So you are tired of the struggle and ready to commit to lose fat forever? And so you start your research and realize that there certainly is no shortage of weight loss programs whether online or offline. Even if you limit your search to the world wide web only, you will still find an avalanche of diet programs. You can remove obesity and weight loss struggles with an easy to follow weight loss program.
While there are many different programs available, some are so dang complicated that it takes several books and materials just to figure out what you can and can not eat. If you are ready to lose fat forever and are tired of dealing with the frustration of information overload you can remove obesity and weight loss struggles with an easy to follow weight loss program.
In the beginning, you need to find an obesity and weight loss program that is ideal for your health, helps you lose weight and does not harm your body in any way. Regardless of which weight loss program you chose, you will still need to follow the basics of dieting, especially if your plan is to lose fat forever. Here are three basic elements that should be considered when choosing an easy to follow weight loss program.
Firstly, is hereditary obesity. People who suffer from hereditary obesity often need to work harder than others in order to lose weight. This doesn't mean that you cannot lose weight at all; but you shouldn't expect yourself to become ultra slim like others. This drives home the point of finding an easy to follow weight loss program to insure your success.
Second is the issue of metabolism which is the key obesity fighting and weight loss determinant: Always keep in mind that your body's metabolic rate is what will determine how much weight you will be able to lose at a given point of time. Metabolism also plays a factor in whether or not people lose fat forever.
Third, easy to follow weight loss programs must include regular exercise. Even if you follow a strict diet, if you sit on your couch and watching your favorite TV program all day long, how can you expect to shed those obstinate pounds? Exercise will definitely help you to lose fat forever and should be incorporated in an easy to follow weight loss program.
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You can begin to lose weight now with instant downloads from today's top diets! easy to follow muscle building, weight losing, body toning, and fat loss programs will show you the best way to get rid of fat forever. Here you will discover the truth about diets so you can decide for yourself which diet or weight loss program fits your personality & lifestyle the best in order for you to begin to lose weight now! Lose fat forever with your choice of ultimate weight loss programs. Visit Top Fat Loss diets today - http://www.topfatlossdiets.com
Showing posts with label obesity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obesity. Show all posts
Friday, October 9, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Selecting A Weight Loss Program - The IRS, Your Weight, & You
Selecting A Weight Loss Program - The IRS, Your Weight, & YouBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Alan_Wayler]Alan Wayler
In April of 2002 the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officially recognized obesity as a disease, making it far easier for American taxpayers to trim their tax bills and waistlines at the same time. The step is an important one, not so much because of savings to taxpayers (the deduction really has only limited value), but more because it marks a shift in government point of view.
Whether it's due to unhealthy lifestyles that lead to obesity, or to the obesity itself, overfat people suffer greater risk for disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Excess body fat is also strongly linked to depression and poor self-esteem. One recent study suggested that obesity exacts an even higher toll on health than smoking or drinking and raises an individual's lifetime health care costs by a whopping 36%.
Clearly, reversing the rising tide of obesity is important. A potential tax break offers a kind of official recognition that's encouraging. After all, it's estimated that the total cost of overweight/obesity in the U.S. approaches $100 billion annually, with about half of that spent in preventive, diagnostic and treatment services.
What's Covered and What's Not
Deducting weight loss expenses from taxes isn't new for Americans. But in the past, we could do it only if weight loss was undertaken at a physician's direction to treat other diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. The difference now: The IRS recognizes obesity itself as a disease worth treating.
Thus, American taxpayers may deduct the cost of weight loss programs without having to show that the weight loss was undertaken to treat another disease. An individual who has been diagnosed as obese by a physician may deduct the cost of "diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention," according to the IRS.
Weight loss programs, behavioral counseling, pharmaceuticals and surgery all qualify with one caveat. As always, medical expenses of any kind are deductible only after they exceed 7.5% of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income and if they are not reimbursed by insurance. If you meet that criteria for 1999 or 2000 (and 1998 if you have an extension to file), you can amend those returns.
On the other hand, weight loss expenses for cosmetic reasons or general good health are not deductible nor are personal trainers, health club memberships or diet- related foods. Bottom line: The new IRS rules are most likely to benefit only those who have a sizeable amount of other unreimbursed medical expenses that can piggyback onto weight loss expenses to bring total deductions above 7.5% of adjusted gross income.
Not Just Weight Loss
While we at Green Mountain are happy to see the government taking steps to support individuals' efforts to take charge of their health, we know it's just a beginning. The next steps need to go further to identify standards for treatment. A weight loss program should have documented that it works before it could qualify as a deductible expense. (See sidebar "Choosing a Weight Loss Program.)
