Do a Google for “Christian Weight Loss” and a number of sites pop up. Ranging from the evangelical “doctor” who says gluttony (one of the seven deadly sins) is the cause of all the obesity in the world, to the site promoting faith-based weight loss without dieting. “God means us to be slim!” heralds one enthusiastic Christian weight loss proponent. There is surely truth in what each one of these websites says.

Overeating, or gluttony is certainly part of the equation, but an even greater part is the relative physical inactivity in the daily life of most people. Many overweight people are not over-eaters, but under-exercisers. Also, because of the convenience offered by prepared foods, the American diet is heavily into these convenience items, most of which are laden with high fructose corn syrup as both a sweetener and a preservative. This one product is a major contributor the obesity epidemic in the world, particularly the USA.

Faith-based weight loss is a positive factor in any weight control program. Regardless of ones religious convictions, faith and the power of the mind are indisputable principles. Jon Gabriel discovered how to harness the power of the mind to promote healthy weight loss without a strenuous diet program (www.gabrielmethod.com) and personally lost more than 200 pounds. He spends his time helping others to achieve their natural weight by teaching his program to individuals and in group seminars all over the world. Jon is a considered a marvel by the medical community because his body shows no signs of having been morbidly obese.

Christian weight loss may not be as fast as a crash-diet, but it is certainly much healthier, both physically and spiritually. Programs based upon faith and mind control will more than likely produce long-lasting results.

How does a guy who is morbidly obese at 410 pounds drop more than 220 pounds and show no signs of having ever been overweight?  This man, a former medical researcher and financial analyst, put together a program that lead to his own amazing transformation and the life-changing transformation of many other.  It all began in 2001 when he awakened to the idea that his body just wanted to be fat and as long as it wanted to be fat, no amount of dieting or exercise was going to change that.

Jon Gabriel was a successful financial guy in the New York City area.  In a former life, he had studied biochemistry, organic chemistry and biology, even performed research for the acclaimed biochemist, Dr. Jose Rabinowitz.  Jon was also fat.  Over a twelve year period he had gained more than 200 pounds and nothing he did seemed to help.  Jon had spent time at Dr. Nathan Pritikin’s Institute and with the late Dr. Robert Atkins.  Their efforts resulted in some initial weight loss, but while still dieting, his body put the weight back on.  Discouraged, he gave up trying to lose weight.  It was about this time he had his revelation.

Jon set out to determine why his body wanted to be fat and this journey of discovery unlocked the secret of weight loss, a secret that he has taught to many other in the intervening years.  Over a period of two years, applying the principles he discovered, Jon Gabriel lost more than 220 pounds and has kept it off without any astringent dieting.  His body discovered its natural weight, fell to that point and maintained for years now.  What is even more amazing is that doctors have examined his body and find little or no evidence of him being morbidly obese.

Jon’s revelation is that the mind controls the body and the mind must understand that there is no reason to be fat.  Using a series of thought control exercises he developed, Mr. Gabriel has put together a repeatable program that he teaches to others in seminars and one-on-one meetings with people all over the world.  When Jon discovered how to remove the causes of obesity, one of which is emotional stress, he recorded it all to share with anyone wanting to lose weight.  His book and insights are available online at www.gabrielmethod.com both as a hard copy and download.  His website also has pictures of his own transformation as well as testimonies of many people from around the world.

In the late 1970s, a group of extreme athletes participated in the ultimate test of fitness and endurance, The IRONMAN Triathlon Competition. From inauspicious beginnings, The IRONMAN is recognized worldwide today as the most extreme form of endurance competition.  The event is held annually on the island of Hawaii and consists of three phases run sequentially:  A 2.4 mile swim in open water; a 112 mile bike race; and a run of 26.2 miles (the marathon distance).  There are a number of classes of competition by sex, age groups, professional and amateur.  Just finishing The IRONMAN gives significant bragging rights and hero-points enough to last a lifetime.

The promoters and developers of IRONMAN produce IRONMAN Fitness Equipment for the North and South American markets and they have licensed the manufacture outside of the Western Hemisphere.  The three primary products are; treadmills, exercise bikes and elliptical exercise machines.

