Can't Lose Weight?

Posts Tagged ‘Lose Weight’

Weight loss is a huge business now-days and there are so many different methods that promises results, that it is very hard to navigate in this jungle. With all of the diet tricks out there, it is difficult to determine which weight loss methods are legitimate.  Also most of these methods are costly and often give different results from individual to individual, this makes it even more difficult to find one that works for you. 

My recommendation if you are looking for permanent results is to go the natural way; fat diets, unbalanced diets, diet pills, diet supplements, weight loss surgery and other short term weight loss methods are not recommended for permanent weight control.  Sudden weight loss methods are also dangerous to the body.  But today more people are realizing that natural weight loss methods are the only way to achieve healthy, lasting results. Natural weight loss methods are proven to be the safest. 

A natural method is, when your body burns more fat that it consumes. What you put in your mouth is of course very important also. There are many diets available, for example herbal weight loss methods are proving to be effective the world over, and have attracted wide-spread media attention as a result.  Other effective weight loss method is the good old exercise. Exercise is a natural as well as permanent solution for weight loss.

There are clinics and doctor’s specialized on weight manage. A patient’s situation is carefully studied and after that the plan is to manage body weight depending on the patient’s risk factors in health, and the rate and effect of these factors.  These methods are costly, but you will feel that you are in safe hands.

Not long ago a medical clinic run a test on people who had earlier participated in a weight loss program;

First all participants received two dietary questionnaires to complete at home. When looking at the results, it should be noted that for role functioning, emotional and mental health there was no difference in the scores between those perceiving themselves as just right and too fat.  For men a similarly direct relationship was observed between weight loss history and quality of life, but differences between weight loss categories were significant only for physical functioning, bodily pain, general health and vitality.  For women all quality of life dimensions (with the exception of vitality, mental health and role-functioning emotional) differed between body mass indexes after adjustment, with the overweight having lower mean scores.  Perceived weight was associated with general health and vitality, independent of obesity in men. Those women with a stronger history of weight loss had significantly lower scores for physical function, mental health, bodily pain, role functioning, emotional, social function and vitality.  Longitudinal analysis showed that women with weight increase of greater than 10% had significant lower quality of life scores in terms of physical health, general health and vitality.

This shows us that excess fat in our bodies makes us vulnerable for depression and mental problems, also our vitality levels go down, which means a lower life quality. These results also reflect findings in psycho-social literature and speculation on the part of many clinical and public health practitioners that the impact of obesity on well-being more often depend on subjective assessment by an individual of their weight rather than realistic appraisal relative to healthy standards. 

In a society with such a high prevalence of overweight and obesity, quick fix weight loss methods are in high demand.  This is also where the business starts, and I’m sorry to say there are many out there that are more interested in their own earnings than patients well being. Therefore go only after diets and methods which are medically tested and approved.  

When you are looking for a weight loss program, what do you normally look for in a program? You would first look for a program that is balanced between nutrition and exercise as well as addressing any other types of health concerns that you may be having besides the weight issues that you are looking into. You will also want a weight loss program that addresses your specific needs as far as weight loss and health are concerned. When searching for a program, it is best to take into consideration your particular needs and wants as far as a program of this type goes.
Another thing to look at when looking at any type of a weight loss program is the cost of the program. There are many different programs that are available on the market today, but some of them cost quite a bit to get started. Some don’t cost a fortune to get started with and come with all that you need in order to get started on a weight loss program without too much trouble. You will also want to look at the diets closely as some are low sugar, low Glycemic, lean protein and other such factors such as purchasing food and other dietary needs before starting on any type of program of this sort.
Most weight loss program offerings will have a balance between nutrients and will also recommend an exercise program to go along with the program in question. Ones to watch out for though are those that are based simply on supplements only such as the teas that are reputed to help you to lose weight. You have to have a balanced diet and exercise as well as possibly taking medication. Supplements alone, do not make a diet. Nor do they make a safe weight loss program by themselves. Proper medical supervision is suggested when embarking on one of these programs.
Any weight loss program can be good to use, but bear in mind that no two people using the same diet will lose the same amount of weight in the same amount of time. Look for a weight loss program that can be tailored specifically to your needs and for your level of health and fitness. Also bear in mind that the program needs to be tailored to you specifically. This includes any type of medication or supplements that would be used in the program in question. As each diet needs to be tailored to the individual, it goes without saying that a professional’s help should be sought.
There are many different weight loss program systems out there and most of them are good for dieting. The choice comes in when you want the best weight loss program for you. A careful researching either online or by phone can give you more information as to what the best one is for you. By researching the facts, you can choose a program that best suits your weight loss needs and weight loss goals that you want to reach in a safe and effective manner. Safety is mandatory when dealing with weight loss and weight reduction for anyone regardless of size or weight.

