The most common reason that people cite for dieting today is weight loss. While most of us would love to claim the noble mantle of dieting for health the vast majority of us are doing so for vanity. This, however, is a perfectly acceptable and plausible reason for making the lifestyle changes that are necessary in order to diet. In fact, this reason might prove to be a far greater motivator than many of the other commonly stated reasons for dieting.
When dieting for weight loss one of the most common complaints is constantly feeling hungry. In order to help combat this, you might want to incorporate some of the following strategies into your dieting program. First of all, eat more high fiber foods. Whole grains, apples, pears, and lima beans are a great source of fiber as are many breakfast cereals. Easy does it however when it comes to fiber as it may be filling but there are some unpleasant side effects that may accompany heavy fiber eating (remember that beans are a good source of fiber). Try using a product such as Bean-o when consuming larger amounts of fiber. You might also try spreading your fiber intake throughout the day rather than consuming all your daily fiber at once.
Another method for feeling fuller when dieting is to drink plenty of water while dieting. Water provides an important service to the body and is very necessary when it comes to delivering all the nutrients where they need to go. Water also helps regulate your metabolism, which is very important to the dieting and weight loss process. Additionally, water will help you skin retain its elasticity so that your skin can go more easily back into place once the serious weight loss begins.
Learn to control your portions. We live in a world where portions are over inflated and super sized so often that we no longer know what an appropriate portion looks like. Restaurant meals are quite often more than adequate for at least two full meals and that is before salads, soups, appetizers, or desserts have been ordered. Learning to portion correctly can save you from over loading your calorie intake for the day massively. It can also help you get extra helpings of the lower calorie foods such as lettuce and other vegetables rather than taking such large portions of calorie rich starches or fried foods.
Do not go "Gung Ho". There are limits to what the body and the mind can handle. When you go on a diet you are making a drastic change to your bodies caloric intake. If you go overboard you can lead to health risks along the way. Begin cutting calories a little at a time and incorporate changes as you go rather than going in with an all or nothing attitude. If you go overboard with your dieting plans chances are that you are dooming your diet to failure.
Take your diet one step at a time for the best results and be sure to incorporate extra physical activity into the mix. Even gardening when done on a regular basis can burn calories, so can cleaning the house, and playing with the little ones. Take a walk to the park or the corner store rather than getting in the car and pull a wagon or push a stroller while you're at it. The added weight will be just enough resistance to burn a few extra calories.
Dieting for weight loss does not necessarily have to be a major sacrifice on your part but in order to be successful it will be a radical change in lifestyle, particularly if you need to lose more than a few vanity pounds. The health implications of loosing the weight are well worth the required effort and should not be taken lightly no matter how excited you are about your new body that is hiding inside your old one.
Set Realistic Weight Loss Goals
Having weight loss goals is a key element to having weight loss success. It's important to have something to strive for and if you pin it down into real live goals, it's "game on" for you. But coming up with just any old goal is not what it's about; there are three elements your goals should have.
First of all, be realistic with your goals. If you're 50 and want to wear the same jeans size you wore in high school, then maybe you're not being realistic. Yes, you'd really love to be that skinny again, but you've lived a lot of life in that body of yours since those good old days. Come up with goals that are achievable for you, although not necessarily easy to reach. Keep in mind your goals will not be the same as your best friend's goals.
Possible realistic goals
* I want to drop 5 pounds before my vacation.
* I plan to buy and wear a new pair of black pants one size smaller before the holidays.
* I'm going to lose 2 inches in my waist and maintain that.
Probably unrealistic goals:
* I'd like to drop 20 pounds a week to get to my ideal weight in 2 months.
* I bought this bikini that looks just like the Victoria Secret model's and I'm aiming to look just like her when I wear it.
* Even though I was a poor half-starved college student way back in the day, I want to wear the same size now as I did then.
Secondly, be realistic with the time you’ve given yourself to achieve your goals. As much as you feel you're in a hurry because your deadline event is looming ever nearer, you can't rush these things or you'll either end up losing the weight in an unhealthy manner or you'll fail. Don't set yourself up like this; give yourself a reasonable time frame. Think one to two pounds a week as being the healthy and realistic option.
