Getting Started On A Weight Loss Program

January 8th, 2010 Comments off

One of the biggest battles being waged daily is the battle of the bulge. If you are one of those facing a weight problem, take comfort in the fact that you aren’t alone, and making small changes in your lifestyle will reap you big rewards. Here are some pointers for getting started on a weight loss program. If you drink a lot of soda, try to replace it with a diet version or better yet, water.

Water helps to keep your body functioning at it’s best by flushing out harmful toxins and hydrating your skin. Drinking water will help prevent dehydration when its hot outside or you are expending a lot of energy. Cutting back or eliminating soda from your daily diet could eliminate hundreds of calories. A 20 ounce bottle of regular soda has 250 calories, mainly made of sugars and carbonated water. One pound of fat is equal to the amount of calories in 14 twenty ounce bottles of soda. If the energy provided from soda isn’t used to fuel your body, it will quickly store as fat, something most of us don’t need.

Start an exercise routine based on your current fitness level. If you haven’t exercised in a long time, start slow. Start out with a 10 minute walk, if that is all you can do. As you become used to it, try to walk longer or faster. As you get better, you can add other exercises to your daily program. You can also get extra exercise by changing the way you operate on a daily basis. Instead of using the elavator or escalator, try the stairs. If there isn’t a parking spot directly in front of your favorite store, accept your fate and park a little further away. If the weather is nice, walk or ride your bike instead of driving your car to nearby destinations. If you work in an office, be sure to stretch a couple of times a day.

You might also consider taking a class or instruction in a sport or activity that interests you. Many communities have recreation centers that offer instruction in tennis, swimming, dance, karate, and water exercise. They may offer fitness equipment like a gym, walking/ running track, stationary bikes or step aerobic classes as well. Getting involved in a hobby or sport that you enjoy will make exercise a lot more enjoyable.

It also gives you the chance to meet other people and extend your social circle.Consider which diet plans you want to use for losing weight. Don’t give up because you are frustrated. Losing weight the right way is often a slow process. If you are following a reasonable diet and exercise program expect to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week. If you are extremely heavy you may lose weight at a faster rate than this, but it will eventually slow down. If you hit a plateau, consider changing your exercise routine or eating plan to give yourself a jump start. Losing just a small percentage of your bodyweight will help to reduce your chances for high blood pressure, diabetes, and other weight related ailments. Take the first step towards a healthier you.

Weight Loss And Cravings

January 7th, 2010 Comments off

There are many things you might know in terms of losing weight.
There is the exercise regime you follow, the healthy low in fat and high in fibre diet you mastered, the 8 glasses of water you drink every day, the amount of food you have on your plate, and the time you eat.
Equipped with all the knowledge you are determined to shed off those extra pounds from your thighs or midsection to become new you, the next Pamela Anderson or Daniel creg.
Unfortunately after couple of weeks of your weight loss regime you are as the same as you started your journey. Wondering what went wrong. You may start asking yourself. Feeling cheated and disappointed you are about to call it off.
But there is a solution
You most probably did not recognize the importance of craving factor which didn’t allow you to achieve your results. Because of that you didn’t notice the extra calories you were putting inside you believing you are strictly following your low-calorie diet.
Important: Cravings can be overcome. If you seriously want to lose weight you have to recognize which type of craving it is and deal with it. Tell yourself you can do it but you just have to want to. If you give in to your cravings you will never achieve the perfect body you are dreaming of.
Cravings can happen because of the habit you developed, or boredom, or emotions.
1. Habitual craving
If you crave for a certain type of food each day and at the same time, you have developed a food habit. Your body does not need these sugary and fatty calories, but because it gets them every day and same time you are salivating when you come to even think of the treat waiting for you. You may eat this high-in-fat snack without realizing the bad impact is going to have on your weight loss.
Solution: You have to break the cycle. When you get the impulse to eat something you shouldn’t, do something completely non-food related by changing your activity. If you became habitual to eat your treat after a meal or while reading a book or watching TV go for a walk instead or call a friend.
2. Boredom
You may eat when you are bored. Simple as that but happens to everybody more often than we are aware of.
Solution: Recognize the symptom and ask yourself if you are really hungry or just bored. In that case you need to find something to distract you, something you can enjoy to do to get yourself out of this dead zone. This could be to watch your favorite movie or meet up with your buddy, or in case if everything else failed go for a nap. This will definitely help in not to overstuffed yourself with fatty snacks.
3. Emotions
If you are an emotional eater, you most probably eat a lot of food without even realizing it that’s why this is the most dangerous type of cravings. Most of the time cravings are not truly food related. The cravings come when you feel angry, frustrated, sad, depressed or anxious.
Solution: Examine your mood first before reaching for the chocolate bar or a packet of crisps. Remember: all the food in the world will not help any emotional issues you may be facing at the moment. Try to treat your emotions with something positive and calming like having a hot bath, go for a walk, do yoga or listen to soft music.
Sometimes simple a glass of water can take care of your craving.

