Liquid Diets to Lose Weight Fast

Liquid diets are gaining popularity for weight loss. Liquid diet is especially suggested by the health care providers if there are medical conditions like any surgery or conditions related to jaw or gastrointestinal tract. Liquid diets have become the newest rage for losing weight fast. In spite of the benefits of the liquid diets, there are two other reasons for this craze for liquid diets to lose weight fast. One is, of course, to lose weight fast and the other one is to imitate the famous Hollywood personalities. There are several Hollywood personalities who opted for various liquid diets and lost weight, successfully. There is nothing wrong in it, provided the diet doesn't cause any side effects on the health of the dieter.

Liquid Diet Plan

There are two basic liquid diets that are opted for the cause of weight loss. One is the regular liquid diet and the other is the clear liquid diet. Liquid diets are very convenient to use and they do not over-stress the dieter either. There are many variations that a person can do with the liquid diets. There are two more sub-categories as low calorie liquid diet plans and commercial liquid diet plans. Both these are actually meal replacement diets that are used to lose weight. The later one comes with pre-packaged liquid diet products that can be combined with low calorie and high fiber diets. The low calorie liquid diet plan, on the other hand, consists of medically observed liquid diets that allow only 500 to 800 calories a day and the solid foods are increased after a few days. This sort of liquid diet is for those who really want to lose weight fast and for long term.

Liquid Diets to Lose Weight

The low calorie liquid diet plan helps a person to lose weight within a week. If strictly followed, a person can lose more than 3 to 4 lbs. These diets are needed to be followed for at least 12 weeks with only 480 to 800 calorie consumption a day. A smart liquid diet is really very important to lose weight fast, otherwise chances are there for it to turn into a boomerang. In liquid diets, that are taken to lose weight quickly, easily digestible foods are given more preference. These foods are those containing proteins, minerals and important vitamins. This means it avoids fats and any other thing that cannot be easily digested by the system.

Low calorie liquid diet programs also include daily 30 minutes of rigorous exercise. Exercise and liquid diets boost the metabolism levels and in this way, they help in fat loss, by burning the unwanted body fats. Liquid diets for weight loss are best to be followed under a watchful supervisor. There are just too many liquid diets for losing weight, and some of them can also be called fad diets that are more popular due to the promotional propaganda and advertisements by several really slim and popular models.

There are just too many 'diet inventors' that are proud about their own product and how their 'lose weight fast' formula is superior than all the others. Several liquid diets also come under the category called 'fad diets'.

Master Cleanse Diet
Master cleanse diet has suddenly gained popularity in the past few years as it is a good way of liquid diet weight loss. Master cleanse lemonade diet is a liquid diet that consist of water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and honey. A dieter has to follow this diet for 10 days. Master cleanse diet increases detoxification and metabolism and by this, it promotes weight loss. The cost of this diet is very less and this makes it one of the best liquid diets that can be undertaken. The only problem with this diet is that people cannot withstand without food completely (as the master cleanse diet demands) and they tend to leave dieting sooner or later. This is the same liquid crash diet that Beyonc Knowles made famous!

Liquid Medi-Fast Diet
Liquid medi-fast diet is a diet plan that consists of fluids that the dieter has to consume 5 times a day and a meal that the person is allowed to have only once a day. This meal must be a low fat and low calorie food that is high on protein and fresh vegetables. This liquid diet allows only 800 to 1000 calories a day and hence, it helps in losing weight.

Liquid Opti-Fast Diet
Liquid opti-fast diet must strictly be followed under physician's or dietitian's supervision. These are liquid diets that are specially designed meal replacement powders or fluids that help a person to lose weight fast. These are protein shakes and several other juices for weight loss. This sort of liquid diet to lose weight fast must be accompanied by strict exercise routine and weekly monitoring by the dietitian.

The Hollywood Liquid Diet
This diet claims weight loss in '24 to 48 hours'. There are many other shakes and juices that come with various flavors like vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and so on, the Hollywood liquid diet plan consists of fruit juices that help and increase natural detoxification of the body impurities. This diet is also called detox diet that can be a great way of losing weight. As they say, this diet helps the person to lose all the excessive water weight and soon after, the person starts to gain his/her normal eating pattern.

Cabbage Soup Diet
There is a lot of rage about this diet plan as well. It is called the '7 days cabbage soup diet', that one of course has to follow for a week. This is also an inexpensive diet plan that is worth giving a try for quick weight loss. There are many soup recipes that one can try with cabbage and variety of vegetables, to make this diet a lot more exiting. It is supposed that cabbage soup diet helps the person to lose 10 pounds in one week.

Many people also talk a lot about the clear liquid diets, but to be frank, clear liquid diets are not for weight loss. A person will surely lose weight but he will also lose on the important nutrients at the same time. Fad diets and 'liquid diet plan lose weight fast' only give temporary results. Sometimes, it happens that, once a person stops consuming certain meal replacement shakes like the good old protein shakes, he/she starts to put on weight, faster than ever.

