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I’ve been so curious to make an Armour39 review, ever since I heard about it originally. I love fitness tracking tools, and this one looks particularly interesting. It has been a long time coming by UnderArmour, so it makes sense that it could be a potentially work-out changing product.

The Armour39 is a new product by Under Armour which monitors your workout intensity, heart rate, and calories burned. The user wears a chest strap which syncs with a wrist watch or the app. The product hasn’t been released yet but is available for pre-order now. Under Armour has promised that it will be available in Spring 2013, so we’re eagerly awaiting it’s arrival.

I’m really curious about it’s workout tracking abilities. The Armour39 is billed as a revolutionary workout tool that will help you improve your workouts. I certainly hope it lives up to the hype.

Under Armour Armour39 Module & Chest Strap $149.99 Under Armour Armour39 Module & Chest Strap. Armour39 and Armour 39 Stores your biometric info including heart rate, calories burned, real-time intensity, and WILLpower and transmits it automatically in real time with the Armour39 App or Watch. Compatible with select Bluetooth Smart Ready mobile devices. Highly responsive and designed to keep contact with the body so you get precise measurements no matter what you wear it to do. Leave your phone behind and still track your stats stores up to 16 hours of workout information on the module. Transmits within 15 feet of your Bluetooth Smart Ready mobile device. LED alerts let you know when it's connected to your display device. No charging it runs on a standard watch battery (CR 2032 3V) that lasts up to 9 months (preserve battery life by removing Module from Chest Strap after each use). Module is sweat resistant (cannot be submerged in water). ARMOUR39 CHEST STRAP. Not just a strap. it actually performs; it wicks sweat and stays put. Sensing pads detect the body's biometric info and deliver it to the Module. Adjustable to fit a ribcage measuring 27"-52" around (see models for fit). 76% Nylon, 24% Spandex. Comparable to the Nike fuelband and Nike fuel band and, nike+ fuel band, nike+ fuelband. Get every piece of vital workout info, all in real time in a single location. Use the calendar to compare your daily workouts and see how you're improving over time and pinpoint trends. Stores 120 days. Available soon for Bluetooth Smart Ready mobile devices. Similar to body bug, bodybugg, body bugg, pedometer, workout tracker, heart rate monitor, heartrate monitor.

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Reviewer:  Elliot Erikson
Rating: 
Product Reviewed:  Fat Loss Factor

When it comes to losing weight, there are so many factors to consider and needs to be done for one to achieve his goals.  For some people, losing weight is not easy at all.  These people find it challenging, difficult, tiring, discouraging and frustrating, but all of that will be paid off once results are already visible.

Of course, I’ll assume that you have also done your research online on how and what to do to lose weight fast.  This is one of the most frequently asked questions.  The Fat Loss Factor program is one of the many things you should consider before jumping into any fitness activity.

Many people around the world are really eager and serious when it comes to losing weight.  Losing weight will not only make you healthy and fit, but it will bring back and boost your self-confidence.  You will not be bullied anymore because of your weight and size by people around you.  The most challenging part of losing weight though is how and when to start.  Many people are willing and more than eager to lose weight but they don’t know how and where to start.  Okay, let me help you with that concern.

You can simply start a Fat Loss Factor program by creating a simple, healthy meal plan.  Since our eating habit could be the cause of our weight gain, we need to change it to a healthier meal plan.  You can also add in some exercises to complete the process.

Click here to visit Fat Loss Factor

Creating a meal plan is not that difficult.  In fact, it is fun and very educational.  This will give you the chance to choose the set of food that you will eat.  These should be foods that can help you lose weight.  From a Fat Loss Factor program, you will learn that you can actually plan the meals that you will eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  You can have that same meal for a week and change your course the next week or you can retain it in case you enjoy having that type of food.

For your breakfast, you can have almond-honey oatmeal.  For your lunch, you can enjoy a nice bowl of tuna salad, and for dinner, having cannelloni bean and spinach soup is a good option.  There are a lot of other options to choose from when it comes to healthy recipes and healthy eating habits.  Try to do more research or read other reviews on the Fat Loss Factor program such as this.  They may have lots of options and suggestions when it comes to food that you can include in your meal plan.