In case that ever happens, we want to state it loud and clear now: When it comes to measuring success, a smaller body size may not always be part of the picture. And if it is, it still may not be the most important part. What counts most is not whether a body qualifies as obese on a weight chart, or whether a person reaches "ideal" weight (whatever that is). Instead, what counts is whether that body, whatever its size, is generally considered healthy in terms of physical and emotional well-being, and supports its inhabitant in her life aims.
Still, the new IRS regulations are a start. And if they can help women along the path to health, fitness and increased self-esteem, we say good. It's about time. And certainly, most of us will take all the help with our taxes we can get!
Choosing a Weight Loss Program
Obviously, we at Green Mountain encourage you to choose non-diet approaches that don't focus on weight loss per se, but instead help you build your physical and mental strength to make choices that are in your best interests. Ask these questions about any weight loss program you consider.
Does the program focus on weight loss as an end in itself, or is weight loss recognized as only a part of achieving health and wellness for some people? If weight loss is the ultimate goal, we can get easily sidetracked with quick schemes that may lead to quick weight loss. Unfortunately, the weight regain is often even faster.
Is the food and eating advice restrictive? When choice is absent, deprivation often takes us in the opposite direction than desired. It's a set-up for overeating at some point. Look for programs that help you build your internal ability to choose foods that support well-being, and your internal ability to decide how much you need. Think twice about any advice that recommends you avoid specific types of foods, especially major food groups. If you follow it, you might set up cravings that lead to overeating.
Is enjoyable physical activity an integral part of the program? Research shows that physical activity is one of the key factors in helping people keep lost weight off. And after all, why go to all the trouble to lose it if you're just going to gain it back again? Been there, done that…time for a different approach.
Is there any peer-reviewed, published research that measures the program's effectiveness? In the weight loss field especially, lots of claims abound. But research that shows effectiveness is fairly sparse. Require it.
Whose program is it anyway? Check the credentials and experience of the people who have developed and are offering the program. But remember - academic or professional degrees don't always guarantee competence. Thoroughly check out what's being offered, and weigh it against your own experience. If you've been at this long enough, you can probably easily recognize hucksters. If you've got questions you can't answer, get the opinion of a health professional you trust.
Alan H. Wayler, PhD is executive director of Green Mountain at Fox Run, an all-women's healthy [http://www.fitwoman.com/weightlossprogram.htm]weight loss program.For 34 years, Green Mountain at Fox Run has developed and refined a life-changing program exclusively for women seeking permanent strategies for healthy weight loss and health, differing from traditional health spas or [http://www.fitwoman.com/fat-farm.htm]fat farms. Based on a combination of proven science and what works in the real world, our innovative non-diet lifestyle program offers an integrated curriculum of practical, liveable techniques that helps women take charge of their eating, their bodies and their health.
Our approach is not focused on just losing weight but on how to keep it off for a lifetime. Our participants' long-term weight loss results are among the highest of any program, as documented in peer-reviewed scientific literature. Learn more about our fitness and [http://www.fitwoman.com/index.html]healthy weight loss spa and retreat.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Wayler http://EzineArticles.com/?Selecting-A-Weight-Loss-Program---The-IRS,-Your-Weight,-and-You&id=133777
In April of 2002 the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officially recognized obesity as a disease, making it far easier for American taxpayers to trim their tax bills and waistlines at the same time. The step is an important one, not so much because of savings to taxpayers (the deduction really has only limited value), but more because it marks a shift in government point of view.
Whether it's due to unhealthy lifestyles that lead to obesity, or to the obesity itself, overfat people suffer greater risk for disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Excess body fat is also strongly linked to depression and poor self-esteem. One recent study suggested that obesity exacts an even higher toll on health than smoking or drinking and raises an individual's lifetime health care costs by a whopping 36%.
Clearly, reversing the rising tide of obesity is important. A potential tax break offers a kind of official recognition that's encouraging. After all, it's estimated that the total cost of overweight/obesity in the U.S. approaches $100 billion annually, with about half of that spent in preventive, diagnostic and treatment services.
What's Covered and What's Not
Deducting weight loss expenses from taxes isn't new for Americans. But in the past, we could do it only if weight loss was undertaken at a physician's direction to treat other diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. The difference now: The IRS recognizes obesity itself as a disease worth treating.
Thus, American taxpayers may deduct the cost of weight loss programs without having to show that the weight loss was undertaken to treat another disease. An individual who has been diagnosed as obese by a physician may deduct the cost of "diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention," according to the IRS.