Lastly, be realistic with yourself and what you need to do to accomplish your goals. How are you going to do it? Just wishing it will not make it happen. Obviously you have to get off your tush and do something. Start with coming up with a blueprint, an action plan. Maybe you're going to join Weight Watchers, start Jenny Craig, follow the Body For Life program, or begin power walking for 30-45 minutes per day. Those are all action plans.
Along with a plan, you need to set up a support system of caring friends or family who can help plus hold you accountable. While you're at it, figure out what motivates you best and work that into your plan.
It's important to have weight loss goals as a means of helping you along your weight loss journey. Take some time in coming up with your goals and make sure they're realistic including a doable time frame for achieving it and a plan on how to do it.
First of all, be realistic with your goals. If you're 50 and want to wear the same jeans size you wore in high school, then maybe you're not being realistic. Yes, you'd really love to be that skinny again, but you've lived a lot of life in that body of yours since those good old days. Come up with goals that are achievable for you, although not necessarily easy to reach. Keep in mind your goals will not be the same as your best friend's goals.
Possible realistic goals
* I want to drop 5 pounds before my vacation.
* I plan to buy and wear a new pair of black pants one size smaller before the holidays.
* I'm going to lose 2 inches in my waist and maintain that.
Probably unrealistic goals:
* I'd like to drop 20 pounds a week to get to my ideal weight in 2 months.
* I bought this bikini that looks just like the Victoria Secret model's and I'm aiming to look just like her when I wear it.
* Even though I was a poor half-starved college student way back in the day, I want to wear the same size now as I did then.
Secondly, be realistic with the time you’ve given yourself to achieve your goals. As much as you feel you're in a hurry because your deadline event is looming ever nearer, you can't rush these things or you'll either end up losing the weight in an unhealthy manner or you'll fail. Don't set yourself up like this; give yourself a reasonable time frame. Think one to two pounds a week as being the healthy and realistic option.
Lastly, be realistic with yourself and what you need to do to accomplish your goals. How are you going to do it? Just wishing it will not make it happen. Obviously you have to get off your tush and do something. Start with coming up with a blueprint, an action plan. Maybe you're going to join Weight Watchers, start Jenny Craig, follow the Body For Life program, or begin power walking for 30-45 minutes per day. Those are all action plans.
Along with a plan, you need to set up a support system of caring friends or family who can help plus hold you accountable. While you're at it, figure out what motivates you best and work that into your plan.
It's important to have weight loss goals as a means of helping you along your weight loss journey. Take some time in coming up with your goals and make sure they're realistic including a doable time frame for achieving it and a plan on how to do it.
Weight Loss Tips
7 Weight Loss Tips: How to Keep the Weight Off
No doubt about it, it's hard to lose weight. You've spent a lot of time and effort getting rid of those unwanted pounds. Congratulations! But your job is not done because if you're not paying attention, that weight can creep back on. What should you do then, to keep the weight off for the long-term?
1. It's a lifestyle:
Watching what you eat and making healthy food choices plus limiting your portion size is an ongoing thing. Realize this is a lifestyle change, not something you did temporarily while on a diet and can forget about now.
2. Start every day with breakfast:
If you eat a healthy breakfast every day, you're starting the day out with the fuel your body needs. If you skip breakfast you might find you're okay for a short bit, but then you get overly hungry, which can lead to overeating and a downhill spiral the rest of the day. Even if you screw up everything else with your weight loss maintenance, be sure to eat a nutritious breakfast.
3. Incorporate planned cheat days:
No weight loss or weight maintenance success story should be without a planned cheat day. Schedule your cheat day for once a week or once every two weeks and don't stray from that schedule. It's a relief to know you can cheat and that can help you say no to foods on the naughty list until it's your cheat day. Don't entirely get rid of forbidden foods or it will backfire; just give yourself a day to cheat, but not too often.
