You know that saying: "It's the thought that counts?" In weight loss it's all about your actions. Little things can add up to big weight gain. But, on the other hand, little things can add up to big weight loss. You may think that a few extra bites won't hurt, or if you just nibble while making dinner you won't eat as much at the table, but who are we kidding? It's never just a few bites. And those few bites have a lot of calories you don't need.
Little tip number one:
Train yourself to not eat until the food is on the table. It may take a week or so of cooking dinner to stop the nibble habit, and we all slip up every now and then, but in the long run you're going to help yourself. Nibbling does very little to help your hunger to go away.
Think about it: when you sit down to dinner at a restaurant and you're starving does your hunger go away after the first few mouthfuls? No. Why? Because it takes time for your stomach to get the message that you've started eating. Drink water or milk instead of nibbling. You're body gets that message faster. When all else fails chew a strong flavored gum or suck on a strong mint. The taste won't mix with whatever you're tempted to nibble on.
Little tip number two:
Eat at the table with no distractions. When you're eating in front of the TV or with a good book in your lap you distract yourself from the food. You're body goes on autopilot and you're more likely to keep eating after you're full. This doesn't mean you have to eat in seclusion, good conversation stimulates your mind, but doesn't distract you like TV or reading. Allowing yourself to concentrate on what you're eating makes you less likely to over eat. You'll notice you're full sooner.
Little tip number three:
Eating at your desk, or the computer, or on the couch to multitask works against you in the long run. You trick your brain into associating those places with food instead of work or relaxation. Later on when you go to just watch TV your body thinks that it should be eating and tells you you're hungry when you're really not. Take time out of your day, even if it's just five or ten minutes to eat at a table.
Little tip number four:
Eat. It sounds obvious, but many people think not eating is the same as eating less. Skipping a meal to save calories does not save you calories. When you skip lunch you're more likely to overeat at dinner. Chances are when you overeat at dinner you'll end up eating more calories than you would have if you had eaten a sensible lunch. Also, when you deprive your body of food it goes into survival mode and hordes all the calories it can so you can go longer on what you've already eaten. Then, when you do eat you're body stores that food as fat because it assumes it may not eat again for a while. It doesn't take much to convince your body you're starving and it does take awhile to prove that you will be eating regularly. The best move is just to eat.
Little tip number five:
Keep moving. By taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking two more rows away from the door, and taking the long way to the copy room you burn more calories doing what you're already doing. Fidget at your desk, find reasons to stand (you burn more calories standing than sitting) while you work, or take a lap around the office every hour or so to keep yourself going.
These five small things can do a lot for you in the long run. Every little bit helps when you do the right thing. Remember its the action that counts!
Sunday
Quick tips for weight loss: beyond calories and exercise
If you're eating a healthy diet and exercising, how else can you support your weight loss goals? While we all should know by now that we have to cut calories and eat nutrient dense foods while moving more, there are other basic healthy behaviors that help achieve weight loss. Portion control, stress relief, and rest are essential components.
Portion control? Another factor in our diets, portion size has ballooned in the western world. We have no idea how much we're really eating. A lot of people view measuring and weight portions as a problem behavior. Learning how much I ate helped me lose 15 pounds.
Easy ways to control portion size without measuring include using smaller bowls and plates and not going back for seconds. Remember that a serving of meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards. A bread serving is about the size of a hockey puck (Flyers fans know that, right?). A cup of fruits or veggies is the size of your fist (yes, there are apples in the store that equal four servings!). A rounded handful is a serving of pasta.
Most Americans do not get enough rest. We're tired and sluggish. This affects our moods and our can induce hunger, which leads us to overeat. Get in bed earlier and get an average of eight hours of sleep each night. With time, you may find yourself waking without an alarm. Need more proof? Many people with sleep apnea cannot lose weight because they never achieve REM sleep and never are fully rested.
Proper rest also reduces stress. People often eat to relieve stress. Exercise reduces stress levels and helps us deal better with stressful situations. Taking time for yourself can help lower your stress levels. If you're happier you will be a better at nearly everything and you will be happier if you achieve your weight loss goals.
