Losing Weight is All About Counting Calories/Carbs and Exercising. Or Is It?
Losing Weight is All About Counting Calories/Carbs
and Exercising. Or Is It?
5 Tips to Consider When You Want To
Lose Fat Forever. With two thirds of our population overweight (one third in the obese
category), watching our weight is no longer something we are doing
to look more appealing, or perhaps thinking about doing. It has become
a necessary action to prevent disease and increased health costs. With physical activities being curtailed in schools and backyards and
more opportunity to sit in front of televisions, computers and game boys,
even our children are joining the ranks of the sedentary lifestyle which
promotes an overweight population. Adult diseases are becoming more
prominent in children. Adult onset diabetes has been renamed to
accommodate all the children who are being diagnosed with it, some as
early as in infancy. So if you have "given up" because counting and exercising hasn't
worked for you, consider the following five tips. Which ones can help
you? 1. Check to see if you are sabotaging yourself in any way. Many of us find very unique ways to sabotage ourselves. Even
though they may not be related to food, they can play havoc with our
weight. Sabotage happens often when we are not aware of it. Becoming
aware of sabotage is important, but it is only the first step. We must also
be ready to move past our sabotage. If we ignore the sabotage and
continue to try to lose weight . . . well you know the story. 2. Get the right nutrients. It's not just about the right
amount of carbs, fats or protein. A proper balance of the nutrients
contained in those carbs, fats and proteins can play a part in whether or
not you will lose weight happily and keep it off or if it is just another diet
that you must endure to wear a smaller size. A client of mine said it best
when she told me she "dieted her way up to morbid obesity". She started
at 106 lbs and after years of dieting peaked out at 255 lbs. 3. Use a balanced approach to lose and maintain your weight.
Yes, it is important to watch what you eat. Yes, it is imperative
to exercise so you don't lose lean mass (muscle, bone, organ
tissue). It is also important to examine your stress levels and where
that stress is coming from. We all must eat. We all must move. We even
must have some stress. But what kind of food, exercise and stress and
how much we should have of each of them is important. A good balance
of each individually and in balance with each other is of major
importance in reaching and maintaining our weight goals. 4. Tweak your lifestyle. Lose 20 lbs in 10 days! Look
great in your bikini in just 30 days! We are led to believe that weight loss
is a quick-fix and anyone can do it. I went to college with a beauty queen
who told us she could lose 5 lbs in a couple days when she had an
appearance to make. At the time I was impressed. Now I know that we
can all do it. All we have to do is quit drinking water and eating food. The
food in our digestive system at any one time and the water in our blood
and cells can easily weigh 5 lbs. But isn't weight loss supposed to get
rid of fat? Well, the scale doesn't know the difference. Success in long-term weight
loss comes from understanding that the extra pounds didn't come on in
a few weeks or even a few months. If we are willing to make weight loss/
management a long-term project, we can realize a lifetime of success.
By making small, progressive changes in our lifestyle, and having an
appropriate support system, we set ourselves up for a happier, healthier
journey to our weight goals. 5. Forget about losing weight and strive to be healthy.
Have you every met anyone who has dieted for decades and all they got
was sporadic success with long-term failure? Then when they finally
decide to learn to love themselves as they are (all ???
pounds of themselves), and turn their attention to becoming more
healthy. . . the weight starts dropping off! Well our body doesn't care
what we look like but it does care if we are healthy. Our bodies are
continually striving for homeostasis (a state of balance). When our bodies are balanced, we are healthy. When something is out
of balance, our organs and cells will work hard to bring it back into
balance (no wonder we get tired). When we sabotage (there's
that word again) our bodies by not giving them the nutrients and
exercise they require and/or giving them too much or the wrong kind of
stress, they can become overworked, resulting in loss of energy, weight
gain (or inappropriate loss) and/or disease. So if you want to look your best and feel energized, you may want to
change your thoughts from losing weight to gaining health. Just the fact
of changing your thinking patterns from losing to gaining can put you
into a more positive mental state and could be the first step on your
personal journey to your goals. © Jan Barosh 2004. Permission is granted to reprint this article in print
or on your web site so long as the following paragraph is included and
contact information is provided to http://www.janbarosh.com Jan Barosh's degree is in health and physical education with post-
graduate work in exercise science and psychology. She is a licensed
corporate wellness coach and a certified teleclass leader and has
helped adults and children be more healthy and fit for over 25 years.
