'Slimming clubs helped me lose weight

When Cheryl Taylor was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2007, she vowed that if she pulled through she’d lose her excess weight once and for all.
The mother-of-four from Aldershot tells how weight-loss classes helped her drop nine dress sizes in two years and turn her life around.
How did you put on weight?
As a child I was overweight. At school I was two stone heavier than the other kids and I was picked on. The bullying turned me into a comfort eater. Whenever I felt low or worried I’d graze and binge on food. It just became a way of life. My husband and I both worked long hours and we lived on junk food. And with each pregnancy, I put on more weight.
How did it affect your health and wellbeing?
When I decided to lose weight I was 19st 3lb. My legs and feet ached and I had trouble breathing. People thought I had asthma. My doctor told me I should slim because I also had high blood pressure. I had no self-confidence. I didn’t feel happy with myself so I avoided going out.
Did you try dieting and exercise?
Every now and then I would get the motivation to go on a diet, but when I stopped I’d just put the weight back on again. The problem with fad diets is that they’re a short-term and radical change to your diet which you can’t keep up over the long-term. I used to hate exercise. I thought exercise meant going to a gym but I’m not a gym person. I find gyms extremely boring.
When did you decide to lose weight?
I tested positive for cervical cancer in 2007. I decided that if my life was going to be shortened, I wanted to make sure I spent the rest of it healthy, fit, slim and happy, rather than unhealthy, unfit, fat and miserable. Cancer made me take control of my health. I joined a Rosemary Conley diet and fitness club in my area.
How did you find the group sessions?
The classes made a real difference. I was a little apprehensive on the first day. I was worried about being the fattest person there or being singled out. But everyone at the class was so friendly. We were all in the same boat. There were people of all shapes and sizes. In fact, seeing slimmer members acted as a motivation to stick with the programme. The classes gave me the support and motivation to keep going. There was also a strong social element. The classes were like a social event itself and I’ve made some really good friends, who I now see outside the classes.
How does the programme work?
When you first join, you’re given a diet pack, which includes advice and information on portion control, motivation and healthy recipes. After registering, you are discreetly weighed-in by your class instructor and given your personal weight-loss target. Then there’s a motivational information group session followed by an optional 45-60-minute exercise session.
What’s the key to keeping the weight off?
You have to accept that you’ll have ups and downs. I have good weeks and bad weeks but I know how to get back on track now. I like to keep a food diary to keep track of my calorie intake. It helps me to refocus if I’ve had a bad week. I also keep a photo of my former self on the fridge to remind me of how I used to look. When I get a craving, I remember the photo and I ask myself, what do I want more, that biscuit or to be slim?
How has losing weight affected you psychologically?
I have my confidence back and I love being able to wear fashionable clothes instead of the frumpy tents I was forced to wear before. I feel a lot happier. I feel in control of my body. Before, it felt as though food dominated my life, but the weight-loss programme gradually changed my attitude to food.
Has your attitude to exercise changed?
I walk everywhere. I do a school walk three times a day, and that just about covers my 10,000 steps. I go to aerobics classes three to four times a week and I sometimes walk to the classes and back. My exercise classmates have nicknamed me the Duracell Bunny because of my new found energy. I’m also training to become a fitness instructor so I can help motivate other people to become fitter and lose weight.
Has losing weight improved your health?
My health has definitely improved since losing the weight. I no longer have high blood pressure or any breathing difficulties, and my resting pulse rate, which is often an indication of how fit somebody is, is also much lower. My immune system in general seems to be much better, and I rarely seem to suffer from colds or infections, whereas before I lost the weight, I seemed to have one illness after another.

