In the 90’s many people followed what was known as the “grapefruit diet.” Some did their research and followed the stipulated diet, and others did not actually do the research, assumed that all you ate was grapefruit, and still lost weight because when you only eat one nutrient dense food all the time, you tend to lose weight.

The grapefruit diet was developed by Dr. Ken Fujoka, who discovered in a study that patients who followed this general diet lose 3.6 pounds and some lost 13 pounds in about 12 weeks. I’ve seen placebo groups who lost about 3.6 pounds in 8 weeks. But that aside, in that particular study, the placebo group actually lost less.

The grapefruit diet, if followed, requires you to either eat half a grapefruit or drink an 8oz glass of grapefruit with every meal. Outside that, you should obviously eat a balanced diet full of antioxidants, fibers, vitamins, minerals, healthy foods in general, and a healthy exercise program. But apparently, many think that it works. However, for many reasons such as the results or lack thereof, many people have forgotten about the grapefruit diet since the 1990’s.

It seems that though obesity can literally afflict people in any part of the world, it statistically speaking tends to afflict more Americans, of all ages and races now, than anywhere else in the world. So it’s not racially related so much as regionally related and culturally related at this point. It can be the most difficult handicap for any one person to handle, and some have even called it a literal disability.

And to some degree, you could say it. After all, obesity can cause serious problems to the health, to the ability to interact in your own life. And yet, this disease of sorts seems to be one of the few diseases, along with those like depression, that we seem to blame the sufferer for. We seem to think that it is all their own fault and therefore they somehow deserve it.

I am by no means saying that it is completely out of the sufferers control or that they should not take some personal responsibility in this case. In fact, I think a lot of the responsibility does lie on the individual. But at the same point, when people have other problems, we run to help them. We run to get them medical care, to adjust to their schedules, to help them to deal with and overcome their problem. But with obesity, it is almost like we undermine them at every turn, not to mention the fact that the obese often feel abandoned by their family, friends, and everyday acquaintances.

Now in extreme cases, you may experience issues such as being too big to fit in a regular chair, having a hard time finding clothes that actually fit, and in some cases, even finding it hard to fit through regular sized doors. And while the rest of us have our own issues I am sure, they have issues of their own. After all, nobody wants to be a downer, everybody wants to fit in with their friends. So you often get the stereotype of the jolly fat guy, when that is simply not the case.

Essentially speaking, obesity is a self defeating thing. When you try to be happy or pretend to be happy anyway, you often delve into deeper depression, binge eating, comfort food, and all self defeating practices.

I remember years ago, always hearing about the perils of living in the South in terms of obesity. There were certain Southern states that were deemed to have the highest rates of obesity, and there were certainly some that should have been. One of the major ones I heard about from friends who had lived there was Alabama. Louisiana was apparently not as bad compared, even with major Cajun cooking. But from what I was told, in Alabama, everything is fried! Likewise, Georgia has cornbread, barbeques, peach cobblers and pies, and a 21.1% obesity rate. Just 10 years ago, Georgia’s rate was 9.5%, and that is not to say they didn’t have all the same foods. So what is the difference?

Well, whatever has come to be, it has changed everywhere. Some would blame it on the rise of McDonalds, busy schedules, and quick fixes for meals. We are now too lazy to make peach cobbler, cornbread, barbeque, etc. Instead, we depend on fast food chains to make even fattier foods for us. In 1970, just a few years ago really, McDonalds had one size of French fries. Now, that size would be called medium. But of course we had the documentary “Supersize Me” and since they still have huge portions of fries most choose. You could have technically bought two of the small ones, but now that we have bigger ones, people don’t feel so piggish when they just order one. It’s simple numbers really. It encourages a smaller rate of self awareness.

One could also say that Bill Gates made us fat. After all, he is the biggest computer and technology mogul in the world, and now we do all our shopping, eating, newspaper reading, and traveling using that technology. So technically, all the active things we used to do are now done in front of a computer in that same old chair. But ironically, obesity rates are higher in states where people have a smaller number of computers. Even after you make the appropriate allowances for income and so on, it is still true.

Then there’s smoking habits. After all, smoking is an addiction, and when many try to stop, they turn to another addiction, which is often food. They eat more, because some were actually replacing food with cigarettes for oral fixation. Now they need something else for oral fixation fulfillment. In 25 states surveyed, the rates of obesity did rise by 55% when smoking fell during the 90’s. But at the same point in time, obesity rates still rose in the 25 states where smoking rates were on the rise. They actually increased by a larger number, 59%.

