Closer Look At The Buffet Table

Weight loss is something almost every one of my friends talks about.  People are always trying to diet, or trying to lose weight.  Whether its 40 pounds or 4 pounds, people are always “watching” what they eat.

According to a study, 213 people were observed at an all you can eat Chinese buffet by trained researchers.  The research showed some fairly interesting results.  Diners who were visibly overweight ot obese were more likely than normal-weight diners to:

• Serve themselves immediately, rather then browse the buffet first
• Choose a large plate over a smaller one
• Sit facing the buffet
• Use a fork rather then chopsticks
• Sit without a napkin on their laps

What to do if you are at a buffet such as this and trying to watch your weight? Use a small plate, so you take smaller portions.  Use chopsticks so you slow down while you are eating.  You also pay more attention to the amount of food you are consuming.  Don’t sit facing the buffet, so the food isn’t always “in your face” having you thinking about what to eat next.  Take your time and look around the buffet and go for the food that most appeals to you, not just what’s at hand.  Use your napkin, this way its one more thing you have to do before getting back up to grab another serving, which may in fact act as a deterrent. 🙂

What to Consider when Buying a Bathroom Scale

Anytime you decide to go on a diet the bathroom scale becomes your best friend. You visit it often during the day to check for any changes or discrepancies in what you think you should be weighing. When deciding on what type will work best for you here are a few tips:

• Clean Concise numbers – The scale you choose should have numbers you can easily read.
• Accuracy – One of the most important things to keep in mind is accuracy of the scale. You want a scale that will give you the most accurate read out possible.
• Bonus Features – if you want any extras keep that in mind when looking for scale. Digital Voice, Body fat measure, Glass, Compact design; these are all extra features that may interest you
• Do your research – Use the internet to find out the reviews of different scales that you are interested in. You can also ask a fitness expert which one would be best for you.
• Weight Range – Always make sure that your starting weight is listed on the scale.

A bathroom scale is a needed part of your diet routine if you are looking to really keep track of your losses. Don’t just opt for the cheapest, get the one that fits your needs.

Preventing Saggy Boobs

One of the female body parts that women (and men) highly place importance on are the breasts. After all, every female knows how much the male species get attracted to sexy and perky breasts. It is one of the focal points of female sexuality.

However, the inescapable truth is that breasts tend to lose their perkiness and elasticity with aging. This is why sagging breasts is one of the main concerns of women everywhere. Over time, gravity and other external factors can pull down the ligaments in our breasts and cause it to sag. While technology has given women the power to reverse the process and even enlarge (or reduce) the breasts through surgery, many women still fear of the risks involved in such operations. Not to mention the monetary costs of such.

The good news is there are ways to help lengthen the perkiness and elasticity of our breasts. Of course, these are not fool-proof, ultimate solutions, but following these few tips given by experts will surely benefit you in the quest to stay as sexy and as perky as you can.

1. Wear only the best supporting bras. Good supportive bras that hold your breasts firmly in place can counter the gravitational effect because these bras support your breast tissues despite constant movement. Women with big boobs in particular should really wear good supportive bras because big breasts are heavier and can cause more strain on the breast tissues. Furthermore, if you are an active female who likes to exercise or play sports, make sure you wear only the best sports bras that will prevent your breasts to jiggle a lot and lose their elasticity.

2. Drink a lot of water. Drinking a lot of water keeps you hydrated, and hydration keeps your skin elastic. Aside from water, consuming lots of fruits can also boost your hydration and keep skin elastic. So instead of reaching for that soft drink, opt to blend or reach for a natural fruit shake instead.

3. Maintain your weight. It’s true that gaining weight often means gaining larger breasts, but once you lose that weight, this also means a lot of unhealthy fat loss in the breast area. If you are overweight now, lose the weight through the proper ways and then stick to your healthy weight. Constant weight gain and weight loss stresses your breasts, affecting their youthful perkiness.

4. Do not smoke. Female smokers, here’s another reason why you should stop smoking. Incessant smoking highly affects skin elasticity in the long run, so unless you want droopy, dehydrated boobs before you reach your golden years, better quit while you can.

Care to share more tips to prevent saggy boobs?

Image from this site.

What’s your healthy weight?

With so much emphasis on being slim and trim, it is important to remember that you need to maintain a healthy weight. Being fit and healthy doesn’t mean being skinny. Many teens and young adults confuse the two. They will think that healthy means being razor thin and this leads to so many troubles they are having now when dealing with health and nutrition.

