Weight Loss Diets

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Pssst! The Secret to Losing Weight

Can you imagine a secret to losing weight that is so very easy...and so very difficult?

It's easy because the secret is right in front of you, and it doesn't cost you a dime.

The secret to losing weight is difficult because even though it's free, it does have a price.

What is the secret to losing weight? And can it work for you?

Do You Yo-Yo?

If you've ever dieted in your life, you're probably all too familiar with the yo-yo syndrome. You lose the pounds, keep it of for a few weeks or months, then start gaining it back -- with some extra, too!

What's the matter? You want to lose the weight and keep it off, so why do those wayward pounds find their way back to you and bring friends. too?

You want to know how to lose weight once and for all. It isn't so much to ask.

Willpower or Won't Power?

Losing weight is more than something you do -- it's a whole mindset. Why do you want to lose weight? If you're doing it for yourself, you have a much greater chance for success than if you are doing it for someone else.

Write down the main reason why you want to lose weight. Stick it on your computer or on the refrigerator. Keep reminding yourself of the reason.

Why? Because when someone plops your favorite dessert in front of you and urges you to, "just have a little bit", you need the willpower to say no. Another way of looking at is knowing that you won't eat that gooey dessert. And sticking to your convictions.

The Biggest Secret to Losing Weight

No, it's not pills, or a certain diet or exercising like a maniac. While these are things you can do to lose weight, none are the actual secret.

Losing weight means making a promise to yourself, and living with that promise. It means that you want to be healthy more than you want that extra treat staring you in the face (or more precisely, at your tastebuds).

The secret of losing weight is knowing that even if you fall off the wagon one day, you get right back on at the next meal. Knowing that eating healthy isn't something you do until you've shed all the weight, but rather something you will do for the rest of your life.

Now do you understand why I said it doesn't cost anything, but it does have a price?

You can lose the weight and keep it off.

But only if you're ready.

Take the Test

Do you have what it takes to lose your weight and keep it off? You can take a simple (and free) test and find out if you're ready to lose weight.

http://www.losing-weight-over-40.com/secret-of-losing-weight.html

Gail Nettles has been a yo-yo dieter all her life, until she understood how to really lose weight. She's the author of http://www.losing-weight-over-40.com and http://www.3-day-diets-central.com

Weight Loss: 10 Tips for the Average Joe

I began to do research into weight loss and pinpointed the things I was doing wrong in my first diet. There were certain things I had to learn in order to effectively lose weight and keep it off, here are 10 things you can do to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Healthy is a Lifestyle, not a Goal
This includes your diet and staying active, one of the first mistakes I made was to set a goal of losing a certain amount of weight then once I reach that goal to go back to my normal habits. I reached my targeted weight then stopped running 3 miles every other day and watching my diet, as soon as I went back to my bad habits I gained all of the weight back.

If you are not drinking enough water, you are wasting your time

I cannot emphasize this enough, I have tried this weight loss thing 3 times over the past two years and the only time I noticed a difference was when I began consuming a lot of water. I have gone as far as to run 3-4 miles a day and eat cabbage for lunch and had limited results, but now I maintain a balanced diet and have lost more weight than ever because I drink at least a gallon of water every day.

The general idea is to drink an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, at first it will seem like a lot at first and you will be running to the bathroom every 15 minutes but you are giving your body what it needs. When your body feels as if it is not getting enough water it will store the little bit it does get, that is where those love handles come from. Then the liver has to kick in and help the kidneys rather than its function of metabolizing the body and you are not burning off the food you consume like you should. So do yourself a favor, drink more water!

Have Fun!
Working out is useless if you are not enjoying yourself, there are a plethora of activities that you can do to keep yourself in shape. I personally cannot STAND running on treadmills so I only run outdoors. I enjoy lifting weights because of the feeling and the confidence I get from the results but lets take it a step further; If there is a sport you enjoy then there is no better workout, I am a football junkie and since I never played I figured hey.. why not join a flag football league and see what I can really do?

