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Monday, December 29, 2008

What is metabolism?

There are many misconceptions about metabolism and how it affects weigh loss or gain. Simply put, your metabolism rate determines how fast or slow calories are used up by your body. If your body uses up calories slowly then those extra calories not used right away are going to be stored by your body as fat for later use. If your body uses up your calories fast then your body will either maintain its weigh or lose weight.

How does your body rate it's metabolism? You metabolism rate is determined by your ratio of muscle mass to body fat. Muscle uses more calories than fat does so the more muscle mass you have the faster your metabolism rate is going to be.

To increase your metabolism rate simply increase your muscle mass. That means you have to exercise with the idea of building muscle not just burning off calories. Aerobic exercise will not raise your metabolism rate but will help your heart and lungs. You will need to add weight training to your work outs in order to raise your metabolism rate.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

It's the holidays, have you lost any weight yet?

Since it is the winter holiday season and food is abundant at work, school and family parties I was wondering if I had lost any weight during this tempting time. I jumped on the scale this morning and to my surprise I had lost 2 lbs since last week. My guess is that I have been so cautious about what I eat that I now have better control of my appetite.

The funny part about it, is the fact that I thought I was pigging out at a few functions a few days ago. I guess not.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Feeling fat and bloated - too much holiday eating

It is the season for hoilday shopping and eating. I have to say no when people push a piece of cheesecake into my hands and say "you have go to taste this". Of course the portion size of the "taste" is almost one eighth the size of the cake. If you are a party host here is a tip for you - cut up your portions of rich high calorie items into smaller portions. Cheesecake doesn't have to be in pie slice shapes, try cutting it into cube sized portions for your guests.

Monday, December 1, 2008

The holiday weightloss blues

One of the hardest times of year to diet is during the winter months. Our bodies are triggered to gain weight for the long cold months ahead much like wild animals. That is one major reason why there are so many old traditions for feasting in the late Autumn and early winter. In order to break that cycle you must first be aware of it. Know that your body is trying to gain weight in anticipation of a winter with lack of food.

Break the cycle by going outside daily and doing some mild exercise, even if it just for a walk. Keep it up through the winter. Your body will then have a less of a tendency to want to eat.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Can your weight ruin your marriage?

Marriage is a tricky subject at the best of times. Adding any type of stress to an already marriage on the edge and you can have a disaster. Your own weight can play an awfully big part in a successful marriage. Whether we like it or not our partners found our appearance pleasant at the time we first met and that was the initial spark to a first date. Our looks, fitness and weight all played a part of that first look.

Now you might say that he or she loves me for who I am and not what I look like which would be true in very strong marriages. If you took elements from that marriage like sex and other physical activities that you enjoy doing together like hiking or tennis then the marriage might change.

I have seen marriages start to fall apart because the wife refused to have sex with her 350 lb husband. His weight was too much for her to bear during sex. When they first got married he weighed only 200lbs. They both loved to cook and eat. He gained 150 lbs and she 40 lbs during their 10 year marriage.

They did not have to get marriage counseling from the National Institute of Marriage but got help from their doctor who sent them both to a dietitian.

He is now down to 275 lbs and she has lost 15 lbs. I know that they are happier now but no word on the bedroom activities yet.

Here are some facts on marriage counseling:

With the national divorce rate around 50%, there is no doubt that many marriages run into communication problems at some point. There is a communication epidemic. The National Institute of Marriage has created marriage counseling programs and resources utilizing a structure that is the most powerful format they have found for helping couples who feel stuck and hopeless. They have designed several programs to help couples move past the barriers and experience the marriage of their dreams.
NIM's Intensive Marriage Counseling Programs are unique from weekly marriage counseling in three distinctive ways:

· Intensive Marriage Counseling Format: Committing to an extended amount of concentrated time like the 2 or 4 day Marriage Intensive allows people to get to the root of the problem and stick with it in order to work through it. If you’ve been in traditional marriage counseling before, you may have experienced how you spend the first half catching up from the week before, the second half getting into the real issues, and then the time is gone. The Intensive format is designed so that people have the chance to go deeper without many of the other distractions of daily life and have enough discuss to consider solutions.

· Efficiency: One of the first steps in the process is an extensive assessment with some questionnaires. This allows the therapists to gather background information and can get an idea of the best strategy to proceed before you arrive for your session.

