While belt exercisers and ab belts sound like a no-sweat way to burn belly fat, fitness professionals caution you to avoid the lure of equipment and gadgets that promise a quick, easy route to weight loss.

Harvey and Marilyn Diamond developed the Fit for Life Diet in the 1980’s and co-authored a book by the same name. The diet is based on the concept of proper food combining, an eating method that prohibits consuming certain types of foods together. There is much controversy surrounding this fad diet.

Protein is an essential nutrient needed for muscle growth and repair, in addition to maintenance of normal cell and body functions. The recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Smart Ones frozen dinners, products from the Weight Watchers diet, are convenient and inexpensive; they are marketed as healthy alternatives to traditional frozen meals. The Marinette/Oconto Wisconsin Nutrition Education Program recommends choosing those that are between 360 and 400 calories with less than 25 g of fat.

Kickboxing is a competitive martial art that involves punches, kicks and other techniques exchanged between two participants in short matches. Different versions allow or disallow specific techniques. Some kickboxing participants use protective padding and gear, while others spar without protection.

Aging tends to be associated with decreased muscle mass and fragile bones -- two manifestations of weight loss that aren't good for you. But if you're overweight or obese, even a small weight loss can provide significant benefits.

The second week of a weight loss diet may be discouraging if you expect to lose as much weight as you did in the first week. It’s not that your diet has stopped working, it’s because you drop excess fluid in the first week or so, which can lead to unrealistic expectations for the rest of your diet.

The lemon water diet works on the principles of detox. A mixture of water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup are concocted to drink several times a day. Lemon Water Diet.com suggests that you take 60 oz. of this drink per day and only supplement this with water between doses.

Stent placement is one of the most common treatments for heart disease and artery blockage in the United States. More than 1 million Americans have a stent procedure each year to open blocked cardiac arteries, according to a February 2010 "Wall Street Journal" article.

Cardiovascular exercise raises your heart rate and metabolism, increasing your calorie expenditure both during and immediately following the activity. Getting regular aerobic exercise helps with weight management and improves your fitness and overall health.

Limiting carbohydrate intake for weight loss has a long history, dating back almost 200 years. More recently, plans like Atkins and South Beach have popularized the low-carb diet, in which you restrict your consumption of carbohydrates and then gradually add them back in.

The hypothalamus is an area of the brain that produces hormones involved in regulating hunger and thirst, among other sensations. The hypothalamus is considered a part of the nervous system. Supplying the hypothalamus with nutrients that are supportive of cognitive function may help to increase its functionality.