I know that if your goal is fat loss, you’ll probably avoid the weights, or at least not give them the attention they deserve, and that would be a terrible mistake. Interestingly enough, lifting weights (or for that matter, any form of resistance training, whether you’re lifting sacks of potatoes, your own body weight or pulling on elastic bands) is more important for fat loss than cardio. Why? Because lifting weights builds muscle, or at least maintains muscle while you’re on a diet. It’s extremely important to hold on to the muscle that you have because muscle really speeds up the metabolism. Each pound of muscle you have burns about 13 calories per day. Not a lot, but imagine building an additional 10 pounds of muscle. Now you’re burning an extra 130 calories per day.

The other reason that you want to hold on to muscle as much as possible is because muscle greatly helps with the regulation of your blood sugar. Both sugar and fat are burned inside muscle. Sugar isn’t burned in the blood, and fat isn’t burned inside the fat cell. If you want to prevent diabetes or problems with insulin as you’re losing body fat, you better hold on to your precious muscle.

And of course, you want to hold on to your muscle because it makes you look good (yes, even the ladies). Have you ever seen people lose significant amounts of weight, yet they look worse than before? Their body still has the same shape, just a smaller size. Or, put differently, they’re smaller, but they still look “soft.” That usually happens because in addition to losing fat, that person lost a good chunk of muscle along with it.

So hopefully you understand that lifting weights is tremendously important for fat loss and general health, but how do you do it?

First and foremost, select 4-6 exercises that use a lot of muscles at the same time. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, pushups, overhead presses, and pull-downs or rows are good choices. Then, perform them for 10-15 repetitions. The key is selecting a weight that is challenging. Most people let themselves off the hook too easily. You have to find a weight that you can do no more than 15 times. If you can do it 16 times, it’s too light. Just make sure that you are performing the exercises with the right technique, or else you risk getting injured. If you work with a qualified professional, they’ll be able to help you select the right exercises, and show you the correct technique.

So what did we learn today? Lift weights to lose fat.

About the Author

Igor Klibanov has been selected as one of the top 5 personal trainers in Toronto by the Metro News newspaper. His company, Fitness Solutions Plus gives the public direct access to some of Toronto’s finest personal trainers without the hassle of having to get a gym membership. To learn more about Fitness Solutions Plus, please visit www.torontofitnessonline.com

Several years ago, the idea of a highly intrusive and irreversible gastric bypass surgery made many overweight people nervous about having weight loss surgery. Today, modern bariatric surgery techniques like gastric banding allow more people to experience dramatic weight loss. Today medical breakthroughs such as Slimband Surgery have made weight loss surgery safer and much less invasive.

The slimband was approved by Health Canada in 1998 and works just like lap band surgery except it is classified under a different brand. The slimband procedure involves a 30 to 45 minute surgical procedure where a surgeon puts in a silicone band around the upper portion of the stomach. It is performed under general anesthesia using laparoscopic techniques that uses very small incisions. The adjustable gastric band creates a small stomach pouch that makes one feel full quickly. Because the stomach has been reduced, only a small amount of food is able to pass through the pouch at a time. This means patients eat less, feel full more quickly, and they must thoroughly chew the food and eat slowly which slows the digestion process so they are not hungry between meals. As well, after the surgery, patients follow a nutritional diet that is low in calories and fat so they learn how to eat properly as they lose weight. Their new diet and healthy eating habits helps them to keep the weight off long term.

The slimband procedure is a clinically-proven weight loss program that teaches you to adopt a healthy lifestyle and reduces hunger temptations. The procedure is fully reversible. As well, the procedure normally results in 70% excess weight loss within the first year. There has been research that has shown that patients continue to maintain their weight loss after three to eight years following the procedure. The proven weight loss results make this procedure so popular.

When people are obese, they are at risk of a getting a number of health conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, and breathing problems. When patients have the slimband surgery, they will see an alleviation of these conditions and even elimination of the conditions. This means a person will not just lose the weight, but will also get healthier resulting in a longer and healthier life.