· Marriage Counselors: The counselors at the National Institute of Marriage are specialists in this area. One analogy we like to use is that of the Mayo Clinic: people go to their regular physician but may be sent to a specialist to work with specific areas. The NIM marriage therapists have been trained in this format to maximize its effectiveness. Also, the NIM marriage counseling programs provide the perspectives and insight of two professionals rather than one.
If you are considering divorce, you must try the National Institute of Marriage before giving up. They have developed a continuum of care that meets couples wherever they may be in their relationship. Regardless of the health of their marriage they have a service that can help couples improve their marital satisfaction. Visit their website at http://www.nationalmarriage.com. Read the incredible testimonies from the couples that saved their marriages by attending a Marriage Intensive at the National Institute of Marriage.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Embarrassed by clothing

A few years back when I weighed about 30 lbs heavier than I do now, my sister-in-law gave me for a Christmas present a soft chenille sweater. It felt nice but when I tried it on it was short, too short, like belly short. I like my sweaters long. I never returned it to the store even though I could have and let it hang in the closet for at least 2 years.

A month ago I got it in my head to try it on again. It not only fits better but looks great on me. The sweater is now longer than the belly length and feels nice against my skin. I now know the benefits of losing a few pounds to look good in clothes that I felt were just wrong for me a few years ago.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Slow weight loss with pills

A few months ago, there was an interesting piece of research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Before I start to explain the research, I should make it clear that it's not a full scientific study. Only a small sample of participants were involved and the conclusions have not been independently verified. But it is, as you might say, certainly food for thought. Most people who want to lose weight play around with their diet, talk about exercising and buy phentermine to use as an appetite suppressants. The combination of diet and a weight loss medication will, over time, reduce those pounds. All it takes is the self-discipline to stick to the diet.

When you were young, you probably remember your mother telling you to eat more slowly. In my family, there were standing jokes about how many times you were supposed to chew each mouthful before swallowing it. We agreed a different number of chews depending on whether it was toast in the morning or meat for dinner. But it now seems we were ahead of our time - unscientifically speaking. The most recent research was carried out by the University of Rhode Island. On two separate occasions, it invited thirty young people who notoriously eat large quantities, and gave them a meal of pasta, cheese and tomatoes. On the first occasion, they were asked to eat the meal as quickly as they could. On the second occasion, the participants were encouraged to socialize as much as possible during the meal and to eat slowly. Although they were not given an actual number of chews for each mouthful, they were told to make sure that the food was thoroughly chewed before they swallowed it. The results of this experiment showed that the participants ate an average of seventy fewer calories when they ate slowly. When you use the drug phentermine, it works by using the brain's messaging system to send a signal that the stomach is full. People stop eating when they feel full. Without the aid of phentermine, it takes about thirty minutes for the stomach to send that message to the brain indicating fullness. The natural process relies on physical changes to the stomach which distends as food enters and the release of appetite-related hormones. This new research confirms the theory that the more time you give yourself for the natural system to work, they less you will eat. The researchers also speculate that the more you savor and enjoy the food, the more you will be satisfied by eating fewer calories. Eventually you should be able to retain your eating habits to the point of not having to take any drug to either maintain or lose weight.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Whales and weight loss

Warning to all weight watchers. The Japanese have just published a scientific report in Polar Biology - another of those must-read journals. Kenji Konishi, who works out of the Institute of Cetacean Research in Tokyo, said August 27 that killing was the only way to accurately measure factors such as body weight or fat thickness! So if you're holidaying in the polar regions this Fall and see a Japanese researcher coming towards you with one of those big samurai swords, you may decide that you don't want to be a part of the research. Except that he's talking about Antarctic minke whales. OK, so when did you last see a minke whale on your bathroom weighing scales? He's got a point. It's hard to get a whale to stay still long enough to get an accurate reading. And then there are those caliper things, the "fat pinchers". Where would you get pinchers big enough? Seems hard to have to kill them to find out whether their diets are working. How would you like it in a clinical trial? Take these Acomplia tablets for six months and then we'll kill you to find out how much adipose fat you've lost. Can't they just guess? Actually, when it comes to human clinical trials, they use advanced science like tape measures for waists.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Another weight loss idea