Aside from the diet plan, the program also has workout proposals that one can follow.  Beginner, intermediate and advance workout routines are available so users of the program will get the correct and appropriate order of exercise routines to make sure that he’s on the right track.  Also available are five different 15-minute exercises to choose from, depending on one’s lifestyle or preferences.

The Fat Loss Factor is a very user-friendly program.  It basically spoon-feeds you to become the healthier person you aim to be.   This program proves that living healthy and looking good doesn’t need to be troublesome or exhausting, but rather, an enjoyable and easy journey.

Click here to visit Fat Loss Factor

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Reviewer:  Elliot Erikson 

Rating: 

Product Reviewed:  Customized Fat Loss

The standard of living has now changed drastically.  It has also changed each and everyone’s health habits.  Now, the number of people who are up to their necks finding ways in order to lose weight is increasing every single day.

Tons of methods, programs and even medications have helped people lose weight.  Among the many choices is the Customized Fat Loss program.

One of the things that the program will share with the user  is the different body types known as “Somatotype.”  According to the program, our bodies are a combination of Somatotypes and identifying our body type is the very first thing we should do.

This strategy will help us come up with the right amount of fats, carbohydrates and proteins which our body needs in order for us to burn fats without sacrificing the loss of our muscles.  This is known as “somato-specific nutrition.”  This formula enables your body to reach a level that you have never tried before.  This is how simple yet anatomy-oriented and user-oriented the program is.  It is specifically tailored to your Somatotype and yourself, and, I personally find this really amazing and very effective.

Click here to visit Customized Fat Loss

Upon determining your Somatotype, you are presented with guidelines that you can follow for you to create your own weight loss meal plan which corresponds to your body type.   This is one unique feature of the program that I bet everyone would be interested in because the user gets to choose the the type of food that he wants to eat, versus, following a strict diet that nobody normally enjoys, like those in other weight loss programs.

In this program, the user is also encouraged to do workouts.  You can do cardio training, weight-lifting and other machine exercises.  You also get to choose your workout plan so you can perform one routine at a time or slot everything in to make a total workout routine.  This workout is compatible with any body type.

This program is a combination of nutrient intake and training.  It encourages that having proper nutrition for your body type be applied together with proper exercise, thus, it informs people that it is useless to work-out like a horse without having the right food for your body or by skipping meals.  It simply implies that “no food means no energy.”

It even discusses the types of food that a person who is trying to lose the fat must avoid so as not to eradicate his chances of losing unwanted fats, no matter what type of diet or fitness program he may take in the future.

Many who have tried this program have also attested that the program really works, and believe me when I say that you will not regret using the program.  Read-up and try it out.  Register and give yourself the gift of good health and a better future.

Click here to visit Customized Fat Loss

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Reviewer: Elliot Erikson

Rating:

Product Reviewed:  The Jump Manual

As you read this Jump Manual review, try to find the key factors that you need to remember so you can easily point out what you need to do as you are in your training.  This will inform you of the numerous lessons and principles that an average jumper needs to know, learn and apply to be an extraordinary jumper.

According to the author, the Jump Manual have shown or created some formulas so we can easily remember the principles that he wants to teach us.  Here are some samples of the formulas and principles that should be remembered.

When you are training, you need to train your explosion and not endurance.  The equation, strength x quickness = explosion, is the basis of your training.  You need to keep your workouts in the “improvement zone.”  If it doesn’t reach that zone then do not train at all. Plyometrics are to be done minimizing the “amortization phase” and with each explosion it should have a maximum strength and speed.

There should be NO extra bounce or movements.  LAP, which means for perfect plyometrics, Load- Amortization-Explode, treat each repetition with focus and intensity of the single event, recruiting all fibers, and firing all fibers at maximum rate, is the only way to extract the maximum benefit from a weight training regime.  Lastly, train with 85% of your repetition max, and you need to do each repetition at maximum speed.  In case the speed is jeopardized, the repetition should also be lowered.

Click here to visit The Jump Manual

If you try to analyze it, these formulas are simply the summary of each chapter of the said manual.  They are the main ideas of the whole lesson.  These are the only factors that you should remember as you enhance your jumping skills.  If you memorize this, then it will be easier for you to adopt the training. Once you have already adjusted your pace, try to do that as often as you can and you will see the result of your effort in no time.

