5 Fruits You Should Not Eat to Reduce Belly Fat

With more than 2 in 3 adults and one-third of all children in the United States qualifying as being overweight or obese, stubborn belly fat has become a major health concern that affects people of both genders and practically all age groups. Fructose has been blamed for contributing to this epidemic -- more than 10 percent of the average American’s daily calories come from fructose, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Fruit, a natural source of fructose, has been vilified by some in the process. While fruit is generally healthy, there are a few kinds of processed fruit you should limit or avoid when you’re trying to lose weight.

Fruit Packed in Syrup
Although the amount of fructose in a serving of fresh fruit is a fraction of what you’d get from a sugary beverage or a rich dessert, fresh fruit that’s been preserved in sugar is another story. Such fruit is typically kept in the center aisles of the grocery store, where you can typically find canned or bottled fruit cocktails, peaches, apricots, pineapple, mangoes, pears, cherries and mandarin oranges. While some of these fruits are packed in water, many are packed in light or heavy syrup or even sugary gelatin, which can greatly increase their sugar content. For example, you’ll get just under 13 grams of sugar from a cup of fresh peach slices, whereas a cup of peach slices preserved in heavy syrup provides almost 33 grams of sugar.

Fruit Juice
The fiber in whole fruit helps control the rate at which your body absorbs its natural sugars, which is part of what makes whole fruit a healthy choice, despite its fructose content. When fruit is stripped of its fiber, as it is when it’s juiced, not only does your body absorb its sugar faster, but there’s more sugar to absorb. It can take several pieces of fruit to make one glass of fruit juice, which is what makes juice a more concentrated source of sugar. So even though the U.S. Department of Agriculture counts a cup of 100-percent fruit juice as a serving of fruit, it’s not the best option when you’re trying to lose weight.

One cup of unsweetened grape juice has 150 calories and 36 grams of sugar, while a cup of seedless grapes has 100 calories and 23 grams of sugar.

Blended Fruit Drinks
Blended fruit drinks, or smoothies, are sometimes perceived as healthier than juice because they aren’t pressed and filtered; instead, they’re pulverized. While this does mean that many smoothies offer some amount of fiber, it’s less than what you would have gotten from the whole fruits that went into the beverage, and some of it is not of the same quality -- pulverizing insoluble fiber changes its structure and affects the way it behaves in your digestive tract, according to a 2012 review on dietary fiber published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology. Many commercially produced fruit smoothies pack a lot of fruit into a single serving, which means you’ll ingest a lot of calories and sugar when you drink them -- an 8-ounce serving of one commercially produced mango smoothie provides 150 calories, 30 grams of sugar and no dietary fiber.

Sweetened Dried Fruit
Dried fruit has something in common with fruit juice – it takes the calories and sugar of whole fruit and concentrates it. A big problem with dried fruit is that many varieties are processed with added sugars. Blueberries are a prime example – you’ll get about 130 calories and 27 grams of sugar from 1/4 cup of dried, sweetened blueberries, whereas a cup of fresh blueberries has just 80 calories and less than 15 grams of sugar. Although unsweetened dried fruit has a leg up on juice -- it retains most of its nutrients and fiber, which also become highly concentrated -- its compact package makes overindulgence more likely. If you can avoid sweetened dried fruit and keep yourself to a single serving of dried fruit -- which is about 1/4 cup, in most cases -- you’ll actually get about the same level of nutrients as you would from a single serving of the same fresh fruit.

Fruit-Based Snacks
The various processed fruit-based snacks aimed at children aren’t all that healthy and certainly won’t help your waistline. Even products that are all-natural, contain no added sugars and claim to count toward your fruit intake aren’t nearly as good for you as the real thing -- they’re typically made from concentrated fruit puree, which means they often contain little or no fiber. They also tend to contain fewer vitamins and minerals than their source fruits. Fruit-based snacks include fruit chews, fruit strips and fruit leathers. A large fruit leather has about 80 calories, more than 10 grams of sugar and no dietary fiber.

Fruit and Reducing Belly Fat
When it comes to weight loss and weight management, fresh fruit has a lot to offer -- it’s nutrient-dense, relatively low in calories and rich in dietary fiber. Its natural sweetness is a healthy alternative when you want to satisfy your cravings for baked goods and other sugary food products. Eating fruit probably isn’t what caused you to gain belly fat in the first place, and eliminating the high-calorie, low-nutrient foods that more likely did -- in addition to getting more active -- would help you reach your goals more readily than would avoiding most kinds of fruit.

The Effect of Black Tea on Weight Loss

More than 80 percent of all tea consumed in the United States is black tea. Black tea is packed with nutrients that are slightly different from those in green and white teas but -- like green tea -- black tea is linked to weight loss. You’ll get the same benefits from caffeine in both types of tea. And unique black tea flavonoids show promise that help you drop extra pounds. But you'll get the biggest impact by using black tea to replace high-calorie beverages.

Black Tea Flavonoids Support Weight Loss
A group of plant-based antioxidants called flavonoids, or polyphenols, are responsible for many of the health benefits associated with tea. All types of tea are made from the same plant leaves, which contain a group of flavonoids called catechins. In green tea, the primary flavonoids are catechins. When the leaves are further processed to produce black tea, the catechins form new flavonoids called theaflavins and thearubigins. Black tea may retain a small amount of catechins, but its health benefits come from the new flavonoids.

Research published so far suggests that black tea has the potential to support weight loss. The digestive enzyme lipase is inhibited in laboratory animals that consume black tea flavonoids. Since fats aren’t digested without lipase, some dietary fats are eliminated from the body rather than absorbed. When lab mice were fed a high-fat diet, the animals receiving a higher dose of black tea polyphenols lost more weight than the group that got fewer polyphenols, reported Nutrition in 2011.

Researchers also reported that energy expenditure -- or calories burned -- significantly increased after laboratory mice received a dose of theaflavins from black tea, according to PLoS One in September 2015. The studies published so far are promising, but they've only used lab animals. More research is needed in people to determine black tea’s impact on weight loss.

