Hi all

This may stir up a few adverse comments but I call things as I see them.

Having seen the TV ads and the Alli website I was really impressed therefore, I purchased the full months version of Alli from Boots at £49.95.  I was consulted by the pharmacist who didn’t seem to know that much about the product and seemed happy to sell the pills just because I’d told her my BMI was over 28.

Anyway, I read and followed the instructions in the free pack that came with the Alli tablets & I used the food diary and started to follow a sensible diet plan.

Taking 3 tablets per day with meals I started to include moderate exercise as per the guidance in the Alli documentation. 

By the end of the first month I’d lost two whole pounds….WOW – NOT!!

In my opinion the loss of weight was down to the change in diet & the exercise & not the Alli tablets. Even when I did eat foods with high fat content no side affects ever occured!!

Feeling ripped off I did a little research into Alli and found that media hype has led many of us to believe that Alli weight loss aid is brand new. In fact, Alli is simply a lower dosage of a drug called Orlistat that’s been on prescription for more than a decade in the UK.

Ultimately, you can’t simply ditch your diet and cancel your gym membership. You should follow a low-calorie diet and take plenty of exercise.

In my opinion the Alli diet pill is a waste of money and it’s not the wonder drug it’s been made out to be. If you want a body like Beyonce, you’ll need to put in the hard work – and as always that means modifying your diet and taking more exercise.

Take a look at A Fitter You Now to see how you can lose weight with taking tablets.

I look forward to hearing your responses.

Alex.

Hi

This world is made up of many different realities. All of these, diverse as they may seem, actually work and revolve around one thing – the meaning of life. The search for things like happiness, victory, and personal satisfaction is actually a quest for life’s real essence. Where do you find all these things? You might be amazed, but everything is actually found within one’s self. The answer to life’s endless questions, the unlocking of the many mysteries of living, all these are hidden in the deepest recesses of man’s soul.

Near as they are, getting in touch with all these realities, all the solutions needed to lift the world from its misery, is actually a great feat that requires will and determination. If you wish to unravel the many treasures within yourself, you will find a great help from meditation books.

Meditation is a practice, an activity that has its origin thousands of generations ago. Many philosophers and thinkers are known in the promotion of this activity and the benefits that it provides. In this modern era of fast living, meditation still finds a place in the lifestyle of many people. There are various forms of meditation being introduced and practiced, meditation programs being offered, and even meditation books which are all designed to lead people in the path and direction towards themselves and to the truths that many are looking for.

Meditations books offer insights about taking full advantage of meditation in man’s everyday living. Whether you are a beginner, someone curious about meditation, or a person whose goal in life is to find the real essence of existence, there are actually various meditation books to help you get started.

Every meditation book is written for enlightenment, which is actually the goal of every meditation practice. Enlightenment lurks within the pure silence of the soul, and it is only when you are able to establish connection with your inner self will you be able to find the truths that you need in order to live a happier and a healthier life.

Meditation books do not stop on teaching you how to start a regular personal or structured meditation session. Each book is designed to help you go through the process, deal with the possible obstacles that you may encounter along the way, and to successfully apply meditation to everyday living.

Although the concrete activity when doing meditation is performed within a specific span of time and with certain guidelines that you must observe, real meditation is actually a lifestyle. Whatever you do, wherever you are, whatever the current experience you are in, you can turn that into a meditation. When done successfully, you will be able to find fulfillment in everything that you do and improve the total quality of your life.

Meditation books are treasure troves of knowledge. They bring abstract concepts into the setting of the real and the concrete world and help you find the best way by which you can get the best out of your life.

Stay relaxed….

Alex.

Hi all

Are you becoming obese day by day?

Is that bothering you a lot? (It did me!!)

Have you ever made an attempt to find out the reason?

If not, then do so immediately!

Most of the common reasons for becoming fat are biological in nature but have you ever considered the importance of psychological factors? Researches have shown that psychological factors are equally important in causing fat. This article will focus this point from a broad angle.

Some books that consider becoming fat is a habit deny the psychological aspects. But that is certainly not right. Four significant psychological factors that cause obesity are discussed below.

