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New Research Just Out: Coffee Helps Weight Loss

Fat cells. Credit: David Gregory & Debbie Marshall. CC BY

Could brown fat and coffee be the key to a slimmer body?  

Well, we’ve heard this before about the benefit of caffeine and weight loss.  Just look at all the diet pills that use caffeine to speed up the metabolism therefore increasing weight loss.  But, now researchers have found that coffee helps to produce more brown fat cells.  These are the “good fat” cells we’ve heard about that help with burning fat.  However, they have not found what in coffee does this – it may not actually be the caffeine.

Professor Michael Symonds, from the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham (co-directed the study) stated that this was the first research to show how coffee has an impact on brown fat in humans.  

 

It certainly appears from these results that this could be the “magic key” for some.  

Here are some facts around these claims:

  • Brown fat (or also called brown adipose tissue)  main function is to generate body heat by burning calories 
  • White fat (the kind we don’t like) is the opposite – it is the fat that stores excess calories
  • Smaller people with a lower body mass index have more brown fat
  • It is believed that these findings will not only help obesity, but also diabetes due to the sugar burning ability of brown fat

For further reading, follow the link to the research: Caffeine exposure induces browning features in adipose tissue in vitro and in vivo Scientific Reports volume 9, Article number: 9104 (2019) 

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Little Known Fact: Peppermint can help with weight loss

It’s a little known fact that peppermint can help with weight loss. Read on about how you can use this herb to achieve your weight loss goals!

peppermint and tea
herbal tea with mint

Attention all dieters:  Peppermint can help with weight loss!  

A little known fact is that peppermint is an excellent help with losing weight.  It is especially good when consumed as a tea for a calorie free beverage.  Peppermint tea can help to relax one (it serves as a natural muscle relaxant) and aids in sleep.  This can be beneficial during times of stress and often a dieter will be experiencing added stress.  So, bring on the peppermint tea! 

Another way to lose weight using peppermint is to sniff some every two hours as it helps to suppress the appetite.  A very simple, yet effective, way to lose weight.

Here is an easy recipe on how to prepare peppermint tea:

 Fresh Peppermint Tea (using fresh mint leaves)

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves 
  • 1 cup water
Preparation
  1. Toss the chopped  mint leaves in a saucepan.
  2. Add water and let it boil for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Using a strainer, pour into cup.

So, if you’ve been looking for a natural weight loss tool that is enjoyable to use – try peppermint!

Looking for some cutting edge info on weight loss along with some delicious, easy weight loss recipes?…   
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Debbie's Diet Gourmet Cookbook

How Cinnamon Can Help You Lose Weight

New research from the University of Michigan tells us that cinnamon may help fat cells burn lipids, according to new research from the University of Michigan.

Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is the essential oil found in cinnamon that give it it’s flavor. After some studies that found cinnamaldehyde protected mice from obesity and hypoglycemia, some researchers at the University of Michigan decided to see the effect on human fat cells.

Wu and her colleagues tested human adipocytes (fat cells) from volunteers from a diverse group of different body types, ethnicity, ages and sexes.  They found an increased expression of several genes and enzymes that enhance lipid metabolism. They also observed an increase in Ucp1 and Fgf21, which are found in adipose tissue and important metabolic regulatory proteins involved in thermogenesis  (heat production).

All this means that cinnamon should be a benefit to burning excess fat.  A word of caution:  cinnamon can interact with certain medications, food that it is sprinkled on often contains excess calories, and more than 1 tsp a day for adults can be harmful.  