Try to play an actual game that requires jumping, like basketball, for you to see if you have really improved in jumping or not.  If you have not tried dunking before then now is the time to try it out.  If you were able to dunk, then that means that your ability to jump has improved.  Also, you have to try to glide, float, fly and defy gravity.  These techniques require more time in the air.  The higher the jump, the more time you have to float in the air like Michael Jordan.  That is why they call it air time.

You can find and read the summary of all this information in a Jump Manual review such as this.  The author has simply written his experiences and how he turned from an average jumper to a great jumper.

That’s why principles found in this manual are, without a doubt, real.  They came from a firsthand experience and it was proven as well.  This is a proof that anyone can be a great jumper as long as they follow exactly what is written and suggested in the manual.  If you want to prove to yourself that what you read from this Jump Manual review is true, go ahead and try it and see for yourself.

Click here to visit The Jump Manual

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Reviewer:  Elliot Erikson

Rating: 

Are you tired of spending all that money to achieve a great muscle mass percentage?  Between the personal trainers, the time involved and the money required, it can be a very expensive goal!  This Muscle Maximizer review will explain how to spend less time and money to achieve maximum muscle gain.

This review of the Muscle Maximizer program will guide you through the process of achieving optimal muscle mass with little to no fat.   It will allow you to spend far less time and money on fitness than you would with a personal trainer and a fitness nutritionist.

The program is customized to each individual based on gender, weight, height, age and goal.  It also shows the number of hours you need to allot each week for muscle training.  A program will be tailored considering these factors to better fit your lifestyle.  The Muscle Maximizer includes four unique SMMS formulas that create a special program designed specifically for each individual.

The program also shows three additional bonus features for individuals who are serious about muscle maximization.  The somatotype method of the program avoids many negative aspects of traditional bulk-up methods that will then require you to reduce or lose the weight.

Click here to visit The Muscle Maximizer

The Muscle Maximizer kit also includes four main files, in PDF format.  The kit provides a general outline of the program, a quick start guide, a body type guide and a file that tells users why they will gain weight at the start of the program.  Also included are three free bonus programs.  This review will go over each bonus program with you to help you achieve optimized results.

Bonus One is the Somanabolic Weight Training Guide, also called the SWT.  This is a nine-week weight training program that can be followed by anyone.  You should begin this program only after you have reviewed the Muscle Maximizer program and the included program guides.  In addition to the overview file in this bonus program, five training logs in Word format are included for users.  By logging training sessions and training time, individuals are better able to keep track of the efforts and results.  It is determined that this SWT is the fastest, easiest and healthiest method available for individuals to obtain optimal muscle mass.

The second bonus program is the Somanabolic Nutrition and Supplements.  These supplements are the four unique SMMS created  and provided by the Muscle Maximizer program.  It is determined that the benefits of these somanabolic supplements are unmatched in the market today.

The third is a seven-day program for users to look their best for special occasions or events.  Although this is not a long-term solution for those wishing to gain healthy muscle mass, it works well for those one-time events you need to look your best at.  A general guide is included in this third and final bonus of the Muscle Mamizer seven-day program.  The software included in the program will allow its users to carry out the seven-day program, and continuing further for  the long-term program for optimal muscle mass.

The kit includes all the necessary tools and means to be used in the said unique program.  This only proves that the Muscle Maximizer program can be the number one program available in the market today for healthy muscle mass optimization.

Click here to visit The Muscle Maximizer

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Reviewer:  Elliot Erikson

Rating:

Visual Impact Muscle Building is a process that teaches users how to build muscle by living and eating healthy.  By teaching this process for muscle building, users of this program will achieve life-long  habits that will increase muscle building and enable a healthy lifestyle.  The Visual Impact Muscle Building review evaluates this system and the success of the methods used.  This also shows that this system takes into account the fact that no one wants to concentrate on muscle building all the time.  Other priorities, such as social and professional goals, are also important.  This program will teach users to maintain a healthy lifestyle while not having to constantly work for it.

The review of the Visual Impact Muscle Building has identified how it is possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle without thinking about it constantly and consciously working toward it all the time.  It shows that this is accomplished by incorporating the methods used in the program into your everyday routine. Through this method, you do not have to constantly think about being healthy and well-toned because it becomes an automatic part of your daily activities.