Today we have a guest blog post writer-

Have you noticed how many people complain these days? Walk round a supermarket, any large store or go into a restaurant and the odds are you will find someone making a complaint. When you can't help but overhear what is being said, these people tend to be playing the blame game. Something has gone wrong. It's someone else's fault. These others should do something to make the complainer feel better. Many times, of course, the complaints are genuine. The toaster went up in flames or the dress proved transparent when soaked in a rain storm. But, some of the time, the complainer is trying to pass responsibility and find someone to blame for their own failings. Take people trying to lose weight as an example. Some blame the lack support from their families, or say they have bad genes. Some lack the will power - they are too weak ever to carry through on a tough diet. Actually, if people do take responsibility for their diet and exercise, they usually lose weight. When good eating habits and physical exercise are combined with acomplia, clinical trials show people lose an average of 10% of their body weight and keep it off for at least a year. All that is required is that people treat weight loss like a broken leg. If you broke your leg, you would go to hospital and have the bones set. A plaster cast and painkillers would follow. Then after a little physical therapy, you would be walking normally again a month or so later. When you are aware of a problem, you take action and get it fixed. Anyone who wants to change their diet can do so. It's easy to just eat less. Creating excuses for yourself is letting yourself off the hook. You lack the motivation but don't want to admit it either to yourself or others (particularly those close to you). So instead of blaming others because things didn't turn out the way you hoped, find good reasons for sticking to the diet, eating less and exercising more. For the fastest results, use acomplia and watch those pounds drop. It's not going to be easy all the time. You're going to be tempted from time to time. So long as it's only a temporary relapse into bad habits, you will keep on losing weight. The more honest you are with yourself, the better. In fact, you should start to listen to yourself more. If you catch yourself inventing excuses for not following the diet, call yourself on it. If you find yourself rationalizing not going down to the gym, complain about your own laziness. Taking responsibility for reducing your own weight is the first and single most important step to take to slimness.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Easy exercise routines for the unmotivated

I am unfortunately one of those people that put off exercise routines. I find exercise boring unless I am having fun with it. I like going for a bike ride but not alone. I don't like riding a stationary bike at all - too boring. With that thought in mind I went in search of a few interesting ways to jazz up an exercise routine to make it more enjoyable. I found in my search some interesting articles on the subject and the links to them are posted below.

Easy ways to exercise, this article includes going shopping - my idea of fun when money is with me.

Sneaking Exercise into Your Schedule

Fun with an Ab ball

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Disclosure Policy of this blog

This policy is valid from 12 October 2008

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, paid insertions or other forms of compensation..

I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Diet update

Here is the latest results of my husband's low carb dieting plan. He now weighs 278. He started out weighing 326 so he has now lost almost 50 pounds. I am so proud that he stuck this diet out. Of course this diet is under doctor's supervision. I am using the same type of diet to see if I can shed a few more pounds and I am finally doing it. 2 years ago I weighed 185 pounds and was very fat to say the least. Now I am down to 160 so I have been losing at least one pound a month on average.

We both have a long way to go to get to our "ideal" healthy weight but we will get there.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Don't eat that!!!!

I just saw one of those in depth news stories on TV of how someone has started a dieting club. Their mission was to start overweight people on the road to eating healthier foods. What they showed on TV was an outdoor picnic type of buffet with lots of fruit and vegetables. There was one woman who was at least 100 lbs over weight and she was chowing down on all the fruit she could find. All I wanted to do was reach through the TV screen and grab that fruit from her and tell her that not all fruit is good when you are trying to lose weight. The carbohydrates found in one piece of fruit can sometimes be as much as a dietitian would allow for a whole meal. Here is a list of fruits to stay away from when trying to lose weight:
  • Whole grapefruit - 23 grams of carbs
  • Slice of melon - 26 grams of carbs
  • Banana - 26 grams of carbs

Monday, August 4, 2008

Feeling stuffed while losing weight

Since my husband went on his doctor prescribed low-carb diet he has lost 25 lbs in just under 4 weeks. I decided to go on the same diet and have lost 5 lbs in 3 weeks.

This diet has changed the whole way I look at food. I no longer look at calories or fat content of foods, in fact I have found that meats and protein foods are what my body has been needing all these years. Also the diet encourages you to eat. That is something that I had not normally thought of. You must eat every few hours to keep your body from storing fat. As long as your body knows there is food coming down to the stomach it does not go into fat storing mode.

My husband's daily carb limit is 195g and my limit is 165g. It is just so amazing that he can eat a baked chicken patty or chicken strips for a SNACK and not a meal and still lose weight. We did have to switch to a low carb bread (we still love sandwiches) so we could have 2 slices instead of just one.