So, in my view, liquid diets are really a great thing to lose weight fast but for a long term effect, one strictly needs to follow a balanced weight loss diet, suitable exercise and healthy habits. A good combination of all these things will always keep a person to be tension free and happy.

Anxiety and Menopause

Menopause is a phase in a woman's life that is characterized by physiological and emotional upheaval. As this stage signifies the end of a woman's reproductive ability, it has lasting effects on a woman's psyche. Menopause is a gradual process, which goes on for several years. The first signs of menopause begin to develop in later thirties or early forties (also called perimenopausal age). On an average, a woman attains menopause by the age of 51. A few years before menopause and a couple of years after that are especially demanding for a woman. Amongst the various symptoms of menopause, anxiety and depression can be difficult to deal with.

Anxiety and Menopause

As mentioned above, menopause symbolizes the end of fertility for a woman. Although, a woman has had children in her life and has no intentions of procreation on her mind, this fact can still be very difficult for her to accept. Women perceive this as a loss of their femininity, womanhood. She may think that she is now undesirable to her spouse. A woman feels anxious all the time regarding acceptance by her spouse. If she does not get spousal support at this stage, it may send her into depression. Another factor that leads to anxiety and depression is response of children. Children at this stage are capable of taking control of their lives. Thus, they become less and less dependent on their mothers. This again may cause a feeling of worthlessness in women. Although, hormonal fluctuation is often cited as a reason for menopausal symptoms like this one, one should understand that hormonal imbalance is only a trigger. The origin of anxiety lies deeper into the psyche of a woman. An event of physiological distress may ignite a fear of same event happening again and thus makes the woman anxious.

Symptoms

Anxiety is often characterized by the fear of unknown; a fear that something bad is going to happen to yourself or your loved ones. Panic attack is the most common anxiety symptom in women during menopausal period. The woman may experience shortness of breath, sweating, hot flashes, heaviness in chest etc. amongst other symptoms. If the woman has several responsibilities she may get stressed out, eventually leading to adrenal fatigue. Fear of death may also cause trembling along with bouts of depression.

Treatment

As anxiety is a psychosomatic problem, it can be treated only by improving the psyche of the woman. In that regard, anxiety is easier to treat as it is only a mental ailment. A few psychotherapy sessions may help a woman to come to terms with this stage in a better way. Along with the woman, her family, especially her spouse can also be imparted some counseling, so that they help her cope with menopausal anxiety. Similarly, the woman herself can make efforts to improve her condition. She must devote some time during the day to do some activity of her choice. It has been found that women who have high self esteem and self-confidence hardly face any difficulty in coping with this situation. Hence, women must take special efforts to work on their self worth.

Apart from this, certain changes at dietary level also bring about positive changes in a woman's life. Eating complex carbohydrates also has a calming effect on the woman's mind as it increases the levels of serotonin in the brain. Similarly, avoiding refined junk food and incorporating more healthy food in diet can also help relieve anxiety.

Thus, anxiety during menopause can be controlled with the help of treatment. This is indeed a difficult phase of your life, but a positive attitude can make it a lot easier to deal with.

Long Term Effects of Testosterone Injections

Testosterone is the main male sex hormone which is also known as 'an androgen'. In women also, it plays an important role in conception and maintaining the energy level and weight. In males, testosterone is produced in the testes. The normal levels of testosterone in men are higher than in females. In males, it plays an important role in the development of the reproductive system and in the development of the secondary male sex characteristics like facial hair, deep voice, muscle strength, etc.

Signs of Low Testosterone in Men

There exist several causes of low testosterone. Testosterone levels vary according to the age, physiology, diet, medical history and lifestyle. After forty years of age, at the beginning of the andropause, testosterone levels start decreasing. The levels are at their peak at the onset of puberty. Hypogonadism, pituitary gland problems, certain diseases like diabetes, drug abuse can affect testosterone production. Here follows the list of signs of low testosterone:

• Excessive fatigue, Lethargy
• Severe mood changes
• Increased irritability
• Erectile dysfunction or poor erectile functions
• Anemia
• Depleted muscle strength
• Osteoporosis
• Lack of sexual desire
• Problem concentrating
• Undesired weight loss

Testosterone therapy is recommended to those who exhibit the above symptoms of low testosterone levels. The injections are taken by both men and women to improve testosterone levels. The dosage for men and women can be different.

