Drink Calories, Diet Killer

I bet you that you never thought that just drinking something would help you lose weight, right? Well, I would also say that you can lose even more weight by removing something from your diet. I'm going to keep it short and to the point. There is a reason that soda is the most popular beverage in the world today. We will take a look at why you should be looking at what you drink, as well as what you are eating.

1. Calories

When it comes to soft drinks or sugary drinks, the calories could be through the roof. According to Harvard University, "A typical 20-ounce soda contains 15 to 18 teaspoons of sugar and upwards of 240 calories. A 64-ounce fountain cola drink could have up to 700 calories." We face a growing problem with consuming too many calories in soda. 

2. Diet Killer, Obesity Feeder
The reason that drinking sugary drinks that have a lot of calories is that sugar converts directly to fat. Eating or drinking fat doesn't make you fat or overweight, eating or drinking sugary foods and drinks make you fat and overweight. Here is the evidence from Harvard University, "Two out of three adults and one out of three children in the United States are overweight or obese, and the nation spends an estimated $190 billion a year treating obesity-related health conditions. Rising consumption of sugary drinks has been a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. A typical 20-ounce soda contains 15 to 18 teaspoons of sugar and upwards of 240 calories. A 64-ounce fountain cola drink could have up to 700 calories. People who drink this “liquid candy” do not feel as full as if they had eaten the same calories from solid food and do not compensate by eating less."

3. What Can I Drink?
Water, drink just plain water! There are 0 calories, 0 grams of sugar, 0 fat, 0 everything! There are so many health benefits to drinking water, many of these include the facts that water is the key to life in the body and it promotes a healthier life. TIME magazine mentioned a study done that encapsulated this fact by asking 84 people to take part in the study for 12 weeks and they said this about the results, "The group that loaded up on water lost about three more pounds than the group that didn’t up their water intake. And the more they drank, the better the results; people who drank 16 ounces before every meal lost about 4.3 kg, or 9 pounds, over the course of the experiment. “That’s about what you get from going to Weight Watchers for 12 weeks,” Daley says. “That’s a real success.”"

To wrap things up, we can gain so many more benefits from drinking water and watching what we drink as well. Cutting these calories and filling up on water before meals can cause us to eat less without even trying. Why do we not utilize this trick more often? For more information on the astounding amount of money spent on advertising for soft drinks that get our minds to buy the sugary drinks and for more information on the study in TIME magazine, click on the links below. Please comment on your successes in drinking water instead of sugary drinks in your weight loss. Now is your time to show off and share with other people to help other people reach their obesity killing goals!

~Obesity Overload


Resources:

Sugary Drinks Facts and Statistics (Harvard University)

TIME Magazine Study

Stuck in a Rut? Blast Through Your Plateau!

Are you one of those people that is stuck in a rut? You work out, try to do everything right, but you still can't lose weight? I am here to tell you that there are a few things that you can do, starting today, that will help you blast through your plateau and get to the point of burning fat again. You may have lost a good bit of weight and then it slowed down or stopped. This is what we call a plateau. It happens when what you're doing for weight loss, your diet, workout, and other things that you're doing become insufficient and too easy for your body to handle. Let's look at a few things that can help!

1. Cut Out Sugar
If you already haven't cut out sugar, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that you can help blast through your plateau if you merely cut out sugar. Sugar is what diseases and cancer feeds on. There is little to no good bodily benefits to sugar besides the fact that it gives you a little bit of energy. If you cut out sugar, you are on your way to blasting that plateau.

2. Get Motivated!
One reason why you may be plateauing in your weight loss is because of a lack of motivation. I have found that in my own weight loss, if I wasn't fully committed to doing it, making it work, really cooking good things, and keeping my motivation, I would fall behind and gain weight in my plateau. You need to stay motivated to blast through the plateau! Here is a video to help you guys with motivation!

3. Cut the Calories
Something that I figured out a long time ago when I was working on my weight loss was that you really have to watch how many calories you cut and make sure that you are really cutting calories. You may think that you're cutting calories in one area of the weight loss, but you forget that you are still consuming them by the truckload in other areas of weight loss. Cut those calories.

4. Change Your Workout
Another revelation that I had when I was younger and studying about weight loss was the fact that the body, when you give it enough time, will make itself strong enough to become efficient enough to get through your workout with ease. It was mind blowing! Change your workout and make it harder or get a different kind of workout that utilizes your weaker muscle groups. Blast through that plateau!

5. Visualize
A lot of the time that I spent in weight loss was time that I didn't visualize what I was doing. I thought that I was still fat, still overweight, still obese, and it was a driving force for that huge plateau that weighed me down. Visualize success and visualize a skinnier and more slim and sleek you that you can be proud of. Don't get weighed down on where you are now, visualize where you want to be.

6. Journal EVERYTHING
If you guys remember, I incorporated keeping journal into our weight loss steps at the founding of this blog. Writing down everything that you eat, lick, or taste can be a great way to see exactly what you are eating. It helps us know what we are eating, how much of it, when we eat it, and it allows us to adjust our weight loss program and how we do things accordingly.

7. Eat More Fiber
This is a rut that I found myself in when I looked at my weight loss. I wasn't eating enough fiber and I had a lot of food just sitting in my stomach that was seeming to rot. I wasn't passing my food quick enough because I wasn't eating enough fiber, and this was allowing my body to consume and put on more of the fat and weight from my food. Eating more fiber allows your body to get rid of impurities.

8. Overeating
A lot of the time, when we go to restaurants, they give us gigantic amounts of food. We think that we have to eat all of this food, when in fact, we don't! Put half of your meal into a box or doggy bag and save it for later. Overeating can happen at home as well. When you are at home all the time, you're around food, and your body feels like it wants to eat all of the time. Get out of this rut and blast through that plateau.

You guys can and will conquer your plateau. I believe that you guys can get out of this rut and blast through your plateau. I would suggest implementing these tips on how to get out of your plateau. When you let your plateau go to long, it becomes harder to get out of it later on. The longer you wait on getting out the worse off you are. Weight loss is a hard venture that takes strength and energy to get through. You can do it!

