes, extra cellulite on your body.  For tips on cellulite treatment see cellulite reduction.