Essentially you are getting the idea. The factors that we all commonly blame for obesity do not actually hold up often times in the harsh light of day. We think it’s simple, but yet the facts counteract the assumptions we have about things, the assumptions that seem to based on some kind of logic.

Obesity has been connected to things that mothers can control to some degree such as the food given to children at younger or more advanced ages, rates of breastfeeding, etc. But some researchers have now conducted studies on the potential connection between the child’s risk of obesity and the age at which the mother first menstruated. All in all, one study was conducted in the UK sampling 6000 children.

This particular study showed that those who had mothers who experienced puberty at an earlier age also had a higher risk of obesity. These children had a tendency to grow faster as babies and become heavy children. I would be curious however to see the children at older ages or samplings of older children in the same families. It is a commonly seen phenomenon for children to “grow out of” their obesity, to be bigger babies, even bigger toddlers or small children, but to lose what some call “baby fat” as they get older. This study has not been replicated at this time.

But they are also suggesting that this affects adults as well. In short, those women who menstruate early are more likely to be overweight as adults and they are more likely to be short in stature. This faster rate of overall development is passed genetically to her children. Researchers state that the “earlier age at menarche may indicate a transgenerational influence toward a fast tempo of childhood growth, which is transmitted from the mother to her offspring.” If you are wondering what early menstruation would be defined as, the line was drawn at mothers who had their first periods at the age of 11 as opposed to those who started menstruating at 15.

Some studies or rather researchers have also suggested that children who suffer from a higher risk of childhood obesity and come from early puberty mothers may experience a higher risk of psychological issues due to accelerated growth rates.

While there are studies, to date there are only a few studies, which should make readers and potential believers skeptical in general terms. There are a lot of causes of increased susceptibility to psychological issues, most of them genetically based or in connection to certain traumatic experiences. Likewise, there are quite a few causes of obesity, mostly in the realm of diet and exercise habits, which are often learned through the habits of the parents, not passed on through some genetic link in the brain that would be activated no matter where they were raised. In terms of short stature, some countries have experienced higher rates of a shorter stature due to smaller amounts of protein, milk products, etc. in the general diet. And some countries tend to have noticeably lower rates of obesity, not because of race, but because of nationally accepted eating standards among other things. So while I am not ready to say this is completely wrong, I do encourage readers and individuals in general to watch with a certain amount of skepticism.

Those developing type 2 diabetes are not always overweight, but it happens most of the time. Most have a family history of susceptibility to it. But they can almost eliminate the chances of developing it if a proper diet and exercise plan is followed. One of the most effective ways to control Type 2 diabetes is to lose weight. However, when women contract type 2 diabetes, they tend to suffer a higher rate of heart disease and other complications than men. But the rates of heart attacks in women in general, which was previously thought to be a man’s disease, has decreased by 25% in the past 30 years. However, the rate of death associated with diabetic women has increased by 25% in the past 30 years.

Now, some 33% of American women have reached the levels required to be defined as obese, which means a BMI of 30 or more. If your BMI falls between the levels of 25-29, you are considered overweight. But obesity also depends largely on your body fat percentage, which sometimes does not run concurrently with your weight. Those who are considered to obese are at a significantly higher risk for type 2 diabetes.

Whether you suffer from diabetes or not, if you are obese, you run a higher risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, kidney disease, skin disorders, eye problems even leading to blindness, nerve damage, poor circulation to the feet, depression, and even certain types of cancers.

The good news however, is that whether you are female or male, you can significantly change your chances with only small changes, even reversing type 2 diabetes in some cases. You have to make long term changes, reducing the body’s demand for excess insulin absorption and demand on blood glucose levels down to normal range. For example, if you eat fruits and vegetable 5 times per day, you are significantly less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who ate fruits and vegetables only 3 times per day. Second, switching from carbohydrate rich foods based on white flour to those based on whole grains, it can make a significant difference. You can also largely avoid high sugar fruit juices as well as sodas. 8 glasses of water per day will also help your body efficiently regulate insulin levels. If you exercise, it can also make a significant difference. These are all tips that most should follow, but they make a bigger difference for those susceptible to type 2 diabetes.

We all know that celebrities don’t often follow the same rules that we do in terms of weight loss, weight maintenance, health, etc. But there are a few weight loss tips in particular that truly, only celebrities would use.

1. Sniffing Grapefruit Oil

This sounds strangely like sniffing paint chips or something. But Jennifer Lopez and Carmen Electra swear by it apparently. They sniff grapefruit oil to “keep a trim figure.” Jennifer Lopez for one is not necessarily “trim.” But they use it as an appetite suppressant. There is no scientific evidence to support any of this, only that eating half a grapefruit before lunch and dinner may help you to lose weight when combined with a healthy diet and exercise program.