4. Keep exercising:
Fast walking is an excellent way to help maintain our new weight. If walking isn't your thing, find some other activity that will help you keep the weight off. Exercise needs to be part of your lifestyle; it should become such a habit that your day will feel incomplete without exercise.
5. Weigh Yourself Weekly:
Weigh yourself at the same time of day, preferably first thing in the morning, no more than once a week. If the pounds start to come back on, you can attack your problem and manage it before it gets out of hand. Stay consistent with your diet and exercise and your weight should stay consistent too.
6. Know what pushes your emotional-eating buttons:
By now you are probably well aware of what causes you to overeat or eat mindlessly. If being around your sister-in-law stresses you out and makes you reach for the Halloween candy, then limit your time with her. If you eat a bag of chips because you're bored, get out of the house and do something constructive like taking a walk or planting some flowers.
7. Turn off the TV:
Not only does mindless eating happen in front of the TV and you're not totally aware of it, watching TV means you're spending all your time doing something passive when you could be active with exercise or fun activities. Limit your TV time and you have a better chance of keeping the weight off.
The period of time right after your weight loss is the most critical. This is when you have to realize the changes you made while losing the weight need to be permanent rather than temporary. Make healthy eating with portion control, once a week monitoring, exercise, and cheat days a part of your ongoing weight maintenance to help you keep the extra weight off for good.
No doubt about it, it's hard to lose weight. You've spent a lot of time and effort getting rid of those unwanted pounds. Congratulations! But your job is not done because if you're not paying attention, that weight can creep back on. What should you do then, to keep the weight off for the long-term?
1. It's a lifestyle:
Watching what you eat and making healthy food choices plus limiting your portion size is an ongoing thing. Realize this is a lifestyle change, not something you did temporarily while on a diet and can forget about now.
2. Start every day with breakfast:
If you eat a healthy breakfast every day, you're starting the day out with the fuel your body needs. If you skip breakfast you might find you're okay for a short bit, but then you get overly hungry, which can lead to overeating and a downhill spiral the rest of the day. Even if you screw up everything else with your weight loss maintenance, be sure to eat a nutritious breakfast.
3. Incorporate planned cheat days:
No weight loss or weight maintenance success story should be without a planned cheat day. Schedule your cheat day for once a week or once every two weeks and don't stray from that schedule. It's a relief to know you can cheat and that can help you say no to foods on the naughty list until it's your cheat day. Don't entirely get rid of forbidden foods or it will backfire; just give yourself a day to cheat, but not too often.
4. Keep exercising:
Fast walking is an excellent way to help maintain our new weight. If walking isn't your thing, find some other activity that will help you keep the weight off. Exercise needs to be part of your lifestyle; it should become such a habit that your day will feel incomplete without exercise.
5. Weigh Yourself Weekly:
Weigh yourself at the same time of day, preferably first thing in the morning, no more than once a week. If the pounds start to come back on, you can attack your problem and manage it before it gets out of hand. Stay consistent with your diet and exercise and your weight should stay consistent too.
6. Know what pushes your emotional-eating buttons:
By now you are probably well aware of what causes you to overeat or eat mindlessly. If being around your sister-in-law stresses you out and makes you reach for the Halloween candy, then limit your time with her. If you eat a bag of chips because you're bored, get out of the house and do something constructive like taking a walk or planting some flowers.
7. Turn off the TV:
Not only does mindless eating happen in front of the TV and you're not totally aware of it, watching TV means you're spending all your time doing something passive when you could be active with exercise or fun activities. Limit your TV time and you have a better chance of keeping the weight off.
The period of time right after your weight loss is the most critical. This is when you have to realize the changes you made while losing the weight need to be permanent rather than temporary. Make healthy eating with portion control, once a week monitoring, exercise, and cheat days a part of your ongoing weight maintenance to help you keep the extra weight off for good.
Healthy Snacks With Your Weight Loss Program
Perhaps you'd like to lose some weight but the thought of restricting yourself to three meals a day is an unappealing one, if not downright scary. What happens if you get hungry in between your scheduled meals? Will you be forced to go hungry with your stomach growling for a couple hours or will you give in and start eating everything in sight because you're so hungry?
