Is It Water Loss or Weight Loss?

January 24, 2008

It’s January so it is time to be concerned about weight loss because you have to look all slim and beautiful for that date. The thing is most of the products sold online is that they do not help you lose fat. They only cause you to lose water. The loss is temporary and doesn’t include any fat. Diuretics can promote dangerous dehydration and cardiac problems. As soon as the body is dehydrated, the weight returns. Meaningful weight loss requires loss of body fat not water.

One sure way to tell that you are dealing with a weight loss product that is a diuretic is if it makes outrageous promises, such as “Lose Ten Pounds a Week” or “Lose Ten Pounds in Three Days.” This is only possible if you are going to lose water weight.

You can also figure out what products are diuretics by looking at the ingredients, which according to the FDA must be listed from the most to the least. One of the biggest culprits is caffeine. Caffeine may be listed on the box as a main ingredient or it may be concealed in an ingredient such as green tea.

Most magical weight loss formulas (and especially those that are marketed as Chinese or miracle weight loss teas) contain herbs that act as diuretics. There is no such thing as a “fat burning herb” only herbs and botanicals that cause an increase in heart rate, breathing and other functions. This is not “fat burning” it is simply stress for the body that may trigger it to burn more calories.

Here is a breakdown of some of the most common herbs that are described as fat burning or weight loss miracles but that are actually diuretics.

Bochum. This herb is native to South Africa and is a powerful diuretic. Its main side effect is dehydration and the symptoms that come with it such as dizziness and fatigue

Dandelion – One of the safest diuretics, dandelion contains two diuretic chemicals, eudesmanolides and germacranolides, as well as the mineral potassium, which helps to regulate water balance

Horse Chestnut. Horse Chestnut is an old remedy for individuals with blood pressure problems and for varicose veins. It is a powerful diuretic that should never be used more than a day or two. Its main side effect is dehydration.

Kola Nut – This is a powerful diuretic that is not to be trifled with. The side effects are excessive thirst, nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, frequent urination, urges to go on an empty bladder, over stimulation, mania and insomnia.

Uva Ursi. Uva Ursi is traditionally used to treat bladder infections by increasing urine output. Side effects include frequent urination, urges to go and dehydration.

The weight loss herb Hoodia is also classified as a diuretic. Drinking half your body weight in ounces a day of water will aid your metabolism in breaking down fat cells and flushing out toxins.

If you must take a diuretic, beware of carbonated sodas and caffeinated beverages; they may cause stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea or cause further dehydration while taking these kinds of weight loss supplement formulas.

 

Dating Journal
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The Jealous Ex

January 18, 2008

Boys before you decide to ask anyone out on a date can you please get rid of your jealous ex? I just had the worst experience with a man who seemed to have a stalker on his tail.

Okay first of all he lied to me. He told me he was single when in fact he was still living at home with his ex girlfriend. How did I find this out? She ran after me with a kitchen knife and threw shoes at me is how.

This is how it went down. I met this guy John at a party and he said he was a lawyer and he was single. He also told me a bit about her but I had no idea they were still living together. After meeting John for coffee a few days later we decided we would go tout to see a play that my friend was in and then take it from there.

We went to the play and then out to dinner and then I drove him home. He lives in this nice stately old house in the Art Deco part of town. We go up to his front door and he tries the key. The door opens and then it shuts right in his place. Someone inside relocks the door and won’t let him in.

Before I can ask him what I sgoing on I see this face in the window and hear a voice screaming “Get off my step and away from my man you fucking bitch.” This apparently is his ex.

WE go back to my car and get in. He tells me that she is his ex and that she has nowhere to go so she is living in the downstairs aprt of his home and he is living in the upstairs and that it is still cool for me to come. Idiot that I am I decide to give this another try.,

He knocks on the door , she opens it and she has a knife in her hand. I of course see this and high tail it down the street. This is when she starts taking off her shoes. He gets into my car and hides. The next half hour is spent watching her pound the crap out of my car as if she was an ape testing a suitcase. Of course the whole time she is screaming at him while I watch from the bushes.

Finally the police come and Little Miss Frothing at the Mouth is taken away. Needless to say I just could not have a relationship with a guy under these circumstances. He sent me email after email begging fro me to understand that he really was single but quite frankly I like myself and would rather not be stabbed to death by a kitchen knife or have my eye put out by a woman hauling shoes in my direction. Until he gets rid of that jealous stalker, there will be no bookie from me?

