Everywhere you look there is someone GUARANTEEING their product will promote weight loss? Do you think that in taking Hoodia you will experience weight loss? Hard to know isn’t it, but it is important that if you are taking Hoodia that you allow yourself enough time to truly test this amazing product for results.

The history of Hoodia as an appetite suppressant dates back to the nomadic Sans tribe in South Africa in 1966.  The CSIR in South Africa was conducting a study of indigenous foods that their Bushmen ate and stumbled upon Hoodia.  These tribesmen, when hunting could be gone for several days and knew that taking Hoodia would help relieve their hunger and thirst. These tribesmen never had cause to question the safety of Hoodia as they had been using it medicinally for some time.

In 1997 the CSIR patented the product.  The Hoodia supplement, in the last few years has become an incredibly popular appetite suppressant.  But does it actually work?

Well there has been much controversy firstly over various Hoodia products and the most important thing to note is that genuine 100% Hoodia Gordonii doesn’t come in an extract from.  It is important to note that there are lots of fakes out there when it comes to sourcing Hoodia Gordonii capsules so the simple real is look at the packaging and you should only see the core of the Hoodia Gordonii plant and the ingredients used to make up its capsules:  gelatib.  Anything else and it isn’t the genuine article!

There are quite a few reviews done on the various Hoodia products at this site, so you may want to take a look for yourself.  http://www.fatgherkin.com/index.php/Weight-Loss/weight-loss-supplements/unique-hoodia-diet-pills.html

So does taking Hoodia work?  Well as it is an appetite suppressant it reduces your calorie intake up to 2,000 calories so that’s a great start.  As it works on suppressing your appetite you will find that snacking between meals is no longer necessary as you aren’t actually hungry.  You know in the afternoon when you hit that low point and chocolate becomes so tempting?  When your tummy starts rumbling and no matter what you do to take your mind off sweat treats you have to make your way to the vending machine. Well not anymore!

By MaryAnn Roche

Tags: appetite suppressant, hoodia, lose weight, Lose Weight and Keep it Off, Losing weight, Natural Weight Loss, reduce weight, Weight Loss

Do You Have What It Takes To Lose Weight?

Well do you?  Can you set your mind to losing weight and stick to it?  Are you ready to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve the body of your dreams?

Your biggest barrier to losing weight is quite simply your own self-discipline. Somewhere along life’s journey you have succumbed to a cycle of eating a poor diet full of carbs, fats and undoubtedly processed foods.  These foods actually make you feel tired and sleepy all the time, resulting in lethargy which results in you feeling not at all inclined to exercise!  So you end up with no willpower and you feel hopeless with your inability to change and be motivated.

You can lose the weight if you truly want to!  It comes down firstly to a simple decision. From there once you have decided you will then need to address your willpower. Don’t let life happen to you in the form of a heart attack or trauma, find the strength to make the change now!

Lets start at Step 1 – Watch your portion size! (start by giving yourself a smaller portion size) Use smaller plates if you have to trick your mind into believing its the same size!

Step 2 – allow yourself ONE cheat day per week.  As you transition to healty eating habits allowing yourself one day off will actually help you and motivate you to stick to your changes.  So go ahead and enjoy that piece of chocolate cake, really savor the flavor knowing tomorrow it is back to healty eating habits! I am sure after you have eaten the cake your willpower will begin to kick in and say no more!

Remember to take photographs of yourself.  You would be amazed how motivating this really is.  We generally dont really realize how we truly look until we see ourselves in a photo, so keep a picture of yourself always and when you feel like giving up, bring it out and remind yourself of how far you have come.  Take new photos to compare to your original so you can see your progress!

Make a food list, and write down the healthy foods you actually enjoy eating. Ensure you buy these foods to eat throughout the day. If you need help there is a great ebook/receipt book titled “EASY Veggie Meal Plans” which you can download here.  I dont know about you, but often I dont eat certain vegetables as I simply dont know how to prepare them.  So this recipe book may help.