Adding these simple habits to your lifestyle will help you achieve your weight goals and will bring you greater health and fitness. A healthy diet and exercise destroys stress so we don't eat in response to difficult situations and feelings. Eating appropriate amounts of healthy foods means fewer calories to burn. Being well rested gives us physical and mental strength in our daily lives and makes us more confident.
9 weight-loss mistakes you don't know you're making
Anyone who's ever tried to lose weight knows it's no cakewalk. Eating less is hard enough, and certain factors - biological and environmental - can sabotage our good intentions.
There are ways to combat what makes losing weight so tough. Here are a few tips on what you may be doing wrong, and how to right it from Woman's Day magazine:
- Overdoing the artificial sweeteners: Research shows that people who have diet drinks regularly may be more likely to gain weight and develop metabolic syndrome, a condition that includes having excess belly fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. One theory why: Taste signals how many calories are in a particular food and helps your body judge how they should be used.
Avoid it: Water is always an ideal choice, but you don't have to go cold turkey on the diet soda. Limit yourself to one a day, and be careful not to compensate with high-calorie beverages like fruit juice or sports drinks.
- Not recalibrating your eating plan: As you lose pounds, your body needs even fewer calories to keep going (or maintain the weight loss). Unfair, we know, but the lighter you are, the fewer calories you need.
Avoid it: For every 10 pounds you lose, go to caloriecontrol.org/calcalcs.html, type in your new weight and find out how many calories you need to either keep losing or maintain tat weight. Also, take a look at what you're eating to see if you can get more calorie bang for your buck. Replace low-fiber foods and sugary snacks with high-fuiber fruits, vegetables and whole grains; they'll help you feel full longer with fewer calories.
- Judging fullness with your eyes, not your stomach: One difference between the French (whose obesity rates are low) and Americans (whose obesity rates are rising) is that the French say they stop eating when they're full. According to experts, we Americans see food in front of us, and we eat it.
Avoid it: Use smaller plates - you won't be able to fit as much on them, and chances are, you'll eat less. Never eat from a carton or a bag, because you can't gauge how much you're having. At meals, take a break when your plate is half empty, and think about whether you want to continue.
- Always doing the same workout: Muscles have memory, they get used to your routine and don't work as hard each time you do it. This means that over time if you don't change things up, you'll burn fewer calories. Help by adding resistance training, whether it's resisting your own body weight, or using resistance bands or free weights. It's key to building muscle and boosting metabolism, since muscle burns more calories than fat.
Avoid it: To boost your current workout, walk faster for 1 minute, and then return to walking at your regular speed. Repeat this every 5 to 7 minutes. Also, add resistance training to your usual routine two to three times per week.Healthy Weight Loss Tips – Eat Fat to Lose Fat!
All successful healthy weight loss tips tell you that there is no magic pill when it comes to weight loss. Registered dietician Jayson Hunter reveals that amongst the many healthy weight loss tips, there is one secret tip that is never really given the attention that it deserves. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) provide support for numerous bodily functions, and more importantly actually aid the process of weight loss.
Hunter explains, “It might sound weird. But, eating the right kind of fats should definitely be high on the priority list of healthy weight loss tips. He added, “Unfortunately, many dieters have been brainwashed by the fat-free hype of the past decade and will find it difficult to digest that eating the right kind of fat is an essential part of a healthy weight loss plan”.
EFAs are termed as ‘essential’ because they cannot be manufactured by the human body and are very essential to overall human health. Most healthy weight loss tips don’t capture the tremendous benefits of EFA supplementation.
Three reasons why consuming EFAs should rank high on your list of healthy weight loss tips:
1. EFAs tend to keep blood sugar levels stable. So, you feel full by eating less, which reduces food cravings and prevents overeating. This is an essential component of a healthy weight loss plan.
2. Some EFAs actually stimulate fat burning rather than fat storage, ultimately boosting the body’s natural fat burning ability.