 

Dating Journal
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How Men Make You Desperate For Their Attention

January 1, 2008

Ever wonder how some men seem to make us so desperate for their attention?

Here are some tips and tricks that I stole out of a man’s book on dating for taking advantage of the fact that women are hard-wired —

1. Never ask for her phone number.

Never beg for her phone number. That is one of the principles of being powerful. Make her phone you by giving you hers. Act like you just don’t care. This also makes it seem like you are already busy dating other women.

2. Never return her phone call immediately.

Wait at least three days before you return any calls. Wait until you think she is just about to give up on you and then phone. This drives her crazy with curiosity when it comes to wondering what you could possibly be doing that is more interesting than being with her.

3. Surround yourself with as many women as possible.

When you are in a social situation try to be around as many women as possible. If you are in a bar or at a party it is crucial for you to talk to as many women as possible so other women notice.

Date gurus call this multiplying women.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to go up to a group of women and engage them all in a conversation at once. Even saying something as simple as “So what are you girls up to tonight?” can start a group conversation.

Just make sure that when the girl you are really interested in is looking your way that you are always talking to another woman.

4. Be Prince Charming.

If you have a good friend who is a woman make sure you are attentive to her as if she was your girlfriend. Take her coat for her and put your hand on the small of her back. This will make the other women wish that you were available and when they discover that you actually are they will be delighted.

5. Make her aware of the competition.

If you do end up talking to a woman at the bar it is not a bad idea to give her a little sense of healthy competition. Consider flashing your wallet and make sure there is a big picture of another woman inside.

She may be so curious she may ask who she is. If she does try to look mysterious, pained or tragic. Tell her you will tell her all about it some day and that you just can’t talk about it right now. Even better imply that talking about it might steal away the precious minutes you could be spending talking to you.

Some of these dating gurus are really outrageous. He say “If you practice these tips and techniques you will be cleverly using a woman’s hard-wired instincts, which she thinks she is using to her advantage to your own!” No wonder we are so taken advantage of.

 

Dating Journal
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The Crib From Hell

December 29, 2007

Okay this is just a terrible story simply because it is so sad that some people have to live this way.

Tuesday I went out with this great guy. He was an advertising marketing executive and really cute, funny and sexy. I went out on two great dates with him – one to a Spanish tapas place and another to roller skating rink before I decided I would let him take me home to his place on third date.

The third date was actually a cooking class on How to Make Sushi and after the two of us stuffed ourselves with shrimp, avocado and other aphrodisiacs as well as some warm Saki I could hardly wait to rip his clothes off.

So we get to his place and the first thing I notice outside the door is the smell. It is this ammonia like reek and I ask him if he has cats or a litter box and he says, “No, I don’t know where it is coming from.” I soon find out when I visit his bathroom later. This man simply never learned how to “aim for the toilet.”

However the urine colored walls and floor in his bathroom was not the worst of it. The sink was coated in soap and shaving cream scum. The very worst thing was all of the hair that was everywhere – on the floors, the shower stall and even on the seat of the toilet. It was like a big shaggy dog lived there and not a person.

This however was not as gross as the kitchen, which was piled sky high with old dishes. On top of that was piled cardboard dishes and take out boxes. There were actually maggots crawling around the sink and at the base of the refrigerator where it appears he stood in front of door eating and drinking and spilling stuff on the floor.

The rest of the room was covered with magazines and clothing that look like it had all been whirled together in a giant invisible blender. Also every now and then were half full bags full of reeking garbage. It looked like he would try to clean up every now and then, fill half of a garbage bag and then forget about it. There was also a terrible reek coming from beneath his couch as I walked by and I did not even want to deign to guess what it could be – dead dog? Old pizza? Vomit?

My opinion of him changed immediately. What a turn off. I made the excuse that I forgot that I had an appointment at 7:30 in the morning and got out of there quickly. As I left he kept saying to me “Is it the place?” but of course I did not have the heart to just go yes. All I know is that a person that non-hygienic is probably not clean in other areas of his life and may be sloppy with things like STD and birth control. Who needs it?

 

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