How some culture help their people stay slim!

Here are some interesting weight-loss tips from around the world

Thailand: Eat spicy food

Thai food is among the spiciest in the world. Hot peppers raise your metabolism , but the real benefit of food with a little zing is that spicy food slows your eating. When you eat too fast,  by the time your body signals it’s full, you’ve overeaten. Eating more slowly is a good weight-loss strategy, and making food spicier is an easy way to do it

Brazil: Have rice and beans

All that shaking at Carnaval isn’t the only body-friendly habit in Rio; Brazilians stay slim by enjoying this traditional dish with just about every meal. A study in the journal Obesity Research found that a diet consisting primarily of rice and beans lowers the risk 
of becoming overweight by about 14 percent. That’s because it’s lower in fat and higher in fibre, which is thought to stabilize blood sugar levels. It may be counterintuitive, but a diet full of beans equals a beach-ready body.

Netherlands: Ride your bike

Bikes outnumber people (at 18 million versus 16.5 million) in the Netherlands.  40 percent of the Dutch use their bikes for commuting. Traffic lights in some parts of Amsterdam are even synchronized to bike speed. Riding bikes for errands, work or pleasure can help fend off weight gain. Casual riding for errands and commuting can burn around 500 calories an hour, but if you up the exertion or add in hill-climbing, you can burn up to 1,000 calories an hour

Switzerland: Try a bowl of muesli

The ingredients in this porridge—oats, fruit and nuts—have all been linked to better health and weight control. Muesli was developed by a Swiss physician more than 100 years ago to nourish hospital patients, but today the Swiss eat it for breakfast or as a light evening snack. Eating a lot of soluble ’fibre can reduce bad cholesterol levels by 
up to 10 percent. Muesli’s fibre makes it slow to digest, keeping you full 
longer. But read the label carefully, though: Sugar content can vary from two to 14 grams per serving.

Malaysia: Cook with tumeric

This spice a key ingredient in curries. One of its chief components is a substance called curcumin, which may turn out to be a potent fat fighter. A recent study from Tufts University in Boston found that mice fed a high-fat diet with small amounts of curcumin gained less weight and body fat than other mice given meals that were similar but curcumin-free. Researchers think the ingredient suppresses the growth of fat tissue. Try some turmeric in your next curry or stir-fry.

Hungary: Eat more pickles

Hungarians like things pickled—not just cucumbers but bell peppers, cabbage and tomatoes. All of these brined beauties can help keep you thin, probably because of 
the vinegar that pickles them. Growing evidence suggests that acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, helps reduce blood pressure blood sugar levels and fat formation. If you’re watching your sodium intake, though, check the product label—pickled foods can be high in salt

South Africa: Drink rooibos tea

Enjoyed throughout the country, rooibos tea is more robust than green tea, and it’s naturally sweet. Swapping your specialty coffee for rooibos tea or any hot drink without cream or sugar could save you thousands 
of calories a month. Liquid calories sneak up on us. Even a cup of fruit juice has over 100 calories. Cut out 100 calories a day from food or drinks and you could lose 10 pounds in one year."

Lack of Sleep? That could cause you to gain weight!

You Might Be Gaining Weight Because of Lack of Sleep- I read this somewhere.

The body functions best when well rested. When you don't get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and, biochemically, you store fat more efficiently. When you're tired, you also don't handle stress as well, so you may reach for food as a coping mechanism. Further, you may be taking in extra calories from late-night snacking. Some people think eating might help them get back to sleep, but all it really does is add more calories to their daily total.

Symptoms that you may not be getting enough rest include fatigue, low energy levels, nodding off easily, and feeling irritable.  When you develop good sleeping rituals and get regular exercise, you sleep better. So.... try  to get more hours of sleep each night. 

Celebrities who lost it!

Don't you wish you are like the celebrities with an entourage of , personal trainers, personal chefs, personal shopper, masseuse???

Have you seen some of them lately? The ones who have lost lots of weight are Jennifer Hudson (aka Amercian alumi, Dream Girl), Seth Rogen, Kelly Osbourne & Jonah Hill (21 jump st). I envy them!!!

Sugar is everywhere, be more aware of what you eat

You may think you're eating healthier, but mounds of sugar lurk in surprising places. Diets with excess sugar can raise your cholesterol levels and blood pressure, increase your risk of heart disease and potentially evolve into an addiction that’s hard to shake. Also, some researchers now believe that diets high in sugar are actually toxic to the heart, the liver and one's overall health.

The American Heart Association recommends that adult women consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugars per day. For men, the limit is nine teaspoons. When scanning food nutrition labels, you can read 4 grams of sugar as equal to about one teaspoon. But be aware that labels typically lump natural sugars (fruit, grains) together with added sugars (corn syrup, sucrose), so check a product's ingredient list closely to get a better sense of the sugar it carries in all its various forms: granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, agave nectar, corn syrup, brown rice syrup, high fructose corn syrup, cane syrup and anything else ending in "ose." People can debate the health benefits of honey or natural sweeteners over refined white table sugar, but the bottom line is that to the body, sugar is sugar. And too much is too much. (As for sugar substitutes, they're technically chemicals that mimic the taste of sugar. As with the real stuff, moderation is key.)

