Can You Really Lose Weight With Weightloss Diet Pills?

When you are overweight and particularly if you are well overweight, you would have been tempted at some stage of your life to try that "miracle cure" to help you lose weight. The internet is absolutely full of offers from various sources for you to get your hands on that "miracle cure." That's all well and good but do products like weightloss diet pills really work? If you listen to the advertisers they do, but common sense tells us that in life there are no quick fixes for anything let alone weight loss.

There is no doubt that there are some weightloss diet pills that can assist in the weight loss process but a much safer approach is to use products like this in moderation and in conjunction with a well balanced healthy diet AND an appropriate exercise program.

If you are contemplating the use of weightloss diet pills, then a safe approach would be to discuss the situation with your family doctor. If you had a particular product in mind (and there are literally 100's to choose from), take the details of the product with you to the doctor so he is able to look at what you are considering and give you an informed opinion.

Many of these weightloss diet pills make some outlandish promises such as - lose weight immediately or lose weight without effort. You need to keep an open mind about these sorts of claims and if you are serious about taking weightloss diet pills make sure you are buying a reputable brand and take the advertisers claims for what they are - advertising gimmicks. It is also a good idea to do your own research and look at product reviews when deciding which brand you should use. Independent reviews from customers would be better to go on rather than listen to the hype of the manufacturers. Places such as online forums, bulletin boards and chat rooms can be very helpful in helping you to make up your mind.

As mentioned earlier, you really should be looking at your overall lifestyle before spending your money on weightloss diet pills and the like. Weight is an issue for lots of people so you are not on your own. There are examples of many people who have been able to turn their lives around by adopting a healthy diet and increasing their exercise activity. Why can't you? Sometimes, the easy option is tempting but for long term sustainability, have an honest look at what you are eating and what exercise you are doing to burn of the food that you are consuming.

There is no doubt that many people are looking for the easy (and sometimes costly) option to weight loss. Evidence tells us that there aren't really any quick fixes and that you should be looking at something that is sustainable throughout your life. The idea of weightloss diets pills is attractive, but realistically, the proven path is what you should be exploring - more exercise and a proper healthy eating plan.

Did you know that to lose weight and keep it off, a sensible well balanced diet and an appropriate exercise programme is the proven way to go.

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Your Private Parts: a Lesson in Female Anatomy

health:  article 
Humor us for a sec:
If the average woman had a Facebook page for her private parts (we know, shut up), odds are her relationship status would be "it's complicated," and she'd desperately need to post a profile picture. After all, new research from the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University suggests that she hasn't checked herself out much--only 26 percent of women look closely at their lady bits. Hey, we get it. Guys have it so much easier. Their junk is hanging out there, just waiting to be experienced. Most of our parts are internal, so we can't exactly see what we're working with.

Well, here's some incentive to change all that: The more you make your vagina your business, the more pleasure you'll experience. In a separate study published in the International Journal of Sexual Health, scientists found that women who had a positive view of their genitals were more comfortable in their skin, more apt to orgasm, and more likely to experiment in bed. Ding-ding-ding rings the pleasure bell! In fact, just looking at your goodies can be a turn-on. "Research shows that seeing signs of sex helps inspire arousal and lubrication," says Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., a research scientist at Indiana University and the author of Because It Feels Good. So allow us to scroll down there, if you will, for a better view. Oh, and when we're done, you might want to update your status.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATION
To start, let's clear up one of the biggest misconceptions about the vagina. It's not the entire genital area. If you're standing naked in front of a full-length mirror, you're actually seeing your vulva, the exterior portion of your privates, which was covered in hair before your aesthetician went hog wild with the wax and muslin.

Think of your privates as an award-winning cast: You have your supporting actors (the vulva) and your marquee stars (the clitoris and G-spot). Every part is there to entertain your sexual needs, but to milk the best performance out of each one, you have to show them all a little love and attention. So lock the bedroom door, kick off your shoes, and grab a hand mirror.