Have you tried to lose weight in the past but failed? You may have been fighting yourself to do it. I’ll explain.

There are two main parts to our mind: the conscious and the subconscious. The conscious part of you wants to lose weight and look good this upcoming season. Meanwhile, the subconscious wants you to continue to eat all the foods that make you feel comfortable and happy. Unfortunately for you, those tend to be composed of sugar and carbohydrates which only make your waist line grow. In a scenario like this one, the person ends up yo-yo-dieting because their “Will Power” can only last so long – literally. Will Power only gives you a short burst of energy. Once it’s gone. It’s just gone. The only thing left behind is your emotional stress and frustration which can lead to a vicious cycle of weight rebounding.

That is the reason why the problem of losing weight needs to be tackled at the source of where the mental conflict is – in your subconscious. The subconscious is where all your habits and patterns lie such as not eating healthy, not liking to exercise and drinking only soda. Once you get this part of your mind in sink with your goals, change becomes easy because you’re no longer fighting with yourself.

Hypnosis Has Been Scientifically Proven To Work For Weight Loss.

Setting your mind to lose weight and motivating yourself to enjoy healthy habits is possible with Hypnosis. A significant number of studies (several of which are listed below), have demonstrated that adding hypnosis to a weight loss program significantly increases its success.

A 1996 study conducted at the University of Connecticut published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that, on average, people who used Hypnosis were able to lose 2.5 times more weight than a person not using Hypnosis. The authors went a step further by stating, “The correlation analysis indicated that the benefits of Hypnosis increased substantially over time.”

As someone who previously battled with keeping extra pounds off, I know that you need to have the correct frame of mind in order to be successful. You may have experienced occasions when you’ve dieted and exercised but then your will power wore off. In the end, you slipped back to your old patterns and rebounded in weight. This continuous vicious cycle affects you not just physically but emotionally because as your self-esteem spirals downwards you start to overeat; you start eating calorie laden comfort foods again and you get stuck in the same pattern.

This scenario happens to countless of Americans who fuel the diet industry with their purchases of diet pills and other fads in hope of achieving their weight loss goals. The problem, however, is that the more you rebound, the more you set yourself up for failure for the next time you try to diet.

In reality, the perfect equation for most people to lose weight is simple. It’s:

Weight Loss = The Right Mind Set + Healthy Eating + Exercise

That’s it. In life as in science, the simplest answer is often the correct answer.

Hypnosis can help you achieve the right state of mind by “cleaning up the mental clutter” that prevents you from holding a determined course to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. It gives you the ability to naturally chose to eat healthy foods, to want to exercise and to be focused on achieving your weight loss goals. For some, it’s as simple as one session, while others see benefit from a series of sessions.

In a research article titled, Hypnotherapy in weight loss treatment, a group of researchers found that in a test group of 60 participants, those that did not use Hypnosis only lost .5 lbs while the group using Hypnosis lost 17lbs. Why? Because the people who had access to Hypnosis sessions were able to achieve that weight loss combination that eludes most people today.

More proof of the ability of Hypnosis to boost a person’s weight loss was shown in January of 2004, when Dateline aired “Losing it: Dateline ultimate diet challenge.” The show compared some of the most well known methods known to losing weight including the Atkin’s diet, Slim Fast, Weight Watchers, extreme exercise with calorie restrictions, working with a diet coach and Hypnosis.