Click here to visit Visual Impact Muscle Building

The Visual Impact Muscle Building kit contains a comprehensive guide with fifteen chapters.   The Visual Impact Muscle Building review identified three phases of this program with the addition of one more bonus phase found in chapter 13.  The phase entitled, Shrink Wrap Your Muscles, shows you how to quickly look your best for those special occasions.

The review of Visual Impact Muscle Building shows three main phases, each phase is carefully detailed for users.  The chapters included and addressed by the program has sections on a personalized workout routine, body building supplements, eating habits, types of muscle growth and possible imbalances in muscle mass growth.  Also included in the program are printable workout routines and exercise demonstrations.

The Visual Impact Muscle Building Review has evaluated the supplementary materials provided in this program.  A review of the printable workout routines included in this program shows three phases for a workout routine devised to increase the general muscle tone and health of users.  For those wishing to specialize in upper body strength, two phases of a workout routine are given.  There are two days with different routines listed for each phase and users of these routines should do alternate workout sessions between the two days listed.

The exercises demonstrated in the program include exercises involving all identified major muscle groups.  The Visual Impact Muscle Building review has identified the major muscle groups as the forearms, biceps, triceps, back, shoulders, chest, abs, calves, and legs.  Users of the Visual Impact Muscle Building program can customize or tailor workout routines to concentrate on any one or combination of these areas using the demonstrated exercises.

In conclusion, the Visual Impact Muscle Building review has found that this program is one of the best in the market for maintaining your muscle tone and good health without having to work very hard.  Incorporation of healthy and muscle maximizing routines into your daily activities will result to a fit and healthy you.

Click here to visit Visual Impact Muscle Building

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Reviewer:  Elliot Erikson

Rating:

This Anabolic Cooking review has determined that there are three main parts of this system:  the quick start guide, the cookbook and an article on the ugly truth about supplements.  The Anabolic Cooking system is designed to teach its users how to identify the types of nutrients in food and adjust their cooking habits to accommodate muscle building and overall fitness.  The three macro-nutrients identified by the review of Anabolic Cooking are proteins, fats and carbohydrates.   The types of food rich in these essential nutrients which are important for muscle building and fitness are also shown.

The Anabolic Cooking review illustrates a shopping guide included in the quick start book.  The shopping guide included gives simple hints, such as, “avoid junk food” and “buy fresh.”  Also included in this portion of the book are the ingredients,kitchen tools and utensils needed for cooking.

Click here to visit Anabolic Cooking

This Anabolic Cooking review also recognizes other nice little bits of information included in this guide, as well as the main components.  For example, the guide states that drinking water is essential in achieving your goal to fitness.  There is also a short section on cheats that one can use when eating out.  Two of the final sections of the quick guide talks about what types of food to eat before and after a workout for better results.  Pre-workout foods include those that give additional energy and promote muscle growth, while those to be eaten after a workout include foods high in nutrients to promote fitness and limit muscle damages.

At the very end of the quick start guide is a list of simple cooking terms and definitions to help anyone to better understand the system.  It is determined that this list is very comprehensive and will turn almost anyone into a great cook with the help of the Anabolic Cooking cookbook.  Let’s discuss this cookbook next.

The cookbook is very comprehensive and includes recipes for many different meals, even snacks.  Included in the cookbook are sections on breakfast, fish and seafood, beef and red meat, chicken and poultry, desserts, salads, soups and snacks.  The cookbook contains recipes that can be used for full meals, light snacks and even special treats (such as a chocolate cake).

The Anabolic Cooking system also consists bonus products.  The first bonus reveals seven meal planning guides.  If you do not want to stretch your imagination and make unique meals on a daily basis, these meal guides will allow you to have different meals each day of the week anyway.  Each meal plan includes breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack, during workout and after workout foods.

By keeping track of what you eat and how much you work out, and adjusting your cooking and eating habits, the Anabolic Cooking system will enable you to achieve your muscle building and excellent fitness goal.  This review has found this system to be one of the most comprehensive and effective eating and cooking guide in the market for promotion of muscle building and fitness.