The first reason is quite interesting to note. Think of the time when you had lost weight and partially achieved the goal of loosing weight. Were you too nervous, talkative, and given to a lot of drinking and smoking at that time? If it is so, then the reason why you became obese certainly has some psychological reasons triggering it.

The second reason says, incase you have gained more than 1 pound in a week after dieting then one of the probable causes for the pre-diet additional weight is surely psychological. In this case, the addictive allergies are not taken into consideration for gaining weight. There are some eating disorders which help to gain and lose weight. Anorexia nervosa makes you loose weight and Bulimia nervosa causes weight gain. Both of these disorders have strong psychological basis.

The next factor lays stress on the kind of food that you take. If the ‘food binges’ are initiated by stress then it is most probably due to a psychological cause. If the problem of becoming overweight began during the ‘growing up’ age then the psychological factors are most likely to be considered as important factors.

It is very difficult to lose those extra pounds which you have gained during a psychological trauma. Moreover, the scariest part is that there is no treatment available to lose this fat. For most of the people the path to becoming slim is quite long and is very often filled with potholes and detours. It cannot be guaranteed at the end that you will have a svelte body.

Psychological triggers to overeating are mentioned in many books. But these are not that useful. The very common psychological disturbance is stress. Stress causes overeating. You eat more in order to get relief from stress. There are some emotions and some sexual aspects as well that cause stress. You may want to avoid such aspects in life but since you can’t always do so it causes stress. As a result you tend to eat more than usual and thus gain fat.

People suffering from ‘psychological food problems’ would also tend to eat more. Any traumatic situation that you would like to avoid will also cause stress. So the only solution lies in not getting stressed. Though this is “easier said than done”, to be honest there is no other option left. Face every situation boldly and with full confidence. For changing stress to calmness take willingness, commitment and energy and take the stressful situations head-on.

Fat is often considered as a symptom such as alcohol consumption, headache or phobia. Your main aim should be to find out the psychological basis for these conditions. Now, that you already know that gaining weight does have a psychological basis, your problem is half solved. So don’t worry about those extra pounds of flesh and concentrate more on reducing stress.

And relax…..

Alex.

Hi all

How many times have you gone to sleep at night, swearing you’ll go to the gym in the morning, and then changing your mind just eight hours later because when you get up, you don’t feel like exercising?

While this can happen to the best of us, it doesn’t mean you should drop the ball altogether when it comes to staying fit. What people need to realize is that staying active and eating right are critical for long-term health and wellness — and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The more you know about how your body responds to your lifestyle choices, the better you can customize a nutrition and exercise plan that is right for you. When you eat well, increase your level of physical activity, and exercise at the proper intensity, you are informing your body that you want to burn a substantial amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy.
In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals fast metabolism, which, in turn gives you more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort.

The true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night, Exercise doesn’t have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent.

I recommend engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes per session, and resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. This balanced approach provides a one-two punch, incorporating aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver more oxygen, and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories around the block.

Here’s a sample exercise program that may work for you:

* Warm Up — seven to eight minutes of light aerobic activity intended to increase blood flow and lubricate and warm-up your tendons and joints.

* Resistance Training — Train all major muscle groups. One to two sets of each exercise. Rest 45 seconds between sets.

* Aerobic Exercise — Pick two favorite activities, they could be jogging, rowing, biking or cross-country skiing, whatever fits your lifestyle. Perform 12 to 15 minutes of the first activity and continue with 10 minutes of the second activity. Cool down during the last five minutes.

* Stretching — Wrap up your exercise session by stretching, breathing deeply, relaxing and meditating.

When starting an exercise program, it is important to have realistic expectations. Depending on your initial fitness level, you should expect the following changes early on.

* From one to eight weeks — Feel better and have more energy.

* From two to six months — Lose size and inches while becoming leaner. Clothes begin to fit more loosely. You are gaining muscle and losing fat.

* After six months — Start losing weight quite rapidly.

