Why Weight

Maximize Fat Loss Through Simple Ideas

By Kristen Van Beaver

If anyone has even thought about losing weight, they are sure to be swamped with advice from friends, co-workers, as well as the millions of advertisements for diets and diet pills. You may know that losing weight may sound easy, but losing it and then keeping it off is the real battle.

Although there are diets which claim that you can lose ten pounds in one week, there are not healthy nor will the results last after you go back to eating real food. Obviously you cannot eat whatever you want and lose weight. If that were true, everyone would be skinny. But implementing simple changes in your life can make you healthier one day at a time and keep you motivated. After a few weeks, the changes will become habits, and so will healthy living.
It takes discipline to eat healthy at first, but once you do it becomes much easier. You start to crave healthier foods. When you do eat unhealthier options, they will make you feel lethargic and even give you headaches.

The trick to healthy eating is…well there is no trick but there are several ideas that make it easier. First, add gradual changes to your diet. You can still eat food you like, such as pizza and ice cream but only eat it 1-2 times a week. Or if that sounds too hard, try to eat smaller portions, such as ½ cup rather than a half gallon of ice cream of a whole pizza. Try to eat slower as well, if you need some help listen to soft music while you eat and you will automatically eat slower. Or you can picture where your food came from. All these things will allow you to eat less.

Another key is to add healthier alternatives to your diet. Rather than eating white bread or pasta, switch to whole grain. If you can’t bear that, try the whole grain white, which offers more nutrients. Rather than drinking juice, grab whole fruit instead. Eating whole foods is better for you because it gives you quality nutrients. Try substituting a candy bar with a handful of nuts or trail mix. Try an apple and peanut butter, my favorite snack. Healthy substitutions are simple to make.

After deciding to eat healthier, come up with a plan so you continue to follow through. Plan your meals for the week and shop for that menu. Don’t go to the store hungry, and stick to the list. Impulse buying can hurt your waistline and your budget.

When at the store, try to stay to the outside aisles, the loop around the supermarket that has whole foods. If you buy snacks or other items, try to find low-sodium and low-sugar, rather than fat-free. These will often contain fiber and other nutrients that will fill you up, unlike “fat-free” which are often empty calories.

Now that healthy eating is on the menu, the next step is the dreaded exercise. I’ll admit I hated this at first too. But I was determined to not get any heavier so it was the inevitable choice. At first I felt stupid so I exercised at home with fitness tapes and DVDs, my favorites were Pilates and kickboxing. As I progressed, I found running outside very relaxing.

Adding weight training really helped me slim down faster too, plus it made me feel stronger every day. Get a workout from a fitness magazine or schedule a session with a personal trainer.

Just add a few more minutes everyday and try to push yourself slowly. It takes about a month to make a habit so stick with it. Exercising can be painful, but it is easier with a partner or when you like the activity, such as dancing, swimming, or biking.

Next, besides healthy eating and exercise there is the option of supplements. Although this is not necessary, it is an important option. If you don’t have the proper nutrients in your body, it is harder to lose weight. And did you know that Vitamin C can help you burn more calories? So I suggest a multi-vitamin to make sure all the bases are covered.

If you can’t seem to burn those last few pounds or you are stuck in rut and have tried all the other options, sometimes a fat burner like Akavar can help. These usually limit your hunger so you don’t have to focus on dieting and you end up eating a few hundred calories less and lose weight faster.

If you stick to healthy habits and try to push yourself a little farther each day, you can reach your fitness goals. To stay motivated, hang up pictures around the house or get a friendly nudge from family or friends. Celebrate each success! Good luck!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming soon on my web site: Paul Jerard’s e-books for sale. Check out my site now and often.

FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 11:19 AM