Without even spreading your legs, you'll see your pubic mound and two folds of skin called the labia majora (the outer lips). Both contain layers of fatty tissue that protect your clitoris and vagina. While pleasure reception is typically weak in this area, manual play can help increase the signal. "Rubbing the pubic mound and outer lips readies the clitoris for stimulation," says Herbenick.

Now, if you gently push apart the outer lips, you'll reveal a thinner set of lips called the labia minora. These hairless babies are loaded with blood vessels, nerve endings, and secreting glands. "To the naked eye, the glands may look like tiny bumps," says Diana Hoppe, M.D., author of Healthy Sex Drive, Healthy You. "They release secretions that actually help to separate your lips for easier penetration."

But they're not the only things lubing up your nether regions. When you spread the labia minora apart, you'll encounter Bartholin's glands (which are microscopic, so you can't actually see them with the naked eye) on each side of your vaginal opening. As you become aroused, these glands lubricate the outer portion of the vaginal canal. They typically release only a small amount of moisture, which is why so many women need plenty of foreplay to stay wet.

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Last updated: January 25, 2011   Issue date: September 2010

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How to DIY: Patchwork Jeans

beauty & style:  article 
Patching was once a last-ditch effort to extend the life of a favorite pair of deteriorating jeans. But function hooked up with fashion earlier this year when patchwork styles appeared on the runways of Ralph Lauren, Chloe, Herve Leger, and Diesel Black Gold. DIY blogger Erica Domesek, author of P.S. I Made This, explains how to create the trendy look with your closet castaways.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
Plain pair of jeans
Sharp fabric or utility scissors
Swatches of denim or other fabric, or iron-on fabric patches (available at most fabric and trimming stores)
Fabric glue (if using swatches) or an iron (if using iron-on patches)
Needle and thread

HOW TO DO IT:
Step 1: Cut different shapes from the swatches or iron-on patches.

Step 2: Map out a design on the jeans. Consider repairing existing tears or threadbare areas. Experiment with overlapping patches and mixing textiles for contrast and interest.

Step 3: Use fabric glue to attach the swatches, or an iron to activate the adhesive on the iron-on patches.

Step 4: Let the glue dry completely. Hand stitch the corners of the swatches or patches for reinforcement.

Step 5: Wait 72 hours before hand washing and line drying the jeans.

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Last updated: September 23, 2010   Issue date: September 2010

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Think You Know How to Drink Water?

nutrition:  article 

Take a look around. Right this very second there's a water bottle within a 10-foot radius of where you're sitting. How did it get there? A drop of physiological need mixed with an ocean of marketing savvy. Water used to fuel the office water cooler; now it's practically become an anytime-anywhere fashion accessory. Fashionistas — not to mention the mailman, the grocery clerk, your yoga instructor, and the school nurse — can all be seen carrying their bottles and Camelbacks of purified, fortified, and natural spring. And whether you're staying hydrated during a marathon shoe-shopping session or drinking from your home water purifier, there is no doubt about it: Water, water — it's everywhere. But as with any mainstream megatrend, you have to stop and ask yourself, "What's really going on here?" When water bottles become must-have equipment on a planet that's 70 percent liquid, some of the reasoning is bound to be bunk.

Myth: You need to drink eight glasses of water every day.

Fact: No one's sure where the so-called 8-by-8 rule came from, says Heinz Valtin, M.D., a Dartmouth College medical professor and author of two studies on the origin of the theory that the human body works best on eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. The truth is, your daily requirement depends on your diet, size, and unique body chemistry. To determine how much water you should drink, weigh yourself each morning for 3 to 4 days in a row — pick a time other than your period to rule out hormone-induced water retention. If you lose a whole pound in a day, it means you came up short on liquids the day before. Drink a pint of water or juice first thing in the morning for every pound you've lost and adjust your daily intake until your weight is steady.

Myth: Drink only when you're thirsty and you'll get all of the fluids you need.

Fact: Sedentary folks might do fine using this mantra, but anyone who occasionally feels the urge to be active need not subscribe. "Exercise blunts your thirst mechanism," says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "You lose fluid so rapidly that the brain can't respond in time." In fact, a recent study from Maastricht University in the Netherlands found that women lose more water during exercise than men. An hour before you hit the gym, grab an extra 20 ounces to hydrate before you dehydrate. "It takes 60 minutes for the liquid to travel from your gut to your muscles," Bonci says.