Jan has developed a unique weight management program called
LifeWeight? which is being taught in the US and licensed for
distribution in the UK.
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Magazine also provides answers to those important questions, What's
for dinner and Are We There yet?
Weight Loss and Exercising Staying Power ? Three Magic Words!
My name is Greg Ryan. I am a best selling author of online e-books, high profile fitness expert, former employee of the Kathy Smith, champion bodybuilder and CEO. I wish we would have met twenty years ago when exercise and eating right found me. I had absolutely no discipline, confidence or personality. But what I did have was hope, faith, and pure motives. I can honestly say, "If exercise did not find me, I might be dead today."
What Obesity Debate?
This is a perfect example of how on-line weight loss "experts" can confuse and harm the American consumer...The Obesity Debate?
During a dinner conversation with a friend, the topic of laziness was brought up. From there, we some how got around to the topic of obesity. He said to me, "A great example of how bad laziness can be is obesity."
"Excuse me," I coughed out (almost chocking on the last bite).
"You know, obese people don't do anything. They are fat because they are lazy," my friend said as if from a position of authority. This was going to be a long dinner I could tell.
It turns out, my friend read an article posted on the net that started with a statement similar to my friend's words that almost made me choke. Unfortunately, he didn't remember the author's name but the title was Fitness and Exercise -- I haven't found it...yet.
What blows my mind is how easily people believe what is written on a website by someone calling himself an expert! The real experts need to start making noise!
Laziness does not cause obesity. If that were so, obesity would be the norm and not considered a problem. I recently found a wonderful definition of obesity...it covers all the possibilities in one clear sentence:
The etiology of obesity is complex, determined by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors -Andrea Baessler, from her recent article in Diabetes, Jan, 2005.
There has never been a debate about what causes obesity. We have always known that obesity is multifactorial in etiology. The "real" debate topics are which environmental factors and which genes increase the risk or incidence of obesity. The rest of the article reviews recent work around two genetic links to obesity.
SREB-1 Gene
Delphine Eberle's work (Diabetes, Aug, 2004), with the sterol regulatory element binding protein transcription factor, found that the two isoforms are linked to the "plasma leptin concentrations in American obese families."
His group hypothesized, "...genetic variations of the SREB-1 gene could be associated with obesity and obesity-related metabolic traits such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia."
Interestingly, SREB-1 gene polymorphisms were found among obese cohorts when compared to nonobese cohorts. This means they are on to something and possibly not far from marking the SREB-1 gene as a clear link to obesity (1).
Ghrelin Receptor Gene (GHSR)
The importance of ghrelin in the central regulation of feeding has been demonstrated in animals and humans. Ghrelin increases appetite and food intake in normal subjects and patients with decreased appetite, such as those suffering from cancer cachexia. Recent evidence suggests that obesity is associated with an impairment of the entire ghrelin system (2).
Besides its biological function, the ghrelin receptor gene is located in a quantitative trait locus or QTL strongly linked to six phenotypes of obesity (1).
This is a second strong genetic association to obesity. Both groups will soon have conclusive evidence to support their arguments for SREB-1 and GHSR genetic links to obesity.
As far as I can tell, laziness wasn't mentioned once. How many wonderful people avoid treatment because they actually believe it's their own fault?
Educate at all costs.
Healthy Living!
Michael A. Smith, M.D.
Additional Information is available at The Weight Loss Professional
References:
Finally, Natural Weight Loss Availalble, Judge Lifts Ban on Ephedra
April 14, 2005 federal judge Tena Campbell of the federal district court in Salt Lake City Utah reversed the ban on ephedra.
Beating the Weight Loss Bandits
If you're on a weight loss program you're under constant attack - attack from the food bandits all around you.
The Best Diet/Way To Lose Weight
The diet that worked for me
How Dance Dance Revolution is Getting Kids Off the Couch
Are you concerned about the lack of exercise your child is getting?
