E-MAIL QUESTION: “Does lemon juice boost metabolism?”

Hi All,

This question was e-mailed to me, so I did a bit of research (well, there isn’t much out there that talks about lemons or lemon juice other than anecdotal “evidence”).  Here is what I found on Yahoo Answers:

I’ve been helping people stay healthy for a more than 20 years and I can tell you that losing weight requires a combination of both exercise and caloric restriction but with a proper nutrition balance.

To answer your question very specifically, lemon juice consumption does have a minor effect on thermogenic metabolism but it is very, very minor. If you were to drink enough lemon juice to change you pH level then it would have more of an effect but you’d probably also vomit well before you could consume that much.

The idea behind consuming lemon juice became popular several years ago after a short-term, single-blind, non-placebo controlled study showed that the consumption of pure lemon juice (which is extremely tart) reduced the cravings for sugar in nearly all participants and also acted as a semi-diuretic (in strong enough doses) which helped participants shed some amount of water weight. Again, the study was very short-term (under 5 weeks) and the results were never lauded as conclusive by any authority (medical or alternative). Some people have noted that pure lemon juice has a relatively high concentration of antioxidants but these would not, in and of themselves, aid in weight loss.

As for your question concerning foods that might be able to ‘burn fat’ and or ‘increase your metabolism,’ the answer is a bit more complicated than the question. First, there are foods that require more energy (kcal) expenditure to digest them than they provide (celery as an example). This expenditure of energy could come from stored fat but it’s doubtful that it would make much of a dent when it comes to weight loss. Also, some combinations of foods and herbs can cause a slightly accelerated metabolism as it concerns thermogenesis (ex: white willow bark combined with caffeine) but, again, the quantities required (unless it’s through supplements) is burdensome and not likely to result in any major weight loss or fat loss. For a list of foods in both categories you can pick up the Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses.

With all of the above having been said, if you want to lose weight in a healthy manner don’t be in a rush and keep the following in mind:

1) Check with your physician to be certain that you are physically able to reduce your calories and increase your exercise habits safely.

2) Make certain that the calories you are eating are as balanced as possible. Finding out how much protein, carbs, and fats your body needs on a daily basis can really help keep your energy levels high all day long. The #1 reason my clients tell me that they’ve stopped dieting or exercising in the past is because of low energy ebbs. Splitting the amount of calories you can have per day into 5 – 6 smaller meals will help tremendously (this keeps your body fueled and ready to go and you also know that your next meal is only a couple of hours away).

If you need help selecting good foods I suggest you get either Sugar Busters or the Zone. Neither of these books have to be taken as gospel concerning weight loss but they do contain good advice that will help you make better food choices.

Knowing what your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is will certainly help you determine how to be calorie conscious. Also remember that you may or may not need supplements to help things along.

3) While exercising (before, during, and after) be sure to consume enough water. The key is not to be ‘thirsty’ (overtly) during this time of exercise.

4) Adding weight bearing exercise (i.e., lifting weights) will help to tone your body and the thermogenic (fat burning) effect will last long after you’ve stopped working out — even if your workout is simply walking).

5) Remember that you’ll probably hit plateaus (times when you’ll stop losing weight) several times during your weight loss progress. This is completely normal and is only temporary but it can last for a couple of weeks at a time. It is very important to remember that even if your scale isn’t showing progress, your entire body is being positively effected by your efforts.

6) Measure different parts of your body (neck, upper arms, lower arms, chest, abs, waist, belly, butt, thighs, etc.) and do it accurately. Write these measurements down and check them once every 2 weeks. This will help you remember that your body is ‘reducing’ all over — not just in one particular area. If you’re weight training you may actually notice a slight increase in some areas of your body (don’t worry — if you’re a woman you won’t start looking like a bodybuilder).

7) Keep focused on your end goal and concentrate on losing maybe 1 pound a week — sometimes you’ll lose more, sometimes less. As long as it’s an average, it’s okay.

Lastly, remember that attempting to lose weight if you are overweight is a WONDERFUL thing.

