No one can argue the fact that water is good for the body. The health benefits associated with drinking plenty of water each day include better digestion, clearer skin, increased metabolism, and increased weight loss, among other things. With all the benefits its seems like there should be no reason to not drink 8 glasses of water a day. However many people fail to even get 2 glasses of water daily.

In order to get in all eight of the recommended glasses of water per day follow these tips for drinking more water:

Make it available. If you keep water conveniently placed near you it will be easier to drink without thinking about it. You will be able to reach for the water each time the thought crosses your mind. If you work in an office you can keep a bottle of water at your desk and drink from it regularly throughout the day. While you are doing your normal tasks at home try to keep a glass or bottle within reaching distance.

Carry water with you everywhere. A lot of people fail to drink enough water because they are busy and on the go. This is no excuse. Get a water bottle you can easily transport while you are out and about. Get a cool water bottle that will make drinking water more fun and more of a talking point among friends.

Add a little flavor. Another reason many people don’t drink enough water is the lack of flavor. If you can’t stand the taste of plain water, or just want something different, try adding lemons or limes to your water. Adding only a splash adds a new flavor to the water and keeps it fresh. You can also freeze little bits of peeled lemons, limes, and oranges to use as ice cubes. Crystal Light is another great alternative, just add a pinch of it to add flavor to water.

Sneak the H2O in. Did you know that getting plenty of water doesn’t mean you have to swig glass after glass? You don’t actually have to drink to get water in your system. You can eat water rich food as another option. For instance, instead of drinking that last glass of water you can eat a good size portion of watermelon. You can also eat tomatoes or other high water content foods. This option is great, but don’t over abuse it. You do need to drink the majority of your water daily.

There are lots of ways to make drinking water easier and more fun. These are just a few of the options to make sure you get 8 glasses of water in each day.

Whether you are losing weight thanks to exercise, pills, or surgery, one thing you can’t get around is the need to eat right.  All of the normal weight loss methods are highly dependent on the person’s ability to eat healthy foods the majority of the time.  One place many people go wrong is when they consume calorie dense pasta meals.  You can eat pasta while losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but you have to make sure it is a healthy version.

And remember to take it easy on the portion sizes for pasta!  Those huge meals you get at restaurants are not the appropriate size for meals!  Remember that the proper portion size should be about the size of your fist, no bigger.

Easy Pasta Salad

• Cooking time (duration): 20
• Chilling time: 4 hours
• Diet (other): Low calorie, Reduced fat
• Meal type: dinner or lunch

Ingredients:

And if pasta salad isn’t your thing, try this delicious lasagne guaranteed to get more healthy vegetables into your system.

Vegetarian Lasagne

• Preparation time (duration): 30 minutes
• Cooking time: 45 minutes
• Diet (other): Reduced fat, High protein
• Meal type: dinner

Ingredients:

Sauce Layer

Pasta layer:

• 6 lasagne noodles

Filling layer:

• 24 oz. fat free cottage cheese
• 2 eggs (or egg substitute), lightly beaten
• 2 T parsley
• 3 T freshly grated parmsean cheese

Mozzarella cheese layer:

• 8 oz. reduced fat mozzarella cheese, grated
• 4 oz. regular mozzarella cheese, grated

Instructions:

Layer as follows in 9 x 13 casserole dish.

1. Place 3 lasagne noodles in bottom of casserole dish
2. Top noodles with 1/2 of cheese filling
3. Top cheese filling with 1/2 red sauce
4. Top red sauce with half of mozzarella cheese
5. Repeat layers, starting with 3 more noodles and ending with the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 45 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted completely.

Find your exercise. Not all exercise was created equally. You might like running while your best friend hates it. You might be able to swim but not enjoy biking. If you like jogging then jog. If you like taking aerobics classes then take aerobics classes. Find whatever exercise that works best for you – something that doesn’t feel like a chore when you do it – and then do it regularly throughout the week. Don’t pick an exercise or routine you hate because you won’t stick with it for long. Also, don’t overdo it trying to live up to the “no pain, no gain” motto. If you hurt yourself you will lose your ability to exercise for a while as well as your desire to return to the activity that injured you. It is perfectly fine to lose weight without pain.

Zone out when you workout. People exercise along to their favorite music because the external stimulus takes the mind off the physical activity. If you are concentrating on what your body is doing and what it has left to do then your workout will drag by. You will be stuck counting down the minutes and not giving your workout your all. However, using music is a “secret” most people use to make the time fly by. Buy a portable music player to take with you to workouts or make sure you are situation near a radio or tv so you have something to focus on besides the time on the machine.