The good news is that for many weight loss plans you are allowed, even encouraged, to make snacks a part of your day. But before you start reaching for that bag of chips and a coke, there are some things to keep in mind about adding snacks to your healthy weight loss program.
Just because you're allowed to eat snacks between meals, it doesn't mean you should overdo it. The idea is to fill up your tank so you're living on fuel instead of hunger pains. Good healthy choices are in order and remember it's not an all-you-can-eat deal. At the end of the day it's still going to matter how many calories you've consumed. Make your calories count for something by making them healthy ones.
Here are a few snack ideas that can work with your healthy weight loss program:
* lowfat mozzarella cheese sticks
* lowfat yogurt with fruit added
* vegetables such carrot sticks, zucchini slices, broccoli
* fruit - apples, grapes, melons
* combos like a banana with lowfat peanut butter, apple slices dipped in lowfat yogurt, celery sticks with lowfat Ranch dressing
* nuts such as raw almonds
* small cup of lowfat granola with skim milk
* fruit smoothie without added sugar
Have snacks ready to go in your fridge. If you wait until you're super hungry and can't see straight, you'll want to reach for the quickest and easiest thing you can find. Make that the fruit or vegetables you've already cut up and have waiting for you the minute you open your fridge.
If you still need convincing that snacks are okay, think about how being really hungry affects your metabolism. If your stomach says it's hungry and doesn't get fed, your body begins to think it's not ever going to get fed and goes into hoarding and storing mode. You want your body to know it's not going to starve so it keeps burning calories as it should.
Snacking between meals can be a positive part of your weight loss plan if you eat before you're beyond hungry, have your snacks prepared ahead of time, and you make them healthy snacks.
The good news is that for many weight loss plans you are allowed, even encouraged, to make snacks a part of your day. But before you start reaching for that bag of chips and a coke, there are some things to keep in mind about adding snacks to your healthy weight loss program.
Just because you're allowed to eat snacks between meals, it doesn't mean you should overdo it. The idea is to fill up your tank so you're living on fuel instead of hunger pains. Good healthy choices are in order and remember it's not an all-you-can-eat deal. At the end of the day it's still going to matter how many calories you've consumed. Make your calories count for something by making them healthy ones.
Here are a few snack ideas that can work with your healthy weight loss program:
* lowfat mozzarella cheese sticks
* lowfat yogurt with fruit added
* vegetables such carrot sticks, zucchini slices, broccoli
* fruit - apples, grapes, melons
* combos like a banana with lowfat peanut butter, apple slices dipped in lowfat yogurt, celery sticks with lowfat Ranch dressing
* nuts such as raw almonds
* small cup of lowfat granola with skim milk
* fruit smoothie without added sugar
Have snacks ready to go in your fridge. If you wait until you're super hungry and can't see straight, you'll want to reach for the quickest and easiest thing you can find. Make that the fruit or vegetables you've already cut up and have waiting for you the minute you open your fridge.
If you still need convincing that snacks are okay, think about how being really hungry affects your metabolism. If your stomach says it's hungry and doesn't get fed, your body begins to think it's not ever going to get fed and goes into hoarding and storing mode. You want your body to know it's not going to starve so it keeps burning calories as it should.
Snacking between meals can be a positive part of your weight loss plan if you eat before you're beyond hungry, have your snacks prepared ahead of time, and you make them healthy snacks.
Are You an Emotional Eater?
It's a common situation in our society; overeating at a meal because the food tastes so darn good. Who hasn't done that, right? Another situation that is also very common, probably more so than you think, is emotional eating.
Emotional eating is when you eat in reaction to strong (usually negative) emotions in your life. These can include work stress, teenager at home stress, fight with a partner, weight gain, unemployment, money problems, boredom or dissatisfaction, and even rainy gloomy weather.
You're trying to deal with your problems with what you've come to recognize as comfort food. But what happens is eating the food doesn't solve your problems, they're still there, and you've added more stress because you're now mad at yourself for eating that crap - a lot of that crap. It becomes a self-hating cycle. You eat because you're stress, and then you're even more stressed because you ate. Nothing is solved and you feel worse.