Caffeine Boosts Metabolism to Lose Weight
When you drink a cup of regular black tea, you’ll get 30 to 80 milligrams of caffeine. It only takes about 50 milligrams of caffeine to increase the amount of energy your body uses while at rest, according to a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2009. While there’s no way to determine the exact effect on body weight, caffeine increased basal metabolism by 6 percent in the 12 study participants. Caffeine also promotes lipolysis -- the breakdown of stored fat -- and it stimulates cycles that metabolize fats.

Caffeine may help keep weight off for a longer period of time. Out of 2,000 people surveyed, nearly 500 people reported that they successfully lost weight and kept it off. The smaller group consumed significantly more coffee and caffeinated beverages compared to the other participants, reported the European Journal of Nutrition in November 2015. However, this survey only implies an association; it does not prove that drinking more caffeine caused the positive outcome.

MedlinePlus notes that most people can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, which is 5 to 13 cups of black tea. Be aware that most products don’t report the amount of caffeine per cup, so you won’t know whether your tea is at the low or high end. People who are more sensitive to caffeine and those who have an irregular heart rhythm, high blood pressure or excess stress, may need to consume less than that recommended by the general intake guidelines.

Black Tea Reduces Calorie Consumption
Beyond the potential benefits of polyphenols and caffeine, black tea will help you lose weight if you use it as a replacement for high-calorie beverages. One cup of black tea only has 2 calories. Even if you add a teaspoon of honey, it still only has 23 calories. If you drink any type of sweetened beverage, switching it with black tea eliminates a significant number of calories. One cup of sweetened cola has 103 calories, but remember that a can of soda contains 12 ounces, which adds another 52 calories. And if you get a large soda at the local fast-food restaurant, you’ll consume 413 calories, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Drinking water before a meal promotes a feeling of fullness, which helps some people eat less. Two studies published in the journal Obesity -- one in 2010 and the second in 2015 -- found that subjects who drank hot or cold water before a meal lost more weight, compared to participants who didn’t drink any beverages. You’ll also temporarily burn a few additional calories as the body metabolizes water. Even though these studies only used plain water, drinking a cup of tea may deliver similar benefits.

Chinese Black Tea Promotes Fat Loss
Black tea got its name because the tea leaves turn black during the oxidation process that develops new flavonoids. When it’s brewed, black tea develops a reddish color, which is why it’s called red tea in China. Chinese black tea, or pu-erh tea, is different from black tea in the United States. Just like green tea and black tea, pu-erh tea is made from the same tea leaves, but the leaves are fermented by microorganisms and aged over an extended period of time. As a result, pu-erh tea has a unique flavor and contains flavonoids called theabrownins and gallic acid.

Researchers found that study participants who drank pu-erh tea extract lost more weight and abdominal fat than the group that didn’t drink tea, reported Nutrition Research in June 2011. But this study only had 36 subjects, so their results may not apply to other people. In lab mice, oolong, black and pu-erh teas -- especially black tea -- promoted weight loss and significantly decreased visceral fat, according to Food and Function in 2014.

How to Lose 30 Pounds in 3 Months With a Diet Plan

Losing 30 pounds in three months is a lofty goal, but is achievable if you've got the grit, determination -- and a lot of weight to lose. A three-month deadline puts your rate of loss at an average of about 2 1/2 pounds per week, just slightly above the ideal range of 1 to 2 pounds per week that's recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can safely lose weight at this faster rate, as long as you choose a diet plan that emphasizes diligent portion control, healthy food choices and exercise. Always check with your personal physician before beginning a diet-and-exercise program to be sure it's appropriate for you.

Potential for Losing 30 Pounds in 3 Months
Weight loss happens when you reduce your calorie intake below what you burn. To lose 30 pounds in three months, you'll have to create a deficit of 8,750 calories per week -- or about 1,250 calories per day. For the average adult, who requires about 2,000 calories per day to maintain the current weight, a 1,250-calorie deficit is unhealthy and unsustainable because it would leave just 750 calories on which to live. Registered dietitian, Joanne Larsen, on her website AsktheDietitian.com, warns against eating fewer than 1,200 calories per day because of the potential for nutrient deficiency, poor energy and muscle loss. In general, men need more calories per day than women, even when trying to lose weight.

But, the larger you are, the more calories you burn, so, if you have a significant amount of weight to lose, chances are you burn more than the 2,000-calorie-per-day average.Consult with your physician or use an online basal metabolic calculator, which estimates your daily calorie maintenance needs, to ensure you burn at least 2,450 calories daily. This ensures you can safely trim the 1,250 calories daily to lose 30 pounds in three months.

Exercise to Assist in Weight Loss
If trimming the required number of calories is not possible for your frame, combine eating less with increased physical activity. Exercise boosts your daily calorie burn significantly. Aim for 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic work -- such as brisk walking -- on most days to burn more calories, along with regular strength training to maintain muscle. You can then reduce calories by only 500 to 1,000 per day to achieve the goal deficit of 1,250 calories per day.

How much of an increase in caloric burn you get from physical activity depends on your size and the intensity of the exercise. Note that if you're already physically active and maintaining your weight, you'll need to add more exercise duration or intensity to create a deficit that promotes loss. Consulting a personal trainer is helpful for recommendations about what types of exercise will benefit you the most and be safe for your current level of physical fitness.

Choosing a Weight-Loss Diet Plan
A sensible weight-loss plan teaches you reasonable, maintainable habits so you'll stay in control of your weight your whole life. Drastic measures may bring immediate results, but they're more likely to lead to serious consequences, such as low energy, muscle loss, irritability, diminished immunity, inability to concentrate and binges. If you don't learn to manage your eating and exercise, chances are you'll gain all 30 pounds back -- and possibly more. Go with a plan that's sensible, doesn't ban entire food groups, and is appropriate for your lifestyle and schedule. For example, a plan that requires lots of nightly cooking when you work 12-hour days and have children may be unsustainable and set you up for failure.

Diet plans that provide a tool for monitoring -- whether it's a food journal, a counselor or online tracker -- help keep you from straying, too. To lose a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period, like three months, accountability is key.

