Yep we tell you time and time again but drinking water is CRUCIAL for your weight loss results.

Everybody needs 6 to 8 glasses of water everyday as a MINIMUM but if you are a good girl or boy and choose to exercise you should drink even more – the general rule is about 1 litre per 1 hour of exercise.

Drinking water is the most simple way to fulfill your body’s liquid requirements. Other means include eating water based foods and drinks that contain water -” however remember water is the most natural, healthy fluid you can replenish your body with.

Read on to find out more :)

Drinking water is the purest way to quench your thirst, flush out your organs and get your digestive system pumping. Water is free of all the naughties – sugar, caffeine and most importantly the calories that other drinks such as Sprite, Coca Cola and even some Iced Teas.

Water is not only good for your health in general. Drinking water helps weight loss, too.

How Does Water Help Weight Loss?

It has been discovered that your brain cannot detect the difference between thirst and hunger. So if you’re feeling a bit peckish you might in fact just be thirsty. So before you run to the fridge, grab a glass of water and see how you feel.

Did you know the dehydration causes weight gain!? Yep it does. If you are not getting enough water you body retains water to protect itself. Water retention causes bloating which can add up to 4 even 5 pounds over time!

Water can maximizes fat loss. While it doesn’t necessarily burn fat it makes the whole process easier for your body.

Normally, your water intake puts your kidneys to work, as well as helping them work. So when you don-t take in sufficient water, your kidneys don-t function very well. Because your kidneys aren-t functioning very well, the job of processing your water intake is passed on to your liver.

But your liver also has other tasks to handle! Primarily, the liver is responsible for turning fat into energy -” in other words, burning fat. When it-s given the additional task of processing your water intake, it can-t concentrate in burning as much fat as it can.

When you drink enough water, your kidneys will function properly. When your kidneys function properly, they don-t need to pass processing your water intake to the liver. The liver then is free to concentrate on its fat-burning duties. You see! Drinking water helps weight loss!

Water Helps Activate Fiber: Fiber by itself, without the necessary water intake, doesn-t do much for your diet. In fact, by not taking in enough water, fiber will cause constipation by soaking up water already in your body. To make sure that you get the most out of your fiber, make sure that you take in enough water -” sometimes even more the amount of what is normally required for everyday intake.

Water Helps Flush Away Toxins and Fats: Because with enough water fiber gets to do its job properly, toxins and fats are absorbed during digestion before they get absorbed by your body. Apart from making sure that fiber sponges up toxins and fats in your body, water also works on its own to help you flush out toxins and fats.

Where you have a less build-up of toxins in your body, you will be healthier. A healthier body ultimately can work harder in processing and breaking down fats, thus helping you lose weight. Do you believe now that drinking water helps weight loss?

Can you drink too much water?

Drinking water helps weight loss but you should do it in moderation. It-s not so much as drinking too much water as drinking too fast that should be your concern. Your kidneys are efficient enough to process up to 5 gallons of water in a day. The key is to spread out your water intake throughout the day and not ingest a lot on fewer intervals.

So get your water bottles ready my dears its time to flush out those baddies and start losing weight. And don’t think its your body alone that will benefit – you’ll find changes in your skin, your eyes and even your concentration.

ENJOY!

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Recently I managed to get in touch with one of the authors of the awesome new book ‘Skinny Bitch.’

Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman (both former models and thus drop dead gorgeous) switched to a vegan lifestyle and loved it so came together to put out a controversial and best selling book called Skinny Bitch.

Skinny Bitch is a "no nonsense, tough-love guide" that is SURE to make you stop in your tracks and take a lonnnnng hard look at your lifestyle and what you are putting in your mouth.

Read on to find out more about Skinny Bitch and get our exclusive interview with co-author Kim Barnouin!

These straight talking girls have got everyone talking with their revealing insights into government cover ups, the truth about carbs, protein and the "devil" sugar.

Here’s what Kim the co-author of Skinny Bitch had to say when I got to chat with her earlier this month :)

1. How did you make the first steps to changing to a vegan lifestyle?

Taking small steps would be the best and most successfull way to change your diet for the long term. It may seem too daunting to take on a complete change all at once but if that works for you then go for it! We both became vegetarians first, cutting out meat, chicken and fish. It took us a few years to go vegan after that. Then it was a matter of giving up fried and unhealthy foods for more natural wholesome foods.

2. Why is being vegan so important to you?

Being a vegan is a lifestyle, not a fad diet. It is about being compassionate for the planet, the animals and for your body. We feel that when all those are aligned, you are on the path to a happier, healthier life. We are so horrified by the health of Americans and feel that we need to participate in a change that can help everyone. Being a vegan can help drastically reduce your risk of many diseases as well as keep people at a healthy weight.

