Quick Weight Loss Tips

Almost everyone are constantly probing for weight loss methods to reduce their pounds but their intentions of having immediate results could be merely a dream. An effective and everlasting way of losing weight can never be done instantaneously, depending on each individual. Somehow there are few tips tried and proven that may abet the progress.

Tip #1 - Envision Your SuccessVisualizing can help you keep track of your goal. Once, a man visualized himself in the ideal body of a picture in a magazine every day before he went to bed. His daily visualizing indeed made wonders to him with astonishing results. It took him 3 months before he literally transformed into the body figure similar to that in the magazine. Michelangelo is undeniably true with his quote: "What I desire, I must first imagine. What I imagine, I create".

Tip #2 - Daily JournalPenning down your food consumption every day could be the pathway to keep you reminded of your goal. A record of your daily activities, food intake and emotional sentiments may help to discover the cause to your overeating or weight gain. It may sound ridiculous but when you notice you should pen down what you eat, even the tastiest food may turn your appetite off. According to the National Weight Control Registry, most dieters practice journalling before succeeding their plan.Advice: Make a habit of submitting your food journal at least once a day. You can also do it few times a day if you tend to forget what you eat. Then your journal will be the reference of your food intake for further analysis and feedback.

Tip #3 - Select Appropriate Food PortionThe size of your food portion could be one important key towards managing your food intake. USDA has information stating that the average sum of daily calorie consumption has soared 148 calories during the past 20 years. Statistically, this figure accounts to an additional 15 lbs. annually. Perhaps a coherent approach of using a standard size to judge the food portion will be a good idea.Advice: Take the slow step of chewing your food longer to allow your brain to sense your stomach's fullness.

Tip #4 - ExerciseDaily exercise is the biggest contributor to restrain your appetite and burn calories. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the best recommendation is a 30-minute vigorous exercise along with an additional 30-minute of living activities daily. The Journal of American College of Nutrition revealed a study claiming that one can enjoy the benefits of 10-minute increments equivalent to 30 minutes of constant exercise.Advice: 30 minutes of daily exercise for 5 days a week is the best workout.

Tip #5 - Select Healthy MealsYou can try out the variety of seasonings, the best cooking method or different vegetables to decide upon what is best for you before you start your diet plan. A good planning will help to avoid messy decisions and you will have an advanced supply of food to kick off towards your goal. Shopping once a week is rather significant as running out of good food will have you eating inappropriately. Containers such as jugs, bottles and a cooler will be handy to store your food within reach.Advice: Do not allow hunger to wait. Tiny healthy snacks are better than an empty stomach. A good breakfast can help to keep your hunger under control. Besides, water is also great to help reduce your food portions.

Tip #6 - Breakfast Is EssentialBreakfast is the best day starter. As claimed by the National Weight Control Registry, breakfast is one of the fundamental keys towards permanent diet. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had studies revealing those who take nourishing breakfast are slimmer than those who skip breakfast.This may be hilarious but early meals will help to maintain hormone and glucose levels and trigger your metabolism to burn more calories. Human body applies the circadian rhythm - foods eaten at different times of the day are processed differently. Fat and protein taken during breakfast will provide energy but the same foods taken during dinner will lead to weight gain.Advice: Breakfast is a must - not taking breakfast will have you binging more lately in the day.

Tip #7 - Six Meals DailyFrequent small portion of healthy meals will boost metabolism as food has some thermal effect. The recommended figure is six meals for men while five for women. This is never too much and it is time you put this into practice. Eating often will involve calorie burning during food absorption and breakdown.The positive effect could be 10 times better when you dwell on frequent eating. In fact, you will be more energetic and less hungry. However the last meal should be at least an hour before you sleep. Unlike other diet plans, this way of eating will not cause deprivation. You may have difficulties dealing with consistent eating but the effect could turn out amusing.Advice: Do not leave your stomach empty for too long. Hunger can make you prone to more food binging. Proper meals thrice a day is good to cope with your hunger.

Tip # 8 - Importance Of ProteinAccording to the Journal of Nutrition published by University of Illinois, having more protein in the food during weight loss can help to get rid of body fat and retain the muscle mass. The presence of L-leucine, an amino acid will provide spare muscles during weight loss thus only the fat are eliminated. Sustaining your muscles during your diet period can boost the calorie burning activity. Excess protein may cause calcium leaching from your bones, damage your kidneys so go moderately with the amount.Advice: Try taking lean protein from beans, meat, fish and low-fat dairy products.

Tip #9 - Lose WeightOne great way to lose weight is having support from people around you. The Journal of the American Medical Association published by Brown University stated that successful dieters often have supporters around them. Perhaps you could have somebody of the same aspirations thus encouraging each other to work towards healthy eating and avoid inactivity.Advice: Take a friendly losing weight competition to help boost your spirit towards your aim.

Tip #10 - Permanent Weight LoseTake note, instead of losing weight, you should focus on losing fat to ensure a permanent weight loss. Losing weight will include water, muscles and fat. However, the reduction in lean muscle tissue can pull down the metabolic rate hence it is the muscles that you should maintain. With more muscles in your body, you can still lose weight even with more calorie consumption as the muscles will feed on the calories. You can lift weight or take in more protein to prevent your muscles to lose.Advice: ForsLean, the famous diet pill content was patented for the ability to boost lean muscle tissue leading to continuous fat loss.

Tip #11 - Grains And Colorful FoodWhole grains and some colorful produce are rich in phytonutrients, complex carbohydrate yet low in calories and almost zero fat. Good sources of vitamin A, C, and K, fiber, potassium and folate are vegetables and fruits. Darker color tone will provide wealthier health benefits.The phytonutrients in whole grains are also found to help prevent diabetes, heart disease and fight against cancer. Whole grains require longer digestion thus preventing hunger much longer. The recommended choice is foods made of 100% whole grains with diverse types of carbohydrates containing all the required minerals and vitamins.Advice: Most products in the "Negative Calorie Foods" can aid your weight loss plan!

Tip #12 - Consume More FiberFiber triggers fullness more quickly and dwell in the stomach longer than other foods hence decelerate the digestion process and sustain the full feeling. One whole grain bread serving can bring a double feeling effect compared to two white bread servings due to the richer fiber content.Fiber also reduces fat absorption as it smoothen the digestive flow. Most white rice, sugary cereals or white bread already have the fiber removed. They will transform into glucose very soon and therefore, contribute to diabetes. With the abundance of glucose in blood, the body system will not burn fats yet begin storing them. The presence of fiber will keep sugar level in the blood.Advice: Glucomannan is one of the cheapest fiber supplements to aid weight loss and maintain healthy weight as it can expand the stomach and absorb fats. It will remove the fats from the body and prevent fat digestion. It also takes up spaces in the stomach and sustains the fullness feel. Your body will then turn to fat storage for energy source. Dieters Cheaters Caps is the most popular Glucomannan supplement at a price of $0.52 a serving.

Tip #13 - Drink Plenty Of WaterWater is called the World's Cheapest Appetite Suppressant. Half the amount of your body weight is the quantity of water you should drink in a day so drink to be slim!

Tip #14 - Cheat Meals.Sporadic treat food can help prevent deprivation. Depriving may lead to binging so a "Free Day" will help motivate you towards your goal. This is also a good way to avoid your body from switching to starvation mode - a possible occurrence after constant calorie control. However, keep your treats and cheats during the "Free Day" in modest amount. Two or three slices of pizza are alright but certainly not the whole pizza. It is definitely okay to blew your diet occasionally but be sure to get back on track. So basically cheat meals can be one of the pathways towards weight loss.