Weight Loss: Exercise is the Best Way to Lose Weight

January 6th, 2010 Comments off

There are a lot of people who are overweight. This did not happen overnight so those who think this can disappear in a flash should think again. There are many ways that the person can use to get rid of those excess pounds. Although science has developed diet pills and some have developed diet programs, the best way to lose weight is still through exercise. Exercise is the best because it builds the person’s endurance. As this develops, it also increases ones metabolism prompting one to burn more calories than before which results in weight loss. Studies show that there are no known side effects when one decides to exercise. The worse that can happen to a person is straining a muscle for failing to stretch or by not giving the body enough time to recuperate before engaging in another session. Teens don’t have to spend much in order to lose weight. This is because there are some exercises that can be done at home. For instance, after stretching, the person can go for a walking or jogging early in the morning thus burning a few calories. Afterwards, the teen can do some push ups and sit ups to work on the upper body and the abs. The other way that will cost a little will be by enrolling in a gym. Here, a fitness trainer can help the individual lose weight by coming up with a program that involves cardio-vascular and aerobic activity. Warm up will be running for a few miles on the treadmill followed by some weight training using the various machines. Teens who find it difficult to hire a trainer can make a workout after being taught how to use the equipment while those who have fun with many people around can join one of the classes being offered at the gym. Some of the more popular group classes are aerobics, tae bo, Pilates and yoga. The person should just check what time the classes are held since this may be scheduled at different times of the day. Those who are shy about being with other people but would still like to participate in a class can get the DVD version instead. There are a lot of these being sold in the video store or online which is just like being there and attending the real session. One of the most important things to remember while exercising is to drink lots of water. People who fail to do this may suffer from heatstroke or dehydration which is also not good for someone who wants to lose weight.      Before engaging in any exercise, it is advisable to see a doctor. The mind may feel like it can do anything but if the body may say differently. The teen should just do things gradually at first and then pick up the pace with other exercises as time progresses. Engaging in a sport is another form of exercise. Running down the court in a game of basketball or football may not seem like much but it still increases one’s heart rate and burns those calories. These examples just show that there are many ways how a teen can lose weight. There are people out there who sometimes need a little push to get started.

The Answer to Fast Weight Loss

January 5th, 2010 Comments off

Weight loss is a huge problem but another problem is some people just don’t simply have the time for long step by step slow process programs and they want results now, not in several months. Well, sometimes the best results come from the simplest most modern things and this is a great example because exercising is the answer to fast weight loss and doesn’t require any expensive equipment or tutorial videos to complete, only two hands and two legs and a head.If you have all of the above listed, you can exercise and hardly have an excuse to not be in shape. One thing to remember is that if your muscles are burning and your out of breath after each and every work out then you’re on the right track because this is a sign of improvement and a sign you’ve worked and while it may not show results overnight, you will see results depending on how often you work out and how consistent you are with your exercises. Push yourself to the limits and when you think you can’t go any farther, you’re just not pushing hard enough. If you only put in 10 minutes a day then you’ll only see 10 minutes a day worth of results and in the long run you’ll wish you had worked out just a little longer and seen better results a lot quicker.Any type and amount of exercise is better than none at all and anything is a great start if you started out doing nothing but being a couch bum but if you want hard quick and fast weight loss results you have to bust your butt and kick the common laziness disease to the curb which most people seem to have when it comes to working out or staying fit period.When it comes to staying healthy or losing weight fast, this is just one of the many steps you can take.