Due to innovative medical developments in the field of weight loss surgery, obese people now have safer surgical options that have been proven very effective at helping them lose the weight and keep it off. Slimband surgery is one of the most popular surgical options due to its proven results and safety that includes minimal side effects. As well, certain patients may possibly be partially covered by your insurance company. People who have a BMI of 40 or more are potential candidates; however they will need to be screened to ensure they are in good enough health to have the procedure. If you are interested in the slimband procedure, you should consult with your doctor or a bariatric surgeon to determine if it is the right weight loss solution.

For those who have a persistent weight problem that hasn`t been responsive to diet or exercise, slimband surgery is a good option to lose that extra weight quickly. It is, however, an invasive surgery, so some recovery time is to be expected.

How Long Will Your Recovery Take?

Everyone wants to know how long they should plan for recovery from this type of surgery. Each person is different, but in general, you can expect to be out of commission for four to eight days.

Some people find that they recover in record time, but others will need a full two weeks to recover. You can use other people’s past experiences as a guide as well as your own if applicable. Have you required longer recovery times for previous surgeries or hospital stays, such as giving birth? If so, then plan for a longer period of time to be sure that you won`t be forced to go back to work while still feeling off.

The Importance of Time Off

Technically, you could probably be back at work the day after surgery, but this is a bad idea for a number of reasons. First of all, even if you feel pretty good, your incision needs to heal.

Having surgery of any kind is traumatic for the body, and it is important to recognize this and take it easy for a bit to allow yourself to recuperate.

Another consideration is your energy level. After the procedure, you`ll be limited to clear liquids for at least a couple of days, which is great for your body, but can make you feel pretty weak. Even if you`re not in pain, you will likely find that you are too weak to work or do much during those first few days.

If you do start doing too much too soon, you`ll quickly find out the hard way. Pain at the incision site and generally not feeling good are signs that you should probably just sit down and rest. While an exercise routine is very important to the success of the slimband procedure and will help you lose weight faster, you should not start exercising right after the surgery; you`ll need to wait at least a couple of weeks before engaging in any real exercise. Talk to your doctor about a good time to start.

Tips for Faster Recovery

If you want your recovery to go as quickly as possible, follow these suggestions:

- Stick to the doctor`s rules. Don`t cheat while you`re supposed to be on clear liquids or you could have complications.

- Make sure that any issues are checked immediately. While complications are rare, they do happen, but they can be treated immediately.

- Don`t drive. This can put strain on your body and for the first few days, at least, so it`s not a good idea.

Taking care of yourself is important. After all, you had the surgery to become healthier, so take the extra time to recuperate and make sure you start your new health regimen on the right foot. A couple of weeks off from work won`t make a big difference in the long run, but for your body it will be well worth it!

The lap band surgery is only for the obese people and is a lifestyle change, not a one time massive weight loss reduction which is extremely unhealthy anyways. In Canada the average price for the surgery is around $18,000 but in other countries like Mexico it can be a lot cheaper and ranges in the $8,000 – $12,000 area. For many, this is a more attractive option simply based on the price, but when you consider that you can also have a great Mexican vacation along with the surgery for a lot cheaper than just the surgery itself in Canada, it definitely is worth considering.

If you are looking for a lap band procedure, then one of the more popular destinations in Mexico is Tijuana. Lap band Tijuana is booming as several large medical corporations have started offering surgeries in this destination as it attracts not only Canadians but hundreds if not a few thousand of Americans throughout the year as well.

Another type of weight loss surgery that is offered in Mexico is the gastric bypass surgery, which is a bit different from the lap band surgery because it ties a band around and actually separates the stomach and then connects them through to the intestines, and there a couple of different types of this weight loss surgery. Gastric bypass Mexico is another option for weight loss surgery, but the lap band surgery is currently the more popular option for long term weight loss success. Both are still good options, and if you are looking to try and save some money on these expensive weight loss surgeries than you should definitely consider Mexico as a viable option.

