If you are in the process of tackling a new goal in your life such as
weight loss it's important you take time to reflect how the progress is
going. This is especially important since taking on a new goal means
that definite changes must be made on a continual basis in order for you
to be successful.
That's why it's important you take time to
reflect on how your progress is going. When you take a moment each week
to reflect on how the last seven days went, you can then revise your
agenda so that the upcoming week is as focused and productive as
possible.
Let's face it, taking on a new goal means that there
will be a number of things that must change in order to develop new
healthy habits. Your efforts may not always work out on the first
attempt. There will be some setbacks and maybe even some temporary
failures, which is why it's as important as ever to take time to reflect
on how the entire process is going.
Once you get into the weekly
habit of reflection, you will then be able to identify problem areas and
address them right away. For instance let's take the weight-loss
process as the intended goal. In order to effectively lose weight, a
person needs to monitor the types of food and drinks they consume, have a
good handle on the portion size at each eating instance, and get a
consistent form of exercise.
Even though that might sound like it
shouldn't be a very difficult task to achieve, the majority of people
who take on the weight-loss process do not achieve this goal on the
first attempt. Unfortunately, many who try to lose weight end up
quitting and reverting back to their old unhealthy habits.
Give
yourself a tactical advantage and take a moment every week to reflect
how the weight loss process is going. This does not need to take an
enormous amount of time to accomplish, just a few minutes of
self-reflection on a Sunday afternoon or right before you go to sleep
that night, reflect on the previous seven days.
As you are getting
used to this process, you may want to have a small piece of paper such
as a Post-it note along with a pen handy to write down important
thoughts and ideas. Don't forget your phone likely has a Notes app where
you can keep important information which you may prefer especially if
you are technically savvy.
lundi 7 mars 2016
dimanche 6 mars 2016
Weight Loss - What Motivates You to Lose Weight?
When you think about your motivation to lose weight, what comes to
mind? Looking better in a pair of jeans? Avoiding your risk of disease?
Feeling more self-confident about the way you look?
While these are all great reasons to seek weight loss results, they by no means are the only reasons. Sometimes it takes figuring out what sparks your motivation to help you stay on track with your weight loss program.
Let's look at a few important reasons to help you attack your weight loss program full force ahead. Perhaps one of these will get you going...
1. Less Joint Pain. For many people, joint pain is a big part of life. Especially if you are older and are dealing with issues such as arthritis, joint pain may not be avoidable. But, the heavier you are, the worse it's going to be. Losing weight can take tension and stress off your joints, minimizing the level of pain you experience so you can lead a more active lifestyle.
2. You'll Sleep Better. If joint pain isn't an issue, what about sleep? Do you often wake up feeling other than refreshed? Imagine what it would be like to wake up feeling energetic ready to face your day.
If you get a good night's sleep, this can become a reality. For many people, quality sleep is about maintaining a healthy body weight. Those who are overweight are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, and in addition, have a greater tendency to toss and turn during their rest, reducing their overall sleep quality. Although often overlooked, your body weight does matter when it comes to the quality of sleep you get.
3. You'll Taste Food Better. Finally, let's not forget the fact your food will taste better when you're at a healthy weight. Your leptin and ghrelin levels will be normalized when you're at a healthy weight, and these hormones will play a role in your overall appetite and how good food tastes.
If you've ever been famished at work, perhaps you noticed whatever you ate simply tasted good. Now, this isn't to say you have to be overly hungry to be aware of this - not at all. But, if you are carrying excess weight, there's a good chance you aren't tasting your food as your appetite level isn't where it should be.
While these are all great reasons to seek weight loss results, they by no means are the only reasons. Sometimes it takes figuring out what sparks your motivation to help you stay on track with your weight loss program.
Let's look at a few important reasons to help you attack your weight loss program full force ahead. Perhaps one of these will get you going...
1. Less Joint Pain. For many people, joint pain is a big part of life. Especially if you are older and are dealing with issues such as arthritis, joint pain may not be avoidable. But, the heavier you are, the worse it's going to be. Losing weight can take tension and stress off your joints, minimizing the level of pain you experience so you can lead a more active lifestyle.