We recommend putting cinnamon in foods that are lower calorie such as tea, soups, veggies and casseroles.  This may be a healthy benefit without harmful side effects.  Of course, any change in your diet should not be taken without the advice of your physician.

cinnamonn tea
Looking for some cutting edge info on weight loss along with some delicious, easy weight loss recipes?…   
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How Drinking Water Can Help You To Lose Weight

Water…

it’s the elixir of life.    Did you know that at birth our bodies are 90% water, at maturity – 70% and at old age our bodies are only 50% water.  In addition, water plumps up our cells, helps our skin regulate our body temperature, is needed for proper circulation of nutrients, and serves to transport things in our bodies.  When we are dehydrated, we do not have optimal transportation of substances within ourselves.   So, it’s no wonder that drinking water contributes to our youth and vitality…water is an anti-aging substance.  Without adequate water, our skin would be dry, flaky, tend to sag & be wrinkled.   If our skin cells react to hydration in such a fashion, so will our interior organ cells benefit from a good supply of fresh water.  It is like the fountain of youth.  And, even as it contributes to our youth, it may also be used for weight loss.

 

Facts about using water to lose weight:
  • Our bodies know no difference between the feeling of “fullness” from water OR food, so we can use it as a trick to create that full feeling
  • Adequate water relieves the liver of doing the work of the kidneys to remove toxins, so DRINKING WATER CONTRIBUTES TO  FAT BURNING since it can do more  of it’s intended work
  • Water has ZERO calories
  • Water aids in elimination and this can decrease our body weight
  • Adequate water can remove fluid accumulation around the ankles and other areas
  • Drinking water throughout the day, mainly before 6 pm, is usually best.  This will prevent waking up in the night to urinate or puffiness around the eyes, etc in the morning
  • Keeping a written record of your water intake, as part of your weight loss diary, is an excellent tool to keep you focused

So, how much is recommended and considered healthy?  Experts do not agree on this, but many admit it depends on your activity level, age, environmental temperature, gender and health status.   According to Medical News Today – In 2004, the Institute of Medicine set the amount at around 2.7 liters, or 91 fluid ounces (fl oz) of total water a day for women and an average of around 3.7 liters (125 fl oz) daily for men.  I would advise to begin to carry around your own water bottle and measure how much you are drinking to have the best results.  This will also prevent you from drinking too much which can be dangerous or drinking too little.  If you have a problem “jumping in” and immediately drinking the recommended amount, it may be helpful to gradually increase your intake by a small amount each day until you are at the level you desire.

So, get some

delicious,

 fresh water

and DRINK UP

Looking for some more cutting edge info on weight loss along with some delicious, easy weight loss recipes?…   
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Debbie's Diet Gourmet Cookbook

Are You A Stress Eater?

Do you go crazy for chips, chocolate, ice cream, salty foods, etc? Do you eat junk food for the comfort it gives you? If so, don’t feel bad since many people do. Being a stress eater is a common occurrence and usually a control is needed by intervention by self and/or professionals. If self control is not working, many professionals are available to help such as dietitians, medical doctors, and psychologists. So, there are ways to help the stress eater, but emotionally, the difficult habits can be hard to win against – albeit, it is possible.

Tips on overcoming stress eating

Keep a food diary – this will help you to have some control over your eating by making yourself accountable for what you eat. Also, you can analyze your triggers, i.e. what causes you to binge eat, by writing down your emotions and other reasons for overeating.

Have a plan – know when you may be experiencing the most stress and be ready for it. Perhaps, have healthy snacks ready and emotionally prepare for the stress.

Get the “bad food” out of the house. If cookies are your weakness, by all means – do not keep cookies in the house. It may help to get an occasional cookie while out (just one, as a special treat). But, don’t give in to these urges.

Give yourself a break – don’t be too strict with yourself. If you are this way, you may have a backslide and maybe not go back on your diet. Allow yourself to have some treat and if you go off your diet on the weekend, for example, just get back on it on Monday morning.

Eat your treats outside the house. This will allow you to have a treat while lessening the chance of a binge. If you do binge, realize what happened, forgive yourself and get back on your diet.

Find a “doable”,   not too strict diet that will work with you and your lifestyle. You need to realize that not everyone is alike and you need to go with your instinct for healing.  

Find other ways to alleviate your stress like joining a health club, walking, yoga, or take up a hobby.