3. EFAs can "artificially" decrease heart rate thus increasing the level of exertion needed to reach desired intensity. Essentially you burn more calories.
The overall health benefits of EFAs are too overwhelming for any healthy weight loss plan to ignore.
10 basic weight loss principles of individuals who successfully lost weight and kept it off.
1) They consume an abundance of fruits & veggies – these foods are low in calories but high in nutrients.
2) They fill up on fiber – fiber contains few if any calories and adds bulk to food so it assists in creating a feeling of fullness on less calories.
3) They consume a low-fat diet – individuals tend to overeat when presented with higher fat foods. Try to keep the fat percentage of your total food intake below 25%.
4) They are selective in their proteins eating only low-fat proteins such as nonfat dairy, egg whites, fish, lean meats, legumes, & seeds. These high quality proteins increase satiety level & alertness over carbohydrates.
5) They drink lots of fluids – when the body is craving water those signals might be misinterpreted as hunger.
6) They watch portion distortion – eating establishments serve serving sizes that are 2-8 times more than serving sizes compared to 25years ago. This has influenced serving sizes of what individuals prepare at home. When dining out individuals who are successful at their weight loss efforts take ½ of their entrée home and watch portion sizes when preparing home cooked meals.
7) They never skip breakfast – consuming breakfast jumpstarts one’s metabolism whereas skipping breakfast has the reverse effect and slows down one’s metabolism. In fact, 78% of individuals who have successfully lost weight and kept it off eat breakfast every day.
8) They feel all foods are fair game when eaten in moderation!
9) Many of those successful dieters food journal their food intake – food journaling is the first thing many nutritionists and personal trainers recommend when meeting with a client for the first time and many believe food journaling is the single most important tool to losing weight. It helps you discover food habits you may not have realized you have.
10) They exercise, exercise, exercise – watching what you eat without exercising is like going to school but not doing your homework – you must do both to get the best results.
Weight loss basics: Principles for healthy weight management
Tired of fad diets that shed the pounds quickly but leave you feeling deprived? Ready to lose weight the safe and healthy way? Get off to a great start with these basic principles for healthy weight management.
♦ Decrease your calorie intake: Losing weight may seem complicated, but it really comes down down to this: take in fewer calories than your body burns every day. So to lose weight, we must create a negative calorie balance, or calorie deficit. In other words, the amount of calories we consume from food and beverages must be less than the amount of calories we use to exercise and to function in everyday life. Although you can obtain a calorie deficit by increasing your activity, most attain it by altering what they eat. For optimal results, eating fewer calories in combination with increasing activity can make a big difference in both weight loss and weight maintenance.
As a reference, 3500 calories equals one pound. So if you reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories or create a 500 calorie deficit per day for one week, you should lose one pound. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week to ensure that any weight lost is not lean body mass but fat mass.
♦ Monitor your portions/servings: Confused about what an adequate portion of food is? It's not surprising given the "super-sized" menus available in many fast-food restaurants. When we are served larger portions, we tend to eat more. Studies have shown that people consume 30% more food when offered a larger portion, even though they were just as satisfied with a smaller portion. Check out the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Pyramid Guide for more details on recommended servings.
♦ Keep a food journal: More than enough research has shown that those who monitor their food intake are more successful with lifestyle change. Keeping a record of the foods you eat can help make you aware of your calorie consumption so you can reduce it; many find it helpful to record the amount of calories that they consume in the first few weeks of a weight loss program. If your budget will not allow for the assistance of a registered dietitian, then a great online resource is MyDailyPlate.com.
♦ Focus on body composition: A typical bathroom scale is not the best way to measure weight loss; it merely indicates the number of pounds, which does not clarify what those pounds are: fat or muscle. Furthermore, a scale often shows mere shifts in water retention, which are temporary and do not reflect changes in one's amount of body fat. The best way to get an accurate picture is to measure your body fat percentage. One of the more popular methods to measure body fat is with skin calipers, a method considered easy and accurate when performed correctly. Ask a personal trainer at your gym or other reputable fitness professional to assist you.