The top two weight loss techniques that worked were Hypnosis and the Atkins diet. Unfortunately for the man who used the Atkin’s diet (Rick Burns), while he lost weight, he also became sick. “Rick developed a painful case of gout, a condition he’d had before, that he suspected was a result of the diet.” His diet had to be modified.

Marc Merlis, the man who did Hypnosis along with exercising and eating healthy continued to happily lose weight.

“After three months under Hypnosis, his wife had a nickname for him. Incredibly, “droopy drawers” had lost the most so far, a staggering 40 pounds. That’s when droopy’s wife got in on the action. She went to the hypnotist to quit smoking. And guess what? Smoke free, fat free. Five months in, for the Merlis’s things couldn’t be better. And at their son’s bar mitzvah this May, lifting Marc was a piece of cake.”

As long as Marc continued his Hypnosis routine, he was able to continue his path of losing weight. One of the things that I noticed about this weight loss challenge was how much the other contestants suffered by the calorie restrictions that they had to undergo. It’s hard to focus if you feel that you are starving. Hypnosis helps program your mind to think thin – this includes wanting to exercise and wanting to eat healthy so you’re not constantly struggling about what choices you have to make. An added plus to Hypnosis is that it helps you control your stress levels. This in turn helps you to lose weight.

Even highly respected consumer advocate John Stossel of ABC’s 20/20, who is known for debunking fraudulent claims, agrees that Hypnosis is no sham. In his best-selling book, “Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidty”, he makes a bold take on Hypnosis:

“Just when my skeptic’s antennae convince me I always know bunk when I see it, I get fooled. I assumed hypnosis in medicine was one more con game… “Hypnotherapy will help you lose weight!” C’mon, if it worked, there wouldn’t be all those overweight people around. Truth: Hypnosis works — if you let it!”

Smokers can also reap the benefits of Hypnosis for weight loss. A two-fold study stated that both nonsmokers and smokers alike experienced significant weight loss as well as decline in their Body Mass Index compared to the group who did not practice Hypnosis. In fact, the group who used Hypnosis continued to show lower post treatment weights. Non-invasive and relaxing, Hypnosis makes achieving your goals easy.

Hypnosis simply allows you to have better motivation and self control as well as a positive emotional association with your diet and exercise. You don’t just lose weight, you gain control of your own life, so that you can go out there and achieve all the other things that are on your list of goals.

Sasha Carrion, CHT

Helping You Achieve Your Goals

To Read A Deeper Explanation Of How My Hypnosis Program Works To Help You Lose Weight and Keep It Off, Go to: www.sashacarrion.com/WeightLossProgram.htm

3,500 calories to burn a pound of weight from your body. That is how many additional calories you have to burn for every pound of weight you wish to lose.A common question among those who are overweight is “how can I lose weight quickly?” No thought is given to how many years it took to accumulate the weight and that just possibly it could take just as long to lose it.However, It is possible to increase the rate at which you lose weight. All you have to do is increase the number of calories you burn each day and make sure they are more than the calories you take in.You have 3 main body functions that need energy to work.

1. Your Life Force.Your body functions whether you are awake or not. To function it needs energy. It gets this energy by burning calories. The action of burning calories to keep your body humming along is called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and approximately 30% of calories consumed by your body are used for this function.

2. Physical Activity. Body movement, hands, arms, legs etc., over and above the automatic life sustaining BMR actions your body makes. These actions burn about 60% of the calories your body takes in.

3. Dietary Thermogenesis. This is the action of burning calories during and immediately after the act of eating which enables the body to eat, digest, use and absorb the food. Approximately 10% of the calories burned by your body are used in this function.

How then does all of this help us to lose weight quickly, given that you need to burn 3,500 calories to burn a pound in weight?

The experts recommend losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds a week. This translates to burning an additional 3,500 to 7,000 calories a week. Breaking it down this eqates to between and 500 and 1,000 calories to lose daily.