Some interesting items:
  • Ice cream has lower carbs than sherbet
  • Cashews are great low carb snacks
  • Light salad dressing usually has more carbs than regular salad dressing
  • The term "light" usually means low fat, they take out the fat and add carbs in the form of sugar or grains

Monday, July 28, 2008

Bicycling your way to fitness

After many years of not getting on a bicycle I decided to start up biking again as a way to get back into shape. I cleaned off my dusty 21 speed mountain bike (bought at WalMart a few years back) and did some maintenance on it.

About 2 weeks ago my daughter and I went on a local bike ride that I thought would be an easy start to my bike riding fitness routine again - boy was I wrong. The route was from our drive way and took a 6 mile loop back to our driveway. We live on a country road so the traffic would be very light. The loop had some small hills, or so I thought they were small until I was biking them. Those hills turned into steep mountain passes as I was going up them. My daughter was way ahead of me and kept looking back at her struggling mother who was almost dying. I found out that I was extremely out of shape. The trip took just about an hour when it should have taken half that time. After I got home I was hurting and aching for 3 days.

Well I finally got up the nerve to try it again. This time it was a flatter route and only 2 hills. This trip was about 2 miles shorter and much less of a workout but I did it without any lasting pain. That trip was done on Sunday morning and here it is Monday morning and I feel great. The muscles in my upper abdomen feel tighter and my thigh muscles are pulling my fat in. My clothes are now fitting better. This time I plan on going biking at least 2X a week for starters.

Friday, July 25, 2008

I am not being anit-social I am just trying to lose weight

Please don't be insulted if I don't show up at the company feast together for an employee's birthday or retirement party. I don't need to be tempted by high carb foods right now. I know some readers will say "but you could always just show up to say hi". I will answer that by saying I have done that but end up with someone handing me a plate with cake on it or someone saying "you don't like my cooking?"

Just ignore me for now. I am not a crab, just a dieter on a mission.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The best compliment ever

I was sent off to work with a smile on my face. My husband said good-bye to me and called me "baggy pants". It was the best backhanded compliment I had ever heard. Ever since his doctor put him on a low carb diet 3 weeks ago (he has lost 20 lbs so far), I had decided to join him on the diet. My results were not as dramatic as his (3 lbs so far) but I felt thinner. Last night I decided to try on a pair of black jeans that I had in the closet that were almost brand new. I bought them almost 2 years ago and found out they were too tight. I decided to keep them for when I lost some weight. When I put them on they FIT!!! I did not have to pull the 2 sides of the zipper close together to zip them up either. I will wear my "baggy pants" label with pride today!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Can't seem to lose anymore

I am at a plateau with my weight loss. I have lost and kept off 25 lbs over the past year. Although I feel great I still need to lose another 30 lbs to be at the "ideal weight" for my height. My weight is now fluctuating up and down -/+ 4 lbs and I can't seem to get past that hump. Since I have a very slow metabolism I need to raise it so I can loose those extra pounds.

Metabolism is the rate that your body uses energy (calories). Muscle uses more calories than fat just to exist. By increasing my muscle mass I can raise my metabolism rate and lose those extra pounds. The big bonus is that by having more muscle mass I will be using more calories even while I am sleeping.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Calorie Counter

Here is a very helpful tool for dieters - a online calorie counter database. Here you can look up every type of food and find out their nutritional data. I just looked up plain flour that I use to make my own bread. To make one loaf I use 2 cups of flour and I found out that those 2 cups is 910 calories. The other ingredients (water, salt and yeast) had very small amounts, the yeast 35 calories. So for me to make a 2 pound loaf of bread the calories would be about 950 total. Compare that with the store bought loaf with 150-200 calories a slice and I think that I am doing better by making my own bread.

Here is the link to the calorie counter

Monday, June 16, 2008

Try to lose weight slowly

Rapid weight loss will result in excess folds of skin. Your skin needs time to shrink back to it's smaller size. Skin is very elastic and will tighten slowly as you lose weight - SLOWLY. To help skin tighten as you lose weight you will have to exercise to tighten the muscles underlying the skin.

If you choose to diet without exercise then plan on visiting the plastic surgeon after your weight loss for some expensive nipping and tucking.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Find someone that shares your active lifestyle

Sometimes just having someone to share your exercise goals can keep you motivated to lose weight and get into shape. A jogging partner can make running that much more enjoyable. If you have an outdoor activity like swimming or hiking find a freind or club to join. Enjoy the sport of your choice with someone that also enjoys that sport, it will make getting into shape seem effortless.







EquestrianCupid.com - the best horse-lover dating site!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The economy is down and so is over eating

There is a silver lining to the recession after all. The major news sources are reporting that less people are eating at fast food chains and are starting to eliminate extra snacks from their diet. This is not a case of everyone decided to eat healthier overnight, no it is because they can't afford those little extra indulgences.

