Perhaps you’ve already heard of hoodia, the unsightly and unpleasant tasting cactus-like plant which grows in the Kalahari Desert. In recent months, hoodia has received an overwhelming amount of attention from the media for it’s ability to suppress hunger with no discernable negative side effects. But how exactly does this plant fool our brains into thinking we are full?

Hoodia contains, among other things, steroidal glycosides. These glycosides, when consumed, act on the hypothalamus of the human brain in much the same way that an increase in the amount of sugar in the bloodstream would. When the hypothalamus believes that blood sugar is high, it sends out a signal to the body that no more sustenance is required. Effectively, one of the components of hoodia’s biological make-up tricks our brains into thinking we have already consumed enough caloric intake, which consequently suppresses our hunger.

Several studies have been performed on both animals and humans which have shown conclusive results that hoodia is effective in facilitating weight loss. The only known side effect of hoodia is a feeling of overall well-being which accompanies appetite suppression. While the majority of the human studies performed on hoodia have involved participants who suffer from obesity, animal studies indicate that hoodia may be just as effective in helping those who are in reasonably good health but would like to lose a small amount of weight.

Unlike ephedra and caffeine based stimulants, hoodia demonstrates no cardiovascular side effects such as thermal or nervous system acceleration or increased blood pressure.

While the medical community continues to study what many are calling the greatest weapon in the fight against obesity, several manufacturers have made hoodia available to the public in pill or patch form. Perhaps the magic pill that science has been searching for decades has been with us all along, slowly growing in the Kalahari Desert.

To learn more about hoodia visit our site. There you find more info and order.

In our last article we talked about the low-carb diet, and whether or not we can stick with it for life. In this installment we’re still going to talk about carb control, but from a slightly different perspective. Let’s take a look at WHO is endorsing which diet plan, and what is their motivation?

Without a doubt, the most popular low-carb plan is the Atkins diet. Atkins is the fuel in the rocket, so to speak, that has put the low-carb phenomenon into orbit. Prior to Atkins, few (if any) of us had considered low-carbing as a weight loss plan. Of course, carb control as a concept existed long before Atkins; we called it the glycemic index!

Since the birth of the Atkins plan, many have followed. The South Beach Diet is probably the most successful derivative of Atkins. South Beach teaches a more balanced approach to carb-control eating, pointing out the difference between “good” carbs and “bad” carbs. Yes, there is a difference! South Beach doesn’t advocate eliminating ALL carbohydrates from your diet, just some.

Along with these two low-carb heavy-hitters, there are hundreds (even thousands?) of companies out there making a living off the low-carb mania. There’s even a new magazine dedicated to low-carb living. Should we believe what THEY say? Why or why not?

What do all of these people and/or organizations have in common? Well, most of them are trying to sell us something. Atkins, of course, has books and a growing line of food products. The South Beach folks are following that retail receipe for success as quickly as they can. Just because they’re making money off the low-carb diet, does that automatically discredit what they’re saying? Of course not! But, it should be enough to make us dig a little deeper, to seek out more facts.

How about the federal government…..one of the reasons we have a government is to protect us from fraudulent claims and give us the TRUTH. Right? Well, hold on a minute: for decades the government has told us that a high-carbohydrate diet is the sure road to weight management (remember the old version of the food pyramid?). Now, all of a sudden, we’re not so sure about that.

So in whom do we place our trust? On the one hand, most of us DO trust the FDA to give us the straight-scoop about health and nutrition, so we should have 6-11 servings of carbohydrates per day. On the other hand, most of us know someone who has lost 25-50 pounds on a low-carb diet. Who’s right? Who do we trust?

True fitness experts will encourage you to trust the most unbiased source available: YOUR DOCTOR. Not only will your doctor have the most knowledge to answer your questions, but perhaps more importantly your doctor HAS NO VESTED INTEREST IN PUSHING ANY PARTICULAR DIETARY PLAN.

Think about it. If you’re planning to buy a new car, who’s word are you going to trust more: the car salesman or the automotive expert at Consumer Reports? The car salesman has a vested interest in what you hear, while the Consumer Reports expert (probably) doesn’t care what kind of car you buy!

Many of us seek out fair, impartial resources when we’re making a major purchase (car, boat, house, etc.). SHOULDN’T WE DO THE SAME WHEN WE’RE INVESTING IN OUR OWN BODY?!?!?!

