Night eating and night binges are quite common to dieters in general. It happens, and it’s hard to combat. There are some diet pills that work at night to supposedly help you to lose weight that effortlessly partly by controlling your night binges.  And of course there are reports of prescription sleep aid Ambien actually making people sleep walk and go on random eating binges, one even reporting buttering an entire loaf of bread each night and then taking one bite out of each piece. I was rather entertained by that.

But the reality is that if you have this problem naturally, you should consider looking into the idea that you are not eating enough during the day. Your body will respond to this, whether you think that you have time to process the calories before you go to bed or not. All it’s thinking about is if it’s getting what it wants and needs in terms of caloric and volume of intake. Starvation mode may play a huge part in this.

If you are an athlete or dancer, this is definitely something to consider. While 1200-1500 calories is good for most, dancers are often burning off 3000 calories and athletes often burn off considerable amounts as well. This puts your body into starvation mode as it logically would because you’re not getting enough, and this may lead to night binging.

Vinegar has been used by some celebrities to promote weight loss. I can honestly say that I would lose weight using vinegar, because the likelihood is after that taste I probably wouldn’t be able to eat anything for a while. Vinegar is great in mixture with certain foods, but just by itself, ya, I could definitely see somebody not eating after that. But they now claim that acetic acid found in vinegar can actually prevent weight gain. They found that it deters the accumulation of body fat in mice, even when mice were fed a high fat diet. It produces proteins that break down fats.

But keep in mind, it has only been tested in mice, and you have to consider everything. Diluted parts are apparently okay, but they say the same thing about antifreeze, which is a scary thought. Even in small amounts, that could tear apart your stomach among other things. But in higher amounts, this acid is actually used in pesticides, paints, and adhesives. It could result in those amounts in irritation to the esophagus, nasal lining damage, and long term low potassium levels and loss of bone density among other things. This is just with long term use of vinegar actually, not the acid in the higher levels. So I think I’ll stay away.

There are many who like the idea of controlling fast food restaurants to make them “healthier” or otherwise. There are even publications that tell you which fast foods you should eat instead of eating other fast foods to help you still lose weight while eating said fast foods. The biggest trend lately is those who want to require chain restaurants to provide calorie counts on the menu.

This may sound extreme to some of course, I realize that. But did it ever occur to people in general to stop eating fast food or eat it oh once a week instead of every day or every other day? That could very well contribute to a lower rate of obesity in and of itself. As we saw on a number of documentaries surrounding our “fast food nation”, even the salads at many of these places are ultimately unhealthy, some would even say that some of them are worse than the burgers and fries served at the same organizations. So logic would follow, stop eating fast food or at least drastically lower your general intake thereof.

But the logic behind many people who want to require this calorie counting is that they want users to be able to count their caloric intake and stay under a number of calories. Again, whether you count calories or not, if all of those calories are made up of fat, the likelihood is you are going to suffer severe vitamin deficiencies, and you are not going to lose weight. In essence, these are all the different ways that I like to encourage staying away from fast food in general and using common sense rather than making a big media production that would require more money in general to be spent.

Some weight loss plans require participants to weigh themselves once a week and only once a week in designated meetings. The idea behind this is to motivate success by peer pressure and also to remove pressure associated with daily weigh ins.

However, some, including myself, think just the opposite, dieters should weigh themselves at least once daily. Logically speaking, this may put some pressure on the dieters, but isn’t that what some of us need, a little pressure? What some experts have missed is the fact that it will also allow a dieter a more specific conception of right and wrong ways to go about their search for success. For example, if weighing weekly, a dieter may eat three large pizzas one day and starve themselves for the other six. This may result in weight loss over a week’s period of time. But it is not necessarily the healthiest way to go about weight loss goals, nor is it necessarily efficient. A successful dieter should hold themselves accountable for eating and exercise habits or lack thereof on a daily basis.

Moreover, researchers have recently confirmed the efficacy of a daily weigh in versus weekly weigh ins in successful dieting. Research at the University of Minnesota specifically showed that participants participating in daily weigh ins showed better weight results than those weighing in less frequently over a 24 month period. Said scientists suggest participants may notice smaller weight fluctuations and may therefore make more frequent, yet simple adjustments to their daily habits(1).

In conclusion, though popular weight loss programs such as weight watchers still encourage only weekly weigh ins, we advise being one step ahead of the curve on this particular movement. In other words, weigh yourself daily to insure maximum dieting success.

1. http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/weighing111605/home.html

Dieting does not work. If you insist on going on a “diet”, you will gain back all the weight you’ve lost and possibly more within a few months. This because diets are temporary. Once you stop following a strict diet, you go back to all your old habits. So stick to changes you can stick to, even if the weight does not come off as quickly. For example, many a person lost a significant amount of weight using the Atkin’s diet. But once they stopped using the diet, all the weight was gained back. On the other hand, those who used a low carb diet and gradually increased their carbohydrate intake until they find a caloric level they can keep up with on a long term basis may have gained back a few pounds, but mostly maintained.

So for long term results, use long term solutions. First, exercise at least 3 times per week. Exercising burns excess calories, that would become fat cells if left. Exercise will also build muscle, contributing to a better rate of metabolism and therefore greater rates of fat burn in the future as well as to decrease the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, back pain, and osteoporosis. No matter what kind of exercise it is, 30 minutes a day should suffice for most(1).