Click here to visit Anabolic Cooking

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Everyone wants a plan which has a guarantee of delivering its claims and though it’s not always that way with weight-loss diets, the raw food diet has won the crowd with its shocking results.  Though the idea has been around for at least two centuries (or since the eve of mankind, if you think about it), raw foodism or rawism has gained most popularity in recent years because of the growing realization that it is not just a fad but a commitment to a healthy, nutritious and fulfilling lifestyle. More than just a diet, raw foodism is a new ideology about the kind of food which is best suited to consumption by people in order to maintain a good weight, avoid disease and just feel good.  It’s not easy to follow, being very restrictive, with lengthy preparation techniques and special equipment, it might scare easy.  Yet, with time and practice one can make the process simple and less scrupulous, and you would get used to the idea of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Although raw food diet is not synonymous to vegan or vegetarian lifestyles, the ‘purest’ form of raw foodism is vegan in nature, and even exempting that, the diet consists of 75% fruits and vegetables, making it very easy for vegetarians and vegans to switch to raw foodism.  As a general principle, the diet revolves around all kinds of raw, organic and fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as seaweed, sprouts, whole grains, beans, dried fruits and nuts.  The diet may also include raw eggs and dairy products from non-pasteurized and non-homogenized milk, raw fish and raw meat.  Some raw foodists even consume some cooked food in their daily intake, but under all conditions the intake of raw food is at 70% or more.

It only makes sense to question and understand the theoretical reasoning behind the viability of raw food diet.  Is it really the refreshing antidote to poor health and weight problems we’ve all been waiting for?  The supporters would say so: they believe that when food is cooked at high temperatures, many of its natural enzymes get denatured which are very important for the human body.  To back it up, studies show that raw vegetables, such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale, are helpful in preventing bladder cancer.  The chemicals involved in this protective process, isothiocyanates, are destroyed by traditional cooking.  Raw vegetables have also been found to be instrumental in reducing risk of other cancers, which in itself is evidence that the nutrients naturally present in vegetables are not only important for us, but we voluntarily rob ourselves of these invaluable substances!

Of course, in order to prepare and execute edible, various food items to command such a lifestyle, which is quite difficult to manage considering most restaurants and friends or family don’t necessarily have a variety of raw food dishes; one needs to make quite a few changes in their kitchen.  In order to prepare raw food, and though many of them can be avoided if you simply want to try out the diet and not adopt it as a lifestyle—supplies include blenders, thermometers, dehydrators, juicers, mini-blenders, spiral slicers, food processors, large containers (to soak and sprout grains, seeds and beans) and mason jars.  Depending on how many different kinds of raw food diet items one is willing to consume, the preparation process is often lengthy, as is the purchase of the equipment and the ingredients (organic food).

Ultimately, raw food diet is more of a lifestyle choice than a dietary plan, but however you take it, it will be beneficial to you.  All you have to do is take nutritional supplements (especially if you go strictly vegan or vegetarian) to make up for vitamin B, D and calcium, and not only will you lose weight but you’ll feel like you have shed a few years.

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The 2010 Dietary Guidelines were also based on this diet and it has been awarded second place in Best Diet Overall in the US, World and News Report.  There’s possibly no doubt at all—the Mediterranean diet is your go-to diet, whether you want to lose some weight or experience an everlasting change in your life.

Probably when you first came across this diet, it daunted you.  Most exotic foods are far too much work and exertion for an average dieter to manage.  The name in itself implies the diet is the brainchild of the whole of Mediterranean, but that’s not entirely true.

Many of the countries coming under the sprawl of the word may adhere to eating habits and prepare meals which do not follow the guidelines of a Mediterranean diet.  In fact, it is based on the traditional dietary patterns of the people living in Portugal, Spain, Greece, Southern France, Southern Italy and most significantly, the Island of Crete.  Parts of Middle East have also been part of the inspiration for this diet plan.  Though it has exotic sources, its ideas are basic and fundamental or living a healthy, happy life.

The central philosophy of the diet is in fact its emphasis of fresh fruits and vegetables, moderate levels of dairy products, high consumption of legumes and unrefined cereals, use of olive oil, maximized consumption of fish and poultry whilst regard to red meat, which is hardly consumed. Eggs and red wine are also part of the diet.  The use of olive oil is crucial to Mediterranean diets as it used in almost every salad or dish and it contains oleic acid which is thought to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

The very pattern of Mediterranean diet prevents high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar and hence acts as barrier against diabetes, stroke and heart disease.  Ultimately, it is one of the best weight-loss diets out there with minimal bland foods so that you enjoy every bite you take and still stay on the lower edge of your weight.