The result: I have lost 5lbs since I started the league, 5lbs that I have been struggling to get rid of and I feel like I am in high school all over again.

It's okay to use your Imagination
As pathetic as this may sound, when I work out in my mind I am training for the NFL, I even know what position I am training for. (running back) It may sound dumb but it makes me train hard and keeps me motivated. Figure out what motivates you, is it that guy or girl at work that you would like to notice you? Take it 88 yards to the end zone like Reggie Bush? Explode to the basket and finish like Lebron James? Forget reality, use your mind and let that motivate you and I guarantee you will be satisfied with the results.

You do not have to be a Nutrition Nazi
As I stated before I was eating cabbage for lunch, barely taking in 1200 calories a day and running miles.. I was hurting my weight loss goals more than I was achieving them. Not only does this work against you but its unhealthy and just plain stupid.

What do I do now that allowed me to lose 25lbs? I eat realistically, there is no way I could maintain a 1200 calorie diet over a long period of time. Now I eat lean meats high in protein such as grilled or baked chicken and periodically Salmon. (hey I am running a business here) Some days I eat more than others, I basically listen to what my body tells me and if I over eat then I know I need to work out that much harder. About every week or two I splurge and may eat an entire pizza or a big dinner and strangely my body responds positively.. it loves it and in a day or so I burn it off plus some. A couple of other tips on nutrition:

Do not eat after 7pm - your metabolism slows down significantly later in the evening

High Protein Diet - It works, I do not know why but it just does so take my word for it.

Breakfast, Never Skip it - Never EVER EVER skip breakfast! I just said your metabolism slows down significantly later in the day, well if you skip breakfast it will be that slow from the beginning of the day.

Sugar, cut it out! - Replace soda and Fruit Juice with water, you will cut your caloric intake significantly, put the sweets down and if you must have it then snack on fruits like Strawberries, Grapes, Bananas, etc.

Fried Foods - I'll keep it simple, do not touch them. If you eat out a lot avoid the french fries.

Robert Abrom is the CEO of Alaska's Finest Seafoods, follow the Journey from his day job to full web entrepreneur at http://www.aksfinest.com

Reaching Your Weight Loss Goal

If you think that you are the only person having problems reaching your weight loss goal, you can think again; there are millions of people out there who find the very thought of starting a diet something hateful and almost impossible. It may seem that gaining a few pounds takes only a matter of weeks, or even days, while the process for losing them might take seemingly forever; however you will notice that if you quickly lose a few pounds it may give you the best possible incentive in reaching your weight loss goal.

But you may be thinking, Ok, I do want to lose those few pounds right away, but how? The answer is quite simple; you just need to avoid all those types of food with high calories amounts, and while that may seem like quite a test at the beginning, if you eat other things you like (with less calories), you will soon find out that a diet is not that hard to follow. Make sure to be gradual in your calories decrease, otherwise you will find this process incredibly hard to follow. What you need to do in order to reach your weight loss goal, is to decrease the amount of calories you consume to 1,000; but before you get to that number you will need to find out the amount of calories you are currently consuming, and each week you may decrease that amount until you reach 1,000.

If you follow this simple procedure you will loose a few pounds in a matter of weeks, but the most interesting part about it is that you wont even notice, you will feel like you managed to do it without too much effort, and that boost in self confidence is exactly what you need. Once you have found out that reaching your weight loss goal is not as hard as you had imagined, it is time for you to start exercising some. Remember that cardio types of exercise are the best when it comes to fat burning, so: walking, running, jugging, riding a bike, etcetera, are by far the best routines you may follow when trying to reach your weight loss goal.

Continue with this process for a month, always observing the amount of calories you consume, and keeping them around 1,000. Keep exercising your body frequently, and in just a few months you will feel better and you will look better, because you will have reached your weight loss goal successfully.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as it's not modified in any way including the author bylines, plus all the hyperlinks must be made active just like below.

Jean Lam is a writer, author, publisher and owns several sites. Visit his weight loss obesity website for lots of articles about losing weight. Also check out the weight loss eBook that will give you tips for your weight loss problems.

