You should reward yourself as you achieve goals along the way when following a weight loss program. It will give you the incentive to carry on and make you feel good about your body.
I am not suggesting that you reward yourself with a whole lot of bad food but rather something more effective such as a new piece of clothing in the smaller size that marks a stage in your weight-loss program where you have made another positive achievement.
It is important that you reward yourself and feel good about what you have done because the better you feel about yourself the more likely you will be to continue with the program you have chosen.
For many people it is a lack of self worth that caused them to start gaining weight in the first place so a reversal of this mindset can be a very powerful stimulant for getting back into shape.
It is more important that you feel good about yourself rather than being concerned what others think. By rewarding yourself in one way or another you are taking your self worth to a higher level and that is extremely important to your success not only with your weight reduction but every other aspect of your life.
Each time you get closer to your optimum body weight you are benefiting as a whole with improved health and well-being and these rewards that you give yourself along the way are significant reminders of what you have achieved and they are very powerful incentives for bigger and better things.
Never underestimate the impact that this can have on your ability to succeed with a whole new direction in life starting from the inside out.
It doesn't even need to be something that you have to spend money on even just taking time out for a while and considering what you have achieved and congratulating yourself with what you have done.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
General Weight Management Patterns
By getting into a regular pattern it makes the task of losing weight considerably easier.
If you know that you are going to exercise at the same time every day then your body will soon become adjusted to the fact that it will be exercising and this not only makes the exercise easier but it also ensures that you will stick to the plan and reach your goals a lot sooner than you would if you weren't consistent in your actions.
By keeping a record of your fitness training, you will be able to improve your performance in small steps that will result in big gains over the course of your program.
A regular checkup with your doctor is always recommended to ensure that all aspects of your health are improving and any concerns that you might have can be answered before they have the chance to escalate.
You might occasionally have a break from your weight loss program and this is not unexpected. It can actually do you a lot of good to have the occasional break from routine, provided of course that you get back to the program in a reasonable time and don't slip back to your old habits.
By adding variety to your food and your exercise it will ensure that you don't get bored as this is one of the main reasons that many people struggle to maintain their plan and achieve their goals.
If possible get others to join in with you when you are training as this can help to relieve any boredom and also inspire you to do more training and improve your performance.
Always try to associate with positive people and those who will help you to reach your goals and don't accept any negative energy from others as this will only hinder your chances of success.
If you know that you are going to exercise at the same time every day then your body will soon become adjusted to the fact that it will be exercising and this not only makes the exercise easier but it also ensures that you will stick to the plan and reach your goals a lot sooner than you would if you weren't consistent in your actions.
By keeping a record of your fitness training, you will be able to improve your performance in small steps that will result in big gains over the course of your program.
A regular checkup with your doctor is always recommended to ensure that all aspects of your health are improving and any concerns that you might have can be answered before they have the chance to escalate.
You might occasionally have a break from your weight loss program and this is not unexpected. It can actually do you a lot of good to have the occasional break from routine, provided of course that you get back to the program in a reasonable time and don't slip back to your old habits.
By adding variety to your food and your exercise it will ensure that you don't get bored as this is one of the main reasons that many people struggle to maintain their plan and achieve their goals.
If possible get others to join in with you when you are training as this can help to relieve any boredom and also inspire you to do more training and improve your performance.
Always try to associate with positive people and those who will help you to reach your goals and don't accept any negative energy from others as this will only hinder your chances of success.
Setting Realistic Goals
No matter what you do in life you will always get better results if you set some goals and the same applies with losing weight.
By setting goals you have something to aim for and by giving your weight-loss program purpose you will be more likely to realize your desired weight.
One thing you do have to be careful of however is to set goals that are realistic otherwise you be setting yourself up for disappointment and in doing so you won't maintain your weight loss program.
You can set a long-term goal but you will also need to set more short term goals where you are only looking to lose smaller amounts of weight within a certain time span.
As you achieve these intermediate goals along the way that will drive you more towards your long-term goal and as you see the small amounts of weight coming off and the improvements that it will bring with it you will not only visualize yourself being at an optimum weight but you will also begin to believe that it is something that you can finally achieve.
When we talk about these intermediate goals you need to understand that you shouldn't be weighing yourself every day as there can be fluctuations from one day to the next so a short-term goal should probably be no less than about two weeks as this will give you an opportunity to make changes on a relatively easy basis and give your body time to become adjusted and to actually see some results.
By weighing yourself every day the daily fluctuations could show that your weight hasn't changed from one day to the next or in fact you could even weigh slightly more than the day prior if you weigh yourself at a different time during the day or after you have had a meal.
This can be quite disheartening whereas if you don't weigh yourself for a two-week period and you have been sticking to some form of weight-loss program no matter how small that might be you will generally see some results that will be encouraging.
Keeping a diary helps a lot of people to achieve their goals as it helps to enforce the actions that are required to meet those goals on a daily basis.
In your diary you can record your body weight, the foods you've been eating, any supplements you have been taking and the results that you have been getting from these actions.
This helps you to readjust your goals and make changes to your fitness and nutrition as things change in the course of your weight loss program.
Within your major goal you should also have short-term goals and once again these need to be realistic to keep you motivated.
These short-term goals will change from time to time as during the course of your weight loss program you will probably find that progress accelerates after certain stages of your plan.
Sometimes you will also plateau for a while where your weight loss will tend to slow down and by having a diary you will be able to look at those areas that you might be able to change to get over that plateau and continue to progress.
By setting goals you have something to aim for and by giving your weight-loss program purpose you will be more likely to realize your desired weight.
One thing you do have to be careful of however is to set goals that are realistic otherwise you be setting yourself up for disappointment and in doing so you won't maintain your weight loss program.
You can set a long-term goal but you will also need to set more short term goals where you are only looking to lose smaller amounts of weight within a certain time span.
As you achieve these intermediate goals along the way that will drive you more towards your long-term goal and as you see the small amounts of weight coming off and the improvements that it will bring with it you will not only visualize yourself being at an optimum weight but you will also begin to believe that it is something that you can finally achieve.
When we talk about these intermediate goals you need to understand that you shouldn't be weighing yourself every day as there can be fluctuations from one day to the next so a short-term goal should probably be no less than about two weeks as this will give you an opportunity to make changes on a relatively easy basis and give your body time to become adjusted and to actually see some results.
By weighing yourself every day the daily fluctuations could show that your weight hasn't changed from one day to the next or in fact you could even weigh slightly more than the day prior if you weigh yourself at a different time during the day or after you have had a meal.
This can be quite disheartening whereas if you don't weigh yourself for a two-week period and you have been sticking to some form of weight-loss program no matter how small that might be you will generally see some results that will be encouraging.
Keeping a diary helps a lot of people to achieve their goals as it helps to enforce the actions that are required to meet those goals on a daily basis.
In your diary you can record your body weight, the foods you've been eating, any supplements you have been taking and the results that you have been getting from these actions.
This helps you to readjust your goals and make changes to your fitness and nutrition as things change in the course of your weight loss program.
Within your major goal you should also have short-term goals and once again these need to be realistic to keep you motivated.
These short-term goals will change from time to time as during the course of your weight loss program you will probably find that progress accelerates after certain stages of your plan.
Sometimes you will also plateau for a while where your weight loss will tend to slow down and by having a diary you will be able to look at those areas that you might be able to change to get over that plateau and continue to progress.
Plan Your Work And Work Your Plan
Every successful venture in life gets better results with good planning and this also applies to fat reduction and weight loss.
If you put a little planning into your weight loss program before you start you'll have a better opportunity to succeed.
The first step is to determine how much weight you want to lose because unless you have a solid goal in your mind it makes it all the more difficult to achieve your weight reduction.
If you are obese then it is important that you seek professional advice before starting on any weight loss program so you remain safe and healthy throughout the process.
In any case it always pays to get support where possible from professionals and even enlisting the support of your friends and family to help you with your goal to lose weight.
If you have any health problems or health concerns discussing things with your doctor is essential before starting weight loss as changes in nutrition and exercise can place additional loads on your body.
Stand in front of a mirror and look at your body while visualizing how you want it to look. It is also a good idea to take a photo of your body at the start of your weight loss program as we often forget the progress we make and looking back can be handy to offer encouragement at times when you feel like the going might be a little difficult.
One other thing that is very important is to distance yourself from negative people and those who don't offer you any support because there are always those around who don't want to see others improve in their life.
These basic points that I have just discussed will go a long way to helping you succeed and achieve what you set out for with your weight loss program.
If you put a little planning into your weight loss program before you start you'll have a better opportunity to succeed.
The first step is to determine how much weight you want to lose because unless you have a solid goal in your mind it makes it all the more difficult to achieve your weight reduction.
If you are obese then it is important that you seek professional advice before starting on any weight loss program so you remain safe and healthy throughout the process.
In any case it always pays to get support where possible from professionals and even enlisting the support of your friends and family to help you with your goal to lose weight.
If you have any health problems or health concerns discussing things with your doctor is essential before starting weight loss as changes in nutrition and exercise can place additional loads on your body.
Stand in front of a mirror and look at your body while visualizing how you want it to look. It is also a good idea to take a photo of your body at the start of your weight loss program as we often forget the progress we make and looking back can be handy to offer encouragement at times when you feel like the going might be a little difficult.
One other thing that is very important is to distance yourself from negative people and those who don't offer you any support because there are always those around who don't want to see others improve in their life.
These basic points that I have just discussed will go a long way to helping you succeed and achieve what you set out for with your weight loss program.
Mess Causes Stress
A disorganized person is always rushing and a person who is always rushing will tend to eat too fast. A person who eats too fast will tend to eat too much and a person who eats too much will tend to get overweight.
Mess causes stress and that in turn causes people to eat too much. Are you beginning to see the picture of how having a well organized life will help you to maintain a more balanced and healthy body?
Many people resort to eating in the effort to handle stress and being disorganized is a surefire way of increasing levels of stress in your life.
Being organized will also ensure that you have the right food in your house and you don't have to resort to low quality foods that you keep as a backup for those times when you run out of the nutritious food that you should be eating.
Being organized will also help you to eat at regular times throughout the day and by being regular with your eating it will help you to maintain more consistent blood sugar levels that will reduce the chance of you getting into low blood sugar and over eating to compensate.
By planning ahead with your meals you can plan to have better meals and you won't need to resort to fast foods because you haven't got any other food organized by the time you're ready to eat.
By being organized and having a shopping list where you have determined in advance the right foods for your diet you will be less likely to buy food that you shouldn't be buying when you go to the supermarket.
Organization is one of the keys to success in following any weight loss program. It also helps to reduce the amount of time that you have to think about food and think about losing weight and when that doesn't become such a big focus in your life you are more likely to succeed.
Mess causes stress and that in turn causes people to eat too much. Are you beginning to see the picture of how having a well organized life will help you to maintain a more balanced and healthy body?