It’s important to remember that the Mediterranean diet is not simply a list of foods which restrict you to a particular amount and recipe for each day.  It is a lifestyle choice, a healthy one at that.  It promotes physical activity, spending time with family and making eating and dining a leisurely, enjoyable experience rather than an all-you-can-eat buffet.  It’s a refreshing perspective in life and if you’re able to incorporate it in yours, you’ll be having the best of Europe by your side.

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Although ‘eat less and exercise more’ is one of the basics for weight-loss, anyone struggling with weight would know that it is too over-simplified for the true turmoil of any dieter.  There exist a myriad of diet plans and patterns, each with a different philosophy governing them, and though science cannot say any one plan is the ultimate solution for obesity, continued studies aim to find better and more efficient ways of losing weight.  Whilst the true results are still in the vending machine, one can safely say that some of most successful diets with positive short-term and long-term prospect, as well as with minimum risk with regards to malnutrition and relapse, are based on the principle of low carbohydrates.  Popular diets which have met competition fiercely in recent times tend to be a low carb diet, and that narrows down search results on an engine to something easier to sift through.  Even better, knowing that low carbohydrate diets can help you understand how you can streamline your weight-loss process to make it efficient and permanent.

Despite the fact that the term ‘low carb’ is used casually in just about any context, it doesn’t always represent the true value of low carbs.  In essence, a high carbohydrate diet varies from 50%-70% by calorie.  Moderate varies from 40%-50% by calorie, while 25%-39% and 0%-25% are considered low carb and very low carb, respectively.  However, most diet plans and dieticians, when talking about what they would call low-carb, are actually referring to the moderate range.  That’s not to say that low carb diets are not efficient.  Still, one should look for a balance when struggling with dieting as too low a carbohydrate content can have detrimental effects on heart health while too high might mean that the weight-loss scheme would be ultimately ineffective.

Of course, that brings up the million dollar question: what foods are low in carbohydrates?  Most low-carb diets, like Atkins or Dukan, are rich in lean meat and they avoid bread and rice for the most part.  This is because, where meat is almost exclusively protein, bread and rice come under the panel of starchy foods which are enriched with carbohydrates.  For the same reason, high-sugar fruits like bananas and starch vegetables like potatoes and corn are not allowed in the regular course of these diets, except as an isolated meal or a motivational ‘treat’.  Generally speaking, these diets also advise the dieter to stay away from sugar (table sugar is usually sucrose, which is a carbohydrate), sugary foods, desserts and other sources of carbohydrates and fats.  While some diets put a limit on the extent of proteins the dieter can consume in lieu of low carbs, there is often none for the sake of encouraging the dieter.

Each low carb diet differs in its exact format and ideology, but when it comes to statistics they have prevailed over the decades and have managed to help more and more people.  If you’re looking for an effective cure and can lay off the potatoes part of ‘meat and potatoes’, you’ll be the man (or woman) you always wanted to be.

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They say there’s no shortcut to a perfect body—not if you’re unwilling to consume a pregnancy hormone and negligible food.  Cue the hCG diet, put forward as a possible way to lose weight quickly and effectively by the British endocrinologist, Albert T. W. Simeons, who at the time of this ‘discovery’ was studying pregnant women on low-calorie diets and overweight boys with pituitary complications caused by Frölich’s syndrome, he administered low doses of hCG—human chorionic gonadotropin—and claimed that it not only caused weight-loss.  The weight lost was fat and not muscle.  Although the popularity of the hCG diet cannot be denied, there lies no scientific proof in its viability to date and in many ways the very idea of going on a hCG diet is overstepping legal bounds.

What exactly is the deep, dark secret of the hCG?  It appears that the answer is: nothing.  The diet is, according to the FDA and most health professionals, a scam designed to fool people into purchasing expensive diet plans and hCG injections.  Additionally, the very sale and purchase of hCG injections is illegal, as hCG hormone is a prescription drug and cannot be sold without a prescription in the United States.  Some researchers into the matter claim that the hCG injections don’t contain the secret ingredient at all.  In fact, it is quite possible that they are simply fake, and that they act as placebos for the people who have faith in the powerful effects of the diet.