Weight loss programs, behavioral counseling, pharmaceuticals and surgery all qualify with one caveat. As always, medical expenses of any kind are deductible only after they exceed 7.5% of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income and if they are not reimbursed by insurance. If you meet that criteria for 1999 or 2000 (and 1998 if you have an extension to file), you can amend those returns.
On the other hand, weight loss expenses for cosmetic reasons or general good health are not deductible nor are personal trainers, health club memberships or diet- related foods. Bottom line: The new IRS rules are most likely to benefit only those who have a sizeable amount of other unreimbursed medical expenses that can piggyback onto weight loss expenses to bring total deductions above 7.5% of adjusted gross income.
Not Just Weight Loss
While we at Green Mountain are happy to see the government taking steps to support individuals' efforts to take charge of their health, we know it's just a beginning. The next steps need to go further to identify standards for treatment. A weight loss program should have documented that it works before it could qualify as a deductible expense. (See sidebar "Choosing a Weight Loss Program.)
In case that ever happens, we want to state it loud and clear now: When it comes to measuring success, a smaller body size may not always be part of the picture. And if it is, it still may not be the most important part. What counts most is not whether a body qualifies as obese on a weight chart, or whether a person reaches "ideal" weight (whatever that is). Instead, what counts is whether that body, whatever its size, is generally considered healthy in terms of physical and emotional well-being, and supports its inhabitant in her life aims.
Still, the new IRS regulations are a start. And if they can help women along the path to health, fitness and increased self-esteem, we say good. It's about time. And certainly, most of us will take all the help with our taxes we can get!
Choosing a Weight Loss Program
Obviously, we at Green Mountain encourage you to choose non-diet approaches that don't focus on weight loss per se, but instead help you build your physical and mental strength to make choices that are in your best interests. Ask these questions about any weight loss program you consider.
Does the program focus on weight loss as an end in itself, or is weight loss recognized as only a part of achieving health and wellness for some people? If weight loss is the ultimate goal, we can get easily sidetracked with quick schemes that may lead to quick weight loss. Unfortunately, the weight regain is often even faster.
Is the food and eating advice restrictive? When choice is absent, deprivation often takes us in the opposite direction than desired. It's a set-up for overeating at some point. Look for programs that help you build your internal ability to choose foods that support well-being, and your internal ability to decide how much you need. Think twice about any advice that recommends you avoid specific types of foods, especially major food groups. If you follow it, you might set up cravings that lead to overeating.
Is enjoyable physical activity an integral part of the program? Research shows that physical activity is one of the key factors in helping people keep lost weight off. And after all, why go to all the trouble to lose it if you're just going to gain it back again? Been there, done that…time for a different approach.
Is there any peer-reviewed, published research that measures the program's effectiveness? In the weight loss field especially, lots of claims abound. But research that shows effectiveness is fairly sparse. Require it.
Whose program is it anyway? Check the credentials and experience of the people who have developed and are offering the program. But remember - academic or professional degrees don't always guarantee competence. Thoroughly check out what's being offered, and weigh it against your own experience. If you've been at this long enough, you can probably easily recognize hucksters. If you've got questions you can't answer, get the opinion of a health professional you trust.
Alan H. Wayler, PhD is executive director of Green Mountain at Fox Run, an all-women's healthy [http://www.fitwoman.com/weightlossprogram.htm]weight loss program.For 34 years, Green Mountain at Fox Run has developed and refined a life-changing program exclusively for women seeking permanent strategies for healthy weight loss and health, differing from traditional health spas or [http://www.fitwoman.com/fat-farm.htm]fat farms. Based on a combination of proven science and what works in the real world, our innovative non-diet lifestyle program offers an integrated curriculum of practical, liveable techniques that helps women take charge of their eating, their bodies and their health.
Our approach is not focused on just losing weight but on how to keep it off for a lifetime. Our participants' long-term weight loss results are among the highest of any program, as documented in peer-reviewed scientific literature. Learn more about our fitness and [http://www.fitwoman.com/index.html]healthy weight loss spa and retreat.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Wayler http://EzineArticles.com/?Selecting-A-Weight-Loss-Program---The-IRS,-Your-Weight,-and-You&id=133777
Health and Fitness Help That Gives You Consistent Weight Loss That is Easy to Achieve
Health and Fitness Help That Gives You Consistent Weight Loss That is Easy to AchieveBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=H_Woolston]H Woolston
If you were to tell me that you wanted to drop a few pounds over a few weeks to look good for a special occasion then I'd be able to tell you that this is not that hard to achieve. But, if you want to lose weight more consistently over time I'd have to say that you might find this harder. So would I.