It gets even easier to lose the weight if you choose to split this amount into calories you want to burn off with additional activity and calories you want to lose by reducing your intake through better eating.

Within these parameters losing weight does not get much simpler than that. How quickly you can lose weight then is dependant on how committed you are.

Here are 3 strategies for losing weight you can start using today.

1. Exercise – 20 to 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week, of aerobic exercise like brisk walking, swimming, jogging or aerobic training, all of which will increase your heart rate. High intensity workouts of a sustained nature like these keep your body burning fat long after finishing the exercise.

2. More Meals – 5 smaller  meals eaten during the day allow your metabolism to burn fat faster that larger less frequent meals do. Smaller, regular meals also allow you to keep hunger pangs and potential binge eating in check.

3. Spicy Food – research has shown spicy food can boost your metabolism by up to 50% for anything up to 3 hours after finishing your meal. Chillies are particularly good at this.

With little effort these strategies can be put into effect and your life can start changing for the better very quickly. You can lose weight quickly but only if you consistently work at it.

These strategies will help you achieve your weight loss goals.

You do not have to be one of the many who are dissatisfied with what they weigh and how they look. Did you know that four out of five American women are unhappy with how they look?

On any given day one in four American men and and 50% of American women will be dieting. Of those who are dieting 95% will regain the weight they lose, plus an extra couple of pounds, within two years of completing their weight loss program. Only 5% manage to lose weight and keep it off. Find out HERE how you can be one of the 5% who not only lost weight, and achieved the slimmer, more attractive body look they desperately wanted, but also managed to keep their trim looks.

Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Lau
Nowadays, everybody wants to lose weight. Weight loss has become a fad and fancy. You see so many credible testimonials, and so many before-and-after pictures of individuals who have ultimately achieved their goals in weight loss.
Are they for real? Are they “real” people who have “real” results in weight loss? You just wonder. Well, to give them the benefit of the doubt, they may be real, but they are few and far in between. In the real world, unfortunately, there are millions who have fallen victims in the battle of the bulge. Not only are they frustrated in their futile attempts to lose weight, but they are also much worse off than they were when they began the process of weight loss.
Indeed, to lose weight is frustrating and futile. Seeing others’ success and witnessing your own miserable failure is a devastating experience.
The problem of weight loss may look complex, but it is simple in reality. Your ancestors did not have a problem with losing weight. However, the problem may look complex nowadays because it has become insurmountable. Indeed, weight loss is difficult and almost impossible to many. As such, there are myriads of approaches to the problem of losing weight, resulting in an array of programs purported to solve this seemingly-insolvable complex problem of contemporary society.
In spite of medical advancement, man has yet to come up with a pill that can eradicate all weight problems. But we are getting very close to that: medical science has enabled us to do almost anything with our body system, such as stopping food cravings, eliminating excess fat, changing body metabolism, and decreasing appetite. To date, it has not come up with something that will guarantee weight loss permanently.
On the market there are innumerable programs telling you to eat less or not at all (fasting), to cut calories, to consume more or less fat, to exercise vigorously, to use food combination, such as protein and carbohydrate, among others. To name a few, you have the Atkins, the South Beach, the Weight Watchers, and even Cabbage Soup, Peanut Butter, and Ice Cream diets. The consumer is at a loss as to what to do with their weight problems. Some decide to give up totally, ignoring their weight problems, and continue with their current lifestyles and eating habits, while others pursue these programs diligently. Unfortunately, they all end up with more or less the same result: ultimate weight gain.
So, what is the problem with weight loss?
The problem is that we all want a “quick fix” to the problem of weight gain and weight loss. Worse, we want it right away. You could have a Botox injection a few hours before you go to a social occasion, and you would look gorgeous. But you may have difficulty in losing your extra pounds and fitting yourself into the dress you wish to wear on a special occasion, such as a wedding, a few months down the road.
The problem with all these fad diets and gimmicks of eating is that they only address the symptoms and not the causes. Most of them promote weight loss through loss of water from the body, while the body fat remains. So, once you resume “normal” eating, you are back to square one – at an unhealthy weight.
The problem with most dieting is that it targets only the physical side of eating.
But weight loss involves more than the physical body: the mental, the intellectual, the emotional, and the spiritual aspects of the self have to be taken into consideration. Weight loss is not just about your body: it is all about YOU – a unique individual. How eating affects the mind, the emotions, the thinking, and the attitudes to living may vary in different individuals. And that explains why some come out triumphant in the struggle against weight problems, while others emerge totally frustrated and disappointed.

