Saturday, August 23, 2008

Weight loss spas

Is your stomach looking more scary than sexy? What about shedding some pounds in a weight loss spa? Well, you can take a relaxing break from your routine boring day-to-day life and head for one of those new-age weight loss spas to re-focus, re-energize, re-orient and rejuvenate yourself along with a healthy weight loss program. Modern spas have come far away from those days of "fat farms". Group torture and lettuce-only lunches are history; there are indeed many relaxing ways to lose weight healthily.

What Is a Weight Loss Spa?

Weight loss spa is a place where people with all kinds of obesity can have a tranquil and relaxing holiday when they indulge in different physical exercise and healthy food that can help them lose weight. Spas focus on the physical health and well being of the people who visit them to devise weight loss methods that can be an energizing, nutritious, and delicious experience. Visiting a spa can be a learning process as they have professionals who educate you on the nuances of weight loss with regard to your dieting habits and lifestyle.

Remember weight loss spas are a way too different from weight loss programs and boot camps as they generally do not follow trendy diets but instead devise programs which will help people to lose weight naturally and healthily. More importantly spas can help you to keep the weight off.

A weekend or a few days break spent in a spa may give you the necessary push in your weight loss procedure, but remember weight loss is best when you plan for it long term.

Types of Weight Loss Spas

Simply speaking, no two health spas or weight loss resorts or weight loss retreats or weight loss programs are the same. Be it a holistic weight loss spa, a new-age weight loss spa, or the pampering and luxurious ones, you definitely have a variety of options. Many weight loss health spas are run on an idealistic basis while a lot others have purely commercial motives behind their ventures.

Generally weight loss spas offer programs stretching from 7 days to 21 days, but there are also weight loss retreats and spas with programs that last for just a weekend or residential programs that runs to a few months. Weight loss spas can be broadly classified as follows:

No Frills (sports & activities)

Luxury (in-room herbal detox baths and special programs like "Fat Flush" program.)

Vegetarian

Luxury

Choosing the Best Weight Loss Spa

Just don't expect to come away from such a weight loss retreat or spa with a life long answer to your weight and obesity problems. That just can't be done in a week or even three.

Anyways the major consideration in selecting a weight loss spa ideal for your body weight conditions is the cost involved. A weekend at one those "common" spas would cost you a few hundred dollars, while a weekend at those high-end luxury spas would be in astronomical proportions. So choosing a spa ideal for your pocket, that won't set you back much is a must.

Go for the weight loss health spas that incorporates comprehensive weight loss programs like,

Diet & fitness education
Practical food preparation experience
Psychological counseling & emotional support
Orientation for overall lifestyle & habit reformations
The goal is not to lose weight - but rather to change a lifestyle that gave you extra un-wanted pounds. Once you begin to understand the healthy lifestyle and become more committed to it, then your body will gradually reduce to your optimum weight level.

And people who claim that you can contain obesity in a few days time are merely bluffing; weight loss is not a one-minute solution. The wisecrack "Do not aim for quick losses the quicker you lose - the quicker you gain back" stands true.

What They Do In a Weight Loss Spa?

No two spas have the same weight loss programs. Some spas would allow you to participate in an array of fitness classes such as step aerobics, kickboxing, belly dancing, yoga and more, while some would indulge you with cooking demonstrations, nutrition classes, goal setting classes and much more.& However, in general, many weight management spas follow certain standard procedures for a weight loss program.

Counseling:
A first time visitor to a weight loss spa would need to have a one to one session with the in house counselor. It is important as the outcome of the meeting would play a big role in devising the necessary tailor-made weight loss measures for the individual after taking into account the family history, body type, and medical history.

Counseling is a must as it would help you keep away from setting unrealistic goals (according to your body type).

Activities:

Spas offer you a number of activities and sports for weight management depending on the terrain, size and location of the spa. You would be advised to take up games and other fitness activities that would work best for you. At a weight loss spa the types of fitness activities they include are golf, hiking, horse riding, tennis and swimming as well as many others.

Classes:

Different weight loss spas have devised their own secretive and innovative weight loss menus (lesson plans), be it for fitness, dieting or cooking. However, most weight loss spas concentrate on alternative ways of weight loss like herbal drinking, meditation, yoga, ayurveda etc while giving fitness or dieting tips. These classes would give you the best ideas for improving your digestive system or your posture, healing damaged cells, absorbing vitamins, removing toxins, reducing stress, or enhancing your blood circulation.