• Treadmills – Two models, 1911 and 1921, with respectively; 2.5 and 3 HP continuous electric motors, 10 and 12 mph top speeds.  Each has 13 exercise programs and handlebar controls for ease of operation.
• Exercise bikes – Eight models, 3 upright and 5 recumbent, all with a wide variety of resistance and features.
• Elliptical Exercise Machines – Five models, 1 with eight levels of resistance, 4 with sixteen levels.  The base model has 1 heart-rate control and 1 program, the other four have 4 HR controls and up to 12 custom programs

Though IRONMAN Fitness Equipment was developed for home use, they are of commercial quality with sturdy frames, decks, motors, controls and features.  Independent reviewers rate all IRONMAN equipment very highly.  Further information is available on their webpage or through any of a number of equipment distributors found online.

Green Tea may contribute to weight loss programs.  There are a lot of claims being made, both in sales letters on the internet and in junk snail-mail, that green tea is the answer to weight loss.  These claims are made to promote the sale of green tea extract or concentrate or some other weight loss program using green tea as the main constituent.  Think about this:  One pound of fat is equal to approximately 3,500 calories.  In order to lose one pound, a diet must be cut by that many calories.  For the loss of one pound in one week, that is a reduction of 500 calories per day.  At a 70-80 calorie reduction from five cups per day, green tea alone may not contribute much to a shrinking waistline, but coupled with a reduced calorie diet, it can increase the efficacy of a weight loss program.

According to research by the Japanese, if an average person were to drink five cups of green tea per day, they would burn an extra 70-80 calories per day from thermogenesis, the process by which heat is generated in organisms.  If nothing else in a diet changed, a person might lose one pound every 43 days and eight pounds in one year.  This is a far cry from the 500 calorie reduction required to shed one pound of fat per week from our overfed and overweight bodies.

Most of the thermogenesis attributed to green tea comes from caffeine, but the studies in Japan suggested that some calorie burning also comes from other elements present in this aromatic brew, such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). According to herbalists, green tea has other benefits, something to do with its antioxidant properties, and they encourage its consumption.  So enjoy a brisk, delightful cup of green tea several times a day and know that you are contributing to your health.

Water Aerobics are generally performed in groups led by a trainer who is usually leads from the pool deck where their movements may be seen by all the class members.  For more infirm practitioners, flotation belts may be used as a safety measure.  All of the aerobic exercises performed in the floor exercise area may also be part of any water aerobics routine, so complete exercise routines may be enjoyed by trainees at any fitness level.

An additional benefit of performing exercise in the pool is that the body doesn’t overheat, but maintains a constant temperature due to the cooling and insulating value of the water.  Water aerobics aren’t just for the elderly or the infirm.  Younger, more fit exercisers can also benefit from water aerobics by just increasing the speed and tempo of the moves.  This provides greater resistance, thus greater results from the water fitness routine.

The obesity epidemic, as perceived by the manufacturers of the multitude of dietary supplements on the market, is a goldmine.  All they need to dig for their share of the billions of dollars being spent on quick-fixes is a means to reach their target audience.  Enter the internet.  Anyone with an e-mail address who has ever done a search for diet information is flooded with sales letters from every imaginable maker, broker or associate marketer of weight loss aids, all claiming stupendous results.  According to the Mayo Clinic newsletter and site(www.mayoclinic.com/health/weightloss/HQ01160/METHOD),  most of these claims are bogus.  In fact, due to the lack of research and statistical data, many of these “cures” for fat bodies may actually be quite harmful.

In a study of weight loss products and programs published by the Colorado State University (www.ext.colostate.edu, no. 9.363) an evaluation of the claims of most supplements and programs proved to be inconclusive and some products may actually be quite harmful.  Most of the programs require a low-fat, reduced calorie diet to produce the results claimed.  The diet by itself would probably produce the same results.  Many of the supplements cause bloating, flatulence, diarrhea and other unpleasantness.  Few of them are found to produce any lasting results.

A popular weight loss drink has been shown to be effective at weight loss, but the users report feeling hungry much of the time and they regained any weight immediately after stopping the use of the shakes.  The diet shakes are not nutritionally complete and may cause other problems related to dietary deficiencies.  Prescription and over-the-counter pills may have side effects that are bothersome or downright bad for the user.