5 Secrets to Lasting Weight Loss

Are you ready to stop yo-yo dieting? We have all read countless studies and know from experience that often, keeping the weight off is as much of a challenge as losing it. Here are 5 secrets to shedding those extra pounds and keeping them off.

1. Individualize - Find what works for you, this may take some trial and error but in the long run it pays off. Lets face it all diets work when you follow them.... but can you live your life with the eating plan? Find a plan that you can not only live with but enjoy. You can do this by assessing what has and hasn't worked in the past, what your food preferences are, and looking for healthy ways to incorporate them into an eating plan.

2. Choose - We all have a choice about what we eat. Choose smart calories - healthy carbohydrates like whole grains, fruit,& vegetables, - low fat proteins like chicken breast, fish, & low fat yogurt, - healthy fats like omega 3 (salmon,nuts,flax seed). You can enjoy your food and feel full.

3. Carbohydrates - The thing is carbohydrates are good for you, if you choose the right ones. Sugar and highly refined flour wreak havoc on your blood sugar causing you to be hungry again very quickly. Studies have shown choosing the good carbohydrates (fruit, veggies, whole grains) over the refined ones (soda, cookies, white bread) can help you to lose up to 10 pounds in a year even if you don't cut calories.

4. Move It - Exercise is important to weight loss and maintaining weight. Every bit counts, if you can't find 30 - 45 minutes in one chunk break it down into 15 minute segments. Be sure to include strength training in your exercise regime to get the double benefit of toned muscle and increased resting metabolism. Start where you are and appreciate all that you body does each and every day. Honor your body by taking care of it.

5. Haunting Habits - Be on the alert for habit creep, the insidious slide back to the habits that helped you gain the weight. Be alert and keep the good habits you've developed from being consumed by the old ones. Schedule regular maintenance check ups with yourself... whats working , whats not, do the clothes still fit the same, are your goals still reflective of what you really want?

Cathy Brennan is a Registered Nurse and Life Coach who helps frustrated dieters lose weight and keep it off.She has helped many clients end their weight loss struggle. Visit http://www.pathwayscoach.com for your free e-recipe book.

Weight Loss Done Right, Diet 101

This is my article to you, yes I know that weight loss can be hard. I was there I have lived it and been through it all. But like anything else I overcame stresses and went through it and lost over 67 pounds in just a few short months.

Diet- this is the first thing I would like to touch bases on. What are you eating? This is important, you must try to stay as far away from sugar as possible. Yes sugar, this even means fruit. many times people will tell me I thought fruit was good for you, I say it is but to an extent and when you are dieting you want to stay away from it.

Raw Veggies are the best things for you!

They are rich in anti-oxidants and some of the best things you can put inside your body. Processed foods are a no-no.

Stay away from McDonalds, and any other fast food joint. Does this sound hard? Well I never said it was going to be easy. Because it is not, not by any means.

You must stay strong, weight loss done right only can happen one way. you must do it. You must diet, you must exercise, you must eat healthy.

These all sound like hard things to do but this is the way to weight loss done right.

Cardio- this is also good for you when you are dieting. This is because is raises your metabolism and allows your body to burn off access fat.

You can get your cardio from a number of different ways.
Running
Walking
Jogging
Riding a bike
Swimming
Weight lifting
stretching

These are all great ways to get your heart moving and cardio rate up and be on the right track to weight loss done right.

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Sound Tips For Weight Loss After Pregnancy

Weight loss after pregnancy is a gradual process. It is important to understand that you have collected mass over nine months of your pregnancy period and hence it will take some time to lose it all. Tips are usually given by everyone around you but if you are really not convinced and need some sound advice, go to your doctor.

Always remember to give time to your body to heal after delivery. It is not advisable to strain your body with strenuous exercises which will only cause further damage. Your exercise program should always be combined with a balanced diet.

