Not Just Cookies – Dinner Recipes are Critical

Siegal’s version of The Cookie Diet emphasizes a very structured dinner plan as well as only eating cookies throughout the day. In Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet Book he describes many meal options, but the core of the plan suggests that you eat 6 ounces of meat, and a cup of vegetables for dinner each day. Since red meats are higher in fat, Siegal suggests that you avoid those if possible. To hold you over until dinner you are required to eat 6 weight loss cookies the rest of the day. Between the cookies and the dinner most dieters will consume about 800 calories a day on The Cookie Diet.

Does the Miracle Cookie Diet work?

The question many people ask is whether or not the cookie diet actually works. This question is a little bit more complicated than that. Of course if you consume 800 calories a day you’re going to lose weight, if you can stick to this strict diet you are going to shed pounds quickly. Dr. Siegal’s advertisements say you can lose 15 pounds a month, which seems to be believable. The reason why so few people succeed on this diet is that while a cookie diet sounds good in theory, that isn’t all your body wants and needs.

The majority of people who try this diet start to ‘cheat’ within the first 2 weeks. While the cookies are tasty at first, soon you want more. Also, since the dinner recipes are so strict it makes eating out with friends and family impossible. For most of us, our biggest challenge is not eating out so much, and for those of us who struggle with eating out we should not even waste our time with this diet. Another problem many dieters have on The Cookie Diet is that when they change back to their normal diet routine they gain the weight back quickly. When you only consume 800 calories for a couple of weeks your body enters into ‘starvation mode’ and begins to conserve nutrients more. When you immediately jump back up to 1600 calories a day your body isn’t prepared for it and doesn’t fully utilize the additional nutrients you’re consuming.

Cookie Diet Side Effects

In addition to gaining the weight you just lost back, some people who try The Cookie Diet will experience other side effects. Dizziness and loss of energy are the most common side effects of any ultra-low calorie diet. Taking nutritional supplements and vitamins may help alleviate these side-effects, but until your body becomes used to that lack of food you may still experience these conditionals. Additionally the cookies do not agree with everyone, suffers of IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome) may be especially susceptible to diarrhea and stomach cramps. Before beginning this, or any other diet I would highly recommend you discuss it with your physician. Since your nutritional intake will change significantly you may be at a higher risk for disease or illness if you don’t supplement your diet with the proper nutrients. If you take Acai Berries or similar supplements while on this diet you may be at a higher to experience upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea.

Smart for Life Cookie Diet

The Cookie Diet which has recently caught the attention of the media is the Smart for Life diet. Like Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet you buy a supply of cookies to eat each day to hold you over until dinner. The plans are very similar if you choose the Smart for Life Cookie Diet Lifestyle Program. On this program you’re given cookies and a recipe book, and you can get started right away. On the Smart For Life Medical Program you must live near one of the 11 Smart for Life Centers nationwide. You then go in and work with a physician to guide you through the program. For those who are concerned about the side effects of The Cookie Diet, this plan may be best for you.

If you or anyone you know has had success with, or experienced side affects from The Cookie Diet other readers would be interested to hear about it. Please leave a comment describing your experience with The Cookie Diet so other readers can be well informed about their diet choice.

Like many other products that claim to contain Acai Berries the ingredients are a bit deceptive. The first give away was the phrase “New Exotic Acai Flavor” which caused me to read the rest of the package carefully. I read the ingredients and didn’t find a trace of acai, acai berry juice, or acai berry powder. In fact there was no trace of strawberries, or strawberry juice either. The product is flavored to taste like strawberries and acai berries, but doesn’t actually contain any juice.While the Jello only has 10 calories there is nothing on the package to indicate that it will help with weight loss if you read it carefully. It does have Vitamin E and Beta Carotene, but it contains more Red 40 than either of these ingredients. The front label clearly advertises that this product contains antioxidants which are a good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin E. When you read the nutritional information you find that there is only 10% of each of these vitamins.

Kraft, the manufacturer of JELL-O clearly wants you to think this new type of Jello is great for you. This is just not true, at least not any more true than any other Sugar Free Jello product. Anytime you hear about something that is too good to be true you should always look more closely. Luckily the Jello does taste pretty good, though I’m not sure I can tell the difference between Strawberry and Strawberry Acai Jello.