5 Holiday Weight Loss Tips & Their Reality Checks

January 5th, 2010 Comments off

Do you find it almost impossible to stay conscious and contentious about weight and nutrition during the holidays? Of course you do. More than half of all Americans are overweight: You’re not alone.

A new government study might give you a ray of hope though: The study shows that Americans gain only about one pound over the holidays. The study found that people participating were influenced by two main factors over the holidays: The level of their hunger, and the level of their activity. In other words: Those who reported being less active or more hungry during the holidays had the greatest weight gain.

So common sense says: If you can stay focused on dealing with just those two things, you’ll probably win your personal holiday weight loss battle. At the very least, you’ll win by not adding more weight to what’s already waiting to be shed.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of weight gain,” says Dr. Samuel Klein, the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. “Preventing the increase in weight is a lot easier and better than actually gaining weight and then trying to get it off again.”

So the answer seems simple: Eat less and exercise more. The reality of implementation of course, is far more difficult.

The good news is that most of the people overestimate how much weight they’d gained over the holidays. Fewer than 10% gain 5 pounds or more.

The bad news is: The small amount of weight gained is never lost. One pound of weight gain is quite a small amount, but since it’s not usually lost again: The weight adds up over time – to obesity.

Now we all know there are tons of tips out and about this time of year, designed to help us keep from putting on that extra pound or two during the holidays. Unfortunately what’s usually not talked about is: The reality of day-to-day holiday stress and situations. Let’s explore the tips… along with their reality checks… in depth:

Weight Loss Tip 1: Stay active. The best thing you can do is try to stick to your normal schedule and routine.

Holiday Reality Check: It’s pretty hard to have any kind of decent routine in the busy months of November and December. Busy people tend to sacrafice yoga classes, long walks, and visits to the gym because they need time for extra things like decorating the house, cooking, cleaning up before the visitors get there, and of course: Shopping.

The Good News: Walking around the shopping mall and stores is great exercise, and so is cleaning the house. In addition to those activities, decorating can be quite intensive too: You’re climbing up and down to hang things; lifting, lugging, and dragging boxes out of storage; bending, twisting and turning to get it all looking just right. So don’t beat yourself up about not making it to the gym… you’re getting plenty of activity and every little bit helps!

Weight Loss Tip 2: Don’t let yourself get too hungry. If you go to a party and you’re starving, everything will look even more scrumptious than normal. And of course, you’ll eat much more because of it. Try starting each day with a good, solid breakfast – particularly something with protein. And when you’re at the party, try muching on the veggies to help keep you feeling full. These two things will help your hunger stay under control, and will in turn help you refrain from “gorging” on anything you see just because you’re famished.

Holiday Reality Check: We’re all very busy during the holidays, and it’s not always possible to remember to eat – let alone eat well – particularly in the morning when we may have already overslept and are now running late for everything. And eating healthy at a party isn’t always possible either: Not everyone in this country serves vegetable plates, salads, or fruit bowls. Sometimes the only things in site are junk: Chips, candy, and cookies.

Here’s a suggestion: Try taking your own veggie plate to a party where you know there won’t be one available. A quick and easy way to do this is simply buy a bag or two of pre-cut veggies and some ranch salad dressing. Alternatively, eat a decent meal before you go to the party. Don’t overdo things, but don’t make it a light snack either. Eating first will help you to just “nibble” a bit on the worst of the holiday treats offered.

Weight Loss Tip 3: Stay away from the food. Literally. Just don’t go anywhere near the buffet table, appetizers, or treats… and you’ll be fine.

Holiday Reality Check: In most cases, the food is everywhere. And even if it’s not right in front of your face, you sure can smell it! Trying to just “stay away from it” is pretty unrealistic – and it can feel like torture for some of us. And for most people: When you can’t have something, you want it even more. So trying to stay away from the food will most likely just make you overindulge worse than you would have otherwise.

Try this instead: Allow yourself whatever you’d like. But with a catch. First: Take only half the amount you normally would. And take just one food item. Eat that and enjoy it without guilt. Then, wait a full 20-30 minutes before you get something else. Then repeat the process: One item, half the portion size as you normally would, enjoy it without guilt, then wait before getting something else.

