Dieting Less Popular - Americans Opt for a Healthy Lifestyle

Dieting has become less popular in America in recent years, being replaced with a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and plenty of rest. Americans are smarter than ever when it comes to their health. The goal of an improved lifestyle has resulted in many trends including a decline in cigarette smoking and starvation diets and replaced with healthy diets and increased exercise regimens.

There are many reasons why diets are falling in popularity. One problem is that they are difficult to sustain. Dieters feel deprived and unsatisfied. The fast-paced lifestyle that Americans pursue is another contributing factor to the failure of unhealthy diets. Indeed, American lifestyles require more and more energy, which means that diets must be wholesome in order to produce the needed energy and stamina. The stress of modern life requires mental well-being and prudent Americans are reaping the benefits of incorporating healthy foods into their lifestyle as a means of coping with the numerous daily pressures.

Restaurants are offering more healthy options for consumers

Researchers have found that restaurants are offering more healthy choices as part of their menu choices. As a result, it is easier than ever to eat a healthy meal while on-the-go. Travelers often choose restaurants that offer a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Large chain restaurants have become more accommodating to dieters as of late as they have introduced healthy foods to their menus. McDonalds, for example, now offers a nice selection of salads with lean chicken and low-fat dressing. Consumers have shown their approval and sales of these healthy choices are skyrocketing. Large restaurant chains have taken note - and are offering more and more choices for the health-conscious consumer.

Eating healthy tips for those on-the-go

A healthy diet plan includes a balanced menu, reasonable portion sizes with low-calorie, low-sugar drinks such as tea, water or low-fat milk. When eating out at restaurants, the portion sizes are usually large. Researchers recommend people share an entree with a friend or take half of the meal home in a to-go box. Researchers advise dieters choose meats that contain lean proteins such as fresh fish, chicken or beans. A balanced diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat, lean protein.

More accepting of weight and more conscious of health

Even Hollywood has joined in the drive towards a healthy lifestyle with less emphasis on weight. Recent photos and criticism of Jennifer Love Hewitt's weight gain resulted in a backlash of nasty comments against those doing the criticizing. Ms. Hewitt responded by writing on her blog: "Like all women out there should, I love my body." The public was sympathetic toward her and turned on the paparazzi photographers.

In Spain, some models were actually banned from the runway for being too thin! The world's first ban on overly thin models was well received by the public, but met with outrage from modeling agencies. Parents around the globe applauded the move thinking this could possibly lead to a decrease in anorexia among young girls that mimic the fashion industry.

The desire to lose weight has not changed

Although many adults still desire to drop a few pounds, the difference is the way it is achieved. More people are conscious of their health and use effective, yet responsible means of achieving their weight goal.

Body Cleansing Can Rid Your Body of Toxins Which Make It Difficult to Lose Weight

More and more people are turning to body cleansing products to speed up their weight loss. Body cleansing products can be a good addition to a healthy eating plan. Cleansing can have many benefits. Toxins can lead to some diseases as well as various symptoms. Exercise and diet are part of the body cleansing plan. Eating healthy is the key.

If you follow a body cleansing plan you usually drink a high-nutrition supplement for a couple of days, then blend healthy meals with all-natural bars and shakes. A popular body cleansing product called Isagenix is rising in popularity. It is a supplement that can increase the speed of weight loss. Isagenix is not a diet pill but rather a supplement with minerals, vitamins and protein. When used correctly as part of a complete plan, Isagenix can help people to lose weight quickly.

Detoxification is a Plan

Just taking body cleansing products will do little to help you lose weight. Exercise and diet are part of the plan. Weight loss can be very fast with few side-effects, if you follow the program correctly.

Body Cleansing is Not a Diuretic

Safe cleansing products are not harsh stimulants and do not contain strong chemicals. Cleansing products should not be confused with diuretics. They are a completely different product. Cleansing products do not have any strong drugs and have few side-effects.

Consult Your Doctor

As always, you should consult your doctor before starting any new diet or exercise plan.

Recent Studies Uncover Risks and Benefits of Weight Loss Drugs

To those who have struggled mightily with the scale, the idea of a "magic pill" that can put weight loss within reach for everybody can be very tempting. Although most of the so-called miracle drugs and over-the-counter concoctions out there that purport to help speed up the weight loss process aren't truly effective, researchers are now focusing in on a new generation of pharmaceutical interventions for weight loss that may prove to be more help than hype.

As the worldwide obesity epidemic continues to spiral out of control, scientists are searching for treatments that can help reverse the weight gain that can, over time, lead to obesity and a wide range of other health problems. A safe and effective weight loss drug could aid those for whom traditional weight loss methods such as calorie-counting and exercise are difficult or otherwise out of reach.

However, because of past controversies and health scares that have surrounded popular weight loss drugs in the past, these recent research efforts have been carried out carefully and gradually, with a great deal of emphasis now being placed on safety concerns and long-term health implications. This week, we'll take a look at some of the recent research targeting the development of new weight loss drugs.

New Diet Drug Shows Promise as Treatment for Obesity

The search for a safe, effective pharmaceutical treatment for overweight and obesity has been a goal of scientists around the world for decades. However, the process of finding a treatment that offers both safety and efficacy has been fraught with difficulty and unforeseen challenges.

A recent breakthrough by scientists at Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine may offer new hope to people who are struggling with excess pounds. According to Dr. Nir Barak, the leader of a research team that has been formulating and assessing different weight loss treatments for several years, a new drug that is based on a compound that is used in the treatment of vertigo may represent a significant step forward in the treatment of obesity.

In a preliminary study, the new drug was found to block a number of key hunger receptors in the brain that are responsible for regulating the feeling of satiety and fullness. When taken by overweight and obese patients, the drug has been found to significantly diminish cravings for fatty foods. For reasons the researchers have not yet been able to determine, the drug is particularly effective in female patients.

In the study, the group that took the drug lost approximately 7 times the amount of weight lost by the control group, who took a placebo. No serious side effects were reported. The results also indicated that the new drug might be effective as a means of reducing cholesterol.

More testing is needed before the drug can be released to the public, but because the early research was partially subsidized by a pharmaceutical company, the general release of the product -- now known as Histalean -- could be relatively swift.

Study Finds that Most Diet Drugs Can't Work Miracles

Despite dieters hopes to the contrary, the results of a recently released study conducted by British researchers indicated that three of the most popular weight loss drugs resulted in only mild to moderate weight loss in most cases.

In an experiment that compared the performance of popular diet drugs -- orlistat. rimonabant, and sibutramine -- participants lost an average of only 11 pounds. Of the three, rimonabant was generally found to be most effective.

Although the drugs were found to be somewhat helpful in kick-starting weight loss, the researchers emphasized that they should not be relied upon as substitutes for the most reliable dieting standbys -- namely, reduced calories and increased exercise.

Despite Controversy, Over-the-Counter Diet Drug Shown to Speed Weight Loss for Some

The first FDC-approved over-the-counter diet drug was released to great fanfare and criticism in the summer of 2007. Known popularly as Alli, the drug orlistat has elicited mixed reactions from critics, users, and health advocacy groups.

However, despite the controversy surrounding the drug, several recently released studies have confirmed that the formulation is effective in enhancing weight loss results for most users, with relatively few side effects.

In a recent study conducted by British scientists, orlistat -- which is a milder version of long-established prescription weight loss drug Xenical -- was shown to significantly boost weight loss for those in the moderatately-overweight category. Compared to the control group, the participants who took orlistat lost an average of five percent of their initial body weight. The most dramatic results were seen among those who paired the drug with a consistent low-fat diet regimen.

Although orlistat does not offer users rapid weight loss, the scientists emphasized that the gradual shedding of pounds is a healthier path than dramatic declines in body weight. With these findings, orlistat has now been proven effective in the treatment of a broad range of weight problems, ranging from mild overweight to morbid obesity.

If you think a prescription or over-the-counter diet drug might help your weight loss efforts, talk to your doctor to get a recommendation that's right for you. Don't forget to check back each week to get more of the breaking diet news you need to make your weight loss journey a success.

How to Stay Thin for Life: Studies Assess Strategies for Weight Loss Maintenance

You've counted calories, monitored carbs, avoided sweets, eliminated junk foods, watched your portion sizes, and made an effort to eat healthy foods. You've fought the good fight and found yourself at the end of your weight loss journey. Now what?

First of all, congratulations are in order. Not everyone who tries to shed excess pounds makes it to the finish line, so you should definitely be proud of your efforts. You've made some important life changes, and as a result, you've probably significantly increased your overall health and well-being.

That's the good news. The not-so-good-news? Well, research has shown that successful dieters often find healthy weight maintenance to be far more difficult than they imagined. In fact, most report that the maintenance phase can be even more wrought with challenges and frustration than the process of actually loosing weight in the first place.

Luckily, researchers around the world have focused their attention on weight loss maintenance, searching for techniques, strategies, and solutions to help make this phase of the process less challenging for intrepid dieters who are desperate to keep their lost weight off. This week, we'll take a look at several recent studies that have evaluated the challenges, triumphs, and pitfalls of weight loss maintenance.

Finnish Researchers Look for Clues to Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance Success

Drawing on a large body of previously published research on the subject, a team of scientists from the University of Helsinki recently undertook a project that aimed to identify success factors in long-term weight loss maintenance.

The researchers compared dieters who had lost weight and kept it off with dieters who had lost weight and then subsequently regained some or all of it. Overall, they found that only 6% of their sample had successfully kept off all of their lost weight.

The researchers found that among male dieters, low stress levels and a high determination to stay healthy were the factors that were most strongly associated with successful weight loss maintenance. However, they also found that health problems were associated with successful weight loss maintenance in the male participants. Alcohol intake and high stress levels were linked most strongly to subsequent weight regain.

Among the women in the study, the researchers found that successful weight maintenance had more to do with successful lifestyle changes. Many of the successful dieters lost weight to improve pre-existing health conditions, and they reported that they did not want to let themselves relapse into poor health after loosing weight. In addition, a gradual but permanent change in eating and fitness habits was associated with long-term weight maintenance in women.