If you're not sure if you're an emotional eater, keep a food journal and record what you eat and how you were feeling before you ate it. It will jump out at you. "Ate a whole banana cream pie" with "Stressed from work overload" or "Wolfed down 4 slices of pizza with the works" with "Had a fight with my mother-in-law" entries tell the story.
You'll find yourself pretty consistent with the foods you eat when you're emotionally eating. So stop stocking the usual culprits in your house and have some healthy substitutes ready at hand.
What do you normally reach for?
If you go for something that crunches, try substituting with carrot or celery sticks, lowfat popcorn or an apple. These will give your jaw a workout as you work through the stress.
If you want the sweet and smooth at difficult times, try lowfat pudding or jello, a healthy smoothie or yogurt.
Maybe you look for something salty. In that case, stock your cabinet with beef jerky, roasted sunflower seeds, or pretzels.
Even better than reaching for healthier alternatives, find a constructive, positive way to deal with these emotions. Turn to exercise as a way to fight boredom, work through issues and burn off stress. A brisk walk in the fresh air can help put things in proper perspective. Try "talk therapy" with a trusted friend who's a good listener. Learn to communicate with those who are unintentionally causing you stress and do what you can to be assertive and correct problems. Take up a new hobby that will help you channel yourself in a more positive way. Start doing some daily meditation. And don't rule out seeking professional help if you can't seem to break out of the cycle of emotional eating by yourself.
Emotional eating is when you eat in reaction to strong (usually negative) emotions in your life. These can include work stress, teenager at home stress, fight with a partner, weight gain, unemployment, money problems, boredom or dissatisfaction, and even rainy gloomy weather.
You're trying to deal with your problems with what you've come to recognize as comfort food. But what happens is eating the food doesn't solve your problems, they're still there, and you've added more stress because you're now mad at yourself for eating that crap - a lot of that crap. It becomes a self-hating cycle. You eat because you're stress, and then you're even more stressed because you ate. Nothing is solved and you feel worse.
If you're not sure if you're an emotional eater, keep a food journal and record what you eat and how you were feeling before you ate it. It will jump out at you. "Ate a whole banana cream pie" with "Stressed from work overload" or "Wolfed down 4 slices of pizza with the works" with "Had a fight with my mother-in-law" entries tell the story.
You'll find yourself pretty consistent with the foods you eat when you're emotionally eating. So stop stocking the usual culprits in your house and have some healthy substitutes ready at hand.
What do you normally reach for?
If you go for something that crunches, try substituting with carrot or celery sticks, lowfat popcorn or an apple. These will give your jaw a workout as you work through the stress.
If you want the sweet and smooth at difficult times, try lowfat pudding or jello, a healthy smoothie or yogurt.
Maybe you look for something salty. In that case, stock your cabinet with beef jerky, roasted sunflower seeds, or pretzels.
Even better than reaching for healthier alternatives, find a constructive, positive way to deal with these emotions. Turn to exercise as a way to fight boredom, work through issues and burn off stress. A brisk walk in the fresh air can help put things in proper perspective. Try "talk therapy" with a trusted friend who's a good listener. Learn to communicate with those who are unintentionally causing you stress and do what you can to be assertive and correct problems. Take up a new hobby that will help you channel yourself in a more positive way. Start doing some daily meditation. And don't rule out seeking professional help if you can't seem to break out of the cycle of emotional eating by yourself.
Tips for Successful Weight Loss
The best part about losing weight is having success, and there are countless weight loss tips you can implement immediately to help you find that success. Keep in mind these should become a part of your daily routine, not just followed once, and they should promote healthy and sound principles regarding weight loss.
1. Have realistic expectations for losing weight. Start with figuring out what you body mass index is and work from there. If you are overweight, based on this calculation subtract the number of pounds it takes to fall into a healthy weight range and use that number as the amount of weight to lose. This weight loss tip may be the most important.