Please understand that we’re NOT saying you should ignore everything from low-carb promoters. We’re not saying that at all. Companies and corporations play an important role in educating the public. What we are saying, however, is that it’s critical to consult with your physician before starting on the low-carb diet…..or on ANY diet for that matter. As we discussed in the last article in this series, low-carb plans are not right for everyone. Your doctor is in the best position to tell if it’s right for you.

Once again, we must include a reminder to EXERCISE! No matter what nutritional approach you take, ALL of the experts recommend that you exercise on a regular basis. Think about it: there are hundreds of diet plans out there in the world today, and many of them offer conflicting information, BUT THE ONE THING THAT THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT THEY STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXERCISE. So although the experts may disagree on what you should eat, they do agree on what you should do: exercise!

* Copyright 2005 Pick Up The Pace. Permission is not required for the distribution of Pick Up The Pace articles as long as they are used in their entirety, are properly credited to Pick Up The Pace, and are accompanied by our website link: www.letspickupthepace.com.

* The information in this article and on this site is for general reference purposes only and not intended to address specific medical conditions. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Prior to participating in any exercise program or activity, you should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional. No information in this article or on www.letspickupthepace.com should be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition.

Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women, focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit http://www.letspickupthepace.com for more information.

In order to succeed with losing weight, you must have the mindset of a seasoned soldier. Your daily task is to watch for potential pitfalls and be prepared to respond to them.

In the previous article, Dieting Pitfalls Part 1: Are You Sabotaging Yourself?, we reviewed some of the common physical ways you can derail your good nutritional intentions. In this second part of the series, we will cover some additional ways you can be your own worst enemy.

The second time around

If you are accustomed to having second helpings with meals, this habit can be hard to break. However, going back for second helpings is probably due more to habit than bodily hunger. This is especially true if you tend to eat fast.

Within the brain is an appetite control center called the ‘Appestat.’ It regulates feelings of hunger and satisfaction. However, the Appestat takes 20 minutes to register satisfaction once you have started eating. So if you eat really fast, then you could end up eating two or three helpings before the Appestat says “Enough!”

You want to make the Appestat your friend. There are two ways to do this. The first option is to slow down and enjoy your meal so that it lasts twenty minutes. The second option is to eat as fast as you always have, but instead of going back for a second helping, give yourself a time out.

Wait 10 minutes to check if you are still hungry. You finish your meal, and then enjoy the environment, chat with friends, or think about what your next adventure is going to be for the next 10 minutes.

If you are still hungry, then you may eat the second helping. If not, then you can go on to other things.

My crazy life

This last item is the most important to ensuring your weight loss victory: Making sure that the things you can control in your life are controlled. If you are dealing with a lot of needless stress because you haven’t taken the time to manage your time well, then that will hinder you.

To lose weight requires planning and good organization. You must plan your grocery lists so that you can have the foods necessary to obtain good health; you must schedule time to exercise; finally, you must take adequate time for rest and relaxation. If you fail to do these things, then you will ultimately fail in achieving your goals.

Is your home cluttered? Are you constantly late for work? These are some items that need to be evaluated to get your life in order. Again, you want to create an environment that makes it easy for you to win.

If your home is cluttered, then clean up one small corner. You will boost your confidence, which will translate into other areas of your life. If you are constantly late for work, make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to prepare adequately for unforeseen delays, such as traffic snarls. You might iron what you are going to wear the night before, take your shower at night, or learn how to make breakfast smoothies to create a faster breakfast option.

While I have covered the most common physical pitfalls that can sabotage your best dieting efforts, this list is not all inclusive. There are also mental pitfalls that can sabotage you. We will cover those issues in Dieting Pitfalls Part 3: Is Your Mind in Shape?

A Registered Nurse for many years, Kimberly Floyd battled obesity for much of her adult life. She was finally able to achieve her ideal weight and is currently writing a book that is designed to help others win their weight loss battles entitled ‘Take Back Your Temple’.

Kim has written articles for the Georgia Nurses Association publication and Nursing Spectrum Online. Now a technical writer, she has written training programs for corporate clients, including IBM, U.S. Bank, and Cingular.

Kim also teaches an online course called ‘Goodbye to Shy’. This course is distributed to over 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and Australia through Thomson Learning. An accomplished speaker and trainer, she delivers presentations on health-related topics to enthusiastic audiences.