Eight simple ways to begin your journey towards losing weight and getting healthy. These tips can be applied to almost any diet plan, and can be accomplished easily by making small changes to your daily routines and meals.
If you’ve decided that losing weight and getting in better shape is something you’d like to pursue, choosing a diet and exercise program can be a bit daunting. With so many diets on the market, it’s difficult to know which one will be right for you. Keeping that in mind, here are eight simple tips to put you on the path to weight loss, no matter what plan you eventually decide to follow. You can start on these right away!
The Veggie Trick
Mom was right those vegetables really are good for you. All of those vitamins and minerals help to give your body energy, which will come in handy for that new exercise program you’re planning! There’s a handy little trick you can use with veggies, however, to get yourself in the habit of eating more of them, and less of those high-calorie items you’re used to filling your plate with.
At every meal (with the possible exception of breakfast), fill your plate at least half full with vegetables before you add anything else. Salads, raw, boiled, or steamed greens it doesn’t matter what you choose, as long as your plate is half full. Not only will you end up getting all of the nutritious value from the veggies, but you’ll have less room on your plate and in your belly for more fattening fare.
Keep an Eye on Your Beverages
Many people don’t consider that what they drink adds to their calorie counts for the day. If you load up on sugar-laden sodas and coffee loaded with sugar and cream, you’re not doing your waistline any favors. Consider switching to diet soda, skim milk, fat-free low-calorie sweeteners and whiteners for your coffee or tea, and watered down fruit juices to quench your thirst. Of course there’s nothing better for your body than a good old-fashioned glass of water.
Replace White With Brown
Processed foods such as flour and rice have been stripped of much of their nutrition and “bulk”. White bread and baked goods, fast-cooking rice and rolled oats, processed cereals, and pasta are all good examples of seemingly harmless foods that really don’t do much to help you in your effort to lose weight. Without the nutrition of their whole-food counterparts, these offerings act as empty calories.
Try switching to whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole grain cereals. You’ll feel more satisfied with your meals, which leads to less snacking between them. You’ll also get the added benefit of the nutrition and fiber in the whole grain foods that aid in weight loss.
Find a “Busy” Hobby
If you have a lot of spare time on your hands or spend your evenings watching television, your hands are free to scoop high-calorie snack foods into your mouth at will. Watching commercials on TV for the latest snack foods or fast food offerings can trigger cravings for unhealthy food, and it’s not uncommon for quick trips to the kitchen to occur between dinner and bed time. Stave off these temptations with some busy work!
Take up sewing or knitting, or try your hand at writing. Teach yourself how to use some new computer program, or how to create graphics. Even better, get outside for an evening walk, or use that treadmill or stationary bike that’s been collecting dust in the corner of your basement. The more time and energy you focus on something that you’re really interested in, the less time you’ll be spending in the kitchen.
Mix It Up a Little
Nothing will kill your good intentions and send you running for the Twinkies faster than boredom. If you try to limit yourself to celery sticks and the odd bowl of fat free cottage cheese, your body will start to crave other things and you’ll get so tired of these foods that you’ll swear off of them forever.
Give yourself a lot of variety. Healthy food isn’t boring unless you make it so. Scan magazines and websites for recipes, or make substitutions in your favorite meals to update them to fit your new lifestyle. Experiment with new foods, and try international flavors like Mexican, Indian, Chinese, and French cuisines. Keep your taste buds happy and they’ll be less likely to stray.
Find a Buddy
Chances are that you know someone else who could use a bit of a lifestyle overhaul when it comes to eating and exercising. Finding a buddy to compare notes and workouts with will not only motivate you to try harder, but will give you some accountability. It doesn’t matter if it’s your spouse, your best friend, a co-worker, or someone you met online, as long as you keep up the communication and continue to encourage each other to eat well and get your exercise in every day.
Rid Yourself of Temptation
If your cupboards are full of potato chips and candy, it’s going to be difficult to resist them in your search for healthier fare. Clean out your kitchen and discard as much of the junk as you can. It sounds painful, but once you’re done you’ll have space for all of the diet-friendly snacks and meal ingredients you’ll need, and those midnight snacking trips to the refrigerator will cause much less damage to the numbers you see on the scale.
Stock up on produce, low fat cheeses, whole grain crackers, and all kinds of good-for-you foods that will satisfy your hunger but not cause cravings for more sweets and goodies. Things like fat-free Popsicles and pudding can be a great way to give in to a sweet craving without blowing your entire calorie allotment for the day, as long as you only enjoy them in moderation.