Are you tired of trying to figure out the perfect combination to lose weight? Overwhelmed and confused by conflicting information and the never-ending parade of fad diets and magic pills that are going to help you lose 10 pounds in 3 days? With all the information out there, it is nearly impossible to sort through it all and figure out what actually works.

That’s where I come in. I am going to give you 12 straightforward tips that will help you lose weight and get rid of that extra fat. I will simplify all the information that took me over a decade to learn, so that you can make your goals a reality for once and for all.

However, before you even start this journey, you have to WANT it! I am a personal trainer and in my business I have heard every feasible excuse as to why my client CAN’T lose weight. They can’t figure out what they’re doing wrong which usually comes under the heading “making excuses”. I’ve heard every one ranging from “it was the weekend” to “I can’t control myself in the late afternoon” to “I HAVE to have a snack before bed”. I’ve heard them all and the bottom line is you are either committed to losing fat and getting fit or not! Let’s face it—every week there is a weekend and if you blow it during the weekend, that is HALF of your week. Do you realize that? Still wondering why you can’t lose weight? I know this sounds harsh, but the truth is anyone can find a reason NOT to do something and somehow, justify it. You must come to terms with the fact that the only effective way to lose body fat is to put in the effort, nothing else.

That being said, I am going to give you no nonsense, realistic tips on how to do this.

1. Set realistic goals

First and foremost, you need to set realistic, attainable goals. I’m not talking about planning to lose 20 pounds for the wedding in three weeks. That’s not going to happen, atleast not in a healthy capacity that will result in true weight loss. You need to set specific goals with a set time frame and continue to change them as you accomplish each one. For example, plan to lose 1-2 pounds a week for the next month. That means by the end of the month you should have accomplished a weight loss of approximately 8 pounds. Make that your goal and then next month modify it or just continue on that path.

Whatever your goal is, the most important thing is that your goal is attainable so you don’t set yourself up for failure right from the start.

2. Gradual Changes get BIG results

I believe making changes over time is the key to achieving your weight loss goals. If you decide one day you’re going to change everything, you will fail! You may be motivated for a little while, but within a short time, you will feel miserable and deprived and eventually give up. This is the problem with going on a “diet”. It is short lived and whatever you lost, you will ultimately gain back.

It is about a lifestyle change that can be accomplished by making small changes over time. These small changes will bring on big results, as well as become a way of life.

For example:

Week 1: Try cutting out anything “white”, meaning white flour product, white rice and white sugar. Replace white flour products with whole-wheat flour products. Include whole grains and lots of vegetables with meals.

Week 2: Modify your behavior at one specific time, that is particularly difficult for you. For example, if you know you always blow it at dinner, make some changes. I know when I’m sitting at the table with my family, I often grab for seconds just simply because the food is there. So what I try to do now is measure out what I’m going to eat and stop when my plate is empty. I even go as far as clearing my plate from the table. Believe me, it’s difficult to eat when I don’t have a plate or silverware (although my 10 year old son might disagree!). My point is, identify your biggest challenge and make a change that will enable you to gain control over it.  

Week 3: Cut out all sugary/high caloric beverages. These are empty calories that add up. Try water, green tea, etc.

Get the picture? This way by the end of a couple weeks you’ve cut out 10 things without even realizing it. Now you are on your way to eating healthier and losing weight with out feeling deprived because nothing was drastic.

