Weight Loss

By Michael Russell

Many people struggle with body image and weight issues at some point in their life. Due to the high number of advertising avenues, fad diets and miracle pills, it is no wonder that most people don't know when or how to approach weight loss. With all of this confusion I think it is time to bring it "back to the basics". The following tips are simple guidelines that you can follow to achieve weight loss and lead a healthier life.

To start any weight loss program you will need to clearly establish and define "realistic" goals. Write down why you want to lose weight, benefits that can result from weight loss and specific changes you are making to your diet. By doing this, you are able to see if the changes you made are contributing towards your weight loss goals. Keep in mind that ½ to 2 pounds of weight loss each week is reasonable.

Before you can reach any goal you have to start somewhere. Start by weighing yourself and creating a food journal for one week. It is important to chart your progress during your weight loss journey. In this food journal keep track of everything you eat and drink as well as how you are feeling at that very moment. This part is crucial because it will reveal eating patterns that may have become habit.

Review your food journal after recording food intake for one week. Look for any patterns in your eating habits and make a commitment to change! For example, you may want to skip the high calorie snacks like brownies or chips and snack on fruits or vegetables instead. If soda is a large contributor to daily caloric intake you may want to switch to diet soda or drink water instead. You should try to drink 6 to 8 cups of water each day; you will find that water is a natural hunger suppressant. The key here is to be consistent and you will see results. Keep in mind that life continually throws obstacles in your way so don't become discouraged if you loose 2 pounds the first week and only 1 pound the second.

Increasing the calories you burn will also aid in weight loss. Start out by taking a walk around the neighborhood and then gradually add intensity. Keep exercise exciting by trying new activities and/or equipment. For example, try swimming as an aerobic exercise instead of walking. Again, you will want to track your exercise activities each day in your weight loss journal.

Setting goals, reducing caloric intake and exercising are the main elements in weight loss. It is also important to eat regularly and not skip meals. When times get tough and you need a little encouragement don't be afraid to ask for support from family and friends. If you need more help or guidance see a dietician or join a weight loss support group. With these tips and a commitment to change you are well on your way to reaching your goals!

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Weight Loss

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Posted by Orce37 at 4:45 AM | Permalink | Comments

By Robert Kokoska

For all too many of us, weight loss is anything but easy. In fact, more people in North America struggle with their weight than with any other problem. Here are some easy weight loss techniques to get you on your way to losing weight - and keeping it off.


The best way to lose weight quickly is to exercise more, while at the same time watching what you eat. Of course, this is easier said than done - most people require more specific tips about how to do this. For example, should you exercise three times a week, or every day? And for how long? And are there any specific foods you should eat more of, or avoid altogether?


The problem is that the answers to most of these questions are specific to the individual. For many of us, it is a good idea to exercise every day, but at a lower intensity. Of course, if you have a passion for a certain sport that you practice once or twice a week, go for it! You can alternate it with less intense workouts on other days. As a rule of thumb, don't drive when you can walk or bike. Again, there are exceptions - if it's raining hard, or you have to get somewhere quickly - but as a general rule, just try to keep moving. This is one of the most effective easy weight loss suggestions.


As for what you should eat, this is different for every person as well. Just as everyone has different tastes in food, everyone has a different metabolism rate. 'One size fits all' dieting doesn't work, and neither does deprivation. For easy weight loss, start with small changes in how you eat. Make a move toward more natural foods - avoid food that comes in boxes, and shop in the outside aisles of the supermarket. Most experts nowadays acknowledge that 'light' products aren't really effective for easy weight loss - most of us just eat more of them, so there's not real calorie loss! Eating natural foods, however, is easy and satisfying. Be sure to eat enough protein, but don't cut out carbohydrates altogether - just make a point of choosing whole grains rather than refined carbs.