Weight loss success tip #1
This is the first weekend of Spring and the new season can bring about the motivation for change. Your New Year's resolutions have come and gone, but with summer just around the corner, you have refueled your passion to lose the weight. You may be disgusted with the few extra pounds you put on during the winter months. Or you may finally be ready to stop "yo-yo dieting" and make this the last attempt to shed the 40, 50, 60+ pounds that have been increasing each year. Well stop thinking about and put your plan into action!
Each week I will feature a tidbit of knowledge to assist you in your weight loss journey. Losing weight should not be a quick fix -- it should be a lifestyle change focused on changing your behavior toward food, incorporating activity into your daily routine and developing a positive mindset. Healthy weight loss should result in a loss of 1 to 3 pounds per week or 1% of your body weight.
Be sure to check back each week for a new "Success Tip for Healthy Weight Loss". Reach out to a friend or family member who is also ready to lose weight and support each other through the process. Also, stay tuned for two six week training series focused on enhancing weight loss for beginners and, if your fitness level is a bit more advanced, getting you "swim-suit" ready for summer. Much success to happy and healthy weight loss!!
Success Tip #1
SPRING into action with the motivation that weight maintenance begins with the first pound lost! This week and every week, think of some small positive changes you can make into healthy habits...such as walking for ten more minutes, eating more vegetables, or not skipping meals. When you do, know that each change builds on the next taking you one step closer to your goal.Realistic vs. Idealistic Weight Loss!
Losing weight is the number "1" health & fitness topic, and now that spring is in the air (I think it is), many of us will be even more anxious to diet. But keeping with our March theme of "Eat Right", I propose that we shift our focus instead to lifestyle eating. I think that this includes setting a weight loss goal (both an end goal and a weekly goal), an important part of getting started and to achieving success. Isn't this what most of us want? So let's look at goal setting and a concept I call "realistic vs. idealistic weight loss". What's the difference?
Many of us (myself included) want to lose weight fast (overnight sound good?), have an ideal weight in mind, and expect to keep it off once we've reached it. Most of us also have a particular number on the scale we want to reach, with a number of pounds we think is reasonable to lose each week ( I do too!).
But are these numbers, which we have in our heads reasonable, and what are we basing them on? I'm not sure where I got my numbers from, but I've done some re-thinking about them, and maybe we all could use to rethink them. After all, trying to reach an unrealistic weight might led to frustration just like trying to reach for the moon. So, here are a few questions we can ask ourselves when we make decisions about our weight and our weight loss goals.
Are we being realistic or idealistic?
What would I like to weigh? This would be our ideal weight. Have I ever weighed this? This is an important question to ask ourselves. This question is important because if the number we have in mind was our lowest weight say, when we were 18 and very active, we may need to ask ourselves if we are being "realistic". Would I be able to maintain this weight now without practically starving? Ah, another important question.
What weight would I be satisfied with if my ideal is too low? This is a weight that's not our ideal, but it would satisfy us; be within a healthy weight range and would be more reasonable given our current lifestyle. I like to compare my clients' goals to the BMI chart for the healthiest weight ranges for their height. Here's one more way to go green, BMI green that is (The BMI chart is colored coded with green as the healthy weight ranges. Take a guess the color for unhealthiest?) Scroll down for a link to a BMI chart.
How long did it take for me to gain my weight? Another question that ties in to this is, how fast do I expect to lose real fat, not just water and certainly not muscle weight (let's keep in mind that 1 pound is a deficit of 3500 calories!)? I like to suggest to my clients that we learn to maintain as we lose. This means we will experience a slower weight loss each week as we personally find a way of eating as a lifestyle, which becomes a habit.
How long can I follow my diet and eating plan? This question ties in to our above question because most importantly, to keep our weight off, we need to go beyond going on the latest diet. I suggest that we ask ourselves, "can I see myself eating this way for the long haul 80% of the time to maintain" (20% or less is for the so called unhealthy foods)?
These are some questions I think that are worth asking ourselves if we plan to start a diet this spring. Deciding on a "realistic goal vs. an idealistic" one, might lead us to more success, short term and long term. What do you think?
