Thursday, July 13, 2006

A Simple To Follow Weight Loss Program



This article gives free tips and advice about how to lose weight. Dieting does not need to be a choir, however many of the weight loss programs that are available make it this way. During the article, I describe an easy to follow diet or weight loss program which has helped me to reach a weight that I am now happy and feel comfortable with.
My background
My name is Steve Hill and I struggled to keep my weight under control for the first twenty-two years of my life. I was often teased at school and found it very hard to meet girls as I believed that there would be no way, that they would want to date somebody as fat as myself.
I was a very negative person and I frequently felt stressed and depressed. I often felt sorry for myself and would feel envious of other people who seemed fit, healthy and happy. During these periods of depression, I would often comfort eat to make myself feel better. I love food and this would temporarily help. The problem I found was that if I ate food for ten minutes, I would feel a sense of guilt for around two hours.
Like many people who are over-weight, I was not happy this way and often looked into different types of weight loss plan or diets. Maybe it is just me, but they seem so unrealistic and for somebody like myself impossible to follow. I needed a simple, easy to follow weight loss program.
The solution to my weight problem
The first thing I had to do was to be honest with myself. I asked myself a series of questions:
Why are you over-weight?
I do not eat the right types of food and I rarely exercise.
How determined are you to lose weight?
Very determined.
Are you willing for this to be a long term project, or are you looking for a quick fix?
The quicker the better, however I realise that crash diets do not work and end up causing more harm than good.
Do you feel you have enough self-discipline to succeed?
I am not sure but I will have to have, to reach my target weight.
The weight loss plan
These are the things I must do:
Eat three healthy meals a day.
Exercise more. This will be achieved by leaving the car at home more often and by walking to certain places, such as my children's school. I will also take the children to play sports like football and tennis, as often as I can.
Fight the demons in my head who constantly tempt me into eating.
These are the things I must not do:
Snack in between meals.
Eat too many take-aways, I will basically allow myself one a week.
Lie to other people or even myself about what I have eaten.
This sounds so simple and is very easy to follow. I have to admit that it is not that easy to carry off, especially not being able to snack between meals. With determination you can succeed and the sense of happiness and pride you will feel when you reach a weight you are happy with, will make it all worthwhile.

About The Author
Steve Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:
http://blog.stop-smoking-tobacco.com/blog
http://www.stammering-stuttering.co.uk/
http://blog.radiantyouth.com/blog
info@stammering-stuttering.co.uk

Fat Burning Foods

Are there any foods that burn body fat? If yes, how is it possible? It should be possible to lose weight by simply eating such foods. What are these foods?
The fat burning foods are foods that burn more calories than the calorie content of the foods itself. There are certain foods which actually burn more fat than the calorie content of the food itself. These fat burning foods or so called negative calorie foods are natural plant foods.
Fruits rich in vitamin C like limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit and tangerines have fat burning properties. Some of the other fat burning foods are asparagus, beet root, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, apple, blueberries, and watermelon. It you eat these fat burning foods and do some exercise, it will boost your metabolism and burn calories at a faster rate for several hours even after exercise.
A recent research reports that calcium in dairy products can boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. If you compare a dairy-rich versus a dairy-poor diet you can nearly double the rate of weight and fat loss with the same level of calorie restriction.
Not eating enough will slow your metabolism and deteriorating your health. Note that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. This can be done by eating negative calorie foods. This will help your body burning up the excessive stored fat.
Copyright P. Mehta 2004, www.FatFreeKitchen.com
[Please note that this article is not a subsitute for medical advise. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (clickable) and references and copyright info.]
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This article has been written by http://www.FatFreeKitchen.com.
For more information, visit Fat Burning Foods.
http://www.FatFreeKitchen.com/weightloss/fat-burning-foods.html
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20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT


1. Take it one step at a time
Start by paying attention to what you eat. Cut back on fat and sweets and add more fruit and vegetables. After you have that under control, add exercise. If you hate to exercise try it for only 15 minutes a day at first, then a 1/2-hour. Keep in mind that while you are exercising you are burning calories and not eating. Also, it will be easier if you chose an activity that you enjoy.
2. Find a friend
It is always good to have support when you are trying to lose weight. Find a friend who wants to lose weight and compare notes, weigh-in together and maybe even have a contest.
3. Use weights
Working out weights will build muscle and raise your metabolism so you will burn more calories. Also, muscle takes up less space than fat so you will be smaller ( but probably weigh more).
4. Eat fewer carbs
Don't eat as much bread and pasta and you will see a difference.
5. Set a goal
Set a deadline to lose the weight and write it down. For example, ' By Dec 14/04 I will weigh 150 lbs or less'. Put it somewhere you will see it daily.
6. Give up soda
If you drink a soda or 2 a day you are adding empty calories. If you find it hard to stop completely, cut back at first and drink water instead.
7. Grill or boil
Avoid fried meat, grill and use lots of spices. You will get used to it and probably enjoy it more.
8. Don't buy junk food
When you go shopping, don't go on an empty stomach and you will be less likely to buy junk food. Keep your home 'junk food free' so you won't be tempted to indulge.
9. Eat breakfast
Consume most of your calories early in the day and always eat breakfast. Don't eat after 8pm and not only will you avoid those added calories but you will sleep better.
10. Give yourself a treat
When you tell yourself that you can't have something you want it more. Give yourself a treat once a day ( ie. half a cookie) and you won't feel you are missing out.
11. Use smaller plates
Trick yourself into believing that you are eating more by using a smaller plate.
12. Drink lots of water
Drink water when you are feeling hungry and you will get that 'full' feeling.
13. Don't eat everything on your plate
Many times we eat just because it's there. Pay attention to when you have had enough.
14. Eat five or six meals a day
Eating more frequently will keep you from getting too hungry.
15. Plan your workout sessions
Write your workout sessions in your journal or planner.
16. Stay away from fad diets
Fad diets don't work. If you lose weight fast chances are that you will gain it back ( and more) just as fast. It takes time to put it on and time to take it off.
17. Do several workouts a day
While you are watching TV do crunches and leg lifts.
18. Measure your food
If you decide to have junk food for a snack - be sure to measure and control what you eat.
19. Keep pre-cut vegetables
...and ward off those cravings.
20. Create Good Habits
It is a known fact that when we do something twenty-one times it becomes a habit. Create good eating habits.

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com/ to download a copy of her e-book Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheila_Dicks

7 Things You Can Do


7 Things You Can Do Today To Get Rid Of A Beer Gut

There is much hype and misinformation surrounding the subject of how to get rid of a beer gut. If you can get past the infomercials selling their ab machines, diet supplements and magic pills you'll have a much better chance of actually seeing some proper results and holding on to the money in your pocket.
Like anything in life that involves hard work and desirable results there are no shortcuts. A task such as this requires some fundamental changes in how you live your life and exchanging bad habits for good ones. Here are 7 small life changes you can make to your every day routine to help to get rid of a beer gut:
1. Park the car a few blocks from work forcing you to walk the rest of the journey every day to incorporate some exercise into your daily routine. If you take the bus or train try and get off a stop or 2 early (take a change of shoes for this).
2. Try and avoid taking lifts and escalators if there are stairs you can take instead.
3. Swap coffee for green tea.
4. Split your meals up into 5 or 6 smaller meals throughout the day, this will increase your metabolism and therefore burn more fat.
5. Drink lots of water, particularly when you get up and before you go to bed.
6. Eat larger meals earlier in the day when you need the energy and smaller ones in the evening when extra energy will only end up being stored as fat. Remember this expression;- "Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and sup like a pauper" but try and split this into 5 or 6 meals instead of the usual 3.
7. Be conscious of how you sit at your desk or how you hold yourself during your day to day routine. One of the best ways to develop a flat tummy is to exercise your transverse abdominus. You do this by holding in your stomach (without holding your breath). Aim to see how long you can hold it in for and better your time every day. Drawing your belly button into your spine is sometimes referred to as 'activating your core'. If you work at a computer set a calendar reminder to 'activate your core' several times a day. If you don't work at a computer set your watch or phone alarm to remind you to do this. Tensing your stomach muscles and drawing your naval into your spine is something you can do sitting or standing and in almost any situation.
These 7 tips can make a world of difference to helping you get rid of a beer gut if you add them to your daily routine. Proper diet and exercise play an important part as well, however it is possible to ‘multitask’ and lose your beer gut when you’re at work and even at play.
If you combine these routine changes with a solid exercise and diet system you’ll start seeing results a lot quicker than you thought possible. Of course you’ll want to make sure you’re using the right diet and exercise system such as the one featured on http://www.lose-the-beer-belly.com.
For more every day diet and exercise tips be sure to check out my site for in depth info on how to most effectively get rid of a beer gut and develop rock hard 6-pack abs.
Peter Webber is the creator of http://www.lose-the-beer-belly.com/ the resource for those wanting to bust that gut and get ripped 6 pack abs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Webber