2. You'll Sleep Better. If joint pain isn't an issue, what about sleep? Do you often wake up feeling other than refreshed? Imagine what it would be like to wake up feeling energetic ready to face your day.
If you get a good night's sleep, this can become a reality. For many people, quality sleep is about maintaining a healthy body weight. Those who are overweight are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, and in addition, have a greater tendency to toss and turn during their rest, reducing their overall sleep quality. Although often overlooked, your body weight does matter when it comes to the quality of sleep you get.
3. You'll Taste Food Better. Finally, let's not forget the fact your food will taste better when you're at a healthy weight. Your leptin and ghrelin levels will be normalized when you're at a healthy weight, and these hormones will play a role in your overall appetite and how good food tastes.
If you've ever been famished at work, perhaps you noticed whatever you ate simply tasted good. Now, this isn't to say you have to be overly hungry to be aware of this - not at all. But, if you are carrying excess weight, there's a good chance you aren't tasting your food as your appetite level isn't where it should be.
vendredi 4 mars 2016
Weight Loss - Are Freshly Prepared Pre-Packaged Meals A Wise Choice?
If you've been keeping up with the times on the hottest new
trends in fitness and nutrition, you may have come across companies that
will now ship you freshly prepared, calorie counted, measured and
weighed pre-packaged meals that are all ready to go.
Pre-packaged meals take the guesswork out of the food you are eating as well as its calorie content - it's all ready to go for you. Some of these companies will have a nutritionist or dietitian planning the meals out while others may just allow you to pick and choose which meals you want to eat.
But the question remains, are they a healthy choice? Should you use these pre-packaged meals as part of your overall health and fitness plan?
Let's go over some important points to consider...
1. Their Nutritional Content. First let's talk quality. For the most part, provided it's a reputable company, these meals are quite nutritious.
Unlike regular frozen dinner meals available at the supermarket, they typically do come loaded with vegetables, contain a good quality source of protein, and will also add in a moderate dose of complex carbohydrates.
They provide you with all the main ingredients a healthy eating plan is made from. In addition to this, they're already pre-portion controlled, so this can be a great thing for those who tend to overeat at meal time and are looking to lose weight.
2. Their Impact On Your Adherence to Healthy Eating. Another point to consider is the influence freshly prepared pre-packaged meals can have on your adherence to your weight loss plans. If eating these meals means sticking to your healthy eating plan while the alternative - cooking yourself - leaves you eating fast food more often than you would like to admit, chances are they are an excellent choice for you.
Adherence, when it comes to diet, is 95% of the weight loss game.
3. Their Cost. The last point to consider is their cost. These pre-packaged meals don't come cheaply. If you are aiming to watch your grocery budget, they likely aren't going to fit in so well with that plan.
But, if you use them only on occasion, on those extra busy days, it can be an excellent alternative to less than optimal choices.
All in all, if you aren't someone who likes to cook or has time to cook, these freshly prepared pre-packaged calorie counted meals can be a healthy alternative to consider. They may not be as ideal as making the food yourself, but they're a step in the right direction.
Pre-packaged meals take the guesswork out of the food you are eating as well as its calorie content - it's all ready to go for you. Some of these companies will have a nutritionist or dietitian planning the meals out while others may just allow you to pick and choose which meals you want to eat.
But the question remains, are they a healthy choice? Should you use these pre-packaged meals as part of your overall health and fitness plan?
Let's go over some important points to consider...
1. Their Nutritional Content. First let's talk quality. For the most part, provided it's a reputable company, these meals are quite nutritious.
Unlike regular frozen dinner meals available at the supermarket, they typically do come loaded with vegetables, contain a good quality source of protein, and will also add in a moderate dose of complex carbohydrates.
They provide you with all the main ingredients a healthy eating plan is made from. In addition to this, they're already pre-portion controlled, so this can be a great thing for those who tend to overeat at meal time and are looking to lose weight.
2. Their Impact On Your Adherence to Healthy Eating. Another point to consider is the influence freshly prepared pre-packaged meals can have on your adherence to your weight loss plans. If eating these meals means sticking to your healthy eating plan while the alternative - cooking yourself - leaves you eating fast food more often than you would like to admit, chances are they are an excellent choice for you.