Many of us (myself included) want to lose weight fast (overnight sound good?), have an ideal weight in mind, and expect to keep it off once we've reached it. Most of us also have a particular number on the scale we want to reach, with a number of pounds we think is reasonable to lose each week ( I do too!).
But are these numbers, which we have in our heads reasonable, and what are we basing them on? I'm not sure where I got my numbers from, but I've done some re-thinking about them, and maybe we all could use to rethink them. After all, trying to reach an unrealistic weight might led to frustration just like trying to reach for the moon. So, here are a few questions we can ask ourselves when we make decisions about our weight and our weight loss goals.
Are we being realistic or idealistic?
What would I like to weigh? This would be our ideal weight. Have I ever weighed this? This is an important question to ask ourselves. This question is important because if the number we have in mind was our lowest weight say, when we were 18 and very active, we may need to ask ourselves if we are being "realistic". Would I be able to maintain this weight now without practically starving? Ah, another important question.
What weight would I be satisfied with if my ideal is too low? This is a weight that's not our ideal, but it would satisfy us; be within a healthy weight range and would be more reasonable given our current lifestyle. I like to compare my clients' goals to the BMI chart for the healthiest weight ranges for their height. Here's one more way to go green, BMI green that is (The BMI chart is colored coded with green as the healthy weight ranges. Take a guess the color for unhealthiest?) Scroll down for a link to a BMI chart.
How long did it take for me to gain my weight? Another question that ties in to this is, how fast do I expect to lose real fat, not just water and certainly not muscle weight (let's keep in mind that 1 pound is a deficit of 3500 calories!)? I like to suggest to my clients that we learn to maintain as we lose. This means we will experience a slower weight loss each week as we personally find a way of eating as a lifestyle, which becomes a habit.
How long can I follow my diet and eating plan? This question ties in to our above question because most importantly, to keep our weight off, we need to go beyond going on the latest diet. I suggest that we ask ourselves, "can I see myself eating this way for the long haul 80% of the time to maintain" (20% or less is for the so called unhealthy foods)?
These are some questions I think that are worth asking ourselves if we plan to start a diet this spring. Deciding on a "realistic goal vs. an idealistic" one, might lead us to more success, short term and long term. What do you think?
Why protein is effective in the weight loss process
Reducing your calorie intake is essential for effective weight loss. But few things are more miserable than cutting calories. You eat a light breakfast and feel like your stomach is going to cave in by 10 a.m. because your blood sugar has dropped through the floor. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is an extremely powerful hunger signal. It causes a deep craving for food and makes high-calorie foods taste better, so that you can easily satisfy your body's energy needs. Including proteins in meals can help fight hunger. Many recent studies found that protein depresses appetite and promotes weight control.
Dietary protein more likely cuts hunger by increasing blood sugar production in the liver- a process called gluconeogenesis. Proteins act like time-release blood sugar pills that prevent hunger for hours. High protein meals cut caloric consumption by 400 calories per day or more. Also, protein takes longer than carbohydrates to digest. For that reason, it provides more satisfaction. Including lean protein sources with meals is a good way to help keep you feel satisfied longer. You can prevent hunger longer if you include protein as part of your meals (particularly breakfast).
FDA warns consumers about weight loss products
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a new alert about weight loss products tainted by potentially dangerous ingredients.
Many of the products claim to be "natural" or "herbal" but include drugs, sometimes in much higher dosages than are recommended.
“These tainted weight loss products pose a great risk to public health because they contain undeclared ingredients and, in some cases, contain prescription drugs in amounts that greatly exceed their maximum recommended dosages,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA.
Drugs found include sibutramine (a controlled substance), phenytoin (an anti-seizure medication), phenolphthalein (a solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer causing agent), and bumetanie (a diuretic), the FDA said. Another drugrimonabant, hasn't been approved for use in the U.S. and has been associated with the increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts.