Finding a Diet that Works


Everyone has a habit or a vice. Some people smoke. Some people bite their fingernails. Some people can’t resist having a piece of chocolate before bed time, and others snore when they sleep. Others are habitual dieters, always looking for a new diet that promises astonishing results.
How many new diet plans have you tried? Some people can tick off a list of new diet after diet that they have tried. They yo-yo back and forth. Atkins, weight watchers, the grapefruit diet, the soup diet, the salad diet, the low-fat diet… some people can’t even count every new diet they have tried.
Often, each new diet is punctuated by a day of binge eating. Sure, you lost weight on that latest low-carbohydrate new diet, but now you’re craving a baked potato, French fries, and a big piece of garlic bread. Wouldn’t it be great to find a new diet that allows you to eat all the foods you want while still losing weight?
The bottom line is that the best option isn’t actually a new diet. It’s a concept that has been around for ages, but people fail to overlook it with so many new diet choices on the market. If you talk to most doctors, however, they will agree that fad dieting is not the smartest choice to lose weight.
However bombarded we may be with new diet choices; there is one fact that can’t be ignored. We lose weight when we limit our caloric intake. This isn’t about grapefruit, carbohydrates, fat-free products, or even following a strict new diet plan. It’s about eating in moderation. You don’t have to go hungry, but you need to use willpower to make sure you don’t overeat. Limiting your calories means shedding those unwanted pounds.
What happens when you don’t have willpower? Face it; some of us just don’t have that extra willpower that we need to turn down a second serving of our favorite food. It’s hard to do, especially when your new diet has left you hungry.
Willpower can’t be bottled and sold, but there is a new diet concept that will give you the willpower you need to follow through with your weight loss goals. I’m not talking about appetite suppressants. Many of these products still leave you hungry and leave you feeling jittery or overheated.
If you missed the expose on 60 Minutes or Today show, then you probably haven’t heard about a new vegetable that could jumpstart your diet. This means no more signing on for a new diet every month because you’ll finally have found something that works safely and long term. I’m talking about Hoodia Gordonii. This cactus like plant was introduced to the market recently, but it has been around for centuries. Bushmen in Africa used it for warding off hunger during long expositions.
What does this mean for you today? It means you can limit your calories while not being at all hungry. You’ll feel as if you have already eaten. I know, it sounds almost too good to be true, but it actually works. The best news is that Hoodia is all natural, making it totally safe to incorporate this as a part of your daily diet. Stop stressing over food, the latest new diet, or losing that unwanted weight. Watch those pounds melt off safely and quickly.
Martin Stanwyck is the author of numerous pieces on diet plans, nutrition and weight loss. Visit http://www.hoodia.info.ms/ to learn more about his main topic Hoodia Gordonii.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Stanwyck

Overcoming Failure And Achieving Your Fitness Goals

We've all been through failure at some point of our lives. I'm not an exception. When we set a goal, let's say to lose 10lbs in 3 months but we only lose 5lbs - is that still a failure? Not really, as I would call that a partial success. If we lose 10lbs? I call it a success. What if we don't lose any weight? Now that's a failure. Or worse still - we put on a couple of pounds.. what then? Well, you're a total failure and I'd say you need help! Now to the more serious bit.
I've come to know of a really easy way to increase your chances of success in any fitness goal you set - be it to shed a couple of pounds, or to be able to increase your running distance on the treadmill, increase your bench press by 10lbs, or even to include a change to your diet such as cutting down on sugar. How much will this investment cost you? Nothing.
The next time you set a goal, for example, "to lose all the unsightly flab on my waist in 3 months!" - tell somebody about it. No, your pet dog won't do. Tell your husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, tell your colleague, your gym buddy, your kids, heck - tell everyone! Okay, maybe even your pet dog.
Now why would this help you ask? When you share your goals with those around you, you indirectly put pressure on yourself to achieve those goals. Imagine facing them again in 3 months time looking exactly the same. What would you have to say then? What kind of an impression would you like to leave on people? You may get away with it a couple of times.. but any more, and you'll be labelled as the person who's on a 'perpetual diet', or the person who wastes his/her time at the gym. Now, I dont know about you but I would certainly hate that as I'm someone who is terrified of failure and being ridiculed - and I know I'm not alone.
When you keep your goals to yourself and not tell it to anyone, the tendency for you to give up is much greater as you could always set the same goal again and again and nobody would know of your failure. Nobody would poke fun at you or tease you. You get away with every blunder you make. But who is the one losing out at the end of the day?
Even Arnold Schwarzenegger used to cut his pants just below the knee so that he would be forced to expose his underdeveloped calves. Did it help? Did the embarrassment push Arnold to go the extra mile? Lets just say that Arnold created one of the best pairs of calves ever.
So, set a realistic goal - tell somebody - and make it happen!
Josh Stone, also known as DM, is the author behind the site http://www.dailymuscle.com/ which offers the author's personal views on real-life fitness, bodybuilding, sports nutrition, cardio, fat loss, training information, and on all things that surrounds fitness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Stone