Coupon clipping is up and almost matches what it use to be over 15 years ago. The price of gasoline has also forced people to car pool and ride their bicycles to school and work.

The recession just might be the jolt everyone needed to shed those extra pounds and get back into shape. The added bonus to that is the fact the healthier you are, the less visits to the doctor you will have and that will save you more money.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Exercises for your Zodiac sign

How about this - exercises designed just for you based on the month you were born in? I am not joking. It is called Zodiaction and here is a video of it:

Skin cancer and dieting

A lower calorie intake might be helpful in lowering your risk to skin cancer. Interesting study - article below

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Variety is the spice to workouts

Exercise can be boring, especially if it is the same boring routine day after day. Spice it up and add variety to your exercises. I have an ab ball, you know one of those big grey rubber balls you can sit on and exercise with. It is fun for a few workouts but it can be boring if you used it for all your workouts. I also have a few DVD workouts. One is a turbo workout that has a wide variety of exercises in a faster mode than normal so if I want to speed through a workout I can put that DVD on but I will be worn out by the end of the routine. I like to add variety to my exercise routines by doing something different each time I workout. Today I bought another DVD, this one is called "Island Girl". It is a dance fitness workout using the hula. It looked interesting enough for me to get it. I just finished watching it and it looks like I am going to have fun with it. I got my DVD at the dollar store. If you can't find a copy, I have provided a link to Amazon for you.



Just keep your workouts interesting. If they become a boring rut, you won't want to do them and if you don't exercise - the dieting will be worthless.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Global food shortage

This has got to be the most disgusting fact in today's society. The USA has the largest population of obese humans in the world. While we are trying to loose extra pounds the rest of the world is struggling with a food shortage. Throughout history, obesity has been a sign of wealth for a dominant society. The Romans were fat, the major Kings and Queens of Europe were plump if not down right FAT, this was a sign that they were powerful enough to have food. Being fat might be a sign of wealth but it is not a sign of health. I am calling on all the wealthy societies of the world to knock off the over indulging in food. If food is a sign of wealth then spread that wealth (food) to the less fortunate countries of the world. Obesity and world hunger should not be going on at the same time - let's ban together and stop it.

Friday, April 4, 2008

The weight plateau

I have reached my weight loss plateau. You know what that is. It is the phase in our diets that you can't seem to lose anymore weight. I am still 25 lbs over my desired weight and I can't seem to get to shedding more pounds. I am to the point that I have to make a doctor's appointment to see what is going on or maybe try an over the counter diet aid like Lipodrene with Ephedra. I have been staying away from stimulants and pills that make your stomach feel full because I need to find a healthy way to help my body lose the excess baggage. Unfortunately I am getting desperate to lose my extra pounds. The plateau I am at right now has been lasting for about 3 weeks now and nothing seems to be working. Before trying any over the counter herb, diet pill or other type of diet aid I will consult with my doctor because I am on medication that might interact with over the counter diet aids. I do want to lose weight but I don't want to make my health worse by trying the wrong method.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Eating healthy at your next cookout

Forget the greasy hamburgers. Try something different for you next cookout. Read the article below.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Surgery to lose weight

Now I know from personal experience there are just some people that don't have the will power or the discipline to lose weight. There are a few members of my husbands family that need to lose weight NOW or suffer the consequences. Thankfully the medical community has come to the rescue with lap-band surgery a method of putting a band around the top part of your stomach so that it will allow your body to think it is full of food only after a much smaller meal. If you have tried everything to lose weight and you are in the obese category then you might want to talk to your doctor about this option.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Liquid diet study

If you have ever thought of going on one of those liquid diets then read this interesting article about a study done in Australia on obese dieters.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Breast cancer is more deadly to obese women

Here is another good reason to shed those extra pounds. Interesting article on breast cancer.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Exercises - the leg curl

Get into the swing of things with this exercise. The video shows the proper way to do leg curls.

Learn to listen to your body

Learning to listen to the signals your body gives you will help you on your way to good health. Watch the video and learn more.