Once you make the commitment to exercise several times a week, don’t stop there. You should also change your diet and/or eating habits. Counting calories or calculating grams and percentages for certain nutrients is good.Also, I suggest these easy-to-follow guidelines:

* Eat several small meals (optimally four) and a couple of small snacks throughout the day
* Make sure every meal is balanced — incorporate palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish, egg whites and dairy products, fist-sized portions of complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and pasta, wild rice, multigrain cereal and potatoes, and fist-sized portions of vegetable and fruits
* Limit your fat intake to only what’s necessary for adequate flavor
* Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water throughout the day
* I also recommend that you take a multi-vitamin each day to ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Enjoy life, we all deserve it.

Alex

Hi

It is very hard to handle stressful situations. Every individual should learn how to become aware of it and accepting it. One form of meditation which is very effective in dealing with the problems and difficult situations of life is known as mindfulness mediation or insight meditation. This is often considered by many people as a miraculous technique.

It is a fact that frustrations, stress, disappointments, anger, and other related negative emotions affects the mind and body adversely. Such negative actions and emotions must be handled effectively. Likewise, set backs must be accepted truly without causing health problems. Insight meditation is like a medicine that helps people in dealing with negative situations and emotion in a manner that is most effective to them.

Insight meditation allows or requires individuals to become aware of their environment. They are more likely sensitive in perceiving each moment. Thus, they prefer to accept situations that are stressful rather than avoiding it. If you become aware about the internal status of your mind upon insight meditation, then you can learn to accept difficult circumstances without too much resistance.

By practicing insight meditation, you can train your mind in achieving a tranquil state without being affected by external forces. The mind is aided in developing the needed strength to obtain such peacefulness.

Today, the world around you is so busy, no time for meditating. But remember that wherever you are, it is your choice to become still or not. Set specific time and space where you can do insight meditation where nobody can disturb you.

You can start practicing insight meditation. Sit in an upright position with the legs crossed. Focus on your breath or something else like physical and mental processes that are helping you to become aware of your present inner state and thought patterns.

Always watch out for your breath. It does not leave you provided that you are conscious. Imagine that you breathe in spirit. When you are breathing out, you express spirit. Concentrate on the air that passes down from your nostrils, to your air passages, and to your lungs, and vice versa when you breathe out. Focusing on your breath can accomplish two things. Your concentration is slowly shifted away from the problems in your mind as well as it brings your focus to God.

Your practice of insight meditation lets you concentrate on your actions, thoughts, and present situation non-judgmentally. Insight meditation doesn’t encourage you to evaluate or think your past actions or take your thoughts on the uncertainty of the future. It trains and helps your mind not to be distracted by external disturbances, concentrate your thoughts, and relax your mind.

Insight meditation is conducted or practiced through formal and informal techniques. Formal insight meditation incorporates yoga. In this way, you can be aware and control your breathing patterns in connection with particular body movements. When you take every life’s experience with pleasure and enjoyment, then you are using an informal insight meditation.

The strategy used in insight meditation is insight or introspection wherein you get clear pictures of your inner states and thoughts, achieve thought concentration, and train your mind in perceiving situations and things more effectively.

So, you can say goodbye to your problems and live a better and a healthy life.

Stay healthy..

Alex

Hi all

There are a lot of weight loss products that offer that fast weight loss results, however, are these really guaranteed?  Could these products live up to their assurance of a fit body?

In the US alone, there are an estimated 50 million people who try to lose weight, unfortunately, only 5 per cent are successful.  One thing’s for sure, beware of fraudulent claims and extreme high cost because there is no magic formula to losing weight.

Examples of weight loss products in the market nowadays:

• Diet Patch – this was already removed since 1990’s by FDA since they were proven ineffective.
• Magnetic Diet Pills – allegedly flushes out fat, but does not.
• Guar Gum – causes internal obstruction.
• Electrical Muscle Stimulators – no proven effect.
• Eyeglasses that Suppress Appetite – These claims that the projected image on the retina decreases appetite.  No proven fact.
• Weight loss earrings – through acupuncture, suppresses appetite.

Further examples of weight loss products:

Diet drinks that are mixed with beverages or food are used as meal substitutes.  A downside of this is that once a person stopped taking the drinks, they would eventually regain the lost weight after a short period of time due to feeling of emptiness in the stomach. 