Allowing yourself to eat gets rid of the mentality of “I can’t have it (and thus I’m more determined to have it)” It lets you enjoy the good food and the holidays, without beating yourself up. This is healthy and can help tremendously with the way you view food and eating in general. Only taking half of it though, will help you not take in as much calories, fat, sugar or other bad stuff you usually avoid. And then waiting 20-30 minutes before you get something else will help your body realize when it’s had enough… or too much. So you’re much less likely to overdo things, and feel horrible physically later.

Weight Loss Tip 4: Wear cloths that are slightly tight on you. This should help you feel full faster, and keep you from eating too much food.

Holiday Reality Check: We want to wear looser cloths because we’re looking forward to eating all that great food! Yes, wearing something tight might help us not go back for a second helping of potatoes… or it might ruin a favorite outfit.

In the end, how you approach this tip is up to you, and you alone. Make your decision and be happy with it.

Weight Loss Tip 5: Keep your portions small. Try to load up on salad and vegetables, and take just tiny amounts of anything else.

Holiday Reality Check: Taking just a “bite sized” amount of anything is going to put you into the have-not mental state mentioned earlier. You’ll feel as if you can’t have something, and you’ll want it all the more.

Try the tip noted above instead: Take half the size you normally would. Trying to have just a little bite of pie will whet your appetite for more, but having a whole piece is going a bit overboard – particularly if there’s 5 different pies for you to sample. So try actual sampling instead: Cut a piece half the normal size. This allows you to have a “whole slice”, and more than several little bites. Then wait about 20 minutes before you go and try the next pie. Even if you end up eating a bit of all 5 pies, by having a half-sized slice of each, you’ve drastically cut the amount of calories, carbs and sugars compared to what you would have had with whole slices. And you’ll still feel stuffed and satiated, instead of deprived and resentful.

So there you have it: 5 different, common holiday weight loss and eating tips, followed by the reality check of each, and a suggested compromise that should help you enjoy the holidays to their fullest, without depriving yourself of the great food we all look forward to.

Whatever you decide to do, remember to actually have Happy Holidays!

Looking for Weight-loss Answers?

January 5th, 2010 Comments off

Losing weight and keeping it off is a real challenge for most people. That’s why it’s important to begin a weight loss program with the help of your health care team, including, if possible, a dietitian. They can help you find ways to decrease calories but still consume the foods you enjoy. And they can suggest strategies to help you change old habits for new ones. It’s important to remember that losing even a relatively small amount of weight can make a real improvement in reducing your risk for diabetes and other serious conditions.

Doctors say obesity, also known as severe overweight, is a complex condition. A doctor may advise medical interventions in addition to changes in behavior. But experts say the most successful weight-loss plans include a well-balanced diet and exercise.

Exercise is known as physical activity and includes anything that gets you moving, such as walking, dancing, or working in the yard. You can earn the benefits of being physically active without going to a gym, playing sports, or using fancy equipment. When you’re physically fit, you have the strength, flexibility, and endurance needed for your daily activities. Being physically active helps you feel better physically and mentally. People who want to avoid weight gain have to balance the number of calories they eat with the number of calories they use. To lose weight, you can reduce the number of calories you take in, or increase the number you use, or both.

Experts at the National Institutes of Health say to lose weight, a person should do an hour of moderate to intensive physical activity most days of the week. This could include fast walking, sports or strength training. You should also follow a nutritious eating plan and take in fewer calories than your body uses each day.

A recent study looked at four of the most popular dieting plans in the United States. Researchers at Stanford University in California studied more than three hundred overweight women, mostly in their thirties and forties.

Weight Loss – How To Lose Weight After Pregnancy

January 4th, 2010 Comments off

One of the first things a woman starts thinking about after the pleasure of having her child and seeing that her baby is healthy is how she is going to get her figure back and lose weight after pregnancy. Much of this is the result of those famous mothers who can’t wait to show everyone just how quickly they regained their figure after the birth of a child. the wealthy have with access to personal trainers, special equipment and of course, time.