Use video games for workouts. Video games have now helped thousands of people lose weight. There are multiple ways to incorporate video games into your workout. You can use a video game to distract you from the time of the workout, much like people use music. Just position yourself so you can complete the exercise safely while also focusing on the video game. You will find that the adrenaline the game inspires will pump up your workout without your knowledge. You can also use video games with the Nintendo Wii to use your body in conjunction with the video game. With games like tennis, bowling, boxing, and more, you will be up and using your body to move while being completely engaged in the game. You can also use the Wii Fit game which is made to help people get in shape exercising with the Wii.

The benefits of exercise are well known but now one is being called into question – exercise’s ability to make you thin. If your only goal is to lose weight you might want to skip the gym visit. According to Time Magazine, in their cover story “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin,” exercise doesn’t make people thinner.

Louisiana State University diabetes and metabolism chair Eric Ravussin says bluntly that, “in general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless.” The reason?

He says, “The basic problem is that while it’s true that exercise burns calories and that you must burn calories to lose weight, exercise has another effect: it can stimulate hunger. That causes us to eat more, which in turn can negate the weight-loss benefits we just accrued.”

The article calls it the “compensation problem.” The argument basically says that people who exercise use the rational: I exercised for this amount of time so I will reward myself with a food treat. The calories they burned exercising are then eclipsed by the calories of the food they consume.

The article also quotes research that a pound of muscle burns about 6 calories a day and a pound of fat burns 2. After you’ve converted 10 lbs of fat to muscle you can only eat an extra 40 calories per fat before beginning to gain weight.

Many exercise, fitness and health experts say Time magazine got it wrong with their cover story. They look to most of the research out there that suggests both exercise and dieting are important elements for weight loss and that exercise is the most critical for weight maintenance. This research not shown in the Time magazine article shows that people who have maintained weight loss over a period of years rely on exercise to do so. Also, many have already come out to say that while some people do neutralize their calories burned by eating after a workout, most active people do not and if you want to lose weight you will have to stop treating yourself just because you walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes.

And though the article struck a nerve with its denial of exercise’s importance to weight loss, it did note the other benefits of exercise. People who regularly exercise are at a lower risk for diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses. While exercise might not exactly cure obesity, at least according to Time, it does make you healthier. Without a doubt doctors will still recommend exercise to everyone for the health benefits it provides.

Developing good eating habits can be the key to keeping weight off for the long run. No matter how you first lose the weight you will need to develop good, sustainable habits that will keep the weight from creeping back on. Learning how to eat might seem like a silly concept, but in order to properly eat healthy you will need to replace many of the bad habits with good ones.  If you are just now starting to lose weight then developing good eating habits will help the weight come off more quickly and easily.

Most people have many bad habits when it comes to eating. This is especially true of people with busy schedules who feel like they don’t have time to plan or make healthy food. But paying attention to what you are putting in your body and how you are eating can make the difference between weight loss and weight gain.

To change the way you eat you first need to analyze and find the bad eating habits. There are some things people do that are pretty common these days but are still bad eating habits. Here are some bad eating habits:

• Eating too fast.
• Eating too much too quickly.
• Eating at your desk.
• Eating in front of the tv.
• Eating fast food while driving.
• Eating while standing up.
• Eating without knowing what you are eating.

Now that you’ve recognized the bad habits you now need to replace them with good ones. You aren’t looking to be perfect but you should try to replace as many of the bad habits as you can and try to aim for good habits. What are those good habits?

• Eating with a knife and fork.
• Eating while sitting at a table.
• Focusing on what you are eating.
• Eating slowly and putting the fork down between bites.
• Eating without distractions like the television or movies.
• Eating food you understand and know what it is.
• Eating with a friend and focusing on conversation.

It will take time to change your bad habits into good ones. You probably will never have perfectly good habits and that is okay. There will always be a time when you have to eat fast or at your desk.  You can’t expect to never eat standing up or in your car again. As long as you make those occasions the exception instead of the rule you will be on your way to having good eating habits and a healthy weight.

There is a new health study involving healthy weight and obesity risk from the University of South Carolina that suggests the majority of people who maintain their optimum healthy body weight do not consume a low carbohydrate diet that many people use to lose weight.

The research team behind the study was led by Dr. A. T. Merchant, an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of South Carolina. They used a 2004-2005 cross-sectional survey of 4,451 Canadians aged 18 years and older for the study about healthy weights and food consumption.

After studying the results of the survey they came to conclude that normals weights are associated with people that indicated higher carbs consumption. People consuming 290 to 310 g/day carbohydrates, or 47% to 64% of their daily calories from carbs, were the least likely people to be overweight or obese. Also, those in the study that consumed less carbohydrates were more likely to be obese or overweight.

Those that consumed the most carbohydrates also had lower intakes of fat calories and higher intakes of fiber. Compared to the those with the lowest carbohydrate intake, their weight and obesity risk was lower by 37% (if consuming 234 g/day) or 42% (those consuming 269 g/day).