Tackle what causes your stress head-on and resolve it (if possible). Whether it is a financial problem, too much work, not enough sleep, etc …work on a solution to eliminate or reduce the stress and implement it.

So, even if the stress will remain present in you life, there are ways to deal with emotional eating.  If you need help, there are many resources in your community  Contact a local dietitian, physician, or psychologist for professional advice.

Looking for some more cutting edge info on weight loss along with some delicious, easy weight loss recipes?…   
Get Debbie’s Diet Gourmet Cookbook at barnes & noble, Walmart, and other major RetailerS
Debbie's Diet Gourmet Cookbook

Which Food Groups Are Most Important For Dieters?

Colorful Food Choices PicWith many new diet plans and the trend toward abolishing carbs or entire food groups, what are dieters to do? This is an area of much controversy, further complicated by age, health status, etc. But, some very basic guidelines have been established that define a healthy eating plan (please consult your physician or dietitian before changing your diet):.

The Healthy Eating Plate model, created by nutrition experts at Harvard School of Public Health and editors at Harvard Health Publications, was designed to to help people make the best eating choices and to address deficiencies of the My Plate model designed by the USDA.

 Designed to make healthy eating simpler and more intuitive, it is now preferred by registered dietitians and many medical professionals.  Its prescription involves:

  • Go for color and variety, and  potatoes don’t count as vegetables on the Healthy Eating Plate because of their negative impact on blood sugar.

    Try to stay with whole and intact grains—whole wheat, barley, wheat berries, quinoa, oats, brown rice, etc,  while avoiding white bread, white rice, and other highly processed and refined grains.

    Good choices are beans, chicken, fish, , and nuts are all healthy, versatile protein sources—they can be mixed into salads, and pair well with vegetables on a plate. Limit red meat, and avoid processed meats such as bacon and sausage.

    At the grocery store, select healthy vegetable oils like canola, corn, olive, peanut, sunflower, etc.  Avoid the partially hydrogenated with trans fatty acids.   

    Limit milk and dairy to one or two servings a day, limit sugar.  

    Staying active is an important ingredient in weight control.  

  • Image result for grocery shopping

  • Photo Credit: Amanda Mills 

Mindful eating is an excellent way to follow these guidelines and have weight loss success.  Defined by The Center for Mindful Eating as:

"Mindfulness is the capacity to bring full attention and awareness to one’s experience, in the moment, without judgment. Mindful Eating brings mindfulness to food choice and the experience of eating."

So, which food groups are most important to dieters?…to be healthy, one must eat from all of them.  But, what about the question of these special diets where you are perhaps doing a plant-based or gluten-free or low-carb or ketogeic diet?  It may be possible to make adequate substitutions while  taking any required supplements.  However, it is the recommended to consult your physician or a registered dietitian.  

Looking for some cutting edge info on weight loss along with some delicious, easy weight loss recipes?…
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Debbie's Diet Gourmet Cookbook

Weight Loss Quotes For You

healthy breakfast
 Here are a few motivating quotes to help you in your weight loss journey…
 "Food is not the problem. It’s what we do with food that becomes the problem. That’s why we need to learn to keep everything in our lives – especially our eating – in proper balance.” -Joyce Meyer
"Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going!" - Jullian Michaels

 

 “It’s a lifestyle, it’s something you do the rest of your life – How long are you going to keep breathing? How long do you keep eating? You just do it.” – Unknown

“Some people want it to happen. Some wish it would happen. Others make it happen.”– Michael Jordan  

“To avoid sickness eat less; to prolong life worry less”.  ~Chu Hui Weng

“Humans live on one-quarter of what they eat; on the other three-quarters lives their doctor.” ~Author Unknown


“Thou shouldst eat to live, not live to eat.” ~Cicero, Rhetoricorum LV

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Looking for some cutting edge info on weight loss along with some delicious, easy weight loss recipes?…   
Check out Debbie’s Diet Gourmet Cookbook For sale at barnes & noble
Debbie's Diet Gourmet Cookbook