Forget that weight loss meal and the fast weight loss diets, now you can freeze that fat away

So you think you’ve found that perfect weight loss meal, or maybe you know the secret to the best quick weight loss diets?  Well with all the weight loss systems, fast weight loss diets and the best weight loss supplements, oh and don’t forget the weight loss workouts out there we now have a new option…. and it’s called Cryolipolysis or the other name that the procedure goes by which is Zeltiq.

So what are these magic weight loss systems?  Well in a nutshell they freeze your fat.  Zeltiq works by using targeted cold therapy in a treatment that lasts about one hour per treatment area.  The skin to be treated is suctioned between two cooling plates which cool the fat to above freezing.  The cold then extracts energy from fat causing it to die.  It doesn’t doesn’t actually freeze the fat but crystallizes the lipids in fat cells causing the slow collapse of cells as they die.  The procedure is biologically selective meaning that it only targets fat cells and only those in the superficial fat layer close to the skin ie. areas such as belly fat, love handles or back fat.  The body then carries off the dead cells over the course of two to three months so that the result is seen more gradually.

The whole procedure stems from the idea of finding something non-invasive that is similar to liposuction, so while the results are measurable, they are modest. The procedure is ideal for patients with a stubborn fat pocket who are unwilling to undergo surgery.  There is no associated downtime, just some redness that lasts around 2 hours Some patients report a suction mark similar to a ‘hickey’ where the device was attached.

Well, if you didn’t have enough on your plate to deal with you now have something more to consider.

A fun way to exercise.

Words of Wisdom:

In 1969 I asked President de Gaulle what he did for exercise. He told me that he believed that walking was the best thing a leader could do for his mental, physical and emotion health - Richard Nixon

I was never an exercise fundi or even keen to do any sort of exercise. I hate running and I can’t swim because I look fat in a swimsuit. I tried all kinds of diet supplements to try and loose weight. Nothing really seemed to work. My husband and I decided to visit Europe, and one thing we did there was walk. We walked a lot, and after a month of walking around and just sight seeing I suddenly on our return home was a hole 3 kg lighter than when we went. But that was not all, I also lost centimeters.

I exercised everyday by walking and I did not even realize it. Walking is something most of us do on a daily basis. It comes natural to us. So why not use walking as your daily exercise? If you walk at a moderate pace for about 30 – 60 min daily your body burns stored fat. This can build muscle and increase your metabolism. If you walk for an hour a day you decrease your risk of heart disease, cancer and even diabetes.

There are lots of fun ways for getting in your daily dose of walking. Instead of driving and parking your car on the doorstep of the local mall, you can park and walk to the shops. Walk at a fast pace, to get that heart rate up, and in the process burn a few calories.

Playing with the kids is another great way to get the heart going. The kids enjoy you playing and running around with them and you burn the calories. Dancing is another fun way to get the body moving. And no-one has to see you. You can wiggle and shake to your favorite song in the privacy of your own home.

Going out for walks is the best. Find yourself a friend or a walking buddy who can walk with you. It is much easier to stay focused and motivated if you have someone that exercises with you. It is easier to go with a friend than being on your own. When you exercise on your own it is very easy to skip a day or two. Working with someone makes this a bit harder. It is also a lot more fun when you exercise with someone.

The best way to start walking is not to go out there fast and furious. If your body is not use to exercise you will get tired very easily. Take it slow in the beginning and work it up slowly. Maybe for the first two weeks try to walk for only 20 minutes and work your way up to an hour. This will get your body going systematically.

Weekly insight : Da. 4:37

” And those who walk in pride he is able to humble”

We must be humble in front of God and acknowledge Him As our Lord and savior.

Exercise of the week: Walking

Make an effort and start walking for 20 min. a day this week.

Start slowly and work yourself up to a steady pace.

Once you can walk for 20 min up your time by 10 minutes until you can walk for an hour.

Eat food and burn fat

Words of Wisdom:

” There is no sincerer love than the love of food” - George Bernard Shaw

One of the things I dread the most is a diet. It all starts well for a week or two and then you start cheating because you are starving. You then feel guilty and in the end you quit the diet.

The good news is one can loose weigh without going on a diet. You just need to know what to eat and how much. You can truly eat whatever you want as long as it is done in moderation.

The second secret is exercise. And you don’t have to kill yourself exercising either. You can loose a lot of weight by just walking for example.

I want to dedicate the next few posts to the type of food we can eat that will help you to loose weight.

Our eating habits are very important. Most of us leave in the morning without eating and that is one of the biggest mistakes we make. I know a lot of people believe that you must eat less and they do that by skipping meals. And often it is breakfast.

I think we should change our mindset first of all. We will not achieve perfection overnight, but all in good time. If we can shift our mind from perfection to making progress in our diet we already achieved a lot.

Researchers at the Georgia State University have developed a process that measures your hourly energy balance. Your energy balance is the amount of kilojoules you take in versus the amount of energy that you burn.

They have found that if you keep your energy between 1250 and 2000 kj at all times, you can change your bodies composition loosing fat and adding lean muscle mass.