Plan Ahead
If you know you’ll be going to a function or a dinner party, or anywhere that you’ll be face to face with high calorie foods, plan ahead. Put some sugar-free mints or candies in your pocket, and have a light meal before you go. If you’re not ravenously hungry when you arrive, you’ll have a better chance of not gorging yourself on forbidden foods while you’re there.
Likewise, choose to drink diet soda, bottled water, or wine spritzers. These beverages offer fewer calories than their counterparts, and won’t undo all of your hard work.
Following these suggestions will help to get you on the right track towards your weight loss goals. Always keep in mind that losing weight does not happen over night it takes a lot of determination and hard work, but keep reminding yourself that you can do it! Making small changes in your eating and exercise habits is the best way to make changes that you’ll be able to stick with.
Weight Loss Tips: Eight Simple Ways to Help You Lose Weight
Weight Loss Tips: Struggle for Weight Loss
The article is about the different weight loss programs I tried during my engagement period, until I found the one that was successful.
When I got engaged last fall, I decided to lose some weight. I set the goal at fifteen pounds gone by the time I get married. The first choice I had to make was which diet torture I wanted. With so many options, I did not know which one to choose.
I started with the carbohydrate diet. The premise of this diet is that by cutting carbohydrates you can lose weight. I thought for the sake of weight loss I could give up my favorite food, cereal. But the next morning, I was running late for work. I didn’t have time for a complicated breakfast. So I gave in and ate a dish of cereal. Well, that diet quickly fell off the wagon. After that, I had trouble staying on any wagon.
Next came the South Beach diet. Just reading the instructions made me cringe. I could only eat certain foods at certain times, like meat, eggs, cheese, and vegetables. I could add bread, dessert, and alcohol after two weeks. I didn’t even try that diet. It was far too complicated and with working and wedding planning, I wanted something easier.
So, I headed to Weight Watchers online. This diet’s claim to fame is that by assigning point values to every food, and eating only a certain number of points each day people can lose weight. I admit that I did lose weight at first. The problem was that I didn’t always have handy a point-value calculator for foods I ate. I also had issues staying motivated on the diet. Going to a Weight Watchers meeting made me very nervous, so I decided not to go. I eventually lost interest. But I think the diet may have worked if I had done it with a friend.
Finally, I decided to just go simple. I began a walking regimen, and made simple changes in my eating habits. I switched from 2 percent milk to 1 percent milk. There is not much taste difference, it is better for you and, best of all it is cheaper. Instead of regular potato chips, I bought low fat or baked chips. They actually tasted good. For dessert I ate frozen yogurt. It tasted just like ice cream. Instead of mayonnaise, I went for mustard on my sandwiches. The sandwiches tasted just as good to me. For my salads, I bought low fat salad dressing and could not tell a difference. I especially made it a point to eat more fruits and vegetables. I admit there have been times I have fallen off the wagon - like when there was cheesecake at my wedding shower. But, what impressed me, was all I had to do was take an extra walk that week, or park in the farthest spot from the grocery store, and I gained no weight during those weeks.
Furthermore, to help me stay motivated when I ate a little too much, I bought a pedometer. It has been fun to try and meet my goal of ten thousand steps each day. Why ten thousand steps? I have heard that taking ten thousand steps it is the equivalent of walking three miles.
I have now lost ten pounds. I know the weight loss is not fast, but it has been steady. I am confident that I will hit my goal of 15 pounds. This is my preferred method of torture.
Weight Loss - 25 Slow and Steady Tips for Healthy Weight Loss
I know that you’ve heard it a million times, but in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories that you consume. No one promised it would be easy to lose weight – and it’s not. But dieting doesn’t have to mean obsessive calorie counting, intense exercise, self deprivation and hunger. This type of dieting almost always leads to failure and the one thing you don’t want to do is fail.
People who lose weight and keep it off succeed by adapting a healthy lifestyle, not by dieting. You must enforce healthy eating habits that will continue to be part of your life forever. Weight loss isn’t something you can do for a few weeks or month. It’s a life-long commitment.
Here are twenty-five tips that will help you adapt a slow and steady weight loss plan that you keep help you lose weight and stay healthy.
1. Start with achievable goals
2. Don’t expect to drop excess weight quickly. Research shows that people who lose weight slowly are more successful than others who experience quick weight loss.