Many people resort to eating in the effort to handle stress and being disorganized is a surefire way of increasing levels of stress in your life.
Being organized will also ensure that you have the right food in your house and you don't have to resort to low quality foods that you keep as a backup for those times when you run out of the nutritious food that you should be eating.
Being organized will also help you to eat at regular times throughout the day and by being regular with your eating it will help you to maintain more consistent blood sugar levels that will reduce the chance of you getting into low blood sugar and over eating to compensate.
By planning ahead with your meals you can plan to have better meals and you won't need to resort to fast foods because you haven't got any other food organized by the time you're ready to eat.
By being organized and having a shopping list where you have determined in advance the right foods for your diet you will be less likely to buy food that you shouldn't be buying when you go to the supermarket.
Organization is one of the keys to success in following any weight loss program. It also helps to reduce the amount of time that you have to think about food and think about losing weight and when that doesn't become such a big focus in your life you are more likely to succeed.
Are You Sleepy After Eating?
Many people don't realize that a lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on your weight.
When you are constantly tired your energy levels are naturally lacking and the first thing that most people do to boost their energy levels is to eat more food.
Naturally eating more food is going to cause you to increase weight and the digestion of the food will burn up even more energy so you get into a vicious circle of tiredness eating and more tiredness.
The constant tiredness also affects the way that your body functions where it becomes less efficient and in doing so you will tend to store more fat and gain weight.
Simply getting a bit more sleep at regular times at night can boost your energy levels and in doing so reduce your dependence upon food for energy and help you to lose weight without having to go on any diets.
If there are no alternatives to your lack of sleep due to circumstances in your life then you need to concentrate on increasing your intake of water as this will help you to get more energy and make you feel less hungry due to your tiredness.
Shift workers in particular have a difficult time in maintaining their weight because not only are they getting a lack of sleep but they will also be sleeping at various different times of the day and night and that affects your eating habits and your digestion.
Long-term lack of sleep will result in the body storing additional fat so it is essential to do all you can where possible to get a regular night's sleep at reasonable hours to maintain good health and a reasonable body fat percentage.
Obviously taking this to the other extreme where you are sleeping all hours of the day and not getting any exercise will also cause you to retain more body fat and increase weight.
Once again lifestyle has a huge bearing on whether you are at your optimum body weight or not.
When you are constantly tired your energy levels are naturally lacking and the first thing that most people do to boost their energy levels is to eat more food.
Naturally eating more food is going to cause you to increase weight and the digestion of the food will burn up even more energy so you get into a vicious circle of tiredness eating and more tiredness.
The constant tiredness also affects the way that your body functions where it becomes less efficient and in doing so you will tend to store more fat and gain weight.
Simply getting a bit more sleep at regular times at night can boost your energy levels and in doing so reduce your dependence upon food for energy and help you to lose weight without having to go on any diets.
If there are no alternatives to your lack of sleep due to circumstances in your life then you need to concentrate on increasing your intake of water as this will help you to get more energy and make you feel less hungry due to your tiredness.
Shift workers in particular have a difficult time in maintaining their weight because not only are they getting a lack of sleep but they will also be sleeping at various different times of the day and night and that affects your eating habits and your digestion.
Long-term lack of sleep will result in the body storing additional fat so it is essential to do all you can where possible to get a regular night's sleep at reasonable hours to maintain good health and a reasonable body fat percentage.
Obviously taking this to the other extreme where you are sleeping all hours of the day and not getting any exercise will also cause you to retain more body fat and increase weight.
Once again lifestyle has a huge bearing on whether you are at your optimum body weight or not.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Don't Eat Too Fast
You might be surprised to learn that simply slowing down the rate that you eat your food at can have a profound affect on your body weight.
The longer it takes you to eat your food, the less food you will need to eat to feel satisfied.
There are some simple techniques that can get you out of a bad habit of eating too fast and consequently eating too much.
Try to chew your food a little longer before you swallow it as this will help with the digestion of the food and the extra time that it takes you to chew will also help you to feel more satisfied without having to have such a large quantity.
Don't load up your fork or spoon with more food until you have finished eating the food that is already in your mouth. One simple way of doing this is to actually put down your fork or spoon until you ready to pick up the next piece of food to eat.
It breaks the habit of over eating from eating too fast. If you look at the way that French people in particular eat as a whole, you should notice that not only do they have smaller portions of food but they take a lot longer to eat their food. They are doing two things that help them to stay slim. Eating smaller amounts and taking longer to eat those smaller amounts.
You will find that once you start eating a little slower you will actually get to enjoy the food a lot more. You will have more time to savor the tastes in the food.
It takes a little while after eating food for your body to register the fact that it has had enough and many people overeat when they eat too fast simply because they believe they are still hungry. You should never eat until you are full; rather eat until you feel comfortable that you have had enough.
The longer it takes you to eat your food, the less food you will need to eat to feel satisfied.
There are some simple techniques that can get you out of a bad habit of eating too fast and consequently eating too much.
Try to chew your food a little longer before you swallow it as this will help with the digestion of the food and the extra time that it takes you to chew will also help you to feel more satisfied without having to have such a large quantity.
Don't load up your fork or spoon with more food until you have finished eating the food that is already in your mouth. One simple way of doing this is to actually put down your fork or spoon until you ready to pick up the next piece of food to eat.
It breaks the habit of over eating from eating too fast. If you look at the way that French people in particular eat as a whole, you should notice that not only do they have smaller portions of food but they take a lot longer to eat their food. They are doing two things that help them to stay slim. Eating smaller amounts and taking longer to eat those smaller amounts.
You will find that once you start eating a little slower you will actually get to enjoy the food a lot more. You will have more time to savor the tastes in the food.
It takes a little while after eating food for your body to register the fact that it has had enough and many people overeat when they eat too fast simply because they believe they are still hungry. You should never eat until you are full; rather eat until you feel comfortable that you have had enough.
Trim The Fat
Contrary to what many different weight loss programs suggest it is not possible to spot reduce fat from one particular part of the body.
Just because you might have fat thighs or flabby triceps you won't find a diet that will specifically reduce the fat in those areas.
When you lose fat you will lose it throughout your body and not in specific areas alone.
The same applies to areas such as the belly however there is something that you can do.
By adding targeted resistance training exercises to your daily routine you can assist the muscles in those areas to support and tone your body.
By doing abdominal exercises you can firm and tighten your abdominal muscles where they will assist in better posture. This alone can help to flatten your stomach and give the appearance of weight loss through the better posture you will achieve.
You can do tricep exercises to tone and strengthen the tricep muscles and this too will help that area to look better even without fat loss.
Once you begin to lose fat throughout the body those parts where you have been applying your resistance training will begin to show the benefits of your training.
You can have the best shape abdominal muscles in the world but no one is going to see them if they are covered in a layer of body fat.
You need to understand from reading this that you won't be able to get the look of rock hard abs by using the latest advertised abdominal machine each day if the muscles are hidden by a layer of fat. Sure you will be able to add support to the whole of your body by strengthening the muscles but you need to reduce fat to get in shape no matter what else you do.
Training will help to burn the fat as will diet and you will find that most of these solutions that are advertised in the infomercials that promise such startling results include dietary recommendations and it is by applying those changes to your eating habits that has the most influence on your body shape rather than the exercise equipment.
Just because you might have fat thighs or flabby triceps you won't find a diet that will specifically reduce the fat in those areas.
When you lose fat you will lose it throughout your body and not in specific areas alone.
The same applies to areas such as the belly however there is something that you can do.
By adding targeted resistance training exercises to your daily routine you can assist the muscles in those areas to support and tone your body.
By doing abdominal exercises you can firm and tighten your abdominal muscles where they will assist in better posture. This alone can help to flatten your stomach and give the appearance of weight loss through the better posture you will achieve.
You can do tricep exercises to tone and strengthen the tricep muscles and this too will help that area to look better even without fat loss.
Once you begin to lose fat throughout the body those parts where you have been applying your resistance training will begin to show the benefits of your training.
You can have the best shape abdominal muscles in the world but no one is going to see them if they are covered in a layer of body fat.
You need to understand from reading this that you won't be able to get the look of rock hard abs by using the latest advertised abdominal machine each day if the muscles are hidden by a layer of fat. Sure you will be able to add support to the whole of your body by strengthening the muscles but you need to reduce fat to get in shape no matter what else you do.
Training will help to burn the fat as will diet and you will find that most of these solutions that are advertised in the infomercials that promise such startling results include dietary recommendations and it is by applying those changes to your eating habits that has the most influence on your body shape rather than the exercise equipment.
Double Check Even Natural Weight Loss Products
Many people assume that because a product is natural is a lot healthier for the body but this is not always the case as even natural ingredients, and particularly those that they put in weight loss supplements can cause other problems detrimental to your health.
Many natural weight loss products also have such a minimal amount of substances in them that are beneficial to weight loss that the chances of them benefiting your weight-loss program will be negligible.
That's not to say that some natural weight loss products aren't good but you need to be aware that many of them are just getting promoted as with any other weight loss and dietary supplement purely as a source of income for the people selling.
The FDA has in fact banned the use of many natural products that were used in weight loss supplements over the years because they are proven to cause anything from mild to severe reactions in some people.
A lot of these products only act as diuretics which cause a temporary loss of water giving people the false impression that they are losing weight rapidly.
You will in fact have a lot more chance of losing weight by an increasing the quantity of water that you drink and remaining hydrated all the time.
The best natural weight loss products are the good healthy foods that you should be eating every day in the form of fresh fruit and vegetables that will assure you have all the necessary vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly.
If you have any health problems such as high blood pressure or heart problems then you will need professional advice even when taking natural weight loss products to ensure your safety. Some natural ingredients can increase blood pressure and if you already have high blood pressure the results could be fatal.
Many natural weight loss products also have such a minimal amount of substances in them that are beneficial to weight loss that the chances of them benefiting your weight-loss program will be negligible.
That's not to say that some natural weight loss products aren't good but you need to be aware that many of them are just getting promoted as with any other weight loss and dietary supplement purely as a source of income for the people selling.
The FDA has in fact banned the use of many natural products that were used in weight loss supplements over the years because they are proven to cause anything from mild to severe reactions in some people.
A lot of these products only act as diuretics which cause a temporary loss of water giving people the false impression that they are losing weight rapidly.
You will in fact have a lot more chance of losing weight by an increasing the quantity of water that you drink and remaining hydrated all the time.
The best natural weight loss products are the good healthy foods that you should be eating every day in the form of fresh fruit and vegetables that will assure you have all the necessary vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly.
If you have any health problems such as high blood pressure or heart problems then you will need professional advice even when taking natural weight loss products to ensure your safety. Some natural ingredients can increase blood pressure and if you already have high blood pressure the results could be fatal.
Obesity Is A BIG Problem
The problem with the food that most of the population eats on a regular basis is the fact that is wasn't what nature intended for us to eat.
Massive advertising campaigns are constantly trying to convince us to eat a myriad of foods and they are all fueled by the same desire to make bigger profits for the food manufacturers.