2. Aim to lose no more than two pounds per week. This should be used as an average; some weeks you may lose more and some weeks you may lose less. If you are consistently losing more than this on average you may possibly be doing so in an unhealthy way. While everyone is different, this is a good guideline to follow. Be realistic; the “Biggest Loser” contestants are NOT folks you should model weight loss after. They are sometimes working out up to six hours per day.
3. Hold yourself accountable. Go and find a friend or family member that you can really trust and ask for their partnership. Have them monitor your progress and follow up with you on a daily or weekly basis. Having someone looking over your shoulder almost forces you to get the job done as you don’t want to let them down by cutting corners. This is an important weight loss tip so don't skip it.
4. Burn more calories than you ingest. Seems simple, but it is the formula for success in weight loss. If you eat a 2000 calorie diet then burn more than that on a daily basis. Burning calories isn’t hard; you do it every day, all day. You can’t lose weight by eating more calories than you burn.
5. Incorporate fitness into your life. Even if it is only for twenty to thirty minutes a day, you should exercise. Try to make it part of your routine and soon it will be part of your lifestyle. Start with a brisk walk and work your way up. Start where you are now and improve upon it.
6. Start eliminating fast foods, junk foods, and sodas. You don’t have to quit cold turkey, but doing so will help you achieve your weight loss goals much sooner. Begin with something that is easier for you to give up - cheese, sauces, white bread, or soda. You'll find you don't miss it as much as you thought you would.
7. Have small goals on the way to your big goal. The idea is to have successes, even if they're small, to motivate you to continue on your journey. Have you reached a certain speed on the treadmill? Did you lose 5 pounds? Pat yourself on the back and allow yourself to feel good when you reach the milestones you've set for yourself.
If you approach these weight loss tips with a realistic yet ambitious approach, you should find success in your weight loss journey. Watch your energy levels skyrocket once you have a weight reduction plan like the one above in place and notice how your new energy spurs you on to more exercise and weight loss success.
1. Have realistic expectations for losing weight. Start with figuring out what you body mass index is and work from there. If you are overweight, based on this calculation subtract the number of pounds it takes to fall into a healthy weight range and use that number as the amount of weight to lose. This weight loss tip may be the most important.
2. Aim to lose no more than two pounds per week. This should be used as an average; some weeks you may lose more and some weeks you may lose less. If you are consistently losing more than this on average you may possibly be doing so in an unhealthy way. While everyone is different, this is a good guideline to follow. Be realistic; the “Biggest Loser” contestants are NOT folks you should model weight loss after. They are sometimes working out up to six hours per day.
3. Hold yourself accountable. Go and find a friend or family member that you can really trust and ask for their partnership. Have them monitor your progress and follow up with you on a daily or weekly basis. Having someone looking over your shoulder almost forces you to get the job done as you don’t want to let them down by cutting corners. This is an important weight loss tip so don't skip it.
4. Burn more calories than you ingest. Seems simple, but it is the formula for success in weight loss. If you eat a 2000 calorie diet then burn more than that on a daily basis. Burning calories isn’t hard; you do it every day, all day. You can’t lose weight by eating more calories than you burn.
5. Incorporate fitness into your life. Even if it is only for twenty to thirty minutes a day, you should exercise. Try to make it part of your routine and soon it will be part of your lifestyle. Start with a brisk walk and work your way up. Start where you are now and improve upon it.
6. Start eliminating fast foods, junk foods, and sodas. You don’t have to quit cold turkey, but doing so will help you achieve your weight loss goals much sooner. Begin with something that is easier for you to give up - cheese, sauces, white bread, or soda. You'll find you don't miss it as much as you thought you would.
7. Have small goals on the way to your big goal. The idea is to have successes, even if they're small, to motivate you to continue on your journey. Have you reached a certain speed on the treadmill? Did you lose 5 pounds? Pat yourself on the back and allow yourself to feel good when you reach the milestones you've set for yourself.
If you approach these weight loss tips with a realistic yet ambitious approach, you should find success in your weight loss journey. Watch your energy levels skyrocket once you have a weight reduction plan like the one above in place and notice how your new energy spurs you on to more exercise and weight loss success.
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