3. A realistic weight loss goal is two pounds a week.
4. Don’t look for miraculous weight loss. If you lose weight quickly your will probably gain it back.
5. Slowly change your eating habits and lifestyle.
6. Weigh yourself once a week maximum. Hoping on the scales everyday will drive you to distraction and will become obsessive. It actually takes as much as two weeks for any weight loss to occur.
7. Eat smaller portions and replace three meals a day with five smaller ones. This helps to control blood sugar and it’s easier to burn calories from small, light meals.
8. Mix carbohydrates, protein and fruit for a healthy meal.
9. When enjoying your favorite snack, read the nutrition chart and measure the recommended amount into a bowl. Never eat snacks such as chips, out of a bag. This leads to over-eating.
10. Prepare measured snacks ahead of time. That way you can just go to the cupboard and get a small bag. Never go back for seconds.
11. Drink flavored no-calorie water instead of soda, or add lemon juice or avocado juice to water for a refreshing, thirst quenching drink.
12. Don’t use food for comfort or de-stressing.
13. Leave the table immediately after you’ve finished eating. Avoid desserts or have a cup of low fat yogurt.
14. When you are home and craving an extra rich treat, tie on your walking shoes and go for a walk. By the time you get home the craving most probably will have passed.
15. Walk for at least 30 minutes a day. This can be broken into two, five minute increments, if desired.
16. Park your car at the outside edge of the parking lot, where it’s much easier to get a parking space, and then walk to the store. This will help you get in your minimum daily requirement of walking.
17. Wear a pedometer and walk between 5,000 and 10,000 steps per day. This will help you lose weight more quickly while doing so in a healthy manner.
18. Eat a bowl of broth based soup, such as minestrone or vegetable, before eating your meal. This will take the edge off your hunger and you will eat less. Do not eat cream soups, as they are much higher in calories.
19. Reward yourself once a week with a small treat. This helps you to avoid binging and brings weight loss success.
20. Learn to love yourself as you are. Beauty is in the heart and soul. Remind yourself that you are beautiful.
21. Never eat anything after 8 pm.
22. Write down everything you eat. This helps you keep tabs on your food intake. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it adds up.
23. Keep food off the table. Place single servings on plates and put them at the place settings. You’re more apt to take seconds if the food is within easy reach.
24. Eat vegetables first. Vegetables have lots of fiber, which helps make you feel full before you get to the carbohydrates and fat.
25. Put your fork down between mouthfuls of food. Chew thoroughly and swallow before picking up your fork for the next bite. This allows you to savor your food and it helps you to eat slower, which improves digestion.
Tips on How to Choose the Best Weight Loss Program
by Mike Dejona
The best kind of weight loss program is obviously one that works for you and produces results. You can learn several effective ideas for incorporating different kinds of factors into your plan. People who are overweight are engaging in low carb dieting for better health and vitality not only just for losing pounds. Countless ways have been devised and marketed by individuals and businesses to help people in this one area.
Mix that with practicality, reasonability, and utilize the following tip: Base your safe weight goals around the fundamental principle that you need to alter your energy balance in the NEGATIVE direction by expending about 500 calories per day more than what you are eating. You do this by smartly manipulating both exercise and diet. The best plan will help you do this and this should be the main criteria in choosing the right one for you. If you truly want to have long term results you have to take the first step by realizing you need to do something different. For instance, a person cannot expect the pounds to come off if they skip part of the directions such as how much of a particular food or calorie intake they can have during one meal.
In my opinion, consumption of fresh home-made salads, mono-meals of fruits, snacks on dried fruits such as dates, a few nuts and maybe even a short juice fast, as a choice for a diet (along with some form of exercise) will be the best path to attaining good results. Now, considering all the factors above, when it comes to the right diet, I would recommend a Mucus-less or Mucus-poor (raw and cooked fruits and veggies) over any other mere fad in the quest of attaining fitness and health. Winsor Pilates has gone all the rage in today's ever changing market for the best programs, and so far, it has received good reviews both from users and professional analysts.
Final thought on this subject, whatever plan you choose has to help you burn more calories than what you are eating. If you can get this one factor down you will be shopping for smaller clothes in no time.