Adherence, when it comes to diet, is 95% of the weight loss game.
3. Their Cost. The last point to consider is their cost. These pre-packaged meals don't come cheaply. If you are aiming to watch your grocery budget, they likely aren't going to fit in so well with that plan.
But, if you use them only on occasion, on those extra busy days, it can be an excellent alternative to less than optimal choices.
All in all, if you aren't someone who likes to cook or has time to cook, these freshly prepared pre-packaged calorie counted meals can be a healthy alternative to consider. They may not be as ideal as making the food yourself, but they're a step in the right direction.
Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2
diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple
changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood
sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.
Weight Loss - What Is The 5:2 Diet Plan And Is It Right For You?
One diet you may have heard of and now be considering is the 5:2 diet plan. What is it all about and is it right for you?
Before starting any diet protocol, it's important you take some time to figure out why it works and whether it will fit in with your lifestyle.
Let's look closer at what this one is all about...
1. What The 5:2 Is All About. The 5:2 diet plan is currently the most popular fasting approach out there right now and has you eating a healthy caloric diet five days of the week and then consuming a reduced calorie fasting diet on the other two days.
The idea is because you are only fasting two days per week, you'll reduce your risk of losing lean muscle mass, ongoing hunger, and feelings of deprival, all while still being able to shed weight.
Many people will find it's easier just to restrict calories on those two days and then eat a calorie healthy diet on the other days during the week, compared to say reducing each day by a more moderate calorie deficit.
2. How To Set Up The 5:2 Diet. To work on the 5:2 diet plan, you'll eat at your maintenance calorie intake on five days out of the week. If you don't know your maintenance calorie intake, it can be estimated by multiplying your body weight (in pounds) by 13 to 14 pounds if you are moderately active, or 15 to 16 pounds if you are more active to reach your ideal calorie intake.
Then once you have this intake, you need to create your fasting days. Choose two days out of the week (any two days is fine provided they are not consecutive days) and on those two days, you'll consume just 500 calories if you're a woman or 600 calories if you're a man.
When you choose to take these calories in is entirely up to you. Some people may prefer eating them at breakfast while others may prefer them at night after work.
On both fasting days, focus on choosing healthy foods such as lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. Is The 5:2 Diet Plan Right For You? So is this diet right for you? At the end of the day, only you can determine this. If you hate feeling restricted all the time, you'll likely respond well to this diet plan as you can eat more on those non-fasting days.
But, if you struggle with hunger, you may find the 500/600 calorie days too hard to get through and as such, lose focus and give up.
Whichever route you choose, when done right, provided you eat healthy foods, this plan can work. It isn't something you should do for the long-term, but to give your weight loss a jump-start, the 5:2 diet can be effective.
Before starting any diet protocol, it's important you take some time to figure out why it works and whether it will fit in with your lifestyle.
Let's look closer at what this one is all about...
1. What The 5:2 Is All About. The 5:2 diet plan is currently the most popular fasting approach out there right now and has you eating a healthy caloric diet five days of the week and then consuming a reduced calorie fasting diet on the other two days.
The idea is because you are only fasting two days per week, you'll reduce your risk of losing lean muscle mass, ongoing hunger, and feelings of deprival, all while still being able to shed weight.
Many people will find it's easier just to restrict calories on those two days and then eat a calorie healthy diet on the other days during the week, compared to say reducing each day by a more moderate calorie deficit.
2. How To Set Up The 5:2 Diet. To work on the 5:2 diet plan, you'll eat at your maintenance calorie intake on five days out of the week. If you don't know your maintenance calorie intake, it can be estimated by multiplying your body weight (in pounds) by 13 to 14 pounds if you are moderately active, or 15 to 16 pounds if you are more active to reach your ideal calorie intake.
Then once you have this intake, you need to create your fasting days. Choose two days out of the week (any two days is fine provided they are not consecutive days) and on those two days, you'll consume just 500 calories if you're a woman or 600 calories if you're a man.
When you choose to take these calories in is entirely up to you. Some people may prefer eating them at breakfast while others may prefer them at night after work.