Sample Diet Plan
How many calories you eat to lose the 30 pounds in three months is really tailored to your size, calorie needs and activity level. A sensible approach, though, usually includes eating a 2- to 4-ounce serving of protein, at least 1/2 cup of whole grains or starchy vegetable, 1 to 2 teaspoons of an unsaturated fat, and 1 to 2 cups of leafy or nonstarchy veggies at each meal. Quality protein foods include white fish, chicken breast, lean steak, white-meat pork, tofu and egg whites. Opt for brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa and 100 percent whole-wheat bread for whole grains or sweet potatoes, winter squash or peas as starchy vegetables. Leafy and nonstarchy vegetables include lettuce, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, green beans, asparagus. For healthy, unsaturated fats, choose olive and avocado oil, nut butters, raw nuts or seeds and avocados.

Your daily meal plan might consist of an egg white omelet with chopped peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes and a slice of whole-wheat toast topped with 2 teaspoons of almond butter; a tossed spinach salad with chicken breast, quinoa, olive oil and cucumbers; and flank steak, wild rice and steamed broccoli for dinner.

Although you're trying to lose weight quickly, you can still indulge in snacks. Make them nutrient-rich choices, though, that are portion-controlled to keep calories low. Low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit -- especially berries, which are low in calories -- whole-grain crackers, hummus and almonds are some options to choose from. The number of calories you eat at snack time depends on your daily calorie limits.

Weight Loss Pitfalls
Your daily calorie needs are calculated according to your size. As your size shrinks with weight loss, your calorie needs change. To keep losing weight, you'll need to adjust your calorie intake downward every time you lose five to 10 pounds. Larsen notes that for every five pounds lost, you'll need to decrease your intake by 25 to 50 calories. So, if you successfully lose weight when eating 1,600 calories per day at first, once you lose 15 to 20 pounds, you may have to reduce your intake by an additional 100 to 200 calories to keep dropping weight.

Even if you don't reach your goal weight in three months, know that small changes can make a big health impact. The CDC notes that even losing 5 percent of your total body weight can lead to improvements in blood sugar levels, cholesterol and blood pressure.

Apple Juice Diet for the Liver

The apple juice diet for the liver refers to a liver detox, cleanse or flush, terms that are used interchangeably. Sometimes it is referred to as a gallstone flush. Apple juice is one of the key ingredients in some versions of a liver cleanse. Other versions rely more on olive oil or walnut oil. All of the apple juice diets for the cleansing of the liver share a common characteristic -- experts such as the Nemours Foundation say they don't work.

Modern Liver Cleanse
There are two variations of the liver cleanse. The classic method, invented by herbalist Frank Roberts in the 1950s, stresses taking 1 ounce of virgin olive oil on an hourly basis and with an empty stomach. The second version makes extensive use of apple juice. One version advises you to drink lots of apple juice and eat only fruits and vegetables for two days. Then you drink 1 to 2 tablespoons of Epson salt with water, 1/2 cup of olive oil and some lemon juice. Another version asks you to drink fresh apple juice for three days, along with lots of raw salad and unprocessed fruit, followed by 4 tablespoons of Epsom salts mixed in four cups of water, followed by fresh grapefruit and lemon juice.

Theory
According to the Candida blog website, drinking lots of apple juice before cleansing your liver is recommended because the malic acid in apple juice is said to soften gallstones to enable them to be flushed from your liver and body. But as the Candida website states, there is no scientific evidence to support such a theory.

Research
Quackwatch.com demolishes the theory behind apple juice and liver cleansing. The apple juice liver cleanse apparently came from a letter to an editor of the distinguished medical journal "The Lancet," and extolled the value of a gallbladder flush used by the wife of the letter writer. As Dr. Stephen Barrett, the author of Quackwatch explains, "there is no way for apple juice or any other agent taken by mouth to come into contact with stones in the gallbladder or bile ducts."

Side Effects
There is little evidence that liver cleanses or any other cleanse, detox or flush diet actually remove toxins from the body. Your body's organs -- kidneys, liver, digestive system and lymph system -- are designed to remove toxins from the body on their own and their function can not be improved without medical intervention, according to Debunking Detox. Most ingested toxins are filtered by the kidneys and then excreted in urine and stool. Detox diets may also cause unpleasant side effects You can suffer from dehydration, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. You should not consider a liver cleanse with apple juice or anything else without first discussing it with your health care provider.

24-Hour Fat Flush Diet

As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The 24-hour fat-flush diet is a holiday detox diet created by Anne Louise Gittleman, a holistic nutritionist and author. She states on her website that you can lose 5 pounds, melt fat and flush your body of all the harmful toxins you consumed on Christmas in 24 hours. While you might be able to lose weight on a 24-hour juice diet, you may have trouble keeping it off.

About the Diet
The 24-hour fat flush created by Gittleman is meant to help you lose the weight you gained over the holidays. During the 24-hour period, the only thing you consume is a holiday detox juice blend and Gittleman's signature lemon water. The juice recipe includes cranberry, orange and pomegranate juice, water, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. According to the website, the acids and vitamin C in the juice help your body emulsify fat, while the juices help your liver detox from your holiday indulgences.

How You Lose
If you've just been binging on high-sodium holiday foods such as ham, stuffing and mashed potatoes, you are likely retaining more water than usual. The 24-hour fat flush is a 300-calorie diet made up mostly of water. This very-low-calorie diet helps you lose the extra water weight, not fat. If you want to lose excess fat, it's better to lose it slowly at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds a week.

Not a Detox
Gittleman says her 24-hour fat-flush diet helps you rid your body of holiday toxins. There is no scientific proof that supports the claim that a juice drink improves your body's natural abilities to rid itself of toxic substances, according to the KidsHealth website. Unless they're diseased, your liver and kidneys rid your body of harmful, toxic substances through urine, feces and sweat daily. Eating a healthy diet high in fiber and low in fat can help your body continue to detox itself naturally by keeping your liver and kidneys in good working order.