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Ten weight-loss myths

So much is said about losing weight that it can be hard to sort truth from fiction. Here's the truth about 10 common weight-loss myths.
1. Starving myself is the best way to lose weight
Crash diets are unlikely to result in long-term weight loss. In fact, they can sometimes lead to longer term weight gain. The main problem is that this type of diet is too hard to maintain. Your body will be low on energy, causing you to crave high-fat and high-sugar foods. When you finally give in and eat those foods, you will often eat more calories than you need, causing weight gain. Learn more about a healthy diet in Eight tips for healthy eating.
2. A radical exercise regime is the only way to lose weight
Not true. Sensible weight loss involves making small changes that you can stick to for a long time. That means building regular physical activity into your daily routine. Adults between 19 and 64 should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity - such as fast walking or cycling -every week, and those who are overweight are likely to need more than this in order to lose weight. Learn more in Physical activity guidelines for adults. To shift 450g (1lb) a week, you need to create a calorie deficit - that is, more calories used than consumed - of 500 calories per day. This can be achieved by eating less, moving more, or, best of all, a combination of both.
3. Slimming pills are effective for long-term weight loss
No, they're not. Slimming pills alone will not help you keep the weight off long term. They should only be used when prescribed by a doctor.
4. Healthy foods are more expensive
In fact, healthy foods are not necessarily more expensive than their unhealthy alternatives. You'll typically pay more for a high-fat, high-salt ready meal than you would if you had bought fresh ingredients and made the meal yourself.
5. Foods labelled ‘low fat’ or ‘reduced fat’ are always a healthy choice
Be cautious. Foods labelled 'low fat' have to meet legal criteria to use that label. Labels such as 'reduced fat' do not have to meet the same criteria, and can be misleading. A reduced-fat snack should contain less fat than the full-fat version, but that doesn't automatically make it a healthy choice: it could still contain a lot more fat than, say, a portion of fruit. Low-fat foods also sometimes contain high levels of sugar. Learn more in Fat: the facts
6. Margarine contains less fat than butter
Margarine and butter contain different types of fat. Margarine is usually lower in saturated fat than butter. But it's more likely to contain hydrogenated fats. Hydrogenated fats, also called trans fats, may be more harmful to health than saturated fats. To lose weight, and for heart health, reduce the amount of saturated and hydrogenated fats you eat. If oil in margarine has been hydrogenated, this has to be listed on the ingredient listing on packaging, so check labels carefully. Learn more in Eat less saturated fat.
7. Carbohydrates make you put on weight
Eaten in the right quantities, carbohydrates will not cause weight gain. A 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that dieters on the best-known low-carb diet, the Atkins diet, tended to lose weight not because they ate fewer carbohydrates, but simply because they ate less overall. Eat wholegrain and wholemeal carbohydrates such as brown rice and wholemeal bread, and don't fry starchy foods when trying to lose weight. Learn more in Starchy foods.
8. Cutting out all snacks can help you lose weight
Snacking isn't the problem when trying to lose weight: it's the type of snack. Many people need a snack in between meals to maintain energy levels, especially if they have an active lifestyle. Choose fruit or vegetables instead of crisps, chocolate and other snacks that are high in sugar or saturated fat.
9. Drinking water helps you lose weight
Water does not cause you to lose weight, but it does keep you hydrated, and might help you snack less. Water is essential for good health and wellbeing. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger; if you're thirsty you may snack more. Drink around two litres of fluid a day. Learn more in Water and drinks.
10. Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight
Skipping meals is not a good idea. To lose weight and keep it off, you have to reduce the amount of calories you consume, or increase the calories you burn through exercise. But skipping meals altogether can result in tiredness and poor nutrition. You will also be more likely to snack on high-fat and high-sugar foods, which could result in weight gain.

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Very low calorie diets

If you’re trying to lose weight, eating healthily and being physically active are the key. In a few cases, though, a very low calorie diet (VLCD) could be the right choice. But these should only be followed for a limited time, so talk to your GP before you start. They can help to support you.
Achieving a healthy weight is all about striking the right balance between the energy that you put into your body, and the energy that you use.
To lose weight, you have to use more energy than you consume in food and drinks throughout the day.
You can do this by making healthy changes to your eating habits, and building more physical activity into your daily life. In many cases, this will be enough to achieve a healthy weight.
You can learn more about changing your diet in Healthy eating, and get advice on becoming more active in Fitness.
However, if you have made these changes already and the weight loss you’ve experienced has not resulted in a healthy weight, you may benefit from a very low calorie diet.
VLCDs are not available on prescription from the NHS, but are offered by a range of private organisations in England, at a cost. The proven benefits are short-lived; there is limited evidence of long-term benefit.
Before you begin a VLCD, make sure that it is the right choice for you. It’s also important that the diet you choose is safe, and that you follow it properly. That means talking to your GP for more advice.
What is a VLCD?
A very low calorie diet is any diet that involves eating 1,000 calories a day or fewer. It should only be undertaken for 12 continuous weeks, or intermittently – for example, every two or three days – along with a low calorie or normal diet.
The recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 for women, and 2,500 for men. This means that VLCDs contain far fewer calories than most people need to be able to maintain a stable, healthy weight. For that reason, eating a very low calorie diet can cause more rapid weight loss than a conventional weight loss programme.
It’s important that VLCDs are only used by people who need them and that the diet is safe and followed properly. Cutting calories significantly can cause health problems such as gallstones, heart problems, and other issues associated with not getting the nutrition you need, such as tiredness and anaemia. A proper VLCD will ensure that you continue to get all the nutrients you need, and is typically followed under supervision, so that action can be taken if health problems occur.
In England, a range of private organisations sell very low calorie diet plans. During a typical VLCD the person undertaking the diet will stop eating all normal foods, and replace them with special drinks, soups, bars or porridge containing milk- , soy- or egg-based protein. The replacement foods are designed to contain all the nutrients that we need, while providing 1,000 calories a day or fewer.
The person undertaking the diet will also meet regularly with a trained member of staff from the organisation – usually called a counsellor or consultant – who will monitor their progress.
Who should use a VLCD?