Dr. A. T. Merchant, the lead scientist in the study, mentioned the popularity of low carb diets with the comment that any extreme diet is difficult to adhere to over the long term. When calories are slashed to next to nothing, people lose weight quickly but later have trouble. Those extreme diets many people turn to in order to lose weight quickly, are ineffective because they are not sustainable.

Most low-carb diets are lacking in the complex carbs that are rich in fiber, which helps aid digestion and makes people feel full. Diets that lack an abundance of those complex carbohydrates often lead dieters to feel hungry and less full.

Additionally the study found that physical activity played a bigger role than amount of carb consumption. The researchers determined that those with the lowest overweight and obesity risk were the most physically active, more so than those with the lowest or highest carbohydrate intake.

Every weight loss and healthy situation is unique but the take aways from the study are: don’t be afraid of carbohydrates and make sure you are physically active. Low carb diets are often touted as the best way to lose weight, but they are unsustainable and often leave dieters with a higher risk for being overweight.

John Daly once weight in at 277 pounds but has recently shed 72 pound. In addition to his recent weight loss Daly still hope to drop 15 more pounds.

His weight loss is all thanks to his decision to undergo lap band surgery. He is now back to playing golf professionally after the surgery and subsequent weight loss. His lifestyle now consists of tiny portions at meals instead of the former whopping portions.

“Never been to the workout trailer and never wanna go,” Daly said recently. “What I had was safe and it’s effective. I feel a lot better and, far as my golf goes, it’s easier to swing the club around me because there ain’t as much of me as there used to be. Don’t have to route the swing according to my gut. Fat is in my family genes. I was big when I was little. Now, look at me. Great, isn’t it?”

Daly had the surgery in February to tie off part of his stomach. The surgery reduced the amount of food he can eat. Daly now weighs about 200—less than he did when he won the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick in 1991 – but not everyone thinks he is healthy.

“He’s losing the weight, but he hasn’t learned to eat right yet,” Rick Smith told GolfWorld. “The doctors tell him he needs 80 or 90 grams of protein a day, and he’s getting 10. He’s edgy from all the nicotine and caffeine, and he’s making bad decisions because his brain is disconnected from his body.”

Smith continued, “He’s frustrated. The problem is, he’s lost all this weight, and it’s nice to weigh less, but he doesn’t feel very good.”

New dietary challenges are only part of the problem Daly is dealing with that have put pressure on his game. Smith continues to be optimistic about both Daly’s weight loss, health, and prospects on making a comeback in the golf world, saying, “John picks up things so quick, and with his talent he could realistically be in the press room after the first round of the PGA if he can get the nutrition part right,” he said.

Daly will have to get his nutrition under control if he is going to be successful with weight loss. If he does not change his eating habits and start eating foods that are nutritious he will end up gaining much of the weight back like many other post weight loss surgery patients.

Regardless of whether he keeps the weight off, Daly is trying his hardest to make a comeback. Since his return to the PGA Tour he is trying to make a comeback free of drama and health problems.

Some call Rush Limbaugh the leader of the Republican Party. Others consider him a venomous and oversized caricature from conservative talk radio. But whether you love him or hate him there is no denying the fact that Rush has slimmed down recently. In fact, these days Limbaugh is now 90 pounds lighter.

The secret to Limbaugh’s recent weight loss is Quick Weight Loss Centers, a Florida-based company that combines a low-calorie diet, office visits and supplements for weight loss. Those supplements included in diet are protein boosters, carbohydrate blockers and appetite suppressants.

For Limbaugh the plan was the easiest one he has ever found. “It’s just the easiest one, and it’s the fastest. I’m 58-years-old. I never lost weight this fast, almost 90 pounds here since March 9, not even six months yet,” Limbaugh said on his radio show recently.

The program has provided him with very quick weight loss but not much education about how to live a healthy life and keep the weight off.

“I don’t know the caloric intake of one thing I’m eating,” said Limbaugh. “All I know is that it adds up to about 1,500 calories. It’s a factor, but it is the way the proteins, the complex carbs and the fats and even some fruit get put together during the course of the day.”

Most weight loss experts don’t expect drastic weight loss results like this to last. In order to maintain drastic weight losses dieters need to remain on the same program forever and programs like this are unsustainable in the long term.

The drastic weight loss is very difficult to sustain and can also be dangerous. To lose that much weight so quickly, over a pound a day according to the amount Limbaugh says he has lost, you must severely cut calories. That cut leads the body to starvation mode which has potentially dangerous health effects including losing lean muscle mass.

