If you're reading this, you probably don't need anyone to tell you that being overweight is not only bad for your self-esteem, but is downright hazardous to your health. Pre-mature death as well as many diseases are linked to obesity, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, gallstones and more. However, if you're like most overweight people, you have been trying to lose weight for a long, long time, but have not been successful. Or perhaps you go on diets and do lose weight, only to gain it back again and then some -- the yo-yo diet syndrome that many experts say is more dangerous than simply being overweight. You may be like many people, who become desperate, and use synthetic supplements, drugs or surgery that can be damaging to your health in other ways.
Well, read on for some natural tips we have in this article that can help make it easier than you think to lose weight and keep it off! And if you do it naturally, like we are suggesting, you will most likely end up far healthier at the same time, with more energy and vitality than you've had in a long time*.
Natural Weight Loss Secret #1: Don't Eat Low Fat!
Are you still caught up in the low fat mantra of the past couple decades? Do you think you can't eat much fat if you are trying to lose weight? These ideas are still so prevalent in our media and in the low fat products you see everywhere, that it's no wonder you may still believe this. However, according to the facts, more people are overweight now than ever before, it's being called an epidemic! And this has happened while we Americans cut back from 40 percent to around 32 percent fat in our diet. Low fat diets actually tend to promote weight gain, so add some good fats back into your diet today!
Natural Weight Loss Secret # 2: Add Virgin Coconut Oil To Your Diet
Many people have reported that consuming Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) helps them to lose weight*. They often see increased energy levels and fewer cravings for carbohydrates and sweets*. According to a 2000 report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, you burn off coconut oil three times faster than many other common fats. This is because it's so high in Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs). So try some virgin coconut oil today! Many experts suggest 2 to 3 Tablespoons minimum per day.
Natural Weight Loss Secret # 3: Avoid All Vegetable Oils
Did you know that when farmers were looking for a cheap way to fatten their animals for market, they began using corn and soybean oils? Let me repeat, farmers used vegetable oils to FATTEN up their animals for market! It did work, but they quickly discovered that in addition to fattening up their animals, these oils caused problems with the animals' thyroid glands and they subsequently developed many health problems, including cancer. The fact that polyunsaturated oils encourage tumor growth is well known among researchers. It is also well known that consumption of vegetable oils depresses our immune system, so well known that vegetable oils have been used for intravenous injections to suppress immunity in organ transplant patients. So get rid of vegetable oils in your diet!
Natural Weight Loss Secret # 4: Rev up Your Metabolism by Nourishing Your Thyroid
Research points to an under active thyroid gland as perhaps the number one cause of weight problems in America today, especially among women. That's because the thyroid gland controls body temperature and metabolism, and when the thyroid is sluggish, body temperature and metabolism tend to slow down. You can have an under performing thyroid even if it is undetectable on a blood test. So nourish your thyroid with natural sources of iodine and avoid thyroid blocking foods like soy and peanuts. You may also want to get a fluoride water filter if your water is fluoridated, as fluoride reduces thyroid function. Coconut oil, on the other hand, because of its metabolism stimulating properties, seems to be an excellent thyroid system builder*.
Natural Weight Loss Secret # 5: Avoid All Highly Processed, Refined or Chemically Altered Foods
Some people find they start shedding pounds simply by eliminating the following foods from their diet:
- Refined sugars like sucrose, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, etc.
- White flour
- Vegetable oils like corn, soybean and canola
- Artificial sweeteners and fats like saccharin, aspartame and olestra
These foods, besides being bad for your health, have been implicated in many studies as actually causing weight gain, so you really need to stay away from them. They are found in most packaged foods today, like sauces, salad dressings, cakes, cookies, frozen entrees and more. Some people have had a hard time losing weight until they cut out all of these foods from their diets. If you have a problem eliminating sugar, make sure you are consuming enough minerals, especially chromium and vanadium. You also want to make sure that you are getting enough protein and fat, including some coconut oil. These ideas should all help you with your sugar cravings*.
* This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Copyright 2008 Karen Pijuan. This article may be copied only in its entirety and only if all links, including those in the resource box or the about-the-author section, remain intact.