Benefits of a Weight Loss Spa

A Weight management program, whether they are for a week, a month or a year, capitalizes your chances for permanent and healthy life style changes in inspiring and meaningful ways. The benefits you can obtain from weight loss spas would depend on the type of program you have chosen as well as on your body type.

Generally, a visit to a spa would at least give you the necessary push towards your weight loss endeavors. Some of the physical and psychological benefits you can reap from a weight loss program in spas would come in the form of advices from specialists, such as:

Opportunity to understand the basic essentials of permanent weight loss
Psychological counseling

Emotional support
Expert advice on metabolism, hunger management, exercise, dangers of dieting etc
Achieving and maintaining healthy weight
Professional counsel on lifestyle changes
Well crafted plans that would work best for different individuals
Learn simple, everyday activities that promote weight loss
Conventional and other new-age methods of weight management(yoga, meditation etc)
But perhaps the best benefit of a weight loss spa is that there is a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere for those that visit one. As a visit to a weight loss spa is a holiday more people are likely to repeat the activities they took part in even when they go home and this will lead to a greater chance of them achieving diet success.

Weight Loss Spa Philosophy:

With teams of nutritionists, counselors, physicians and other weight loss experts every spa has their own set of weight loss philosophy. Here is a list of some of the most popular and viable Philosophy (areas encompassed) for weight loss management in spas:

recognizing how your body balances,
developing a pattern of eating that works well( for you),
understanding overeating,
learning your body mass,
doing the best you can each day,
developing an effective exercise program
listening to and trusting internal hunger signals, and
practicing self-acceptance
Alternatives

Weight loss is not a modern phenomenon as obesity issues are as old as human beings. Above the many number of diet pills, exercise regimes and diet plans for weight loss that have been developed in the modern times, lots of complementary and alternatives for weight loss have been inexistence for centuries. Though they may vary from the modern approaches of weight loss treatment alternatives have been found to be effective in fighting the obesity menace.

Alternatives for weight loss cover a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies that mainstream conventional medicine does not commonly use, accept, study, understand, or make available. Many of these alternatives that include the use of acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, therapeutic massage, and other traditional oriental medicines have become very popular in the recent past.

These alternatives may be used alone, with the combination of other therapies or as complementary treatment to other standard treatment for weight loss.

Types of Alternatives:

There are many weight loss alternatives that have been in used for quite a long period of time that there won't be enough space to talk about them here. Yoga, with its origin in India is one of the most popular and holistic treatment for weight loss. Here are some basic facts about Yoga with relation to weight loss.

Yoga & Weight Loss

Yoga is the oldest physical culture known to man, as it works both with your physic and your psyche, body and soul. For successful weight loss, you can trespass those gimmicks available everywhere and focus on this old way of life.

Yoga has many effective yet easy body poses and principles to achieve weight loss. Given below are some basic Yoga poses for weight loss:

The Sun Salutations for Weight Loss:

These Yogic Poses are a generous combination of Breathing Exercises, Sun Bathing and Prayer;

Technique:

1 Stand straight with the palms together as in a prayer position.
2 Inhale and stretch the arms above the head.
3 Exhale and bend forward while touching the toes.
4 Inhale and stretch the right leg away from the body in a big backward step and keep the hands and left foot firmly on the ground. Bending the head backward the left knee should be between the hands.
5 Inhale and hold the breath. Move the left leg from the body and, keeping both feet together and the knees of the floor, rest on the hands (arms straight) and keep the body in a straight line from head to foot.
6 Exhale and lower the body to the floor. In this position, only 8 portions of the body come in contact with the floor: the two feet, two knees, two hands, chest and forehead.
7 Inhale and bend back as much as possible bending the spine to the maximum.
8 Exhale and lift the body of the floor. Keep the feet and heels on the floor.
9 Inhale and bring the right foot along the level of the hands; left foot and knee should touch the ground. Look up, bending the spine slightly (same position as #4)
10 Exhale and bring the left leg forward. Keep the knees straight and bring the head down to the knees as in the third position.
11 Raise the arms overhead and bend backward inhaling. (As in Position 2)
12 Exhale and drop the arms and relax.
These 12 steps together form one round. You can go on repeating it for a minimum 6 times and go up to a maximum of 30 times.