Tip #15 - Pamper YourselfEverybody loves reward so you can certainly pamper yourself with something you like when you achieve any small goals. Rewarding yourself will enhance your confidence and higher self-esteem will avoid you from food binging. However, one important note - the reward should not be in the form of food. Shopping, spa, or movies are way better.Our tips are based on science. These tips will hopefully help you successfully lose weight. By making changes in your lifestyle and eating habits you will be rewarded with life-long results.

Tip #1. Drink, Drink, And Then Drink Some More!

By far the most important and yet the easiest way to accelerate your weight loss results is to hydrate consistently.  There is more research on the positive effects of hydration on weight loss than you can imagine… so I won’t bore you with the details! After all, you are a busy person, right?

Let’s just say that water is the most critical element in maintaining and facilitating your body’s chemistry (after oxygen, of course).  Strip your body of water, and it will strip you of your health, energy, and ultimately, your life! Hydration is so critical that I have dedicated an entire chapter of my e-book “Acid Alkaline Diet Simplified!” (see www.AcidAlkalineDiet.com/letter.htm) to the subject of hydration. The generally advised 8 glasses a day are enough if you are an “average” person:  5’8”, 160 lbs. male in good shape!  I doubt this applies to you, or else you wouldn’t be interested in weight loss, right?

So, what’s the bottom line?  To stay properly hydrated, you must drink a minimum of 7 oz. of pure (not tap) water for every 10 lbs. of body weight.  More if you’re active, work out, or live/work in a dry place.
That’s 105 oz. of pure water if you weigh 150 lbs… just over 3 liters. And don’t try to climb Mt. Everest in one day: GRADUALLY work your way up to the amount that’s right for you. One more thing: get yourself a good water filtration system.  This is not only the most cost-effective way to get pure water, but it’s probably your best bet for getting good quality water.

Finally, to make hydration more effective, all water you drink should be alkaline water. Alkalizing your water not only adds oxygen to your water, but it also helps neutralize the acids that make you fat (see Tip #2).  One of the best ways I know of to alkalize your water is through alkalizing agents like Prime pH

Avoid Coffee, Tea, Soda, And Other Acidic Drinks, I knew that after reading Tip #1 you were going to ask if coffee, tea, and soda counts! It does NOT!  As a matter of fact, you need to avoid these and all other acidic liquids in general. 

Tip #2. Avoid Foods With Preservatives, Food Coloring, And Additives

Remember what we just talked about in Tip #2 above?  Well, the same concept that holds true for acidic liquids also holds true for other poisons.  That includes all food preservatives,  food coloring, and synthetic food additives. You body wasn’t designed to digest these chemical substances, so it must either:
a.    Eliminate them, 
b.    Somehow neutralize them, or
c.    Park them away where they can’t damage your body (at least, not immediately). 

If you’re not hydrating properly (see Tip #1), then forget about (a).  Your body will then do either or both of (b) and (c).  I’ve already told you where all the poisons get “parked” away in your body (see Tip #2), so let’s look at (c). To neutralize acids, your body creates and pulls alkaline buffers from anywhere it can: 

•    It creates cholesterol to neutralize the acids (now you know why so many people
     suffer from high cholesterol problems)
•    It bleaches iron from your red blood cells (can you see how anemia develops?), 
•    It pulls calcium from your bones (can you say osteoporosis?),
•    It steals potassium from your muscle tissues (do you get muscle spasms?),
•    It pulls zinc, magnesium, and other elements from everywhere else.

These not only create additional health problems for you, but they force your body to work overtime, wasting the precious energy you worked so hard to produce on neutralizing toxins. This is energy you could be spending on staying active and losing weight.

Tip #3. Avoid Artificial Sweeteners Like The Plague That They Are Ever heard of NutraSweet, Sucralose, Aspartame, or Saccharin?

If you have been trying to lose weight, chances are you have relied on these artificial sweeteners to cut calories. Well, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but you’ve been literally shooting yourself in the foot! Here’s why: You remember what we said in Tip #2 and Tip #3 about acids, preservatives, alcohols, and
toxins?  The same holds true for artificial sweeteners, except it’s even worse here!  Artificial sweeteners not only present your body with an acidic waste removal problem, but they also affect other parts of your body in seriously adverse ways. NutraSweet, the commercial name for Aspartame, has been linked to nervous system
damage and neurological problems through countless studies. The other artificial sweeteners are not much better.  Saccharin manufacturers tell you right on the package that their product can cause cancer!  But that couldn’t happen to you, could it?

What’s the bottom line?

If you are eating or drinking any artificial sweetener, you are not only making your weight loss efforts a virtual impossibility, but you are damaging your body in ways that may not be repairable. 

Tip #4. Always Have Cut Veggies And Soaked Nuts Ready In Your Fridge

How successful do you think you would be in your weight loss program if you had to fight your cravings along the way, every minute of every hour of every day?  I bet not too successful. Well, if you were on an alkaline diet, this would not be an issue because your cravings would disappear by themselves over time. I get into that in much more details in my e-book “Acid Alkaline Diet Simplified!” But for now, I want to show you a quick way to deal with your cravings.  First thing to note is that most people cannot tell the difference between the thirst and hunger signals in their bodies. They reach for food when they are in effect thirsty (dehydrated). But this should not be an issue for you if you follow Tip #1 and hydrate properly. 

Now for the quick way to deal with your cravings… when you feel like eating something, first make sure you’re not actually thirsty.  Drink a couple of glasses of water, and wait a minute or two.  Then, if you’re still craving something, eat something good for you.  The point is to get your jaws moving.  The best trick is to use raw, cut veggies and soaked nuts, since they have the biggest crunch, require more chewing, and take the most volume in your stomach…hence, you feel full faster.

Go to your favorite supermarket, wholesale club, or farmers market, and pick up a large bag of pre-washed, cut veggies.  Optionally, pick up a couple of varieties of hummus to dip the veggies in for added taste. The best nuts to soak are almonds, with hazelnut and walnuts a distant second. Of the three, almonds are the most alkalizing, taste the best, and are the most filling. To soak almonds, just rinse them in cold water, place them in a jar/container, and fill the container with pure water. Make sure there’s enough water to cover the almonds as they plump up.   Leave the container in the fridge over night, and in the morning, take the soaked almonds out of the water, pat them dry in paper towels, and store them in an airtight container in your fridge.  They’ll keep fresh for a good 5-7 days.

Tip #5. Make A Huge Salad Every 3 Days

Ever come home so hungry you’re ready to eat the first thing that you can get your hands on?  Do you regret binging on the junk food, and wish you could have made something better to eat?

Well, this tip is going to make that happen. If you prepare a huge salad that would last you 3 straight days, you will never again come home and wonder what you can eat.  With a salad in your fridge - ready to eat - you can get started eating right away, and make something more substantial (and nutritious) while you
enjoy your salad. It may not sound like much of a tip, but believe me, I have lost count of how many times
this has saved me from binging on junk foods that I know I would later regret eating. Try it!
And you’ll see that it works. If you’re too lazy to make a salad, just go to a wholesale club, and pick up a couple of bags of the ready-made, pre-washed salads.  You must make the salad, decorate it nicely and
place it in a large bowl - ready to eat - in your fridge. Otherwise you may never eat the veggies… the salad doesn’t look too appetizing sitting in a plastic bag, does it? Just don’t cover the salad with any dressing, or mix cut cucumbers or tomatoes in it until you’re ready to eat it.  If you store these in/on your salad in the fridge, they will make the salad all watery and dripping wet – not so appealing. 

Tip #6. Breathe!

No, I’m not kidding! I bet you didn’t know that proper breathing is one of the best ways to alkalize your body – and dispose of fat.  Most people are what we in the field call “chest breathers”.  You can find out if you are one by doing a quick test: 

a.    Lay down on the floor on your back. 
b.    Put your hand on your chest. 
c.    Take a normal breath. 
d.    If your hand moved up and down with your chest, you are a chest breather.