Another is diet supplements and medicines that also don’t work long-term.  Over-the-counter pills that compose of phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride may raise blood pressure and palpitation.  Ephedra on the other hand can cause serious side effects such as heart problems, seizure, stroke, and even death.

For example:

• Herbalife Nutritional Program – good as two meals, dieters may rely on shakes and follow artificial dieting methods and just don’t want food to work into their lives.
• Mega-Thin 100 Formula – Its formula contains an anti-fat weapon, however, diet is not emphasized that’s why it’s concluded that it has an appetite suppressant.
• Nestlé’s Sweet Success – recommended to take three times a day and it does not promote healthy eating habits.  Weight loss is difficult to maintain once intake is stopped.
• Ultra Slim Fast – this plan requires regular exercise but does not teach good eating habits.
• Diet pills with Ephedra and PPA – many of these have enclosed diet plans.  Slimming can come from the diet plan and not the pill intake and there are risks of adverse side effects.
• Chitosan products – contains fibers which were taken from shellfish that may cause diarrhea, bloatedness, and gas.  This will only work if a low fat diet is practiced.
• Chromium Supplements –claim that products will lower blood sugar, body fat and cholesterol but causes anemia and even memory loss.  Studies show only minimal or no beneficial effect at all. 
• Green Tea Extract Products – known as strong anti-oxidants that help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and promote weight loss, however, the caffeine content could cause insomnia and restlessness.
• Algae Tablets – Spirulina contains significant nutrients that can be an acceptable food when used as part of a varied diet but are very expensive.
• St. John’s Wort Supplement – Claims that it will suppress appetite and promote weight loss but it could lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, tiredness, sleeplessness, and arouse allergic reactions.
• Glucomannan Products – claim that two capsules before each meal decrease food absorption.  Known as food thickeners but not yet proven safe or effective.  Weight loss will only happen if good diet plan is followed.

Even if you plan on using over-the-counter weight supplements or even participate in a weight loss activity, the verdict is that you still have to eat fewer calories than you burn to lose weight. When choosing a weight loss product or program, collect as much information as possible & don’t forget to consult your doctor.

To see how I lost weight without supplements take a look at  A FITTER YOU NOW.

Over the next week check my blog for an honest opinion of the new “wonder” drug called Alli….

Take care

Alex.

Hi all

The modern day people are very concerned about their health. They go to any extent for having a proper shape. But the million dollar question is that how to begin the process of loosing weight? Which are the methods to be followed and which should not be followed is the question. Most people find weight loss to be a difficult task.

Is there any easy way to loose weight? Weight loss is a billion dollar industry and shows no signs of slowing down as people cram more and more into an already overextended day. People have become so busy that they hardly have time to eat healthy food. They grab little bites of the fast food items. This sedentary lifestyle along with unhealthy food consumption makes them to put on weight. Their waist lines increases day by day. Therefore, people are frantically looking for some easy method for shedding weight. 

Though most people find the task of loosing weight to be very difficult yet developing a right mindset will make you achieve this goal very easily. You must first find out the real motivations for shedding weight. Do you want to lose weight for your own fitness or do you want to impress someone else? If you want to lose weight for someone else then you have already lost the fight even before it has started. If you have a healthy outlook towards weight loss then it will certainly help you reach your goal of loosing weight.    

This might seem to be very simple in the first look but the major hindrance to overcome towards weight loss is itself a ‘self defeating mindset.’ Having a ‘positive attitude’ towards weight loss is very important for successful results. Therefore, though you feel that ultimately you will fail in your goal but still keep your positive outlook because that would boost your confidence. You should concentrate on the final outcome rather than the obstacles that come in your way.

This article will provide you with some easy tips for loosing weight. The first tip says that you should first believe that you can loose weight. Do not be influenced by any negative thought. In order to achieve your goal you need to actually believe that you can do it. It is scientifically proved that a person’s world is shaped by his beliefs. So develop your mindset before you target the weight loss goal. 

The next tip says that you should think about those things that can really happen. Many people might have some unrealistic goals which are not possible. Be realistic about the goals. Set some reasonable goals which will help you to loose weight. 