These Yogic poses give you the following benefits:

Lessen disorders of the skin and waist.
Burn calories, reduce weight and controls depression.
Loosen up, stretch and massage all joints and internal organs of the body.
Stimulate and balance entire body systems including the endocrine, circulatory, reproductive and digestive system.
here are other alternative treatments for weight loss other Yoga. It is up to you to choose the treatment that is most comfortable to you.
Body Types

It is a well proven fact that no diet or exercise is applicable for all people. Different individuals have different body types making it difficult for weight loss experts to develop a common generalized diet or therapy that would for everyone. There may be certain diets and exercises that can benefit everyone, but they are far and between. Therefore it is best to know and correctly identify your body type in order to determine the diet or the fitness routine that would ultimately work for you.

Body Types and Weight Loss

According to science, the entire human population can be diversified and classified into three body types, namely Ectomorphs, Mesomorphs and Endomorphs. However it is only in rare instances that you find a person that belongs completely to one body type. Generally, every human being is a combination of two body types.

It is necessary that you know about your right body combination to strike a right balance of your diet and fitness regime for weight loss.

Body Types, Diet & Exercise

A comprehensive description of the three different body types and their corresponding needs for diet and exercises are given below. However you are advised to consult your physician, if you feel that you can't identify yourself with any of them.

Mesomorphs - are assumed to be the best body types as they have more ability to control and manage their weight. They are generally born with lean figures and are blessed with a fast metabolism. Mesomorphs can afford to eat more a lot as their bodies are designed in a way that facilitates quick burning of fats, preventing fat accumulation. They have a muscular and athletic body with shapely shoulders and tapered waists.

For weight loss, mesomorphs should strictly adhere to a diet and exercise routine to help them retain their shape. They can aim for a more muscular body but should be discouraged from getting thinner, as that can be taken as a sign of being unhealthy.

Ectomorphs - may not be as ideal a body type like mesomorphs, but they are the most popular figure type with the media going frenzy over their body shape and physique. Ectomorphs have a slim shoulders, waists and hips and a low percentage of fats. But the low fat content sometimes comes in the way of gaining a shapely figure. They are tall, thin, lanky and skinny with many of them thronging the fashion and modeling circuits.

Ectomorphs should aim for diets and exercises that would allow an even distribution of fat to attain a shapelier figure. They also work a lot on gaining muscle weight too. Most of them are generally obsessed with becoming rake-thin, and keep trying to lose more and more weight.

Endomorphs - are body types that no one would like to possess voluntarily. They are generally very broad, whether they are tall or short. Endomorphs are never narrow and posses pear-like figures with hips wider than their shoulders. This body group is prone to become obese with a slow metabolism that leads to fat accumulation.

Achieving a healthy weight loss and maintaining an ideal weight is a tough task for the endomorphs as their body is not cut out for it. With the presence of huge amounts of fat combined with heavier and bigger bones, weight loss is a goal that is next to impossible for them. They have to keep exercising on a constant and persistent basis, complemented by a healthy diet for a successful weight loss.

Always keep in mind that body types and weight loss are closely inter-related, and they go together constantly. Taking up a fitness regime or a dieting plan not meant for your body type may prove disastrous to your weight loss venture. Know your body type and follow the plan that would help you become fit and healthy.
Weight Loss Therapies
Weight loss therapies abound the cyberspace. There are weight loss therapies and weight loss therapies, making it a difficult exercise for people to choose a therapy that would work. In fact with the number of options and the choices of weight loss therapies that are available to you, it definitely confuses than help you.

Weight loss therapies are in the range from the holistic ancient treatises to the mundane, tried and tested weight loss therapies that every other person tells you about. Weight loss therapies have grown proportionately to the alarming rise in the rate of the obese and the overweight. There has been much talk on the subject with lots of conflicting and contradictory theories doing the round. But it is a fact that weight loss therapies work, or else there would be no weight loss therapies; you just have to undergo the therapy that best suits your body conditions.

Determining a Suitable Weight Loss Therapy:

It is important to determine a suitable weight loss therapy to take care of your obesity issues. Experts are of the opinion that it is best to begin with the simplest and move on to more intense treatments if necessary. Given below is a brief account of treating obesity with a simple light therapy.

Take counseling to determine a diet and exercise regimen after setting a realistic weight loss goal.
Light therapy is a simple treatment of restricted diet or regular exercise or a combination of both
The diet must consist of calories fewer than you can burn
Holistic Weight Loss Therapy

As the term "holistic" indicates, holistic weight loss therapy involves treating at the spiritual, emotional and mental level. A comprehensive counseling covering medical history and lifestyle is required before the therapy.

The following outlines some of our most popular Holistic Treatments:

Aromatherapy Massage

Aromatherapy massage for weight loss unites the soothing properties of essential oils extracted from flowers, leaves, fruit, wood etc. and massage in a single therapeutic treatment. It gets you closer to nature and gives a totally nourishing experience to the whole body and mind.