If you find out that you do breathe with your chest, then you’re probably not using your lungs to their fullest capacity.  That, in turn, means that your body is not getting as much oxygen as it could optimally get with each breath. So what? The more oxygen you get into your body, the better you body will function, the more energy
your body will have, the easier it can get rid of the acids in your body. How do you breathe to alkalize?
You take deep breaths, filling the lower parts of your lungs to their fullest extent before filling the upper lungs (chest area). Hold the breath for a brief moment, and exhale slowly in reverse order.  You’ll need to use your diaphragm to make this happen, sticking out your stomach with each breath. What we’re after is keeping the lower parts of your lungs (the most blood-rich part) filled with air for as long as possible with each breath.
Take 10 breaths like this, 3-5 times a day, and watch the weight melt off you!

Tip #7. Combine The Right Foods

Did you know that the healthy foods you eat could be making you fat?  How? Remember what we said in Tip #2 and Tip #3?  The point was that anything that is acidic or toxic will force your body to work overtime, parking the acidic waste into fat cells, producing more cholesterol, and leaching your much-needed minerals to neutralize the acids. If the foods you eat are not combined properly, you could be causing them to spoil right in your stomach, producing acids and toxins your body must clean up. Each type of food, proteins, carbohydrates (carbs), and fats require a different internal environment in your system for proper digestion.  Carbs are mainly digested in your small intestine, and require an alkaline environment.  Proteins, on the other hand, require a more acidic environment and are mainly broken down in the stomach. When you eat carbs and proteins together, these contradicting requirements can delay the digestion of both.  This in turn could let the carbs ferment and the proteins putrefy, right in your stomach!  It’s almost like letting a cup of beef stew sit on your kitchen counter for a day or two (until it’s nice and bubbly), and then eating it!  Let me make that point clear.  Have you ever experienced acid reflux?  What did you eat that made your body revolt like that?  Think about it for a minute… unless you have a digestive disorder, it was because you were combining all sorts of proteins, carbs, fats, and may be even fruits in one meal.

Tip #8. Avoid Stress And Learn To Handle It Better

I know you’ve heard this many times from other people… and I know it’s virtually impossible to go through life these days without some stress. Nevertheless, this is one of the most important tips that can make or break your weight loss program.

You see, when your body is under a lot of stress, you experience the emotions typically associated with stress: anger, fear, anxiety, worry, frustration, hostility, etc.  Each of these emotions produces chemical reactions in your body that usually have adverse effects.  Here  are a few examples:
•    Anger, fear, and anxiety typically cause a complete shut-down of your digestive
      system.  That means the elimination of toxins STOPS!  Then what? See Tip #8 about
      undigested foods.
•    Worry, hostility, and anger cause your stomach to excrete extra acids.  The end
       results in more toxins and half-digested foods to deal with.  Definitely not good!

Tip #9. Buy & Use Top-Quality Green Powders

I saved the best for last!  This tip alone has helped many of my personal coaching clients lose a lot of weight in just a few weeks.  Why is that?  There are several reasons.  Here are two of the most important ones:

a.    Your body is constantly fighting to maintain its delicate pH balance. To do this, your body needs all   
        the vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and phytochemicals it can get.  Unfortunately, most foods these  
       days are totally void of any live nutrients… and you get very little of these from your average  \
       multivitamin pills – most of the vitamins and minerals in these pills ends up in your urine.  Live, top-
       quality, green vegetable powders are the best way to get a concentrated dose of these vital organic
       chemicals.
b.    In its natural process of digestion, respiration, and elimination, your body uses many enzymes, minerals,  
       and trace elements. Again, the best way to get these in  a concentrated form is through top-quality green
       vegetable powders.

Setting a Goal

The first step to weight loss is setting a realistic goal. By using a BMI chart and consulting with your health care provider, you can determine your healthy weight. Studies show that you can improve your health with just a small amount of weight loss, for example, physical activity in combination with reduced calorie consumption can lead to the 5 to 10 percent weight loss  necessary to achieve remission of the obesity-associated complications. Even these moderate weight losses can improve blood pressure and help control diabetes and high cholesterol in obese or overweight adults.

To reach your goal safely, plan to lose weight gradually. A weight loss of one-half to two pounds a week is usually safe, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2000. This can be achieved by decreasing the calories eaten or increasing the calories used by 250 to 1,000 calories per day, depending on current calorie intake. (Some people with serious health problems due to obesity may lose weight more rapidly under a doctor's supervision.) If you plan to lose more than 15 to 20 pounds, have any health problems, or take medication on a regular basis, see your health care professional before you begin a weight-loss program.

Look at What You Eat Now

Write down what you eat for a few days to get a good picture of what you're taking in. By looking at what you eat and how much you're eating, you can figure out what adjustments you need to make. Also try to detect if there are types of foods, certain time of the day, or situations when you overeat. Create a plan to deal with these overeating episodes.

Start With Small Changes

You don't have to go cold turkey. In the end, you want to achieve a long-term healthy lifestyle. Small changes over time are the most likely to stick. If you want to eat more vegetables, then try to add one more serving by mixing it in. Add bits of broccoli to something you already eat like pizza or soup. If you need more whole grains, add barley, whole wheat pasta, or brown rice to your soup.

When you think about what you need to get more of, the other things tend to fall into place. If you have some baby carrots with lunch or add a banana to your cereal in the morning, you're going to feel full longer. You won't need a food that's high in sugar or fat an hour later.  Also, look for healthier versions of what you like to eat. If you like luncheon meat sandwiches, try a reduced-fat version. If you like the convenience of frozen dinners, look for ones with lower sodium. If you love fast-food meals, try a salad as your side dish instead of French fries.

Pick one or two changes to start with. Once the changes have become habits, which usually happens in about three or several weeks, then try adding one or two more. In a few months you will find that you made substantial lifestyle changes.

Control Portion Sizes

Understanding the serving size on the Nutrition Facts label is important for controlling portions. Someone may have a large bottled drink, assuming it's one serving.  When you look closely at the label, it's actually two servings. And if you consume two servings of a product, you have to multiply all the numbers by two. When the servings go up, so do the calories, fat, sugar, and salt.

Also, try dishing out a smaller serving on to your plate or using smaller plates. When you put more food in front of you, you'll eat it because it's there. Here are some other ways to limit portions: Split a meal or dessert with a friend at a restaurant, get a doggie bag for half of your meal, get in the habit of having one helping, and ask for salad dressing, butter, and sauces on the side so you can control how much you use.

Know Your Fats

Fat provides flavor and makes you feel full. It also provides energy, and essential fatty acids for healthy skin, and helps the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. But fat also has nine calories per gram, compared to four calories per gram in carbohydrates and protein. If you eat too much fat every day, you may get more calories than your body needs, and too many calories can contribute to weight gain. Too much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in the diet increases the risk of unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, which may increase the risk of heart disease; people should lower all three, not just one or the other. Saturated fat is found mainly in foods from animals. Major sources of saturated fats are cheese, beef, and milk. Trans fat results when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil to increase the food's shelf life and flavor. Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, and other
snack foods. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in foods from animal sources such as meat, poultry, egg yolks, milk, and milk products.

Most of your fats should come from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as those that occur in fish, nuts, soybean, corn, canola, olive, and other vegetable oils. This type of fat does not raise the risk of heart disease and may be beneficial when consumed in moderation.

Make Choices That Are Lean, Low-fat, or Fat-free

When buying meat, poultry, milk, or milk products, choose versions that are lean, low-fat, or fat- free. Choose lean meats like chicken without the skin and lean beef or pork with the fat trimmed off. If you frequently drink whole milk, switch to 1 percent milk or skim milk. Many people don't taste a difference. Some mix whole milk with lower-fat milk for a while so the taste buds can adjust. This doesn't mean you can never eat or drink the full-fat versions; that's where the discretionary calories come in.