1. Vacuum In Your Heels

For that matter, do everything in your heels! Audrina Patridge of the Hills television show claims that if you wear heels while doing household chores such as vacuuming, it will work your calves and firm your butt. It is true to some degree, that wearing heels works certain muscles. But if you actually want to maintain those muscles and lose weight, you would probably be better off going out in your sneakers for a run or something. One woman I know of specifically wore heels to everything all her life, including childbirth, vacuuming, the works. Her ankles were severely damaged over time, and now she cannot wear shoes with even a slight lift.

1. Drink Vinegar

Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas claims that her secret to an amazing body is to drink two shots of unfiltered apple cider vinegar every day. Yes, apple cider vinegar can be one component used to promote detoxification of the body. But it is to be combined with other things. Scientific evidence has not backed claims that this would work that well.

1. Hypnosis

Of course, we all want to think it’s all in our subconscious, those little things that are sabotaging us and keeping us fat. But at $6000/hour for hypnotherapy, you could also get acupuncture to target the centers of your cravings and appetite. They have also used staples to keep those channels “open.” Hypnosis can definitely reduce stress. But the presses are still out on its weight loss potential.

Not everything gets better with age, in fact most things don’t. Most things go moldy, start failing, especially human beings, unless of course you’re talking about Clive Owen….who is the ultimate exception. But some aspects of fitness do get better with age. For example, we find out that old things that we always thought were dead or useless are actually very useful, for example running. But here are a few that don’t necessarily follow conventional wisdom.

1. Standing with your hands shoulder width apart

You can use this for bench presses, late pulldowns, etc. it gives you a stable point to start from, and you don’t need to stay there after each set. If you spread your arms a few inches farther apart when doing this, you work the inner portion of your biceps. If you bring your hands a few inches closer, it can build the outer biceps. So it all depends on what you want.

1. Crunches

We’ve all heard about how sit ups are bad for the back and crunches, etc, and yet we all continue to use them. As it turns out, pilates ab workouts are actually better than these crunches. It works a larger proportion of the abs instead of limiting you.

1. Squats

For a great butt, hip extensions are better than squats. Sad, we love squats. But hip extensions affects 55% more of the hamstring muscle and 79% more of the glutes. Get on your hands and knees, keep knees bent, lift your right heel toward the ceiling, and then lower it back down to the starting position. 12 reps on each side should do it.

1. Extra Protein Intake

Protein is important for your body, but your body can really only use so much just like it can only use so much vitamin A, vitamin C, carbs, sugars, or any other vital nutrients. Extra protein is automatically stored as fat. Sorry to disappoint all you low carb lovers.

1. Lifting weights

Instead of doing the standard weight lifting stuff you should mix it up. Going up and down up and down doesn’t work the way you want it to. So pause for a second in the middle on the way up and the way down. You’ll completely exhaust your muscles and work them so much more this way. You’ll fry more fat in less time and with less conscious effort.

If you’ve seen advertisements, you have seen plenty of products claiming that they can help you to lose 30 pounds in 30 days or 3 weeks. That much weight loss in that short a period of time is not healthy, despite the way it may appeal to you. Worst case scenario, you will send your body into shock. Best case scenario, your body will get used to whatever you’re doing and stop losing weight all together despite your best healthy efforts. Essentially, to lose this much weight in this short a time means that you are starving your body of essential calories. Your body will start holding onto the fat stores and eating away at your muscles to make up the difference. And many dieters go on yo yo diets, trying something and maybe losing tons of weight, maybe losing none, and then going back to their normal and livable eating habits and gaining it all back.

So for starters, don’t starve yourself. You don’t have to be anorexic to basically be starving yourself. If you are eating more than about 1000 calories per day on a regular basis, that would count as basic starvation and likely severe malnutrition. You need to eat in order to keep your metabolism and other fat burning mechanisms in working order.

Second, eat regular meals. If you eat 6 small meals per day, that is actually better than eating 3 bigger meals per day. A portion is about the size of your fist, and if you regularly give your body the time and ability to process each set of calories, you will do considerably better.

Third, don’t assume that diet or exercise alone will do the job. You need to use both to lose a considerable amount of weight. If you eat really well but always sit around on the couch, you are not even burning off the calories of a healthy diet. If you work out but eat crap, you can only burn off so many calories and are counteracting all your hard work. Unless you are Michael Phelps, you are not going to burn off that many calories per day.