Monday, March 3, 2008

If you want to lose weight - eat breakfast

This news came out today about how important eating breakfast can be when it comes to losing weight.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Obesity in men increases risk of enlarged prostrate

Did you know that obesity in men can cause a multitude of health problems. They are 3.5 times more likely to have an enlarged prostrate. If you have seen any of the medical company commercials on TV then you know what an enlarged prostrate can do to your health. If you are an over weight male then you need to think seriously about losing some of that excess baggage to insure you don't have to worry about prostate problems. If you already have an enlarged prostate then you need to contact your doctor for enlarged prostate relief.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Power yoga

You need to exercise as well as diet. Here is a step by step guide to "power yoga". Watch the video and see if you can try out some of the moves. It will improve your posture and breathing.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Lay off the fast food

The article below has got to be one of the scariest ones I have read in a long time about how eating fast food affects the health of the humans that eat it. If you eat out at lunchtime this may get you to think twice about that burger or even just those fries.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Alli the diet pill to cure your constipation problem

The FDA went and approved an expensive diet pill "Alli" that should have stayed off the market. One of it's side affects is diarrhea. Just watch the video to have a good laugh. I am not promoting the other pill in the video either. The only pills you should be taking while on a diet is vitamin pills.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Planning for that "perfect" day

How are you planning for the day you get to your dream weight? Will you celebrate? Has your husband or boyfreind promised you a whole new wardrobe? A freind of mine had that happen to her. Her husband surprised her with a shopping trip of her dreams. Make plans now and give yourself something BIG to look forward to.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Diet sodas and gaining weight

I am sure you have heard all about how diet sodas can make you gain weight, but did you really find out how they came to that fact? They did a study on rats and found that the rats that were given saccarine in yogurt were more likey to eat more than the rat given just regular yogurt. For one thing we are not rats and we can choose if we want to eat more or not. The study did not find that the diet sugar made the rat gain weight by itself but by encourging the rat to eat more. Of course the food was available to the rat as well. Cooped up in a cage with nothing else to do I guess they did not take into account the boredom factor of eating.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Vegan diets

What are the pros and cons to an all vegaterian diet? Is it a great diet to lose weight with? Interesting article on the subject.

Friday, February 8, 2008

How do we keep on track for losing weight?

Each of us has a different set time when we will give up on doing something. For some of us it is 10 days, others 3 months and still others only a few days. I know that my motivation level is about 10 days to 3 weeks. If I don't see much of a difference in what I am doing I usually give up. That applies to weight loss or exercise for toning.

I have found a wonderful article on motivation for losing weight. You should read it. It is called "Motivation is the key to successful weight loss"

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Sugar causes more problems

Not only does sugar add calories to your diet but it is now linked to other health problems.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

The importance of dieting with a doctor's guidence

Dieting properly should start off with a complete physical and blood work. Why? To rule out other causes of weight gain and low metabolisum. An under active thyroid will be one cause. I know because I have that problem. I now have to take thyroid medication every morning. The thyroid is the main gland that governs your metabolisum and other organs. Since being on the daily medication for about 9 months now I have found that I can lose weight again. Did you know that an unchecked thyroid problem can cause major organs in your body to fail?

During your check-up ask your doctor about diabetes since many overweight people are prone to that. Special diets are to be followed for people with diabetes.

Friday, January 25, 2008

I am so excited! I lost almost 10 lbs on this diet

Forget about the Nutra System diet and food, say goodbye to expensive diet membership dues and say hello to the "Walmart Diet". The diet is about as simple as it can get - and it works. I am on it and I have lost 10 lbs in 3 weeks and I am keeping it off. I have another 30 lbs to go but I'll be there come summer time. Go read the very simple guide and diet - the Walmart Diet.

Monday, January 21, 2008

At the stand still point

Are you finding that you have lost weight, then stopped losing weight for about a week or more, then start losing weight again but did nothing different? You are not alone. This is common and at the same time very frustrating. Just stay on course with your diet and exercise. Your body has just come to a point of self adjustment and will right itself in about a week. Don't get upset if it takes more than a week or you might just drop the diet and go back to gaining all the weight you lost.

Monday, January 7, 2008

The Flat Stomach Diet

I must admit that after having my first child, losing belly flab was and has been an on going battle. The scrunches don't seem to work like they did when I was in high school. Let's face it not many diets and exercises have worked the same as when I was younger. I did find an interesting diet that I plan on at least looking into some more. It is called the Flat Stomach Diet and the information they have sure does intrigue me. It makes the claim that you will see a marked difference in 3-5 days so it is something that really has piqued my curiosity.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Diet without exercise is useless

If you diet please exercise. Why? Because as you lose weight any skin that was stretched out in the tummy, thigh and buttocks areas will sag. Exercise to tighten the underlying muscles to tighten the skin back into place.