Social Support and Accountability May be Key to Maintenance Success

Many past studies of weight loss maintenance have focused on the contributions and efforts of the individual. However, the results of a recent investigation published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine emphasized the importance of an accountability group of supporters in the maintenance phase.

The study tested the efficacy of several support group-type "buddy systems" for dieters seeking to maintain their weight losses. It was found that both online and in-person support groups were very helpful in helping successful dieters keep the weight off over an extended period of time.

In-Depth Analysis of US Health Data Yields Clues About Healthy Weight Maintenance

In 1994, American researchers worked jointly to establish the National Weight Control Registry, a clearinghouse for health data about obese and overweight individuals and their efforts to shed excess pounds. Since that time, millions of medical records have been entered into the system, and scientists from around the world have used the data to better understand the weight loss process.

One recent analysis focused on the factors that are linked with long-term weight loss maintenance. The study found that the following variables promoted success in the maintenance process:

• Keeping a close watch on calories, eating patterns, and weight regain

• Sticking to a regular fitness and exercise program

• Avoiding fad diets or easy weight loss scams

• Taking responsibility for their own weight, rather than blaming stress or genes

• Developing new, healthy habits to replace old, harmful ones

• Focusing on accountability through frequent scale checks, support groups, and other healthy outlets

If you're concerned about maintaining your weight loss, talk to your doctor or a licensed nutritionist to develop a plan that fits your needs. Check back each week for more of the diet and weight loss news you need to succeed on your journey to better health.

Scientists Debate the Safety and Efficacy of Fasting

Over the course of the last several decades, the public health consensus has been that fasting -- that is, going hours or days without food or other forms of nourishment -- is an unsafe practice that has no place in a healthy lifestyle. In fact, individuals who regularly engage in fasting have often been categorized as displaying disordered eating patterns.

However, historians and anthropologists tell us that humans have been fasting for thousands of years. Periods of abstinence from food are part of every major world religion, and the archaeological record suggests that these rituals date back into the time of our prehistoric ancestors.

A small group of scientists have begun to argue that today's "three square meals" mindset is probably a far cry from the on-again, off-again, feast-or-famine lifestyle that our prehistoric ancestors led. Taking a cue from this line of research, some groups of health-conscious mavericks have begun to implement periods of fasting as part of their regimen for weight loss and/or maintaining a healthy body weight.

This week, we'll dive into the thick of the ongoing scientific debate over the health and safety of fasting, taking a look at the result of three different studies that have tackled aspects of this controversy.

Study Suggests that Alternate-Day Fasting May Shrink Fat Cells

The idea of going completely without food makes most people uncomfortable. However, the findings of one recent study suggest that a partial fast every other day may deliver the same satisfying weight loss results as unbroken fasts.

The study, which was published in a recent issue of the journal of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, compared the effects of unbroken and alternate-day fasting in male mice. The mice that fasted every other day showed several specific results that may have positive implications for those seeking to lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight.

The alternate-day fasters lost fat under the skin, but not the special type of fat that is often found to be concentrated around the abdomen. Also, the alternate-day fasters appeared to have a measure of protection against long-term obesity and the development of Type II diabetes. Although there were some indications that the alternate-day fasting might help protect against other diseases, the researchers cautioned that further investigation in this area is necessary before firm conclusions can be drawn.

Restricted-Calorie Fasting May Reduce Obesity, Increase Life Span

Throughout the twentieth century, research demonstrated that mice who were fed very low-calorie diets often outlived their counterparts who were fed "normal" diets. However, the true significance of these findings remained unclear for decades.

In recent years, the connection between restricted-calorie diets, health, and longevity has begun to be further explored. One study conducted by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies pinpointed a genetic cause for this relationship.

The scientists used studies of a particular type of worm to unravel the complex relationship between calorie restriction and longevity. Specifically, the researchers identified the missing link in the relationship as glucagon, a pancreatic hormone that heightens the concentration of the blood sugar and helps to maintain the body's balance of energy.

When calories are restricted to 60% of the normal level, the genetic controls that oversee glucagon balance appear to be activated. However, the scientists underscore the importance of a balanced, vitamin-and-mineral rich diet in any attempt to restrict calories to longevity-boosting levels.

Hunger Response during Fasting More Complicated than Previously Thought

It seems obvious that going without food for an extended period of time causes hunger. But the body's response to sustained periods of fasting is much more complex than that. According to a study conducted by scientists at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the neurological chain of events that regulate the experience of hunger during fasting involves an interaction between three hormones, two cell types, and a specific type of protein.

By identifying the precise sequence of reactions that cause and sustain the sense of hunger during fasting, the researchers have cracked part of the neurological code of the hunger response. In time, this could lead to the development of pharmaceutical treatments that could ease the pain of hunger during restricted-calorie diets designed to help patients overcome obesity.

Before incorporating fasting into your weight-loss regimen, consult with your physician or a licensed nutritionist. Check this space each week for the diet research news you need to make your weight loss journey a success.