Diet Risks
Restricting your calories to such extremes, even if only for 24 hours, comes with risks. On her website, Gittleman warns that you may feel light-headed on the 24-hour diet. You may also feel less energetic. Additionally, following very-low-calorie diets puts your body in a state of starvation, and your metabolism may slow down to conserve energy. If your goal is weight loss, you may be making it harder for yourself. These types of diets are not recommended for people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes or heart disease. A healthy way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories and be more active, says FamilyDoctor.org. Eating regular, portion-controlled meals with healthy foods from all the food groups can help you lose weight safely.

How to Make a Cleansing Water with Cucumber, Mint and Ginger Root

How to Make a Cleansing Water with Cucumber, Mint and Ginger Root?

With all the beverages on the market, it's refreshing to step back and make your own fresh, natural water drink. This is made with regular tap water and a few items you can pick up from your local produce department, and start drinking right away.

Things You'll Need
ginger root
2 quarts of water
mint leaves
peeled, seeded cucumber
pitcher

Purchase a cucumber, ginger root and mint leaves from wherever you get your produce. If you grow them yourself, you can just pick them up from your garden. Peel and seed the cucumber. Start with half a cuke, then decide what balance of flavors you like best by experimenting a few times. Add your cut cucumber pieces to a 2-quart pitcher.

Peel and seed a cucumber
Next, peel and cut into chunks up to 2 inches of ginger root. Add the pieces of cut ginger root to the 2-quart pitcher.

Peel and cut the ginger root into small chunks
Whether you have home-grown or store-bought mint leaves, add approximately 10 leaves to the pitcher with the other ingredients; you can use fewer or more, depending on the flavor you like best. Pour water over your cut-up pieces and let stand in the refrigerator overnight to achieve maximum flavor.


As you drink your fresh water beverage, keep adding water to the pieces and stir for up to two days before dumping the herbs and vegetables and starting over. Drink as much water as you can daily; this is a refreshing option to plain old water.

Spinach Diet

The spinach diet is a straightforward approach to incorporating one of the healthiest, nutrient-rich foods available into your daily meal planning. Spinach is packed with essential vitamins that offer many health benefits. A variety of spinach types help keep your diet from becoming mundane and monotonous. You can also add spinach to a variety of healthy meals as a side dish.

Nutrition
Spinach is low in calories and packed with vitamins and other essential nutrition. Just one cup, or 30 g, of spinach provides you with vitamins A and K, manganese, folate and magnesium. There are only about 26 calories in 100 g of spinach, depending on how the spinach is prepared. Other significant nutrients in spinach include the minerals calcium and potassium, the vitamins beta carotene and lutein and various amino acids -- essential building blocks of protein.




Weight Loss
Spinach is an ideal food to eat if you are trying to lose weight because 1 cup is so low in calories, but provides significant nutrition. Spinach has double the fiber of other leafy green vegetables, which helps promote weight loss. While there are no specific guidelines for how much spinach you should eat every day on a spinach diet, consuming 2 to 3 cups a day provides you with ample nutrition without the calories. How and when you eat your daily servings of spinach is completely up to you. You can eat the spinach raw, by itself, steam it or make it part of a healthy meal.

Health Benefits
Spinach is full of antioxidants that kill off free radicals. This has made spinach a favorite food for doctors to recommend to patients concerned about cancer. The more than a dozen flavonoid compounds that compose the antioxidants work together to neutralize free radicals, which can help reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer. The magnesium and beta carotene combine to promote cardiovascular health. Magnesium regulates blood pressure levels, while beta carotene impedes oxidation of cholesterol -- a process that can lead to high cholesterol levels. Spinach also helps slow down the aging process by encouraging increased brain function.

Spinach Uses
There are three basic spinach types: savoy, flat and semi savoy. The flat spinach is typically easier to clean than the curly savoy leafed spinach. All spinach types are easily incorporated in daily meals if you find yourself getting bored with eating spinach on its own. Ensure that the foods you pair spinach with are also of a healthy variety to not counter the benefits of spinach. Spinach is ideal for various salads and can be added to omelets. You can also top your sandwiches with spinach leaves and stuff them into your veggie wrap. Darker green-colored spinach packs more nutrients than the lighter green color.

Tea vs. Coffee for Melting Belly Fat

The calories you get from the foods you eat and the beverages you drink all contribute to weight gain if you consume more calories than you need. Neither tea nor coffee will melt belly fat; this is one of many nutrition myths that can derail your weight-loss plan. But both of these beverages can contribute to a reduced-calorie diet, to help you lose weight and belly fat, when you drink them without any added sugar, milk or cream.

Calories
There's a reason for belly fat, and weight gain in general: too many calories consumed and not enough of them expended, or "burned," in energy output. No magic brew can boost your metabolism or burn body fat. The Mayo Clinic explains that your basal metabolic rate, or BMR — how many calories you burn when your body is at rest — is one factor that governs how many total calories you burn. You also burn a small number of calories through a process called thermogenesis, the energy your body uses to process food. The rest of the excess calories you eat you need to burn through physical activity to avoid gaining weight. The "liquid calories" you get from tea, coffee and other drinks can all add up if your beverages contain added sugar or fat.




Tea
One 8-ounce serving of brewed tea without sugar contains only 2 calories. Add 2 tsp. of granulated sugar to your tea, however, and you get an extra 32 calories. Some brands of sweetened, bottled tea have 140 calories, only 10 fewer than a 12-ounce can of regular cola. "Extra sweet" varieties of tea can impart up to 210 calories per bottle.

Coffee
One cup of plain, brewed coffee also contains only 2 calories. Add 1 tbsp. of granulated sugar and your drink now has 51 calories. The same amount of half-and-half adds 20 calories, while skim milk adds only 5. So, it's possible to keep your coffee low-cal if you go easy on the sugar and creamer. On the other hand, a 20-ounce serving of some gourmet coffee drinks, made with whole milk and whipping cream, can give you up to 700 calories, almost all from added sugar and fat.