Reflexology

This weight loss therapy makes takes into account the energy pathways that travel from your feet to all parts of the body. Reflexology stimulates your natural healing processes through applying gentle pressure on various parts of your feet. It can locate the tense areas of your body that blocks the flow of energy and gently soothe them to facilitate better flow. Reflexology weight loss therapy helps to reverse any imbalances in your whole system and stimulate healing.

Indian Head Massage

An Indian head massage for weight loss is an effective therapy that can release your tension, fatigues or headaches. It is generally applied to the head, face, neck and shoulders to stimulate the proper circulation in the said areas. It is a relaxing experience that can relax your muscles and scalp when you are low on morale.

Reiki

The Reiki therapy for weight loss is a totally natural process of healing that is designed to methodically strengthen the absorption of Universal Life Energy. This therapy is a great success in helping you to relax by reducing your stress. Reiki therapy can give you inner peace as it can reinstate and restore the balance and harmony of your body.

Besides these therapies there are other popular new age therapies like,

Oxygen therapy
Hypnotic therapy
Herbal therapy


Weight Loss Tips

Weight loss is the culmination of many numbers of factors right from the food you eat to the time you go to sleep; no single factor can help you attain weight loss, no matter how hard you try. Diets, exercises, habits - they all play a part. In fact weight loss is about a total change in your way of life i.e. lifestyle changes.

Many authorities may give you many number of weight loss tips, but practicing them may not be exactly a cakewalk. We also yearn to look good, slim and trim over and above just being healthy. This can sometimes act as a challenge, and with the many different diet plans, exercises regimes and the wide choices of food, you just tend to get confused. But you can still try some old fashioned weight loss tools to achieve your target.

5 Weight Loss Tips from the Old School

1. Eliminate the Junk Food

You may not exactly be happy with this tip, but it is high time you start cutting on the junks from your daily diet. Replace these chock full of carbohydrates, fats and calories with some clean healthy food.

2. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Eating any and every kind of fruits and vegetables are a must on any weight loss plan. They are a storehouse of essential vitamins and nutrients that can do a world of good for your digestive system.

3. Eliminate the Soda

The sugars and carbohydrates in every gulp of soda, that you down, can add several pounds to the average person. Start loving water; water is definitely a very healthy drink. Water can also give you a feeling of being full, and you would eat less.

4. Always Eat Breakfast

Starving yourself would do you no good. Don't get into the crowd that thinks that skipping breakfast can expedite weight loss. The trick to stay full is not eating a lot at one go; it is all about little eating at regular intervals. The key is eating small.

5. Exercise

Remember, if you don't exercise any amount of diet or lifestyle change won't facilitate weight loss. Get yourself moving, as any physical movement, be it mowing the loan, climbing the stairs, or a walk to the super market can help.

The New Age Dieting Tips for Weight Loss:

Following the 5 tips of the old school of dieting would definitely help you attain weight loss. But in any case if you feel that you are not satisfied with the tips, here are some New Age Weight Loss Tips that can be of help:

Find out how many calories you need
Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day
Watch for Portion Size
Do not Skip Meals
Go for wholesome fresh foods
Don't be overly-restrictive
Understand Food Claims and Labels
Watch for the sugary drinks
Keep a food journal
Exercise
And above all these tips, it would be a productive exercise to keep a food journal that can help you pin point your eating pattern. It will enable you to easily modify it, and if possible, have your Registered Dietitian review your journal every once in a while it can help.
Weight Loss Truths

Weight is very much an inexact science, and I can strongly advocate that there are no sure-shot solutions and short-cut methods of effective weight management. I've been through the usual grind that many of you today are going through, right from taking small time tips from friends, flipping through health and life style magazines, sending queries to agony aunties, googling all the way to catchy websites with shabby & shady deals.

You can easily be fleeced with empty promises and tall claims about weight loss. In fact some advertising claims are indeed too hard to swallow, with their quick-fix, out of the box solutions for weight management. Imagine losing 10 pounds in two hours flat. Well, such tall claims only increase my wariness of the weight loss zealots. I am no party to the class and cut of such weight loss aficionados who play on the human emotions of quick results and easy answers. Steer Clear of Such Gimmicks!

I don't intend to be a messiah, passing judgments and dictates on what's happening at the pitching scenes to sell weight loss products, weight loss programs, weight loss plans and the likes, but I know how it goes. I was too fat for way too many years. I've lost about 30 or so pounds from my heaviest weight, down to a respectable 150 fully clothed. So, when it comes to weight loss motivation, I have some personal experience.