~Obesity Overload

Rethink Dieting...Smaller not Bigger!

I was listening to an inspirational speaker last night and he said something that really rung true in my heart and my head. Here is what he said, "Weight loss and dieting is not about big decisions, its about the smaller ones that feed off of one another that gives you success!" What does this mean for dieting and weight loss? How does making smaller choices get anywhere when I have so much weight to lose? We are going to rethink the way we look at dieting and weight loss. We are going to gain a new appreciation for the smaller things instead of the bigger things and get off on a great foot when it comes to weight loss and dieting!

1. Why Think Smaller? 
The first question that I want to answer is the one of, "Why think smaller?" We think that because we have so much weight to lose that we need to do dramatic things and make huge decisions in order to accomplish greater and quicker weight loss. The reason behind thinking smaller is that your brain will see that it is accomplishing those smaller goals and decisions and you will feel inspired to keep going. Our diet should depend on the little decisions that we make by eating one meal better a day and then building off of that. There is a reason why we fail when we make big decisions. It is because we set ourselves up for failure. Think smaller and get greater results. Instead of going cold turkey, work yourself into your weight loss and diet.

2. The Problem with Thinking BigThe problem with thinking big was kind of touched on in the last point, but I want to expand on what I was saying. We think big because be want big weight loss gains, we want to lose the weight in three days, we think that taking a pill or starving ourselves will do us good. In the end, you end up going to your bad diet before you started your weight loss and you find that you gain weight like crazy. It's harder to accomplish big changes like cutting your diet by 2000 calories, or going and running for 5 miles in one workout without starting small, or starving your body. It just doesn't work.

3. How Do We Rethink Dieting and Weight Loss?
The first thing that we need to do is re-evaluate our New Year's resolutions. If your resolution is too big, then redo your resolution. How do you tell if it's too big? If you want to lose 20+ pounds in two weeks, then you guys need to rethink it. In order to lose 20 pounds, you need 2+ months that will give you time to lose that weight healthily. Choose a better and more reachable resolution or goal. Choose something like losing two pounds a week, or 5 pounds a month, or small like these.

This is our post on rethinking dieting and weight loss. I implore you to implement these tips into your dieting and weight loss to really get started and give it a boost. The great thing about under shooting your goals and resolutions is that you will have a greater percentage of accomplishing them. If you guys can share these tips with your family and friends and comment or like our post, we would be greatly appreciative. Have a great day guys!

~Obesity Overload

10 Super Metabolism Boosters

Over the past week or so, we have been talking about fat blasters and misconceptions about weight loss. Today I thought that we would give you 10 super metabolism boosters that are sure-fire foods that will boost your metabolism sky high. Not only will you boost it, but you will feel the boost when you eat. What I mean is that you will not feel like your stomach is full for long. You will feel like you need something else to eat in only a little while. This is your metabolism working overtime to burn as much food, fat, and excess sugars that are sitting in and on your belly. Let us begin!

1. Tea
Tea is a great antioxidant that helps to move sugar cells from your body and into the furnace to be burned as energy. I normally drink a dark tea because they take longer to digest and help to burn more calories in the long run.

2. Chili Pepper 
Chili peppers are jam packed full of a compound called capsaicin that helps curb your appetite and has benefits for your weight loss. Habaneros, chili, cayenne, jalapenos, and eve Tabasco sauce are a few peppers and pepper products that you can incorporate into your diet.

3. Ice Cold Water
Drinking ice cold water lowers the temperature of your body and forces your body to burn calories to warm itself back up after being dropped lower than normal. Water in general boosts your metabolism, but ice cold water makes your body work even harder to burn that fat.

4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal packs a punch in the way of fiber and is a super-food when it comes to giving you lots of energy. That is why so many people eat oatmeal for their breakfast. It then requires more calories and energy to burn off and try to digest the fiber in oatmeal. Your stomach will be shoved into metabolism overdrive with this one!  

5. Lemonade
Really, any sort of citrus drink or adding lemon juice to a meal can and definitely will boost your metabolism. Citrus is high in vitamin C and the acid in its contents helps to kick up the stomach acids to create a more combustible metabolism and stomach that shreds that food apart.

6. Fish
Leaner fish out there are great sources of metabolism boosting omega 3 acids that are essential in muscle building proteins. Some examples are, salmon and tuna. Eat these fish with a sprinkle of lemon juice over the top, and grab a glass of ice cold water for metabolism boost.

7. Papaya
Papayas contain an enzyme called papain which improves digestion and absorption in the stomach and into the body. This exotic fruit could be just the boost that you needed in your metabolism boosting diet to push you into fat burning central.

8. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate, believe it or not, can boost your metabolism! Dark chocolate contains anti-inflammatory polyphenols that help your belly to destroy that fat without the unwanted and refined sugars of regular candy bars and chocolate. Add a few nibbles of dark chocolate to your diet and boost that metabolism!

9. Apples
Snacking on apples is a very practical way to boost your metabolism because they are low in calories, but they require more calories to burn them off due to the amount of fiber in them. They are chocked full of good vitamins and minerals to balance out your diet and give you more benefits than just raising your metabolism.

10. Celery
Eating celery is like munching on a fiber rich food that has virtually no calories! In fact, in Weight Watchers, they are completely free to eat. Celery is a natural diuretic and helps to get rid of excess water that could be weighing you down. The energy you would need to burn celery outweighs the amount of calories that the celery even contains.

Take these 10 super metabolism boosters and go boost your metabolism sky high. I mean, who wants to just sit on the couch and hope that they will lose weight? I have given you the tools to boost that metabolism. Use these 10 boosters and workout for maximum metabolism boost. You will definitely feel the burn in your stomach as is asks for more food and water in an even short amount of time than you would have expected!

~Obesity Overload

Concentrated Fat Blaster

Millions of people have been affected by fat and being obese. We have gone through diets, exercises, and food wisdom, but we haven't really talked about some more resources to blast that fat. Today we are going to go over what is called the, "Concentrated Fat Blaster." We will go over what it is, how to execute it in your your life, and some of the benefits of the Concentrated Fat Blaster. The Concentrated Fat Blaster is unlike anything else that we have talked about and is not for the faint of heart, for the sissies, and is not for those people that don't know what they want. It is for those that are hungry to lose weight and are hungry for their dream body, the body they deserve!