Belly Fat
Unsweetened tea and coffee are low-calorie, non-sugary beverages. All you really need to drink for weight loss, though, is plain water, the Harvard School of Public Health says. Finding ways to cut calories — even those you get from beverages — is crucial to losing weight, including belly fat. The American Council on Exercise says the best way to burn belly fat is to put in an hour of moderate-to-vigorous exercise every day; couple this with twice-weekly strength training sessions to build lean muscle mass.

Side Effects of Switching to a Healthy Diet

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is important for your long-term health. Switching to a healthy diet, limiting your caloric intake, adding whole grains and consuming more fruits and vegetables will help you maintain a healthy weight in the long run. While these lifestyle changes are important, you may experience a few side effects while your body is adjusting to your new diet. Consult with your physician before making any changes to your diet or if you are concerned about the symptoms you are experiencing.

Hunger
Reducing your caloric intake may make you feel hungry throughout the day. Avoid hunger by cutting out only 200 to 300 calories per day to start. For example, if you are currently consuming 2300 calories per day, cut back to 2000 calories per day in the initial stage of your diet. Making drastic cuts of more than 300 calories may make it difficult for your body to adjust and may cause you to binge eat. You should also make smart food choices when you eat. Experts at MayoClinic.com recommend consuming foods that take longer for your body to digest. These foods are high in fiber and include whole grains and vegetables. In addition, high-fiber foods are energy dense, meaning they are high in nutrients while supplying minimal calories.

Intestinal Problems
Your body may need time to adjust to the increased fiber in your diet. Adding high-fiber foods too quickly can cause bloating, flatulence, constipation or diarrhea. Consuming beans or legumes may cause additional bloating and gas in your intestines. You can avoid this problem by reintroducing whole-grain foods, fruits and vegetables into your diet in several small portions throughout the day. Add two or three extra grams of fiber each day and see if you feel any digestive distress. Slowly build up your daily intake to 30 to 40 g each day, as you are able to tolerate.

Decreased Energy
Reducing the amount of calories you eat may cause you to feel tired or less energetic in the initial stages, especially if you are increasing your physical activity. Weight loss occurs when your body uses more calories than you consume. The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide recommends consuming 13 calories per pound of body weight if you are primarily sedentary. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., you should consume 1950 calories every day. Your caloric needs increase to 16 calories per pound if you are moderately active and 18 calories per pound if you exercise vigorously. Consume enough calories from nutrient-dense foods to avoid feeling tired or fatigued.

How to Lose Weight Following the Coconut Diet

The coconut diet is based on the theory that traditional populations that consumed a lot of pure coconut oil very rarely had problems with weight gain and heart disease that many Western cultures struggle with. There are also some claims that the coconut fats are metabolized differently, allowing them to become instant energy instead of stored fat. There is still debate over this, and you should consult your doctor before beginning any diet plan. Each of the four phases of the coconut diet is to be accompanied by your taking 2 to 3 teaspoons of pure coconut oil every single day.

Things You'll Need

• Coconuts
• Natural coconut oil

Tips

1. Read a book about the coconut diet, such as Eat Fat Look Thin. Familiarize yourself with the entire plan before starting. Buy all the groceries you will need for at least a week of meals and menus you plan based on the information in the book.

2. Begin phase one, the 21-day weight-loss kick off. This allows three meals and one or two snacks a day that focus on protein and veggies. Grains, sweets, and most fruits are to be avoided. Take 2 to 3 teaspoons of pure coconut oil every day.

3. Begin phase two, the cleansing phase, on the fourth week. This phase involves adding various cleansing drinks, as outlined by the diet, based on veggies and fiber that are supposed to help cleanse your internal organs. Some versions of the coconut diet suggest a colon cleanse product, as well, during this time. Do not embark on any type of cleanse or juice fast, however, without consulting a physician. Continue to take 2 to 3 teaspoons of pure coconut oil every day.

4. Move on to the third phase, which is re-introducing healthy carbs into your diet. Begin eating whole grains, limited fruits and limited amounts of starchy veggies. This should help satisfy your body's needs while bringing back only the healthy carbs. Continue to take 2 to 3 teaspoons of pure coconut oil every day.

5. Begin phase four, the maintenance phase. This phase is designed to make sure that the weight lost is lost for good. Familiarize yourself with the specific foods that are allowed from now on, while avoiding sweets, alcohol and refined grains ongoingly. Continue to take 2 to 3 teaspoons of pure coconut oil every day.

Beet Juice For Weight Loss

Beets are usually roasted or boiled and eaten cooked, although you can shave them raw and add them to salads. Raw beets can also be made into a fresh juice using a juicer, extracting the nutrients from the root vegetable. This makes for an easy way to consume the health benefits of beets. A 1-cup serving of raw beets makes 1/2 cup of fresh beet juice. While you're better off eating beets than drinking beet juice, the juice can fit into a healthful weight-loss diet.

Naturally Sweet
As it is naturally sweet-tasting, substituting fresh beet juice for a sugary drink, such as soda, can help reduce your added sugar intake intake, which can help with weight loss over the long term. One-half cup of beet juice has just over 9 grams of sugar per serving, while a 12-ounce serving of cola has almost 40 grams of added sugar. The American Heart Association recommends having no more than 100 to 150 of your daily calories coming from added sugar. A diet high in added sugar can increase your risk of weight gain. Added sugars are considered empty calories, as they have no other nutritional benefit, whereas the natural sugars found in beet juice go hand in hand with essential minerals and vitamins.

Dietary Fiber Content
Juicers extract all the insoluble fiber from beets during the juicing process, but they preserve the soluble fiber, roughly half the the total dietary fiber content. This means that a 1/2-cup serving of beet juice has 1.9 grams of dietary fiber per serving. You can also mix in the extracted fiber with your fresh juice to get the full 3.8 grams of dietary fiber. If you do so, add 1/2 cup of water to thin out the texture. Dietary fiber increases bulk in your diet, helping you feel fuller with less food, leading to a lower calorie intake that helps with weight loss. A regular serving of beet juice will give you 5 percent to 7.6 percent of the recommended intake of dietary fiber, while beet juice with the added fiber will provide 10 percent to 15 percent.