Adverse Effects of Testosterone Injections

Those opting for the injections may experience allergic reaction and may suffer from nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, acne, excessive growth of body hair, loss of scalp hair and worsening of sleep apnea. Some of these effects like headache, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite and increased thirst can be temporary and as the body gets adjusted to the doses, the symptoms may go away. Doctors may prescribe some medications to lower the symptoms. Many patients never think about the long term effects of testosterone injections and when they come to know about them, they are shocked. The short term as well as long term side effects of the injections may vary according to the age, gender, dosage and overall health of the person. Since these injections help build muscles and increase muscle size, youngsters interested in bodybuilding opt for the injections. Athletes also take these injections for improvement in performance. Long term effects of these injections are often noticed in those who take the injections over an extended period.

• Growth of facial and body hair in women
• Male-pattern baldness in women. (women with thin hair should avoid taking these injections.)
• Deepening of voice
• Clitoral engorgement in women
• A change in mood or personality, depression, aggression, severe mood swings may result in violence
• Liver dysfunction, jaundice, may lead to liver cancer
• Baldness in men
• Growth of the Adam's apple
• Numbness, tingling sensation, joint pain and breast enlargement in men (Gynecomastia)
• Decreased sperm count or lack of sperms
• Prolonged, painful erections known as priapism
• Shrinking of the testicles
• Fluid retention and heart failure
• Tremors, renal failure
• Cognitive and behavioral changes, sudden change in energy levels, confusion, mood swings, memory loss and loss of concentration
• Adverse change in blood cholesterol levels leading to narrowing of the blood vessels, atherosclerosis and other health complications.
• Acne or other skin diseases.
• In women, positive effects of the hormone-replacement therapy can be canceled by testosterone injections, leading to damaged cardiovascular system.
• Testosterone may interact negatively with routine drugs canceling their effects and creating several health problems. For example, diabetic medicines, blood clot medicines, propranolol, etc.
• Enlargement of prostate (may lead to urethral obstruction), painful symptoms in the scrotum and associated areas. Patients with breast cancer or prostate cancer should consult their physician before taking these injections.

You should consult a physician before opting for testosterone injections. You should describe your health condition and provide information about your routine medicines to the physician to avoid health complications. You may raise the level of testosterone in your blood naturally by following a balanced diet and by performing exercises. Changes in the lifestyle such as limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking help maintain hormone levels in the body.

Flat Abs Diet

I had a friend who toiled in the gym for hours everyday trying to get a flat tummy but in vain, and I would always wonder why he never got results. One day in the evening I saw the same guy downing burgers and beers, as if there was no tomorrow. It was then evident to me that if I wanted a flat tummy I would need to incorporate a flat abs diet in my exercise program. They say you are what you eat and I firmly believe that, because I know from personal experience that If I eat indiscriminately it would show in my physical appearance, no matter how much time I spent in the gym. Another important thing I learned was that only eating right isn't enough, I also needed to do the right kind of exercises to get six pack abs.

One of the most important things that I discovered is that, If I ate small meals at regular intervals it helped me in my goal of achieving a flat stomach. To my dismay, I also learned that deep-fried chicken is not a part of flat abs diet. Staying off soda pops is also very important, if you are looking to reduce the flab around your stomach and waist regions.

Dairy
Include dairy products in your diet to see some wonderful results, have 2 - 3 servings of dairy everyday. If you are looking for some weight loss try fat-free milk, yogurt and little cheese as these will help you. Studies have shown that dairy products are calcium rich and that could be the main reason behind fat loss. Some studies have also indicated that having a glass of milk will give you a feeling of fullness and will stop you from taking more calories.

Fruits
They are the best resource of low-calorie food, they also have just enough sugar content to satiate your craving for food. Fruits also have antioxidant that are good for your immune system, and they are the easiest way to boost your energy without adding to your fat content. The fiber content of fruits makes them a great addition to your six pack abs diet plan. Have fruits like apple and oranges to keep your energy level up, fruits are also a great source of vitamins. Fruits like mango, orange, and papaya have a good vitamin C content and are also great for the digestive system.

Meat
One of the most important addition for your diet plans is to have meats like beef and chicken on your menu, just make sure you follow healthy recipes. White meat of the fish is the best way to keep your calorie intake in check. Eating fish also supplies your body with omega 3 essential fatty acids which are good for your heart as they keep the cholesterol levels under control. Chicken breasts are also good for you, just make sure whatever you eat is grilled and not fried. Smoked beef in small portions is a good inclusion in the six pack abs diet for men, as it is a good resource of proteins and iron.

Vegetables
Most vegetable are negative calories, which means you burn more calories digesting them, than you gain by eating them. Vegetables also act like diuretics and help you to keep you weight in control. Fiber content in the vegetables is very high and they also contain nutrients that boost energy levels. Including protein rich vegetables in the diet will help men achieve the target faster.

Include all these four food groups in your diet and see the results, just be a little patient, you did not put on the weight in one day, so do not expect results in one day. Along with your diet, regular exercise will also helps you to lose weight faster.