You want to know a secret about losing weight that most diet companies and fitness experts won't tell you? It's boring.
Sure, the buzz you get when you start is fantastic. There's no better feeling in the world than when you get motivated to lose weight and can actually feel and see the pounds disappearing.
This isn't just about your own mental motivation, you understand. You're also motivating your body to lose weight for itself by giving it healthier stuff to eat and/or making it work out. Problem is, after that first few weeks, both you and your body will be bored with what you're doing.
Your body will start to compensate for the efforts you're making and it probably won't have to work as hard after a few weeks as it did when you gave it that initial weight loss shock. You may maintain the new weight you've achieved but your body won't be able to burn off any more fat in such a spectacular way.
And maybe you'll start to get a bit down about it all. After all it's fine eating nothing but cabbage soup or driving yourself close to dying at the gym every day when your body rewards you by dropping a pound or two on a regular basis. How many weeks or even days do you think you can keep it up when your body settles into your new routine and refuses to lose any more weight?
If you are like many people in this situation then you'll just give up. Hard work that is not rewarded turns us off and it is easy to just think that your campaign to lose weight is not working any more because it is too hard to stick with over time. So, you'll probably drop the gym visits and start eating badly again. The pounds will come back on and you'll be right back where you started.
But, you can get round this hurdle. If you can find a health and fitness program that keeps you and your body motivated then you won't notice this dip after a few weeks. What you need is a health and fitness solution that prods your body out of complacency every time it gets used to something you're doing. That way you'll see both great short term results and better long term ones.
If you want some helpful suggestions then take a look at some of the solutions suggested at http://www.YouCanLoseWeightToday.com The ideas presented there might just help get your body working to lose weight fast for you and lessen your cravings during the process!
In addition you'll be able to sign up for our short email course - The Four Hidden Mysteries Of Successful Weight Loss where you can learn why some people CAN easily lose weight, and some people can't - and how you can become one of the CAN-LOSE-WEIGHT people!
H Woolston
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=H_Woolston http://EzineArticles.com/?Health-and-Fitness-Help-That-Gives-You-Consistent-Weight-Loss-That-is-Easy-to-Achieve&id=2976060
If you were to tell me that you wanted to drop a few pounds over a few weeks to look good for a special occasion then I'd be able to tell you that this is not that hard to achieve. But, if you want to lose weight more consistently over time I'd have to say that you might find this harder. So would I.
You want to know a secret about losing weight that most diet companies and fitness experts won't tell you? It's boring.
Sure, the buzz you get when you start is fantastic. There's no better feeling in the world than when you get motivated to lose weight and can actually feel and see the pounds disappearing.
This isn't just about your own mental motivation, you understand. You're also motivating your body to lose weight for itself by giving it healthier stuff to eat and/or making it work out. Problem is, after that first few weeks, both you and your body will be bored with what you're doing.
Your body will start to compensate for the efforts you're making and it probably won't have to work as hard after a few weeks as it did when you gave it that initial weight loss shock. You may maintain the new weight you've achieved but your body won't be able to burn off any more fat in such a spectacular way.
And maybe you'll start to get a bit down about it all. After all it's fine eating nothing but cabbage soup or driving yourself close to dying at the gym every day when your body rewards you by dropping a pound or two on a regular basis. How many weeks or even days do you think you can keep it up when your body settles into your new routine and refuses to lose any more weight?
If you are like many people in this situation then you'll just give up. Hard work that is not rewarded turns us off and it is easy to just think that your campaign to lose weight is not working any more because it is too hard to stick with over time. So, you'll probably drop the gym visits and start eating badly again. The pounds will come back on and you'll be right back where you started.
But, you can get round this hurdle. If you can find a health and fitness program that keeps you and your body motivated then you won't notice this dip after a few weeks. What you need is a health and fitness solution that prods your body out of complacency every time it gets used to something you're doing. That way you'll see both great short term results and better long term ones.
If you want some helpful suggestions then take a look at some of the solutions suggested at http://www.YouCanLoseWeightToday.com The ideas presented there might just help get your body working to lose weight fast for you and lessen your cravings during the process!
In addition you'll be able to sign up for our short email course - The Four Hidden Mysteries Of Successful Weight Loss where you can learn why some people CAN easily lose weight, and some people can't - and how you can become one of the CAN-LOSE-WEIGHT people!