The chances of a regular mother having the facilities for quick weight loss after pregnancy is unlikely unless they have a very healthy bank balance. Besides at this point after the birth, a mother should be concentrating more on the health of her child and her own diet so she can feed her baby these days regaining her strength. This sort of diet will enable her to regain her strength and also improve her energy levels so it should not exceed 2,000 calories per day,she should be eating similar quantities of essential food groups like those listed below:

50 percent carbohydratesThirty percent intake of proteinFat should be about one tenth of daily intake

Ok, the percentage totals don’t add up to 100 percent but there’s a reason for this as every diet should leave a little room for enjoyment and there is no need to go to extremes so have some of the foods you enjoy without guilt, just don’t go crazy. it will also give her some incentive when she sees the results. Exercise is also a good way to improve moods providing it is not overdone and will help to ensure you do not begin to see it as a chore.

It is best to start things relatively easily but do not expect that your weight loss after pregnancy as quickly as someone else as it is down to your own genetic makeup and how many pounds you gained during the pregnancy. It is now accepted that the body and metabolism of a woman that has given birth undergoes a number of changes which can sometimes make losing those extra pounds more difficult. and continue exercising but keeping an eye on how quickly the weight is coming off as it should be slow but steady.

The main purpose is to reduce the overall body fat while improving muscle tone at the same time although this should be a gradual process. However, there is no need to feel down and if you were to lose about one pound in weight per week, that would be approximately how much you put on during the pregnancy and a good target to aim for. These days losing extra pounds after pregnancy shouldn’t be too difficult you should always remember that some mothers do not lose all of those extra pounds until after the baby has been weaned from the breast.

Weight Loss Surgery in Nebraska

January 4th, 2010 Comments off

Obesity – the condition of weighing more than is deemed medically healthy – is a health crisis in Nebraska. In fact, 63% of adults in Nebraska — seven out of every ten Nebraskan men and more than half of Nebraskan women — are overweight or obese. The state’s adult obesity rate increased in 2008 for the third year in a row. Rates of type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated with obesity, increased in Nebraska again, as well.

We also have the undesirable distinction of being the least active people in the country, ranking 50th among the 50 states in fitness. And, our kids are suffering, too: 12 percent of Nebraska’s children age 10-17 are overweight, according to a 2005 survey by the Data Resource Center on Child and Adolescent Health. As if that weren’t enough, obesity is even hitting our pocketbooks. The cost to our taxpayers for dealing with obesity-related illnesses is a staggering $454 million per year!

The facts are clear. Obesity is killing our state – physically and financially. Obviously, something has to be done.  But what?

Facing the Crisis

Healthy weight is calculated not in terms of poundage, but in terms of individual body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated as weight in pounds x 703 / (height in inches)2

A person whose BMI is at least 25 is considered overweight; someone with a BMI of 30+ is medically obese.

There is no easy road to beating obesity. For some of us, willpower is enough to maintain a healthy diet and activity level. Others try losing weight via drugstore-paperback-type diets or so-called weight-loss pills. Neither is a realistic long-term solution to the problem. For most obese people, the best option is a medically-supervised program of gradual weight loss my means of dietary and lifestyle modification. Sadly, however, some obesity cases are too far advanced for this to work.

Fortunately, another option exists: weight loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery).

Losing It

Surgical weight loss is a proven remedy for severe obesity and obesity-related health problems for individuals with a BMI of 35 or higher. By physically altering a patient’s stomach so that they can eat only small amounts of food at any given time, these surgeries enable the patient to lower their daily caloric intake and lose weight.

The surgery itself is only the beginning, however. Patients who fail to follow postoperative instructions may regain the weight they lost or reach a weight-loss plateau over time.

Weight loss surgery is a serious medical procedure that exposes the patient to low but significant risks. There is always the possibility of major postoperative complications, including anemia, ulcers, internal hernias, calcium deficiencies and gallstone. And, the decision to undergo most types of weight loss surgery is generally irrevocable. Those considering surgery for the management of obesity should consult with their physician before making a decision.

Let’s Do It!

Nebraskans can face this crisis, but only as a team. By keeping the goal of a healthier Cornhusker State in mind, we can overcome the problems caused by widespread obesity. Let’s do it!