If you’ve just begun, keep up the good work. If you’re about to begin, congrads!! I’ve worked with hundreds of people in the past 20 years (mostly women) who have lost (individually) HUNDREDS of pounds safely. Better still, they’ve kept it off — Kay lost over 350 pounds and has been at her goal weight for 7 years now.

As for what to take (if anything), that depends entirely on what your body needs. Anyone who suggests that you take something that ‘works for everyone’ is either confused or deluded. For example, if you had a twin brother or sister your bodies could react completely different to certain supplements or foods on a metabolic level. If you want to learn more about what you might want to take and how to calculate your BMR, you can visit my site (below).

Of course there are several over-the-counter supplements that can help a person lose weight by either stimulating the burning of fat (these should be used sparingly if at all), by suppressing the appetite (supplements such as Dr. Bill’s Choice Pure Hoodia, some Omega 3, 6, & 9 supplements, and a couple of others have been shown effective for this and they are non-stimulating), and by increasing the amount of brown adipose tissue (fat) that your body has available to use for energy (the exact supplement your body might need to do this would have to be determined case-by-case).

As a final note, if you are female, hormones could be an issue that might need to be addressed to facilitate weight loss. I work with a number of women (in the hundreds) who have found this to be the case.

If you have any questions about losing weight or about diet and supplementation, don’t hesitate to write and ask.

Lonnie Honeycutt, C.N.C.
Your Health Is My Concern
http://www.betterlifetoday.com

Take care!

Mohammed

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Weight Loss and The Mind Game

Even the most seasoned weight loss expert can use some weightloss tips every so often. Our eating habits are tied very closely with our behavior and using a behavioral approach to dieting can be beneficial to certain types of people who have bad eating habits that can be overcome with a little behavioral intervention.

Many times an individual eats without thinking – I do this from time to time as well. This means that the person’s habitual behavior has overrun his cognitive functioning. In a nutshell, we basically shove food into our mouths just because it is there (or when we are bored, or just standing in the kitchen). Among the many weightloss tips offered, thinking before snacking is the prime tip as far as the behavioral approach goes. When we act on impulse, we rarely make good choices.

The behaviorist will look at the problem in a number of ways. The best approach would be to get into the habit of slowing down a little bit. Some good weightloss tips include waiting ten minutes before grabbing that snack that is calling you from the pantry. You may discover that you are not really hungry. If you wait ten minutes the craving will most likely go away on its own.

You can also opt to go for a brisk walk when the urge to cheat on your diet arises. This is a great way to get much needed exercise along with self-control. You will be less likely to run to the pantry upon entering the home after a jaunt around the neighborhood. You will be more likely to go for a big glass of cold water instead.

Some people laugh at these two weightloss tips but they do work if you take a behavioral approach. You have to focus on your actions. The best way to look at it is making priorities. Do you want the chocolate cake or do you want to fit into those jeans tucked away in your closet? There are times that the chocolate cake will win but not often if you focus on your behavior.

Weightloss tips that involve a behavioral approach also include portions. We often need to train ourselves to understand how much is enough. Getting into the habit of buying single-sized servings or taking the time to measure will increase your chances of success.

You also may find that there are certain “triggers” that cause you to eat. This is a simple stimulus-response cycle that the behaviorists claim can be broken with a little effort. Weightloss tips in the trigger realm include avoiding the kitchen right after a stressful situation, eating only at the dinner table and keeping a diary of what happens right before you get a craving.

Take Care!

Mohammed

Technorati Tags: weight loss behaviour changes, weight loss, weight loss triggers

Weight Loss Diet Plans

For anyone who has had a never ending battle with the bulge, weight loss diets are a godsend. Or a nightmare, depending on your perspective! Ask anyone who has ever been on a weight loss diet and you will get a mixed bag of reactions. While some will vouch for their specific weight loss diet, others will pooh pooh all weight loss diets and call them fanciful or useless. But the fact remains that if you intend to burn that fat, a weight loss diet is your best bet.