Approach exercise initially in moderation.  Adding exercise to your routine can very often be offputting so start slow. If you attempt too much in day one, you will have a difficult time finding the motivation to return!  Start with a short walk, and increase the distance daily. Or if you cannot even manage a walk to begin with there are some great exercises to be found here – do them while you sit!

Every week set yourself a goal. Decide what you would like to achieve, and take small steps to get there. Small manageable goals such as one pound per week which is attainable.  Setting the bar too high will result in failure and a complete lack of motivation.

Always reward yourself on your achievements, and no NOT with a piece of pie! You have worked hard at losing weight and are continuing to do so, so tell yourself to be proud of your achievements and that you have mustered the willpower to succeed at weightloss so undoubtedly anything else in your life you choose to put your mind to can also be achieved.

By MaryAnn Roche.

Tags: How to Stay Focused on Losing Weight, Lose Weight and Keep it Off, Losing weight, reduce weight, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Strategies

How does ‘reduce weight‘ and ‘have fun’ fit into the same sentence?
For a lot of people it simply deosn’t!
But you can reduce weight and have fun at the same time – this article has some great tips on how to do it!

If losing weight has become a drag, you need to rethink your strategy.

Are you who moans and groans when you think of trying to lose weight and exercise? Most of us do! Unfortunately, for so many, the very idea of losing weight breeds negative thoughts and feelings. You may even feel as if it’s an impossible challenge.

After all, who wants to think of climbing on those machines in the gym for 30 minutes to take off the pounds? Or even worse, doing sit-ups at home. Yuck!

I’m sure you’ll be glad to discover that you don’t need to go to the gym to reduce weight and get the body you want!

Here are five simple activities that will help you get healthy and reduce weight while having a blast:

1. Go for a walk with your friends.
A great way to get active and improve your health is to start walking with friends. Meet during the week to take a brisk walk together, either in the morning before your day begins, during lunch, or in the evening after work.

* Schedule your walk into your day as social time. While you’re walking, take time to catch up and chat with each other. This way it feels more like a social experience instead of exercise.

2. Beautify your yard or cultivate a garden.
Gardening and yard work are both activities that burn calories so you can reduce weight and be productive! Planting flowers or vegetables, pulling weeds, raking, hauling dirt, and doing other gardening chores can really help you get in shape.

* When you’re squatting, bending, and yanking out those weeds, you’ll be working muscles you didn’t even know you had….lol!

3. Dance.
Dancing is another great way to burn off mega calories while you have a great time. You’ll get your heart pumping, and you’ll enjoy an awesome total workout!

* Take a dance class.
* Go out to a nightclub where you can dance the night away.
* Get some dance videos so you can dance at home(I taught my self hip hop this way – the kids think I’m totally cool )

4. Play with your family.
Even something as simple as playtime outdoors with the family can help you lose some pounds and stay healthy. Whether it’s running, Frisbee, or playing tag together, just having fun with the family can give you some much needed activity.

* Visit a park and go hiking on the trails.
* Climb a tree in your backyard.
* Go swimming or skiing.

5. Play group sports.
One great idea to reduce weight the fun way is to play group sports. Next time, instead of dragging yourself to the gym and those dreaded machines, check out the recreation center in your area.

* Start playing soccer, softball, volleyball, or basketball. With these activities, you’ll be burning off the calories while enjoying yourself at the same time!

The possibilities are endless! You’ll have fun spending quality time with your family and friends, and teaching your children a healthy lifestyle as well.

Although these activities are fun, regular activity and eating a healthy diet go hand in hand when you want to reduce weight. You can’t count one weekend of gardening as your exercise for the week. Vary your activities for more fun, and do something to get moving every day.

Consistency is the key to reaching your weight loss goal.

As I am sure you can see, exercising and getting in shape don’t have to be ‘moan and groan time’. There are plenty of easy activities you can do to reduce weight, improve your health, and have fun!

The best thing about having lost weight, is that you look and feel better and you gain so much extra energy! From there, your outlook will have changed altogether and you will see exactly how I can put ‘reduce weight‘ and ‘have fun’ in the same sentence! – Enjoy!

Tags: reduce weight