The third tip says that you should consider yourself to be a thin person. The way you see yourself has direct relations with the personal identity. Overcome your ‘negative personal identity’ first in order to achieve your goal. You may need time for viewing yourself as a thin person in reality but try to begin it as soon as possible. A time will come when this will become a reality for you.   

This article has stressed time and again to set a positive outlook. So before you begin the goal of loosing weight just have the right mental state. You may even counter the negative thoughts with the positive ones. All you need to do is be positive and achieving this goal would become easy. So friends, come out of your sedentary lifestyle and set your goals right. Its time for some action so just buck up!
Keep your chin up!! 

Alex

Hi.

Sorry I’ve not posted in a while but have been studying for an exam I’m taking later this month.

However,  in order to stay healthy, you are always advised to exercise, to eat the right foods, get good sleep and take vitamins. You are really sick and tired of using these methods, aren’t you? Do you want to try out some novel techniques to stay healthy? In that case, this article will provide you some innovative and fun ways to maintain your body shape.

These fun techniques focus on the whole anatomy, and do not ask for doing any exercise or changing the existing diet plans. Let’s consider the ways one after the other. The very first method is very interesting. It asks you to sing. Whether you are a good singer or not, just raise your voice and start singing. Singing has great benefits on your health. The oxygen flow is increased as you sing. This increased flow of oxygen work wonders for the immune system, the brain and the skin. You can also express yourself in a much better way through singing. You can get rid of your embarrassments while singing. You may sing any time during of the day.

But all you should do is make an effort to sing for improving your health. The next method that you can practice is writing your feelings and thoughts in a diary. Writing down feelings and thoughts may have amazing effect on the immune system. It may sound a little weird, but honest journaling will help you to overcome you everyday problems. Having less worries will lead to less stress and this again results in having a strong immune system. You may write whatever you wish to, while journaling. It could be your feelings, a picture or a poem. You will observe that after you have finished journaling, you are feeling relaxed and better. Thus writing also produces a psychological relief.

The next most important thing on the list is laughing. Everyone is of the opinion that by laughing you can forget your problem and everything seems better. You should try to assemble the sources of laughter. Spend time with those friends who help you to laugh or watch some funny movies. Laughing has several benefits. It reduces stress, improves brain function, protects the heart, lowers blood pressure and decreases pain.

Moreover, you just can not ignore the fact that laughter creates a ‘feel good’ factor in you. Did you ever know that this priceless act could benefit you in so many ways? Eating quite often also has a significant effect on your health. Whatever you are eating has a direct effect on the health. You should not skip meal in order to loose weight. It could really be dangerous. The body gets into ‘starvation mode’ when you eat less, and thus slows down the process of metabolism. Food is considered as a fuel, so never leave your stomach empty. Eat five little meals in a day for boosting your energy. You should always carry some healthy and quick snack.

Dancing is also considered to be beneficial for the body. Dancing improves your self esteem and helps in creating better body posture. You start feeling good after a dance and you gain the energy to face anything that comes in your way. You can also do something that you love. By doing those activities you are actually re-energizing your body and also improving your creative aptitude. It also decreases your worry and stress. These activities include reading, painting, scrap-booking etc. This also boosts your self esteem. Therefore, it is noticed that these fun ways can create wonders. So the next time you feel depressed, just sing a song or listen to a good piece of music. You will certainly notice some positive changes, both physically as well as psychologically.

Keep smiling!!

Alex.

Hi all

Following on from my last post I wanted to give a few suggestions to those new to meditation.

In the fast and busy pace of life, we tend to lose focus on the more essential things. And because of the earthly needs that we are trying to meet, we tend to neglect the importance of internal peace. The lack of internal peace makes a person feel confused, exhausted and unfulfilled no matter how much achievements he earned. This is the primary concern of meditation. It allows the person to watch the flow of his thoughts as he retires to the dictates of his senses. And more significantly, it provides new energy in the monotony of the daily routine.

Meditation is something that needs to be a part of our everyday routine. In its simplest form, there is satisfaction and renewal of spirit to a more vigorous and active one. With the little time that meditation requires, you learn more about yourself. This understanding can even lead you to promising achievements especially in the field of socialization. While you learn to focus and concentrate, meditation gives a clearer sense of direction.