A Personal Trainers...Holidaze
Rules of day to day no longer apply as you surrender to the hearts and minds of those closest. Conversation, food and wine are intoxicating. You can't leave the table the conversation is too good. The holiday food keeps coming. I fall back into the silken warmth of family stories and recollections of past years.
How To Maintain Your Weight Loss Motivation
One of the hardest aspects of getting yourself into shape, is maintaining the motivation you need to achieve your weight loss goals. Just about anyone will lose some of their enthusiasm, a month or so into a weight loss program. I have learned a few things that keep me motivated and dedicated to achieving my goals. They have helped me tremendously and I think they will help you as well.
The Secret of Weight Loss
In the medical community, "obesity" is generally said to be present in women with more than 30% body fat and men with more than 25% body fat. "Morbid obesity," a more serious condition still, occurs when a person is 50-100% or 100 pounds above his or her ideal body weight or has more than 39% body fat. Medical problems commonly associated with morbid obesity include diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, certain cancers (including breast and colon cancer), depression, and osteoarthritis.
How Slimming Down Can Add More Cash in Your Wallets
Are you unhappy with your current weight but aren't "motivated" enough to do something about it?
When is a Diet not a Diet? When Its a Lifestyle!
Dieting and weight loss is almost certainly the most lucrative of all health- related businesses both online and off. our waistlines are bulging, our health is deteriorating and diet "guru's" are on the run..all the way to the bank!
Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #14
You know what is so amazing? We get to keep learning how to improve ourselves. Each day brings a new opportunity for us to practice unconditional love, especially of ourselves. Loving your body is demonstrating unconditional love. Think what your body does for you each day.
Anorexia - a Game of Control!
Low self-esteem produces a game of control. It causes a person to suffer in silence ? suffering that can lead to anorexia.
Healthy Supplements Make Diet Pills Obsolete!
Diet Pills
Diet and Exercise Evolution: Water: 65% of Your Body Cant be Wrong
The Liver
The function of your kidneys is to filter your blood (which is mostly water). And one
of the functions of your liver is to metabolize fat. If you don't consume enough
water, your kidneys can't function properly, so your liver starts to help perform
kidney functions. So, if your liver is busy helping your ailing kidneys, you can't burn
as much fat. Let me repeat that: No matter how much you exercise, if you don't
drink enough water, your liver will not metabolize fat for you, because it is
trying to help your kidneys.
Too Much Water?
Being hyper-hydrated (consuming too much water) is not in any way harmful
, and actually helps your body metabolize fat. The greatest ill effect of excess
water consumption is that you will visit the washroom more often. Consider it a
chance to fit in a little more exercise into your daily routine.
There have been a few cases of long distance runners who have died from drinking
water to toxic levels, but this is extremely rare, and their situation is very unique, so
it is nothing for a normal person to worry about.
Retaining Water
You may have a medical condition that causes you to retain water, probably because
of excess salt (sodium) in your system. The solution is simple: drink more
water. Your body retains water for the same reason it retains fat: your body
thinks that it's hard to come by. If you teach your body that food is abundant, it will
stop storing it. If you teach your body that water is abundant by drinking more of
it, your body will stop storing it. For more information on how your body adapts to
various stimuli, read my articles about adaptation on my website, they're free.
Other Benefits
The more water you drink the healthier your skin becomes, because it has to be
moisturized from the inside and out. It also contributes to joint lubrication,
reducing the risk of injury in any activity. Water is the best cure for constipation,
and should be your first choice, even before increasing fiber or taking
laxatives.
When you are active, you should drink even more water, especially on hot days, to
replace what you lose in sweat. Do not wait until you're thirsty, because
that is your body telling you that it is already under-hydrated. Try to keep yourself
over-hydrated for best health. Here's an extra tip: cold water is more easily
absorbed into your system, plus it slightly lowers your body temperature, so you
have to burn a few extra calories to bring your body temperature back up.
I Drink Plenty of Coffee, That's Mostly Water, Right?
What counts as water? Some say "only water", but some research has found that
fruit juices that are mostly water can be counted towards your daily quota.