Potential Benefits of Leucine
Leucine is an amino acid that is naturally present in beets. It may potentially help reduce body fat levels by increasing protein availability and lean muscle mass. In a study published in a 2006 issue of "Nutrition," scientists found that leucine supplementation in adult rats led to lower body fat percentages, although it did not lead to lower overall body weight. The researchers concluded that while long-term human study was still needed, leucine was possibly helpful in reducing overall body fat percentages, even at low supplementation levels. But it's not yet known if just consuming leucine through your diet has the same effects.

Higher Vegetable Intake
Vegetables are important for a healthy, balanced diet, which is needed for healthy weight loss. A 1/2-cup serving of regular beet juice counts as 1/2 cup of veggies, so it can help you meet the 2 to 3 cups of vegetables recommended per day by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Having a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in vegetables can help you reach your weight-loss goals, as the quantity and quality of food in your diet greatly affects your weight, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. A diet that includes your full vegetable recommendation is also key for maintaining lost weight so that your hard work is not wasted.

Does Diet Soda Cause Belly Fat?

Diet soda seems like the perfect drink, all of the flavor of soda, but with zero calories -- a dieter's dream. In reality diet soda is a far from perfect drink. Diet soda is packed with artificial sweeteners and chemicals. Drinking diet soda regularly may ultimately cause you to gain weight, but no one factor can be attributed to weight gain.

Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners have become a popular substitute for sugar due to the lower calorie count. One teaspoon of regular sugar contains about 16 calories. Regular soft drinks have about eight teaspoons of sugar. You can eliminate those calories by substituting sugar with artificial sweetener. Some varieties of artificial sweeteners are actually made from sugar, making the taste very similar.

Sugar Cravings
Although diet sodas have very few or even no calories, it may still be a culprit of weight gain. The artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas may trigger sugar cravings. Teasing your taste buds with diet soda's sweetness triggers the body to expect a shot of glucose, Purdue University researchers claim. When the expected dose of sugar doesn't arrrive, the body begins to crave it, which you'll likely satisfy with sugary food, researchers allege. Drinking diet soda apparently contributes to making unhealthy choices throughout your day, sabotaging your effort in losing weight.

Substitutions
If you are concerned about gaining weight you should consider cutting down on the amount of diet soda you drink. Although studies are inconclusive, there are healthier beverage options with more nutrients. Healthier substitutions include fresh juice, milk or water. Try adding cucumbers or lemon to your water for more flavor. If you drink soda for the caffeine content, consider an alternative caffeine source. Coffee and tea are both sources containing caffeine. Tea is lower in caffeine and closer to the amount found in diet sodas.

Safety and Long-Term Health
When it comes to diet soda and weight gain, your best bet is to drink it in moderation. Diet soda consumption is linked to a number of health complications including obesity. Drinking diet soda will not benefit your overall health, as it is not rich in vitamins or nutrients. Try to avoid soda consumption, diet or regular, from becoming part of your daily routine.

How to Eat Food in Combination to Lose Weight

Food combining can be very effective for losing weight. The basic idea behind food combining is that foods digest better when eaten in combination with certain other foods.

Some foods require different types of enzymes for their digestion. When foods that use different digestive juices and enzymes are eaten together they may not break down properly and nutrients won't be completely absorbed.

Enzymes help digest food more effectively, so combining foods compatibly will ensure optimal digestion. By digesting better you will avoid an inefficient metabolism as well as fat and cholesterol accumulation.

Improved digestion will lead to better health and will also aid in losing weight. Follow these steps to attain your weight loss goals and an optimal digestive system.

Food Combining
Do not eat proteins and starches together. Proteins require an acid base for digestion and starches an alkaline one.

Food Combining
Eat fruit by itself or with other fruits, except for melons, which should be eaten alone because they digest very quickly. Fruit eaten with melon will simply sit in your stomach while the melon digests, causing unnecessary fermentation. A handful of nuts can be eaten with very sweet fruits.

Food Combining
Do not eat acid or sub/acid fruits with sweet fruits at the same meal. Some acid or sub/acid fruits include, grapefruits, strawberries, pineapple, apples, grapes and peaches. Some sweet fruits include, bananas, dates and raisins.

Food Combining
Eat fats and oils in moderation, as they will slow down digestion. They can be combined with everything except fruit.

Food Combining
Wait two hours after eating fruit to eat something that doesn't combine with it, three hours after eating starches and four hours after eating proteins.

Cabbage Soup Detox Diet

Though you may feel tempted to try the popular fad diet known as the cabbage soup detox diet, many medical professionals say this extreme regimen won't offer long-term benefits. "People will lose weight in the short term, but nobody can stick with it," John Foreyt, Ph.D., a weight-loss expert at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, says on the website Health.com.

Features
Several variations of the cabbage soup detox diet exist, though the basic regimen for most versions of this diet revolves around drinking a few cups of a cabbage soup mixture every day for seven days. On "free days" dieters may also eat small amounts of other foods, mainly fruits and vegetables. Various publications promoting the cabbage soup detox diet claim that a person can lose up to 10 to 15 pounds in one week by following the diet plan, notes the University of Florida News.

Calories
Each cup of cabbage soup contains only about 66 calories, according to Health.com. On day one of the diet, a person may consume as little as 860 calories eating mainly soup, fruit and a glass of milk. Even as the diet progresses to include portions of fish or chicken, dieters still only consume a little over 1,000 calories per day, far short of the suggested 2,000 calories per day for most healthy adults. In some instances, dieters may drop to below 800 calories per day on this calorie-restricting diet.

Detoxing
Detox diets such as the cabbage soup diet claim to help your body flush out toxins, though some medical professionals criticize the importance of detoxing. According to gastroenterologist Nasir Moloo of Sacramento, California's Capitol Gastroenterology Consultants Medical Group, most healthy people's kidneys, liver, lungs and skin already provide plenty of detoxification. "Your body does a perfectly good job of getting rid of toxins on its own," says Moloo on MSNBC.com. "There’s no evidence that these types of diets are necessary or helpful."