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About The Author
Mike Dejona is the expert when it comes to weight loss and he has posted more articles and tips at http://www.lossweightprogramsite.com/Best-Weight-Loss-Program.php
Tags: weight, loss weight, weightloss, diet, protein, loss, exercise, fitness, obesity, weight loss, food, fat
3 Tips on Choosing a Quick Weight Loss Diet
by Mike Dejona
There are thousands of diet books and diet gurus offering a myriad of ideas for quick weight loss. The best exercises for it in my opinion are activities that you enjoy because you will be more apt to continue doing them over a long period of time. So if you are one of those people that are looking for this type of program, read on.
We are going to give you some tips to you how to combine the "good food" ingredients to get a incredible fat burning diet. Popular diets may promise quick results, but calcium and other important nutrients are often missing from the menu, which can lead to bone loss. When people lose weight quick most times its due to water loss that never leads to real, long-term results. This is what most people experience. The only plan that works involves eating well and moving your body and a healthy active metabolism.
Keep your plan simple so that you will be sure to achieve fast and permanent results. Once again, these simple tips may help but if you start using these and other weight loss tips every day, you will start seeing the long term success you truly deserve. Surger's, fast food, heavy drinking are really harmful to any kind of diet program.
Instead of being confused by the programs that are out there claims, do your due diligence.
Tip 1. Get a program that deals with your metabolism. This is the real culprit to slow and frustrating weight loss.
Tip 2. If you stop eating your body goes into hibernation mode, which it start storing everything you eat. You don't want this. Eat less more frequently.
Tip 3. Stay focused on your ideal weight, picture it in your head before you fall off to sleep, you will find your solution.
Recommended Weight Loss Programs
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Fit Over 40 : Amazing Inspirational Anti-aging, Health And Weight Loss E-book For The Over 40 Crowd.
About The Author
Mike Dejona is an expert in the weigh loss field. He has posted free tips and reviews at http://www.lossweightprogramsite.com/Quick-Weight-Loss-Diet.php
Tags: weight, loss weight, weightloss, diet, protein, loss, exercise, fitness, obesity, weight loss, food, fat
Protein and Weight Loss - Is there any Relation in these
by: Dr John Anne
Now it has become a trend that we all are trying to switch on to low carb diet. It occurs mainly due to the fact that high protein diet actually enhances weight loss. A recent British study confirmed that there is a strong correlation between diet high in protein and weight loss. The study also said that the diet high in protein triggers in releasing hormone that influences weight loss.
Protein consumption in diet ensures the release of PYY hormone that reduces the hunger. Researchers argued that high protein foods start out PYY secretion better than other foods. Scientific studies also suggest that PYY should be an integral part of weight reduction plan. Theoretically, as because a proportionate relation exists between protein and weight loss, therefore an obese individual must eat more calories to trigger PYY compared to a normal weight individual.
Typically, we avoid high calorie food to maintain healthy balance in life. But the truth is if we do not get enough protein in our diet, we may suffer from varieties of health complications. Lack of protein in our regular diet may cause harm to all the organs - from the heart to kidney. It also causes weaker immune system; hence our health may be affected by a variety of diseases.
The amount of protein in the diet depends essentially on three factors - sex, age and weight. However, for normal adult man and normal adult woman the daily protein intake would be 56 grams per day and 46 grams per day respectively.
About Weight Loss
In recent years, there are few high-protein diet programs available in the market claiming for weight loss. However, supports received from the diet gurus and health practitioners are generally inclined with the low calorie diet rather the high-protein ones.
However, the relation between protein and weigh loss is not appreciated by each and every research fellow. It is said that low carb diets are mainly linked up with reduced calorie intake and increased diet timing but not with decreased carbohydrate content.
The essential feature of low-carb high-protein diet is rapid weight loss. But it is viewed from a different perspective by the skeptics. They rejected the theory about the relation between the diet high in protein and weight loss and argued that it occurs mainly due to the fact of excessive urination. When the body makes up inadequate supply of dietary carbohydrates, it uses body's own carbohydrates stored in the liver and kidney. During this process, the water is mobilized. The mobilized water is then discharged from the body in the form of urine. Hence the rapid weight loss occurs at the initial stages high-protein diet.
Substituting few dietary carbohydrates with high-protein diet may lead to significant short term weight loss benefits. But the condition says that the diet must be low-fat one as well. Protein and weight loss may become a trendy topic in these days because of its known results contributing to rapid weight loss. But some scientific researches have shown some long term disadvantages as well. Therefore, a slow but certain weight loss can be ensured with a healthy high fiber, moderate protein and low fat plan. This is not a short term plan but a way of healthy living that we can maintain throughout of our lives.