Probably the only weight loss program that has much scientific study and support is that of Jon Gabriel. The Gabriel Method a book he wrote about his personal path to weight loss and fitness, describes in detail how Jon discovered the fix for his obesity (www.gabrielmethod.com). Gabriel personally lost more than 200 pounds by using his subconscious mind to change the way his body reacted to food and fat.  Gabriel has astounded doctors who have examined him in that he has no signs of having been morbidly obese (over 400 pounds).  A one-time medical researcher, Jon examined why his body wanted to be fat and then developed a program to make it want to be thin.  He has maintained his weight loss for years without problems.  Much of his time is spent working with the obese to address the causes of their problems.

Probably the best weight loss results come from supplements intended to assist with the development and growth of muscle tissue.  Muscle tissue requires more energy expenditure than fatty tissue, so the more muscular bodies burn more calories.  Coupled with a good exercise program and a properly balanced diet of healthy carbohydrates, fiber and protein, the protein bodybuilding supplements may help burn off that excess fat.

What exactly are fat burning exercises? They are the type of exercises that use the major body groups for a long period of time. To make the most out of this type of exercise, it is important to exercise at a moderate pace for a long duration. The end result is a higher percentage of calories from fat being burned with lower intensity cardio exercises.

In order to guarantee that you will not get bored with your exercise routine, it is good to look at the different options you have at your disposal. Following is a list of exercises that can not only be fun, but also will not take a chunk out of your wallet.

• Walking: It is the most basic and economical way to burn the extra pesky fat. All you have to do is take out a little extra time in your day and take a brisk walk around your neighborhood. Not only does it help burn fat, but it also can many other positive health benefits.
• Biking: Do you happen to have a decent bike in the shed that rarely gets used? Why not take it out for a spin. Biking is a great way to burn stored fat and to strengthen your thigh muscles. Biking is also great for maintaining a healthy level of blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Aerobic Dance: It is exactly as fun as it sounds. When combined with a controlled diet, you can easily burn over 300 calories in an hour. You get to burn calories, work on your dance moves, and have fun at the same time. It really is an excellent way to spice up your exercise routine.
• Cardio Exercises: Cardio can be extremely beneficial for burning fat. It can even help you to improve your overall health.
• Water Aerobics: This is an excellent way to improve your strength in your lower and upper body muscles.

With a well planned out routine, you can improve your health and become an overall happier person. Fat burning exercises is an excellent way to change your life for the better. Exercise matched with a well balanced diet is the most effective way to burn calories. It does not have to be boring. Making your routine fun with encourage you to exercise more and give you more motivation you need to start exercising right away.

Clinical weight loss can be very fast and safe.

This approach is normally reserved for those who are in dire need of taking off fast weight to lose a significant amount of pounds. Because the cost of doctor visits is cost-prohibitive for most casual dieters, clinical weight loss programs are hardly ever a consideration. Still, for those who can afford it, this is a safe way to lose weight because of the constant medical supervision. Often, the clinical approach utilizes low-calorie diets, sensible exercise and sometimes pharmaceuticals. Prescription diet pills can work quickly, but many weight-loss medications are addictive and not safe to use over long periods of time.

Nutritional supplements can help you lose weight quicker.

Nutritional supplements like the acai berry are all the rage, but it is hard to find substantial and objective proof that any supplement actually works. Still, such programs are not without merit and it is an undeniable fact that nutritional supplements can produce changes in a person’s metabolism. Many diets that primarily utilize such supplements produce short-term results and weight can fall off quickly. Even if much of this has to do with the placebo-effect, any sort of weight loss is a good thing as far as dieters are concerned.

The counseling approach is more for long term weight loss.

Diet programs that rely on counseling are perfect for people that like to be encouraged and motivated by others who have successfully seen results, but such diet plans are often not the most expedient way to lose weight. This is because dropping pounds quickly can be unhealthy, so very few professional services are going to endorse anything that can put someone’s health at risk. The counseling approach is more for realizing long-term results.

