Before you do any exercise or go on any diets there is one thing you should know and do in order to lose a get a flat stomach. Despite what you may have been told in the past here is the truth about abs.

The very thing I always recommend you do before engaging in any weight loss or fat loss from the stomach is a complete colon cleanse. You have to know exactly what you are working with, how much of your gut is fat and how much is built up waste material?

Some people reported back to me after there cleanse that they got rid of upwards of 25 pounds of waste and toxic matter from the lower intestines. This came as quite a shocker to some. But in my experience I have seen even worst cases than 25lbs.

Once you have gotten rid of your waste and built up fecal batter from the bowels, your then need to restore proper bowel function and movement. This requires maintaining a high fiber mostly plant based diet. Legumes, brown rice, whole wheat pasta and other wholesome grains, you should have lots of fruits, vegetables, and large salads.

Many people after doing a colon cleanse and the plant based diet for 30 days will see a drastic reduction of there fat around the belly.

But to even maximize your efforts and results you should then start an exercise program. I am not taking about ab crunches. You need over all aerobic activity such as brisk walking, jogging, bike riding, swimming, tennis or what ever you like. “targeted exercise” is not what you want at this time, you should just work on increasing your metabolic rate so that your body will start to burn more fat, and then become more efficient at burning fat, even while you are at rest.

The foods you eat should be the same volume as before but because they are high fiber low calorie foods they will work to reduce your stomach size.

Putting these two principles into action in the right combination can have dramatic and impressive results. For more details see the first link below.

We all grow older, don’t we? And, at least in America, it seems that as we grow older, our waistlines grow, too. That’s completely natural. Or is it? I’m sure, however, you’ve seen that man or woman who seems to be aging quite a bit more slowly than you and everybody else is. What’s their secret? Well, Consumer Reports wanted to know the same thing. And their findings might surprise you.

It’s Not Genetics

You might be tempted to think it’s all in the genes. But guess what? It’s not! Consumer Reports’ study found that a large part of how well certain people aged was not in their genes, but in what they ate. Specifically, they tended to get more of their calories through fruits and vegetables than everyone else.

The survey was conducted through Consumer Reports’ subscribers. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their weight, eating habits, and exercise habits. 21, 632 readers completed the survey. This found that there were roughly three groups of people. Those who had never been overweight. Those who once were overweight and now were the correct weight. And those who had been chronically overweight.

Key Behaviors

Consumer Reports used this information to identify six key behaviors of the thin group and of the successful loser group. On top of the list was eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Roughly half of the thin and successful loser groups said they ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables at least five days out of the week.

Fruits and vegetables help weight loss in several ways. For once, they are naturally low in calories while being high in volume. They’re also high in important nutrients that make the body run better. In fact, this relationship between what’s called “energy density” (calories) and weight has recently been studied by the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania State University. They found that increasing the volume of the food while keeping the energy density the same or lower reduced the amount of food eaten at a meal. Less food, fewer calories. Fewer calories, less weight. Interestingly, people tend to eat food by it’s weight. So, if a food is less dense in terms of calories, you get fewer calories per ounce of food. You’re volume of the same, but the calories eaten is less.

If you have an excess of fat around your mid section then you may be looking for a secret to getting rid of tummy fat. Tummy fat is one of the hardest place to get rid of fat. However once you have a proven weight loss plan and some motivation and dedication, you can lose the excess weight with breeze. Below are4 tips for you to consider to help you get rid of tummy fat.

Tip #1- Eat Less More Often

It is better for you to spread your meals throughout the day than to have 3 large chunks of meal. Spreading out your meals allows your metabolism to be better regulated so that you can burn fat faster.

Tip #2- Have a lot of fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables will provide your body with adequate nutrients it need to function properly. Also fruits are water based which allow then to be a means of detoxifying the body of unwanted substances that can lead to weight gain.

Tip #3- Increase your fiber intake

You can get your fiber from whole grain product or whole wheat product. Fiber is very important in your diet because it reduces the amount of belly fat that your body stores. It moves fats through your system more quickly, which slows down weight gain.

Ti #4- Get regular exercises

Though it is not absolutely necessary, exercising is very important to when trying to lose weight. You see if you perform targeted exercises then getting rid of tummy fat will be very easy as the abdominal will be focused on. Crunches, sit-ups and leg lift are just some of the tummy fat exercise that you may consider.

Weight loss. It is a multibillion-dollar industry. Scarcely a day does not go by where there is not some new ‘Diet Revolution’ or ‘Celebrity Diet’ that claims to be the be all and end all in the ‘Battle of the Bulge’. While there are many less than truthful claims being made out there about losing weight, one thing is certain, Obesity is a disease, and it is one that is reaching almost epidemic proportions in this country. The other truth is that amongst all the hype there really is a safe and effective natural approach to weight loss - pH Balance.

What is pH Balance?

pH is the measure of how Acidic or Alkaline something is. The human body is slightly alkaline, or more basic than acidic. Therefore the closer we stay to the proper pH balance for the human body, which is approximately 7.3 - 7.5 the healthier we will be.