On both fasting days, focus on choosing healthy foods such as lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. Is The 5:2 Diet Plan Right For You? So is this diet right for you? At the end of the day, only you can determine this. If you hate feeling restricted all the time, you'll likely respond well to this diet plan as you can eat more on those non-fasting days.
But, if you struggle with hunger, you may find the 500/600 calorie days too hard to get through and as such, lose focus and give up.
Whichever route you choose, when done right, provided you eat healthy foods, this plan can work. It isn't something you should do for the long-term, but to give your weight loss a jump-start, the 5:2 diet can be effective.
jeudi 3 mars 2016
5 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight
Losing weight isn't as simple as balancing calories in vs calories
out. Or eating less and working out more. Our bodies are complex and a
lot of factors contribute to weight loss. Factors such as the types of
foods you eat, the type and intensity of your workouts, and even your
lifestyle. Here are 5 tips you may be overlooking that are keeping you from losing weight.
- You're not eating enough calories. We all know eating too many calories can pack on unwanted pounds, but did you know that not eating enough calories can be just as detrimental to your weight loss efforts? It's true. When you don't eat enough calories your body starts to think it's going into deprivation and so your metabolism actually slows down and your body starts storing fat. This makes it very difficult to lose weight, especially those last few pounds. Make sure you're eating no less than 1200 calories per day, and for most women 1400-1700 calories per day is ideal for weight loss and to feel energetic throughout the day.
- You think you're eating healthy. You fill up on "low carb" and "low fat" food items, but unfortunately these types of food don't always translate into low calorie or healthy. Often, these foods are really just junk food loaded with sugar or chemicals marketed to seem healthy. Don't ever trust these claims. Instead do your own investigating and always read nutrition labels and ingredients. Better yet, stick to fresh fruits, veggies, meats and minimally processed foods and steer clear of boxed and packaged foods whenever possible.
- You focus too much on cardio. The more cardio I do the more weight I'll lose correct? Not exactly. Actually, incorporating weight training and more intense interval workouts will increase fat burn and boost your metabolism greater than any cardio session. And you'll also save time. Weight training for only 30 minutes 3-4 times a week and incorporating only one or two 20 minute interval training sessions can have a huge impact on your results and fat burning. Furthermore, excessive cardio can make you hungrier and crave sugar, which often leads to overeating. So instead of doing more cardio, focus on weight training and shorter interval training sessions.
- You fear eating fatty foods. Do you worry about eating fat thinking it will easily turn into fat? Well the truth is not all fats are bad for you. It all depends on the source and type of fat. Sugar is actually more likely to turn into fat than fat. Fats are important for many bodily functions including weight loss. So be sure to avoid trans fats at all costs (usually found as hydrogenated oils on labels). Also, limit fats from conventionally fed beef or dairy products as well as fats high in omega 6's such as corn oil or safflower oil found in many canned and processed foods. Instead load up on fish and fish oil, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts such as walnuts or pecans, avocados, grass fed beef, and eggs from pastured chickens. These all contain healthy fats that are necessary for healthy functioning and for weight loss.
- You're not getting enough sleep. Although sleep may not seem important to your weight loss goals it has a huge impact. Lack of sleep can release hormones that tell your body to store fat and that make you feel hungry. So make sure to get 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night if you want to not only look your best but feel your best.
mercredi 2 mars 2016
Why You're Doing Everything Right and Still Not Losing Weight
You're watching what you put in your mouth. You're exercising more.
You caught onto the fact that sleep is important. You still can't get
the scale to move. If that's your story, keep reading. There are five
things that could be imposing on your ability to lose weight. They play a
bigger part of weight loss resistance after midlife than they ever have
before.
1. You really don't know what to eat.
What was labeled as healthy once might no longer be true at all and potentially not for you. First, you're getting so much information that conflicts what you knew it's hard to pick a lane and stay in it.
Second, the quality of our soil, the methods we use to harvest foods now, then ship them, and store them even before so-called fresh produce reaches you means foods we eat have lost their nutrient density.
Last, what's true of you may have changed. You may have been eating wheat bread for years but because of the quality of it or a leaky gut from stress or other food sensitivities you can't eat it now.
The answer is to test. You test you. There's no better way to know.
