THERE ARE many reasons why it is important to drink water, especially if you are losing weight. Initial weight loss is largely due to loss of water and you need to drink an adequate amount of water in order to avoid dehydration. The process of burning calories requires an adequate supply of water in order to function efficiently; dehydration slows down the fat-burning process.

U.S.Rep. Mary Bono introduced legislation yestersday to combat a killer that each year takes the lives of tens of thousands of Americans and costs the United States billions of dollars — obesity.

A REVOLUTIONARY new drug which helps people lose weight has been launched in the UK. It causes weight loss by blocking the brain's craving signals, suppressing the appetite. The drug, called Acomplia, is made by the French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi-Aventis, and has been used successfully in clinical trials.

It was reported last week that one supplement, Zotrim, helped people to lose weight even if they weren't dieting. However, according to Independent dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton "a supplement pill should be seen only as an extra tool. For long-term weight control, a sensible diet and exercise programme must be the principal way."

Women are being offered controversial liposuction during their lunch break. The hour-long operation uses a laser beams to melt away unsightly pockets of fat. The 'walk in, walk out' treatment, which costs between £800 and £2,500 depending on the size of the area treated, can be used to trim dissolve cellulite on hips, thighs and bottoms

Victoria Beckham reportedly lost 6lbs from her already skinny frame before flying to Germany for the World Cup.

According to Dr. Jim Levine by simply standing at a desk can increase your metabolism by 40 percent. He says moving more will also reduce the risk for becoming obese.

It's been a while since I brought you some weight loss tips and you can never have too many of them, so here are a couple more:

- Get serious
- No quick fix
- Stay motivated
- Choose a weight control program

Better diets could be fuelling an increase in the number of women having identical twins, new research suggests. An Australian study challenges the widely held view that twin pregnancies have only become more common because of IVF treatment.

The Daily Plate is a new site that helps you keep track of what you have eaten and the amount of calories you have consumed.You search for a food item, select the right one from a list of possibilities, and hit the "I ate that" button. It logs the item, the calories consumed, and so on.

New research published by the British Nutrition Foundation suggests that eggs could be considered a 'superfood' and protect against heart disease, breast cancer and eye problems and even help you to lose weight.

According to Tucsoncitizen.com's online personal trainer the total calorie intake just from liquids on this "typical" day is 845. If you add that up over five days, that's a whopping 4,225 calories, about enough to put on a pound of unwanted weight. So in just one year, you could easily put on 50-plus pounds just from liquids. Replace just a few of these with some good old-fashioned water, and you could stand to lose 25 or 30 pounds. Add in a little more exercise, or more efficient exercise, into the mix and you'll be way ahead of the game.

A recent study by the American Journal of Public Health indicates that the number of weight-loss surgeries performed in the U.S. between 1998 and 2002 increased by almost 600 percent.

Aging baby boomers concerned with the effects of time on their appearance are turning to a new plastic surgery procedure that requires local anesthesia only, no hospitalization, nor the weeks of recovery time required for a full face lift.

Nestlé is set to purchase US weight management and nutrition company Jenny Craig, as it strives to change focus to a health and wellness provider in the face of rising global obesity levels.

MediaFact, an online resource for information on health care issues, has published a section on cosmetic plastic surgery that provides in-depth information on health aspects of various procedures.

To help U.S. and worldwide plastic-surgery tourists, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has prepared guidelines for consumers. The first ever comprehensive international guidelines for consumers traveling for plastic-surgery procedures -- commonly referred to as plastic surgery tourism -- are detailed at the Web site isaps.org.

Drug compan Cytodyne has been successfully sued for $1M for falsely advertising the diet pill Xenadrine RFA-1 as "a revolutionary thermogenic diet supplement clinically proven to increase fat loss by an astounding 17 times more than diet and exercise alone.'"

Fat burners, diet pills, nutritional supplements – you know who gets the most out of these products? The manufacturers and sellers.

A study by the University school of medicine in North Carolina has found that the “hydrogenated”, or processed, fats used to cut manufacturing costs of foods such as biscuits and cakes can alter body shape, leading to potbellies.

Six major food suppliers, including Tesco, have been condemned by a government watchdog for rejecting a recommended nutritional labelling scheme that is designed to encourage healthy eating.

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons the number of plastic surgery procedures carried out in the UK increased by 34.6% to 22,041 in 2005.

PrivateHealth.co.uk has an extremely useful list of what it costs to have plastic surgery procedures such as breast enlargement or facelifts done here in the UK or abroad.

Before you go infor that liposuction or boob job make sure that you know the facts about plastic surgery by taking this short test.

The University of Chester is to begin offering an MSc in Weight Management from September.Aimed at personal trainers, doctors and health professionals, the year-long course will cover topics including diet, exercise and the current obesity epidemic.

This guy lost 30 pounds in 3 months and here are the 50 weight loss tips which helped him do that. A couple of highlights include:

- Dietary control and exercise.
- Change your lifestyle.
- Join an online support group.
- Take before and after photos.
- Start reading labels.

New research has found that fresh fruit does not lose its nutritional value when sliced and packaged. Cutting and packaging have almost no effect on vitamin C and other antioxidants even when the fruit is kept for as long as nine days at refrigerator temperature, 41 degrees.

A study by Schools Health Education Unit in the UK has found that teenage girls are missing breakfast to lose weight while increasingly knocking back large quantities of spirits and experimenting with drugs such as cannabis.

Here is an article on the kinds of food you should eat in order to lse weight. These include:

- Protein
- Cereal
- Seafood
- Milk
- Flaxseed oil
- Green tea
- Oats

The New York Times has an article on a documentary called "Plastic Disasters" which takes the point of view, that plastic surgery is not a welcome boost to self-esteem. The show posits cosmetic surgery as an agent of total ruination, leaving its victims scarred, both physically and emotionally.

Researchers in Germany found that women who drank an antioxidant-rich brand of hot cocoa for three months developed smoother, better-hydrated skin that was less vulnerable to sunburn.

According to the Kansas City Star some fats actually help you stay healthy. These include Omega 3 rich foods such as fresh (wild, not farm-raised) fish, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and flaxseed oils.

McDonalds is is ditching the healthy salad options and instead is launching a Bigger Big Mac in time for the World Cup.

Many smoothies average 300 to 400 calories, and some go as high as 600 to 800 per serving. The calories pile up with every added ingredient, such as ice cream and whole milk. Your most nutritional bet is to go for the basics. Stick to the blend of fruit and ice.

The most successful weight loss diets are those that involve a weekly commitment to a class or meeting, according to research that monitored people using four popular commercial methods.

Looking for a plastic surgeon in the United States? Then try findyourplasticsurgeon.com.

According to KansasCity.com most of the natural vitamins and minerals aren’t in the center of fruits and vegetables. Instead, they’re in the outer leaves, skin and area just below the skin.

A group of 300 people, aged between 18 and 65, volunteered for a weight loss trial sponsored by the BBC and run by nutritionists at the University of Surrey. At the end of six months, the dieters had lost between 5 and 9 kg – with an average fat loss of 4.4kg. The Atkins groups shifted the weight faster in the first four weeks, but the other groups caught up by the end of the six-month period.

Sainsburys plan to teach their staff about nutrition in order to allow them to make healthier, more nutritionally sound choices for themselves and families, as well as giving them a better understanding of the supermarket’s approach to health.