VLCDs are only suitable for people who are very overweight (obese), and have remained very overweight despite making healthy changes to their diet and lifestyle.
Most people who want to lose weight do not need to eat a very low calorie diet.
However, it may be right for you if all three of the following statements apply to you:
You have already made healthy changes to your diet and level of physical activity.
You are still very overweight (your BMI is 30 or over).
You are no longer losing weight.
VLCDs are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, and they are not suitable for children. Find out more about healthy eating in pregnancy.
How to use a VLCD

If you think a VLCD may be right for you, the first step is to talk to your GP. They can provide advice on whether a VLCD will help: they may measure your BMI and talk to you about other steps you’ve taken to lose weight. VLCDs are not suitable for people with certain health conditions, such as eating disorders and epilepsy, and your GP can also talk to you about this.
If your GP agrees that a VLCD is a good idea, the next step is to find a good provider of a VLCD. Your GP may be able to help with this, too.
At your first session, a counsellor from the VLCD organisation will talk to you about how the diet works, the weight loss you can expect and the side effects that may occur while you are on the diet. These are usually minor, and can include fatigue, diarrhoea, constipation and nausea.
Typically, you’ll be asked to keep a record of your weight loss and any side effects.
Your counsellor will refer you to a GP if you encounter any health problems during the diet.

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Should you lose weight fast?

When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s tempting to want results as fast as possible. But remember, very rapid weight loss is unlikely to help you to maintain a healthy weight long-term. And it comes with health risks.
If you’re trying to lose weight, you’re probably keen to see, and feel, a difference quickly.
It can be tempting to put your trust in one of the countless schemes that promise rapid, easy weight loss.
Unfortunately, even if these fad diets do help you to lose weight, you’re unlikely to maintain a healthy weight in the months and years afterwards.
If you’re visualising a future in which you’ve shed your excess weight, the best choice is to make healthy changes to your diet and levels of physical activity that lead to a safe, steady rate of weight loss, and that last a lifetime.
Weight loss tends to plateau after a while and you may need to make further changes. If after six to nine months you haven’t achieved a healthy weight, talk to your GP for advice on the next steps.
Safe rates of weight loss

If you’re trying to lose weight, the safe weekly rate of weight loss is between 0.5kg and 1kg. That’s between around 1lb and 2lb a week.
Lose weight faster than this, and you are at risk of health problems that include malnutrition and gallstones, as well as feeling tired and unwell.
Fad diets (that involve simply changing your diet for a few weeks) associated with very rapid weight loss are also unlikely to lead you to a healthy weight in the long-term.
Take action

You can learn more about the diet and physical activity changes that can lead you to a healthy weight future in Lose Weight.
Remember: the goal is not overnight success. The secret is sticking to the changes you’ve made, and you can find useful tips from real-life slimmers in Weight loss motivation.
You can monitor your progress using our Healthy weight calculator. This interactive tool calculates your body mass index (BMI), which is a measure of whether you are a healthy weight for your height.

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Start losing weight

If you're overweight, losing weight will bring you a range of important health benefits. The key to success? Making realistic changes to your diet and level of physical activity that can become a part of your daily routine.
This guide can help you to start your journey towards a healthy weight. Once you’re on the way, there is lots of information and advice that can help you keep going in our Lose weight section.
Along the way, you can monitor changes in your body mass index (BMI) using our Healthy weight calculator.
Modern life can make it easy to eat and drink more than we realise and do little physical activity. The result is often weight gain.
To lose weight, we need to change our current habits. This means eating less – even when eating a healthy, balanced diet – and getting more active.
Drastic fad diets and exercise regimes that result in rapid weight loss are unlikely to work for long, because these kinds of lifestyle changes can’t be maintained. Once you stop the regime, you’re likely to return to old habits and regain weight.
Instead, choose diet and physical activity changes that you can make a part of your daily routine, and stick to for life.
Ready to get started?
Do today