This is a great BMI (Body Mass Index) to start off with to give you a general idea of your category.  If you know what you should be weighing it’s a good chance you can reach and maintain your goals. Simply looking in the mirror is not a good determination of when you are healthy. Being too thin can have some negative effects just as being overweight does. I found this great healthy weight calculator from weight watchers. This will let you know where you need be to a healthy normal weight. If you are your normal weight and are still bothered by your body, try toning up. Once you gain some muscle you may start to notice you are happier with your body. Exercising has so many benefits, you are sure to feel and look better in no time!!

How To Stop Pigging Out

Ever had trouble controlling your appetite as soon as you set your eyes on the table feast? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many women continue to encounter this problem. Here are some tips you can apply to lessen overeating and pigging out.

1. Eat before going to a party or gathering.

Parties usually mean lots of food spread out in scrumptious buffets. If you want to lose some weight and control your intake, eat a healthy snack before going to the party. It may be a bowl of cereal, some fruits, or yogurt. Anything that is healthy and fills up your stomach halfway, that way you don’t attend the party eager to attack.

2. Drink a large glass of sparkling water before every meal.

Drinking water is another way to fill up the stomach without putting on the calories. Having a large glass of water before eating lessens the hunger and appetite for a bit, giving you the feeling of fullness. Do this regularly and you may see the long term benefits of every slight dampening in appetite before every meal.

3. Start with a lot of salad and seafood.

If you are in a party or event and there are lots of foods to choose from, start with the salads or seafood. Salads or seafood could fill you up the way carbohydrates can but with much less of the fats and calories. If you want to have a taste of the yummy-looking pastas and chicken or the scrumptious desserts, do it at the last part of your meal, that way you’ll be full enough to gorge in such calorific treats.

4. Eat slowly.

Eating slowly will give your stomach much more time to tell your brain how much you’ve eaten. On the other hand, eating in haste can result to overeating because you don’t realize how full you are until you’ve fully stuffed your stomach and maximized its capacity. Chew slowly and make sure you crush all the food before swallowing.

5. Eat on the table.

Eating in front of the television or while reading a book can divert your attention and distract you from realizing that you’ve been eating a lot. When you’re eating while doing something you enjoy like watching a favorite show, you unconsciously transfer that enjoyment to your eating, making you consume a lot more than you intended.

Care to share a tip?

Slim Shots

Lose weight by eating less. It’s that simple, well not actually, or is it? The thought of being able to just eat less to lose weight is a fairytale thought for some of us. We usually end up snacking all day or eating way too much, just because we feel a little hungry. Even worse, we get so hungry trying to “eat less” that we engorge ourselves and then are left feeling guilty and even more FAT! At the very thought of a diet I get hungry , so sad.

A new product is out called Slim Shots, an appetite suppressor that makes you do just that, Eat Less. It states that it controls your appetite for up to 8 hours. Eight hours is a pretty good bit of time to be able to go without even a snack. Supposedly, you drink a little of this liquid (which comes in a container that’s the size of the single serving coffee creamer) and you eat 30% less food, without feeling like you are starving yourself. Also, it has no side effects, so no jitters. If it works, this is one awesome product. I’d like to see to try this product just to see if it will work. Eat less without being hungry, What a Concept. Count me in!

Benefits of exercise

Sure, exercise makes you lose weight. We all know this but did you realize exactly why exercising is good for you. Exercising prompts your body to release endorphins that block pain signals from reaching your brain. Have you ever had a headache and started working out, did you notice the headache was gone? Well that’s why, after you started working out, the endorphins blocked the pain signals. I noticed it but never put two and two together until I found out about this. Endorphins also alleviate stress and depression.

        When exercising to lose weight, you simply have to burn more calories than you eat. Easier said than done, I know.  Once you get on that treadmill and realize just how long it is going to take to burn off that cheesecake you just ate at lunch, can be hard on all of us . If you are having trouble remembering, it may not be your age, you may just need to start working out. Exercising has shown to improve memory and concentration by making sure brain works faster.

     Another benefit is that it decreases the risk of developing some types of cancer, including some breast and colon cancers. It is stated that people aged 16-65 should do a  minimum of 30 mins a day of moderate aerobic exercise is needed 5 days a week. You also need to incorporate strength training in twice a week. Doing the stated amounts of exercise will improve and maintain your health.

Water

Everyone is always looking for that miracle weight loss pill or that fountain of youth. The truth is most of the time all you need is to drink more water. We walk around dehydrated and never even know it. There are many benefits you will see from drinking more water. It will improve your energy, keep skin healthy and glowing, reduce headaches, help you to lose weight, remove toxins from your body. These are just a few of the benefits from drinking more water.