Other tips to reduce saturated fat include cooking with non-stick sprays and using olive, safflower, or canola oils instead of lard or butter. Eat more fish, which is usually lower in saturated fat than meat. Bake, grill, and broil food instead of frying it because more fat is absorbed into the food when frying. You could also try more meatless entrees like veggie burgers and add flavor to food with low-fat beans instead of butter.

Focus on Fresh Fruit

The Dietary Guidelines recommend two cups of fruit per day at the 2,000-calorie reference diet. Fruit intake and recommended amounts of other food groups vary at different calorie levels. An example of two cups of fruit includes: one small banana, one large orange, and one-fourth cup of dried apricots or peaches.

Eat a variety of fruits—fresh fruits being the best choice. The whole fruit has more fiber, it's more filling, and it's naturally sweet. Still, some juices, such as tomato, orange and prune, are a good source of potassium.

Ways to incorporate fruit in your diet include adding it to your cereal, eating it as a snack with low-fat yogurt or a low-fat dip, or making a fruit smoothie for dessert by mixing low-fat milk

with fresh or frozen fruit such as strawberries or peaches. Also, your family is more likely to eat fruit if you put it out on the kitchen table.

Eat Your Veggies

The Dietary Guidelines recommend two and one-half cups of vegetables per day if you eat 2,000 calories each day. Adding vegetables to foods such as meatloaf, lasagna, omelets, stir-fry dishes, and casseroles. Frozen chopped greens such as spinach, and peas, carrots, and corn are easy to add. Also, add dark leafy green lettuce to sandwiches. Involve kids by letting them help pick vegetables in different colors when you're shopping. Get a variety of dark green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and greens; orange and deep yellow vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, and sweet potatoes; starchy vegetables like corn; legumes, such as dry beans, peas, chickpeas, pinto beans, kidney beans, and tofu; and other vegetables, such as tomatoes and onions.

Eat Your Grains Whole

Like fruits and vegetables, whole grains are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The Dietary Guidelines recommend at least three ounces of whole grains per day. One slice of bread, one cup of breakfast cereal, or one-half cup of cooked rice or pasta are each equivalent to about one ounce. Tanner suggests baked whole-grain corn tortilla chips or whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk as good snacks.

In general, most or all of the grains you consume should come from whole grains. For many, but not all, whole grain products, the words "whole" or "whole grain" will appear before the grain ingredient's name. The whole grain must be the first ingredient listed in the ingredients list on the food package. The following are some whole grains: whole wheat, whole oats or oatmeal, whole-grain corn, popcorn, wild rice, brown rice, buckwheat, whole rye, bulgur or cracked wheat, whole-grain barley, and millet. Whole-grain foods cannot necessarily be identified by their color or by names such as brown bread, nine-grain bread, hearty grains bread, or mixed grain bread. 

Health food stores are a great place to shop for whole grain products that are also organic, which means free of added chemicals. Some, grocery stores even have health food sections where you can find organic whole grain foods, in addition to the conventional whole grain foods.  

Lower Sodium and Increase Potassium

Higher salt intake is linked to higher blood pressure, which can raise the risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease. The Dietary Guidelines recommend that people consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day (approximately one teaspoon of salt). There are other recommendations for certain populations that tend to be more sensitive to salt. For example, people with high blood pressure, blacks, and middle-aged and older adults should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium each day.

Most of the sodium people eat comes from processed foods. Use the Nutrition Facts label on food products: 5%DV or less for sodium means the food is low in sodium and 20%DV or more means it's high. Compare similar products and choose the option with a lower amount of sodium. Most people won't notice a taste difference. Consistently consuming lower-salt products will help taste buds adapt, and you will enjoy these foods as much or more than higher-salt options. Prepare foods with little salt. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends giving flavor to food with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar, and salt-free seasoning blends.

Consult with your physician before using salt substitutes because their main ingredient, potassium chloride, can be harmful to some people with certain medical conditions.

Also, increase potassium-rich foods such as sweet potatoes, tomato juice, orange juice, bananas, spinach, winter squash, cantaloupe, and tomato puree. Potassium counteracts some of sodium's effect on blood pressure.

Limit Added Sugars

The Dietary Guidelines recommend choosing and preparing food and beverages with little added sugars. Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods and beverages in processing or preparation, not the naturally occurring sugars in fruits or milk. Major sources of added sugars in the American diet include regular soft drinks, candy, cake, cookies, pies, and fruit drinks. In the ingredients list on food products, sugar may be listed as brown sugar, corn syrup, glucose, sucrose, honey, or molasses. Be sure to check the sugar in low-fat and fat-free products, which sometimes contain a lot of sugar.

Instead of drinking regular soda and sugary fruit drinks, try water, flavored water, unsweetened green tea (also oolong tea and black tea); unsweetened herbal teas; diet soda, low-fat or fat-free milk, water. For snacks and desserts, try fresh fruit. Most people are pleasantly surprised that fruit is great for satisfying a sweet tooth.  If ice cream is calling your name, don't have it in the freezer. Make it harder to get by having to go out for it. Then it can be an occasional treat. Also choose low fat ice cream and ice cream alternatives. A serving of low fat yoghurt with some whipped cream on top will satisfy your “ice cream craving”, and you will end up eating fewer calories, that are more nutritious.  

Weight Loss Nutrition Tips

Nutrition – Beverage Tips

Choose to drink fat free milk over whole milk.
Drink water before a meal.
Drink diet soda, if at all, water is better.
Drink several cups of plain warm water, or with lemon, or warm unsweetened green tea
or oolong or black tea or herbal tea through the day.  
Avoid fruit juices; eat fresh fruit. Except low calorie, low sugar fruit juices like tomato
juice during periods of weight loss. 
Ask for salad dressing "on the side".
Ask your sweetie to bring you fruit or flowers instead of chocolate. 
Avoid food portions larger than your fist.
Bake or broil fish.
Choose a checkout line without a candy display.
Choose to eat fruit for dessert.
Conduct an inventory of your meal/snack and physical activity patterns.
Consume alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all.
Cut back on added fats or oils in cooking or spreads.
Cut high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into smaller pieces and only eat a few pieces. 
Don't eat late at night.
Don't eat seconds.
Don't skip breakfast.
Don't skip meals.
Eat before grocery shopping.
Eat before you get too hungry.
Eat half your dessert or none at all.
Eat leaner red meat & poultry.
Eat more celery sticks.
Eat off smaller plates.
Eat sweet foods in small amounts.
Every time you eat a meal, sit down, chew slowly, and pay attention to flavors and textures. 
Flavor foods with herbs, spices, and other low fat seasonings.
Grill, steam or bake instead of frying.
If main dishes are too big, choose an appetizer or a side dish instead.
Include several servings of whole grain food daily.
Increase the fiber in your diet.
Instead of eating out, bring a healthy, low calorie lunch to work. 
Eat more carrots, less carrot “cake”.
Refrigerate prepared soups before you eat them. As the soup cools, the fat will rise to the top,
skim it off the surface for reduced fat content. 
Remove skin from poultry before cooking to lower fat content.
Replace high-saturated fat/high calorie seasonings with herbs grown in a small herb garden in
your kitchen window. 
Replace sugar sweetened beverages with water and add a twist of lemon or lime. 
Share an entree with a friend.
Skip buffets.
Snack on fruits and vegetables.
Speak up for the salad bar when your coworkers are picking a restaurant for lunch, and remember
calories count, so pay attention to how much and what you eat. 
Start taking a multivitamin / multimineral.
Ask for nutrition information (for example, calories, saturated fat, and sodium) before you order
when eating out. 
Choose foods that are steamed, broiled, baked, roasted, poached, or stir-fried, but not deep-fat
fried. 
Share food, such as a main dish or dessert, with your dining partner. 
Take part of the food home with you and refrigerate immediately. You may want to ask for a
take-home container when the meal arrives. Spoon half the meal into it, so you're more likely to
eat only what's left on your plate. 
Request your meal to be served without gravy, sauces, butter or margarine. 
Ask for salad dressing on the side, and use only small amounts of full-fat dressings. 
Stop eating when you are full.
Substitute vegetables for other ingredients in your sandwich. 
Top your favorite cereal with apples or bananas.
Try a green salad instead of fries.
Try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
Try your burger with just lettuce, tomato, and onion.
Use nonfat or low-fat sour cream, mayo, sauces, dressings, and other condiments. 
Use vegetable oils over solid (saturated) fats.
When eating out, ask your server to put half your entrée in a to-go bag. 
When eating out, choose a small or medium portion.