I understand all the emotional tribulations and turmoil of being obese and overweight, and I can actually identify with your physical pangs and emotional worries and feel at one with you.

My five years struggle to come into terms with my obesity, accepting my limitations, and then finally getting rid of the excess weight to my best level has taught me some hard lessons. I found it hard to swallow the truth when it hit me, but I think I am enlightened enough to guide you at the least to understand your body, accept the reality and then overcome your weighty problems in the best way possible.

And yes I have been maintaining my ideal weight for the past 7 years, and I feel that the 5 years I spent in the grind (weight loss trials) is worth it. I have learned exactly what works and what doesn't work when it comes to lasting weight loss.
Your weight loss is directly influenced by the way you think and feel. The more you can remain positive and motivated, the more success you're likely to have. Here are three great ways to stay focused on your success:
Form a support circle. This includes your family, friends, coworkers and your doctor. It's pretty safe to assume that these people want to help, but they might not really know how. So, be patient while they learn the ways that are most helpful to you. One key element of getting the support you need is to be specific...and ask for the help you decide you really need. Think it over. Focus on the behavior that you want the person to exhibit—or to change—rather than asking for kindness, understanding or sensitivity. Make your communication clear, and you're much more likely to get the help you need.
Keep track of your progress. Weigh yourself periodically. And each day write down a day's complete eating and any physical activity you've done. This is both a great way to feel proud of your accomplishments and a helpful means of spotting any potential problems with your weight-loss program, should they arise. Any time you visit your doctor, bring along your daily notes to share with him or her.
Reward yourself early and often. Changing your lifestyle takes motivation, and although feeling better about yourself is the biggest reward of all, sometimes you might need a little something extra to motivate you. So make sure you reward yourself once you reach a goal, whether it be completing a 10-minute walk or losing 10 pounds. Some of the rewards you need are psychological—give yourself a "pat on the back" for a job well done, even if your new lifestyle becomes "second nature" over time. But don't feel shy about rewarding yourself with new clothes or other personal pamperings, either—you've earned it!
Part of staying positive is dealing with the negative.

A positive attitude and good motivation will get you started, but it's easy to fall into unrealistic expectations that could derail your efforts.

Here are a couple of "can't win" thought patterns to look out for:

"It's all or nothing." This attitude tempts you to think that foods are either good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. Just one slipup, and you could view yourself as a failure. Instead, expect mistakes as part of weight control. It's better to have them and recover quickly than to have no plan for dealing with them when they occur.

"Nothing but negative." It's easy to make a mountain out of a molehill. Miss one opportunity for increased physical activity, and the thought could pop up that you're "right back where you started," ignoring all the work you've already done. Focus on the good work you have done, and look ahead to more of it.

"Don't worry, be happy." These thinkers have the opposite reaction from the ones above: they're always going to do better next week. This may be optimistic, positive thinking, but it often lacks a plan for making it happen. Plans beat platitudes, every day.

"This is it." Sometimes you may feel like you have found the "right" program, the "right" doctor, or that this is exactly the "right" time for success. Unfortunately, weight control isn't a one-shot effort. Think long-term: seeing your doctor regularly, making physical activity a part of your life, and, rather than just dieting, changing your eating habits for life.

Weight-loss pitfalls can be discouraging, but if you deal with them rather then give up, you'll be a stronger and happier person for it!
Did you know that:

People who exercise regularly are generally more successful at losing weight and keeping it off than those who don't?

Increasing physical activity is good for you? (It generally lowers high blood pressure, helps control diabetes, lowers cholesterol and improves cardiorespiratory function).

People who exercise report that they enjoy an improved mood, enhanced self-esteem and self-concept, plus reduced stress, anxiety and depression?

If all of this sounds good to you, perhaps you should consider adding physical activity to your daily life. And no, we're not saying that you should run out and join a health club. But a little physical activity every day can have huge benefits.
In fact, according to a 1996 Surgeon General report, just moderate amounts of nonstrenuous physical activity can produce big improvements in people's health and quality of life.

Here you can read about easy ways to introduce physical activity into your life. You'll also learn how to create a plan for yourself, and how to take that plan further, should you decide that you're ready for more.

Before you start any program of increased physical activity, it's important to discuss it with your physician. Learn more about how to begin a conversation with your doctor about weight loss, and about a prescription medication from Roche Laboratories that only your doctor can prescribe.