You can take four actions today that will start your journey towards a healthy weight:
If you haven’t already, check your BMI with our Healthy weight calculator. If your BMI is in the overweight range, aim to achieve a weight that puts your BMI in the healthy range. If it is in the obese range, aim to lose between 5% and 10% of your starting weight. Having lots of muscle may put your BMI in the unhealthy range, even if you have little body fat. However, this will not apply to most people.
Now take the next snack you plan to have and swap it for something healthier. Many common snacks, such as sweets, chocolate, biscuits and crisps, are high in fat and sugar and supply calories that we don’t need. Today, swap your elevenses or mid-afternoon snack for a piece of fruit, a fruit bun or a slice of malt loaf with a low-fat spread. Aim to do the same every day: you’ve adopted your first weight loss habit.
Try to swap drinks that are high in calories for drinks that are lower in fat and sugars. Swap a sugary fizzy drink for a sparkling water with a slice of lemon. Don't forget that alcohol is also high in calories, so cutting down could help you to control your weight.
Next, find a way to fit just one extra walk into your day. Fast walking is a way to burn calories, and you can often fit it into your daily routine. You might walk to the shops during your lunch break, or get off the bus one stop early on the way home and walk the rest of the way. Commit to this and you’ve adopted your second long-term habit. Ideally, you should aim to walk 10,000 steps a day: it’s not as many as it sounds. Learn more in Walking for health.
Last, think about your breakfast tomorrow morning. Can you make it healthier, using the foods you already have at home? Get ideas in Five healthy breakfasts.
Do this week

There are four actions you can take this week:
First, plan a healthy weekly shop. Healthy, balanced meals are key to a healthy weight, and eating a balanced diet often starts with having the right foods at home. At the supermarket look out for fresh foods and healthier options. Stuck for ideas? See our Healthy recipes.
Everyone likes a treat occasionally, like a pizza or a takeaway. So this week, swap your treat for a healthier, home-made alternative as you can make lower-calorie versions of many takeaway foods at home. If you do order in, choose healthier options: see Healthier takeaways.
Next, commit to one more way to increase your level of physical activity. The right amount of physical activity for you depends on your age. It’s recommended that adults between 19 and 64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity – such as fast walking or cycling – per week, and you are likely to need more to lose weight. For more on how much activity to do and what counts as activity, see Physical activity guidelines for adults. You could try our Couch to 5K programme, which is designed to get just about anyone off the couch and running 5km in nine weeks. For more ideas see our Health and fitness section and our step-by-step exercise guides for beginners.
Last, identify this week’s danger zones. These are times when you might find yourself eating lots of  foods that are high in fat and sugar, perhaps because you are eating out or simply because you’re tired or stressed. Plan ahead, so that you can limit those foods. But don’t be too strict: an indulgence from time to time is fine. For more advice, see Diet danger zones.

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Weight Loss

The Taylor Ideal Weight Loss Protocol is a medically designed protocol that results in fat loss while sparing muscle mass. The protocol was developed in France 25 years ago by Dr. Tran Tien Chanh, MD PhD, who focused his career and research on nutrition with a particular emphasis on the treatment of obesity and obesity related issues.
Your Last Diet and The Knowledge to Keep the Pounds off Forever!

The Taylor Ideal Weight Loss Protocol is an easy 4-phase protocol which helps stabilize the pancreas and blood sugar levels while burning fat and maintaining muscle and other lean tissue. This protocol is also an excellent support for cellulite reduction and has been used in well over 2500 Professional Establishments in North America over the last eight years with great success. What is the Source of Most Weight Issues? According to Dr. Tran Tien, “The cause of most weight issues in a modern society is insulin dysfunction. A diet grossly disproportionate in its share of saturated fats and sugars, such as in breads, cereals, muffins, cakes, pastries, pasta, pizza, rice, corn – very much like the North American diet – causes the pancreas to produce an overabundance of insulin, which stays in the system and puts the blood sugar level in a negative balance.” An overproduction of insulin also leads to hypoglycemia or low glycemia, which in turn induces constant sugar cravings and weight gain. Insulin’s primary function is to regulate blood sugar levels however it is also the hormone that facilitates the transport of fat (triglycerides) into the fat cells. Even worse, it “locks” the fat in the fat cell, preventing it to be used as a source of energy.  Now, because the blood sugar has dropped (and we can’t access the fat as a fuel source) it creates “sugar cravings’ and the vicious cycle begins again.  In other words, an over abundance of insulin causes weight gain.