2. You exercise too much or too little or both.
Most women are making the mistake of too much aerobic activity or too many classes that offer a little of this and a little of that. There's no purpose to workouts. There's not adequate recovery between.
Women need more spurts of high intensity intervals one or two times a week and no more. Women also need heavy weight training for a few sets and exercises twice a week. Hour-long classes full of light weights and many repetitions may make you tired but not better.
You want to shift from trying to burn the most calories to balancing hormones with your exercise. They control weight loss and gain.
3. You are too stressed.
Believe it or not if you're eating right, exercising, and getting adequate sleep but your stress level is through the roof you will have a hard time getting your body to release fat.
Cortisol makes fat cells grow, fat storage more likely, and fat burning impossible. It's time to take a look at what you're doing not just to reduce stress but to cope with it.
Add joy to your life. You're not going to get away from stress but you can learn to be more resilient about it.
4. You aren't absorbing enough nutrients.
Even if you're eating them, which would be really hard to do in a single day, there's a strong chance that something about your lifestyle depletes you of nutrients. Stress, lack of sleep, certain preferences of eating and even exercise deplete us of nutrients.
If your gut is not in great shape due to food sensitivities, you have an even worse problem. Leaky gut is causing your body to fight against itself. Internal inflammation will make you weight loss resistant.
Your body is like a machine that needs all the cylinders firing to work. With too little of even one nutrient you set yourself up for breakdown.
The good news is that while food is the problem it's also the answer. You can improve with a few tweaks in nutrition.
1. You really don't know what to eat.
What was labeled as healthy once might no longer be true at all and potentially not for you. First, you're getting so much information that conflicts what you knew it's hard to pick a lane and stay in it.
Second, the quality of our soil, the methods we use to harvest foods now, then ship them, and store them even before so-called fresh produce reaches you means foods we eat have lost their nutrient density.
Last, what's true of you may have changed. You may have been eating wheat bread for years but because of the quality of it or a leaky gut from stress or other food sensitivities you can't eat it now.
The answer is to test. You test you. There's no better way to know.
2. You exercise too much or too little or both.
Most women are making the mistake of too much aerobic activity or too many classes that offer a little of this and a little of that. There's no purpose to workouts. There's not adequate recovery between.
Women need more spurts of high intensity intervals one or two times a week and no more. Women also need heavy weight training for a few sets and exercises twice a week. Hour-long classes full of light weights and many repetitions may make you tired but not better.
You want to shift from trying to burn the most calories to balancing hormones with your exercise. They control weight loss and gain.
3. You are too stressed.
Believe it or not if you're eating right, exercising, and getting adequate sleep but your stress level is through the roof you will have a hard time getting your body to release fat.
Cortisol makes fat cells grow, fat storage more likely, and fat burning impossible. It's time to take a look at what you're doing not just to reduce stress but to cope with it.
Add joy to your life. You're not going to get away from stress but you can learn to be more resilient about it.
4. You aren't absorbing enough nutrients.
Even if you're eating them, which would be really hard to do in a single day, there's a strong chance that something about your lifestyle depletes you of nutrients. Stress, lack of sleep, certain preferences of eating and even exercise deplete us of nutrients.
If your gut is not in great shape due to food sensitivities, you have an even worse problem. Leaky gut is causing your body to fight against itself. Internal inflammation will make you weight loss resistant.
Your body is like a machine that needs all the cylinders firing to work. With too little of even one nutrient you set yourself up for breakdown.
The good news is that while food is the problem it's also the answer. You can improve with a few tweaks in nutrition.
mardi 1 mars 2016
Focus on Being Healthy Not Being Skinny
Here's one of the most important points to keep in mind if you are
longing for weight loss success - don't focus on being skinny, just
focus on being healthy. All too often folks get the notion that the only
way to successfully lose weight is to starve yourself and that you must
turn out looking like one of the skinny models in the many magazines
plastered on newsstands and the supermarket aisles.
Let's put this nonsense to rest: Don't focus on being skinny, instead focus on being healthy.
In a nutshell, if you focus each day on your nutrition and exercise plan your weight will take care of itself. The only time problems usually occur is when we allow too much sustenance to enter our body without providing a way to burn off the excess in the form of exercise.