For beginners, here is a simple meditation technique that will nurture your consciousness to the realms that go beyond the scientific domain. This is the way out to convolution and exhaustion. In the continuous process of meditation, observe how it changes your life, perception and purpose.

The first step in this meditation technique is to find a quiet and comfortable place to reflect on. Sit in a comfortable position. You can cross-leg in a carpet or sit in a chair. The exact position of meditation doesn’t matter, as long as this makes you feel relaxed and focused. Then gently close your eyes. This is an essential technique of shutting yourself from the world. Closing the eyes directs the attention to the internal awareness, the main goal of meditation. It is because the sense of seeing greatly consumes the energy which in turn takes away the sense of focus. In other techniques, there are also open-eyed meditations. However, the efficacy of those can be low compared to closed-eyed meditations.

Relax. This is another important factor when meditating. Watch the space and the darkness. Put your attention to the flow of your thoughts that passes your mind. Watch how these thoughts rise and fall. This time, your subconscious becomes more vibrant and aware.

Repeat the mantra. This will keep you focused. An effective mantra that goes along the internal consciousness is the Sanskrit Sloka, amaram hum madhuram hum. This means “I am immortal, I am blissful”. The space which you are looking into is reigned by the Knower. The Knower of the space is characterized by immortality and bliss.

After the meditation, rub your two hands and give warmth to your face. This will help you return to your other activities. Do this meditation for at least ten minutes, twice a day. Preferably, at the start and in the end of the day recharge your spirit through meditation. This is also helpful to alleviate your worries and get you ready to more challenges of life. 

Best wishes

Alex

Hi all

The practices of meditation are increasingly becoming popular because of its importance and benefits. Most people incorporate meditation in their lives for spiritual journey. It can expand their awareness and perception about life’s experiences. Some just wants to relax.  Other people are specifically interested on the benefits of promoting health.  However, successful meditation is achieved through deep relaxation so that your mind and body can be revitalized and refreshed.

Meditations are not created without any underlying principles. Whether these principles are revealed or not, you should learn that most forms of meditations have its philosophy. Basically, it focuses on the state of the body, mind, and nature. Meditation experiences are influenced by your reason and understanding of what meditation is all about.

The guidelines for meditation are reflecting a philosophy.  This philosophy supports belief in oneself and belief in life. Increasing your belief can deepen peace and relaxation. People are receiving the benefits of meditation through a reflection that they have the capacity to relax besides any circumstances of life. Thus, the effects are positive such as emotional ease, physical health, mental clarity, good relationships, and fulfillment as a person.

The energy that flows in the human body is dynamic and varying. Everything is an intelligent expression of life’s energy from planet movements, blood circulation, and others. Moreover, what you see, what you hear, what you think, and what you feel is all expressions of that energy flow. If you can adapt to the movement of life without any resistance, then you can experience peace and tranquility. But if you are fighting and resisting the flow of life, then you can experience suffering and stress. 

Meditation can provide both short-term and long-term benefits. It includes better sleep, faster healing, less anxiety, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, stronger immune system response, and decreased use of alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.

Meditations can help you make the flow easier. It encourages trust so that things can naturally unfold in your life. Your awareness on how you control, resist, or let go the flow of life is deepened.

Keep in mind that life does not only revolve on easy things but also on difficult things as well. In fact, life has always its pair of opposites such as pleasure and pain, sorrow and joy, success and failure, love and hatred, and others. Still, it is not impossible to achieve true peace. It is not too late to learn how to drop and let go of any resisting forces that is blocking the normal movement of life. Letting go of hindrances can result in an insightful relaxation. The flow of energy must be used not for resisting but to help your natural intelligence in supporting your mental, emotional, and physical well being.

The energy that is flowing into your life must never meet any resistance. Most people have the habit of resisting pain and certain emotions. But if you can still relax in such situation, then you are not robbing yourself from feeling relieved and alive. Embracing whatever comes to your life is simply an act of loving. Today, meditation is more broadly used to describe a lot of practices that can bring different results.

To a restful mind…

Alex