Recent Studies Identify Wonder Foods That Speed Weight Loss

When you?re looking for a method to help you achieve fast, effective weight loss, food probably isn?t at the top of your list of potential candidates. Because overeating is the most likely source of excess weight, most dieters don?t believe that food can help them regain a svelte figure.

However, according to the results of several recent studies, it appears that certain kinds of foods can, in actuality, increase the effectiveness of weight loss efforts. Even several foods once considered taboo among dieters can facilitate successful slimming when eaten in moderation. This week, we?ll review research into several foods that may be able to help you in your quest to shed a few extra pounds.

Dairy Products May Be a Dieter?s Best Friend

Perhaps you?ve seen the TV commercials touting the role of dairy products such as milk and yogurt as part of a weight-loss effort. Although it may sound too good to be true, several recent studies have confirmed that it may in fact be possible to have your yogurt and eat it, too -- as long as it?s low-fat.

In truth, it?s not the dairy products themselves, but the high levels of calcium they contain that can help speed weight loss efforts. According to researchers, higher daily calcium intake is linked to lower weight gain, better success at maintaining a steady weight, and decreased risk of developing insulin resistance, all of which can be important in weight loss efforts.

These results were particularly significant for postmenopausal women, for whom healthy weight maintenance can often be a frustrating challenge. However, researchers caution that those seeking to lose weight should eat a balanced, calorie-controlled diet with moderate, but consistent consumption of low-fat dairy products.

Chocoholics Rejoice Over News of Dark Chocolate?s Health Benefits

Although chocolate was once widely regarded as a dangerous enemy for many dieters, recent research has identified a number of health benefits that are associated with moderate consumption of the darker varieties of the sweet treat.

The health benefits that have repeatedly been linked to daily dark chocolate nibbling include lowered blood pressure, blood clot prevention, and circulatory flexibility and efficiency. From a weight-loss perspective, dark chocolate?s documented ability to increase insulin sensitivity is its most important property. Reduced insulin sensitivity is often identified as a culprit in obesity, and it is also a risk factor for the development of Type II diabetes.

However, make sure you don?t try to have too much of a good thing. In order to maximize the health and weight-loss benefits of dark chocolate, it is important to strictly limit your daily consumption. Experts say a sliver weighing as little as six grams is enough to get the most of dark chocolate?s health-boosting properties. Still, because of dark chocolate?s characteristic richness and flavor intensity, even this amount can be enough to satisfy a craving for sweets.

When it Comes to Dieting, Beans May Be Magical After All

You?re probably already aware that beans are among nature?s healthiest food sources. Packed with proteins, fiber, and vitamins, low in calories, and naturally fat-free, beans are already a great way to get on the path to a healthy weight.

But recent research has shown that certain types of beans may be particularly helpful for those seeking to shed a few extra pounds. An extract of a chemical compound found naturally in white kidney beans has been linked with benefits ranging from reduced starch absorption to increased digestive efficiency.

The special component is similar to a pancreatic compound known as alpha amylase. This substance regulates the absorption of starch and carbohydrates by the body. Studies have shown that individuals who take supplements with the bean-based version of alpha amylase absorb less of the harmful starches that are most easily converted to sugar in the bloodstream, often resulting in weight gain.

Because the supplement form of the enzyme is a super-concentrated version of the ingredient found naturally in white kidney beans, it is recommended for serious dieters. However, if you have just a few pounds to lose or if you have already reached the maintenance phase of your weight loss journey, it may be enough to add more beans into your regular diet.

Before making significant changes to your diet, check with a licensed physician. And check back each week for more of the research news that can put you on the path to weight loss success!

Scientists Seek to Learn More about Human Obesity, Fitness by Studying Mice

At first glance, humans and rodents may not seem to have a whole lot in common with one another, but scientists have increasingly come to rely on these fuzzy little creatures to expand their understanding of obesity and weight loss. Surprisingly enough, mice share enough of our physiological features to be able to stand in for humans in many lab tests, experiments, and studies.

Indeed, most of the medical breakthroughs that have occurred over the course of the last century have their earliest origins in studies conducted using mice. With the epidemic of obesity that is now threatening the health and well-being of many in the Western world, scientists have begun using animal models to try to find out more about not only the causes of obesity, but also possible treatments and solutions for this problem. This week, we?ll take a look at three recent studies that offer new insight into fitness -- and fatness.

Access to Fast Food, Junk Food Can Alter Eating Behaviors

Over the last few years, there has been a firestorm of controversy surrounding the prevalence of unhealthy foods in modern society. Public health advocates have claimed that easy access to fast food has helped contribute to the obesity epidemic, while the companies that offer these products have countered that they can be part of a healthy diet if eaten in moderation.

Inspired by the documentary Super-Size Me, Dr. Brent Tetri, a gastroenterologist and liver specialist at St. Louis University, designed an experiment to test these claims. Dr. Tetri and his team fed a group of mice the nutritional equivalent of a fast-food diet over a period of 16 weeks. This pattern of consumption not only resulted in dire health consequences for the mice, but it also seemed to have impacted their eating preferences and food-seeking behaviors.

From a biological point of view, the fast-food-eating mice suffered from ailments ranging from fatty accumulations on the liver to early-stage diabetes. Perhaps even more disturbingly, however, the fast-food-eating mice soon began to overeat past the point of fullness at every meal time, while their counterparts who were being fed a normal, healthy diet did not do so. According to Tetri and his team, these results may have grave implications for patients attempting to incorporate even moderate fast-food consumption into a healthy lifestyle.