3. DON’T Starve Yourself

The worst thing you could do is decide you want to lose weight and stop eating. You cannot starve yourself and expect to melt the pounds away. I don’t care what common sense says, it does not work! Your body adapts to circumstances and the bottom line is if you suddenly reduce calories, your body goes into starvation mode and hoards the excess calories you’ve already stored in your fat cells. It also slows down your metabolism, which means that when you go off the diet, you will likely gain back all the weight, plus excess weight you wouldn’t have gained had you not gone on the diet in the first place.

4. Eat More to Weigh Less

How can eating more help you lose weight? It’s simple. Our bodies perform much better on a more frequent feeding schedule. Instead of spreading your daily intake over three meals, I am going to tell you to eat 4-6 small meals a day, every 3-4 1/2 hours, which will keep your metabolism charged and help you burn off more calories. The key being SMALL meals. I often hesitate telling people to eat this often, because if you don’t understand portions, eating this often can backfire when you’re trying to lose weight.

A good gauge of how much a portion is, is as follows:

The easiest way I know to follow the 4-6 meals a day plan is to eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner and then have a mid morning snack and mid afternoon snack. The meals should be small and packed with high quality, nutrient dense food, including lean protein, fruits and vegetables. I don’t suggest eating before you go to bed, but if you must, try to keep it healthy and try to have it at least two hours before you go to bed.

5. Never Skip Breakfast

The biggest consequence to skipping breakfast or any meal is your metabolism slows down. Your body needs calories to function efficiently and it functions best when it is refueled first thing in the morning. If you don’t, your body will downshift and your metabolism will slow down, as previously mentioned. So, if you are trying to lose weight or even maintain, the last thing you want is a slower metabolism!

6. Write Down EVERYTHING You Eat

At some point in time, I have told most, if not all of my clients, to write down EVERYTHING they put in their mouth. Many of them tried it for a little while, while some couldn’t be bothered. I am now here to tell you, in the struggle to lose weight, picking up a pen might be just as useful as putting down the fork. In fact, a recent study was done showing that people who kept daily food diaries lost twice as much weight or more as those who didn’t keep a tally of their meals.

The reasons for the success are as follows:

A free website, I highly recommend, is FitDay.com. I find it extremely user friendly and very eye opening. Each day you must enter exactly what you eat and it actually determines calories, as well as percentage of protein, carbs and fat you’ve consumed during the day. It is not only very interesting to see what you ACTUALLY eat in a day, but also very educational. I think it gives people a real understanding of how they eat, as opposed to how they think they eat. It makes it easy to see where changes need to be made in order to get results.

7. Eat Enough Quality Protein

What I mean by quality protein, is lean protein; chicken breast, turkey breast, fish, eggs, egg whites, etc. Not only does it burn more calories digesting it than carbs or fat, but it also creates satiety so your hunger is satisfied longer.

In addition, protein is a building block for maintaining and building lean muscle and it is important to understand that the more lean muscle you carry, the more calories you burn even while you sleep.

8. Consume Fiber

It is important to consume fiber, as there are numerous benefits, which include lower cholesterol, reduced risk of heart disease and improved absorption of minerals and other nutrients. In addition, fiber also slows down the digestion process, which helps you control your appetite and cravings, as well as it helps you feel more full delaying hunger from one meal to the next.

9. Cut out processed foods

You need to get rid of processed or junk foods, period. In a nutshell, processed food lacks nutrients, causes fat gain and cellulite, weakens the immune system, weakens organ function, raises your risk of cancer, etc. Need I say more?

Be weary of the foods that are labeled, “diet”, “healthy”, “low-fat”, or “fat-free.” If you look at the ingredients you will likely find many that you can’t even pronounce, not to mention, in order to make all those foods “low-fat” or “fat-free”, they must replace the fat with something. That something is SUGAR! The truth is, you’re better of eating some fat, as opposed to all the chemicals and sugar in processed low-fat or fat-free food.

Sugar is poison! Aside from it depressing your immune system, contributing to hyperactivity, depression and anxiety, reducing HDL’s (good cholesterol) and elevating LDL’s (bad cholesterol), as well as numerous other problems, it also contributes to weight gain and obesity. So, if you’re going to do anything today, focus on cutting out sugar. Start paying attention to labels and steer clear of the “fat-free” processed foods.

