This sobering diagram shows how much sugar is in each of these sugary drinks.

The accompanying picture is really worth 1,000 words – and even more calories.

When losing weight, one of the easiest – and most effective – changes occurs when we modify our liquid intake. Rich in sugar, these drinks often contain few other nutrients and have a very negative impact on our overall health.

Drinking just one soda a day can equal an extra 25 pounds of weight per year. And sugary beverages are the single biggest source of added sugar for the average American – equaling about 50% of the typical person’s increased calorie consumption. All of this can lead to obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Sugary drinks are truly poison for our bodies.

It’s time to rethink your drink!

Here are just a few great drink substitutions:

Beyond these recommendations, water is always a smart choice – and fresh vegetable juices can be a wise replacement for other, less-healthy drink options. I always keep a bottle of fresh carrot juice in my refrigerator.

If you still have a hard time giving up the sugary drinks you crave, portion control is another option. Cut the size of the drink in half – and, no magic here – you reduce your caloric intake by 50%.

Was the above drink diagram eye-opening for you? What are some of your favorite and healthy drink alternatives? Let me know in the comments below.

Article by Davey Wavey (c) Davey Wavey Fitness - Read full story here.

Morbidly obese individuals who find it difficult or impossible to lose a significant amount of weight through diet, exercise or diet pills may need financing to be able to afford bariatric surgery and improve their health. Financing allows a patient to make affordable monthly payments towards the cost of bariatric surgery.

1. Health Insurance

The first option you should consider for bariatric surgery financing is your health insurance. Insurance companies are now becoming more open to the idea that weight loss surgery may be able to save them money in the long run by preventing serious and costly medical problems in the future. Your bariatric surgeon can provide information on your medical history and highlight the potential benefits and long-term savings if your insurer agrees to cover the cost of your bariatric surgery.

2. Healthcare Financing

If you do not have health insurance or if your insurance provider will not agree to cover the cost of bariatric surgery, you still have a number of other options for bariatric surgery financing. Your surgeon can refer you to a healthcare financing company.

Manufacturers of medical devices may also offer a program for patient financing. The LAP-Band System and REALIZE Band both offer a patient financing program that links patients to lending companies and assists them in securing a loan to finance their weight loss surgery.

3. Secured Medical Loans

You may be able to obtain a secured medical loan from a local bank or credit union. For this type of financing, you will need a collateral (such as your home) to back up your loan. Be sure to compare the interest rate and terms of payment offered by different finance companies. Don’t forget that if you are unable to keep up with payments, the financial institution has the right to take ownership of your collateral.

4. Credit Cards and Direct Lenders

You can obtain unsecured loans from credit card companies and direct lenders without the need to put up any collateral. While many people will find this easier, keep in mind that you will be paying a higher interest rate over the term of your loan. Be mindful of interest rates and always make timely payments to avoid penalties or increase in interest rate.

Cost of Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

The cost of bariatric surgery differs depending on the actual weight loss surgical procedure, choice of bariatric surgeon, type of medical facility, and geographical location. The average cost is about $25,000 but it can be as low as $17,000 or as high as $35,000. The cost of surgery usually includes surgeon fees, hospital fees, anesthesia, laboratory and x-ray fees, and miscellaneous fees. The high cost of bariatric surgery should not prevent patients from having the weight loss treatment they need. Doctors can refer patients to a number of healthcare financing companies that provide financing options for bariatric surgery.

Article by fitness guy (c) Lose Weight Fast - Fitness Tips - Read full story here.

Hiking is a fantastic way to get outside, enjoy the kids and the dog while getting some exercise! Although, I love exercise, I don’t love running the trails (which the kids do), hahaha. Oh, well, we did compromise a little at the end.

What do you do with your kids to be active?

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If you are one of the many considering weight loss surgery, then Fat No More- Long Term Success Following Weight Loss Surgery may be a book for you. Many people assume that having weight loss surgery is a quick and easy fix to their waist line struggles. The truth is the surgery is just the beginning. There is a great deal of diet changing and life changing that must occur post-op.

In most surgery cases, patients lose weight easily at first but soon after have trouble with the weight returning after they are eating solids again. This book was designed to walk a patient step by step through changing the behavior that is making it hard to keep the pounds off. Success could be just a few pages away.