The human body was designed to eat specific foods to maintain a healthy balance and that balance included a body weight that ensured good health.
Obesity is becoming a bigger problem each year (if you will excuse the pun) and it is due to the fact that more and more people are eating the wrong food, feeling hungry due to the lack of nutrition in that food to meet their needs and feeling that they need to eat more to get their essential dietary needs.
There is also so much conflicting information about what we should and shouldn't be eating that many people are confused as to what is good for them.
One minute chocolate is good for you and the next minute it is bad. This wasn't so much of a problem for our ancestors who had a simpler diet where only basic foods were readily available.
One thing that they didn't need to contend with on the scale that we see today is obesity.
Where obesity has now become an epidemic is was a rare occurrence in the past. That says something for the foods we eat today just by looking at history.
And it wasn't just because of a lack of money and a lack of food because even those who could afford to buy what they required didn't have the widespread weight problems that face modern society.
If we look back in time and the occurrence of obesity in different races of people it can generally be linked to the introduction of changes in the types of foods that they began consuming.
It is difficult to fight the urge to eat when the body is feeling hungry even for those people with considerable will power and that is why most people tend to fail when they go on a diet unless all their nutritional needs are being met in some way.
Massive advertising campaigns are constantly trying to convince us to eat a myriad of foods and they are all fueled by the same desire to make bigger profits for the food manufacturers.
The human body was designed to eat specific foods to maintain a healthy balance and that balance included a body weight that ensured good health.
Obesity is becoming a bigger problem each year (if you will excuse the pun) and it is due to the fact that more and more people are eating the wrong food, feeling hungry due to the lack of nutrition in that food to meet their needs and feeling that they need to eat more to get their essential dietary needs.
There is also so much conflicting information about what we should and shouldn't be eating that many people are confused as to what is good for them.
One minute chocolate is good for you and the next minute it is bad. This wasn't so much of a problem for our ancestors who had a simpler diet where only basic foods were readily available.
One thing that they didn't need to contend with on the scale that we see today is obesity.
Where obesity has now become an epidemic is was a rare occurrence in the past. That says something for the foods we eat today just by looking at history.
And it wasn't just because of a lack of money and a lack of food because even those who could afford to buy what they required didn't have the widespread weight problems that face modern society.
If we look back in time and the occurrence of obesity in different races of people it can generally be linked to the introduction of changes in the types of foods that they began consuming.
It is difficult to fight the urge to eat when the body is feeling hungry even for those people with considerable will power and that is why most people tend to fail when they go on a diet unless all their nutritional needs are being met in some way.
Keep The Weight Off For Good With Right Program
You've probably been thinking about losing weight for a while and hopefully with the help from this information that you are reading you will be able to do so a lot easier.
By gaining more knowledge on body weight, fat loss and other aspects of health you will be able to make a more informed decision on the best course of action for you to start losing weight.
With so many different weight loss programs on the market, and weight loss products, it can be difficult some time deciding where to start and which one might be the best for you and the lifestyle that you prefer to lead.
In addition to that, you need to look at a program that is easy for you to start and maintain and one that will ensure that you get the results that you require in the fastest and easiest way possible.
As your weight is crucial to your long-term health and enjoyment in life it is essential that you make the correct choices as soon as possible and benefit from the actions that you take.
One of the biggest problems that most people have with any weight loss program is when it becomes too difficult for them to maintain.
This unfortunately leads to failure for many people however there are many excellent weight loss products that are available these days that can make the task of reducing weight considerably easier and in doing so more people are managing to reach their goals.
It is my belief that the easier it is the more likely you are to lose more weight and keep that weight off for good so using any product or technique that can help you achieve your goals in a more comfortable manner has got to be good for your weight loss.
By gaining more knowledge on body weight, fat loss and other aspects of health you will be able to make a more informed decision on the best course of action for you to start losing weight.
With so many different weight loss programs on the market, and weight loss products, it can be difficult some time deciding where to start and which one might be the best for you and the lifestyle that you prefer to lead.
In addition to that, you need to look at a program that is easy for you to start and maintain and one that will ensure that you get the results that you require in the fastest and easiest way possible.
As your weight is crucial to your long-term health and enjoyment in life it is essential that you make the correct choices as soon as possible and benefit from the actions that you take.
One of the biggest problems that most people have with any weight loss program is when it becomes too difficult for them to maintain.
This unfortunately leads to failure for many people however there are many excellent weight loss products that are available these days that can make the task of reducing weight considerably easier and in doing so more people are managing to reach their goals.
It is my belief that the easier it is the more likely you are to lose more weight and keep that weight off for good so using any product or technique that can help you achieve your goals in a more comfortable manner has got to be good for your weight loss.
Eating Right Is An Acquired Taste For Some
Many people ask the question once they find out that they have been eating the wrong foods of how they can change their diet.
There are so many reasons why they believe it is almost impossible to make the change even though they might be fully aware that the excess weight they are carrying is killing them.
I am sure you have some foods that give you so much pleasure that you couldn't bear the thought of having to go without them for any length of time.
Did you always like these foods? People drink whisky straight but can you find any child who can honestly say they like the taste of whisky? It tastes like poison to a youngster and they have to 'start slow' and get accustomed to that vile taste so they can drink it like everyone else.
Just as it has taken time to get to the stage where you now enjoy the taste of certain foods it will also take time to get those tastes out of your system where you no longer crave them and can actually find enjoyment from eating food that is good for you.
If it sounds like something that you are beginning to believe will cause you great hardship, then you need to understand that this isn't expected to happen overnight.
You can make these changes to your diet on a gradual basis where you slowly start replacing poor food with better foods. These good foods will quickly satisfy your appetite and you will be less hungry more often. You will begin to enjoy the taste of these good foods just as you currently enjoy the taste of foods that are full of sugar and other poisons.
You will also find you have increased energy levels as these good foods are what the body is designed to consume and as digestion requires a considerable amount of energy you will have more energy as the demands on your digestive system will be reduced.
There are so many reasons why they believe it is almost impossible to make the change even though they might be fully aware that the excess weight they are carrying is killing them.
I am sure you have some foods that give you so much pleasure that you couldn't bear the thought of having to go without them for any length of time.
Did you always like these foods? People drink whisky straight but can you find any child who can honestly say they like the taste of whisky? It tastes like poison to a youngster and they have to 'start slow' and get accustomed to that vile taste so they can drink it like everyone else.
Just as it has taken time to get to the stage where you now enjoy the taste of certain foods it will also take time to get those tastes out of your system where you no longer crave them and can actually find enjoyment from eating food that is good for you.
If it sounds like something that you are beginning to believe will cause you great hardship, then you need to understand that this isn't expected to happen overnight.
You can make these changes to your diet on a gradual basis where you slowly start replacing poor food with better foods. These good foods will quickly satisfy your appetite and you will be less hungry more often. You will begin to enjoy the taste of these good foods just as you currently enjoy the taste of foods that are full of sugar and other poisons.
You will also find you have increased energy levels as these good foods are what the body is designed to consume and as digestion requires a considerable amount of energy you will have more energy as the demands on your digestive system will be reduced.
Yo-Yo Dieting Is A Definite No No
Is very common for people who yo-yo diet, where they are constantly taking off weight and putting it back on again, in an endless emotional roller coaster to end up weighing more than if they had never dieted in the first place.
The reason for this is the body begins to change in an effort to maintain energy levels and by doing so stores more fat.
This also causes the body to use less energy for all activities even when exercising and as a result it becomes more and more difficult to lose weight and even when you go on a similar diet to one you might have previously achieved some weight loss from it is likely that you won't be able to lose the same amount of weight the next time around.
People who are constantly on yo-yo diets cause their metabolism to change to an extent where they require a bigger reduction in their calories than a normal person would to maintain their new weight due to the body's new and reduced demand on energy.
This is linked to our evolution where food would often be scarce and the body adjusts accordingly to conserve and maintain its fat reserves when there is a shortage of food.
The downside of this happening is that after people go off these particular diets they tend to put on more weight than they were before they started and in doing so it becomes all the more difficult the next time to try and lose their additional weight so if you are the type of person who can't stick to a particular program for any length of time then you are better not starting at all and just making small steps by reducing portions of food will have better results long-term and will be a lot easier to maintain.
The reason for this is the body begins to change in an effort to maintain energy levels and by doing so stores more fat.
This also causes the body to use less energy for all activities even when exercising and as a result it becomes more and more difficult to lose weight and even when you go on a similar diet to one you might have previously achieved some weight loss from it is likely that you won't be able to lose the same amount of weight the next time around.
People who are constantly on yo-yo diets cause their metabolism to change to an extent where they require a bigger reduction in their calories than a normal person would to maintain their new weight due to the body's new and reduced demand on energy.
This is linked to our evolution where food would often be scarce and the body adjusts accordingly to conserve and maintain its fat reserves when there is a shortage of food.
The downside of this happening is that after people go off these particular diets they tend to put on more weight than they were before they started and in doing so it becomes all the more difficult the next time to try and lose their additional weight so if you are the type of person who can't stick to a particular program for any length of time then you are better not starting at all and just making small steps by reducing portions of food will have better results long-term and will be a lot easier to maintain.
Find The Best Weight Loss Program For You
There are many fad diets constantly getting promoted with huge advertising campaigns and it seems that not a week goes by when somebody hasn't released the latest and greatest weight loss program onto the market.
Unfortunately the majority of these weight loss programs don't work for most people because they are simply too hard to maintain or alternatively they are detrimental to your overall health.
There is not one diet that is perfect for everyone but there are some very good programs available that will give most people very positive results and these are all based on the same foundation of sound nutrition, good exercise and realistic expectations.
Realistic expectations will get you a long way to achieving your goals so do take the time to consider what you can do, and what you can maintain over the long term.
Once again using good quality supplements can help considerably by maintaining balanced nutrition and reducing hunger that comes about from your body telling you that something is missing in your nutrition.
Having the support of those people around you will increase your chances of success and can help to give you the opportunity to set higher expectations and achieve your goals a lot sooner.
Support for your goals is a huge factor in achieving them even if you don't need other people to remain motivated so accept all and any help that comes your way.
The fact that you are considering a weight loss program only proves that you know what is good for you and all that is required now is for you to take action and make the necessary changes to your lifestyle that are overdue.
The first step is always the hardest and the further you go the easier the journey becomes provided of course that you have chosen the right path to follow.
Unfortunately the majority of these weight loss programs don't work for most people because they are simply too hard to maintain or alternatively they are detrimental to your overall health.
There is not one diet that is perfect for everyone but there are some very good programs available that will give most people very positive results and these are all based on the same foundation of sound nutrition, good exercise and realistic expectations.
Realistic expectations will get you a long way to achieving your goals so do take the time to consider what you can do, and what you can maintain over the long term.
Once again using good quality supplements can help considerably by maintaining balanced nutrition and reducing hunger that comes about from your body telling you that something is missing in your nutrition.