Therefore from the moment you wake up, be mindful of every single thing you put in your mouth throughout the entire day. Everything has a calorie count so don't merely pay attention to the types of food you're putting into your body but also the quantity.
Portion size is usually what packs on the pounds since many people eat until they are stuffed. Guess what, if you are eating to the point where your stomach feels like it's going to "explode", you've eaten far too much. Your body just doesn't need that much food to function efficiently.
Eating an appropriate portion size is often the toughest aspect to get a consistent handle on especially since there are numerous opportunities to overeat every day. In other words, even if you eat a healthy breakfast and lunch that doesn't necessarily mean your day will end nutritiously. Dinner can often be a caloric nightmare since most of us are tired at the end of the day, lose self-control, and eat far too much.
If this happens not only will you eat too much, but since dinner is likely later in the evening your body won't have the opportunity to burn off the excess. Then you'll go to sleep and all those extra calories will now simply stick around on the body in the form of fat. Instead of ruining your weight loss efforts and essentially shooting yourself in the foot, here are some tips you can use to help control the portion size at every meal.
One of the best ways to combat overeating is to first serve yourself an appropriate portion of food on a small-sized plate and drink at least 2 glasses of water during the meal. Take your time when eating your meals too. It takes about 20 minutes for the body to register if it's had enough to eat so slow your chewing, drink that water and take your time.
Once you finish your portion, get up from the table. Don't sit around since your eyes may drift back to the food that's still out and convince your mind that you should eat some more. Best yet, start doing the dishes and packing leftovers in travel containers. This will really help get you out of "food mode".
Don't overlook the dangers of snacking while doing leisure activities too! Those moments when you're watching television, on the computer, reading a book, playing video games, or anything else you enjoy doing during your free time. This manner of eating can greatly affect your daily calorie total causing you to go way over an amount that's appropriate for you. Try not to snack while you mind is occupied on something else and you'll save your body countless numbers of calories over the year.
Let's put this nonsense to rest: Don't focus on being skinny, instead focus on being healthy.
In a nutshell, if you focus each day on your nutrition and exercise plan your weight will take care of itself. The only time problems usually occur is when we allow too much sustenance to enter our body without providing a way to burn off the excess in the form of exercise.
Therefore from the moment you wake up, be mindful of every single thing you put in your mouth throughout the entire day. Everything has a calorie count so don't merely pay attention to the types of food you're putting into your body but also the quantity.
Portion size is usually what packs on the pounds since many people eat until they are stuffed. Guess what, if you are eating to the point where your stomach feels like it's going to "explode", you've eaten far too much. Your body just doesn't need that much food to function efficiently.
Eating an appropriate portion size is often the toughest aspect to get a consistent handle on especially since there are numerous opportunities to overeat every day. In other words, even if you eat a healthy breakfast and lunch that doesn't necessarily mean your day will end nutritiously. Dinner can often be a caloric nightmare since most of us are tired at the end of the day, lose self-control, and eat far too much.
If this happens not only will you eat too much, but since dinner is likely later in the evening your body won't have the opportunity to burn off the excess. Then you'll go to sleep and all those extra calories will now simply stick around on the body in the form of fat. Instead of ruining your weight loss efforts and essentially shooting yourself in the foot, here are some tips you can use to help control the portion size at every meal.
One of the best ways to combat overeating is to first serve yourself an appropriate portion of food on a small-sized plate and drink at least 2 glasses of water during the meal. Take your time when eating your meals too. It takes about 20 minutes for the body to register if it's had enough to eat so slow your chewing, drink that water and take your time.
Once you finish your portion, get up from the table. Don't sit around since your eyes may drift back to the food that's still out and convince your mind that you should eat some more. Best yet, start doing the dishes and packing leftovers in travel containers. This will really help get you out of "food mode".
Don't overlook the dangers of snacking while doing leisure activities too! Those moments when you're watching television, on the computer, reading a book, playing video games, or anything else you enjoy doing during your free time. This manner of eating can greatly affect your daily calorie total causing you to go way over an amount that's appropriate for you. Try not to snack while you mind is occupied on something else and you'll save your body countless numbers of calories over the year.
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