Nonetheless, despite the shortage of scientific evidence, it is puzzling as to how people have actually lost weight from this diet in the same manner the diet claims—up to 30 pounds in 30 days.  Success stories like the British stylist Alison Edmund appear here and there and put the scientific community to test.  In spite of these breaking news, there remains no doubt in a nutritionist’s mind: the magic of the diet is the extremely low calorie intake (only 500 calories a day, and that’s less than half the number of calories consumed by prisoners in Auschwitz!) coupled with the placebo effect, which makes the dieters adamant on the fact the hCG works.

However, even if the crash diet is to be credited to have motivated people to lose weight so fiercely, it can’t be overlooked that it brings with it many side effects and dangers.  The FDA has received at least one case of pulmonary embolism of a dieter on hCG and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Scientists and researchers only know so little about hCG side effects with a poor diet, as research into hCG being important for weight-loss has been abandoned once it was concluded that it plays no role in it, and so the repercussions of daily consumption of hCG cannot be casually tabulated.  Some of the side effects of hCG are headaches, blood clots, leg cramps, constipation, temporary hair thinning and breast tenderness.  And coupled with a 500-calorie diet—the risks are well beyond leisure.

Although every other people would die for a silver bullet for weight-loss, the bullet would not matter much once you’re dead.  So don’t fall for the hCG diet.  There are a lot many other diets which can deliver you the results better than you expect.

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The moment the doctor puts forward the diagnosis of the celiac disease most people think that they’ve knocked on hell’s door.  Celiac disease is no joke and very difficult to cope with for many people who suffer from bouts of frustration and helplessness when trying to eliminate gluten from their diets, but that doesn’t mean that one should lay their arms down and give up—unlike before, gluten can be easily excluded from one’s diet and the food pyramid no longer just revolves around wheat, barley and rye, the primary sources of gluten.  The market is stocked with gluten free alternatives and products which, after some regular inspection, one can get used to and cope with the disease through a gluten free diet.

Gluten is primarily found in wheat, barley, rye, triticale, malt and their derivatives.  However, cross contamination of otherwise naturally gluten-free grains or seeds is very common and so it’s advised that one never eats food products which are not explicitly stated as gluten-free.  It is precisely why oats are a matter of controversy, because even though many scientists claim that oats do not contain gluten, oats have been seen to cause inflammation in the intestines of many celiac disease sufferers, either owing to their Avenin content (a substance very similar in structure to gluten) or cross contamination, as many fields, factories and plants are not designed to disconnect gluten and gluten-free products.

Even very small amounts of gluten, which may seem trivial to some, can be disastrous for one’s intestines, even if there are no detectable symptoms. Simple exposures like kissing someone who consumed a gluten meal or working in a kitchen where gluten products are not put away neatly can aggravate the condition.  FDA is yet to regulate on what exactly gluten-free entails, though currently in the US gluten-free is put at 20 parts per million, as such as low amounts are deemed not to cause damage to the patients.

Obviously, it’s not easy to adapt to such a meticulous lifestyle, which is why it’s best to go for products which are clearly labelled gluten-free and to monitor your exposure to gluten in the most unexpected of ways—although there is no need to be paranoid!  It is best that before going on a gluten-free diet, you have a discussion with your doctor as he would be able to better guide you on how to shift to a gluten-free lifestyle, especially keeping in mind practical considerations and nutritional needs.  Current gluten-free products tend to be rather low in nutrients like vitamin B and vitamin D, iron, fibre, calcium while it is high in homocysteine, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Thus, many people on strict gluten-free diets may either become malnourished or overweight, which is why a gluten-free diet is not to be confused with a weight-loss diet, though cutting down traditional sources of starch is a centric rule of many weight-loss diets.

Whether you are suffering from celiac disease or you’re sensitive to gluten, a gluten free diet is not impossible to manoeuvre.  Put faith in your doctor and local celiac disease support group and most importantly, yourself, and you’ll find yourself laughing on the face of gluten.

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Ever wondered what’s the beauty secret of the French people?  Though it’s probably much more than what meets the eye, the Dukan diet has done its part.  A plan which has been around for thirty years and has helped about five million French people, as well as celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Giselle Bundchen, in shedding post-pregnancy flabs.  The Dukan dietary pattern is popular for its effectiveness, especially for people suffering from severe obesity and wishing to lose weight for good.  It was designed by the French physician Pierre Dukan after two decades of research and has been translated into English and other languages recently, making it viable for just about anyone who takes the commitment to change.