1. What is the Concentrated Fat Blaster?
The Concentrated Fat Blaster is a set of exercises and a theory about weight loss and exercising that will blow your mind. The CFB takes your metabolism, determination, and will to lose weight, and it transforms it into a fat burning machine. The CFB is this:

Metabolism + Lifting Heavy + 4-6 Small Meals = CONCENTRATED FAT BLASTER

2. How do I Execute the Concentrated Fat Blaster?
Metabolism is a huge fat burner and is something that is used for fat burning. Metabolism is like the fuel for the blaster that runs the fat burning machine. Eating spicy foods, drinking a glass of lemonade with a meal, drinking water in your day, and exercising are all ways to raise your metabolism.

Lifting heavy might be a, "duh" statement for some of you, but it really is essential for fat burning to lift weights to create more fat burning muscle. In order to do this, you have to lift and lift heavy. Lifting heavy is like the laser that you are shooting out of the blaster. Lifting heavy will allow you to building muscle that will ultimately burn some crazy amounts of fat. Aim for lifting maximum weight without hurting yourself, for 6-8 repetitions, and for 3-5 sets without stopping in between.

Eating 4-6 meals helps raise your metabolism. I would suggest eating fruits, vegetables, and good foods that will not be detrimental to your fat and weight loss. Eating 4-6 meals is like building the blaster lasers that you fire through the blaster to burn the fat.

3. What are the Benefits of the Concentrated Fat Blaster?
-Easy to use and incorporate
-Burns a lot of fat
-Calories melt off
-You will feel better
-You will make it to your goals quicker
-The majority of people can do it

The CFB is a revolutionary theory and tool that you can use to meet your weight loss goals quicker. Countless people have tried to burn more calories than what they take in, in a day, and everyone has heard of that. The Concentrated Fat Blaster is a tool that countless of people will use because it is easy to do, almost anyone can do it, and it is fresh out of the box. Implement this theory and it will be like blasting your fat right off of your body. I know, it sounds disturbing, but its so freeing once your fat begins melting away!

~Obesity Overload

One Sweet Diet...Or Is It?

There are several diets out there, but few have claims that actually work. The ETL Diet that we have written for you as probably the best diet out there is proving to be helping me lose weight. I am at 5 LB. lost in the first week. I want to create another diet that is great for people that want to shed fat like it is an extra jacket or sweatshirt. How cool would it be to have weight loss like that? Unfortunately, weight loss doesn't work like that. You can shed fat like crazy, but it will normally be 3-4 LB. at a time each week. Any more than that is dangerous unless you know what you are doing or are being monitored by a dietitian. Let's get started on the in's and out's of The Sweetest Diet. We will call it the TSD. The TSD diet is not for everyone, but it is a great diet nonetheless.

1. Why Does Cutting Out Sugar Work so Well?
The reason that cutting out sugar works so well is because sugar causes weight gain and causes fat to form. People have misconceptions that eating fat or carbs causes you to gain weight. This simply is not true. Sure, it may be that by the time the sugar breaks down it turns into carbs and fat, but it is not solely carbs or fat that causes you to gain weight. Sugar disables and shuts down your immune system and is the number one reason for weight gain. When you drink 32+ oz. of soda for lunch and have a candy bar later on in the day, you add on a significant amount of weight. All this to say, cut out the sugar completely. Drink water or milk if you drink soda.

Men, aim for 2,500 calories in your day in your eating. If you want to lose weight quicker, then aim for 2,000 calories in your day. Women, aim for 1,500 calories in your day. Don't eat any less than that because you might experience your body shutting down and not operating.

2. Sugar...An Artificial Killer
Sugar is a naturally grown, artificially processed, killer. Sugar is literally in everything! If you are a Sugar-free Diet purist, you are someone that will make your own food without sugar. For this diet we are cutting out sugar in our drinks, cutting out candy, and any extra sugar. If bread has some sugar in it, we will let it pass. What I don't want you to do is go to the doughnut aisle and pick up a box of sugar powdered donuts and say, "It only has a little bit of sugar." When you live your day eating sugar like crazy, you leave yourself open for developing diabetes and you are susceptible to crashing and needing a nap. This can be alleviated by cutting out the sugar that will cause you to crash later on. Sugar is an artificial killer that seems to lurk into your life through many avenues. Let's cut the sugar to cut the weight!

3. Working Out
Ah yes, the thing that we hate to do, work out. When you eat sugar, your body gets to the point where it is dependable on it. It essentially becomes a crutch.When you cut the sugar you realize immediately how much energy you have to work out without the sugar. I have been feeling immensely better since I have cut my sugar intake considerably. I would suggest working with kettle-bells, medicine balls, and running. The kettle-bells are great for stripping fat off of certain areas, the medicine balls are great for gaining solidity, and the running is good for re-enforcement of the other two areas. I would aim for about 45-60 minutes when you work out 5 times a week for a significant burn.

4. Breaking the Addiction
You mean that I can be addicted to sugar? Yes, you can be addicted to sugar. It is about as easy as any other illegal drug in the world. Sugar is highly addicting because it causes you to crave the sweetness and the taste of what we think is good. We think that it is innocent enough to drink whatever we want and eat all the candy we want, but it really is not that easy. You are essentially killing yourself when you eat and drink sugar like that. The way to break the addiction is to say no to those things that have sugar in them that are bad for you. Think of those things like they are poison because in fact, they are!

5. Share It!
Share this diet with your friends! This diet could be very influential for getting your body back to where it feelings good instead of that terrible feeling after you eat a sugar loaded candy bar. There are many people out there that can and will benefit from this diet. I would urge you to join us on this diet and to share it with a few friends. Get a group together that can keep one another accountable! Start a The Sweetest Diet Facebook page for your community and impact others around you.   

As with any and every diet, ask your doctor before starting to make sure that your body can handle the diet. Take these tips and implement in your life to lose weight by the ton. Start today and make today the day that you reform and get on the track for that beach body. Let's get that beach body before summer comes!

~Obesity Overload

Facts the Weight Loss Industry Fails to Tell You, Part 3

It has been a pleasure in getting the opportunity to educate you guys about what the weight loss industry doesn't want you to know. Like I said in the first part of our series, I am here to give you guys the facts that you need to make your weight loss more dynamical and to gain an immense amount of credibility. I want the reader to look at my blog and say, "I trust this person to know what he is talking about and that I will share this with my friends." I hate being lied to myself and I know that you guys don't like it either. I won't beg you guys to share these blogs posts, but would appreciate it. What is it about the weight loss industry that makes them think it's alright to lie to us? We will delve off into the third fact that the weight loss industry doesn't tell us.

FACT #3: THE FAT AND CALORIE COUNT ON LABELS ARE WAY OFF

This is a very surprising fact. I mean, it was surprising to me when I heard it. There has been studies which suggest that calories on some of the snacking and chow foods that seem low calorie are, in actuality, 8-10% higher than what the package says. When you go to a restaurant the menus are lying to you! The restaurant menus were shown to be 18% of the calories lower than what they should have been. That means that if you eat a 100 calorie snack, you could be eating 110-118 calories instead. While this doesn't amount to much, it will still add up later on because these calories are unaccounted for. Diets and diet programs run on the fact that they count calories. This is thrown out of the window when you have 18% unaccounted for.

Fat is another topic to talk about. In accordance with the calories, we keep track of fat. If the fat content is 10-18% higher than it should be, we instantly crash through the roof when it comes to fat and caloric content in a day. Fat is a little bit more crucial when it comes to keep track of it because 10-18% could be quite considerable. While it might not be enough for someone to really lose sleep over, it is still a fact that you really can't believe everything you read. Just because the label says one thing doesn't mean that it is gospel. So, what happens to these miscalculated calories and fat? They pack on your belly, legs, arms, face, and body as fat.   

I would suggest that you guys do you research on how many calories are really in what you are eating. Don't trust the labels! The labels were created by humans and humans are not error free. Get a second opinion online or get a book of calories. Just in case you missed them, we have the different parts to the other facts that the weight loss industry won't tell you below that we have already went over. Talk to your nutritionist about whether you should reconsider how many calories and how much fat you are eating. You might be surprised at what you find!

Facts the Weight Loss Industry Fails to Tell You, Part 1

Facts the Weight Loss Industry Fails to Tell You, Part 2

~Obesity Overload 

 

Why Should You Fight Obesity?

The question posed in the title is one that a lot of people ask. An even bigger question would be, "What is obesity?" An even bigger question than even that one would be, "Am I obese?" My question to you is, "Are you obese? Do you realize the severity of obesity? Do you want to change your situation?" If you have asked yourself any of these questions, then this blog post is for you! I know that I have asked these questions of myself.

Several years ago, about five or six in fact, I began to ask myself these questions as my doctor was concerned for my health. I was about 20 or 21 when I figured out that I had high blood pressure. Being a 20 year old guy, this isn't what I wanted to hear! I didn't want to hear the risks of having obesity and about how obesity was KILLING me inside my body. My heart doctor sent me to get an ultrasound of my heart and my kidneys, and to check my legs to see if there was any places my blood was getting stuck or caught. He wanted to make sure that my circulation was good. Being a VERY athletic person, I shrugged the ultrasound off like it was nothing. I did it simply to put my parents' mind at ease.

The fact was that I was a young man that ate terribly, drank the soda, ate the candy, did whatever I wanted to, and did everything that was bad for my diet. I was obese! My heart doctor put me on the Mediterranean Diet and told me to stop eating meat. I was a carnivore! Sometimes we are called to give things up in order to get through to our brains that something is wrong. Obesity is NOT good and WILL kill you if you don't resolve it immediately, if not sooner! Not to worry, we will talk about the risks of obesity, why you should fight it, and how to fight it. Let's begin!

~1. What is Obesity?
Obesity is simply characterized as being grossly overweight or having huge amounts of fat. When I heard these characteristics come out of my doctor's mouth I thought, "How rude!" Obesity is also characterized as having 20% more weight on your body than what is normal. This is calculated through BMI or Body Mass Index. (Check your's here!)

There are many, many ways or reasons that you are obese. These include, not getting enough sleep, eating too many calories, eating high fructose corn syrup, and even having the obesity gene. Obesity is genetic, but we can learn to beat obesity. If your mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather was obese or overweight, you more than likely have the obesity gene. If you burned 100 calories a day more than what you consume, through walking, it would take you 35 days to burn 1 pound of fat. If you did it every day for the whole year you would burn 36,500 calories which equates to a little under 10.5 pounds of body fat. That is just by WALKING to burn 100 calories. 3,500 calories is 1 pound.

My point being that if you sit on your butt and drink 1 can of soda in a day, that soda goes into fat that goes right to your butt or another unfortunately fatty area. Obesity is caused by eating more calories than what you burn off in a day. If you are an office worker that rarely moves, you are in big trouble. If you are a computer major like me, than we are in trouble as well. I will tell you that I am still obese and have been for most of my life and it is a battle, but we CAN beat obesity if we stick with it!

~2. Risks of Obesity
Now that we have looked at what obesity is, let's take a peek at some of the risks of obesity. Here is a somewhat limited and not by any means, exhaustive list of the risks of obesity. The risks are: gallstones, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, triglycerides, stroke, sleep apnea, and coronary heart disease. This is NOT an exhaustive list. These are a FEW of the hundreds of health risks that are involved with obesity and being overweight.  

I was quite frightened by the fact that I may have had some of these because I really didn't feel all that well at the time all of my ultrasounds were going on. I encourage you to heed this small list and to take your obesity seriously. It is only scary if you have no discipline to change yourself and your ways when you know that you are in trouble.

~3. How Do You Fight Obesity?
The risks mentioned above are extremely serious and you are at risk for these diseases and conditions. How are we going to fight obesity? We are going to fight fire with FIRE!

The first way to fight obesity is to get off of your butt and get to exercising. I didn't want to do it either, but I knew I had to! Get up and walk for 30 minutes to start, then the next week do an hour, and then after that jog for 30 minutes...etc. Pick up a new sport to burn the calories. Basketball is good for burning large amounts of calories. Ultimate Frisbee is also good if you can get your friends to be involved or can get some people to throw the disc with you.

The second is to journal what you eat. Journal everything you eat or drink, calorie wise, and cut back the calories. If you are a guy, you should be eating no more than 2,500 calories if you are losing weight, and if you are a gal, you should be eating no more than 1,500 calories if you are trying to lose weight. Women have it harder than men because women do not burn calories as easy as men do. Make those calories count!

The third way to fight obesity is to cut out the junk! Cut out the potato chips, pizza, soda, candy, ice cream, donuts, sugar, and whatever else you have in your diet that is exceedingly high in calories. Drink water instead of soda or something else that is high in sugar. Eat wheat bread instead of white. White bread is enriched with yeast and other enrichment ingredients that make you fat. If you like celery, eat it by the ton. Eating celery keeps you full while virtually having no calories to mention.

Now that we have looked at obesity, the risks, and how to fight it, I STRONGLY urge you to take action against obesity! Get off of that couch, throw the TV remote away, and GET GOING! You may be in danger of stroke, or diabetes and tomorrow might be too little too late. Fight obesity with me as I am with you every step of the way. This is why we fight obesity!

~Obesity Overload       

Job Edition: Labor Jobs

We have all been in a position of having to do manual labor before, right? If you haven't then you, fortunately, have started ahead of most of the world. For those of us that are plopped down in our labor, retail filled, stand on your feet for 8-12 hours a day kind of jobs, this is for you guys! It is hard enough to diet let alone diet during odd hours or dieting during a job where you are exhausted after working. Well, we are going to look at what you can do to combat the labor bug.

1. Stop Splurging
The first point is to stop splurging as if food is leaving the planet! I have been in retail many a job and one thing I can say is that I was dang hungry when it came to eating after my shift. It was as if I ate everything in sight. Eat a moderate size meal and walk away from your kitchen.

2. Eat a Salad
Eating a salad will ensure that you consume less calories than you burned off in the day running around all the time. Salads are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber that is essential for your diet and weight loss.

3. Work Hard
This one might be one of those, "Duh" moments, but there are people that just don't work hard at their jobs or just refuse to. Work hard and burn those calories. You will be glad you did.

4. Protein Shake
Protein shakes are not exclusively for bodybuilders or weightlifters. They are for anyone that has bad muscle aches. Protein are the strands that your muscles are composed of. Adding a protein shake to your diet every other day will ensure that you body bounces back quicker and is more resilient.

5. Sleep
Sleep is the single most essential thing to any diet. Instead of watching TV until all hours of the evening, and then waking up early in the morning and feeling like you got run over by a semi, go to bed early. Get adequate rest.

I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post! Please share with your friends and family. Have a great day guys!

~Obesity Overload

Back 2 Basics

Okay, so how have your weight loss programs been going? I went on a sort of sabbatical/taking a break from blogging. I realized that there are a lot of people still out there that need help. I mean, if you go to the store and you are driving through the main thoroughfare, there will always be a fat person waddling by. Maybe you are that person! I am not criticizing you by any means. I used to be that person with the gut hanging over my small athletic shorts. I want to help you look like the guy in the picture to the left. I too want to be the guy to the left. I will be going on this journey as well. I will track what I am doing and my weight loss totals, as well as, giving you the tips, tricks, and self helps. I know how much we all love the fad diet programs. (WE DON'T!) In this blog post I will be going over how to get back 2 basics. Let's begin!

1. Weight Loss Equation
The weight loss equation has been a forgotten friend to those people that are trying to lose weight. Maybe it is that one thing that you can't remember and it may be the reason you don't lose weight. The equation is easy to remember. You must burn more calories than what you eat in a day. In effect, you must burn 3,500 calories to burn one pound of fat. You must compensate when figuring it. If you eat 2,500 calories a day and you burn 3,500 calories, then it will take you about four days to burn 1 pound of fat. Seems simple, doesn't it? I would suggest that you cut 1,000 calories from your diet when you eat while exercising more to burn more calories; which in turn burns more pounds of fat. This brings me to my next point.

Fat Burning Foods

2. Exercising Correctly
There is a right and a wrong way to exercise? YES, there is! If you walk for an hour at 3 M.P.H., then you will burn a total of a couple hundred calories. That is not bad if you are starting out. For most of us, if you are healthy, you are going to want to do compound exercises and exercises that push you. I was doing a program a couple of months ago and we were doing about 10 miles of running a week. The twist was that we had to do our quickest mile and then try to beat it with the others. We were also doing 40 push-ups and 40 sit-ups in one sitting. This means that you get in position and do it until they are all done. You don't rest! I would also suggest that you do a medicine ball workout. I will be doing the medicine ball workout that Duke University put's their athletes through. I will put a link up for it. the medicine ball workout will cause your whole upper body to tone because it uses exercises that are compound.

Duke University Medicine Ball Exercises

What are compound exercises? Compound exercises are exercises that work 3 or more body part groups at once. Examples would be basketball or soccer. Basketball and soccer have a LOT of running in them that work upper body parts, lower body parts, and they torch your core. Another great example of compound exercises would be working with kettle bells or a medicine ball like a stated earlier. Both the medicine ball and kettle bell use exercises that will tone your whole body at once. You will find that you are working muscles you never thought you had.

3. Eat Correctly
Again, there is a right and wrong way to eat? Of course there is! Eating chips, candy, and junk food while trying to lose weight adds more calories to burn off. You body will in fact gain weight because your body doesn't burn enough calories. I would suggest keeping to mostly fruits and vegetables. They will fill you up quickly and you won't pay dearly calorie-wise for them.

Fat Loss Factor

4. 2 for 1
For every 2 hours of TV that you watch you must do 1 hour of cardio exercise. That means that you will be toning a lot because America seems to love to watch TV. Keep this 2 for 1 mentality in mind when you are watching that baseball or football game for three and a half hours in your day!

5. Cut the Sweets
Cutting the sweets out will drop your calorie intake drastically. I found that when I stopped drinking soda and eating candy everyday that I began to lost weight at a more rapid speed. It is because your body doesn't intake extra calories. Eating fat doesn't make you fat. Eating sugar that converts to fat makes you fat!

6. Cut Your Crutch
I want you to cut the one food that you love and can't live without for the duration of your weight loss. Sounds extreme, doesn't it? It is a bit radical, but it will be a motivating factor for your weight loss journey. Trust me when I say that cutting the crutch (favorite food) will do you good. It may be chocolate, soda, cake, cookies, whatever it is, cut it. I will be cutting my crutch and expect you to do so as well.

Incorporating these factors into your life will ensure that you will have a quick and successful weight loss period. I have done years of research and my methods work! I have implemented them in my own life and have lost 3-4 pounds a week consistently through it. I am not setting a time for weight loss on purpose. I want you to put these rules into practice and reap the benefits of your labor. Let's begin again and do this together!

~Obesity Overload  

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Fast Food...Why is it so bad?

We all from time to time crave a big, fat, juicy burger. I mean, with the grease, oozing cheese, tomatoey ketchup, crunchy onions and lettuce, all packed on a grilled bun. Sounds good, doesn't it? Golden, fluffy, crunchy fries are a good side, or those onion rings, or maybe even mozzarella sticks. All of the things that I've mentioned are extremely unhealthy for you, especially while trying to lose weight. Let's dive into why fast food is so bad for you.

1. Ginormous Amounts of Calories
All fast food meals and items are put together to be made quickly and easily.
Along with the quickly and easily comes ginormous amounts of calories.
These calories pack right on your stomach or butt to add to the obesity that you are already in.
Some foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are high in calories, but they are good for you and don't pack on in the form of fat. These calories are fuel for your body.

2. Preservative Myriad
There is a ton of preservatives in the fast food that we eat every day.
I once saw a study and pictures of a Happy Meal that was left out for months at a time; in the weather and sunshine and all, and it wasn't changed much at all. Why is that?
It is because there is are so many preservatives in fast food.
The preservatives, in turn, give way to artificial freshness when put under heat lamps.
These preservatives weigh heavy on your stomach and body.

3. Salt and Fat
Salt and fat are the most prevalent ingredients in fast food.
The salt content that is inserted into fast food is to make the food taste better, and it is also used to preserve the food. The fat content is what makes the food taste good as well and comes in the form of dripping grease and gobs of solid fat. Sodium (or salt) can clog your arteries that run from your heart to your body.
Fat can be detrimental to your weight loss and really contributes to obesity in a big way.

4. Drinks
I hadn't mentioned drinks in the intro above because I wanted to address it separately.
Drinks such as soda, milkshakes, and frapps are dangerously high in sugar and fat.
Sugar in the body is converted to fat that adds to weight gain.
Not only is there sugar in soda, but there are toxic chemicals in soda.
My dad was telling me that cola sodas and other sodas have been used to clean oil off of concrete and to clean linoleum in a store worked in.
If there are chemicals in soda that clean oil spots and linoleum then just think of what it does to your body.

In conclusion, we can see that fast food is terrible for you.
I urge you guys to find alternatives to fast food.
Some of them are buying fresh food from a grocery and making your own food, fruit, and vegetables.
Not only is fast food bad for you and your obesity, but it is also bad for your wallet as it normally costs way more than food from a grocery store.
I have given you tips on fast food and saved you money! You're welcome!
~Obesity Overload

Why do we Gain Weight Despite our Hard Work?

Why do we gain weight despite our hard work?
I have written a blog post on a question like this a while back, but I thought about a couple more.
I was researching about diets and then I saw something about how we burn food off.
There was two ways we burn food and calories.

1. The first one is that we burn off sugary and fatty calories.
What I mean when I say that is that when you eat candy and pizza and junk food, it normally has high contents of sugar and fat.
That makes it extremely hard to burn fat.
It is hard because your body has to burn the sugar and fatty foods before it processes and burns the excess fat on you abs.



2. The second way you burn fat is through burning moderately to no sugary and fatty calories.
This is done by eating fruits and vegetables, as well as, fish and foods with high protein.
When your body consumes GOOD calories and carbs, (the non fat and low sugar ones) then it burns it quick and then moves on to the fat around your stomach.
Guess which one of the two I'm going to agree more with!
Don't be the person that burns the junk food and then the fat.
Be the person that burns the good calories and then the fat.

3. Another thing I thought of was how much we sit in our day.
If you are like me, then you know that sitting in college classes all day, or sitting in the office all day is detrimental to weight loss; because you have no way to burn the fat!
I would suggest setting aside some time, maybe at lunch, to take a brisk walk or jog.
If you have time and energy after school or work to work out, then do so!

4. The last reason I would say is that we don't work out properly.
What I mean is that we seem to see a workout on T.V. and then we go and do it.
This may not be the most effective weight loss workout/program for our body types.
Certain exercises burn fat better than others.
High Intensity Interval Training is a combination of body weight and aerobic exercises and is a great choice!
Also, working out your legs, the biggest muscles in your body, can give you the edge on burning that fat and getting somewhere with your weight loss program.

I hope that this blog post enlightens you to how to improve your weight loss journey.
Share these and comment below if you have other reasons that I missed.

~Obesity Overload

Treadmill Trounce

It has been a while since we last had a blog post.
I have been hard at work in college and studying.
Let's talk about the treadmill today.
There is a lot of speculation on how fast to run or jog, whether to walk, run, or jog, how to lose weight and so forth.

1. Walk, Jog, or Run
This is a tricky subject because there are a lot of factors to figure in.
I mean, if you are 100-200 pounds overweight, chances are, you aren't going to be running.
I would walk if you are someone that has a weaker build and then move up to jogging and running.
If you have a medium to large build start with jogging and move up to the running.
If you are obese and really want to burn the pounds, then I would suggest higher inclines and faster running.

The other factor to consider here is, "How many calories do you want to burn?"
The more calories burnt the more weight you lose.
Walking isn't going to help you lose weight.
Jogging would be a good start, but in the long run faster running and inclines are going to help you.