Product Features

* Explains important medical information that you must consider prior to having weight loss surgery

* Helps reader decide if surgery would help them

* Explains the hardships patients will be facing post-op

* Provides information on losing weight and keeping it off after bariatric surgery

Covers Emotional, Medical, Lifestyle Changes

When deciding if Bariatric surgery is right for you, there is a tremendous amount of information to weed through. Deciding what information is important can be very time consuming. Fat No More- Long Term Success Following Weight Loss Surgery has this information organized and displayed using the author’s own story. This book provides a variety of emotional, medical, and life style challenges that you would be facing if you were to choose to have weight loss surgery.

There are many other books available on this topic, but the author wrote this guide using their own experiences to make the information easier to digest. This book follows the author down her journey to personal triumph. She takes the reader step by step through deciding if they want the surgery and what they need to know about the side effects.

Then she takes them through the surgery process including insurance issues and choosing a surgeon. Finally she discusses the actual surgery and the post-op care. The author tried to be as comprehensive as possible.

Cost?

The book Fat No More- Long Term Success Following Weight Loss Surgery is typically priced around $19.95 if purchased from Amazon.com. This book is priced on the higher end of similar guides. This guide is very comprehensive and could be a great resource for anyone considering weight loss surgery or who under gone it.

What Do Customers Think?

The book Fat No More- Long Term Success Following Weight Loss received five out of a possible five stars in the category of customer satisfaction. Customers were very happy with how informative this book is. One customer stated that they read seven books about recovering and losing weight after weight loss surgery and they felt this book was the best. One customer stated that they were four years post-op and were having problems keeping the weight off. They tried everything they could and were having problems staying healthy.

After reading this book, they felt hope and had a new action plan for dropping some pounds. Customers also found the human side to this guide to be uplifting. Many other books were more clinical than they liked. Readers were also happy with the chapters written by weight loss surgeons. They felt that the combination of clinical information and personal documentation made for a great guide to surviving weight loss surgery. One customer stated that they were considering bariatric surgery and purchased this book. Once they began reading it they had a hard time putting the book down.

Within days they read the entire book cover to cover. They were enthralled by the author’s tribulations and triumphs. They felt that the journal format of this guide made them feel like the author was talking straight to them. The customer knew that bariatric surgery was for them after reading this journal.

Out of all the customers that reviewed this book, no one rated this book with fewer than five stars. Customers were very satisfied by their purchases. All customers gave this guide rave reviews.

Our Recommendation

When considering any kind of major surgery it is important to be informed. This book was highly recommended by people who have purchased it. This guide is as entertaining as it is informative. This book is priced relatively high but is not expensive. Overall, if you are considering weight loss surgery or are post-op and having trouble keep the weight off, then this book is a safe purchase. You can find it for less on Amazon.com.

Article by fitness guy (c) Lose Weight Fast - Fitness Tips - Read full story here.

Fish tacos. #33.

When in Toronto, one of my favorite activities is to shop for food in the city’s Chinatown. There are so many different dishes, fruits and vegetables that I’ve never even seen – let alone eaten – and it’s always fun to push my boundaries and try something new.

It never ceases to amaze me how many delicious foods there are on this diverse planet – and yet how narrow our personal menus tend to be. Many of us stick to what we know, but there’s a whole cornucopia of exciting flavors out there just waiting to be experienced.

Moreover, when we try new foods, we broaden the base of nutrients and vitamins and minerals that we’re consuming. Man can not live on bread alone, and so discovering new dishes is a great way to expand your options.

Yesterday, while on Facebook, I came across a list of 100 foods that you “must” try before you die. From what I can tell, the list seems to be very representative – though, not particularly nutritious. But fear not; life is about moderation and it’s fine to splurge on the occasional funnel cake (#42) or Hostess fruit pie (#52).

Using the list below, count off how many of these 100 foods you’ve already tried. I’ve crossed off the 53 foods that I’ve eaten. What’s your number?

The best thing about trying new foods is that you’re bound to discover something that you love. 53 down…. 47 to go!

In the comments below, let me know how many of these foods you’ve tried!

Article by Davey Wavey (c) Davey Wavey Fitness - Read full story here.

Park Visitor.