The Dukan diet bears much similarity to the Atkins diet but has its own unique features.  Being on protein diet for the most part, you don’t need to confuse yourself by counting calories or weighing your meals—you can eat all you want, pretty much whenever you want, as long as its lean protein. However, the composition and parameters of the diet changes with the timeline (there are a total of 100 allowed foods!), as the diet is divided into four ground pillars, or phases, each with a different goal in mind.

The first phase, attack, is designed so that the dieters can lose weight rapidly in the first two to seven days, from about 4.4 to 6.6 lb.  The rules are simple—no bars on lean protein with one and half tablespoons of oat bran and one and half litres of water.  The dieters can choose from 72 lean or low-fat meals, which give them the variety needed to keep their spirits high.  And don’t worry, the author promises the hunger diminishes after three days.  In fact, the very purpose of this stage is to boost the dieters’ confidence and to motivate them to lose weight.

The next phase is the cruise phase in which vegetables are introduced along with the lean protein and everything is on the menu except carrots, peas, corn and potatoes. The weight-loss rate in this phase is place to be at about 2.2 lb per week, and it slowly builds down to the weight one’s working for.

That’s followed by the consolidation phase, which is intended to prevent any future massive weight gain, and is much closer to normal eating habits—meat, inclusive of pork and lamb can be consumed, along with one piece of low-sugar fruits, one portion of hard cheese and two slices of whole grain bread.  As compensation, dieters can have one to two starchy meals or celebration meals per week.

The diet is concluded, and in some ways leveled off by the stabilization phase, which is aimed to maintain one’s weight for the rest of one’s life.  There is no restriction on eating except a few simple rules—follow the regimen proposed in the first phase once a week, consume three tablespoons of oat bran once a day, walk for at least twenty minutes a day and never use escalators or elevators.

The Dukan diet is suited to those who are victims of craving and binge-eating, especially those who need to lose weight beyond their stamina.  Although it’s low on essential nutrients, dieters can cope up with that by regularly eating multivitamins and nutritional supplements.

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If there’s something close to a vial for health and weight loss in the same package, the credit would go to the DASH diet, a realistic and holistic diet pattern promoted by the National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health).  Although it was primarily designed to prevent and control hypertension—hence, the acronym which represents Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension—its very pattern makes it suitable for any person who wants to shed extra pounds or live a healthy, balanced lifestyle.  The diet is also recommended to diabetes and chronic kidney disease patients, African-Americans and middle-aged or senile adults.

DASH is the kind of dietary plan you can incorporate into your lifestyle without torturing your taste buds or overloading yourself with making multiple meals, for all members of the family can consume the meals in larger portions.  Anyone looking for a reasonable weight loss and polished health would want to grab this one.

Although the meals may vary considerably, the underlying principle of the DASH diet is that it lays emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products.  It is rich in fish, poultry, beans, seeds and nuts and is limited in sweets, added sugars or sugary beverages, added fats and red meat.  Since the ultimate goal is to in fact lower sodium levels, as that helps control hypertension or pre-hypertension, the sodium levels are reduced to 2300 mg in a standard DASH diet plan, and to 1500 mg in the low sodium diet to better the fight against hypertension.  It’s also high in potassium, though it comes only through food sources and not through supplements, because it can be harmful to people with certain medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease.

One of its interesting features is that although the diet is not vegetarian, it sheds much more light on vegetables and fruits in comparable diets, so that you can easily adapt it to a vegetarian lifestyle. Nonetheless, what makes the diet stand out from others is its adaptability to real life.  We all know how hard it is to monitor our diet—because within the confines of your home, it might be possible to count every morsel but as soon as you go to work, school, restaurants or any gathering, you might have to loosen the leash.  The DASH Diet Action Plan, the latest and bestseller edition of the diet, provides practical solutions and alternatives which can be put to use when caught up in such scenarios.

The DASH diet, which is a total of 28 days, is proven to show lowered blood pressure in just 14 days, and significantly lower risks for several kinds of cancer, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, kidney stones and somewhat slows down the progression of kidney disease.  It’s hard to lie through one’s teeth at this point because the diet works in several dimensions and makes you look and feel better through and through.  It’s easy to make as part of day-to-day life and adjust it to your exercise regimen or daily schedule.

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