Finally, drink plenty of water. Most of your body’s weight is water weight. But without adequate portions of water weight, you will be chronically dehydrated, eat more, and actually gain more fat, which is much harder to get rid of.

If you use a good plan and set realistic goals, you can expect to lose about 2 pounds per week, more if you are morbidly obese. After all, one pound accounts for a greater percentage of your total weight if you weigh 100 pounds as opposed to 300 pounds. This basically helps you to burn more fat, retain healthy results, and maintain your weight loss long into the future. Depending on how bad your eating habits, simply cutting out soda or cutting out fried foods for example could make a significant difference on its own.

People are flocking to the HCG diet. After all, some are claiming that you can lose up to a pound of fat every day. And to be honest, thousands have transformed their body and finally lost weight with this injection, drink mix, etc. And to think that it was developed in the 1950’s by Dr Simeons, many are amazed. Critics will tell you there is no actual proof of this, and some may say it’s actually dangerous, but the results continue to manifest themselves.

So here are the facts. In 1954, Dr Simeons practiced in India and reported that when supplemented with HCG, obese boys or fat boys improved their weight proportions. So he researched further, traveling to Rome. Physicians came from across the world to consult with Dr Simeons. Simeons has suggested that HCG does a number of different things for the body.

However official studies have shown that those who used HCG in a control group using the same diet as the placebo group showed no statistically significant difference in weight loss. Simeons claims that it can help to reduce hunger pangs. But his diet generally requires that you not only stick to a 500 calorie diet for the duration of the diet. They also require that you exercise and eat nutrient dense foods, which can create a feeling of satiety at a quicker rate in and of themselves.

Still, Dr Simeons claims there are 3 types of fat: structural, normal, and abnormal fat. Structural fat surrounds the internal organs and can be found around the soles of the feet, and it is actually necessary. Normal fat stores itself as energy reserves. And abnormal fat develops around the midsection, hips, and thighs that is hard to get rid of, no matter what you do. The healthy person will apparently eventually metabolize abnormal fat with diet and exercise. It is only the unhealthy and so on that will not. Simeons claims that his diet can target that unhealthy fat.

The fact is that the only part proven dangerous with this diet is the 500 calorie daily intake, which could be considered to be bordering on anorexia. Simeons claims that it suppresses appetite. But there are some who lose 2 to 3 pounds daily due to higher weight classes on a more reasonable diet who are losing only one pound per day. At some point, this could be your body reacting by going into starvation mode. But it should not logically be happening in the beginning.

All things considered, we think that if you follow the HCG diet, you cannot logically avoid losing weight. But then again, you could follow that diet without actually paying thousands for the injections and using an appetite suppressant like glucomannan. It seems that people are actually losing less with HCG, and there are no studies to confirm that it helps. But it’s all ultimately speculation.

“I hate taking pictures” “My clothes are tight!” These are common complaints of many gaining weight or wanting to lose weight. Many come to this point and decide that they are going to go cold turkey, cut out all junk food, and go on a “diet” once and for all. We all know it ultimately has to be a lifestyle change, but people don’t necessarily think about this. But you may have not thought about attitude having anything to do with successful weight loss and maintenance.

First stop thinking of your changes as a diet. Most associated diets will bland foods, nasty low calorie dressings that are supposed to be “just like” the real thing, horrible cravings, and pain in general. So stop thinking of it as a diet. Think of it instead of healthier choices: fruits and vegetables that taste good and satisfy, low calorie meats with tons of seasonings if you want them, a reduction in friend foods, smaller portions throughout the day, etc.

Second, don’t give up yourself before the race even starts. Most dieters have tried and failed with other diets before, and so they find themselves highly discouraged. But this is a new day, a new lifestyle change, a new exercise plan. Even if you have failed before, today could be the day when you finally succeed once and for all. So don’t just stop there. Identify the reasons you have failed before, and eliminate them this time around. You can learn from past experiences.

Third, you are not alone. You may think you are alone and nobody understands. But thousands of people go through your same predicaments and struggles every day, and thousands eventually learn to succeed. So why shouldn’t you be one of those people? It may seem that your friends and family are always the ones sabotaging you, always thinking you’re weak, always eating horrible food around and in front of you. But in most cases, if you let them know, they’ll be far more encouraging.

These 3 attitude changes could vastly affect your potential for success and start you out working for the best instead of using self defeating practices and ultimately giving up before you even get off the ground. They can help you to adopt other habits and practices that will lead to your ultimate success.