Altogether, the FDA has found 72 tainted weight loss products since it first brought the issue to public attention in December. Obviously, it's not a good idea to take any product that appears on the list, which appears below.
| Fatloss Slimming | 2 Day Diet | 3x Slimming Power |
| Japan Lingzhi 24 Hours Diet | 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming | 3 Day Diet |
| 7 Day Herbal Slim | 8 Factor Diet | 7 Diet Day/Night Formula |
| 999 Fitness Essence | Extrim Plus | GMP |
| Imelda Perfect Slim | Lida DaiDaihua | Miaozi Slim Capsules |
| Perfect Slim | Perfect Slim 5x | Phyto Shape |
| ProSlim Plus | Royal Slimming Formula | Slim 3 in 1 |
| Slim Express 360 | Slimtech | Somotrim |
| Superslim | TripleSlim | Zhen de Shou |
| Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 | Starcaps | Slim Waistline |
| Slim Waist Formula | Slim Up | Sliminate |
| Slim Fast | 2x Powerful Slimming | Slim Express 4 in 1 |
| Reduce Weihgt | Super Fat Burner | Super Slimming |
| Sana Plus | Trim 2 Plus | Powerful Slim |
| Waist Strength Formula | Slimming Formula | Perfect Slim Up |
| Slim Burn | Slim 3 in 1 Slim Formula | Slim 3 in 1 M18 Royal Diet |
| Slim 3 in 1 Extra Slim Waist Formula | Slim 3 in 1 Extra Slim Formula | Natural Model |
| 2 Day Diet Slim Advance | Miaozi MeiMiaoQianZiJiaoNang | Meizitang |
| Meili | JM Fat Reducer | Imelda Fat Reducer |
| 7 Days Diet | Extrim Plus 24 Hour Reburn | Fasting Diet |
| Cosmo Slim | Body Slimming | Body Shaping |
| Body Creator | BioEmagrecin | 3 Days Fit |
| 21 Double Slim | Eight Factor Diet | 7 Diet |
Monday
Mental strategies for weight loss success
Successful people turn dreams into goals. They stop dreaming about what they would like to do, and start on how to get it done. And this takes determination, discipline, patience and perseverance.
These are five practical, mental strategies for achieving your goals when it comes to losing weight (and by "weight" I don't always mean "fat loss." Weight is just as applicable to "baggage"). It really is about betterment.
1. HAVE A PLAN: Set specific dates and numbers. How much weight? What is your target date? Set timelines. Assign responsibility. Reward yourself. Some examples are:
* Eat vegetables with every meal,
* Lose 20 pounds by June,
* Limit dairy consumption
* Exercise every day for at least 20 minutes.
2. BE FLEXIBLE: Expect that you will deviate from your diet every now and then. Circumstances occasionally temporarily prevents us from sticking to our plans. As long as we do not give up, we will succeed. So, allow yourself a cheat day. Men’s Health Abs Diet grants Sunday as a cheat day. Remember, “you don’t want to stand rigid like a tall oak that cracks and collapses in the storm. Instead, you want to be flexible, like a reed that bends with the storm and survives” -- Deepak Chopra.
3. WRITE IT DOWN: Time slips by so quickly these days. With the daily hustle of deadlines and mandatory “to dos” our goals might become vaguely esoteric. Writing down our intentions, will make our plans permanent. Refer to this guide, your to do for you every morning and every night. Check off your accomplishments. Then reward yourself... again.
4. KEEP IT SAFE: Share your goals with like minded people. Misery loves company and those loved ones that are dieting and exercising with determination, will happily offer their support. Remember, this is for you, your goal, no one else’s. Keep it to yourself, for now.
5. GET REST: Eight hours of sleep, at least. Our body needs rest, especially if you are changing a routine, this can be stressful and your body needs to recuperate. Diets can cause havoc on our sensibilities, but they do work. Don’t allow yourself to become irritable due to lack of rest. If you need to catch up on zzz's, take a nap.