Another useful lifestyle change consists of eating more fruits and vegetables. They are often rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and low calorie options. Many of them also force your body to use more calories in processing them than they actually contain. As an example, 100 grams of grapes contain only 100 calories. So next time you are craving an afternoon snack, instead of grabbing that bag of chips or the fried chicken in your refrigerator, reach for a bag of grapes instead.

Finally, everything in moderation. While cutting out fat is good, cutting out all fat is not. Our bodies need fat, just like other nutrients, to function. And while eating fruits and vegetables is good, eating nothing but could damage the stomach and make your lifestyle change hard to stick to. Moderation is key to making long term changes and achieving long term success.

In summary, if you are looking to lose weight, take it slow. Exercise, eat more fruits and vegetables, and don’t go to extremes. Other methods may result in fast weight loss like “30 pounds in 30 days”, but the results will not last. Moderate lifestyle changes may result in only 2 pounds per week, but you are less likely to gain them back.

1. http://www.webmd.com/diet/exercise-weight-control

“I feel like I’m drowning when I try to drink 8 cups a day!” It’s a common line spoken by many dieters and non dieters alike. Considering this mentality, it would surprise many that the majority of the body is made up of water. Babies bodies are made up of about 78% water, the human male is generally 60% water, and the human female is usually made up of about 55% water at maturity(1). It might also surprise some to know that most of the time when we think we are hungry, we are actually thirsty, and that the majority of the world’s population is chronically dehydrated. With all of those considerations, 8 cups a day no longer seems to be so much.

Water works for dieters, because of several reasons. First of all, as we all know, water is a zero calorie commodity. That means that when you burn calories off at the gym, you may have to run an extra mile or so to burn off that donut you had at lunch, but not the glass of water. Second, if you are eating when you are actually thirsty, you will eat more, because your body will continue to feel that unfulfilled need. Even if food does seem to satisfy it, you are taking in unwanted and unnecessary calories.

Water also keeps your body clean. By this I mean that when you drink more water, your internal systems are better able to function. If you drank no water or liquids whatsoever, your body could not properly process your caloric intake. Your tubes, as it were, would quickly become clogged and hard, and all of the fluids running through your body would effectively stop. On the extreme side of things, this keeps your blood from turning to mush.

However, the majority of people will not have this severe a problem. For most of us, this will keep our metabolism high and our muscles working so that we can exercise and have a pleasant sight when we look in the mirror. If you do not see the connection to muscle function and appearance, consider the fact that creatine, an ingredient commonly used in protein based supplements, works by pushing water into the muscles and therefore improving their size and appearance.

In short, water is the cheapest appetite suppressant you will find anywhere, and it is necessary to any function. When you drink enough water, you will experience side effects such as a decreased appetite, bowel regularity, clear urine, increased energy, increased mental and physical performance, glowing skin, reduced headache frequency, proper digestion, and weight loss(2).

1. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_water_is_in_the_human_body
2. http://www.betterwayhealth.com/drinking-water.html

Yo Yo Dieting is horrible. We’ve all heard it at least 100 times before. It’s hard on your heart, on your mental stamina, and according to some experts, your skin(Hoffman, MD). By wikipedia definition, yo yo dieting or weight cycling is “a repeated loss and gain of body weight due to excessive dieting.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-yo_dieting)” It usually involves extreme diets meant to replace a healthy change of lifestyle and a lifelong exercise plan. When you lose and gain a substantial amount of weight in short periods of time, it is hard on all your bodily systems, but your body can recover over time. If you keep repeating this cycle, your body is allowed no recovery time and therefore no recovery at all. A more visible sign of this is the fact that after being stretched so many times, your skin will lose its elasticity, and eventually will not bounce back, resulting in stretch marks, wrinkles, and loose skin. In addition, a person who participates in yo yo dieting commonly experiences more trouble reaching and maintaining a healthy weight than a first time dieter(Medicinenet).

Most of the weight gain associated with yo yo dieting happens because people starve themselves on an extreme fad diet. They lose weight, and they get excited and relax, because they have achieved their goal of losing weight. But then they return to all their old habits that made them overweight in the first place. There is no long term commitment, and therefore no long term results.

So, if you are looking to lose weight for purposes of health or looks, remember to be reasonable. Some would even say, do not go on a diet, go on a lifestyle change. This means instead of cutting out all the foods you love, eat them in moderation. Instead of switching to a diet of largely one kind of fruit(ie the grapefruit diet), eat more fruits and vegetables in general, and balance them with other important foods such as proteins and good carbs. Start exercising for 30 minutes a day 3 times a week, or choose to walk up the stairs every once in a while instead of taking the elevator. In other words, make lifelong changes and commitments, and don’t expect to lose 20 pounds your first week. Real and lasting weight loss takes time and effort.

1. Hoffman, Matthew MD. “Aging Skin: Do You Look Older Than You Should?” WebMD Feature. http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/wrinkles-8/causes-of-wrinkles
2. Medicinenet. “Weight Cycling…Facts About Yo Yo Dieting.” http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=21745
3. National Institutes of Health. Weight Control Information Network. Weight Cycling.
4. Olson, M.B. et al. Weight cycling and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women: Evidence of an adverse effect. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. November 1, 2000. 36(5):1565-1571.
5. National Task Force on the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity. Weight cycling. Journal of the American Medical Association. October 19, 1994. 272(15):1196-1202.
6. The Hazards of Yo Yo Dieting, Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.com hlp/invoke.cfm?objectid=47C36183-C8B3-4906-924441E357EE1E18