If you do want to add a little acai to your Jello it is easy to find many supplements online that you can mix in with your Jello. Even Amazon.com sells Acai Supplements now and I’d recommend you take a look at a freeze dried Acai Berries like Navitas Naturals Organic Acai Powderor Acai Berry Juice such as Acai 100% Juice by Genesis Today. You can read the reviews on Amazon.com and decide which will work best for you. Since acai juice tastes tart mixing a little bit of it with Jello can give it a great flavor. If you want a special treat you can mix some low fat whip cream or CoolWhip in with your Jello for a really tasty desert!

It wasn’t until the late twentieth-century that scientists were able to isolate P57, the active ingredient of the Hoodia plant that causes appetite suppression. This was patented in 1996, and released to the general public by Pfizer in 2002. Ever since, the popularity of this supplement has increased and a variety of products have been released containing Hoodia. Many of these products contain other ingredients which can dilute the effectiveness of P57 so it is important for consumers to research any Hoodia Gordonii product thoroughly before purchasing it.

To add to the confusion of Hoodia products the US Department of Agriculture has imposed restrictions on the Hoodia plant which require a permit to import it. This has caused manufacturers to severely dilute their products since Hoodia is expensive to import. The best way to verify that a product contains the P57 ingredient is to look for reports from independent labs which test for the presence of the Hoodia Gordonii plant.

Hoodia products only suppresses hunger, they do not actually make you lose weight like Alli Pills or similar products. For those of us who know that we’re not hungry and still eat anyway we will not see much benefit from Hoodia Gordonii. Hoodia is ideal for people who find themselves hungry between meals. It is important to not use it to skip meals or eat portions to small too satisfy your daily nutritional requirements. If you do so you may find yourself feeling less energetic and could end up with serious medical complications.

Since Hoodia curbs your thirst as well as your hunger it is important to make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. There have been some reported side effects for people with specific medical conditions so it would be a good idea to consult your doctor before starting this, or any nutritional supplement.

Because it can be difficult to find Hoodia products that actually contain Hoodia Gordonii and the P57 supplement I researched the most popular products that actually contain Hoodia. I recommend that you research the ingredients in these products to make sure they won’t effect you adversely. Amazon.com has a lot of reviews on these products so I suggest that you take a look there first.

Power Pops with Hoodia come in 8 different flavors and have approximately 28 calories. Star Magazine and Extra TV have both recommended these pops, they are one of the most popular Hoodia products because they taste good (according the the reviews on Amazon.com) and are a great snack that will hold you over until your next meal. It is important to remember they are not candy, and only consume them when you need to suppress your appetite. The ingredients in power pops are: Hoodia, Citrimax, L-Tyrosine, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Guarana, Natural Flavors, and Corn Syrup.

Hoodia Gordonii Plus capsules are the most recommended Hoodia pills on Amazon.com. These are designed to be taken one hour before each meal (lunch and dinner) and allow you to eat less food during the meal without feeling hungry afterwords. Two capsules of Hoodia Gordonii Plus has the following ingredients: Hoodia(400mg), Magnesium(250mg), Garcina Cambogia Extract(50mg), Green Tea Extract(50mg), Gelatin Capsules, Protease, Amylase, Cellulase, Lipase, Invertase, Lactase, Maltase, Papain, and Bromelain.

Bija Hoodia Slimming Tea is an excellant way to take the edge off your hunger during the day. This can be prepared before a meal to allow you to feel more satisfied with smaller portions, or you can have a cup of tea during the day to prevent yourself from getting hungry before your next meal. The ingredients in Bija Hoodia Slimming Tea are: Hoodia, Green Tea, Magnolia Bark, Oatstraw Herb, Garcinia Cambogia, Bitter Orange, and Grapefruit.

To further that philosophy I’ve recently created a Twitter account that I will use exclusively for fitness news. If you’re not familiar with Twitter, it is a way that people keep up to date on topics of interest by following users that share similar interests. Since I’m interested in losing weight I searched Twitter for people tweeting (posting) about weight loss. Using Twitter I can find interesting headlines then research them at my leisure. For example, another Twitter user I’m following tweeted about a study where people who drink diet soda are at a high risk of obesity than people who don’t. I can take this idea and learn everything I can about it. Then once I get enough information I can write a well researched article on it.

In addition to using Twitter to follow people that write interesting notes I can also tell all of you a little more about me and my struggle with weight loss. As my frequent visitors already know, I lost about 100 pounds in under a year, then I hit a plateau. I’ve become less motivated to workout and eat right because when I do I just don’t see the results I’m used to.