Disadvantages of too much protein
Although, the relation between diet rich in protein and weight loss has become a up-to-the-minute topic in today's health discussion, but we should remember that high protein may imply high fat as well. So there is always a high risk for increasing LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels with high protein intake. Hence, there is high possibility for cardiac problems. High protein may imply low fiber as well. Low fiber diet is not at all healthy. If we use it on a regular basis, there is an increased possibility of getting constipated, increased risk of cancer, obesity, cardiac problem and type-2 diabetes.
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About The Author
Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. Visit Benefits of Proteins at http://www.healthvitaminsguide.com- Information on Vitamins, Minerals and Amino Acids. Also visit Leucine Benefits and Deficiency
Tags: weight, loss weight, weightloss, diet, protein, loss, exercise, fitness, obesity, weight loss, food, fat
Healthy Weight Loss Diet Plans – What Are The Key Ingredients?
by: Melinda Grossman
Healthy weight loss diet plans have a different focus than many of the commercial programs. Too many of the commercial programs compete to show who can have customers losing the most weight in the fastest time. Healthy weight loss diet plans only aim to give participants a better quality of life.
These plans focus on turning you on to a healthy lifestyle. The goal is to teach you this new lifestyle beginning with the moment you start the diet. And you never really go off the diet; you will only adjust it to your new weight. You learn a new diet – or healthy way of eating – for life!
One example of a "new" way of eating is a weight pyramid. At the base of the pyramid are the foods that you can eat without restriction. These include all kinds of fruits and vegetables. There is such a variety of these foods that you should never want for a new choice.
Next up on the weight pyramid are the carbohydrates and grains. Healthy weight loss diet plans will not leave these foods out. In fact, some good plans will allow 4-8 servings per day. An important detail is that the majority of these food choices are whole grains. Oh, the exact number of servings depends on your current weight, height, and fitness level.
Healthy weight loss diet plans also include at least 3 and up to 7 servings of protein and dairy. These include lean meats, chicken, and fish. Cold water fish is the best because it is full of Omega-3 oils which are healthy fats for your body.
Even fats and sweets should be accounted for. You might have a diet that allows you 3-5 servings of fat and 75 calories of sweets. Why? Because your body needs a small amount of fats. You won't stay on your diet for life if you know you can never eat sweets again.
A good plan will also offer sample menus. These give you an idea of what is meant by the requirements of the plan. They make it clear how to put together a meal out of the many choices available.
You'll do better with healthy weight loss diet plans if you learn about correct portions. Check to make certain whatever plan you choose is clear on portion sizes. For example, a medium apple might be the size of a tennis ball. A 3-ounce piece of meat might be the size of a deck of cards.
What's more, some plans even give instructions on how to figure servings on food you buy pre-packaged. Do you go by what the package says is a serving? Or do you go by a certain number of calories or carbohydrate grams? Healthy diet plans will tell you.
There's no quick fix for losing weight. You can't simply sit on the sofa and drop the weight you've been carrying. It takes effort to change behaviors you've spent a lifetime cultivating. However, healthy weight loss diet plans give you the tools and they make being in shape a life-long habit.
Recommended Weight Loss Products
Weight Loss and Diet Center : Learn the 10 Idiot Proof Rules of Dieting & Weight Loss.
Lose Weight Easy Hypnosis : Lose All The Weight You Want Forever... The Secret Is Hypnosis! Eliminate Cravings For Fatty And Sugary Foods While You Enjoy Smaller Portions Of Healthy Foods. Hypnosis Puts You In Control Of Your Eating. No Willpower Required... Simply Listen And Lose!
Workoutpass : Over 100,000 Workouts. Lose Weight. Improve Sports Performance. Instant Access To Over 43 Workout Sites For One Low Price!
Fit Over 40 : Amazing Inspirational Anti-aging, Health And Weight Loss E-book For The Over 40 Crowd.
About The Author
Melinda Grossman
Want more healthy food tips or some free diet meal plans? Info on fitness weight loss programs or even some special tips just for women? I finally have my own weight and exercise regimens under control and I want you to join me. That's why I share what I've learned at http://www.WeightLossAnswersOnline.com
Tags: weight, loss weight, weightloss, diet, protein, loss, exercise, fitness, obesity, weight loss, food, fat