Easy weight loss is possible for most people - and what's more, using these techniques, you will keep the weight off. These simple, easy techniques are more effective in the long term than many weight loss programs.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Kokoska

Posted by Orce37 at 2:38 AM | Permalink | Comments

By Jean Lam

Being fat and overweight is a major problem in the world. There are millions of people who suffer from excess weight and who would have liked to have a normal body. But the truth is most of these people don't really know the effective ways to lose weight, haven't tried hard enough although using the right methods, get discouraged too easily or don't understand the weight loss process and how the body really works in relation to food, weight, fat, exercises. To lose weight, you need to understand this process first so that you know you're going in the right direction for your weight loss objectives. Food components like fat, carbohydrates, protein contain a specific number of calories. Alcoholic drinks contain calories and water has no calories.

Everytime you eat food or drink alcohol for instance, your body gains calories. If your body gets too many calories than you burn, your body will store the excess calories as fat and you'll naturally gain weight. For example, if you consume 2000 calories per day and you burn 1000 calories per day, the excess 1000 calories will be stored as fat deposits throughout your body.

In order for you to lose weight, you need to burn out more calories than you consume. For example, if you consume 2000 calories per day and you burn 2500 calories per day, you will lose weight. Well you might just say "Why don't I just cut down on my calories intake considerably, hence I don't really have to burn many calories to lose weight?" Well that would be starving yourself and is not a good idea at all. This will make you weaker, hungrier and you will eat quite a lot after. Anyway it does not help. Your body needs food and calories to get energy. You need to eat enough so as not to starve yourself and be able to burn these calories and more after. On the other hand, if you burn out the exact same amount of calories that you take, you will stay the same.

Two simple things to losing weight naturally revolve around proper nutrition and exercises. There is no shortcut to losing weight in a healthy way.

Consider these 2 tips to lose weight naturally:

(1) Eat normally and healthily

Don't cut down on your usual meals. Take your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Skipping your meals is not a good solution for your weight loss goal. The thing is what you eat is what is important to help combat your weight problems. If you eat more fats, you'll have a harder time burning calories because fats contain more calories per gram than carbohydrates and protein. Try changing your eating habits. For instance, instead of eating fried foods, try boiled or steamed foods. But this does not mean you should avoid fatty foods at all cost even taking your favorite snacks which can contain fats. The best thing is to do it moderately.

Here are a few simple and healthy food suggestions. Add tuna in your meals. You have tuna packed in oil or water. Opt for the one in water which has almost no fat as compared to the one in oil with considerably more fat. Tuna is low in calories and has a high nutritional value. You can make a tuna salad with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, olive oil and avoid adding any high-fat condiments like mayonaise. If you want to add mayonaise, just add lightly. Then you can make a tuna sandwich with it. Boiling chicken breasts without the skin is a good choice too. You can also eat it in a sandwich as well. When you eat meat, make sure you trim off the fats first. Adding fish in your meals is recommended. Not only is fish good for health and low in fat and calories, they are good for the heart because they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids mostly oily fish like sardines, salmon, tuna, herring amongst others. It's recommended to eat at least 1 fish dish a week.

(2) Be active and exercise

Being active is one of the most important steps in losing weight. If you are just idle and don't move a lot, you won't progress. You need to exercise. Here are a few activities you can engage in ie weight training, jogging, aerobics, swimming, bicycling, walking amongst others.

As you can see, losing weight doesn't have to be very complicated. But it does require some work from your part. If you adopt the habit of eating normally and healthily, you will get that routine with time and you will get use to it. At the same time, be active and exercise yourself and enjoy the activities that you're doing. You won't see all this as an ordeal but rather as your way of living and it's a healthy one. In the long run, you will be surprised by the results. Just give it time and you will burn the calories, the excess fat and you will lose your excess weight. Good luck in your weight loss goals.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as it's not modified in any way including the author bylines, plus the hyperlink must be made active just like below.

Jean Lam is the webmaster of Weight Loss Resource featuring articles, tips, resources to help you lose weight and get a healthier body and lifestyle.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jean_Lam

Posted by Orce37 at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments