Can Acai Really Help You lose Weight?

With all of the weight loss claims being made about the Acai berry, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. Health food stores, multi-level marketers, Rachel Ray and even Oprah have weighed in on benefits of the  “wonder fruit. ” Everything from extraordinary weight loss to amazing energy is attributed to the Acai berry.

Here is the truth. While the Acai berry is loaded with antioxidents, fiber and omega-3 acids, many other fruits are, too. Whether the Acai berry is somewhat more effective at encouraging health than its closely related brethern blueberries, strawberries, cranberries or blackberries still needs to be tested.

Any diet rich in fruits and vegetables, fiber, vitamins and minerals will improve your weight loss efforts, boost your metabolism and give you more energy. So drink the Acai juice if you like it, but do it as part of a larger healthy diet and weight loss plan.

Walking for Heath and Weight Loss

It is well known that taking a walk is the easiest, most accessible and body friendly way to boost your metabolism, lose weight and exercise. But new research from San Diego State University shows that you can dramatically improve your results simply by measuring your pace to ensure that you are taking at least 100 steps per minute.

Walking at a pace of at least 100 steps per minute gives your heart and lungs a workout, increasing your weight loss and overall fitness. Take a watch with a second hand on your walk and count how many steps you take in a minute. You are probably already walking faster than 100 steps a minute, but it’s helpful to know what it feels like, so if you find yourself spending too much time gazing at nature, you can remember to pick up the pace.

Remember that for optimum health, you need to walk 10,000 steps every day. This is easy to track, you just need a pedometer - they cost about $20 at Target - to track the steps you take.You will be surprised at how much walking you already do. Getting dressed, running errands, work and trips to the grocery store all count towards your daily goal of 10,000 steps. Add in a brisk walk at lunchtime or before dinner and you will be on the fast track to health and fitness.

Start With Soup to Really Drop the Pounds

Got Soup? Starting your meals with a bowl of broth-based coup can really help you drop the pounds.

*Soup is nutrient rich, but light on calories. So the calories you are consuming go a long way.

*Soup takes a long time to eat. It takes approximately 20 minutes for food to reach your stomach and let your brain know that you are full, so eating slowly helps you to not overeat.

*The water in broth based soups fills you up. But the water in soup has an advantage over the glass by your bedside. Because it is combined with vegetables, rice or noodles, it stays in your stomach longer and is digested slowly, boosting your metabolism and keeping you feeling full longer.

So start with soup whenever you can. It can help you become a weight loss superstar.

5 Fast Ways to Raise Your Metabolism Today

When you think about the calories your body burns, you may wonder where they go and how you can get your body to burn more of them.

Up to 75% of the calories your body burns are used simply to stay alive. Breathing, talking, blinking and keeping the blood circulating - all of these systems require calorie expenditure. Another 5-10% of your daily calories are used to chew, swallow and digest food. The remaining 15-20% are burned during exercise.

So by boosting our metabolism, we can up the number of calories used each day for normal body functions and during exercise, resulting in a larger consumption of calories and more fat burned everyday.

What are some easy ways to do that?

1. Take a walk

2. Breathe deeply, using all of your lung capacity

3. Use the stairs, instead of the elevator

4. Play with your kids

5. Do 10 pushups whenever you can

These 5 easy things keep your motor running on high. By incorporating one or all of them into your daily routine, you’ll be boosting your metabolism, burning more calories and losing weight every day.

Lose Weight With This Superfood

Are you looking for a healthy snack that is low in calories, can raise your metabolism, is full of healthy fiber and can work to lower your cholesterol? Pick up a pint of Strawberries.

Strawberries are a nutritional powerhouse. Every cup of strawberries is packed with 3 grams of fiber, more vitamin C than an orange and are rich in antioxidants that protect you from cancer, heart disease and diabetes. All of this goodness comes in a sweet, juicy and delicious berry that only contains about 6 calories each.

As a bonus, recent studies published in the medical journal, Metabolism show that people who ate 3 cups of strawberries daily lowered their LDL or bad cholesterol more than people who ate oat bran bread, improving the effectiveness and taste of cholesterol-lowering diets.

So by indulging in strawberries, you are getting a great tasting, high fiber, low calorie snack that can help you lose weight while protecting your heart. Eat up!

Snack on Peanut Butter to Give Your Metabolism a Lift

Want a great snack that can boost your metabolism, help you lose weight, eradicate hunger and keep you full until dinnertime? Try peanut butter.

Peanut Butter is high in the good fats and protein that will chase away those hunger pangs while working to burn extra calories and melt stomach fat by giving your metabolism a lift.

All peanut butters are not created equal. Some peanut butters contain extra oils and added sugars. Your best peanut butter bet is freshly ground butter from the natural food store. You can even grind your own peanut butter at home in your food processor. Not a peanut butter fan? Try making your own nut butters out of almonds or cashews for a delicious change of pace.

To get the most benefits from your snack, try dipping apple slices into a tablespoon or two of nut butter. This fiber-filled snack will keep you fill you up without filling you out.

Ready to Lose Weight? Take A Deep Breath

What is the easiest thing you can do to boost your metabolism, burn more calories and lose weight? Breathe deeply.

Taking time to stop and take a deep breath can do wonders for your waist line and your state of mind. Deep breathing cleans toxins out of your system, increases your circulation, calms your mind and helps you focus. Breathing deeply is also an aerobic activity that actually burns calories.

Typically, we tend to take shallow breaths, using just the top part of our lungs. This creates a back-up of carbon dioxide and slows metabolism. But spending just 10 minutes a day focusing on deep breathing brings more oxygen into your system, making you more alert and speeding your metabolism.

To get the most out of your breath, sit or stand up straight and put your hand on your stomach. As you breathe in deeply, your shoulders should be still, but your hand should move as your diaphragm fills your lungs. Now you are using your lungs to capacity, taking in oxygen and burning calories with every breath.

Speed Your Weight Loss - Eat More Fiber

Getting enough fiber?

When you think about fiber-filled foods, do images of cardboard, hardtack and bulgar wheat come to mind?

Your body needs fiber to function at it’s best, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Fiber fills you up quickly, controls your appetite and keeps you feeling full - all things that will aid in your weight loss efforts. Most people consume less than 10 grams and only 5% of the population is getting the recommended amount of 25 to 35 grams. Just adding another 10 grams of fiber to your diet each day can dramatically speed your weight loss.

Here are four fiber-rich foods that you can add to your diet and watch the pounds disappear.

Avocados - Each avocado contains 12 grams of fiber and is packed with heart-healthy good fats. Avocados are great sliced over beans and rice, added to a sandwich or on top on Mexican food.

Pears - Every pear contains 5 grams of fiber. Pack a pear for a mid-afternoon pickup or add them to a pizza with walnuts and gorgonzola.

Popcorn - Each cup of popcorn contains 4 grams of fiber. Try airpopping - you’ll get all of the whole grain goodness without the calories of microwaved popcorn.

Lentils - Lentils have 16 grams of fiber in every cup. Try lentil soup with avocados or curried lentils over rice.