Having the support of those people around you will increase your chances of success and can help to give you the opportunity to set higher expectations and achieve your goals a lot sooner.
Support for your goals is a huge factor in achieving them even if you don't need other people to remain motivated so accept all and any help that comes your way.
The fact that you are considering a weight loss program only proves that you know what is good for you and all that is required now is for you to take action and make the necessary changes to your lifestyle that are overdue.
The first step is always the hardest and the further you go the easier the journey becomes provided of course that you have chosen the right path to follow.
Exercise Reduces Appetite
Many people believe that if they start exercising they will become hungrier and tend to eat more and fear that they will put on weight due to the fact that they will be consuming more food.
What they don't realize is the fact that your blood sugar levels determine when you feel hungry. When your blood sugar drops you will begin to feel hungry and seek food to increase the level again.
Exercising helps to normalize fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and in doing so you won't get that starving feeling as often.
Exercise activates your muscles which in turn burns fat rather than carbohydrates so this reduction in the burning of carbohydrates maintains your blood sugar levels in a more balanced manner.
By raising your metabolic rate from exercise the cells of your body will burn oxygen more efficiently and that in turn helps you to use the nutrients from your diet more effectively. It also helps to eliminate waste products and in doing so you are getting better nourishment from the foods that you eat.
By getting more nourishment you don't require the same quantities of food to feel fulfilled.
Another benefit of exercise is the fact that you are increasing your body temperature and this will help to mobilize the fat in your body that is used for energy rather than the food. Your resting basal metabolic rate will also be raised after exercise for a considerable amount of time effectively helping you to burn more fat and improving the ratio of body fat percentage in your body.
There are so many positive reasons why you should be including some form of exercise into any weight-loss program and even if you are reluctant to exercise you should understand that it is probably easier to increase the exercise than to reduce the amount of food that you feel like eating every hour of the day.
What they don't realize is the fact that your blood sugar levels determine when you feel hungry. When your blood sugar drops you will begin to feel hungry and seek food to increase the level again.
Exercising helps to normalize fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and in doing so you won't get that starving feeling as often.
Exercise activates your muscles which in turn burns fat rather than carbohydrates so this reduction in the burning of carbohydrates maintains your blood sugar levels in a more balanced manner.
By raising your metabolic rate from exercise the cells of your body will burn oxygen more efficiently and that in turn helps you to use the nutrients from your diet more effectively. It also helps to eliminate waste products and in doing so you are getting better nourishment from the foods that you eat.
By getting more nourishment you don't require the same quantities of food to feel fulfilled.
Another benefit of exercise is the fact that you are increasing your body temperature and this will help to mobilize the fat in your body that is used for energy rather than the food. Your resting basal metabolic rate will also be raised after exercise for a considerable amount of time effectively helping you to burn more fat and improving the ratio of body fat percentage in your body.
There are so many positive reasons why you should be including some form of exercise into any weight-loss program and even if you are reluctant to exercise you should understand that it is probably easier to increase the exercise than to reduce the amount of food that you feel like eating every hour of the day.
Exercising Regularly
For many people who are overweight starting an exercise program can be quite difficult.
What you need to understand is that you don't have to immediately start going out for long-distance runs. In fact to do so if you are quite overweight could be detrimental to your health.
In the beginning of an exercise program it is better to start by going for walks and don't be too concerned if initially they are short walks and slow ones at that.
You can't expect to run before you walk and you will find that once you start taking the steps towards your goal it will become easier and easier.
Even if you don't like exercise you need to be aware of the fact that exercise is one of the fastest ways for you to reduce weight and improve your health and speed up your metabolism to help reach your goals.
The more exercise you do, the more energetic you will become and this in turn makes it a lot easier for you to achieve your daily activities.
Exercise also helps to flush out toxins in the body and improve your digestive system with increased blood flow throughout the body so even small levels of exercise are going to benefit to some degree.
Any exercise that involves the use of resistance such as weightlifting will boost your ability to lose weight considerably as muscle burns fat and any muscle that you can build will help to lower your fat levels.
These resistance training type exercises also help to increase the strength of your bones that is very important as you age.
If possible, it is good to have some physical activity each day and at least you should assign time to do a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise three times per week.
If you find that you can't do that initially don't be too concerned as you will build up to it before too long and most people end up enjoying it and make it part of their regular lifestyle.
What you need to understand is that you don't have to immediately start going out for long-distance runs. In fact to do so if you are quite overweight could be detrimental to your health.
In the beginning of an exercise program it is better to start by going for walks and don't be too concerned if initially they are short walks and slow ones at that.
You can't expect to run before you walk and you will find that once you start taking the steps towards your goal it will become easier and easier.
Even if you don't like exercise you need to be aware of the fact that exercise is one of the fastest ways for you to reduce weight and improve your health and speed up your metabolism to help reach your goals.
The more exercise you do, the more energetic you will become and this in turn makes it a lot easier for you to achieve your daily activities.
Exercise also helps to flush out toxins in the body and improve your digestive system with increased blood flow throughout the body so even small levels of exercise are going to benefit to some degree.
Any exercise that involves the use of resistance such as weightlifting will boost your ability to lose weight considerably as muscle burns fat and any muscle that you can build will help to lower your fat levels.
These resistance training type exercises also help to increase the strength of your bones that is very important as you age.
If possible, it is good to have some physical activity each day and at least you should assign time to do a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise three times per week.
If you find that you can't do that initially don't be too concerned as you will build up to it before too long and most people end up enjoying it and make it part of their regular lifestyle.
Healthy Hobbies Help
Weight loss doesn't have to be something that you dread every day of the week.
You should be eating good healthy food that doesn't leave you feeling starved although initially you might feel that way as you change from the bulk poor quality food that you've been eating to smaller portions of better quality food.
It can take time to your body to adjust and one of the best ways to help out in this situation is to drink more water.
Most people realize that exercise is one of the best ways of losing weight although there are a lot of people who are reluctant to exercise for one reason or another.
For those people who are obese it can be quite difficult to exercise although there are forms of exercise their can cater to virtually anybody.
Swimming biking and walking are three very good low impact forms of exercise that can improve your fitness and reduce your body weight.
They can speed up your metabolism and help you to burn fat and swimming in particular is very good for people who are overweight to the extent that they find walking difficult.
Recently Nordic walking has become a lot more popular and this is a particularly good form of exercise for two reasons.
Firstly by using the poles when you are walking you are using a lot more of your upper body muscles for the exercise and in doing so this helps to burn more calories than walking without them.
The other benefit of using the poles when walking is the fact that it takes a lot of the stress off your knees and hips and this can be a godsend for oversized people who find that their joints take quite a hammering when walking due to their weight.
Is no wonder that Nordic walking is becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise throughout the country.
You should be eating good healthy food that doesn't leave you feeling starved although initially you might feel that way as you change from the bulk poor quality food that you've been eating to smaller portions of better quality food.
It can take time to your body to adjust and one of the best ways to help out in this situation is to drink more water.
Most people realize that exercise is one of the best ways of losing weight although there are a lot of people who are reluctant to exercise for one reason or another.
For those people who are obese it can be quite difficult to exercise although there are forms of exercise their can cater to virtually anybody.
Swimming biking and walking are three very good low impact forms of exercise that can improve your fitness and reduce your body weight.
They can speed up your metabolism and help you to burn fat and swimming in particular is very good for people who are overweight to the extent that they find walking difficult.
Recently Nordic walking has become a lot more popular and this is a particularly good form of exercise for two reasons.
Firstly by using the poles when you are walking you are using a lot more of your upper body muscles for the exercise and in doing so this helps to burn more calories than walking without them.
The other benefit of using the poles when walking is the fact that it takes a lot of the stress off your knees and hips and this can be a godsend for oversized people who find that their joints take quite a hammering when walking due to their weight.
Is no wonder that Nordic walking is becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise throughout the country.
Lift Weights To Lose Weight
If you are willing to put in the extra effort you can lose considerably more weight a lot faster by adding resistance training to your weight loss program.
Lifting weights will help to burn body fat quicker than aerobic exercise which is something that a lot of people don't understand.
Aerobic exercise for an hour or so will burn more calories than lifting weights for the same hour however weightlifting gives additional benefits after that hour that aerobic exercise doesn't.
After resistance training your muscles need to repair themselves and in doing so this process burns even more calories so you are getting the benefit of the calories that are burnt during the exercise combined with the calories that are getting burnt as the muscles are getting repaired.
There is also another benefit that is obtained by weightlifting and resistance exercise and that is the fact that you will be building up muscle mass.
Now many women get concerned thinking that they are going to look like a female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger but not only is this unlikely, without the use of steroids it is impossible particularly for a woman.
Muscle burns fat and by building up your muscle mass you are creating a fat burning machine that will help to use up excess body fat throughout the day.
This is why people who supplement their weight loss programmes with suitable resistance training will reduce fat and get considerably better results in less time.
You also get the additional benefits of becoming fitter, improving your heart and your bones and it also has a positive affect on your mental attitude and to some people just feeling better about themselves can solve a lot of the reasons why they overeat in the first place.
You don't have to lift excessive weights for this to work as even light resistance training will be an added benefit to your weight-loss program.
Lifting weights will help to burn body fat quicker than aerobic exercise which is something that a lot of people don't understand.
Aerobic exercise for an hour or so will burn more calories than lifting weights for the same hour however weightlifting gives additional benefits after that hour that aerobic exercise doesn't.
After resistance training your muscles need to repair themselves and in doing so this process burns even more calories so you are getting the benefit of the calories that are burnt during the exercise combined with the calories that are getting burnt as the muscles are getting repaired.
There is also another benefit that is obtained by weightlifting and resistance exercise and that is the fact that you will be building up muscle mass.
Now many women get concerned thinking that they are going to look like a female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger but not only is this unlikely, without the use of steroids it is impossible particularly for a woman.
Muscle burns fat and by building up your muscle mass you are creating a fat burning machine that will help to use up excess body fat throughout the day.
This is why people who supplement their weight loss programmes with suitable resistance training will reduce fat and get considerably better results in less time.
You also get the additional benefits of becoming fitter, improving your heart and your bones and it also has a positive affect on your mental attitude and to some people just feeling better about themselves can solve a lot of the reasons why they overeat in the first place.
You don't have to lift excessive weights for this to work as even light resistance training will be an added benefit to your weight-loss program.
Emotional Triggers That Cause Over-Eating
There are many different reasons why people become overweight.
It is not as simple as saying that overweight people just eat too much because there can be any number of psychological reasons that make people want to eat more.
Emotional triggers such as stress, sadness, depression and so on can all make a person want to eat more food. This is due to the fact that there are certain chemicals in the brain that are linked to both mood and hunger.
Many people associate eating with various different emotions and for this reason they choose to eat more food to make themselves feel better, or happier, or more comforted.