Many people may be intrigued by the fact that it has become a phenomenon. Basically, Acai Berry is composed of omega fat which is different from unsaturated fats. It is also comprised of protein, amino acid, electrolytes, Vitamin A, E and B1. With this form of composition, it has become today’s “superfood”. Consumers have definitely considered the Acai Berry as a very beneficial source for health matters. Researchers on the other hand have become more astounded by the amazing results being brought by this incredible fruit.

With research conducted in the University of Florida, the Acai berry has been doing well with all the tests. The initial research has shown that it brings forth such positive effects on cancer, anti-aging, cardiovascular disease and weight loss, which is the most popular. This little berry is considered to be one powerful food that provides many health benefits. It has also been considered as filled with vitamins, dietary fiber, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Adding up to this, the Acai berry serves good for the maintenance of a healthy heart. This largely helps especially when a person ages in time for as the body grows old, it weakens at the same time. Thus, Acai berry acts as a very effective support with all the benefits that it brings to the body.

The considered health benefits provided by the Acai Berry are the following: anti-aging protection, cardiovascular heart disease protection, cancer disease protection, skin looks healthier, improvement in vision, improvement in blood circulation, improvement in sleep, increase in energy levels, increase in immune system to better ward off flu, and the most popular of all, weight loss .

With regards to the effect of Acai berry’s cardiovascular protection, this fruit is composed of antioxidants which helps improve cardiovascular health through assisting the maintenance of a healthy heart. This also plays a role in lowering cholesterol levels in the body. Having anthocyanins and phytonutrients, the Acai berry has an antioxidant level 10-30 times more compared to red wine or grapes. The Acai berry diet also became much popular with regards to weight loss due to the fact that it helps the body to improve the processing of food and burn fat much better and more efficiently. By doing this, weight loss becomes more achievable. With the help of the essential fatty acids, weight loss is achieved because it assists the body in maintaining a metabolism that is normal. Adding up to this, fiber also assists the body to eliminate excess food even before it turns to body fat. The fiber and the fats also aids in suppressing the appetite, thus making it easier to achieve weight loss.

The Acai berry definitely has done wonders through the years as the acai berry benefits become more well known by the public. Now that it has been more sensationalized then ever before, its qualities and benefits have become much recognizable. Taking advantage of the Acai berry’s health benefits is a must for people who desire to live a healthier life.

However, a unique new product called Revive Energy Mints combines these super herbal foods together in a fresh tasting mint! It’s genius really when you think about it, no one really likes taking herbal capsules, and everyone is always looking for a way to freshen their breath with a piece of gum or a refreshing mint, so why not combine the two products into one! We were so curious that we had to try the product for ourselves and all in all it really is a neat way to get some herbal energy without having to worry about remembering to take the weight loss pills, since you just think of them as more of a mint.

At the end of the day, the Revive energy mint is a refreshing and new way to make sure you are getting some of the richest, highest antioxidant super foods such as the acai and goji berries into your diet. The mint also has other ingredients like green tea, ginseng and even guarana – all working together to give your mind and body a boost and give you more energy as well as help to promote your metabolism to flush out all the crap in your system.

Some of the benefits of the colon cleansing diet is that you flush out a lot of the harmful toxins that just linger around in your body as a result of poor dieting. It also has been rumoured to be helpful in reducing colon cancer, as well as boosting energy levels and helping you feel less bloated. Probably most important though is that you flush out a lot of harmful parasites that are in some of the foods that get eaten on a regular basis. Plus, a lot of people aren’t comfortable with a colonoscopy, so a colon cleansing supplement is a great option for them.

If you’re looking for a great and easy way to boost your energy levels and flush out excess pounds and toxins be sure to try a colon cleansing supplement like the Ultra Pure Cleanse and get rid of those nasty toxins and parasites and feel better about yourself. Plus, they are offering a free trial bottle so what do you have to lose?