H Woolston
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=H_Woolston http://EzineArticles.com/?Health-and-Fitness-Help-That-Gives-You-Consistent-Weight-Loss-That-is-Easy-to-Achieve&id=2976060
Lose Weight Easily and Permanently With Help That Makes Things Crystal Clear
Lose Weight Easily and Permanently With Help That Makes Things Crystal ClearBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=H_Woolston]H Woolston
Finding clear and specific advice on how to lose weight is probably just as hard (if not harder) than actually losing the weight in the first place! Sometimes it seems like nobody agrees and everyone has a different opinion on what you should or shouldn't do. How do you know who is right?
Problem here is that the health, fitness and weight loss industry is a huge money making machine with extremely well oiled wheels (oiled by the money dieters pay usually!). So, diet companies know that this sector is worth a lot of money to them and they are constantly striving to produce the diet, fitness program or weight loss plan that is the next big solution that everyone will want.
That gives rise to a huge amount of competition. There are hundreds of different diet companies out there competing to get you to buy into their products and services. They find it extremely hard to differentiate themselves - after all, they all promise the same end result, that you will lose weight with their help.
In order to make themselves look better than the competition a diet or health and fitness company will often simply take the approach of telling people why their competitor's products or solutions are not as good as their own. This works well for them when they can't say anything positively different about their own products or services.
But, what does this mean to you if you're trying to find a diet to go on or a fitness program to try out? In basic terms it can mean a lot of confusion. You can't tell which option is the best here as they all promise to deliver the same stuff and the only thing you have to go on a lot of the time is the fact that they all try and put down the competitive options.
To be honest things will go a lot easier for you and you'll find it simpler to lose weight easily and permanently if you stop looking at what the major companies have to say and take advice from an expert. If you can find somebody who has helped other people in your situation to achieve their fitness goals then you'll know that you are on to a winner. This is the easiest way to lose weight easily and permanently.
If you want some helpful suggestions then take a look at some of the solutions suggested at http://www.YouCanLoseWeightToday.com The ideas presented there might just help get your body working to lose weight fast for you and lessen your cravings during the process!
In addition you'll be able to sign up for our short email course - The Four Hidden Mysteries Of Successful Weight Loss where you can learn why some people CAN easily lose weight, and some people can't - and how you can become one of the CAN-LOSE-WEIGHT people!
H Woolston
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=H_Woolston http://EzineArticles.com/?Lose-Weight-Easily-and-Permanently-With-Help-That-Makes-Things-Crystal-Clear&id=2976144
Finding clear and specific advice on how to lose weight is probably just as hard (if not harder) than actually losing the weight in the first place! Sometimes it seems like nobody agrees and everyone has a different opinion on what you should or shouldn't do. How do you know who is right?
Problem here is that the health, fitness and weight loss industry is a huge money making machine with extremely well oiled wheels (oiled by the money dieters pay usually!). So, diet companies know that this sector is worth a lot of money to them and they are constantly striving to produce the diet, fitness program or weight loss plan that is the next big solution that everyone will want.
That gives rise to a huge amount of competition. There are hundreds of different diet companies out there competing to get you to buy into their products and services. They find it extremely hard to differentiate themselves - after all, they all promise the same end result, that you will lose weight with their help.
In order to make themselves look better than the competition a diet or health and fitness company will often simply take the approach of telling people why their competitor's products or solutions are not as good as their own. This works well for them when they can't say anything positively different about their own products or services.
But, what does this mean to you if you're trying to find a diet to go on or a fitness program to try out? In basic terms it can mean a lot of confusion. You can't tell which option is the best here as they all promise to deliver the same stuff and the only thing you have to go on a lot of the time is the fact that they all try and put down the competitive options.
To be honest things will go a lot easier for you and you'll find it simpler to lose weight easily and permanently if you stop looking at what the major companies have to say and take advice from an expert. If you can find somebody who has helped other people in your situation to achieve their fitness goals then you'll know that you are on to a winner. This is the easiest way to lose weight easily and permanently.
If you want some helpful suggestions then take a look at some of the solutions suggested at http://www.YouCanLoseWeightToday.com The ideas presented there might just help get your body working to lose weight fast for you and lessen your cravings during the process!
In addition you'll be able to sign up for our short email course - The Four Hidden Mysteries Of Successful Weight Loss where you can learn why some people CAN easily lose weight, and some people can't - and how you can become one of the CAN-LOSE-WEIGHT people!
H Woolston
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=H_Woolston http://EzineArticles.com/?Lose-Weight-Easily-and-Permanently-With-Help-That-Makes-Things-Crystal-Clear&id=2976144
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