     Many times I will forget to drink water during the day. If I get too busy I will never even think about it. So there are a few tips you do to try and remember to drink your water. I drink my water room temperature so I can drink more at time, so I place a jug with how much I want to drink for the day on a counter. This way I can see how much I need to be drinking…and by the end of the day I can make sure I have drank it all. Drink a glass of water when you first wake up in the morning, we are naturally thirsty when we awake so make water the first thing you do in the morning. You can set a timer to remind your self to drink water through out the day, just until you establish a routine. Another great tip is to keep a bottle of water with you all day and don’t just sip on it, when you take a drink gulp it down and refill the bottle. Sipping water will make you end up not drinking much water at all.

     The amount of water needed differs from person to person, but a good place to start is the 8×8 rule; drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day. If you are overweight you need additional glass for every 25 lbs of excess weight. By drinking this amount you should start feeling better. Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body to metabolize store fat. An increase in water can actually reduce fat deposits. Water is the miracle we have all been searching for, it’s been right at our fingertips the whole time.

Plus sized and beautiful

We have all heard the saying “Big, Bold and Beautiful”, well it is true. Big is beautiful, if anyone tells you otherwise they are lying. I have seen many big people who look amazing and I never notice, until told, how big they really are. Just because you are bigger than what society considers normal does not mean you are not gorgeous and can’t Strut your Stuff like the rest of ’em. The key is to KNOW you are Fabulous (be self confident). Then dress your body, don’t let your body dress you. You pick clothes that flatter you, don’t think you can’t wear anything until you try it on. You just might be surprised at what looks good on you. In our heads we all see ourselves one way, whether a good or bad self image is up to you.

     You should always carry yourself with an aire of confidence. Just feeling confident makes you look more attractive. If you don’t have a lot of confidence practice being confident…repeat to yourself that you are beautiful and gorgeous and you will start to believe it too! Fake it til you make it! Put on your make up and more than just sweats to leave the house. There are so many styles and fashions for people of all sizes there is no reason not to look great, no matter what size you may be and where you are going. Take a look at all the beautiful plus sized models and you will see, Plus Sized is definitely Beautiful. I, for one, am happy that people are becoming more and more comfortable with themselves and the view of beauty is changing from “skinny minnies” to normal everyday people.

"Look Thinner, Dress Thinner"

Did you know you can look thinner by dressing correctly for your weight. It’s as easy as wearing clothes not too baggy or too tight. Even if you are trying to lose weight, wear clothes that fit your body right now. It makes you feel better and look smaller.  Updating your hairstyle can make you look younger and thinner. Long boring hair does nothing for you, so get a trim and a new style and you’ll feel and look so much better.

     A good bra will make you look more fit and thinner. Big breasts can make you look bigger than you actually are so you need to wear a bra that will give you support and elevation, it will definitely make you look smaller. The slimmest part of every woman’s body is right under her breasts. So accentuate this by wearing fitted fabrics in this area and a push up bra. Empire waist dresses and shirts look fabulous for this reason. If you have big arms, wear something loose at the arm. Steer clear of anything fitted or elastic at the arm area, it never helps.

     One tone jeans can slim down a leg. Never wear tapered leg or flare cut, instead buy boot cut. This will give you a more symmetrical appearance. Please, avoid belts and anything else you want to tie around your waist to make you look smaller. It doesn’t work! Simplicity is key, be simple and look smaller.  Elastic waist pants will always add more pounds to how you look and never wear pants with pleats in the front. Big bright colors and patterns can hide a multitude of problem areas, like love handles. Patterns fool the eye. Dressing in one color can slim the look of your body. It elongates and makes you appear taller and slimmer. V-necks, are slimming so unbutton your shirt a little to create a V. Pencil skirts can do everything for your shape. They make you look slimmer and more put together.

     If you have bulges, wear minimizers to smooth you out and help suck you in. Body slimmer’s can make a huge difference, even if you are smaller with just a few trouble spots, why not get a quick fix now. They make your body look amazing, just make sure you get the right size or they can do the opposite.  Make sure your bra straps are not too tight, this causes rolls and bulges. 

      Shoes can also make you appear smaller. Wear shoes that accentuate your legs and ankles. If you have thick calves wear boots that come up higher and that are not tight on your calves. You want the boot to fall right above the calf and be slightly big at the top of the boot. If you do have a big calf, always buy pull on boots. Beware of sneakers if you have big ankles, find a backless sneaker and it will make your ankle look slimmer because you can see the whole back of the foot, instead of just a pudgy ankle. My personal favorite way to look slimmer, is to wear heels. Wear them whenever you can, the higher the heel the slimmer you will look. They also give you an amazing looking calf.

You are after a good fit for your body. Clothes that are too tight do nothing for your shape, you aren’t showing off anything but a bad shape. Baggy clothes aren’t hiding your trouble spots they are hiding you and making you look double or triple your size. Don’t be too shy to try on clothes in stores. Always try on before you buy, and don’t be afraid to return if you get it home and it doesn’t fit well.