I need to reverse that trend, and I’m starting today. It is summer time here in the south I’m getting ready to get out and start being more active. As I do that I’m going to tweet about my challenges along the way, as well as post here about decisions I make and research I do. So if you’re interested in hearing about what I’m doing to stay healthy please follow me @OutdoorsyGeek on Twitter and I’d be glad to share my story with you!

Since an average 140 lb woman burns 1500 calories in a day without exercising, if she is adds in about an hour of cardio she can easily get her calories burned in a day up to 2400. When she is on this diet this is a result of 2250 calories lost in a day. One pound equals 3500 calories so  a 140 lb woman could easily lose 2 pounds in 3 days. This rapid weight loss technique is very appealing for the speed at which pounds can be shed, and some woman will continue on this diet for weeks.

Using the Watermelon Diet for prolonged periods of time is very dangerous. When consuming only 150 to 200 calories in a day you might as well consider yourself fasting. This minimal calorie intake is useless in sustaining your body, and you will soon lose the energy to exercise, and eventually your body will have difficulty fighting off disease and just maintaining itself. Typically after a few days on the strict version of this diet people will begin to experience diarrhea and bloating since they’re consuming large quantities of water as well. If used for too long this diet may even lead to serious health risks such as hypovolemic shock. As soon as you get off the diet the weight is typically gained back quickly since your body isn’t used to calorie rich food.

A healthier version of the Watermelon Diet requires you to substitute a cup of watermelon for one meal a day. As far as your body is concerned, this is just about the same as skipping a meal. While it can help you lose weight in a pinch, over the long term you will have many of the problems associated with the more strict version of the Watermelon Diet. If you have an event you need to lose weight for the most reliable and healthiest method to lose weight is to plan ahead. Set a goal for yourself two or more months out and identify how many calories you will need to burn in a day to meet your goal.

If you add an extra 30 minutes to your exercise routine each day you will find that you will not only lose more weight than you will on the Watermelon Diet, but over the long term you won’t gain it back. Diet and Cardio alone are not enough if you have a large amount of weight you want to lose. Add weight training as this will increase the number of calories your body burns at rest. Before beginning the Watermelon Diet or another other diet it is important that you consult your doctor as everyone has unique medical requirements, and your doctor is the expert at identifying them and suggesting a course of action that will not only result in you losing weight, but being healthier too.

For those of you who haven’t heard of this fruit yet, Acai Berries (pronounced a-sigh-y) are small, black berries which looks like a smaller variety of a grape. The fruit has a large seed at its core, surrounded by pulp on the outside. This pulp is used in a wide range of health foods and used to make capsules and added as a supplement to smoothies. The pulp contains a large amount of antioxidants and fiber which is a great benefit to anyone who is trying to lose weight. The berry has also been linked to a decreased appetite which is especially helpful when on a diet.

The first thing I do when I hear so many benefits is look for the catch, so I spent numerous hours researching Acai Berries. Since there were no definitive articles on the side-effects of Acai Berries I decided to write this article to compile my findings. All healthy choices should be done in moderation or you may risk throwing your health out of balance. One of the most common side effects people experience is over consumption of the supplement. Recommended doses range from 500 to 1000 milligrams per day, however some people consume significantly more than that. Between Organic Acai Berry Pills, Acai Berry Smoothies, Acai Berry Juice, and even Acai Berry Ice Cream there are many ways to ingest this fruit, and if you do all of them at once you’re just begging to experience side effects.

Fortunately the most common side effects from over ingesting this berry are mild and can include stomach cramps, diarrhea, and dizziness. With any supplement its best to start out in smaller doses and gradually increase the dosage as your body gets accustomed to the supplement.  An overdose of Acai Berries isn’t what I’m focusing on in this article. I am concerned with more serious side effects, and while everything I found indicates that Acai Berries are safe for most people, there are some concerns you should be aware of before you take this pill.

Acai Berries and IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome)

Acai Berries are known for their ability to cleanse your entire body, but especially your digestive system. For most people this translates into an increased number of bowel movements (to a healthier level), but for people struggling with IBS or other digestive tract problems this can be a serious concern. Acai Berries contain the highest concentration of antioxidants found in any natural food. They have more antioxidant than blueberries and pomegranate, and for people with controlled IBS this can be a good thing. However for people with uncontrolled IBS, or who are struggling to keep their IBS under control this can be a detriment. The increased bowel movements may make it more difficult to develop a healthy, regular digestive system. When suffering from IBS it is always best to consult with your doctor before adding any new supplement to your diet.