Over the years, weight loss diets have become an industry in their own right. If one were to track the genesis of weight loss diets, the seventies would be a great place to start. For this is when the first of the weight loss diets made an appearance. Decades of stable economy coupled with an increased earning capacity and standard of living gave most Americans the traditional symbol of prosperity – an expanding midriff. And for those who were image conscious, the very first weight loss diets were created. Since weight loss diets were concocted mostly at home, and included instructions on what not to eat rather than what to eat, the industry (if you can call it that) was not very successful. You must remember that this was an age when food, diets and nutrition had still to become key areas with qualified professionals offering advice. Typically, it was the lady of the house who was supposed to keep a check on the bulge around her man’s midriff and she did this by doing away with or slowly but steadily eliminating known weight gaining foods. Nutrition and balanced weight loss diets were still unknown as yet.

It was in the early eighties however that weight loss diets became a full-fledged institution. By now, the battle against the bulge had become a real enough health issue for governments and healthcare providers to sit up and take notice. The census and healthcare figures of this period reveal that nearly one out of every four Americans was clinically obese. And weigh loss diets and practitioners literally began crawling out of the woodwork to set shop. This was the time when numerous fads emerged. There were some weight loss diets that encouraged vegetarianism. Others like the Atkins weight loss diet promoted eating of meet, but disallowed starch and carbohydrates. Some other weight loss diets promoted fresh fruits and vegetables exclusively while still others eschewed everything that contributed to excess calories. This was an era when calorie counters emerged and weight loss diets became synonymous with body fat analysis and lean muscle weight.

Being clinically obese, I too experimented with several weight loss diets in the hope that they would whack me into shape. But the truth of the matter is that no weight loss diet, no matter how extreme, will ever work without a healthy dose of exercise. Sitting on the couch, not eating may help you lose weight, but it will surely leave you weakened and unhealthy. But an effective weight loss diet coupled with regular, calorie-burning exercise will do wonders for your metabolism.

Take care!

Mohammed

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Weight Loss Tips

Being overweight really puts you at a disadvantage in life.  Social stigmas aside, obesity vastly increases your risks of developing all manner of diseases and conditions, many of which are serious and life threatening.  Strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, and some cancers are just a sample of the conditions you can likely look forward to if you are suffering from severe obesity, and even mild obesity boosts your chances of these diseases occurring.  Loosing weight is therefore one of the best things you can do for yourself if you are obese.  It seems like a daunting task, but if you work at it anything is possible.  Here are some basic weight loss tips.

The first and perhaps most important weight loss tip is to stay positive, and keep focused.  Weight loss is more of a mental battle than it is a physical one.  Losing hope or getting discouraged is the reason why people fail in losing weight, not because the weight loss tips don’t work.  Take small, reasonable steps.  It’s not going to happen overnight, and pushing yourself too much may just cause you to loose hope when you don’t get immediate results.  Also, seek support from friends and family.  Join some support groups and make connections with others struggling to loose weight.  Not only are support networks great in keeping you positive, but they’re a great medium for the exchange of ideas.  You can learn some great weight loss tips from others like you!

This last point is especially important, because often times you’ll find some weight loss tips won’t work for you even though they work for others.  Therefore, its good to try a lot of different things.  Some of the most basic weight loss tips that generally work for everyone to at least some degree involve ways of boosting your metabolism.  The two most important thigns to keep in mind to keep your metabolism up is your level of activity and how often you eat.  Never starve yourself!  Starving is a guaranteed way of slowing your metabolism to a crawl.  Eat often, but eat healthy.  And of course, stay active!  Even just 30 minutes of walking a day can do wonders in boosting your metabolism.  If you can’t do 30 minutes in ONE GO – break it up!  Try 10-15 minutes before work, 10-15 minutes at work during lunch and 10-15 minutes before supper in the evening or after supper.  Yes, it is THAT easy!

As far as exercise weight loss tips go, slow but steady progress is important.  Do something active everyday, and gradually do more and more.  Finding something you like doing, like sports or hiking, is great, but you need to make sure you’re able to do it often.  Also, mix your activities up; the more muscle groups you work out regularly, the better the overall boost to you metabolism.  Don’t give up! 