3. Do you think being vegan can help maintain/lose weight?

Absolutely!! And that is a wonderful side effect of eating this way. But with any way of eating you need to pay attention to eating a well balanced diet. Keeping your foods as unprocessed and natural as possible is something to also focus on. We get tons of e-mails from people who have gone vegan and they say that as soon as they gave up dairy the weight loss was the most noticable. This diet is low in fat and cholesterol, and high in fiber and complex carbs. How can you go wrng with that?

4. What can people expect when adopting a vegan lifestyle?

As far as health is concerned, the majority of people claim to have more energy, many allergies go away, skin clears up, and just feeling lighter and healthier. Many notice a spiritual change as well, like being a part of something bigger than yourself. It’s about compassion and that will open your eyes when you start to change your life in this way. So it is much more than about not eating meat or dairy.

5. Hit us with your opinion on carbs?

Keep eating them!! It’s such a shame that they got put on the back burner for so long. Carbs are so important to our daily diet and people should not be afraid to eat them or worry about them making them fat. It’s about choosing the right kind of carbs. Replace all the white products with whole grain products and your health will change. Change white rice for brown rice, white pasta for whole wheat or brown rice pasta, and of coarse white bread with whole grain bread. These whole grain products are vital for energy production as well as a source of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

6. Why do you think EVERYONE should convert to veganism?

I think that especially in America we are in a health crisis right now and people need to open their eyes and their minds and try to take control of their health. People take care of their cars and their homes so why not their bodies! I don’t expect everyone to convert to veganism, but I do hope that people smarten up about the foods they are eating and make some drastic changes. We should be horrified about what we are doing to our kids, they are more suseptible to obesity and diabetes at an earlier age than ever before. That is because of our food supply.

7. What is your favourite vegan/healthy meal?

We put out a cookbook Skinny Bitch in the Kitch and in it we put together tons of great tasting, everyday, "normal" recipes. Some of my faves are the french toast, lasagna, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and a burrito. Cooking vegan isn’t about giving up the foods you love, it’s about replacing ingredients with healthier food choices. The food is still so fantastic.

8. What is your favourite workout or exercise?

We both like to do yoga and go hiking. Exercise is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle. There is no way to successfully lose weight unless you eat well and exercise. It is also good for your heart, lungs and overall well being.

9. If the readers were to take one point from the book into their lifestyle today, what would you want it to be?

Read food labels!! Don’t just blindly grocery shop anymore. Take control over what you are putting in your body. If there are too many ingredients that you can’t pronounce or don’t know what they are then don’t eat it. Keep foods as fresh and natural as possible. The first four ingredients are the most important ones so if they contain a lot of sugar or fat than step away!!

10. One last tip/quote/thought to leave us with. . .

Use your head, loose your ass

And there you have it, the beautiful and straight talking Kim Barnouin.

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Mariah Carey has curves like there’s no tomorrow. This singer, producer and actress is in the best shape I’ve seen her – maybe its her new hubby Nick Cannon’s influence! Mariah Carey’s weight loss has hit the headlines recently with her appearing trim and terrific at a music gala in NYC.

Today we’ll delve into Mariah Carey’s diet and workout routine to unveil the mystery surrounding her huge weight loss.

Mariah debuted in 1990 with her first self-titled album and 11 albums later she’s still enjoying success at the top of the charts! While she’s had a few ups and downs with record company dramas and album flops she’s one of the longest reigning diva’s in the music world.

Mariah’s toured the world a number of times, she writes, she produces and she acts, she endorses and has even released her own line of perfume.

Mariah Carey has also donated both funds and time to many charities and causes including the Fresh Air Fund, Camp Mariah, Make A Wish Foundation, Live 8 and Hurricane Katrina (among others.)

Mariah Carey’s Weight Loss

Mariah Carey’s hit the headlines for a number of reasons recently:

1. She’s just married her boyfriend of ONE MONTH fellow celeb Nick Cannon (complete with couples tattoos…)

2. She has been flaunting her brand new figure after her 30 pound weight loss.

Mariah Carey Weight Loss Mariah Carey emerged early in 2008 with this amazing body spurring rumors of surgery around the world. There was no revolutionary miracle behind Mariah Carey’s weight loss just good old fashioned diet and exercise…

Mariah Carey’s Diet

Mariah Carey admits her weight loss secret is a pretty boring but healthy diet. Her diet involved 1000 to 1500 calories a day and a portion controlled eating plan designed for her by personal trainer and nutritionist Patricia Gay (more about her later).

When asked how she achieved her smoking new body Mariah says, ‘My secret is bleak diets. Basically soups and fish prepared really blandly.’ Mariah’s trainer Patricia told the starlet to stop cooking in oil, cut out naughty snacks and her usual comfort foods.