Myth: Tea and coffee dehydrate you.

Fact: Down two venti house blends and you'll visit the ladies room often enough to earn a VIP pass. But despite its speedy exit, the liquid in your favorite morning caffeine boost still counts toward your hydration goal. After all, it's basically water, unless you muck it up with flavored syrups or dairy. "Caffeinated beverages do not dehydrate you when consumed in moderation, that is, five cups or less per day of coffee, tea, or cola," says Lawrence Armstrong, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut and author of Performing in Extreme Environments. In fact, Dr. Armstrong says that any fluids you ingest will help keep your cells saturated, including juice, iced tea, or soda. (Just keep an eye on the calorie count in order to wet your whistle without widening your waistline.)

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Last updated: November 18, 2010   Issue date: July/August 2005

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Behind the Face: Olivia Wilde

life:  article 
Olivia Wilde is hot.

Sweating, actually. It's an unusually cool, overcast Saturday morning in Venice, California, but inside a neighborhood fitness studio, beads of perspiration have gathered on the actress's brow. Crouched over a sleek spin bike, the 26-year-old is pedaling furiously in the middle row of the 9:15 a.m. spin class, her face glistening, her blue-green eyes lasers of focus.

Olivia is a regular at the studio, but it's been a while since she has attended a class. A month earlier she was bucked from a horse while filming Cowboys & Aliens, a sci-fi Western costarring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford due out this summer. "It was embarrassing, because I was the only girl [doing the stunt]," says Olivia. Thankfully, she emerged without serious injury, but she's not sure how her first time back in the saddle will feel.

While others whoop and holler to the beats of Justin Timberlake and Beyonce, Olivia pedals silently and steadily, and rides out the burn. "When you feel like you're going to die…keep going," she says.

"Always keep moving."

Get the full interview in the January issue of Women's Health--on newsstands now!

Check out scenes from Olivia's cover shoot:

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Last updated: December 30, 2010   Issue date: January/February 2011

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Feel Sick? Click Here

health:  article 
Deena Biengardo, 26, is always on the go. She's an energetic, slim New Yorker who walks just about everywhere. You'd never guess she was recently 70 pounds overweight or that she regularly pricks herself with a giant needle full of meds—or that she has multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that affects some 400,000 Americans. Thanks to her laptop, she has found what she calls her "miracle cure" and claims to show few symptoms.

After her diagnosis in 2005, Deena took to Google and landed at PatientsLikeMe.com, a new type of health site that lets members share very specific information about symptoms and treatments. There, she networked with other MS patients, who not only buoyed her emotionally but also offered the kind of advice her everrotating cast of neurologists couldn't: concrete tips on managing prescription side effects, from people who had real-life experience with the illness. "It was then that I realized I could take control," she says of reading other patients' success stories, especially those that involved managing the disease through exercise and diet adjustments. Inspired, Deena started to slim down. "The site changed the way I view my future," she says.

The Sharing Shift
Searching the Internet for medical info is hardly new; a recent Pew Research Center study found that 61 percent of Americans do it. But millions of women like Deena are taking their online activity to new levels. By flocking to free sites like PatientsLikeMe and HealthCentral.com, they're helping to grow Facebook-style social networking communities—but instead of trading birthday wishes, they're posting their private medical histories, tracking daily pain levels, powwowing about Rx reactions, and even volunteering to be guinea pigs for experimental drugs. And by openly sharing the kind of intimate medical details people used to shield, they're creating huge health databases.

Yup, it's Health 2.0, where medicine meets crowd sourcing. The idea? Sharing is good. Like, really good. A recent California HealthCare Foundation report confirmed that when patients swap health stories, their collective wisdom yields clinical insights far better than what they'd learn in a doc's office. That's no surprise to Thomas Goetz, author of The Decision Tree: Taking Control of Your Health in the New Era of Personalized Medicine. He points to a larger societal shift toward sharing—most of us now shrug at typing in credit card numbers or going viral with our relationship statuses, so why not divulge the results of a blood test?—and likens health info to currency. Publicly tracking your medical details online is like managing an investment account, says Goetz. Sure, it's riskier than a passive approach, but the rewards are exponentially greater. Ben Heywood, cofounder of PatientsLikeMe, puts it this way: "People are realizing that not sharing might be getting in the way of deeper understanding, and that privacy might actually be bad for your health."

