The idiot-proof diet is all about calorie shifting. That is, in this diet, you shift your food intake throughout the day instead of eating just 3 meals a day. The diet is popular because it’s actually very easy to follow and there are hardly any restrictions when it comes to the types of food you can eat.

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The Idiot-Proof Diet

The idiot-proof diet is all about calorie shifting. That is, in this diet, you shift your food intake throughout the day instead of eating just 3 meals a day. The diet is popular because it’s actually very easy to follow and there are hardly any restrictions when it comes to the types of food you can eat.

The ‘calorie shifting’ model takes place because you eat every two and half hours. The theory is that because your body is consuming calories (energy) constantly throughout the day, it’s always in ‘burning calories’ mode instead of the ‘saving calories’ mode.

When you sign up for the diet, you get access to a diet handbook, an 11-day diet-plan and a diet calculator. You get to pick what foods you like to eat so don’t think that you’ll be tarving in this diet!

NutriSystem

The NutriSystem way of dieting is all about proper meal planning. People love this diet because it takes away the burden of trying to figure out what to eat during their dieting phase. You see, a lot of people actually get confused as to what they can eat when they want to lose weight. That’s not really surprising because there’s so much information out there and for every yay sayer, there is a nay sayer so it’s really tough to know what to eat.

However, with NurtiSystem, they do all the meal planning and portion controlling for you. You just need to sign up to any of their diet programs (e.g., Women’s Program, Men’s Program, Vegetarian Program, etc.) and order a multi-day (usually for 28 days) diet program.

After you choose your diet program, a menu is presented to you and you simply choose what you want to eat. The meals are then delivered to your doorstep at various intervals during your diet program.

The South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is popular because the name alone conjures bikini-clad bodies! Add to that the fact that it was founded by a cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston, then you have a sort of ‘doctor recommended, doctor approved’ seal on the diet as well.

At first glance, the South Beach Diet looks a lot like the Atkins Diet in the sense that it restricts carbohydrates during the initial phase of the program (there are 3 phases). The first phase (14 days) encourages ‘normal eating’ in the sense that you can pretty much eat whatever you want but you must NOT eat bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, or baked goods. Fruit is also not allowed. No sugar. No alcohol.

The second phase allows you to SLOWLY introduce these items back into your diet but at lesser levels that you consumed them before of course. The third phase is more about general maintenance.

Weight Watchers

Probably one of the longest running diet programs out there is Weight Watchers. It believes in the overall approach where food, exercise, behavior and support are addressed.

Weight Watchers is known for advocating a point system for foods. Using this system, one calculates the calorie intake of the foods he or she eats. The number of points you can have in a day varies depending on your weight. The beauty of the program is that there are no gut-wrenching food restrictions so you never feel deprived of anything. However, the point system teaches you how to balance your meals so that even if you indulge on one food item, you don’t go overboard and consume too much in a day.

What happens when we laugh? What do we get to experience in our bodies? How do we feel?

I know what laughter does for me. I feel absolutely incredible and energized when I laugh. I want you to feel energized too so keep reading as I share my true story to make you laugh!

First, according to French neurologist, Henri Rubenstein, “One minute of laughter can give the body up to 45 minutes of therapeutic relaxation.” Just imagine what ten minutes can do?

Have you ever heard the story of Norman Cousins, the late editor of The Saturday Review, who was taken ill with a severe connective tissue disease? When doctors gave up on him, he cured himself with large doses of Vitamin C and comedies. He found that ten minutes of belly laughter had an anesthetic effect, and he recorded his experiences in self-healing through laughter in a best-selling book, Anatomy of an Illness.

What do you think laughter can do in terms of weight loss?

When you laugh you can burn calories according to experts at Vanderbilt University, and the more you laugh, the more you burn. Those little endorphins know exactly what they’re doing. They’re saying, “Come here little fat cells, come to momma.” They’re unstoppable, like The Terminator, eliminating those fat cells with a vengeance.

Want more endorphins? Start laughing! Laughter = weight loss!

Here’s a few endorphins for you….something to tickle your funny bone, and it’s a true story.

As you know I have been dating, and it’s been a delightful experience. Recently, my partner and I had been e-mailing back and forth and, feeling a little spontaneous, made the decision to meet…right away. I had not seen him for two weeks so was very excited at the anticipation of our rendezvous. I was rushing to get out of the house as I had approximately a 45 minute drive to our destination point. Thus, I left the house in a hurry. As I was driving, I was quickly doing a check:

Shaved legs – Yup!