Here’s a look at some surprising sources of sugar in your diet, as well as tips on cutting back.

1. Frozen Meals

You may be pleased to discover lower-fat, lighter fare among the meals in your supermarket's frozen food aisle. The problem is, when companies ditch the fat, they often pump up flavor by adding inexpensive sugars instead. In fact, many frozen meals rival candy when it comes to sugar content.   

 How to cut the sugar: Scour the aisles for frozen meals that aren't packaged with sugary sauces and desserts. Or, even better, avoid the packaged meals (which also tend to be packed with sodium) altogether. Beware: When those protein sources are packed in broths, sauces or spicy rubs, they may be loaded with salt. 

 2. Salad Dressing

Food companies already stir lots of sweetener,  into vinaigrettes and other salad dressings. A two-tablespoon serving of Kraft Creamy French Salad Dressing, for example, delivers about one-and-a-half teaspoons (6 grams) of sugar. Use a quarter-cup of dressing, and you’re sweetening your salad with a full tablespoon of sugar. Devoted to light or fat-free dressings? Count on finding lots of sugar in those as well

How to cut the sugar: First, read the labels better and seek out salad dressings with 0 to 2 grams of sugar per serving. Or just buy good quality oils and vinegars and make the easiest, tastiest dressing on the planet: vinaigrette. Here’s a traditional recipe, or you can try this lighter version. You’ll never go back to bottled dressings — or their sweeteners — again. 

 3. Cereals

You already know that Fruit Loops, Cocoa Puffs and other childhood favorites carry too much sugar for your adult palate (not to mention the kids'). So you’re diligently stocking up on what appear to be healthier cereals filled with whole grains, vitamins and antioxidants. But guess what else they're filled with?  Post Great Grains Cranberry Almond Crunch provides all of its promised whole grain — with exactly the same amount of sugar per serving as Fruit Loops. Similar scenarios can be found on nutrition labels up and down the cereal aisle; high-fiber and bran varieties are among the worst offenders. 

 How to cut the sugar: Stick with simple cereals — plain, whole-grain flakes, circles or squares that have four to five grams of sugar, or less, per serving. (Keep in mind, though, that if you have two servings you'll be doubling that sugar intake.) Some options include Post Shredded Wheat or Shredded Wheat ‘n Bran, which has no sugar at all. To make your breakfast bowl sweet, add (in moderation) some raisins or dried cranberries.

 4. Pasta Sauce

Italian cooks sometimes add a pinch of sugar to a pot of marinara to soften the natural acidity of tomatoes. But some food companies have turned a pinch into a punch by dropping as much as one or two teaspoons of sugar into each half-cup of their sauces. You can expect about three grams of natural sugar from the tomatoes in each half-cup of marinara. Anything more than that is added sweetener.

 How to cut the sugar: Try make your own version  using plain canned crushed tomatoes.

5. Flavored Yogurts

Plain, low-fat yogurts are nutritional powerhouses, rich in calcium and high-quality protein. But flavored and "fruit" yogurts contain more sugar than fruit and can negate your healthy goals — they have as much as 16 to 28 grams of sugar (that's four-to-seven teaspoons!) in each serving.  

 How to cut the sugar: It's simple. Just opt for plain reduced-fat  yogurt and add cut-up fresh fruit or unsweetened frozen fruits. Your sweet tooth may require some time to adjust to the more subtle sweetness, but it's well worth the effort. You can also drizzle your dish with a half-teaspoon of honey or maple syrup. That will add two to three grams of sugar, which is still far less than those flavored yogurts provide, plus you can easily cut back on that as you adjust to the less sweetened stuff.

6. Snack Bars

Nothing beats the convenience of a granola or "fitness" bar for on-the-go snacking. The trouble is, many bars are just as sweet (and almost as nutrient-poor) as candy bars. Like many other products in this group, Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars has photos of peanuts, cashews and almonds on its box, and yet three of the first five ingredients on the label are sugars. So it's no surprise that each bar packs three teaspoons of sugar, with just a single gram of fiber, and only three grams of protein.   

 How to cut the sugar: Stick with bars whose labels show just four to five grams of sugar per serving. But it’s just as easy (and cheaper) to grab a few tablespoons of mixed nuts and an apple, or to carry a single-serve pouch of pistachios and a fresh peach.

In other words, whole foods make the best snacks, and they come from Mother Nature.

 How sweet is that?

Why we should all eat less meat!