Exploding Communities
Alexandra Carmichael, 34, is on the forefront of user-generated health care. Throughout her twenties, the Mountain View, California-based entrepreneur lived with searing vaginal pain that made having sex nearly impossible. She bounced from gyno to gyno, eventually finding relief for her condition, called vulvodynia, through hormone replacement therapy. Frustrated that it took her 10 years to get there—and that she could never find good enough info online—Alexandra in 2008 launched CureTogether.com, a free site that lets people share, review, and track their illnesses and treatments, informing one another about which factors, from diet to menstrual cycles to sleep patterns, most affect their symptoms.

At its inception two years ago, CureTogether focused on three illnesses. But users bombarded Alexandra with requests for more disease communities, and today the site holds data on about 500 conditions, everything from bipolar disorder to restless leg syndrome. And PatientsLikeMe has doubled in size in the past year, with the seemingly achievable goal of having 1 million members within the next two years. HealthCentral, which combines social networking with articles like those on WebMD.com, attracts some 13 million visitors a month. (WebMD, meanwhile, is still the most visited health site. Earlier this year, it launched its own networking forum, WebMD Health Exchange.)

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Last updated: September 11, 2010   Issue date: September 2010

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When You Clash over Cash

life:  article 
The leading cause of disagreements in the first 10 years of legalized lovin' isn't lipstick-stained collars, lap dances, and suspicious hotel charges, according to a study by the University of Michigan's Early Years of Marriage Project.

It's money, honey.

In fact, statistics reveal that couples argue about finances more than anything else. In a 2006 Money magazine poll, 84 percent of respondents said money causes tension in their marriage. What's more, a study last year by the University of Virginia's National Marriage Project revealed that couples who fight about finances once a week are more than 30 percent more likely to split up than other couples. "People think money is an objective topic and that fair means the same thing to everybody," says Amanda Clayman, a financial therapist in New York City who writes a blog called The Good, the Bad, and the Money. "But money is subjective and emotional. And messy."

Gender Spenders
When it comes to handling the green stuff, divergent personalities abound: There are spenders who are prone to doling out dollars like Tic Tacs, hoarders who have a hard time parting with even a small amount of their hard-earned cash, dreamers who sock away a certain amount from every paycheck in hopes of one day owning a summer home or starting their own catering business, and even spiritual types who believe that money is the root of all evil.

And no matter which of these categories you're in, the guy you're living with may very well be your exact opposite. Says Clayman: "We tend to seek out partners who handle money differently than we do." Plus, the longer you're in the relationship, the more polarized your money habits may become. And if you and your partner aren't on the same page, it can lead to drama.

Money Talks
Enter a new breed of indemand expert, born out of our inability to talk about finances and further fueled by the bum economy: the financial therapist. Offering talk-based services to couples, financial therapists dig deep, looking at the emotional roots of our relationships with money—not just what our dysfunctions are and what to do about them, but also where they originated. That's because money issues are often about more than money: They can be about love, control, independence, security, or trust. "Whatever is going on internally with a person is always expressed in how they handle money," says Clayman.

Little wonder then that money problems often find their way into the bedroom. "If you're lying about purchases, distrustful of each other's spending, or not able to meet financial obligations, it can be hard to sustain the connection you need to keep your sex life healthy," says Reeta Wolfsohn, a financial social worker in North Carolina. But combining some funds and sharing important financial responsibilities creates intimacy that enhances other aspects of your relationship.

In fact, working through money issues can create a stronger emotional bond overall. "When we talk about compromise and cooperation, it can be abstract," says Clayman, "but money gives us a quantifiable tool. Building these skills can improve the well-being of the relationship."

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Last updated: August 17, 2010   Issue date: September 2010

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