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Researchers from the University of Arizona wanted to see if evolution pushed people to exercise through reward pathways. Spoiler alert: The answer is yes.

If you’ve ever engaged in cardio at a high level of intensity, then you’ve probably experienced the infamous runner’s high. This very real phenomenon is caused by endocanabinoid signalling in the so-called reward centers of the brain. It makes us feel good. Maybe even great.

But is this runner’s high feeling exclusive to animals – like humans and dogs – that are built to be endurance athletes? Or do less active animals also experience this high?

Researchers used blood samples to compare endocanabinoid levels between humans and dogs to less-active ferrets. According to the research, ferrets did not experience elevated endocanabinoid levels after exercise – or the pleasures that accompanies it.

In other words, evolution used the endocanabinoid system to motivate endurance exercise in humans, dogs and other active species. It’s a remarkably clever way to motivate exercise for those species whose survival requires it.

Though the runner’s high can certainly help motivate individuals to stay fit, it’s not something that inactive people will necessarily experience – at least, right away. According to one researcher, “Inactive people may not be fit enough to hit the exercise intensity that leads to this sort of rewarding sensation.” But it’s definitely something to build up to.

Article by Davey Wavey (c) Davey Wavey Fitness - Read full story here.

Surgery for weight loss is not cosmetic surgery. Rather, it is classified as medical surgery because of its important health benefits. For this reason, bariatric weight loss surgery is covered by some insurance providers. Morbidly obese individuals have the option to try weight loss surgery if they repeatedly fail to achieve and maintain a healthy weight through conventional methods such as diet and exercise. If you opt for surgery to lose weight, keep in mind that you will experience short-term and long-term effects, and the procedure may necessitate lifestyle changes.

How It Works

Basically, there are only two methods whereby weight loss can be achieved. The first method is to reduce the number of calories consumed by restricting food intake. The second method is through food malabsorption, or making changes in the digestive system so that food is poorly digested and nutrients and calories are not completely absorbed. There are several different surgical procedures to achieve this.

Option #1: Restrictive Methods

The primary goal of a restrictive weight loss procedure is to reduce food intake in order to promote weight loss. This can be done by making the stomach smaller so that it will hold less food while reducing hunger pangs. An individual who undergoes this procedure will find it easier to control meal portions, thus ensuring a steady weight loss with minimal risk of nutritional deficiencies.

Popular restrictive methods of bariatric surgery are LAP-BAND and Vertical Banded Gastroplasty.

Option #2: Malabsorptive Methods

This method promotes weight loss by making changes in the digestive system. The small intestine is rerouted, in effect shortening it so that less food nutrients and calories are absorbed by the body. The primary methods of malabsorptive bariatric surgery are biliopancreatic diversion, Extended Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch.

Malabsorptive methods are highly successful for significant, long-term weight loss but they come with a number of drawbacks. Individuals who choose this weight loss surgery option can suffer from nutritional deficiencies and must take vitamin supplements. They can also suffer from intestinal irritation, bloating, and bowel movement problems.

Option #3: Combination Restrictive and Malabsorptive Method

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass reduces the size of the stomach, and a section of the small intestine is bypassed in order to decrease food absorption.

Making Your Decision

If you have run out of conventional weight loss options, it may be time to look into the possibility of bariatric surgery. There are several alternatives to consider and you should discuss each one with your bariatric surgeon. Learn about the pros and cons of the different weight loss surgery options. Keep in mind that what works for someone else may not work for you. Your doctor can help you determine what procedure is best for you.

Article by fitness guy (c) Lose Weight Fast - Fitness Tips - Read full story here.

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Macy’s has a new line of workout clothes, called Ideology, and they were kind enough to send me a sports bra for review and one to giveaway!! Thanks, Macy’s!

It’s a very cute sports bra, bright and fun. It has good coverage so it worked for yoga inversions as well as a crossfit workout. The size corresponds with your bra size but it was a bit snug on me so it might run a little small. I was also able to run in it, although if you’re bustier it might not be supportive enough. But cute and comfy and I’m always in need of another clean sports bra!

GIVEAWAY TIME:
For all of you interested in winning a new sports bra, please take a minute and look over Macy’s new Ideology line and leave a comment as to what interests you the most, and you will be entered to win!

Giveaway ends April 15th, 2012.

Thanks for commenting!

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