The benefits of exercise are many, from producing physically fit bodies to providing an outlet
for fun and socialization.   When added to a weight control program these benefits take on
increased significance.

We already have noted that proper exercise can help control weight by burning excess body fat.
It also has two other body-trimming advantages 1) exercise builds muscle tissue and muscle uses
calories up at a faster rate than body fat; and 2) exercise helps reduce inches and a firm, lean
body looks slimmer even if your weight remains the same.

Remember, fat does not "turn into" muscle, as is often believed. Fat and muscle are two
entirely different substances and one cannot become the other. However, muscle does use calories
at a faster rate than fat which directly affects your body's metabolic rate or energy requirement.

Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy required to sustain the body's functions
at rest and it depends on your age, sex, body size, genes and body composition. People with high
levels of muscle tend to have higher BMRs and use more calories in the resting stage.
Some studies have even shown that your metabolic rate stays elevated for some time after
vigorous exercise, causing you to use even more calories throughout your day.

Additional benefits may be seen in how exercise affects appetite. A lean person in good shape
may eat more following increased activity, but the regular exercise will burn up the extra calories
consumed. On the other hand, vigorous exercise has been reported to suppress appetite. And,
physical activity can be used as a positive substitute for between meal snacking. 

Better Mental Health

The psychological benefits of exercise are equally important to the weight conscious person.
Exercise decreases stress and relieves tensions that might otherwise lead to overeating. Exercise
builds physical fitness which in turn builds self-confidence, enhanced self-image, and a positive
outlook. When you start to feel good about yourself, you are more likely to want to make other
positive changes in your lifestyle that will help keep your weight under control.

In addition, exercise can be fun, provide recreation and offer opportunities for companionship.
The exhilaration and emotional release of participating in sports or other activities are a boost to
mental and physical health. Pent-up anxieties and frustrations seem to disappear when you're
concentrating on returning a serve, sinking a putt or going that extra mile.

Tips to Get You Started

Hopefully, you are now convinced that in order to successfully manage your weight you must
include exercise in your daily routine. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Check with your doctor first. Since you are carrying around some extra "baggage," it is wise
    to get your doctor's "OK" before embarking on an exercise program.
2. Choose activities that you think you'll enjoy. Most people will stick to their exercise
    program if they are having fun, even though they are working hard.

3. Set aside a regular exercise time. Whether this means joining an exercise class or getting up
    a little earlier every day, make time for this addition to your routine and don't let anything get in
    your way. Planning ahead will help you get around interruptions in your workout schedule, such
    as bad weather and vacations.

4. Set short term goals. Don't expect to lose 20 pounds in two weeks. It has taken awhile for you
    to gain the weight, it will take time to lose it. Keep a record of your progress and tell your friends
    and family about your achievements.

5. Vary your exercise program. Change exercises or invite friends to join you to make your
    workout more enjoyable. There is no "best" exercise – just the one that works best for you. It
    won't be easy, especially at the start. But as you begin to feel better, look better and enjoy a new
    zest for life, you will be rewarded many times over for your efforts.

Tips to Keep You Going

l. Adopt a specific plan and write it down.
2. Keep setting realistic goals as you go along, and remind yourself of them often.
3. Keep a log to record your progress and make sure to keep it up-to-date.
4. Include weight and/or percent body fat measures in your log. Extra pounds can easily
    creep back.
5. Upgrade your fitness program as you progress.
6. Enlist the support and company of your family and friends.
7. Update others on your successes.
8. Avoid injuries by pacing yourself and including a warmup and cool down period as
    part of every workout.
9. Reward yourself periodically for a job well done!

For Weight Loss Success


Keep an eye on the size! 


How much is enough activity? 

You need to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day, most days of
the week to help burn up extra calories.  But give yourself credit for the activities that
you’re already doing.  Common activities such as climbing stairs, pushing a stroller, gardening, can use this information to adjust your eating and physical activity plan to find the best way to reach your goal.

Am I full yet? 

Being obese can have serious health consequences.  These include an increased risk
of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallstones, and some forms of cancer.
Losing weight can help reduce these risks.  Here are some general points to keep in mind:

Any claims that you can lose weight effortlessly are false.  The only proven way
to lose weight is either to reduce the number of calories you eat or to increase the number
of calories you burn off through exercise. Most experts recommend a combination of both.

Very low-calorie diets are not without risk and should be pursued only under
medical supervision. Unsupervised very low-calorie diets can deprive you of
important nutrients and are potentially dangerous.

Fad diets rarely have any permanent effect.  Sudden and radical changes in your
eating patterns are difficult to sustain over time.  In addition, so-called “crash” diets
often send dieters into a cycle of quick weight loss, followed by a “rebound” weight gain
once normal eating resumes, and even more difficulty reducing when the next diet is attempted.

To lose weight safely and keep it off requires long-term changes in daily
eating and exercise habits. Many experts recommend a goal of losing about a pound
a week. A modest reduction of 500 calories per day will achieve this goal, since a total
reduction of 3,500 calories is required to lose one pound of fat. An important way to lower
your calorie intake is to learn and practice healthy eating habits.

Does your WEIGHT and shape get in the way of…

Feeling good about yourself?
Feeling healthy?
Being active or playing sports?
Do YOU want to make changes which would encourage a lower body weight? 
If YOU have decided that you want to lower your weight (or gain less weight) as you grow:

What Are Some Simple Things You Can Do to Eat Right?

Don’t skip meals
Eat regular meals: people who skip meals, especially breakfast, tend to overeat later in the day and may have
lower metabolic rates. Eating regular meals increases the rate that calories are burned due to the energy needed
to digest the food. 
Eat more fruits, vegetables, and salads (at least 5 servings per day)
Drink water. Soda, juice, sweet tea, or sports drinks give you a large amount of sugar and calories.
Avoid eating out and at fast food restaurants. If you do eat out, choose items that are not fried.

How Can You Exercise More Often?

Walk with your friends instead of sitting. 
Ask your friends and family not to park close to the Mall – so you can walk more 
Use stairs instead of elevators
Dance in front of MTV or other music for 30 minutes
Make exercise rules for yourself: “I have to jog in place for 20 minutes before any TV”
Sign up for a sport or take out your bike/skates/dog for workouts each weekend
Cut back on the time spent in front of the TV or computer

Successful Long-Term Weight Control Has 3 Parts:

1.    GOOD NUTRITION: It is important to eat a variety of foods each day. The body works better with
       balanced meals that include a variety of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fiber, carbohydrate, protein, fat, and
       water).
2.    EXERCISE: Exercise helps control weight gain by using calories (fuel), using body fat (stored fuel) and
       promoting muscle build-up. A person who has more muscle has a higher metabolic rate. A higher           
       metabolic rate means using more fuel (calories). 
3.    BEHAVIOR CHANGE: Making small changes can eliminate bad habits and build new lifestyles to
       become and stay healthy.