2. The Trick About Inclines
There is a happy medium about inclines that is something that you don't need to cross.
Your heart rate will jump the second you begin to jog or run on inclines.
Monitor your heart rate and make sure that it isn't too high.
I work out at running 5 m.p.h. and 5-6% incline.
This burns fat like crazy without my heart rate going to high.

3. Treadmill Trounce
Trounce on that treadmill when you workout.
So many people go to the gym just to mess around with the opposite sex.
Get up on that treadmill, plug the earbuds in, and RUN!
Quit playing games if you want that beach body, get up off your rear end, and get going.

4. Extra
Jogging or running with weights in your hands gives you an extra fat burn and builds your upper body.
Make sure you have a great pair of shoes before you run.
Don't forget to do your stretches, both before and after your run.

Enjoy working out and losing that weight on the treadmill!
Go from treadmill to dreadmill.
That is how winners are made, by doing work!

DISCLAIMER: Check with your doctor before beginning your workout on the treadmill.

~Obesity Overload

Snackin' For Weight Loss

Snacking can be a real weight loss killer for most people.
Fast food, chips, soda, candy, and greasy food are terrible choices.
It seems like everyone is moving more towards obesity with ever bite they take.
Here are some great foods for snackin' on.

1. Nuts
Nuts are a good choice for snacking as they are high in protein.
Stay away from peanuts as they can be fatty.


2. Wheat Crackers
Wheat crackers are another great option.
Find crackers that don't have enriched flour.
Wheat crackers are better for you because they are normally not enriched.
Enriched flour has man made vitamins instead of natural.



3. Yogurt
Fruity yogurt is also good because it has live enzymes to help you fight against germs.
They are low in fat and low in calories.

4. Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are amazingly good in vitamins and essential minerals.
They are the extreme weight loss snack.

5. Plain Cheerios
Plain dry Cheerios are always good to snack on because they are low in cholesterol, calories, and fat.
Eat them dry or with milk, either way is healthy.

Enjoy these healthy weight loss foods to snack on.
Get SNACKIN'!!!

~Obesity Overload

Back to the Weight Loss Grind!

It has been a while since I have posted.
I have been busy as well as the rest of the world.
I wanted to take some time to talk about getting back to the weight loss grind.
So many people think that weight loss is magical.

The real fact of the matter is that it is simple math and physics.
Here is the equation:

Working out more + Eating less = Weight Loss!

So, Obesity Overload, what you are saying is that it is that simple to lose weight?
That's EXACTLY what I'm saying!
Here are the factors for weight loss, as we will be reviewing them for the new year.

1. Eating Less Calories
Eating less calories is essential for weight loss.
You can't eat Snickers bars, Doritos, and drink Coke and expect to lose weight.
Eating the fruits, vegetables, and protein shakes is crucial for weight loss!
The average man should be eating 3,500 calories a day.
To lose weight aim for 2,000-2,500 cal. a day.
The average woman should be eating 2,400-2,900 calories a day.
To lose weight aim for 2,000-2,500 calories a day.


2. Working Out More
Working out more, coupled with eating less will ensure for greater fat loss totals.
You have to burn 3,500 calories to burn 1 pound of fat.
If you consume 2,500 calories a day, then it should take you a couple of days to burn a pound of fat.

3. Treat Yourself Occasionally
Treating yourself occasionally to a nice treat once or twice every two weeks is good to encourage yourself to lose more weight. Don't go overboard and splurge though!
We all have tendencies to overeat sometimes.


Let's get back on our weight loss!
I am with you guys and am back on my weight loss.
The muscle is coming quick and fat is burning.
Have a great day!

~Obesity Overload

10 Ways Stay at Home Moms Can Burn Calories

If you are a stay at home mom and need ideas for burning some calories, then this is the blog post for you.
This post can also be for the person that is a couch potato and can't seem to get up off the couch.
Admit it, you are a mom that stays home with the kids, or your husband works and you are busy like crazy, trying to get the kids everywhere, or going grocery shopping, fill in the blank.
We are all busy and need some ways to burn calories that are quick and easy.

1. Park Further Away
Park further away when you go shopping during the holiday season.
If you can stand to park further and walk around the mall, you can burn some good calories.
2. Do Some Chores
Doing chores can be hard on the body making it burn more calories.
Mopping, mowing lawns, raking leaves, gardening or even vacuuming can have their fat burning moments.
3. Walk Around the Block
Walking around the block can get the juices flowing.
Walking around a couple of blocks is even better, and depending on how much time you can do more.
4. Play Beach Volleyball
Playing beach volleyball can and will burn a TON of calories.
If you are in an area of the country where you can play some beach volleyball, I would suggest spiking a few.
5. Take the Stairs
If you go to a store or an office that has stairs or an elevator, take the stairs, you will be glad you did!
6. Increase Your Water Intake
Drinking water raises your metabolism, which means that your body will  be burning more calories than it was before.
It is a cheaper and more efficient way to burn calories.
7. Go To the Park With the Kids
Going to the park with your kids can be beneficial for burning calories because you can walk around the park while they play.
You could even play with them, if you are feeling up to it.
8. Go Shopping
You are going to have to do this anyway for grocery shopping, or going shopping for Christmas.
Going shopping can be bonkers this time of year, but is great for burning calories.
9. Buy a Treadmill
Running on the treadmill can be boring at times, but is great because you don't have to leave your house to run around town or go to the gym.
You can also monitor your calories burnt on most treadmills.
10. Get Boxing Gloves and a Punching Bag
If you are a more athletic woman that would enjoy punching a punching bag then you can burn a ridiculous amount of calories, just from punching a punching bag.

Extra: If you have a few extra bucks you can get a bike and go biking.
It burns off a good amount of calories and will boost metabolism.

These are all terrific ways to burn calories.
Have a great day!
~Obesity Overload

The Secret of Diet Soda!

For years you drank diet soda thinking that you were doing yourself a favor, when in fact, it is thought that diet soda is just as bad as regular soda.
We are going to go through some facts about diet soda and we will see if diet soda will remain the better of the two.
The controversy stops here!