Give Your Heart a break

Limit the animal-fare and you'll be reducing your likelihood for heart disease, the number-one killer of women. "Fatty red meats and many processed meats are high in saturated fat, which raises LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases risk of coronary heart disease.  Studies have shown that eating high quantities of these meats (e.g. a small steak every day) also increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Reduce Cancer Risk

It's becoming increasingly clear that a meat-cancer connection exists. In one study of more than 35,000 women published in the British Journal of Cancer, those who ate the most red and processed meat were found to have the highest risk of breast cancer. Other research has linked meat consumption to colon, prostate, pancreatic, and gastric cancers as well. One theory, according to non-profit group The Cancer Project, is that foods with high levels of fat artificially boost the hormones that promote cancer.

To Really Go Green

Raising cattle for beef and milk spews more greenhouse gases into the air than all of the cars currently on the road. That stat came from a 2006 U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report, which also found that the livestock industry wreaks havoc on our land and water—taking up vast amounts of scarce resources, and polluting the waterways more than probably any other industry.

Eating a plant-based meal for lunch instead of a burger saves 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, 133 gallons of water, and 24 square feet of land, according to the people over at the PB&J Campaign. They've calculated that in just three lunches, you'll have saved more water than you'll save by switching to a low-flow showerhead.

To stay in shape

The meat-weight relationship goes beyond calorie math. A large-scale 2010 study from Imperial College London found that those who ate about 250 grams a day (the size of one half-pound steak) of red meat, poultry, or processed meat gained more weight over five years than those who ate less meat, even if they consumed the same amount of calories overall.

Love thy animals

Animals often suffer greatly in tiny cages, crates, and pens, before enduring frequently cruel slaughter practices. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that if every American cut out meat just once a week, about 1.4 billion animals could be spared each year.

Because It's Easier Now

For just about every meat item on the market, there's a meat-free version that's surprisingly good. From veggie burgers to chick'n nuggets and even corn dogs, you can still indulge in junk meats without going for the real thing. Just remember, even with fake meats, to eat them sparingly—they are often still loaded with sodium.

Problems with being a vegetarian???

1. You aren't getting certain nutrients, particularly protein.

Fact: The average woman needs 46 grams of protein a day, and a one-cup serving of chickpeas gets you about a third of the way there. Problems creep up when you let simple carbs (white bread), sugars, and trans fats crowd out healthier choices. Nutritional advisers suggest: Focus on eating whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables and you'll get everything you need—including protein.  In fact, vegetarian diets tend to have higher levels of fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamins C and E , folate, carotenoids, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals.

2. It's a boring & repetitive, carb-rich diet.

Fact: Because they have to plan more carefully,  many vegetarians eat a wider variety of foods than their carnivore counterparts. Plan meals from the full spectrum of the food rainbow—veggies, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts—and you'll never be bored

3. Veggie dishes tend to be high in carb & fat.

Fact: In restaurants  large amounts of flour were used to make ‘fake meat’ . These days, many flavorful ethnic cuisines deliver bold vegetarian flavors  via herbs and spices—and with far less fat, & carb. Besides you don’t have to order those “fake meat dishes”

5. You never really feel full.

Fact: If you're eating plenty of plant foods, you're loading up on fiber, the stuff that fills your belly and stifles the need to nosh soon after eating. And again, consuming legumes gives you enough hunger-satisfying protein.

Argument against Vegetarian!!!

If you mention you want to be or you are a vegetarian, it’ll  trigger an automatic anti-vegetable defense system in some people. I don't know why the idea of a vegetarian diet is offensive, but most vegetarians would agree with me that some people simply will not pass up an opportunity to start an argument against vegetarianism. Ok I’m not totally turning into a full pledge veg ….

But it sure is  frustrating with  some  of these arguments, which are so ridiculous- it’s hilarious!!!!!

This one I’ve just heard from my bestie!!!!

Plants can feel too, you know.

 She argue that plants are able to feel pain and emotion too, so I'm being a hypocrite by torturing poor little bean spouts!!!!  Is this argument even sound ?  True is  Plants have no central nervous system, and most scientists agree that plants don't think or feel pain, although they do respond to stimuli. That being said, many vegetarians agree that the purposeless killing of anything is wrong, and that includes plants.

What about  nutrition??? You might not get enough from veg!

 In all fairness, this argument  is somewhat understandable because of the long-standing human belief that meat is essential for a good diet. In reality, meat-based diets are slowly becoming obsolete as researchers are uncovering how vegetarianism is a much healthier option.

Lots of people are suffering, don’t you think we should worry abt them first before animals????

Fact is a vegetarian diet consumes no more time, money, or effort than a meat-based diet. I realized this argument was just an excuse, since being a vegetarian has no effect on how much you can help other humans. For example, I would never deny help to an old lady crossing the street just because there are starving children in Africa!

 I have heard plenty of arguments against vegetarianism since I’m “thinking of” changing my diet. Some are understandable while others are completely ridiculous. Until now, I have yet to hear a single good reason for the average person not to consume a vegetarian diet.