Tyler Russell

There are a number of ways to lose weight and, when you put them all together, you can turn your body into a mean, fat-burning machine.

But, for me, the major obstacle to weight loss has always been my diet. I used to hit the gym on a nearly daily basis, training for hours on end. Unfortunately, I was just wasting my energy because I would pile on frozen pizzas, gyros, brats, beers and (my favorite) bacon.

Unfortunately, my diet was devoid of many essential vitamins and nutrients. As a result, I felt as though I had issues with my colon. I was irregular as well as unsatisfied. My digestive abilities were sub par and my metabolism had slowed to a lurch. Subsequently, the weight was piling up.

I lost interest in training because I was not seeing the results I desired. The hard work simply wasn’t paying out.

It wasn’t until I began to incorporate Aloe Vera juice and Apple cider vinegar into my diet that I began to lose weight naturally. I learned, by simply ingesting mere ounces of these liquids into my daily regimen, that I would be able to overpower my deep addiction to food as a drug.

You see, it’s not just junk food. Any food that I eat, I feel like I need to consume pounds of it. The food being fatty, cheese and salty only made the gorging of myself a slightly fun activity. I definitely think that nasty food has an ingredient that strictly delivers guilt into its consumer!

But my appetite is entirely different now, and it’s all thanks to me taking shots! How often do you get to say that? I simply take a shot of Aloe Vera juice in the morning (in my orange juice, so it won’t taste nearly as terrible). And, before each meal, a quick shot of apple cider vinegar and honey.

What the apple cider vinegar has done, as far as I’m concerned, has made me feel satisfied with regular amounts of food. On top of that, it’s a serious appetite suppressor. Just knowing I have to drink vinegar makes me not want to start a new meal. Aside from that, I feel as though my body is, quite simply, healthier. I just kind of feel full all day and, when I think of eating, I’m not driven wild by the thought of putting something in my mouth just to taste it. Instead, I just don’t feel the need to prioritize the desire for food. It’s kind of hard to describe in words but, honestly, that’s all you really need to know about my experience. Hippocrates, when he recommended consistent usage of apple cider vinegar circa 400 B.C., really knew what he was doing.

If you are like me, you will feel the results of apple cider vinegar immediately. The same goes for Aloe Vera juice.

I am digesting my food so much better now and I’m not overeating, thanks to the pH balance-balancing properties of the Aloe Vera juice! It immediately cured the indigestion I didn’t even realize I had! I have yet to be driven by a sudden urge for junk food (and lots of it) for any reason. I am just finishing my first 16 ounce bottle of Aloe Vera juice and my second 16 ounce bottle of (unrefined) apple cider vinegar. It’s been approximately 3 weeks since I began this regimen. Not only have I cleansed my colon, but I’ve also calmed my stomach. I am never gassy any more and that alone is one reason I’ve loved this new lifestyle change!

Trying to Lose Weight?
Which One Should You Avoid - Fat or Sugar?

Our bodies need certain amounts of fat for sustaining us in our basic functions. Good fats exist same as bad ones. Trans fat should never enter a person’s body, for any reason. Saturated fats should only add up to 25% or less of your fat intake.

The other 75% should be made up of the GOOD fats. There are monosaturated and polyunsaturated, along with the Omega 3,6, and 9 fatty acids. You can get these from seeds, fish, and nuts.

So far in reference to the question of when you’re trying to lose weight which one should you avoid - fat or sugar?, we find that we can’t avoid fats altogether. Only the bad ones. So what about sugars?

Sugar when not in its natural form is never good. There are good sugars from honey and fruits, but the refined sugar is just not a healthy prospect.

Once eaten, sugary foods will have a large impact on your blood sugar levels. These rises in blood sugar levels are what makes the pancreas release the hormone known as insulin. It creates the process of taking the converted sugars which are now glucose, and having them absorbed into body cells, and affecting the fat cells. Sugars contribution to fat is overwhelming.

The technical processes of the sugar being taken in and eventually being stored by the body as fat, is a long and boring story, although real and true. The answer we are looking for here is whether or not these sugars should be eaten when you are trying to lose weight. No. Therefore the answer to the initial question should it be avoided is “YES”.

So while some fats are to be avoided, not all fats are to be avoided. By the same token most all sugars, mainly refined sugars, are to be avoided as well, with natural sugars being alright.

If I had to pick one to avoid, I would pick sugar. But to be honest and fair, in answering our question which is to be avoided between the two - a little of both, but not all of both. We need to ingest the good parts, resist the bad. Both have potential harmful forms, and both have beneficial forms. We are responsible for our intake of any of these forms. Let us be sensible about what we put into our bodies, and not be reckless and be caught off guard by an unwanted disorder.

Who is going to win the fight between these two heavyweights of the diet club. We’ll name this fight card - ‘Dieting - Rice versus Wheat’.it’s a longtime grudge match. Both are talented contenders for your dieting needs, and both will go down swinging. But in the end, we want to know who should actually hold the title as ‘Champion’.

There are as many diets it seems, as there are dieters. Many say today that to get rid of wheat permanently is the way to go. Others disagree. There could be some who are ‘wheat intolerant’ meaning their systems don’t react well to it. It makes sense then for these people to leave the wheat alone.

If you have a wheat-free diet it means you’re gonna have restrictions on things like pretzels, wheat pasta, wheat breads, and any kinds of cereal that contain wheat. I know this is common sense, but some people actually get surprised when you mention this obvious fact, like they didn’t know the cereal they were eating had wheat in it.

The no-wheat plans have their place and work well when applied the right way for the right person. The rice plans, are a bit more involved. With this plan you try to limit your intake of starches, fats, sugars, and processed foods. Limiting these will help you to lose the weight you want.

There is a progressive phase each week in the rice diet plans, for cutting down certain foods. It’s designed to allow the dieter to phase out the old way of eating and phase in the new way, which will enable any weight loss managed from the diet to be kept off by a continuation of a certain food regimen. You switch from the ‘diet’ phase to the ‘maintenance’ phase.

So who wins this match-up between the dieting factors - rice vs. wheat? All things considered, I believe the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. These two really cater to individual bodies and chemistries. So as the referee in this fight, I call it a draw, since no substantial blows were thrown that could designate a winner. I am leaning toward rice in this battle, but it’s too close to call. In all fairness I have to go by the judges scorecards, so a draw it is. You alone can be the vote that tips the scales in favor of one or the other.