If you feel that this is the reason for your weight problem then it is probably better to get those issues resolved first by seeing a specialist rather than trying to attack the food problem first.
For a lot of people it is habit to over eat and behavioral modification will be the key to weight loss success in these cases.
One of the easiest ways to change your eating behavior is to eliminate any temptations. This is best done at the supermarket by not actually buying foods that are going to cause you a problem.
By not having these low value foods in the house you won't be tempted to eat them because they won't be there and this will encourage you to eat better foods and in doing so change your behavior patterns.
This process is made considerably easier if all members of the household will help towards achieving the goal of better eating.
If you do the shopping then you will be able to determine what food is purchased and this will help to make your weight loss easier, and in doing so it will help the nutrition of all members of the household.
It is not as simple as saying that overweight people just eat too much because there can be any number of psychological reasons that make people want to eat more.
Emotional triggers such as stress, sadness, depression and so on can all make a person want to eat more food. This is due to the fact that there are certain chemicals in the brain that are linked to both mood and hunger.
Many people associate eating with various different emotions and for this reason they choose to eat more food to make themselves feel better, or happier, or more comforted.
If you feel that this is the reason for your weight problem then it is probably better to get those issues resolved first by seeing a specialist rather than trying to attack the food problem first.
For a lot of people it is habit to over eat and behavioral modification will be the key to weight loss success in these cases.
One of the easiest ways to change your eating behavior is to eliminate any temptations. This is best done at the supermarket by not actually buying foods that are going to cause you a problem.
By not having these low value foods in the house you won't be tempted to eat them because they won't be there and this will encourage you to eat better foods and in doing so change your behavior patterns.
This process is made considerably easier if all members of the household will help towards achieving the goal of better eating.
If you do the shopping then you will be able to determine what food is purchased and this will help to make your weight loss easier, and in doing so it will help the nutrition of all members of the household.
Vitamin And Mineral Deficiencies
For many people who are overweight the simple fact that they have become overweight due to poor nutrition and over eating results in many instances of vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
By simply supplementing the diet with vitamins and minerals in the correct quantities this will help to reduce those deficiencies and that alone can assist in reducing the need to eat copious quantities of food due to the constant feeling of hunger.
There is another problem that faces people who are trying to lose weight and that is the fact that many of these diet and weight loss programs create their own deficiencies in vitamins and minerals by not supplying suitable amounts of food to sustain the persons good health while trying to help them lose weight.
Any diet that leaves you constantly feeling hungry is lacking and more often than not it will also be lacking in your body's need for vitamins and minerals.
Unless the diet has been prepared with the specialist help of dietitians who have a comprehensive knowledge of the bodies need for all the various vitamins and minerals then the chances of you succeeding on a diet will be minimal and this is one of the biggest reasons why many diets are a failure.
It is not so much the person's willpower to make it work as the fact that the body is crying out for its needs and they aren't being met with the food that has been allowed on that particular weight-loss program.
If you're on a diet and you find that you are constantly hungry or craving particular foods then it will be well worthwhile supplementing that diet with a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement that will give you your recommended daily requirements.
You might find that this is all you need to help you to succeed.
By simply supplementing the diet with vitamins and minerals in the correct quantities this will help to reduce those deficiencies and that alone can assist in reducing the need to eat copious quantities of food due to the constant feeling of hunger.
There is another problem that faces people who are trying to lose weight and that is the fact that many of these diet and weight loss programs create their own deficiencies in vitamins and minerals by not supplying suitable amounts of food to sustain the persons good health while trying to help them lose weight.
Any diet that leaves you constantly feeling hungry is lacking and more often than not it will also be lacking in your body's need for vitamins and minerals.
Unless the diet has been prepared with the specialist help of dietitians who have a comprehensive knowledge of the bodies need for all the various vitamins and minerals then the chances of you succeeding on a diet will be minimal and this is one of the biggest reasons why many diets are a failure.
It is not so much the person's willpower to make it work as the fact that the body is crying out for its needs and they aren't being met with the food that has been allowed on that particular weight-loss program.
If you're on a diet and you find that you are constantly hungry or craving particular foods then it will be well worthwhile supplementing that diet with a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement that will give you your recommended daily requirements.
You might find that this is all you need to help you to succeed.
Water And Weight Loss
One of the most important parts of your weight loss program will be to ensure that you get a regular supply of water throughout the day as it will not only assist with your digestion and elimination but it will also ensure that you remain hydrated throughout the day helping your body to function as it should.
Foods that are high in carbohydrates give us energy but there are different types of carbohydrates and eating the wrong ones can make you fat.
The bad carbohydrates are simple carbohydrates such as sugar. These will give you a boost of energy as the sugar gets into the bloodstream fast but they are not as good for you as complex carbohydrates such as grains, fruits and vegetables which will help to satisfy your appetite and make you feel full for longer by supplying you with fiber.
The problem with most people, and the reason they get fat, is because they are eating simple carbohydrates and fats in big quantities in their diet of junk food.
Simply changing from these poor carbohydrate foods to more complex carbohydrates will help to lose weight.
Proteins are made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of the body and they help to maintain and repair the components of the body.
Proteins also supply energy but not as readily as carbohydrates and this is why many people who are tired choose to eat more carbohydrates to give them energy.
Fats will also supply immediate energy, however they are very high in calorie content and there are many health risks associated with a diet that is high in fat.
All foods consist of one or more of these three main types of food; carbohydrate, protein and fat.
Where possible your carbohydrates should be complex carbohydrates or starches and try to reduce the simple carbohydrates such as sugar from your diet.
You should have no more than 30% of your caloric intake on a daily basis coming from fats.
Get a sufficient amount of dietary fiber to help curb your appetite and help with your digestive system.
Taking good quality vitamins and minerals will also help with your weight loss and maintain a healthy body throughout your weight loss program.
Foods that are high in carbohydrates give us energy but there are different types of carbohydrates and eating the wrong ones can make you fat.
The bad carbohydrates are simple carbohydrates such as sugar. These will give you a boost of energy as the sugar gets into the bloodstream fast but they are not as good for you as complex carbohydrates such as grains, fruits and vegetables which will help to satisfy your appetite and make you feel full for longer by supplying you with fiber.
The problem with most people, and the reason they get fat, is because they are eating simple carbohydrates and fats in big quantities in their diet of junk food.
Simply changing from these poor carbohydrate foods to more complex carbohydrates will help to lose weight.
Proteins are made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of the body and they help to maintain and repair the components of the body.
Proteins also supply energy but not as readily as carbohydrates and this is why many people who are tired choose to eat more carbohydrates to give them energy.
Fats will also supply immediate energy, however they are very high in calorie content and there are many health risks associated with a diet that is high in fat.
All foods consist of one or more of these three main types of food; carbohydrate, protein and fat.
Where possible your carbohydrates should be complex carbohydrates or starches and try to reduce the simple carbohydrates such as sugar from your diet.
You should have no more than 30% of your caloric intake on a daily basis coming from fats.
Get a sufficient amount of dietary fiber to help curb your appetite and help with your digestive system.
Taking good quality vitamins and minerals will also help with your weight loss and maintain a healthy body throughout your weight loss program.
Weight Loss Pills
It is not surprising to learn that one of the most popular ways of losing weight these days is with weight loss pills.
They seem to offer the ultimate solution for the overweight where they can simply take some pills and carry on with their normal eating behaviour and lose weight.
As with the seemingly endless supply of weight loss programs there are a wide range of weight-loss pills that you can choose from and these go from prescription drugs to natural products that are supposed to have the same effect and offer a safer alternative.
You need to be aware that these natural weight loss pills can still have side-effects and in some people severe reactions that can be extremely dangerous to their health.
No matter what type of pill or product you are taking to lose weight you really should discuss anything with your doctor first to ensure that your health won't be endangered in any way and in particular if you have any other health issues that need to be discussed.
With prescription drugs you are going to have to go through your doctor anyway so it would be a wise decision to talk about all the alternatives before deciding on what's the best for you.
Weight-loss pills can be highly effective when the right drug is chosen for the patient and many people have quite outstanding results in a relatively short time when they have found a solution that has worked for them.
On the other hand there have been many people who have had considerable problems with weight-loss pills that they have been using either prescription or natural where they have not been suitable for them.
It certainly isn't worth endangering your life to lose weight as the weight loss should actually be enhancing your life and your longevity.
They seem to offer the ultimate solution for the overweight where they can simply take some pills and carry on with their normal eating behaviour and lose weight.
As with the seemingly endless supply of weight loss programs there are a wide range of weight-loss pills that you can choose from and these go from prescription drugs to natural products that are supposed to have the same effect and offer a safer alternative.
You need to be aware that these natural weight loss pills can still have side-effects and in some people severe reactions that can be extremely dangerous to their health.
No matter what type of pill or product you are taking to lose weight you really should discuss anything with your doctor first to ensure that your health won't be endangered in any way and in particular if you have any other health issues that need to be discussed.
With prescription drugs you are going to have to go through your doctor anyway so it would be a wise decision to talk about all the alternatives before deciding on what's the best for you.
Weight-loss pills can be highly effective when the right drug is chosen for the patient and many people have quite outstanding results in a relatively short time when they have found a solution that has worked for them.
On the other hand there have been many people who have had considerable problems with weight-loss pills that they have been using either prescription or natural where they have not been suitable for them.
It certainly isn't worth endangering your life to lose weight as the weight loss should actually be enhancing your life and your longevity.
Healthy Weight Loss
As you progress further into any weight loss program the foods that you choose will change as initially you'll be eating predominantly for weight loss.
As your weight gets to a more optimal level you will need to change your diet accordingly as maintenance rather than weight loss will be the key to your nutritional needs.
At any time if you find that you are reverting back to previous habits you should take action immediately and consider the life style and your health problems that those habits delivered to you in the past.
The fitter and healthier that you get the easier it will be for you to stay away from those old habits.
For this reason where possible you should choose a weight loss program that will optimize your health as soon as possible even if you still have more weight to lose, simply because you will be far less likely to slip back into your old habits if you can see the progress coming fairly rapidly and you get to feel that your health is improving and your fitness levels are rising.
Even by taking the correct balance of vitamins and minerals will improve your well-being and help you to feel better about yourself. This will also make it easier for you to continue on a new dietary plan as the supplementation will reduce the chances of your body reacting to the changes in nutrition.
All things being equal, the person who uses supplements, provided they are the correct ones, will achieve more success a lot sooner with any weight loss program than another who tries to reach their goals without the added support that good supplements can bring.
You don't need to go overboard as it is easy to spend a lot of money on supplements. Simply taking a good multi vitamin and mineral supplement daily will be sufficient to start with.
As your weight gets to a more optimal level you will need to change your diet accordingly as maintenance rather than weight loss will be the key to your nutritional needs.
At any time if you find that you are reverting back to previous habits you should take action immediately and consider the life style and your health problems that those habits delivered to you in the past.