New Shots May Provide Help With Targeted Weight Loss

Doctors and fitness experts have long told their patients that it?s impossible to lose weight in just your problem areas. In order to achieve your ideal shape, it has long been counseled, you have to lose weight everywhere, usually by following a diet and fitness regimen.

However, one recent study suggests that there may be hope for men and women who are more concerned with unsightly fat in just a few trouble spots. A team of scientists led by Dr. Zofia Zukowska of Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. were able to use targeted doses of a substance known as neuropeptide Y to reduce fat in certain areas, and encourage its growth in other areas. The procedure could be used to develop new cosmetic surgery techniques in the future, Zukowska noted.

Stress Can Be Directly Related to Weight Gain, Study Finds

Although it has long been assumed that stress and anxiety can promote a tendency toward obesity, the results of a study recently published in the prestigious journal Nature offered a strong confirmation of this supposition. According to the authors, mice who were subjected to stressful conditions developed a strong craving for foods high in carbohydrates.

In addition, the same chemical compound that caused the cravings also helped convert the excess calories eaten by stressed-out mice into fat deposits centered around the stomach area. In humans, belly fat is the most dangerous pattern of weight gain, linked with a wide variety of ailments and illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease. According to the authors, these findings underscore the importance of stress-relieving activities as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Be sure to check back each week for more of the weight loss, fitness, and diet news that can help you design and maintain your own healthy lifestyle.

Strategic Food Choices for Maximum Weight Loss: New Research Findings Tout the Benefits of Eggs, Soy, and Soup

At any given time, it is estimated that 45 million Americans are on a diet, meaning that about fifteen percent of the population consider themselves to be actively in pursuit of weight loss. But if you were to ask each of these dieters what they are doing to lose weight, chances are you?d be given a slightly different response from each person.

In truth, there are as many different weight-loss-oriented diet plans out there as there are dieters. Even among those who are following popular plans such as Weight Watchers, Atkins, or the South Beach Diet, each individual tends to make modifications and changes that make their eating plan unique.

Determining which eating plan is the most effective way to promote lasting weight loss is a process that has generated a substantial amount of controversy among researchers, physicians, and public health advocates in recent years. At the current time, the scientific literature on the subject is somewhat confusing. There are both advantages and disadvantages that have been linked to virtually all of the major weight-loss diets.

One thing that scientists can agree on is that some of the most effective changes dieters can make are also sometimes the smallest. Rather than undertaking a radically different approach to eating all at once, researchers recommend making incremental substitutions, such as gradually swapping healthier items for junk food, sweet treats, and other unhealthy snacks. In this way, you?ll be more likely to make these changes permanent, thereby increasing your chances of reaching your long-term weight loss goals.

But where to start? It can often be difficult to determine the types of healthy changes that will be most beneficial. This week, we?ll discuss three easy food substitutions that have been linked with successful weight loss in recent studies: eggs, soy and soup.

Starting Meals with Soup Can Cut Calories, Speed Weight Loss

One recent study indicated that dieters may be able to increase the effectiveness of their weight-loss efforts by beginning meals with a small portion of soup. The researchers identified myriad benefits associated with meals planned around a first course of relatively low-fat soups and stews.

In the study, participants who began their meals with soup were able to consume fewer total calories without experiencing hunger. The soup-eating subjects in the experiment ate an average of 20% less calories than did their non-soup-eating peers.

Scientists surmise that the low caloric density of most soups is likely the explanation for this effect. Because most soups are broth-based, they contain far fewer calories than many other types of food. People attain a feeling of fullness sooner, even though they may have consumed far fewer calories than if they had eaten solid foods alone.

Although the participants in the study were not overweight, the calorie reduction among soup eaters was significant enough to prompt the researchers to suggest further studies on the implications for dieters. In the meantime, those seeking to achieve weight loss may want to substitute soup for their typical first-course fare.

Moderate Consumption of Soy Products Linked With Weight Loss

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois found a strong correlation between soy intake and weight loss. They found that a diet rich in certain key types of soy products actually served to speed up the metabolism, prompting the body to burn fat and calories at a more rapid pace.

Although the mechanism behind this outcome is not yet fully understood, researchers believe that soy may interact with key receptors in the brain that control the release of hormones in the body. Increased soy intake prompts the release of more hormones, which in turn serves to speed up the metabolism.

However, scientists caution that the long-term implications of a soy-rich diet are not yet fully understood. Until further studies can be conducted, it is best to maintain a moderate intake of soy-based products, limited to 3-5 servings per week.

Eggs for Breakfast May Help Dieters Shed More Weight

For decades, eggs were vilified by weight-loss experts as a food to avoid. Today, however, most researchers, physicians, and public health advocates have reversed that stance, touting eggs as a healthy, nutrient-dense food choice.

One recent study suggested that eggs may play a role in promoting faster weight loss, as well. A study conducted by Louisiana State University researchers found that overweight women who ate two eggs for breakfast as part of an ongoing diet plan were more successful in their weight-loss efforts than their counterparts who ate a bagel for breakfast

Indeed, the difference in the weight loss outcome of the two groups was significant. Those who ate two eggs for breakfast at least five days a week for the course of the eight-week experiment lost 65% more weight, had 83% greater reductions in waist circumference, and reported higher energy levels than their peers.

Experts recommend a low-fat preparation, such as poached, parboiled, or boiled eggs, to maximize the weight-loss benefits of an egg breakfast.

No matter what your personal preferences are, it?s likely that either eggs, soup, or soy products will appeal to your taste buds. Incorporate one of these proven weight-loss strategies into your diet today as a first step toward a new, healthier lifestyle.