It basically boils down to eating at least 6 times a day. When you eat regularly. Your body is use to getting food and then it only stores the food it needs. Also if you eat six time a day you get full very quickly, which means you eat a lot less.

Weekly insight: Pr. 20:13

” Do not love sleep or you will grow poor,stay awake and you will have food to spare“

Exercise of the week : Lateral Lunge and Touch

Stand with your feet shoulder-with apart. Hands at your sides. With your toes forward and your abs braced, step to your right. Bend your right leg. Keeping your left leg straight. Reach your hands to the floor on the opposite sides of your right knee. Pause for 2 seconds and then return to the start. Now repeat this movement with your left leg. This is one rep. Do 8 reps.

Losing weight with Water

Words of wisdom:

“Water is the only drink for a wise man” – Henry David Thoreau

We are all aware of our metabolism. But how many of us actually knows what it is? Ones metabolism is the way your body handles substances. According to wikipedia it is the set of chemical reactions that happens in living organisms to maintain life.

We are all aware of the fat in our bodies, because it is the most obvious and the thing that keeps us from fitting into our summer bikini’s. The liver converts stored fat into energy. This is one of its main functions.

The kidneys are responsible for water balance and salt regulation of the body. The kidneys need  water to function properly. If the kidneys are water deprived, they cannot function properly. Unfortunately the liver takes slack for the kidneys. The liver takes over some of the kidney functions, now causing the liver to do his own work as well as the work of the kidney’s.  This lowers the livers productivity. In other words, because the liver now has to function as partially kidneys as well, it does not produce fat into energy as much as it does when is is only being a liver. Causing the body to store the fat.

By drinking water we keep our kidney hydrated and fully functional, leaving each organ to do its job. Because your body is getting the amount of water it needs to function properly. It gets rid of the excess water that it doesn’t need. Not by storing it in the ankles and hips, but by turning it into urine and flashing it out of the body.

This is why you are losing weight. However if you don’t hydrate your body enough, it stores every little bit of water it gets. Storing it and causing you to gain those few extra’s, because the body believes it needs it.

Drinking water is not only good for losing weight but it also keeps the organs going. Water also improves muscle tone.  Water burns fat. Well hydrated cells increase once fat burning metabolism.

Scripture of the day: Proverbs 25:25

Like cold water to a weary soul, is good news from a distant land.

Just as we need water to hydrate our bodies and keep it healthy. We need God’s word to hydrate our Soul and keep it healthy.

Exercise for the week: Side Plank

Lie on your left side with your legs straight. Prop yourself with your left forearm, so your body forms a diagonal line. Put your right hand on your right hip.

Brace your abs and lift your hips. Hold it for 30 secs – if 30 seconds is too long in the beginning just do it for 10 sec at a time. Rest for 5 sec. Alternate this for 1 minute. then change sides.

Engage your core when you lift your hip of the floor.

I need to confess

We are a decade into the 21st century. If there is something I have learnt in the past ten years is that health is a gift.  We must take care off our health. If we look great we feel great and we have more confidence to achieve those goals we so badly want.

I am not a model. I am not 6 feet tall and drop dead gorgeous. I am a normal 1.5 meter tall woman. I have never been skinny in my life. And being the mother of two my body is everything but toned and sexy. I will be honest this is a problem for me, because I have hangups and am forever scared that my husband might leave me because of the way I look.

I am sure there are a lot of woman out there who feel exactly the same. I have tried every single diet there is with no results whatsoever. Leaving me desperate and down in the dumps.

Being over weight did not only influence my relationship with my husband but it also influenced my confidence. I started wearing bags trying to hide my body. My dress size was a 40 (18). I hated myself.

Then a wonderful miracle happened. I was diagnosed with very high cholesterol. This changed my whole life. The doctor left me with two options. I either shape up or die from a heart attack at a young age. I am 32.

I made a decision and I do not regret it for one minute. I know it is hard getting around to a gym and exercise especially if you are a mother, and you need to work. There is just not enough time in the day. The good news is with a bit of dedication and willpower to achieve, it is possible.

I don’t go to a gym and exercise at home. Because it save me time and I can exercise while my kids are around me. The fun bit is that they sometimes join in and exercise with me. I only spend  30 min three times a week on toning exercises. The other 4 days I will either walk or ride my bike. The best thing about walking is that the kids go with me and they love it. I put them in the stroller and take them along on 5 km walk. This benefits all of us because they get out in the fresh air and I get to exercise.

I also cycle. I found that cycling is a great way to burn fat fast. You  are not only burning kilojoules when you are cycling you are at the same time building and toning your legs.

Because I have my kids I cannot always ride outside so I got myself an indoor trainer and there are a lot on the market. A great website to look at if you are interested in indoor trainers : indoor-trainer.com. This site also has great fitness tips.

The result,  I stopped using  diet tablets. I have lost a lot of weight and my dress size is down to a 36 (14) just because I eat right and I exercise.

I would like to dedicate this year to great health and share with you exercises, health secrets and fitness tips.  Not just to help you looking great but also feeling great about yourself and life.

I hope we will have a great year together. If you would like to share advice or any tips with me. Please feel free to email me.

Have a fit and healthy 2010.