Monday, June 30, 2008

How Can Permanent Weight Loss be Achieved?

Author: Steven Dailly

The greatest problem when it comes to diet and weight loss programs is for many people weight loss is not permanent. It could be a matter of days, weeks or months; the simply fact is that most people during this time put back most or all of their lost weight. This can cause anxiety, anger and frustration at the time and effort put towards following a weight loss program that has not delivered the desired results.

So whose responsibility is this far this lack of permanent weight loss; is it the person doing the diet or the diet plan that is being followed itself?

To answer this question fully; involves firstly looking at the psychology of many dieters, as well as the choice of diets available out there.

Most people think weight loss programs have to be complicated to fit in with age, sex and body type. As I am about to reveal many weight loss programs on the face of it look complicated, however this unnecessary complication is mainly to differentiate it from the competition. It can be very confusing to know which diet plan to follow with so much choice out in the marketplace.

Many weight loss programs out there make themselves different from the competition, by using different daily calorie ratios for the 3 main nutrients found in food. The three main nutrients are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. So for example, what you can have is high, medium, low and zero daily calories of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. There is so many different combinations you can with these 3 main nutrients use to make a weight loss plan. There is little wonder that there is so much competition out there with a vast number of different weight loss plans.

So why do so many diets fail people and why isn't there one diet out there that has proven to consistently achieve permanent weight loss.

The real answer is to turn the first question around; instead it should read why do so many people fail in their dieting. This leads to answering the second question; there isn't a diet that guarantees permanent weight loss, because it depends very much on the individual who is carrying out the diet.

So instead of recommending which diet you should follow, you need to understand why people fail diets in the long term, this can lead to stopping the cycle of putting weight back on when lost, thus achieving permanent weight loss.

Generally almost all diets work by using the different combinations of fats, proteins and carbohydrates for your daily calorie intake. In the short term by burning up more calories than you intake you will lose weight.

Recent studies back this up; when the popular commercial diets were compared against other over a 6-12 month period, they mostly showed similar weight loss results. One major study concluded that the person adhering to the diet, rather than the diet itself was the main indicator of whether the weight loss program would work or not.

So what this shows clearly that, the most likely way to succeed in achieving permanent weight loss depends on how well you adhere to a weight loss plan in the long term. So how can this be achieved?

A solution to achieving permanent weight loss lies in looking at making lifestyle changes; developing new positive habits that involve following weight loss programs in the long term. The simply fact changes like this simply do not happen overnight and take weeks, sometimes months to become an integrated part of a persons life.

The sad fact is most people there are looking for a magic wand to end their weight loss problems. Many turn to drugs and surgery for an immediate result. Unfortunately drug use and surgery can have side effects or unknown long term consequences.

So the safer and more effective way to permanent weight loss is to reduce your calories and do your diet program for the long term. By developing these habits over weeks, months and years you ensure that weight loss will become permanent for you.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-can-permanent-weight-loss-be-achieved-326460.html

About the Author:

Steven Dailly is the creator of the health and fitness resource website: Fitter and Healthy You. It gives each person visiting the site to gain access to free expert tips, article and advice on health, fitness and weight loss issues. Check out today the site for yourself below :
http://www.fitterandhealthyyou.com/freeinfo.htm



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Thursday, June 19, 2008

Metabolic Processes - Speeding Up the Burning Calories

The main thing that a person must care of his to notice the amount of calories he is taking. So even by eating more one can lose weight by just doing some physical activities and staying active. And if there is no way to keep the body in active state then obviously the amount of calories had to be reduced.

Diet affecting the process of metabolism: -

Diet can play a major role in affecting the metabolic process. Since it was said that the breakfast is the most vital meal that can be taken in a day and then in rest of the day calories can be burnt. One should make a habit of having a healthy and good breakfast. The metabolic process of the body will be slowed down if a person waits till afternoon to have his meal. With no doubt, sugar contains a lot of fat, so try to avoid it. One best way to neutralize the affect of the sugar is to go for exercise at least three times a week or daily. Even the spice can also affect the metabolic processes. Spices like peppers can help in increasing the metabolism of the body.