1. BALANCE, VARIETY, & MODERATION:  Diets Don’t Work!


2. EAT BREAKFAST:  Start Your Day Right!

You only have a two-hour metabolic window to eat after you wake up in
the morning.  If you don’t eat within two hours of waking, your metabolism
will slow down for about the next 24 hours and go into “fat- storage” mode
which is exactly the opposite of what you want.  You need to give your
body the signal to burn as many calories as need for    full function and
“High-Performance Health” by giving it fuel within two hours of waking. 
  I’ve had people start eating breakfast that never changed what they were
eating the rest of the day, and they immediately started to lose weight.  I
know this sounds crazy, but they “ate more to weigh less!”  It is all about
metabolism.  Kick your metabolism into high gear with a healthy breakfast
then charge into your day with increased energy and vitality—Yahoo!

3. MEAL TIMING:  Fuel Your Fire!

Going too long between meals has a similar effect to not eating
breakfast—you slow down your metabolism.  Unless you are sleeping, try
not to exceed a 4-5 hour window between eating.
  Ideally, your window is even closer to 3-4 hours between meals.  I like to
see people eating about 5-6 times per day.  The in-between meals should
be smaller and lighter.

4. WATER:  Are Ya Yellow?

Staying hydrated has plenty of assorted health benefits.  It helps with
weight loss specifically because as the water fills your stomach, it
activates the “stretch receptors” in your stomach wall that in turn give
signals to your brain that you are filling up.  Basically, you “pre-fill” your
stomach with zero calorie water instead of higher calorie food.  Most
Americans are chronically dehydrated; unless you want to look like a
dehydrated raisin, don’t make this serious mistake! 
  To determine if you’re hydrated or not, look at the color of your urine.  If
your urine is very yellow, drink more water.  If your urine is very pale
yellow or clear, then you are properly hydrated.

5. 5-A-DAY:  Fruits & Veggies=  Nutritional Value &     Fat/Calories

Filling up primarily with low-fat and low-calories fruits and veggies will help
you reduce the available space for higher fat/calorie foods. 
  Additionally, fruits and veggies have many other health benefits that junk
foods do not significantly produce like fiber, vitamins, minerals, and water. 
Some fruits and veggies also reduce the chances for getting certain types
of cancer.

6. PORTION SIZES:  I Can’t Believe You Ate the Whole Thing!

Dietary experts claim if Americans ate proper portions of food but never
changed their food choices that we could significantly reduce obesity in
our country.  Even if you are eating junk food—just stop eating so much! 
The “portion distortion” with most people is completely out of control. 
Many restaurants now serve so-called individual dinners that are closer to
“five” dinners in portion!  Plates are larger—now even oval instead of
round to pack on more food.  A serving of meat is only 3.5 ounces (the
size of a deck of playing cards).  When is the last time you saw a
restaurant portion of meat like playing cards?  Maybe sushi in 1955!
 Try the “1/3 Rule” for eating by Steve Ilg of Wholistic Fitness™.  Fill your
stomach with 1/3 food, 1/3 water, and leave it 1/3 “empty.”  Leaving a little
empty space will help with both digestion and calorie control.

7. EMPTY CALORIES:  “If man makes it, don’t eat it!” –Jack LaLanne

People routinely eat junk food that has no nutritional value but is very high
in calories; thus, the calories are “empty” because they have no significant
vitamins and minerals.  Junk foods are high in calories per small serving,
and they quickly add on the pounds. 
Danger!  It might not seem like you are eating a lot of volume, but per
gram junk foods are LOADED with fat and calories.  Think about where
these foods are in your daily eating then work to reduce them.

8. RELAXED & MINDFUL EATING:  Slow Down…

It takes about 20 minutes to actually “feel full” after you have eaten
enough food.  If you eat too fast, you can easily overeat within 10 minutes
but keep right on eating because you don’t feel satisfied.  By eating slowly,
you allow your brain and stomach enough time to communicate properly
and you aid digestion by chewing your food more completely.  Relaxed
eating also promotes “mindful” eating.  Be mindful of what your food does
to your body—will your choices hurt or help you?  Think before you eat!
 Slow down enough and you might even “taste” your food—what a
concept!  Many people’s eating more closely resembles that of a starving
animal than that of an appreciative human being thankful for their food—
be thankful for the food, those that brought it to you, and your health to eat
it.  Food is about more than not being hungry…slow down, think enough
about what and why you are eating, and you’ll find this out yourself…

9. EXERCISE:  The Only Real Fountain of Youth

If I could put all the benefits of exercise into a pill, I’d be the richest man in
the world!  There isn’t much that exercise can’t help with in terms healthy
aging—it is the closest thing to a fountain of youth you’ll ever find.  For
optimal function, healthy aging, and injury prevention, your weekly
exercise regimen should include cardio (for heart), strength (muscle tone),
and muscular flexibility/joint mobility.  While exercise is great for keeping
weight off, it is NOT the most optimal for taking the initial weight off.  The
average adult only burns about 600 calories per hour in a “hard” workout. 
A bacon double cheeseburger can exceed 1,100 calories—do the math. 
You’re in the hole if you think exercise alone can bail out your poor
eating—and “the hole” I’m referring to could be your early grave!   
  To accelerate weight loss, use the strength component of exercise to
increase your muscle (lean mass).  Having more muscle increases your
metabolism; this means you burn more calories at rest—while you sleep,
sit, drive, and breathe—people with lean bodies burn off excessive fat
calories and thus keep the body to a healthy fat to lean mass ratio.
The Ultimate Advantage=Use exercise with proper eating to
maximize weight loss and weight maintenance!

10.CONSISTENT ENDURANCE:  Stick With It!

Again, quick-fix diets don’t work.  Less than 5% of people that lose
weight actually keep it off!  Wellness and healthy eating are long term—
a “lifestyle.”  The most successful people with PERMANENT weight loss
lose about three pounds per month.  This might not sound like much, but
at the end of the year, it’s over 50 pounds!  The general recommendation
is to lose between ½ to 2 ½ pounds per week.  Weight loss beyond 2 ½
pounds puts you at greater risk for losing muscle (lean mass).  Remember
that loss of muscle will “decrease” your metabolism and make it harder for
you to keep the weight off for the long term. 
It is best to take the slow but steady path—consistent endurance
with Wellness will get you there safely…enjoy your journey.  ☺

Put These Into Action NOW For Permanent Weight Loss!

1.    Balance, Variety, & Moderation
2.    Eat Breakfast!!!
3.    Meal Timing
4.    Water
5.    5-A-Day
6.    Portion Sizes
7.    Empty Calories
8.    Relaxed & Mindful Eating
9.    Exercise
10.  Consistent Endurance

By: Ron Jones

General Tips

•    Eat at least three times per day.
•    Pay attention to your body. When you feel like you have had enough to eat, stop. Quit
      before you feel full, stuffed, or sick from eating. You can have more if you are really
      hungry.
•     If you still feel hungry or unsatisfied after a meal or snack, wait at least 10 minutes before
      you have more food. Often, the craving will go away.
•    Drink plenty of calorie-free drinks (water, tea, coffee, diet soda). You may be thirsty, not
      hungry.
•    Pick lean meats, low-fat or nonfat cheese, and skim (nonfat) or 1% fat milk instead of
      higher-fat/higher-calorie choices.
•    Get plenty of fiber. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are good sources. Have a high-
      fiber cereal every day.
•    Cut back on sugar. For example, drink less fruit juice and regular soda.
•    Limit the amount of alcohol (beer, wine, and liquor) that you drink.
•    Keep all food in the kitchen. Eat only in a chosen place, such as at the table. Don’t eat in
      the car or the bedroom or in front of the TV.