Allergic Reactions

People who suffer from severe allergic reactions to pollen or who have a hypersensitivity to acai, blueberries, grapes, or similar fruit are at risk of having an allergic reaction to Acai Pills, which contains the pulp of the Acai Berry. These allergic reactions are typically mild and can include:

• Itchy, watery eyes
• Rash
• Congestion

In some cases moderate reactions can occur and the allergic reaction can spread to other parts of the body causing Itchiness and Difficulty breathing. In extremely rare cases severe allergic reaction can occur causing Anaphylaxis which is a life-threatening reaction in which the body’s response to the allergen affects the entire body. This may begin with itchy eyes or face and within minutes progress to more serious symptoms, including:

• Swelling of the throat making it difficult to breathe or swallow
• Mental confusion or dizziness
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Allergic reactions to Acai Berries are rare, and can be identified before becoming serious by starting with small doses of the Acai Berry Supplement and slowly progressing to the recommend dosage. If you have concerns about allergic reactions you should consult a doctor prior to taking Acai Berries.

Guarana and Other Additives

Many manufacturers of Acai Berry Pills include additives in their pills. Since one of the primary reasons people take this supplement is to increase their energy levels additives such as Guarana (which contains caffeine) give a more instantaneous boost in energy levels.  You should carefully read the ingredients of any Acai Berry supplement you purchase to ensure you are not allergic to any other ingredients. People with a sensitivity to caffeine should ensure they purchase a supplement which contains 100% Acai Berry Pulp.

When comparing different Acai Berry brands you will find that the prices differ significantly. Many companies offer free trial offers which enroll you in monthly subscriptions at high costs. When making any purchase online it is important to read the website carefully and only provide your credit card to companies with a secure website and positive customer feedback.

As for exercise, don’t expect to be out on the treadmill for 45 minutes, that won’t help you get better quicker. Instead take a leisurely stroll outside. Walk to the post office or around your neighborhood. Make it a nice relaxing walk so you can enjoy the fresh air. This gets you out of the house with all of the germs and gives you a little exercise at the same time.

The bottom line when your sick is that you need to make getting better your first priority. If you can get yourself healthy quicker then you’ll be able to get back to a vigorous workout so you can start burning calories again. If you have a disease that will be with you for a while and need to find ways to continue to lose weight while your sick your best option is to talk to your doctor. Your doctor has the experience of working with others with your specific conditions and can monitor your health while you begin the new exercise routine. Be sure you take the doctors advice, and don’t over-exert yourself. The last thing you want is for your exercise to cause you to be less healthy than you are today.

Rollerblading was the primary method I used to lose weight. Every day (weather permitting) I put on my inline skates and went out to the local park. On days that I really didn’t feel like exercising I may have skated a little less, but I made sure I went for at least 20 minutes. If you don’t already own a pair of rollerblades, you can purchase a good pair from your local sports store for about $80. That is less than the start up fees of most gym memberships! That’s an excellent way to lose weight on a budget if you ask me. You don’t need to rollerblade to lose weight, there are many other great exercises out there. You could jog, bike, follow a workout video, or swim. You should ensure that you pick at least one high endurance exercise. The most important things to remember when you select an exercise that is that you pick something you enjoy. This is needs to be an exercise you can use to challenge yourself, and motivate yourself to do every single day.

Hiking is another exercise that can be a lot of fun. Because this frequently require more travel time than your daily high endurance exercise you likely won’t be able to do it every day. Hiking is an excellent exercise that you can do on a budget because the only cost involved is a sturdy pair of shoes and occasionally a minimal parking fee. Hiking is also a good choice because you can do it with your family, so instead of spending money on a movie or a dinner out you can take your family for a hike. If you pack a picnic lunch you can make a day trip out of it, and not only will it be good for the budget because it is cheaper than other activities but it will also help you lose weight because you will be active all day long.