Hours after Limbaugh revealed his secret weight loss weapon, the Quick Weight Loss Centers’ name became the fastest-rising search on Google. Other clients of the center have come forward with their own amazing weight loss stories that prove the center can lead people to the quick weight loss it’s name promises.

While Limbaugh has found success with the program only time will tell if he is permanently successful. While most weight loss experts are sure of his impending failure, he might just surprise everyone with his ability to keep the weight off. He will have to come off the strict program he used to lose the weight and that is when the real battle will begin.

Making sure your kitchen is well stocked with healthy foods is preparing yourself for successful weight loss and optimal health. Making this happen requires consistent and well planned grocery shopping and preparation. The work might seem overwhelming but will make healthy eating much easier in the long run.

First make a list of what you have. Then make a list of the things that you need to stock up on. Hit the grocery store and fill in your kitchen with healthy foods. If you need help making your list, the following is a basic list of some healthy kitchen essentials:

Healthy foods for your pantry:

* Whole grains – quinoa, amaranth, kamut, barley
* Lentils
* Canned goods – diced tomatoes, healthy soups, tuna, salmon, mixed beans
* Whole grain crackers
* Whole grain cereals
* Rolled Oats
* Green/Black tea
* Whole wheat pasta
* Mixed nuts/trail mix
* Dried fruit
* Vinegar – balsamic, apple cider, red wine, raspberry
* Oils – olive, coconut, canola, sesame, sesame, avocado
* Spices – oregano, basil, paprika, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon
* Garlic
* Ginger

Healthy foods for your fridge:

* Low fat milk
* Water jug – Brita is a great brand for this
* Vegetables – tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, romaine lettuce, carrots, spinach
* Fruit -Apples, strawberries, blueberries, oranges
* Lean meat – chicken/turkey breast, lean cuts of steak, grass fed beef
* Fatty Fish – salmon, mackerel, cod
* Eggs
* Pesto/salsa/healthy sauces
* Margarine

Healthy foods for your freezer:

* Frozen veggies
* Frozen meats
* Frozen fish
* Frozen berries
* Ready-made stir-fry mix

Healthy foods for your counter top:

* Whole wheat bread/high fiber pita
* Fruits (bananas, apples, oranges)

Useful appliances for your kitchen:

* Coffee grinder – useful for grinding seeds like the very healthy flaxseed
* Blender – great for making healthy fruit and veggie smoothies

These foods are great basics for anyone who wants to live healthier and eat right. If you are cooking within two days or so you will want to take inventory of what is available for your meal preparation. Making sure you have those staples available makes grocery shopping and healthier eating easier.

Everyone might have other necessary items on their kitchen staples list. Remember that these are just the basics and your list might be longer or shorter. Whatever the specifics of the list are, remember that keeping a healthy stocked kitchen will make weight loss much easier!

This week the Center For Disease Control and Prevention is holding a three-day conference in Washington, D.C. to tackle the problem of obesity. The CDC has recently published several reports on the issues of obesity and also released a set of recommendations for how communitires can implement programs and policies to help combat the problem of obesity.

Obesity continues to be a huge problem facing the United States. It is a major risk factor for deadly conditions like heart disease and diabetes, which cause Americans to spend billions of dollars on health care each year. The CDC recently found that the proportion of obese U.S. adults rose again last year to 26.1 percent. They have shown that obesity is a big problem that continues to grow and now that are trying to answer the question about what should be done about it.

The three-day conference they are hosting is called “Weight of the Nation.” Their is much chatter surrounding the conference about whether the federal government can tackle the issues of weight gain and obesity without intruding into Americans’ personal lives by intruding into their kitchens, restaurants, and stores. While there have been several local bans on trans fats in restaurants, many argue that these and other measures are limiting personal choice.

Many, like Texas state Senator Kel Seliger opposed state bans on trans fat but still support provisions to provide healthier foods in public schools along with proper dietary education. While he supports education he believes the government should stay away from restriciting food content. Like many other public officials, he would rather inform the public than coerce them into living a healthy lifestyle.

This week Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told the CDC conference that reducing obesity rates is at the heart of the president’s health care plan. This is after the CDC reported and increase in the health cost of obesity, which is now up to $147 billion annually. Both Sebelius and former president Bill Clinton argued that reducing obesity would lower health care costs dramatically.

Among all this the turn of the conference and speakers turned to prevention of obesity. The new recommendations from the CDC focus on making healthy foods more available and promoting physical activity. Additionally the recommendations call for the restriction of unhealthy foods and beverages in public venues, a point that is in contention with many.  Discussion over other “fat tax” measures continued but would face trouble when being made into law.

However, all involved recognize the problem and the need for solutions.  The Trust for America’s Health declared in a report this month that America’s current obesity policies are “failing,” citing no decrease in adult obesity in the last year.