Start gradually with light forms of exercises like walking or yoga. You are the best judge to know when to stop if you feel you are overdoing it. Never choose to ignore the alerts. The pregnancy period has been a cycle of physical exertion for you. Be good and kind to yourself and take your exercise regime in slow steps.

You tend to put on about 25-35 pounds during your nine month pregnancy period. You are bound to lose about 12-13 pounds after giving birth and thereby be left with only 12-21 pounds to get rid off. The 12-13 pounds that you lose is because as you deliver, your uterus shrinks back to its size and the hormone levels which are at their peak also begin to fall. The weight in your body was the collection of the amniotic fluid which was holding your baby, the weight of your baby and the placenta. As all this is released you naturally find a dip in your mass. However, this is only about 30-40 percent of your weight. You still have your additional weight gained that you will have to lose diligently with exercise and diet plan.

Easy Tips

  • Proper nutrition is essential if you are breastfeeding your baby.
  • Have sufficient quantities of fruits, vegetable and whole grains. These foods are packed with nutrients which will give you a satisfied feeling.
  • Choose from low fat products like skim milk, cholesterol free butter, yogurt.
  • Hold yourself back from junk and processed food.
  • Always break down your meals into 5-6 smaller frequent meals. This will give you energy which can last throughout the day.
  • Have your food only when you are hungry. If you still feel hungry try to have healthy snacks or fruit juices and avoid binge eating.
  • Have sufficient water and fluids at all times. Drink some water just before meals to avoid overeating.
  • Exercise. Follow small tips like taking the stairs when there is an elevator, parking your car far away, going for walks with your baby in stroller.

  • Your weight loss will be easier if you follow these tips. Focus on your exercise and nutrition. Don't overexert your body for those few extra pounds of weight. Never feel the pressure of exercising, enjoy every moment; this will enable a good and healthy recovery.

    After delivery, the foremost thing on your mind must be weight loss. Weight loss after pregnancy will get delayed if you are breastfeeding your baby. Do exercise and follow some healthy tips for effective weight loss. For more information visit pregnancy.

    Tummy Fat! Is It Important?

    Tummy fat. Some of us have it, others don't. Is there anything special about a big belly compared to a large bottom? Well, surprisingly, not all body fat is created equal! According to a study carried out by researchers from MacMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario it seems that gauging your heart attack risk depends on where your fat is, rather that how much fat you have.

    These types of findings are not unique to MacMasters. Dr David Heber, Ph.D., from UCLAs Centre for Human Nutrition reports that distribution of body fat is a more important predictor of heart attack risk than the traditional measurement of Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measurement based on the ratio between your height and weight.

    It appears that a more accurate predictor of the impact body fat has on your health, is your overall body shape. You may be more like an apple or a pear, or evenly shaped top and bottom. You may have large thighs, fat hips and a huge bum and have a lower heart attack risk than someone with skinny legs and a big belly.

    A more accurate and telling predictor of heart attack risk, is the waist-to-hip ratio.

    What is your waist-to-hip ratio?

    Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. For example, if your hips measurement is 40 inches and your waist is 34 inches your hip-to-waist ratio is 0.85. If you are a man, that's great, if you are a woman, that's OK (but you are right on the limit of healthy).

    - A man's ratio should not be over 0.90

    - A woman's ratio should not be over 0.85

    Dont fight nature

    If you were born an apple you will stay an apple and if you were born a pear you will continue to be appear. Accepting your natural body shape is the first step in losing weight. In a study led by Glasgow, Scotland, psychologist Dorothy Hefferman, Ph.D., researchers concluded that women whose actual body shape differs from their desired one may find losing weight frustrating and have more trouble sticking to a weight-loss program as a result.

    If this sounds like you, accept your overall shape as nature intended, but pay attention to reducing fat around your middle and tummy areas. Circumference is much more important to your health than how you look in relation to your bust and bottom.

    Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose business operates across 60 countries. Tons of recipes, articles, resources, free newsletter and more to help you lose weight and keep it off forever. Estimate your healthy body weight or receive a free weight loss consultation at http://www.weight-loss-health.com.au