Even after having a lot of spicy food one feels to drink ample amount of water which is even good for the body. If there is deficiency of the water in the body then the operations of the body system may slow down. So it is always advised to drink a lot of water which in turns helps in flushing out all the toxins from the body and helps in burning of fats. Another good advice can be to take plenty of fruits and vegetables in the daily diet. They are considered to good energy food. 2 DAY DIET Japan Lingzhi and Royal Formula SLIM 3 in 1 and IMELDA Perfect Slim can be some of the better options to include in the daily diet. It is always better to have at least 4 meals a day in a small amount.

Another key to increase the rate of metabolism is the regular exercises. Try to build the muscles by working out and also lose heavy amount of weight. If a person doesn't want to sweat out by doing heavy exercise then he can go for walk and can use the stairs instead of elevators.

If a person understands the vital role of the metabolism in his life then he can go for fast and safe weight loss.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Sitting On A Chair Helps You With Weight Loss

Do you remember the last time you sat down and ate a good home cooked meal? Or even one at a nice restaurant where you weren’t rushed through like a herd of cattle? Unfortunately, most people can’t remember when they sat down and actually had a good meal. In this day and age, we are always on the run, taking our children to this activity or that, dealing with work issues, and other events that make us rush, rush, rush.

Fast food makes it all too easy for most people to deal with the necessary activity of eating. This in turn makes us forget that in order to lose weight successfully we need to watch what we put in our bodies. Face it, fast food is chock full of calories and preservatives that no one actually needs.
When you do not sit down at the dining room table and actually pay attention to what you’re eating and enjoy it, you will probably eat too much. We don’t get a feeling of fullness or satisfaction when we eat on the run and our minds are too busy to really pay attention what we’re doing. We tend to eat too much because we eat too fast and unless we get full when we eat a meal, we find ourselves hungry an hour later. So what do we do? We eat again.

By not stopping long enough to eat a decent meal, to enjoy it and savor the flavor of the food, our body does not get full. There is a reason why we are told to chew each mouthful a set amount of times. It forces us to slow down and to not swallow pieces of food that are too large and take longer to digest. We have to give our bodies the opportunity to digest our food properly, another problem that we all have. Once again the rush factor comes into play.

Sitting down to eat a meal is a way to lose weight, especially if we make it ourselves. When we prepare a meal, we know exactly what is cooked, how much seasoning is put into it, the portions that are served…all of these factors into a good dietary regimen. Even if you are not on a diet, by simply paying attention to the size of your portions and what you are eating can make a big difference.

When you sit down to eat, specifically when you or a member of the family prepares the meal, try to eat at least something from each of the four food groups. A meat, a starch, a vegetable, a fruit, and a dairy are all key components to a healthy meal. Try not too each two starches if you can avoid it – such as mashed potatoes and corn. Starches break down into sugar and sugar can cause a gain in weight. Eat leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, to assure your body gets enough fiber. If you like bread on the side, have a slice of whole wheat instead of white.

The point here is to make sure that no matter how busy your schedule is, sit down and eat. Don’t stand up with your plate in your hand, actually sit down. Converse with your family, eat your food slowly, and make sure that you enjoy your meal instead of not tasting it and then wondering why you’re hungry later on.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Weight Loss for Brides - Drop at Least One Dress Size before Your Wedding

By: Gail Young

The stress and anxiety that most brides experience as their wedding day approaches can be overwhelming for them. The amount of preparation involved and the countless number of details needing attention can make it very difficult to eat sensibly and maintain even a modest level of good nutrition. I can recall countless conversations with brides who are so stressed out in the month or so before their wedding that they abandon all good eating habits and either starve themselves or binge on junk food to handle the stress.