I have a three year old son, and ride my stationary cycle almost daily.  He loves to play with his “Winnie the Pooh” ball — so we make a game out of it.  Not only does he get some moderate exercise (to make sure he stays skinny) but enjoys the time that we spend together! 

Take care!

Mohammed

Technorati Tags: weight loss, exercise, diet, nutrition, weight loss attitude

Walking and Weight Loss

Over the years, I’ve tried many weight loss programs and exercises — however none worked until I decided that I needed to make lifestyle changes.  Today, thanks to some “tough” words from my doctor I’ve managed to loose 100lbs.  Getting the weight off was difficult at first.  It wasn’t easy cutting back on foods that I enjoyed — then there was the exercise. 

You see, no matter how much you cut back exercise is a must.  But exercise doesn’t mean having to go to the gym and sweat till you drop.

For me, walking and weight loss wend hand-in-hand. It may seem too simple to be true, but I have more success losing weight and keeping weight off through a walking program than I do on a structured exercise program.

During lunch, I would go out for a 30 minute walk — whether it was indoors or outdoors.  When I lived in Edmonton, AB, I used to work in an office tower that was connected to several other towers and shopping centers through walkways — so walking indoors during the winter was no problem, and even during the summer when it was too hot to walk made it easy to get regular, daily exercise.

Once I made the walking and weight loss connection, the rest was easy. I just started a simple walking program that consisted of taking a relaxing walk at least three times each week. I made sure to eat breakfast and to eat small meals throughout the day. I also avoided eating after eight o’clock in the evening. Within a few weeks, I found myself proving the walking and weight loss connection.

Besides walking I also used my stationary cycle — to this day, I still use the cycle for atleast 20 minutes per day 3-5 times per week.

What helped me the most?  I would have to say walking.  I walked every day for a minimum of 30 minutes.  Unfortunately in my job now, and where I live walking is a little more difficult (winter months it tends to rain all day, every day).  I don’t work in an office tower any more, so getting out at lunch  when it’s pouring is a little more difficult — but I use my stationary cycle almost every day!

Enjoy!

Regards,

Mohammed

Technorati Tags: weight loss, walking to lose weight, walking and weight loss, walking program for weight loss

Walking and Weight Loss

Over the years, I’ve tried many weight loss programs and exercises — however none worked until I decided that I needed to make lifestyle changes.  Today, thanks to some “tough” words from my doctor I’ve managed to loose 100lbs.  Getting the weight off was difficult at first.  It wasn’t easy cutting back on foods that I enjoyed — then there was the exercise. 

You see, no matter how much you cut back exercise is a must.  But exercise doesn’t mean having to go to the gym and sweat till you drop.

For me, walking and weight loss wend hand-in-hand. It may seem too simple to be true, but I have more success losing weight and keeping weight off through a walking program than I do on a structured exercise program.

During lunch, I would go out for a 30 minute walk — whether it was indoors or outdoors.  When I lived in Edmonton, AB, I used to work in an office tower that was connected to several other towers and shopping centers through walkways — so walking indoors during the winter was no problem, and even during the summer when it was too hot to walk made it easy to get regular, daily exercise.

Once I made the walking and weight loss connection, the rest was easy. I just started a simple walking program that consisted of taking a relaxing walk at least three times each week. I made sure to eat breakfast and to eat small meals throughout the day. I also avoided eating after eight o’clock in the evening. Within a few weeks, I found myself proving the walking and weight loss connection.

Besides walking I also used my stationary cycle — to this day, I still use the cycle for atleast 20 minutes per day 3-5 times per week.

What helped me the most?  I would have to say walking.  I walked every day for a minimum of 30 minutes.  Unfortunately in my job now, and where I live walking is a little more difficult (winter months it tends to rain all day, every day).  I don’t work in an office tower any more, so getting out at lunch  when it’s pouring is a little more difficult — but I use my stationary cycle almost every day!

Enjoy!

Regards,

Mohammed

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