The Taylor Ideal Weight Loss Protocol will transform the body’s ability to digest sugars properly by regulating insulin levels. How? By giving the pancreas a well-deserved break and by limiting simple and complex carbs until the weight loss goal is achieved.
Principles Behind the Protocol
Learn to live off of the body’s own fat reserves. The body employs energy from three reserves: glycogen (carbohydrate), protein and fats. First from it’s simple and complex carbohydrate reserves and when depleted, turns simultaneously to its protein and fat reserves for energy.  A person not in need of weight loss typically has approximately 1-2% of their body’s reserves from carbs, approximately 19% from their muscle mass and 79% of their body reserves from fat.
Simple and complex carbohydrates can prevent weight loss. The body stores approximately three days worth of carbohydrates. Because of this, the Taylor Ideal Weight Loss Protocol has a beginning and an end. Until 100% of the weight loss goal is achieved, we restrict sugars (simple and complex). Why? Because, as long as sugar is being consumed, the body is not burning fat. It’s as simple as that. Remember, the first source of energy is derived from glycogen (carbohydrate) reserves. The main principle is to deplete the glycogen (carbohydrate) reserves completely in order to compel the body to turn to its fat reserve to burn calories.
How do we get the body to burn its fat reserves and not its muscle mass reserves, if both are depleted simultaneously?  First, by providing the body with foods that have a high protein value, complete with 8 essential amino acids, 97% absorbable, which make them biologically-complete proteins.
Secondly, by supplementing with nutrient-rich supplements such as Natural Multi-Vita, Natura Calcium & Magnesium and Natura Potassium, key ingredients in muscle building and electrolytes to replace those normally found in foods restricted on the protocol.
A dieter will feel energized, look vibrant and feel strong. It is no wonder. Given the opportunity for the body’s natural ability to heal itself and showcase its innate and ingenious powers, such as in the way during the protocol the body will return the favor with unparalleled force, radiance and beauty.
What to Expect
Quick weight loss without sacrificing muscle mass
An understanding of how food affects and is utilized by the body, including what causes fat storage
Improved skin tone by providing the skin nutrients it needs
Utilization of stored fat for energy usually by day 4 — fat, (along with cellulite) that contains chemical toxins
Improved energy, appetite control and reduced cravings — usually on day 4 or 5
Improved blood sugar, cholesterol levels and reduced blood pressure

- See more at: http://www.drtaylorrehab.com/chicago-weight-loss-program/#sthash.dW1wO7Xk.dpuf

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Best weight loss program for men over 40

Best weight loss program for men over 40

The best weight loss program for men over 40 is a weight loss of effective management system.

Below is information on the best weight loss program for men over 40 is beneficial and has been proven right, but is also useful for all ages. Weight loss tips:

1. Strict diet and special programs.

2. Regular exercise / fitness program

best way to lose weight

Diet Solution Program so effective is that it is designed for consistent weight loss. More importantly, it will be more likely to maintain long-term learning and understanding about the types of foods that work best for your health throughout your metabolism as well. While crash diets may work in the short term, is something that often can not support long-term and in fact may have negative impact on your health. Following this program will not only eat well, but also reap the benefits of healthy lifestyle and energetic.

Rather than a strict diet, this weight loss program is a system of low-GI diet designed to accelerate the metabolism and stimulate long-term loss of control and fat weight. Accelerate the metabolism just need to focus on what you eat and this program focuses not only on the type of food to eat, but also for the time you have to eat, and the combination of foods should eat in order to maximize your metabolic rate .

Diet Solution Program not only helps you to control your fat levels and body weight, also has a large impact on your health and overall well-being. This is one reason why more effective than many foods out there that focus on shedding weight as much as possible. Focusing on a healthy, natural foods, follow these systems can improve the condition of your skin, boost your energy levels and improve your natural immunity.

Regular exercise can reduce weight. Your physical activity will burn calories, so the weight will be reduced. Calories of absence can go back to eating a healthy and nutritious. Doing physical activity and muscle burns more calories to make the circulatory system and nerves are better than your diet. This is an important part of the program of weight management. Regular exercise also keeps you young and can fight aging, lower cholesterol and reduce osteoporosis.

Program of sports and fitness can increase your heart rate is a significant amount, but that still allows you to breathe without struggling for at least 20 minutes will encourage fat. This is called aerobic exercise. The word aerobic means "with air", which means that your muscles are burning sugars and fats in the presence of oxygen. To be able to burn calories with the presence of oxygen, it is necessary to take a breath on a regular basis, so that the activities that you must perform steps to more moderate. For many people who are overweight, this can only mean fast walking. For many athletes, this can run faster. No matter where you are along the spectrum during the heartbeat is generated and you can breathe normally.

Following the program information to find the best weight loss program for men over 40 and various other ages can normally lose weight and stay healthy

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