Many are genuinely terrified that they'll be overweight and unattractive on their wedding day or even worse won't be able to fit into their dream wedding gown.

I have been working with a personal trainer for the past 10 years who continually reminds me how just a few simple changes to your daily routine can make a huge difference. The four basic principles I outline below really do work. I've had personal success using these strategies and continue to follow them on a daily basis. Many of my clients who have requested my help and followed this advice have had remarkable results. Start this program at least 3-4 weeks before your wedding day and see for yourself.

1. Water, Water and more Water

Hydration is critical. While the benefits are countless this is one of the hardest things to implement into your daily routine. Whenever I would neglect this item my trainer would recite how water lowers body fat, flushes cellulite, improves digestion, gets rid of dark circles under the eyes, and makes you feel full. These are just a few of the benefits of drinking the required 2.5 litres of water per day.

This may seem like a lot but I found the easiest way to get into the habit is to break the amounts down into manageable amounts:

� Keep a bottle of water beside your bed. Before you go to sleep drink 1/2 the bottle and as soon as you wake up (before your feet touch the floor) drink the remaining 1/2 bottle

� Before each meal drink a half a bottle of water

� Carry water with you and sip it throughout the day

I can't overemphasize how important this step is.


2. Go for a 10 minute Walk Every Day

Start with this...you can always increase later after it becomes routine. It's enough to gently boost your metabolism and keep you active.


3. Eat Often but Only in Small Portions

Before I started this method of eating I would starve myself for a couple of days whenever I wanted to lose weight. It seemed logical to me at the time. When I started personal training I had to modify many of my bad eating habits. I had to start eating 6 meals a day. Don't panic, it's easier than it sounds. Every 3-4 hours from the time you wake up eat a little something. Your digestive system is far more efficient at handling a series of small meals than it is at tackling one large meal.

I usually eat at 7am, 10 am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and 10 pm

Your meal portions (meat, veggies, carbs) should be no larger than the palm of your hand and no thicker than the palm of your hand.


4. Eat Healthy

I could spend days offering suggestions on meal variations but there are many excellent books that have been written to give you ideas. I will share my recommendations in another upcoming article.

So to make it simple a typical meal should be a protein, a carbohydrate and a vegetable or fruit.

Here is a sample daily meal plan that I eat to get you started:

Meal one: Protein shake with 1% milk (I like whey protein drinks such as IsoPro)
Meal two: 1/2 an apple and cottage cheese or yogurt
Meal three: Piece of chicken (no skin) and a small salad
Meal four: Cheese and the balance of the apple
Meal five: Piece of lean meat, rice or potatoes, vegetables
Meal six: Low fat chocolate pudding mixed with protein powder


5. The Best Part - Reward Yourself!

Choose one day a week as your reward day and eat whatever you want and as much as you want. Whether you like pasta, cookies, ice cream or my personal favorite chocolate.
Enjoy!

Don't worry, you won't gain fat if you do this because for the past six days your body has been used to eating what I term 'clean' food. On the seventh day your body thinks you are going to do the same and when you don't it gets fooled and eliminates the effects of the 'junk' food. In essence you are tricking your body that day but you must eat cleanly on the following day.

I have told many upcoming brides about this method of eating and almost all of them have emailed me back to let me know how thrilled they were at reaching their target goal of weight loss. I hope it works for you too.

As a final note of encouragement, my daughter used this method of eating and in 1 year she went from a size 18 to a size 2. This was four years ago and she has still maintained her weight to this day.

These simple techniques will not only help you quickly, safely and effectively lose at least one dress size but they will also help you feel more energetic, vibrant and healthy. Not to mention the positive effect it will have on your skin texture and overall appearance.

Stay on track and you'll be amazed at your results. Eat well, drink plenty of water and as you progress, simply imagine your groom seeing you for the first time in your wedding gown and watching his jaw drop in speechless silence.