Unfortunately the diet of most Americans is highly acidic, and throws this balance way off. Interestingly enough the foods that have traditionally been seen as those the least healthy, refined sugars, refined flours, coffee, fast foods, all are highly acidic, and those that nutritionists and conventional medical practitioners find ‘healthy’ i.e. fruits, vegetables, fish oils, all tip to the alkaline side. However, once again finding balance is what is important because some foods traditionally considered ‘healthy’ like protein, can also be acidic foods. You need to examine the foods you eat in order to experience a better overall health.

There are many symptoms of excess acidity, not the least of which is being overweight, and having trouble loosing weight. People with too much acidity in their diets will likely experience:

* Low energy

* Chronic fatigue

* Nasal congestion

* Frequent colds

* Frequent Flu and infections

* Nervousness, stress, irritability, anxiety, and agitation

* Weak nails, dry hair, dry skin

* Headaches

* Joint pain or arthritis, muscle pain, leg cramps and spasms

* Hives

* Gastritis, acid indigestion

Physician and Coauthor of the book Gut Solutions Dr. Leonard Smith, has seen the benefits of a proper pH balanced diet many times. A patient of Dr. Smiths, Florence Vellan de Robinson was overweight and suffered from chronic pulmonary disease. She recently underwent a 3-week program that included a diet rich in raw fruits, vegetables, juices and higher Alkaline foods. Says Florence, ‘I started doing so much better; even after 4 days here I could see the difference… I am beginning to be totally alive again and it’s not just the quality of my life and how I feel but now I am able to perform and get back to being useful to humanity and to my society.’

The other important aspect of maintaining proper pH both for losing weight and overall health is hydration -or drinking enough water. But it is not only drinking enough water but the type of water that matters, according to Dr. Robert O. Young, PhD, author of The pH miracle for weight loss. Says Dr. Young, ‘Practically speaking, getting to-and keeping your ideal weight requires eating plenty of high-quality, healthful fats and focusing your food choices around green vegetables. The biggest secret of all is actually in what you drink, and keeping your body sufficiently hydrated with the right water makes all the difference.’

And while in well documented studies, thousands of individuals have lost weight and recovered from devastating illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, even cancer by detoxifying, correcting their pH Balance and maintaining it through proper diet and hydration - anyone can benefit from the rejuvenating effects of being Alkaline.

According to Dr. Smith, ‘this lifestyle certainly adds life to your years and probably years to your life. Any diet, but especially a diet, that decreases the level of free radicals in the body and decreases acidity, has been proven to be beneficial. ‘In the process of taking in oxygen in our food, we actually make what are called free radicals, its kind of scientific term, but everyone’s heard of it now, and free radicals basically raise the acid level like a fire in the body. Medical science has certainly supported the fact that as we eat more green vegetables, fruits seeds and nuts we increase the anti-oxidants in our body which are basically a way to put out the fire.’

According to Drs. Smith and Young and those that share their philosophies, we don’t catch diseases; we allow them to develop within our body by the choices we make, and that includes the disease of obesity. Specifically when it comes to being overweight we are speaking about the choices involving stress and the ways we deal with it, the choices we make in the water we drink, and the foods we eat. And while certainly there is a genetic predisposition towards certain conditions, and weight and body image itself is largely due to genetic factors, according to Dr. Smith while we can not change our genes we can ‘…change the environment that’s washing over those genes and causing them to either express as an illness, or express as average health, or better yet express as excellent health.’

Or put another way ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor a way’ and ‘we are what we eat’ - may actually be a lot more than just a couple of well-worn clich?s.

What are the “foods that can help me lose weight?” is a question which people who want to lose weight ask.

Yes, there are certain low calorie foods which you should be eating that can result in significant reduction in energy consumption of the body.

Basically, weight loss occurs when the energy you consume from different foods in your daily diet is lower than the energy which your body burns every day. So, choosing the right type of foods helps you to control the amount of calories you consume - which in turn helps you in your losing weight plans.

Foods which are high on fiber, low on fat and with good water content assist in the process of weight loss. Fruits, vegetables, wholegrain foods and brown rice are some of the food items that you should eat if you want to have a slender and healthy body.

A well-balanced diet is the key to losing weight effectively. A good diet also provides all the essential nutrients to the body in the right amount.

Let us have a look at some of the best foods which can help you to lose that extra weight

Whole grain foods are one of the best source of fiber, which keep your stomach filled for hours and provide good source of energy to the body. Whole grains and cereals must comprise of maximum portion of your daily diet along with vegetables and fruits, which can provide your body with vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals and roughage needed for weight loss.

Apples are also one of the best foods that can help you to cut down on calorie intake - so try snacking on them and other fruits as they are low in calories.

Among some of the best foods to lose weight, tuna fish is regarded as an excellent source of lean protein, which also consists of a good amount of Omega-3 fatty acids. Many experts suggest that consuming fish at least 3 times a week can be beneficial to the body and since it is low in fat and has fewer calories.

Olive oil is also good because it’s a rich source of antioxidants, Vitamin E, beta-carotene - which comes under the category of mono-unsaturated fats that is essential for the body.

Try eating different kinds of berries like cranberries, blueberries, acai berry which are rich source of antioxidants. Acai berry contains a rich source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which is essential for burning fat and is regarded today as one of the best foods to lose weight.

Broccoli is yet another vegetable which is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and contains folic acid - and can help you in your weight loss plans, along with other leafy, dark green vegetables.

Know more about the best foods to lose weight and follow some proven losing weight programs, and you too can have a slender and healthy body.