Warning
Elaine Turner, a nutritional scientist at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, warns that the cabbage soup detox diet may aggravate health conditions in some people, such as those with diabetes. "Consult your physician before beginning any new diet, and that goes double here," says Turner. Fasting and crash dieting also deprive your body of many necessary nutrients, and in the long term, these types of diets may weaken your heart. Short-term side effects can include fatigue, headaches and irritability.

Suggestions
Because so many dieters eventually regain the water weight lost during the cabbage soup diet, those looking for long-term results should consider a healthier approach to weight loss. Nutrition consultant Susan Moores, an American Dietetic Association spokesperson, suggests on MSNBC.com that you cut back the amount of high-fat food in your diet and follow a balanced meal plan that includes plenty of vegetables and fruit.

Easy Ways to Add Turmeric to Your Diet

Curcuma longa, better known as turmeric, is bright yellow and has a bitter taste. Herbalists believe its active ingredient, curcumin, has many health benefits, including the treatment of digestive and liver problems. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes this could be because curcumin acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing dangerous oxides produced during metabolism, and aids in the production of bile, helping the body's digestion of fat. According to the UMMC, "Turmeric may have promise for fighting infections and some cancers, reducing inflammation, and treating digestive problems."

Turmeric Powder
You can find turmeric in powder form in the spice isle of the grocery store. Turmeric's bitter taste makes it a tasty addition to sauteed and steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and onions, advises The World's Healthiest Foods, a website created by the George Mateljan Foundation. Toss in olive oil, and voila, you have an easy, nutritious side dish. You can also add turmeric to sour cream or your favorite dips and serve it with fresh vegetables for parties. Give soups and rice dishes a warm, bright color and flavor by sprinkling this golden powder as a garnish. Turmeric is especially complementary to egg dishes, such as egg salad, frittatas and omelets.

Mustard
Baseball games, backyard barbecue, camping--you can usually find mustard at all of these venues. This common household condiment actually contains the illness-fighting ingredient, turmeric, which gives mustard its bright yellow color and bitter flavor, reports UMMC. Add mustard to egg salad, burgers, marinades and dressings for extra nutrition. At your next cookout, pack your own yellow bottle of nutrition and even offer some to a friend.

Indian Curry
Key to Indian cuisine, yellow curry includes several spices such as turmeric. Used to flavor sauces, meats and soups, curry can add variety and flare to common dishes. When spicing your next dish with curry, feel free to add extra turmeric for a stronger flavor and increased nutritional value. Curry is often cooked in combination with basmati rice, raisins, cashews, ginger and coconut milk, according to The World's Healthiest Foods. Spice up your next vegetable side dish with this yellow mixture, and add lentils for additional fiber.

E100
Ever wonder what makes certain cheeses yellow or what gives butter an off-white hue? Some food producers use curcumin, derived from turmeric, as a golden-yellow coloring additive for butter, cheese, canned beverages and other products. When looking for curcumin on the nutrition label under ingredients, look for the name of E100, according to the website Allergy and Health Information.

Are Mangoes Good for Dieting?

Mangoes are a tropical fruit and are available year-round in many supermarkets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends getting 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit each day for good overall health. Adding fruit, mangoes included, to your meal plans reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, but also helps you control your weight. Choose firm mangoes with a fruity smell and once ripe, store in the refrigerator for one to two weeks.

Calories
A half cup of sliced mango contains about 50 calories, making it an ideal choice for a weight-loss diet. To drop unwanted pounds, you must burn more calories than you eat. Adding foods that are low in calories allows you to fill your stomach without hindering your weight-loss goals. Mangoes are a filling choice because they have a high water content, which means less calories per serving.

Fiber
Fiber is a nutrient that bulks up in your stomach, making you feel full for a small amount of calories. Mangoes contain a small amount of fiber, about 1 g per 1/2 cup sliced. Eating foods that contain fiber help you control your appetite because fiber digests slowly, which means you don't get hungry as quickly as you would eating foods that don't have fiber. Mango isn't a high-fiber food, but when eaten along with other fiber-containing foods, you create a filling and low-calorie meal that makes weight loss more likely.

Mango Juice
Eating fresh mango could help you lose weight when dieting, but opting for mango juice may not have the same benefits. Juice is much higher in sugar than chopped fruit, which results in a higher calorie content. In addition, fruit juice contains little to no fiber and does not offer the same satiety benefits that eating fresh fruit does. Choosing fresh mango instead of mango juice is a smarter decision if you are trying to lose weight. If you do decide to have a glass of mango juice, stick to one portion and be sure to balance your calorie intake for the day so that you stay within a healthy number for weight loss.

Versatility
Mango is a versatile fruit that makes a good addition to many dishes. Mango is naturally sweet and is a healthy snack that is a good alternative to candy, soda or cookies. Chop mango and top grilled salmon or chicken with it. This adds flavor without dramatically increasing your calorie intake. Add mango to fruit salad or combine with shredded chicken breast and avocado for a healthy sandwich filling. Mango also pairs well with shrimp and makes a low-calorie and healthy dessert as well.

How to Lose Weight in Your Stomach and Hips in Two Weeks

You've got just two weeks to shrink your belly and hips before swimsuit season or that high school reunion. You can certainly jumpstart a weight-loss plan and see some results in two weeks, but how much depends on your starting weight and commitment. You can't target just your belly and hips for weight loss, but a low-calorie plan that focuses on whole foods along with dedicated exercise will help you look -- and feel -- better for your big event.

Understand Your Hip and Stomach Fat
You may want to lose weight primarily in your hips and thighs, but know that you can't control which fat your body burns first. Fat is stored in fat cells throughout your body. Some people have more fat cells in certain "trouble" spots, which means these areas are more prone to plump up. When you reduce your calorie intake below what you burn, your body mobilizes stored fat and converts it to usable energy. You can't point to your hips or belly and tell your body that's where you want it to direct fat loss, though -- you're body loses in a set pattern determined by genetics.