When it comes to achieving your goals, you should know your intention. Yes, to lose weight, but why? What are your reasons? Is it to no longer be seen as “invisible?” As ironic as that is, this truly unconscious desire, this reasoning will not make you happy. By applying your intuitive response, -- your instinctive response -- as a guide, your intention will easily and effortlessly become a reality.
These are five practical, mental strategies for achieving your goals when it comes to losing weight (and by "weight" I don't always mean "fat loss." Weight is just as applicable to "baggage"). It really is about betterment.
1. HAVE A PLAN: Set specific dates and numbers. How much weight? What is your target date? Set timelines. Assign responsibility. Reward yourself. Some examples are:
* Eat vegetables with every meal,
* Lose 20 pounds by June,
* Limit dairy consumption
* Exercise every day for at least 20 minutes.
2. BE FLEXIBLE: Expect that you will deviate from your diet every now and then. Circumstances occasionally temporarily prevents us from sticking to our plans. As long as we do not give up, we will succeed. So, allow yourself a cheat day. Men’s Health Abs Diet grants Sunday as a cheat day. Remember, “you don’t want to stand rigid like a tall oak that cracks and collapses in the storm. Instead, you want to be flexible, like a reed that bends with the storm and survives” -- Deepak Chopra.
3. WRITE IT DOWN: Time slips by so quickly these days. With the daily hustle of deadlines and mandatory “to dos” our goals might become vaguely esoteric. Writing down our intentions, will make our plans permanent. Refer to this guide, your to do for you every morning and every night. Check off your accomplishments. Then reward yourself... again.
4. KEEP IT SAFE: Share your goals with like minded people. Misery loves company and those loved ones that are dieting and exercising with determination, will happily offer their support. Remember, this is for you, your goal, no one else’s. Keep it to yourself, for now.
5. GET REST: Eight hours of sleep, at least. Our body needs rest, especially if you are changing a routine, this can be stressful and your body needs to recuperate. Diets can cause havoc on our sensibilities, but they do work. Don’t allow yourself to become irritable due to lack of rest. If you need to catch up on zzz's, take a nap.
When it comes to achieving your goals, you should know your intention. Yes, to lose weight, but why? What are your reasons? Is it to no longer be seen as “invisible?” As ironic as that is, this truly unconscious desire, this reasoning will not make you happy. By applying your intuitive response, -- your instinctive response -- as a guide, your intention will easily and effortlessly become a reality.
Quick tips for weight loss: beyond calories and exercise
If you're eating a healthy diet and exercising, how else can you support your weight loss goals? While we all should know by now that we have to cut calories and eat nutrient dense foods while moving more, there are other basic healthy behaviors that help achieve weight loss. Portion control, stress relief, and rest are essential components.
Portion control? Another factor in our diets, portion size has ballooned in the western world. We have no idea how much we're really eating. A lot of people view measuring and weight portions as a problem behavior. Learning how much I ate helped me lose 15 pounds.
Easy ways to control portion size without measuring include using smaller bowls and plates and not going back for seconds. Remember that a serving of meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards. A bread serving is about the size of a hockey puck (Flyers fans know that, right?). A cup of fruits or veggies is the size of your fist (yes, there are apples in the store that equal four servings!). A rounded handful is a serving of pasta.
Most Americans do not get enough rest. We're tired and sluggish. This affects our moods and our can induce hunger, which leads us to overeat. Get in bed earlier and get an average of eight hours of sleep each night. With time, you may find yourself waking without an alarm. Need more proof? Many people with sleep apnea cannot lose weight because they never achieve REM sleep and never are fully rested.
Proper rest also reduces stress. People often eat to relieve stress. Exercise reduces stress levels and helps us deal better with stressful situations. Taking time for yourself can help lower your stress levels. If you're happier you will be a better at nearly everything and you will be happier if you achieve your weight loss goals.
Adding these simple habits to your lifestyle will help you achieve your weight goals and will bring you greater health and fitness. A healthy diet and exercise destroys stress so we don't eat in response to difficult situations and feelings. Eating appropriate amounts of healthy foods means fewer calories to burn. Being well rested gives us physical and mental strength in our daily lives and makes us more confident.
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