However, you simply can't drink as much juice as you can water. Juice will fill you
up, and contains sugar which you should try to minimize in your diet. So, it's really
not a substitute for simple, clear water. And even though coffee is made with
mostly water, it does not count since it is a diuretic and actually
strips water from your system. Colas are also full of that diuretic caffeine, besides
their ultra-high sugar content, so soft drinks should be the first item to stop
consuming if you're trying to lose weight. Replace those "alternatives" with a
glass of water, and you'll feel better and start losing pounds and inches.
It was recently found that even diet sodas do not help dieters, go to the "news"
section of my site to read more about this research.
I hope it goes without saying that alcohol, even when mixed with water, is a diuretic
and my advice is to minimize your consumption of alcoholic drinks.
Final Tip
You don't have to drink a huge glass or two all at once, either. I have a large
glass of water at my desk all day. As soon as it is empty, I refill it. I naturally
sip it whenever I like, and I end up drinking more than my quota of water every day.
Diet Information - Dieting and Weight Loss Myths That Will Keep You From Losing Weight
You've heard them before and may even have believed some of them, but there are some dieting myths that are sure to hinder your weight loss efforts. Keep in mind the following facts when embarking on your weight loss journey:
Some hard-core dieters will swear that drastically cutting calories will produce
fast weight loss. In fact, when your body is deprived of adequate fuel the
metabolism slows down making it almost impossible to lose even small amounts of
weight. Eat adequate numbers of calories each and every day.
Contrary to what you may have heard, diets that severely restrict the types of
foods you eat may not produce fast weight loss. By depriving yourself of whole
food groups or certain types of foods you will set yourself up for
uncontrollable cravings and eating binges. Eat foods from all the food groups
and do so in moderation. Moderation is the key to lasting weight loss.
Some diets do not allow you to eat after a certain time of day. If you are
consuming the right amount of calories each day it won't matter what time of day
you consume them. Allowing room for snacks will help you control your hunger
between meals and may prevent overeating.
It is impractical to eliminate all fat from your diet. Certain types of fats are
essential to the health functioning of your body. Choose fats that are light and
use them sparingly.
Some fats, such as the oil found in fish are good for you. Olive oil is a good
alternative when cooking.
Don't skip meals in an attempt to cut additional calories from your diet.
Skipping meals may actually be the cause of binges and overeating. You can more
easily control your hunger by eating several small meals each day rather than
three large meals.
Do not completely eliminate dairy products from your diet. There are plenty of
low-fat and reduced calories products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. Dairy
products are high in calcium, which can actually give you a boost in your weight
loss efforts.
Will power is not the only factor that will determine how much weight you lose
and how quickly you lose it. Your ethnic heritage, your age, your living
environment, and your overall health will also play a role in your weight loss
success. Accept that which you may not change and set realistic goals for
yourself.
There are many products available to help you lose weight. There are
supplements, diet plans, programs and online support systems to
help you manage your eating habits and measure your weight loss progress. Some
of these companies provide support and help with your dieting program. We can
help you by providing you with a free list of our recommended best sources for
effective weight loss products and services. To view our list of recommended
sources to help you lose weight or to read
more articles about dieting visit: Recommended Weight Loss & Diet Resources Online.
How to Do the Atkins Diet Right?
Let me tell you something - if you are doing the Atkins Diet, you might be doing it WRONG. I have been on diet forums for years, have consulted thousands of people on low carb diets, and I am seeing it again and again. People don't know how to implement a low carb diet. Very often people fail to lose weight or to adapt to the low carb life style. Many people give it up after a couple of days because they don't know how to do it right. The Atkins Diet is the most famous low carb diet, but it is full of pitfalls just waiting for you to walk into.
Top 15 Reasons to Avoid Low Carb Diets
Low carb (carbohydrate), high protein diets are the latest
A Full Scale War
It happens every morning when you mosey out of bed, somewhere between the time you take off that robe and the instant you step into the shower. For others, it happens immediately after a workout, as soon as you peel off those sweaty clothes and stand aimlessly in your birthday suit.
I Can, I Cant
One common question I receive is, "What do you do for maintenance?" It always takes me by surprise because the concept is alien to me. Maintenance? Granted, when I started this lifestyle, I would have loved to have some "vacation" waiting for me at the end, and I was certainly thinking about how I would "relax things" when I achieved my peak physique. Along the journey, however, I learned a true lesson in life: there is never any "maintenance."
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