The fitter and healthier that you get the easier it will be for you to stay away from those old habits.
For this reason where possible you should choose a weight loss program that will optimize your health as soon as possible even if you still have more weight to lose, simply because you will be far less likely to slip back into your old habits if you can see the progress coming fairly rapidly and you get to feel that your health is improving and your fitness levels are rising.
Even by taking the correct balance of vitamins and minerals will improve your well-being and help you to feel better about yourself. This will also make it easier for you to continue on a new dietary plan as the supplementation will reduce the chances of your body reacting to the changes in nutrition.
All things being equal, the person who uses supplements, provided they are the correct ones, will achieve more success a lot sooner with any weight loss program than another who tries to reach their goals without the added support that good supplements can bring.
You don't need to go overboard as it is easy to spend a lot of money on supplements. Simply taking a good multi vitamin and mineral supplement daily will be sufficient to start with.
When The Going Gets Tough
The problem with anything that is too difficult in our busy lifestyles is the fact that eventually we will stop doing what we perceive to be too hard and look for alternatives that are easier.
It's not that we are inclined to give up when the going gets tough; It is because there are generally easier alternatives these days due to the advances that have been made over the years and in particular with weight loss there have been many advances in both nutrition and fitness training.
Unfortunately most diets are just too difficult for people to maintain for any length of time and that is why the failure rate is so high.
Where there are two alternatives for you to lose weight (provided of course they are genuine weight loss opportunities) then you should generally look towards the easier option as this will be the one that you will be able to continue using long enough to get your desired results.
You should not feel as though you are on a diet because that in itself often means you are working hard to achieve something.
Just the word diet in itself instantly strikes fear into the minds of many people because so many times in the past they have tried various different diets and not had any long term success.
You should think more in terms of making small adjustments to your lifestyle as this is a better alternative than to think you are on a 'diet'.
For many people 'dieting' is rejected in their minds eye as being something unpleasant that is hard to endure.
Improving your nutrition and fitness is not nearly as difficult to maintain as 'dieting'
Focus on lifestyle changes rather than a reduction in food and you won't feel like you are having to give something up that you probably enjoy.
The more difficult you make your diet the less likely you are to stick to it and succeed.
If you are constantly having to think about your diet throughout the day and keeping account of all the foods that you eat and the calories that you are counting then it becomes very difficult to maintain for the long-term and eventually those types of diets result in failure for most people.
By keeping your weight loss program simple you are going to achieve a lot better results because it allow you to get on with enjoying everyday life without having to think about food and cutting back on your food for all of your waking hours.
Even mention of the word diet has negative effects for many people because it immediately places restrictions on their lifestyle.
It's not that we are inclined to give up when the going gets tough; It is because there are generally easier alternatives these days due to the advances that have been made over the years and in particular with weight loss there have been many advances in both nutrition and fitness training.
Unfortunately most diets are just too difficult for people to maintain for any length of time and that is why the failure rate is so high.
Where there are two alternatives for you to lose weight (provided of course they are genuine weight loss opportunities) then you should generally look towards the easier option as this will be the one that you will be able to continue using long enough to get your desired results.
You should not feel as though you are on a diet because that in itself often means you are working hard to achieve something.
Just the word diet in itself instantly strikes fear into the minds of many people because so many times in the past they have tried various different diets and not had any long term success.
You should think more in terms of making small adjustments to your lifestyle as this is a better alternative than to think you are on a 'diet'.
For many people 'dieting' is rejected in their minds eye as being something unpleasant that is hard to endure.
Improving your nutrition and fitness is not nearly as difficult to maintain as 'dieting'
Focus on lifestyle changes rather than a reduction in food and you won't feel like you are having to give something up that you probably enjoy.
The more difficult you make your diet the less likely you are to stick to it and succeed.
If you are constantly having to think about your diet throughout the day and keeping account of all the foods that you eat and the calories that you are counting then it becomes very difficult to maintain for the long-term and eventually those types of diets result in failure for most people.
By keeping your weight loss program simple you are going to achieve a lot better results because it allow you to get on with enjoying everyday life without having to think about food and cutting back on your food for all of your waking hours.
Even mention of the word diet has negative effects for many people because it immediately places restrictions on their lifestyle.
Don't Lose Weight Lose Fat
If you've been on any diets or weight loss programs in the past then consider the results that you got from them because that is what you can expect if you go on the same diet again.
You need to look not only at the diet itself, the time that you were on it and whether you lost weight or not, but also the period after you stopped dieting and consider how fast you put the weight back on because very often that weight gain after dieting was a result of the diet itself.
If you are considering another attempt at that diet where you lost a lot of weight quite rapidly, it will be worthwhile to look a little further and see what the final outcome was over the medium to long term as that might paint a different picture and change your opinion on the effectiveness of the diet.
It might be time for you to consider an alternative way of losing weight or to be more precise losing fat because that is the most important thing that you should be looking at.
Consider using a weight-loss program that reduces the fat gradually and is easy to maintain while you go about your normal day-to-day life. You might think that it will take longer to lose the weight but what you really should be focusing on is getting to an optimum body shape and staying there for the rest of your life.
It is not much use to you to lose weight for a few months and put it on for the next few months and then repeat the cycle over and over again.
This is all that you can expect to get if that's all that you got in the past and in fact it only becomes more difficult to lose weight and easier to put it back on so keep that thought in your mind before you embark on another weight-loss program.
You need to look not only at the diet itself, the time that you were on it and whether you lost weight or not, but also the period after you stopped dieting and consider how fast you put the weight back on because very often that weight gain after dieting was a result of the diet itself.
If you are considering another attempt at that diet where you lost a lot of weight quite rapidly, it will be worthwhile to look a little further and see what the final outcome was over the medium to long term as that might paint a different picture and change your opinion on the effectiveness of the diet.
It might be time for you to consider an alternative way of losing weight or to be more precise losing fat because that is the most important thing that you should be looking at.
Consider using a weight-loss program that reduces the fat gradually and is easy to maintain while you go about your normal day-to-day life. You might think that it will take longer to lose the weight but what you really should be focusing on is getting to an optimum body shape and staying there for the rest of your life.
It is not much use to you to lose weight for a few months and put it on for the next few months and then repeat the cycle over and over again.
This is all that you can expect to get if that's all that you got in the past and in fact it only becomes more difficult to lose weight and easier to put it back on so keep that thought in your mind before you embark on another weight-loss program.
Dumb Diets That Don't Work
You have properly asked this question of yourself many times and you've probably also heard many other people say the same thing; why can't I seem to lose weight?
The simple fact that you're reading this information shows that you are still looking for a way to find the optimum body weight.
After trying many different diets and weight loss programs you might begin to think that you're a failure where the reality of the situation is that those very same diet and weight loss programs that you have tried have been the failures and not yourself.
They have failed to give you the desired results, not because of a lack of effort on your behalf, but more likely because they weren't targeting the cause of the problem.
In addition to that many diets and weight loss programs leave people feeling hungry for considerable times throughout the day and this is not how we are supposed to live.
Just as animals in the wild feel the need to eat when they are hungry humans react in the same way and it is only natural that you should seek out food if you're feeling hungry.
If your diet is supplying you have sufficient nutrients to meet your energy needs then you won't feel hungry all the time and any weight-loss program that keeps you in such a state of hunger is in fact destined to fail eventually no matter how much willpower you might have.
It is simply not the natural state of human life.
That is one of the most common reasons why people can't seem to lose weight. It's just too hard to maintain and it is detrimental to your health and your body will fight against that starvation message that it is getting.
Anybody can lose weight whether they have good willpower or not provided the body is getting sufficient nutritional requirements to eliminate hunger and to satisfy healthy functioning of the body.
The simple fact that you're reading this information shows that you are still looking for a way to find the optimum body weight.
After trying many different diets and weight loss programs you might begin to think that you're a failure where the reality of the situation is that those very same diet and weight loss programs that you have tried have been the failures and not yourself.
They have failed to give you the desired results, not because of a lack of effort on your behalf, but more likely because they weren't targeting the cause of the problem.
In addition to that many diets and weight loss programs leave people feeling hungry for considerable times throughout the day and this is not how we are supposed to live.
Just as animals in the wild feel the need to eat when they are hungry humans react in the same way and it is only natural that you should seek out food if you're feeling hungry.
If your diet is supplying you have sufficient nutrients to meet your energy needs then you won't feel hungry all the time and any weight-loss program that keeps you in such a state of hunger is in fact destined to fail eventually no matter how much willpower you might have.
It is simply not the natural state of human life.
That is one of the most common reasons why people can't seem to lose weight. It's just too hard to maintain and it is detrimental to your health and your body will fight against that starvation message that it is getting.
Anybody can lose weight whether they have good willpower or not provided the body is getting sufficient nutritional requirements to eliminate hunger and to satisfy healthy functioning of the body.
Live To Eat or Eat To Live
There are many different factors that determine which foods we choose to eat and these decisions start right from childhood.
Initially the foods we eat as a child are determined by the family environment and also by the other children we mix with at school.
Children will pick up bad eating habits from their parents and they will naturally begin to choose the same types of foods as their parents simply because that is what they are used to eating. If that food has low nutritional value then the never ending need to feed the hunger will start and gradually over time the percentage of body fat will increase.
Consider all the foods and drinks that you consume now and whether you naturally enjoyed eating or drinking them the first time you experienced them.
How many young people don't like the taste of alcoholic drinks when they first try them only to consume vast quantities later in life? They have become accustomed to the taste and over time anyone can change their eating and drinking habits according to their environment and choices.
Just look at all the types of foods that are consumed throughout the world by different races of people. If you were living in another country it is highly likely that your eating habits would be completely different to what they are now.
Fortunately you can reverse bad eating habits by eating foods that are better for your health and in doing so you will become more accustomed to eating those foods and prefer them to the foods that have caused the weight problems in the first place.
The hunger won't be there and the need to consume excessive amounts of food will be gone because you will be getting sufficient nutrition while eating a reasonable amount of food.
You feel more satisfied more of the time and that is something that most over weight people are constantly trying to achieve but never managing even by eating huge portions of food.
Initially the foods we eat as a child are determined by the family environment and also by the other children we mix with at school.
Children will pick up bad eating habits from their parents and they will naturally begin to choose the same types of foods as their parents simply because that is what they are used to eating. If that food has low nutritional value then the never ending need to feed the hunger will start and gradually over time the percentage of body fat will increase.
Consider all the foods and drinks that you consume now and whether you naturally enjoyed eating or drinking them the first time you experienced them.
How many young people don't like the taste of alcoholic drinks when they first try them only to consume vast quantities later in life? They have become accustomed to the taste and over time anyone can change their eating and drinking habits according to their environment and choices.
Just look at all the types of foods that are consumed throughout the world by different races of people. If you were living in another country it is highly likely that your eating habits would be completely different to what they are now.
Fortunately you can reverse bad eating habits by eating foods that are better for your health and in doing so you will become more accustomed to eating those foods and prefer them to the foods that have caused the weight problems in the first place.
The hunger won't be there and the need to consume excessive amounts of food will be gone because you will be getting sufficient nutrition while eating a reasonable amount of food.
You feel more satisfied more of the time and that is something that most over weight people are constantly trying to achieve but never managing even by eating huge portions of food.
But I Still Like Chocolate And Alcohol
If there's one thing that you need to understand it's the fact that changing your diet to a better more balanced one that will help you to lose weight and eventually live longer doesn't have to be a struggle.
It takes most people years to get to the stage of being obese, and even to the stage where they are carrying just a little too much body weight so you can't expect to reverse any long term habits overnight.
Even making a few small changes to your diet can have a dramatic effect on your weight when viewed over a longer period of time.
Just the reduction of a hundred or so calories a day will amount to a very large reduction in calories over the term of one year and that will also amount to a sizeable decrease in body fat.
This can be done by simply removing a small portion of the amount of food you consume with each meal.
If you find that this is causing more than normal hunger then have a glass of water a half hour or so before each meal and you will be less inclined to feel like you require more food.
You can replace a similar quantity of low value food with good food and this will also reduce hunger and will help to lose weight.
By doing it in this manner you will find that you will begin to enjoy the 'new' foods in your diet just as you learnt to enjoy the poor foods that you have been eating up to this stage of your life.
Many people find it hard to accept that they will be able to get the same enjoyment out of the food that they know they should be eating but that is only because they have been accustomed to the tastes of the food they eat at the current time.
A good example of this is the reaction people have to drinking a cup of tea with sugar in it after they have stopped having sugar for a while. Most people find it difficult to drink as it seems too sweet after having been without it for some time.
It takes most people years to get to the stage of being obese, and even to the stage where they are carrying just a little too much body weight so you can't expect to reverse any long term habits overnight.
Even making a few small changes to your diet can have a dramatic effect on your weight when viewed over a longer period of time.
Just the reduction of a hundred or so calories a day will amount to a very large reduction in calories over the term of one year and that will also amount to a sizeable decrease in body fat.
This can be done by simply removing a small portion of the amount of food you consume with each meal.
If you find that this is causing more than normal hunger then have a glass of water a half hour or so before each meal and you will be less inclined to feel like you require more food.
You can replace a similar quantity of low value food with good food and this will also reduce hunger and will help to lose weight.
By doing it in this manner you will find that you will begin to enjoy the 'new' foods in your diet just as you learnt to enjoy the poor foods that you have been eating up to this stage of your life.
Many people find it hard to accept that they will be able to get the same enjoyment out of the food that they know they should be eating but that is only because they have been accustomed to the tastes of the food they eat at the current time.
A good example of this is the reaction people have to drinking a cup of tea with sugar in it after they have stopped having sugar for a while. Most people find it difficult to drink as it seems too sweet after having been without it for some time.
Hard To Break
Losing weight can be compared in a lot of cases to somebody trying to give up smoking particularly for a person who has been overweight for a long time and who has had bad eating habits for much of their life.
Like smoking, over eating is a habit that is quite difficult to break for the majority of people.
It is for this reason why many people spend the majority of their life going from one weight-loss program to another in the search for the Magic answer that will get them in the shape that they desire.
Once again by likening this to giving up smoking, a person who is trying to lose weight will have a considerably better chance of success if they have made up their mind completely that this is what they want.
If you start a weight-loss program without the intention of following through to the ultimate outcome then the doubt that is always in the back of your mind will make it so much easier for you to fail.
For many people it is more about what goes on in the mind than what they are putting into their stomach and you might have to deal with these issues first before you have any opportunity to lose weight and get in shape.
Mind power is a very powerful thing that can work for or against you and by eliminating habits from your life you will be retraining your mind to accept the new lifestyle as your natural state whereby you will be able to maintain a good healthy body weight for the long-term.
We do most things in life subconsciously including good and bad habits and by turning those bad habits into positive lifestyle changes your bodyweight won't be something that is constantly the focus of your life.
Once you realize that most weight problems are related to bad habits you will understand that if you can eliminate these bad habits weight loss will follow.
The first step in the process is to determine what your bad habits are. Look at the times when you tend to overeat and see if you can understand what triggers these reactions.
If you can eliminate those triggers and you can only do that by determining what they are in the first place then you will find it a lot easier to sort out your eating problems.
You should also look at the types of food that you go for during these times as often they will be comfort foods and more often than not these comfort foods are of very low nutritional value and due to that fact they will stimulate overeating.
By simply changing your comfort foods, with those that are of a higher nutritional value you will still be satisfying your needs by eliminating the negative side effects that are associated with poor food.
As most things that we do in life are habitual we rarely think about the actions we take as we go about our daily routines on autopilot. Unfortunately everything we do throughout the day includes both good and bad habits and it is those bad habits that are causing the damage.
As we age, more and more aspects of our life become habitual and it becomes more difficult to realize we have these habits and even more so to get rid of them particularly if we have had them for a long time.
With a bit of personal analysis you will quickly become to notice the various different things that are leading up to your eating and weight problems.
If you only target one of these habits at a time it becomes a lot easier to make the changes and often changing one habit can have a positive affect on many other habits. The process certainly becomes easier the more you do it in and by concentrating more on that area rather than the food itself you will find that weight loss is not such an overwhelming part of your life.
Like smoking, over eating is a habit that is quite difficult to break for the majority of people.
It is for this reason why many people spend the majority of their life going from one weight-loss program to another in the search for the Magic answer that will get them in the shape that they desire.
Once again by likening this to giving up smoking, a person who is trying to lose weight will have a considerably better chance of success if they have made up their mind completely that this is what they want.
If you start a weight-loss program without the intention of following through to the ultimate outcome then the doubt that is always in the back of your mind will make it so much easier for you to fail.
For many people it is more about what goes on in the mind than what they are putting into their stomach and you might have to deal with these issues first before you have any opportunity to lose weight and get in shape.
Mind power is a very powerful thing that can work for or against you and by eliminating habits from your life you will be retraining your mind to accept the new lifestyle as your natural state whereby you will be able to maintain a good healthy body weight for the long-term.
We do most things in life subconsciously including good and bad habits and by turning those bad habits into positive lifestyle changes your bodyweight won't be something that is constantly the focus of your life.
Once you realize that most weight problems are related to bad habits you will understand that if you can eliminate these bad habits weight loss will follow.
The first step in the process is to determine what your bad habits are. Look at the times when you tend to overeat and see if you can understand what triggers these reactions.
If you can eliminate those triggers and you can only do that by determining what they are in the first place then you will find it a lot easier to sort out your eating problems.
You should also look at the types of food that you go for during these times as often they will be comfort foods and more often than not these comfort foods are of very low nutritional value and due to that fact they will stimulate overeating.
By simply changing your comfort foods, with those that are of a higher nutritional value you will still be satisfying your needs by eliminating the negative side effects that are associated with poor food.
As most things that we do in life are habitual we rarely think about the actions we take as we go about our daily routines on autopilot. Unfortunately everything we do throughout the day includes both good and bad habits and it is those bad habits that are causing the damage.
As we age, more and more aspects of our life become habitual and it becomes more difficult to realize we have these habits and even more so to get rid of them particularly if we have had them for a long time.
With a bit of personal analysis you will quickly become to notice the various different things that are leading up to your eating and weight problems.
If you only target one of these habits at a time it becomes a lot easier to make the changes and often changing one habit can have a positive affect on many other habits. The process certainly becomes easier the more you do it in and by concentrating more on that area rather than the food itself you will find that weight loss is not such an overwhelming part of your life.
You're Not A Kid Anymore
Many of us are brought up from childhood where we have been told they we are not allowed to leave the table until we finished all the food on our plate. While this was done generally with the best intentions in mind it is not the way that we should look at eating. You don't need to eat everything that is on your plate.
If you've had enough to eat you should stop whether there is more food available or not. You shouldn't need to get rid of food as these days it is no longer necessary to be concerned with keeping the food fresh as it was in the past. Stop eating and put that excess food into the refrigerator where you can eat it tomorrow.
If you are constantly finding there is additional food left when you are satisfied then you need to reduce the quantities that you are cooking or making available for your meals each day.
It is better to have a little less than too much.
Don't feel obliged to eat all the food that is placed before you when you're eating out. Even then you should only eat to feel comfortable and not feel full.
For most people it is a habit to eat everything that is on their plate and this belief has been drummed into them from childhood. Now is a good time to reverse that train of thought.
Where possible put the food on your plate that you intend to eat at any particular meal and then take that plate with the food to the table. This will encourage you to put limits on the amount of food that you will eat. Having additional food available at the table only encourages you to eat more. If it is not in sight you are less likely to feel the need to eat it.
If you've had enough to eat you should stop whether there is more food available or not. You shouldn't need to get rid of food as these days it is no longer necessary to be concerned with keeping the food fresh as it was in the past. Stop eating and put that excess food into the refrigerator where you can eat it tomorrow.
If you are constantly finding there is additional food left when you are satisfied then you need to reduce the quantities that you are cooking or making available for your meals each day.
It is better to have a little less than too much.
Don't feel obliged to eat all the food that is placed before you when you're eating out. Even then you should only eat to feel comfortable and not feel full.
For most people it is a habit to eat everything that is on their plate and this belief has been drummed into them from childhood. Now is a good time to reverse that train of thought.
Where possible put the food on your plate that you intend to eat at any particular meal and then take that plate with the food to the table. This will encourage you to put limits on the amount of food that you will eat. Having additional food available at the table only encourages you to eat more. If it is not in sight you are less likely to feel the need to eat it.
Moment of Clarity
What you believe is what you will get and this is particularly so with weight loss.
How many times do you say that you have finished lunch or dinner only to pick up another piece of food and eat it? Many people do this on a regular basis and they have programmed their mind to believe that there is always more to come simply by the actions that they are taking on a regular basis.
How many times do you cut the cake in half intending to only eat that portion and then go back and eat the other half immediately after?
When you are cutting that cake in your mind you already know that you will be getting the rest and you are falsely kidding yourself into believing that the process of cutting off half is doing you some form of good.
In fact it is better to decide on how much you will be eating and then eating that portion even if it is the whole amount because you will at least be true to yourself.
If you are constantly allowing yourself to fail by succumbing to additional food then you are training your belief system in a negative way and this begins to affect all aspects of your life.
It doesn't matter what you say to other people or what you try to have them believe. It is not helping you one bit to tell everyone that you won't be eating any more cake. What matters is what you do and whether you are doing what you say you will do.
Your beliefs are your reality and if you believe that there are many different reasons why you can't lose weight then the reality of your life will be that you won't lose weight.
If you believe that your genes or your metabolism are responsible for your over weight condition then that is what you will be even though a change in diet and exercise will make a difference.
Getting your mind to understand and accept the true reality is one of the biggest hurdles for most people who are trying to make changes in their life.
Believe you can do it and you will - there is no doubt about that.
How many times do you say that you have finished lunch or dinner only to pick up another piece of food and eat it? Many people do this on a regular basis and they have programmed their mind to believe that there is always more to come simply by the actions that they are taking on a regular basis.
How many times do you cut the cake in half intending to only eat that portion and then go back and eat the other half immediately after?
When you are cutting that cake in your mind you already know that you will be getting the rest and you are falsely kidding yourself into believing that the process of cutting off half is doing you some form of good.
In fact it is better to decide on how much you will be eating and then eating that portion even if it is the whole amount because you will at least be true to yourself.
If you are constantly allowing yourself to fail by succumbing to additional food then you are training your belief system in a negative way and this begins to affect all aspects of your life.
It doesn't matter what you say to other people or what you try to have them believe. It is not helping you one bit to tell everyone that you won't be eating any more cake. What matters is what you do and whether you are doing what you say you will do.
Your beliefs are your reality and if you believe that there are many different reasons why you can't lose weight then the reality of your life will be that you won't lose weight.
If you believe that your genes or your metabolism are responsible for your over weight condition then that is what you will be even though a change in diet and exercise will make a difference.
Getting your mind to understand and accept the true reality is one of the biggest hurdles for most people who are trying to make changes in their life.
Believe you can do it and you will - there is no doubt about that.
Calorie Consumption Keys
The amount of calories that you consume on a daily basis will determine whether you gain or lose weight and this is one of the most important aspects of any weight loss program that you decide to go on.
Studies have been taken where overweight people believed they were eating no more food than other people they associated with who were considerably slimmer than them.
The overweight people were under the false impression that the reason why they were heavier and gaining weight was due to their body's metabolism.
When keeping a record of their food consumption over a specified period of time it was shown that they were actually consuming more calories and it had nothing to do with their metabolism but rather their choice of food and the quantities they were eating.
You only need to reduce your calorie intake by 100 calories per day to make a substantial effect on your weight over the period of the year.
This is a very manageable goal for almost everybody and it is not too difficult to cut back by that amount, however many of the weight loss programs are recommending considerably more reduction in calories making it very difficult to maintain and as a result of this many people are failing to achieve what they start out to do.
Now when you combine the fact that you only need to reduce calories by that much, with additional supplementation of vitamins and minerals that can help your overall health, you can see how you can stay nutritionally balanced throughout the whole weight loss process and not feel as though you are starving yourself.
For many people just knowing that the hurdle is not so great, and that there are suitable supplements to assist them, is enough to ensure that they can start and maintain a good weight loss program.
The problem with restricting your calories too much is the fact that it slows down your metabolism and in doing so it makes it all the more difficult to sustain weight loss.
This is one of the reasons why it is suggested that you don't reduce your calories by an excessive amount on a daily basis if you want to keep reducing weight over the long-term.
On the other hand when you have excess calories over and above the energy needs of your body then these calories will be stored as fat.
You can see by the last two sentences that it is crucially important for you to get your calorie intake levels correct if you are to lose weight.
Your daily calorie requirement depends on a number of different factors including your weight, your age, gender and your lifestyle as a more active person will need more calories due to the fact that they will be burning more in the course of the day.
On average every pound of your body weight represents approximately 3500 calories. Based on this average, to lose 1 pound you will need to reduce your calorie intake by 3500 calories.
On diet alone, you can see how it won't be possible to lose a pound a day unless of course you already have a considerable calorie intake and the reduction will still leave you with sufficient food and nutrition to remain healthy.
Supplements can certainly help to make up for any nutrition deficiencies a lot of the time.
By reducing your calories by only 100 calories per day over the course of the year you would have consumed 36,500 less calories and that converts to a weight reduction of almost 10 1/2 pounds.
That is an easily accomplished weight reduction with very little change to your lifestyle and habits.
Studies have been taken where overweight people believed they were eating no more food than other people they associated with who were considerably slimmer than them.
The overweight people were under the false impression that the reason why they were heavier and gaining weight was due to their body's metabolism.
When keeping a record of their food consumption over a specified period of time it was shown that they were actually consuming more calories and it had nothing to do with their metabolism but rather their choice of food and the quantities they were eating.
You only need to reduce your calorie intake by 100 calories per day to make a substantial effect on your weight over the period of the year.
This is a very manageable goal for almost everybody and it is not too difficult to cut back by that amount, however many of the weight loss programs are recommending considerably more reduction in calories making it very difficult to maintain and as a result of this many people are failing to achieve what they start out to do.
Now when you combine the fact that you only need to reduce calories by that much, with additional supplementation of vitamins and minerals that can help your overall health, you can see how you can stay nutritionally balanced throughout the whole weight loss process and not feel as though you are starving yourself.
For many people just knowing that the hurdle is not so great, and that there are suitable supplements to assist them, is enough to ensure that they can start and maintain a good weight loss program.
The problem with restricting your calories too much is the fact that it slows down your metabolism and in doing so it makes it all the more difficult to sustain weight loss.
This is one of the reasons why it is suggested that you don't reduce your calories by an excessive amount on a daily basis if you want to keep reducing weight over the long-term.
On the other hand when you have excess calories over and above the energy needs of your body then these calories will be stored as fat.
You can see by the last two sentences that it is crucially important for you to get your calorie intake levels correct if you are to lose weight.
Your daily calorie requirement depends on a number of different factors including your weight, your age, gender and your lifestyle as a more active person will need more calories due to the fact that they will be burning more in the course of the day.
On average every pound of your body weight represents approximately 3500 calories. Based on this average, to lose 1 pound you will need to reduce your calorie intake by 3500 calories.
On diet alone, you can see how it won't be possible to lose a pound a day unless of course you already have a considerable calorie intake and the reduction will still leave you with sufficient food and nutrition to remain healthy.
Supplements can certainly help to make up for any nutrition deficiencies a lot of the time.
By reducing your calories by only 100 calories per day over the course of the year you would have consumed 36,500 less calories and that converts to a weight reduction of almost 10 1/2 pounds.
That is an easily accomplished weight reduction with very little change to your lifestyle and habits.
Animals Eat Better Than Us
While we can't compare ourselves with animals we can begin to understand eating habits and the reason why humans become over weight.
Consider how many animals you will see that are over weight. In the wild you wouldn't find any and it is not because of a lack of food - although that certainly will cause a wild animal to be under weight.
No; even where there is abundance of food animals in the wild don't get obese like humans do and it is not because of their metabolism or digestive systems.
It is because they are eating the correct foods that nature designed their systems to eat to ensure that they are getting the correct nutrition to maintain good health and obesity certainly isn't a good healthy state to be in.
I doubt you will find any animals that are obese other than those that we keep as pets and that is because humans not only eat the wrong foods themselves but they also feed their pets the wrong foods.
We feed our pet's processed pet food that has all sorts of colors, additives and other rubbish that they were never designed to have.
And the result of feeding them a poor diet is the high and ever increasing incidence of diabetes in domestic animals.
We are not only making ourselves sick with poor food choices but we are also reducing the chances our pets have of living long and healthy lives.
Just like the food we buy for ourselves, the food we buy for our pets is often determined by the quality of the marketing campaigns that promote those foods.
So the only living beings that seem to make the wrong choices in food consumption are humans and we are supposed to be the most intelligent!
And the only other living beings that are affected by poor food consumption are pets because they have to rely on the poor decisions that are made by humans.
Consider how many animals you will see that are over weight. In the wild you wouldn't find any and it is not because of a lack of food - although that certainly will cause a wild animal to be under weight.
No; even where there is abundance of food animals in the wild don't get obese like humans do and it is not because of their metabolism or digestive systems.
It is because they are eating the correct foods that nature designed their systems to eat to ensure that they are getting the correct nutrition to maintain good health and obesity certainly isn't a good healthy state to be in.
I doubt you will find any animals that are obese other than those that we keep as pets and that is because humans not only eat the wrong foods themselves but they also feed their pets the wrong foods.
We feed our pet's processed pet food that has all sorts of colors, additives and other rubbish that they were never designed to have.
And the result of feeding them a poor diet is the high and ever increasing incidence of diabetes in domestic animals.
We are not only making ourselves sick with poor food choices but we are also reducing the chances our pets have of living long and healthy lives.
Just like the food we buy for ourselves, the food we buy for our pets is often determined by the quality of the marketing campaigns that promote those foods.
So the only living beings that seem to make the wrong choices in food consumption are humans and we are supposed to be the most intelligent!
And the only other living beings that are affected by poor food consumption are pets because they have to rely on the poor decisions that are made by humans.
Age Is No Excuse
There's no doubt about the fact that the body changes as we age and fat is stored in places that we didn't have to worry about when we were younger.
The metabolism slows and the digestive system doesn't work as well as it once did.
Hormonal changes in the body can also affect the shape that you are in but there is one thing that always remains the same at all ages - If you eat too much food and drink too much alcohol you will gain weight.
Many people use their age as an excuse for being over weight but this is not acceptable. Consider how many elderly people there are who are still slim, fit and healthy and you will see that age is not an excuse.
Lifestyles create the body we have to live with and the effects of poor lifestyle choices are multiplied as we age because the abuse that we have been giving our body through poor food choices throughout our life accumulates with fat and other health related problems due to poor nutrition.
You can and should expect to keep your fat percentage at an optimum level throughout your life. The health benefits from doing so will pay dividends with a better quality of life and reduced dependence on medication and other health related expenditure as you age.
At any stage in your life, no matter how old you are you can benefit from improved nutrition and exercise.
Anything that will reduce the excess levels in your body fat will assist in helping you to live longer and to enjoy that time more.
Starting on an exercise program and taking care to improve your nutrition is the best way to turn back the body clock and it is never too late to start winding back the years. Obviously the sooner you start the better but starting is the essential ingredient that you need right now.
The metabolism slows and the digestive system doesn't work as well as it once did.
Hormonal changes in the body can also affect the shape that you are in but there is one thing that always remains the same at all ages - If you eat too much food and drink too much alcohol you will gain weight.
Many people use their age as an excuse for being over weight but this is not acceptable. Consider how many elderly people there are who are still slim, fit and healthy and you will see that age is not an excuse.
Lifestyles create the body we have to live with and the effects of poor lifestyle choices are multiplied as we age because the abuse that we have been giving our body through poor food choices throughout our life accumulates with fat and other health related problems due to poor nutrition.
You can and should expect to keep your fat percentage at an optimum level throughout your life. The health benefits from doing so will pay dividends with a better quality of life and reduced dependence on medication and other health related expenditure as you age.
At any stage in your life, no matter how old you are you can benefit from improved nutrition and exercise.
Anything that will reduce the excess levels in your body fat will assist in helping you to live longer and to enjoy that time more.
Starting on an exercise program and taking care to improve your nutrition is the best way to turn back the body clock and it is never too late to start winding back the years. Obviously the sooner you start the better but starting is the essential ingredient that you need right now.
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