Food Preparation

•    Plan meals ahead of time.
•    Try cooking methods that cut calories:
o    Cook without adding fat (bake, broil, roast, boil).
o    Use nonstick cooking sprays instead of butter or oil. You can also use wine, broth,
      or fruit juice instead of oil when cooking.
o    Use low-calorie foods instead of high-calorie ones when possible.
•    Cook only what you need for one meal (don’t make leftovers). 
•    If you do make extra portions, put them away as soon as they are ready so you can save
      them for other meals. Store the leftovers in containers that you can’t see through.
•    Cook when you are not hungry. For example, cook and refrigerate tomorrow’s dinner
      after you have finished eating tonight.
•    Make fruits, vegetables, and other low-calorie foods part of each meal.
•    Drink water while you cook.

Mealtimes

•    Drink a glass of water before you eat. Drink more during meals.
•    Use smaller plates, bowls, glasses, and serving spoons.
•    Divide your plate into four equal parts. Use one part for meat, one for starch (such as
      pasta, rice, potatoes, or bread), and two for nonstarchy vegetables.
•    Do not put serving dishes on the table. This will make it harder to take a second portion.
•    Put salad dressing on the side instead of mixing it with, or pouring onto your salad. Then
      dip your fork into the dressing before you spear a bite of salad.
•    Change your usual place at the table.
•    Make mealtime special by using pretty dishes, napkins, and glasses.
•    Eat slowly. Take a few one-minute breaks from eating during meals. Put your fork down
      between bites. Cut your food one bite at a time.
•    Enjoy fruit for dessert instead of cake, pie, or other sweets.
•    Leave a little food on your plate. (You control the food; it doesn’t control you.)
•    Remove your plate as soon as you’ve finished eating.
•    If there’s no good use for leftovers, throw them out!
 
Snacking

Snacking can be part of your plan for healthy weight loss. You can eat six times per day as long
as you plan what to eat and don’t eat too many calories.

•    Plan ahead. Be sure to have healthy snacks on hand. If the right food is not there, you
      may be more likely to eat whatever is available, such as candy, cookies, chips, leftovers,
      or other “quick” choices.
•    Keep low-calorie snacks in a special part of the refrigerator. Good choices include the
     following:
o    Reduced-fat string cheese, low-calorie yogurt, and nonfat milk.
o    Washed, bite-size pieces of raw vegetables, such as carrots, celery, pepper strips,
       cucumbers, broccoli, and cauliflower. Serve with low-calorie dips.
o    Fresh fruit.
 
Eating and Emotions

Do you use eating to deal with feelings other than hunger, such as boredom, being tired, or
stress? If you eat for these reasons, here are some other things you can try: 

•    Call a friend for support.
•    Use inspirational quotes to help you avoid the temptation to eat.
•    Take a warm bath or shower.
•    Listen to music or a relaxation CD.
•    Take a walk.
•    Try activities that keep you from eating. For example, it’s hard to eat while you’re
      exercising. If you are gardening, you probably won’t eat while your hands are covered in
      soil.

As a weight loss consultant I teach people many different ways to stay motivated. Just as
everyone is different and everyone needs to follow a weight loss plan specifically built
for their personal lifestyle everyone finds motivation in different ways. I wanted to share
with you my top 5 motivational weight loss tips in hopes that you too will find motivation
and apply it to your weight loss plan.

Tip 1: In order to keep your focus on your desire to lose weight make a list of
all the reasons why you want to lose weight. Keep it in plain site, tape it to your mirror in
your bathroom and read them each morning when you wake up. If you are in your car a
lot and you tend to eat fast food put a copy in your car. Tape it to your steering wheel or
visor. 

Tip 2: If you are looking to lose a lot of weight such as 100 pounds. Break out
your calendar and set your goals. Be very realistic here. Example: your current weight is
190 pounds; your ultimate goal is 130. Let’s say it is January 1st set your first goal of 15
pounds then realistically plan for that and give it a date. Say March 5th (this will give you
9 weeks to lose 15 pounds). Set shorter lower mile stones at first to give you momentum
then spread it out a little as you go. 

Tip 3: Plan a treat for yourself when you have had a great week. Make it non
food related such as get a pedicure, facial, buy some make-up. Anything that makes you
feel better about yourself and your great progress.

Tip 4: Take a picture of yourself in a swimsuit or something that will show
your body better. Each month on the same date take another picture in the same outfit.
Doing this will make you feel great seeing how baggy the outfits gets each month, keep
the pictures close by so you can look at them. Best place it to post them on your
bathroom mirror, the reason I say that is you will see them every morning and that will
remind you to make the best choices you can each day.

Tip 5: Read inspirational stories of other people who have lost weight. Do
read into how they did it just read about their success for what it is success. Every person
is different so the plan that someone follows doesn’t mean it will work for anyone. If you
hire a weight loss consultant (recommended) ask them to hook you up with other clients
for a support group they should be more than happy to do that and the other clients would
like it too.

By: Susan Brodnax

Recent studies have shown that more people are getting overweight every year. This happens not only to adults but even to kids who have just started school.

There are many aspects which can affect your weight loss. And most people wish to lose the fat they have gained over the period of time in couple of weeks. You have your diet in place and you expect to follow it religiously. The thought process makes you to believe how much you can lose in a given week and whether rapid weight loss can be dangerous for your body.

Weight loss is linked with many factors that require consideration. For instance, genetics, or family history can play a significant role. Weight loss would also depend upon how much exercise you are engaging in, as well as the stress level the body can handle. The body metabolism also plays a role in burning those calories.

One of the noticeable trends seen in rapid weight loss is diet tablets, which are considered a faster remedy to lose weight quickly. Analysts predict that the cost to dieters, desperate to loose weight will reach 35 billion dollars a year in the United States alone. While the cost is rising, the increasing numbers of people are becoming obese. Salespeople advertising to as many as they can to try their product sell diet Plans that claim large amounts of weight loss in very little time. Dieters who are obese and are desperate to lose weight join these programs and take the products.

Everyone wants a quick weight loss cure, but there is no easy path. It does not matter what the product being exposed to you are trying to tell you, most of these products are great scam that will have collecting millions of dollars leaving the dieter with nothing.

In practice it has been found that a person can lose around 20 pounds of weight in a week, which most of it could be contributed to water weight loss. Which means if the diet is stopped it is easier to gain that much weight back. It is interesting to note that, at most, you can probably lose four pounds of fat in a given week.

The body has its own system to prevent weight loss, hence it has been seen that people are not able to lose weight after losing weight up to a certain level. Once the calorie count drops to a certain level, the body itself reduces the metabolic level to conserve energy. As a result you will require fewer calories to maintain the body weight.

Rapid weight loss comes with its own health related problems. For instance, fast weight loss has been linked to the appearance of gall stones. Also, people experience loose skin with excessive weight loss. The chances of gaining weight back are pretty high, as most people cannot maintain the diet plan for a long time, and the result is back to the usual craving of the old eating habits.

Rapid weight loss also results in greater risk for an eating disorder. The temptation to starve oneself, leading to anorexia is very common. Or, because the food cravings are so great, the final result is a case of bulimia. This is why it is so critically important to lose weight under a physician's care. Otherwise, people do more harm to their body than any good.

There are a number of approaches one can choose to lose weight. For instance, the Atkins plan, the Zone or the diabetic diet plans are available in addition to Sugar Busters or the Carb Addict’s prescription for losing weight. It is vitally important to accompany the chosen diet plan with an effective exercise routine. One of the easiest exercises which can be undertaken is walking. Is has been said that people lose as many as two pounds a week, just by walking alone.