Lotion on my legs – Yup!

Brushed teeth – Yup!

Painted toenails – Yup!

HOT outfit – Yup! Yup!

Okay, I’m ready!! I cranked up the CD and continued to drive feeling pretty good. Then realized I had forgotten one check point. I took a quick whiff of the underarms. Oh, my gosh! It had been a hot day and I forgot to do the underarm check. Yikes! Odor alert….I was definitely stinky!

I rummaged through my purse checking for lotion or anything I could rub on my underarms….nothing! I started to panic a little as I wanted to be the epitome of a HOTTIE, and a HOTTIE cannot have underarm odor. I mean it’s one of the laws in the HOTTIE creed.

Surely, there must be something down in the depths of my purse……something, anything. My creative juices began to flow when I spotted the tin container. I’ve never tried using these as an underarm deodorant. Is it possible? Well, I’m a person who likes to think outside the box and this was definitely thinking outside the box…or inside the tin so to speak.

I quickly took one out of the tin, put it on my tongue to wet it and then rubbed it on my underarms. Then I smelled my underarms. I could still smell a hint of BO with a little twist of cinnamon, so I licked and rubbed again. Okay, still a slight odor. This called for more licking and rubbing. There I was on Highway 16 heading to Tacoma, Washington licking and rubbing for most of the 45 minute drive. Did it do the trick?

Yes, Altoids had saved the day…and my partner never even knew. He just thought the cinnamon smell was coming from my mouth as I had popped an Altoid right before we met. Altoids, they’re not just for fresh breath!

If you think you have a hemorrhoid, first analyze whether you have the correct symptoms. If you do, then you can worry about finding a treatment.

Do you have a hemorrhoid?

Often times, they are so small that people can go their entire life without knowing they have a hemorrhoid. Other times, it’s painfully obvious due to irritation experienced during bowel movement such as itching or pain. Hemorrhoids can be internal, meaning they are inside the anus, or external, meaning they lie underneath the skin around the anus. If you are experiencing bleeding during your bowel movement, chances are you have an internal hemorrhoid.

Hemorrhoid Treatments

Some treatments are very affordable and very easy to come across. For example, you can pick up a creme which numbs the area at any pharmacy or local market. Other medications can be used to shrink the hemorrhoid so it causes less pain and irritation. There are also prescription cremes and lotions which can be used in a more serious situation.

If you have a severe hemorrhoid, it’s possible that surgery might be the best answer. In this case, a doctor will use sclerotherapy and a rubber band ligation. These can be very expensive procedures. Rubber band ligation can be done in a doctors office and doesn’t take very long. Sclerotherapy, on the other hand utilizes an injection of a chemical which is given to the area surrounding the hemorrhoid. This chemical forces the constriction of blood vessels feeding the hemorrhoid. This hemorrhoid treatment causes the hemorrhoid to shrink.

How many of us have heard about the numerous benefits of fiber? Fiber, in its two forms, soluble and insoluble, is very beneficial to our health. Although our bodies can’t break down this particular substance, its presence in our bodies offers excellent digestive and weight loss benefits.

Some of the foods which are rich in fiber include beans, grains, fruit and vegetables. By eating foods rich in this compound, we end up feeling full for hours upon hours. Since our bodies can’t break down fiber, it takes us much longer to digest it. When our digestive track has to work extra hard to break down this compound it uses up more energy which in turn helps us burn more calories. Aside from weight loss benefits, soluble and insoluble fiber offers digestive system perks.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms glue like gel inside our bodies. This particular gel softens stools and slows down stomach emptying for improved digestion. Insoluble fiber on the other hand serves as a natural laxative. This particular compound holds on to water and pushes waste faster along the intestines. When waste is pushed faster along the intestines it leaves less time for cancerous substances in your stool to have contact with the lining of the bowel. Not only does this result in softer stools but it also decreases the chances of colon cancer and hemorrhoids. So if you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, gas, constipation, hemorrhoids, or if you want to prevent obesity, colon cancer, gallstones, and other digestive troubles, you should try to incorporate more fiber into your daily diet. Aside from its medicinal benefits, consuming foods rich in this compound will help you lose those unwanted pounds faster. A fiber-rich healthy diet along with exercise is the key to a healthy lifestyle.