Women tend to store extra fat in the hips to help support a baby during pregnancy. Hip fat is subcutaneous, which means it lies just under the skin, and it's notoriously stubborn to lose. Pinchable belly fat that expands over your waistband as a muffin top is also subcutaneous and harder to lose.

If, however, your stomach is larger than 35 inches around as a woman, or 40 inches around as a man, you have an abundance of visceral fat. This fat is particularly insidious as it weaves around internal organs and secretes compounds that increase your risk of health problems, such as heart disease. Because visceral fat is more metabolically active, it is also more responsive to exercise. When you first drop weight through diet and exercise, you can lose visceral fat from deep in your belly sooner than you can drop the subcutaneous fat.

Skip the Two-Week Fad Diets
Having a short timeline for your weight loss might tempt you to follow a fad diet that promises miraculous weight loss in a very little time. These diets set you up for failure, however. They're often so restrictive and involved that you might have trouble maintaining them for a couple of days -- let alone two weeks. You may risk nutrient deficiencies and lose valuable muscle mass. Even if you can maintain a restrictive fad diet for two weeks, you'll likely regain the weight quickly once you go back to old habits.

Two weeks gives you time to start instilling good habits that support a healthy body weight. Aim for a safe, reasonable 1- to 2-pound-per-week rate of weight loss by creating a deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories a day. You'll eat fewer calories and move more. The good news is that when you reduce your portion sizes, curb your intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, limit sodium and exercise more, you'll lose significant water weight in the first two weeks. You'll likely drop more than 1 to 2 pounds those first two weeks and significantly reduce water retention, so you can still look slimmer at your event.

Commit to Comprehensive Weight Loss
Use an online calculator to help you figure out how many calories you should eat daily during the two weeks of your focused weight loss. Plug in your age, gender, size and activity level to determine how many calories your body uses daily; then subtract 500 to 1,000 from this number. Don't drop below 1,200 calories if you're a woman or 1,800 calories as a man, in an effort to lose weight faster. Eating too little can stall your metabolism and make weight loss more difficult.

Eat mostly whole, natural foods such as lean proteins, fresh vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy and whole grains. For an easy way to control calories and eyeball portions, fill half your plate with watery, fibrous vegetables -- such as lettuce, broccoli, kale, cauliflower and peppers. Then, reserve a quarter for whole grains, such as brown rice or 100-percent whole-wheat bread.

Fill the last quarter with a protein low in saturated fat, including fish, chicken breast, tofu and lean ground beef. Aim to consume at least 0.6 gram of protein per pound of your body weight per day. For a 150-pound person, that's 90 grams of protein a day. This amount helps preserve lean muscle mass as you cut calories, keeps you feeling full and supports weight loss beyond the two weeks. Since you have such a short deadline for weight loss, avoid sugary treats, alcohol and refined white-flour products completely.

Kick Up Your Fitness
If you aren't currently exercising, use the two weeks to become more active. Add a 15- to 20-minute brisk walk every morning and evening to achieve at least the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio recommended per week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Any additional physical activity you squeeze in helps burn calories, too. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, pace while on the phone or walk an extra loop of the mall when shopping.

If you regularly exercise, plan to make some of your workouts higher intensity. Add intervals -- bouts of very-high intensity work, such as sprints, alternated with bouts of lower-intensity work, such as walking -- to two or three of your weekly workouts. Such intervals help you burn fat more effectively, showed a paper published in a 2011 issue of the Journal of Obesity. You may not notice significant results in two weeks, but you'll create habits that will last past your weight-loss goal.

Strength training over the two weeks won't yield tremendous muscle growth changes, but it will help offset any possible muscle loss that can occur when you reduce calories. In the long run, having a more muscular body helps with weight loss because muscle mass takes more calories to maintain than fat tissue. Aim for at least four strength workouts distributed over the two weeks, and address all the major muscle groups in the body -- the hips and abs, but also the back, arms, shoulders, chest and legs. Keep the strength training up after the two weeks to promote better posture, improved joint function and a higher metabolism.

Side Effects of Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit is high in vitamin C, soluble fiber, and antioxidants which makes it a good addition to any diet. A 2006 study in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" found that grapefruit can help lower blood triglyceride levels, especially in patients suffering from coronary artery disease. As a dietary supplement, it is available as grapefruit seed extract in pill, liquid or powder form. You should always consult your doctor before you take any supplement.

Effect on Enzymes
Grapefruit can inhibit the activity of certain liver and small intestine enzymes, reports a 1996 study in the journal, "Drug Metabolism and Disposition." Enzymes are catalysts that cause reactions to occur. In this case, the effect is on the digestive system. By inhibiting this enzymatic activity, concentrations of medications which rely on this mechanism for digestion can reach higher concentrations in the blood. According to Drugs.com, adverse reactions may result if you are taking calcium channel blockers or estrogen. The reduction of enzymatic activity can lead to elevated concentrations of these drugs in your blood.

Muscle Weakness
Because grapefruit seed extract affects liver function, the risk for interactions with prescription drugs that also interact with the liver can be increased by taking this herbal supplement. Statin drugs are prescribed to lower blood cholesterol levels, but also have the potential to cause liver damage. The decrease in enzyme function can increase the concentration of these drugs. A rare side effect of statin drugs is a muscle weakening disease called Rhabdomyolysis. Because grapefruit seed extract alters statin metabolism, the possibility exists that you may be more at risk of developing this condition, according to a 2003 study in the "Journal of the American Medical Association."

Decreased Absorption of Medications
Grapefruit seed extract can also impair your body's ability to absorb medications, thereby decreasing their effectiveness. Fexofenadine is a non-sedating antihistamine prescribed for seasonal allergies. Grapefruit seed extract can inhibit your body's absorption of this drug by your system. It can also affect the absorption of other drugs including itraconazole, an antifungal, antibiotic and quinidine. Quinidine is an anti-malaria drug. However, it also is used for treating irregular heartbeat patterns. Grapefruit seed extract can potentially have very serious side effects on your cardiovascular system. Do not take grapefruit seed extract if you are on prescription medications without discussing possible drug interactions with your doctor.