1. Bad For Diabetics
The natural sweetener aspartame worsens the effects that diabetes has on the body.
It causes insulin control problems and therefore causes the diabetic to want to eat more and gain weight.
2. Both Diet and Regular Sodas Deprive Bone Density
Both diet and regular sodas deprive the body of it's bone density because of the acid in each of the sodas. So, no matter if you drink diet or non-diet soda, it doesn't matter.
3. Caffeine The Same
Caffeine is the same in both diet and regular soda the majority of the time.
Again, it doesn't matter whether you drink diet or not, the side effects are still the same.
4. Diet, Less Sugar Less Calories
Diet soda has less sugar and less calories overall. This is a good thing, but doesn't do much in the way of it being better for you. Sure, you do consume less calories allowing you to drink more and eat more calories, but is it worth it?
5. Diet Soda = Dehydration
Diet soda in a diuretic. Which means that the sweeteners cause the person consuming it to have to go to the restroom more frequently. That, along with the caffeine deprive your body from the water it needs.
6. Diet Causes Cell Damage
The consumer opens themselves up to having an increase in chances for disease. The sodium benzoate, a preservative, works together with vitamin c to produce a carcinogenic called benzene. Studies have shown that the sodium benzoate may damage the mitochondria found in your DNA cells causing your cells to sometimes malfunction, giving you risk for Parkinson's, cirrhosis of the liver, or neuro-degenerative diseases.

Now that we have looked at the effects of diet soda on the body, we can come to the conclusion that it, along with regular soda is bad for the body!
So, what do I drink then?
There are natural fruit juices that are tasty, or if you want that fizzy bubbly taste, you can drink sparkling water.
Steer clear from both types of soda!
You and your diet will be better for it.
~Obesity Overload

The Fruit on Juice - Is It Good?

Hello readers! We have been going through foods and drinks that are good for your body and those that aren't good for your body. We will be getting on to Step 3 of weight loss in our Weight Loss series tomorrow. So, let's get started with taking a glimpse into the world of fruit juice!

1. Natural or Not?

Natural fruit juices have little to no extra sugar added to it's juice.

The juices that are not natural fruit juice are processed and have loads of caloric sugar added.

2. Vitamins

Juices, whether they are natural or not have vitamins and minerals in them that are fantastic for the body.

While the one's that aren't natural taste good, the vitamins and minerals that are in them are man made the majority of the time. 

3. Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are naturally occurring nutrients that are essential for fighting against diseases and have disease fighting qualities. Their role is to act as antioxidants and fight against cells in your body that are harmful.

4. Sugar and Calories

Fruit juices can have a lot of sugar and calories that in turn into fat, and make you have what appears to be a little bit of what some people may think of as love handles. 

5. Carbs

Yes, fruit juices do have more carbs in them than soda does. It is a sad fact, but it is true.

6. Water

Water is a great alternative to fruit juices, minus the vitamins and minerals.

It has been proven that there are more upsides to fruit juices than there are downsides. 

I would suggest, in my opinion, that fruit juices are good for you, especially 100% natural.

I would also like to point out that you should drink a little bit in moderation with the rest of your diet. (Not too much. Too much can be a bad thing.)

So, all in all, fruit juices are sweet!

~Obesity Overload

   

Dairy and Your Diet - Just "Skim" It

The question of whether dairy is good for your diet or not has been rolling around the internet for quite a while. Some people are vehemently against milk and any sort of dairy foods in your diet. While others are for dairy being in your diet and think that they are essential. We will take a look at some facts and see if dairy is something you need to have in your diet.

Facts:
1. Milk and Dairy High in Calories and Fat
It is a fact that there are more calories and fat in dairy foods than in other food groups. The calories and fat come from the hormones from the animal that the dairy food was made from.
2. Dairy is Potassium Rich
Is is factual that dairy is indeed rich in potassium. Potassium is great for helping to lower blood pressure. Athletes need more potassium than the average person because potassium helps regulate the amount of water in your body. Without it you may be suffering from lack of water.
3. Dairy Contains Lactose
Lactose is a natural milk sugar that occurs in milk and then in dairy products. Lactase is a naturally-occurring enzyme that helps your body to digest the lactose. Production of Lactase decreases as you age, so it is upsetting to some people's stomach to consume dairy products.
4. Vitamin, Calcium, and Protein Loaded
Milk and dairy foods are loaded with vitamins, calcium, and protein. Calcium is used to build strong teeth and bones. Vitamins are used to keep the body functioning properly, and protein is for building big muscles.

All in all, we can see that dairy foods probably aren't the worst for you.
They certainly are not the best for you either.
I would suggest keeping the milk and dairy to a low if you are obese and trying to lose weight.
In fact, if you are trying to lose weight you need to cut dairy by a large margin.
If you are bodybuilding, milk and dairy are great for getting the protein you need to build muscle!

-Obesity Overload

Candy, Tasty or Fattening?

Almost everyone has loved candy or some form of candy in their lifetime.

We are going to look at why candy is bad for your body.

1. Weight gain:

Candy is full of empty calories that can't be burnt off quickly.

40% off the sugar of the candy we gobble away turns to fat!

2. Reduces Nutrient Intake:

The consumption of candy and sugar wears on the body and causes your body to not consume the vitamins and good nutrients that it needs.

3. Tooth Decay:

We all know about this one.

Tooth decay is prevalent in our society as crawls into our lives via suckers, candy bars, licorice, and other candies.
Candy deprives your body of calcium that is needed for healthy bones and teeth.

4. Candy Increases the Risk of Disease:

Sugar in candy takes calcium away from the body, making it easier to contract osteoporosis.

Sugar lowers your immune system considerably as it takes more energy to consume and digest it. 

For more information on sugar and the body visit our, "Just a Spoon Full of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Up?" post!

Candy and candy bars are terrible for your body's health.
Sugar converts to fat immediately.
Try some dried fruit, fruit, and occasionally a swig of natural fruit juice to curb the candy cravings.
Having just passed up Halloween not too long ago, many people in the world are fatter now than they have ever been.
Try to keep yourself from eating candy and sugar, just for the heck of it!
Have a great morning!
~Obesity Overload