Mariah Carey’s diet behind her 30 pound weight loss incorporates non fat dairy products, fresh fruit, wholegrain rice, fish, chicken, grilled/baked vegetables plus HEAPS of water (Mariah is rumored to drink around 3 litres a day).

Mariah’s a big fan of the 95/5 rule. Her secret is eating healthy 95% of the time and enjoy your favourite treats 5%. The star even created her own diet, known as the Morsel diet.

Mariah Carey DietMariah says, ‘I kind of invented it (the morsel diet). Basically, you can have a tiny bit of everything you want. When I-m really, really, hungry I-ll be like -I need a morsel!- So they-ll give me whatever there is [on the plate], but it has to be less than a forkful.’

Mariah Carey’s Exercise

A "bleak" diet wasn’t the only secret behind Mariah’s new bod… Yep she does exercise too!

Her personal trainer Patricia Gay has been with Mariah for years now and gets flown wherever the starlet is to get her moving and looking HOT! Because Mariah travels so often their workout routine varies but is always intensive. The sessions last around an 90 minutes and usually take place 3 to 4 days a week.

Mariah works out regularly but her trainer says they try to focus on her diet the most. Patricia says, ‘If she is serious about the food, then she doesn’t have to work out that much. Right before she has a show or wants to wear a special dress, I know to push her a bit.’

Mariah Carey’s exercise regime involves a lot of pool work as the star loves the water. Her workout routine has centered around the pool including water aerobics, swimming laps and using floats to exercise specific body parts.

Patricia says, ‘She loves the ocean and the waves. The key to fitness is to do something you love, because if you don’t love it, you won’t do much of it. Aqua exercise is all about using the water for resistance like you would use weights outside of the water. In water exercises, the muscles get stronger, but not bigger.’

Mariah also incorporates some pilates and resistance work into her workout. Patricia says, ‘We work out specific muscles through Pilates. We work out the butt, sometimes using weights and stretching.’

Mariah admits she will never fit in to the Hollywood Size 0 fad but she doesn’t want to either! Mariah says, ‘I don-t feel like you have to be a size zero. We should all just embrace who we are physically. I’m not supposed to be a stick-figure girl. It’s just not me.’

Good on you Mariah, you’re looking AMAZING!

CLICK THE LINK For More Celebrity Weight Loss Secrets

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A Food Combining Diet – Is It For You?

by admin on May 22, 2008

I keep hearing about these people who use food combining both for weight loss and just generally to feel better in the tummy region….

The theory behind a food combining diet is that the body was not designed to eat such a huge range of foods at once. Food combiner’s believe that the body was designed to require a certain PH or acidity level to digest foods and that mismatching foods impairs this process.

Experts in the food combining arena say that incomplete digestion is one of the leading causes of illness around the world.

There are a couple of ways the body can break down food:

a) Enzyme Breakdown – this is the body’s natural path and the ideal digestion scenario.

b) Bacterial Breakdown – this is what happens when the PH/acidity is off due to mismatching foods.

Bacterial breakdown can cause havoc with your body leading to ailments including candida, bloating, burping, fatigue, headaches, flatulence, diarrhoea or constipation.

I’ve put together a cheat sheat of what category foods fall under in a food combining diet . . .

Primary Proteins

Almonds
Sunflower Seeds
Wheatgerm
Sesame Seeds
Brazil Nuts
Cashews
Pistachios
Pinenuts
Pepitas
Lecithin
Soya Beans

Secondary Proteins

Meat
Poultry
Eggs
Fish
Cheese
Yoghurt

Fats

Oils
Coconut
Nuts (pecan, macadamia)
Avocado
Olives
Butter/Margarine

Starches

Flour (white and wholemeal)
Rice
Wheat
Rye
Beans (lima, pinto, red, mung)
Corn
Lentils
Pumpkin
Sweet Potato
Potato
Yams

Melons

Canteloupes
Watermelon
Honeydew

Vegetables

Beetroot
Broccoli
Beans
Brussel Sprouts
Carrots
Capsicum
Cucumber
Celery
Lettuce
Peas
Sprouts
Silverbeet
Spinach
Tomatoes

Sweet Fruits

Bananas
Persimmons
Custard Apples
Dried Fruit

Sub Acid Fruits

Apples
Plums
Apricots
Cherries
Pears
Grapes
Raspberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Nectarines
Mangoes
Guava
Paw Paws

Acid Fruits

Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Mandarins
Grapefruit
Pineapples
Strawberries
Passionfruit

I’ve also put together a food combining chart to make it a little easier to see what goes with what!

FREE FOOD COMBINING CHART

Phewf what a lot to digest – pardon the pun!

Enjoy :)

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