As has been demonstrated here, rapid weight loss should be approached with caution. It is far better to lose a few pounds each week and maintain that weight loss over the long term. In essence, all good things take time, and that is particularly true when it comes to weight loss. Perhaps the best advice is to be patient. Follow a reasonable diet, get plenty of exercise, and drink a good amount of water. That way, it would result in slowly losing weight--without jeopardizing health in the process.

Obesity is fast becoming one of the most serious epidemics of the recent times. These days, people are becoming more and more conscious and aware of their physical appearance. Market is flooded with products that can help them to achieve quick weight loss.

There are only two ways to lose weight fast. First one is to go for some artificial means like drugs. Drugs offer you rapid results. Each of them uses different methods to deal with body fat.

Some of them don’t let fats to be absorbed in the intestinal tract and the fat is hence removed by bowels.

Some drugs use stimulants to raise the metabolic rate of the body. This also increases blood pressure and heart rate. It may cause many serious side effects.

Some of these drugs affect the hormones in the body and make them powerful. They increase lean muscle mass and hence fat is burnt.

All these methods have some serious side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, bowel pain, etc.

Now a day, it is possible to treat foods with some combinations and proportions that give them effect of drugs. In such foods, the calories are cycled which forces the body to produce its own fat burning hormones.

There are many centers that offer quick weight loss and claim to be fast, safe and easy. They guarantee 3-7 lbs of weight loss per week without exercising and eating real foods. It is however very important to consult your physician prior to starting any diet or exercise program.
Fad diets are also one of many ways to lose weight quickly. Some of these diets are-

    * Atkinson’s diet
    * 3 Day diet
    * Metabolism diet
    * Grapefruit diet

These fad diets however are not always safe for everyone. Talk to your doctor before you decide to go on any of such diet plans. But, these diets are fine for short term. They must not be continued for longer periods. Also, once the diet plan is over, don’t celebrate by eating.

You don’t have to starve yourself to lose some weight quickly. Here are some tips which would aid in quick weight loss-

Water, water and more water- Water not only keeps your body hydrated, it also gives you the feeling of being full. It metabolizes the fat stored in the body and helps the kidneys to flush out the waste and toxins.

When we drink cold water, body needs to burn some calories to bring it to the body temperature. Depending on the temperature of water and the amount you consume, you can burn around 60-70 calories in a day.

Consume more fiber- Foods that are rich in fire are bulk foods that give you feeling of being full for a longer time. Foods rich in fiber are usually low on calories. So you end up eating fewer calories and keep things moving through the bowel. These foods include whole grains, potatoes, apples, brown rice, nuts and beans.

Eat small and frequent meals- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Start your day on a healthy note and never skip it. It will avoid binging during the later part of the day. Eat sensibly and don’t overload any meal with calories.

Eat carbohydrates- Contrary to common belief, carbohydrates can actually help you lose some weight. What is important is to choose the right kind of carbohydrates. Best are the ones from the earth without processing and refining. This includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Do a combination of diet and exercise- More diet and less exercise is what is causing the obesity in adults as well as kids. Though, many of the options available to lose weight fast are not safe for kids, but this one is. Eating a healthy diet and regular exercise not only helps to lose weight, but also helps to keep it off.

The quick weight loss may not be the best solutions after all. The ideal weight loss should actually be around 1-2 pounds in a week. This must be attained by healthy eating and regular exercise. That is the best, safe, smart and healthy way to lose unwanted pounds. Losing too much too quick will have some health risks. It may also mean that you are losing muscle and not fat, which is not good. So, be careful when you decide on any method of losing weight. It is your health, and you must take care of it.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Americans are getting fatter every year. At the same time, more Americans than ever before are trying to lose weight. Its very important to get the right facts about losing weight the correct way so you can reduce unwanted body fat and maintain your hard earned lean muscle mass. Here are the top 5 secrets to start burning fat and losing excess weight the right way.

Fat Burning Secrets #1 - Build Fat Burning Muscle Mass

Strength training builds lean muscle mass. By adding muscle you will be adding the most potent fat burning tissue to your body. Muscle tissue is the most metabolically active tissue in your body, so make sure to build as much as possible. Studies have estimated that for each pound of muscle you add to your body, you burn an additional 35 to 50 calories per day. So, an extra 10 pounds of muscle will burn approximately 350 to 500 calories per day, or an extra pound of fat every 7 to 10 days. This is without making any other changes! In another study, researchers found that regular weight training boosts basal metabolic rate by about 15%.

Fat Burning Secrets #2 - Pump Up Your Protein

Make sure to include a lean protein source at every meal. Shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. By eating enough protein, you will keep your nitrogen levels high which supports muscular repair and growth. Protein has a thermogenic effect of 30% which makes it the highest thermogenic food compared to all other nutrients. This means that for every 100 calories of protein you eat, 30 calories are burned by your body to digest the food leaving you with a net 70 calories. Here are a few quick and healthy protein packed snacks:

• Black beans and albacore tuna (water packed)
  (Mix a can of each and microwave.)
  
  
• Protein powder and non-fat cottage cheese
  (Mix a scoop of protein with a cup of cottage cheese.)
  
  
• Protein bars
  (Choose one with at least 20 grams of protein, a maximum of 5 grams of sugar and 300 calories. Throw a box in the freezer and they will make a great snack. They're really good for hitting that sweet tooth late at night.)
  
  
• GeniSoy Soy Crisps
  (The perfect richly seasoned, low-fat baked alternative to traditional high-fat chips. Each serving contains a unique blend of soy and rice offering 7 grams of soy protein and a surprisingly low 2 grams of fat.)
  

Fat Burning Secrets #3 - Have Fun With Cardio

The first step to making your commitment to cardio is to find what you enjoy. There are so many options to choose from - running, cycling, cardio machines in the gym, and group fitness classes, just to name a few. If you get bored easily, change it up frequently. Find a friend who likes the same type of workout and use the buddy system. If you pick an activity you enjoy, it will be much easier to stick with it. Make your cardio workout a priority. Quit scheduling your workouts around everything else you have to do, and instead schedule everything else around your workout. Write it in your planner if you need to, but don't let anything interfere. If you make it important in your daily routine, then you will find ways to work in everything else you need to do.

Fat Burning Secrets #4 - Don't Reduce Calories Too Low

Avoid drastically cutting your calories. Quick and drastic weight loss can cause issues with your body's metabolism and muscle mass. When you lose a lot of weight quickly, you really need to strictly monitor where the weight is coming from. Is it water weight, body fat or muscle mass? The majority of the time, it unfortunately comes from lean muscle mass and this is exactly what causes serious issues with your metabolism. Muscle is your body's most potent and active tissue for burning calories and body fat. It's basically your body's "furnace" and you always want to keep it burning hot. When someone loses a lot of weight, which usually comes from crash dieting or some other unhealthy way of dropping the weight, the body's lean muscle mass is cannibalized and the person loses some of the most powerful tissue for keeping a lean body.


Fat Burning Secrets #5 - Lose The Liquid Calories

Soft drinks and high sugar fruit juices will kill your weight loss plan. They contain huge amounts of sugar and calories and are easily consumed since they are in liquid form. A 44 ounce super big gulp of coke contains a whopping 415 calories of pure sugar. This amount of sugar causes a massive insulin spike and causes you to get hungry very soon after drinking it. By simply switching to diet soda, you can cut a huge amount of excess calories and start losing weight. Although this is a good start, you ideally want to switch to water for your primary liquid source.

Make sure to always check your fruit juices for high amounts of processed sugar. Look on the ingredients list for "high fructose corn syrup" which is another name for sugar and see how high it is on the list. The first ingredients listed usually contain the largest amounts. The majority of fruit juices on the market are nothing more than flavored sugar water. A great alternative is to buy a good juicer and make your own fruit juice. This will provide the highest level of freshness and nutrients when compared to processed versions. Juicing using real fruit provides the natural source of fruit sugar called "fructose".