Weight Loss, Fitness, Health And TV Programs

January 3rd, 2010 Comments off

I was thinking the other day about all the new TV shows that are lining up at the beginning of the new season, each vying for a large chunk of the viewing market and at the same time, as much of a share of the advertising big bucks as they can.
Now this is not a rant about the quality of today’s programming although there seems to be a thinning trend to the substance of said programs. No, this is not a rant about that, nor is it even about the constant bombardment of TV ads every 5 minutes..
But as we, the viewing public, mortals amongst mortals struggle with daily notions of health, money and happiness, we are also confronted with the images of the very healthy, very beautiful, and oh so very seemingly happy actors that populate our favorite programs.
Now I know women (and men) are susceptible to the odd moment of vulnerability, bombarded as we are constantly with images of health products, diet pills, and exercise programs and equipment designed to be the precise and very last missing element in our endeavor of weight loss. And when confronted with perfect people on our TV programs, it is not unreasonable to feel somewhat threatened by the images they project so I was not surprised that my seemingly innocent comment caused my wife to come face to face with her very own boogie man.
A particular book on lose the fat, burn the muscle was immediately purchased and is being read right as I type these lines.
In addition, my wife ordered a supply of weight loss pills called phentremine which has the promise of accelerated weight loss whilst at the same time being safe.
As for me, I will have to remember to keep quiet the next time, and of course, it wouldn’t do me any harm if I was to lose weight myself.

Weight Loss Surgery in Tennessee

January 3rd, 2010 Comments off

Country music and chicken, Beale Street and barbecue, Elvis and everything fried – the State of Tennessee will always be famous for good music and good cooking. But our state is becoming known for something less pleasant lately: our sky-high obesity rate.

Obesity is no joke. It is a serious public health problem. Over 64% of the population of the Volunteer State is overweight or obese according to data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. 30.1% of the population of our state is obese, compared to 28.1 percent in 2006. Only Mississippi and Alabama rank higher. That’s right – Tennessee is #3!

And when we consider that obesity can lead to life-threatening illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, and hypertension, we can see how serious a problem obesity truly is here in our home state.

But what is obesity? And how do we fight it?

It’s a Disease

Obesity is not just “being fat”. It is a medical problem that is diagnosed, in part, according to a person’s body mass index, or BMI. If your BMI is higher than 25, you are considered overweight; if it’s more than 30, you are clinically obese. (To calculate your own BMI, use this formula: BMI = weight in pounds x 703 / [height in inches]2 ).

But weight loss itself is not a cure for obesity. After all, anybody can lose weight like magic if they reduce their daily calorie intake below their body’s daily life-support needs. Once that happens, the body has no choice but burn its own fat to stay alive – and weight loss “magically” results. Just decreasing the amount of food eaten each day (or increasing the level of daily physical activity) is enough to do the trick for many folks.

Of course it’s not that simple. Obesity is about more than just overeating. It is a medical condition that requires comprehensive medical care. Only those willing to completely change their lifestyle and eating habits will succeed in beating this disease. The good news is that most obesity sufferers can recover completely by means of a structured program of medically-supervised education and diet. The bad news is that some obesity sufferers are beyond the help of this standard treatment. For them, one option remains: weight loss surgery.

About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery takes three main forms. During the operation, a surgeon alters the patient’s digestive tract in order to limit the amount of food he or she can physically consume. This change, plus comprehensive post-op diet and lifestyle changes, will inevitably cause the patient’s weight to drop, usually dramatically.

Happily, the procedure itself is not particularly complicated (it is generally performed laparoscopically, and always with the patient under general anesthesia), nor is it dangerous in most cases; however, as do all forms of surgery, it does entail risk, including the risk of premature death.

But weight loss surgery is not a magic cure-all. It is one part of a total medical treatment plan for obesity. Lack of adherence to post-op lifestyle and dietary change instructions may cause the patient to regain any weight lost and/or experience other undesirable health effects. Always make major medical decisions in consultation you’re your physician.

Our Rich Future

Tennessee is state rich in history, music, and, yes, calories. A rib or two every now and then is fine, but our everyday lifestyle and diet have to change if we want to stay healthy. Common sense, medically-supervised treatment — and weight loss surgery when necessary — can make our proud Volunteer State a better home for all of us.