Wii Fit is also a great way to lose weight, and it is so much fun! If you’ve already purchased the Nintendo Wii for your children you can buy the Wii Fit for under $80. There are a number of great exercises included in this game including Rhythm Boxing which is a very great way to lose weight without spending much money. Additionally the Wii Fit includes a number of strength training exercises which are essential if you want you manage your weight on a budget. The most important thing a gym membership offers is the use of their weights and exercise machines. No mater what you do you need to focus on building muscle mass as well as doing cardio workouts. The more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn at rest so even if you don’t use the Wii Fit you should make sure you schedule a daily routine to do push ups, sit ups and other exercises. If you do end up purchasing the Wii Fit you won’t just be buying one game, there are a number of other games coming out in the near future including Golds Gym Cardio Workout which is scheduled to be released in March 2009.

Spark people is a social network similar to MySpace, Facebook, or LinkedIn. It is unique because its target audience is people who are trying to lose weight or monitor their weight. It has a food tracker similar to the Weight Watcher’s website which lets you search for differant foods. There mobile is a mobile version of Spark People so you can track your nutrition information from your Smart Phone.

In addition to tracking nutrition information you can also track fitness information on-line with Spark People. You can search for an excercise in a similar way as you would search for food and then view how many calories you’ve burned. You are able to set goals for yourself and track how many days, weeks, or months in a row you’ve met your goal.

Spark People is a viable alternative to Weight Watchers website when you just take into consideration the cost (free) and the tools used to track your progress. What really makes Spark People unique is the social aspect of the site. You can create a profile, upload your pictures, invite friends, join user groups, add a progress bad for your weight loss, and even allow your friends to view your nutrition and fitness information for the day. These features are what really attract me to this site. Now when I eat well my girlfriend will be able to tell me “good work” and when I have a bad day she can encourage me to do better the next day.

Spark People will never replace social sites like MySpace or Facebook, but it is an excellant site to have in my tool belt just like Linked In for business contacts.

There are several ways to manage stress, and not one way works all the time so I’ve tried to divide it into a seven-day course for that won’t be too taxing on the body, as well as on the mind.

1. Acknowledge stress is a good thing
I need to make stress my friend! Based on the body’s natural “fight or flight” response, that burst of energy cause by stress will enhance my performance at the right moment. I’ve yet to see an athlete totally relaxed before a big competition. If i can use stress wisely to push myself that little bit harder when it counts most I’ll be able to accomplish more.

2. I’ll avoid stress sneezers
Stressed people sneeze stress germs indiscriminately and before I know it, I’m infected too! There are just some people at work that can really get me going. I will protect myself by recognizing stress in others and limiting my contact with them. Or if I’ve got the inclination, play stress doctor and teach them how to better manage themselves.

3. I’ll learn from the best
During a hectic situation, when people around are losing their cool, I’ll pay attention to who keeps calm.  What is their attitude? What are they doing differently? What language do they use? If I can’t figure it out from afar I’ll sit them down for a chat. If I learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do soon others will by copying from me. Plus insulating myself with the cool as a cucumber group has got to rub off on me a little.

4. Practice socially acceptable heavy breathing
You hear this all the time on TV as a joke but this is something I’ve learned from a gym instructor: I can trick my body into relaxing by using heavy breathing. If I breathe in slowly for a count of 7 then breathe out for a count of 11. Then I can repeat the 7-11 breathing until my heart rate slows down, and things start to feel more normal.

5. I’ll give stressy thoughts the red light
This is a big one for me. I find that it is possible to tangle myself up in a stress knot all by myself. “If this happens, then that might happen and then we’ll all be looking for a new job!” Most of these things never happen, so why waste my energy worrying needlessly? Besides, even if it might go wrong – how likely is that, and what can I do to prevent it? As long as I do my best all the time I don’t need to worry about the “What ifs”.

6. Know my trigger points and hot spots
Meetings, interviews, angry sales guys, giving difficult feedback, tight deadlines…. My heart rate goes up just writing these down! I need to identify my stress triggers. Is it only presentations to a certain audience that get me worked up? Does one project cause me more stress than another? A big trigger is whether I drink too much coffee.

Knowing what causes my stress is powerful information, as I can take action to make them less stressful.

7. Burn the candle at one end
Another big mistake I make is working too hard, then just spinning my wheels. Lack of sleep, poor diet and no exercise wreaks havoc on my body and mind. Kind of obvious, but worth mentioning as I often ignore it as a stress management technique. I need to listen to my mother and don’t burn the candle at both ends!