There is no arguing that making healthy changes in one’s diet coupled with sensible exercise is the most healthy and effective way to lose weight. By simply stepping up one’s efforts in both of these areas, it is possible to drop pounds fast. Losing weight quickly and maintaining a specific weight are two different tasks that require two separate approaches. Fast weight loss can be unhealthy, but through careful research and significant discipline, it is possible to expeditiously drop a few pounds.

* High quality protein
* Safe for the average person
* Nutritionally complete
* Increases metabolism
* Convenient and easy to follow
* Yields quick results

High quality protein is necessary for muscle growth and repair. During any diet some muscle will be lost, but if the main portion of the diet is comprised of protein, most muscle will still be retained. Several years ago, a diet shake was marketed. Tragically, several women excited over the prospect of drinking a complete meal and the promise of quick weight loss, died because the shakes were nutritionally deficient. Since then, diet shakes have become much safer for the average person, especially with the addition of more lean high quality protein, vitamins, minerals and the correct amounts of carbohydrates, fiber and fat to make a nutritionally complete meal replacement drink. Still, it is advisable these shakes be substituted for no more than two meals a day and be sure to add a healthy dinner.

Not too many dieters enjoy the prospect of tearing open a package, pulling out the blender and the skim milk, then mixing it all together for their morning breakfast shake. This is especially true if they have no extra time to waste in the mad rush of getting the kids fed and off to school and themselves off to work. Convenience to the average person, is defined by grabbing a drink from the refrigerator premixed, or simply taking a fat burning capsule. Another important requirement of any diet, is to see results when stepping on the scale.

While a rapid  and effective weight loss plan will help shed unwanted pounds, it is never safe to be on it long term. Instead, eat more fresh vegetables, berries, healthy snacks and lean protein and cut out the refined and processed foods which cause insulin levels to rise and plummet, resulting in a lack of energy and an increase in appetite. Prepare the meals ahead of time and place them in containers which may be taken to work, or popped into the microwave for dinner.

The higher the metabolism, the more calories will be burned. Building muscle mass is the best way to increase fat burning, because muscle naturally burns more calories. The best way to achieve and maintain muscle tone is by exercising, such as full body stretching, walking, working out with elastic bands and hand weights. It is important to remember, the more muscle that is retained during dieting, the higher the metabolism will become. To sum it up, to lose 10 lbs. a rapid weight loss diet will yield great results, but if needing to lose more than 10 pounds, a nutritionally complete, high protein, metabolism boosting diet which includes exercise will not only be very effective, but safer for overall health.

Listen to Your Own Body

Everyone knows there are some foods that agree with them and some that don’t. Some foods will energize you and some will leave you feeling drained and lethargic. That is actually your body talking to you and telling you what it needs. While concentrating on the nutritious foods that produce a beneficial effect, and avoiding the ones that don’t, you can develop an effective, healthy weight loss program that will work quickly and well.

Red Meat, Good or Bad?

For example, some people don’t fare well with red meat, but can handle some fish or chicken. Others need red meat to feel strengthened and sustain their activity level and can benefit from a mixture of red meat, chicken and fish. The quickest, most effective way to lose weight is to focus in on a healthy, well-tolerated protein source, add an abundance of vegetables, limit your carbohydrate intake and stay completely away from sugars of any kind.

Vegetables, a Dieter’s Friend

Raw vegetables should be Number One in a dieter’s arsenal. They are low in calories, full of fiber and packed with vitamins and natural enzymes. They agree with everyone in some form, and should be the primary food group of anyone trying to lose weight. Salads can be very satisfying, especially when combined with a high-quality, well-tolerated protein source like grilled meat, nuts or hard-boiled eggs. The more you incorporate salads and other raw or lightly sautéed vegetables into your daily diet, the more quickly you will lose weight. For some people, raw veggies may take some getting used to, but they are definitely worth the effort when it comes to fast weight loss ideas.

Fast weight loss is easily within reach if you concentrate on small amounts of well-tolerated, high quality protein with lots of raw or lightly steamed vegetables added. Cut out sugar and add four or five thirty-minute exercise sessions a week. Then get ready. You’re going to start enjoying your regular visits with the bathroom scale.