10. Drink Water

Water is the most important element to total health and fitness. After all, your body is 65-70% water and your muscles are over 70% water. But the best thing about water when it comes to weight loss is its ability to curb your appetite and hunger. I suggest 6-8 8 oz. glasses for the average person, but if you’re trying to lose fat and maximize body leanness, I would consider doubling that. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty, to drink. It means you’ve waited too long.

11. Exercise: Cardio

I can’t stress enough how important it is to get some form of cardio in. If you are currently sedentary or have not exercised in some time, it is important to start off slow. Talk to your doctor and figure out a program that will work for you and try to perform it 3-5 days a week. Walking is a great way to get yourself up and moving so you can start seeing results.

However, if you are already in some sort of exercise routine, I suggest “interval training” which is the most effective way to burn calories and lose fat. Interval training is defined as short, high intensity exercise periods alternated with periods of rest.

An example on a treadmill (individual in good shape) would be as follows:

The total workout should be 15-20 minutes in duration. Keep in mind, the key to burning fat is intensity! So based on your individual fitness level, push yourself on the “high” intervals to a subjective 8-9 out of a level of 10 and on the “low” intervals a level of 3-4 out of 10.

12. Exercise: Strength Training

Incorporating some form of resistance training is not only an extremely important factor for weight loss, it has numerous other benefits which include: reduced blood pressure, lower cholesterol, strengthening of bones, as well as it increases calories burned which promotes weight loss. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn. Even while you sleep, muscles are responsible for more than 25% of one’s calorie use. So, in short, an increase in muscle tissue will in turn increase your metabolic rate.

I hope these tips were helpful. If you would like additional information on “interval training” or “resistance training” check out my website at www.NewBeginnings-PersonalTraining.com

Feel free to contact me anytime if you would like further suggestions or workout ideas. Good luck and keep in mind that I am always here to help!

Overweight problems are the most common reason that an individual will want to start a diet. Whether it is to become more physically fit, comfortable, more attractive or for health benefits, losing weight is indeed a positive change in many people’s lives. In some instances, losing weight can even save lives.For those who struggle in the battle of weight loss,I have asked many people who are or has been on a diet and the reasons why they choose to lose weight are:Appearance Many people have self-esteem issues when it comes to their weight. For some men, their overweight problems may not attract a person to him. For some women, it is the same. Women are more conscience of their appearance. They want to be more attractive to the opposite sex. Both sex, may feel that if weight is loss, a new or existing relationship would strengthen.Break The Stereotype There are stereotypes that are forced upon people who are overweight. Some people that are overweight, is looked at as if they are unhappy, tired, or lazy. I have heard some state, “I’d hate to be that person.” Many reasons why a person chooses to lose weight, is to break this stereotype. An overweight person has the self-esteem to endure the weight loss process. Therefore, losing weight makes the individual feel much better physically and mentally.Health Reasons Many people want to lose weight in order to physically feel better. A person may be 5 pounds overweight. Or a person may be 20 pounds overweight. The main goal here, is to shed off that excess weight. There are millions of people in America who are ill. By losing weight, this may deter heart disease, high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, strokes, and diabetes. The chance to diet, eat healthy, and lose weight is a positive option.Better EmploymentIt seems as if our appearance, also helps to determine our employment status. People may want to lose weight before that great interview. To look your best at an interview, creates a positive first impression. When you walk in the room for the interview, you are seen to have confidence and a glow about yourself. When interviewed, the employer may judge by looks. The notion of being overweight, may tie into the employee being possibly lazy and a unhappy worker. Therefore, this is another good reason why people want to lose weight.ClothingMany people tend to have a closet or closets full of garments. Some may even have clothes which was kept from 10 to 15 years ago. Those clothes may have shown a special quality, feature, or made the person feel good about themselves. So the choice to lose weight, is undoubtedly a decision one makes. They may want to once again, fit into the clothing and feel the youth they had 10 to 20 years ago. We notice this happens around the time of our class reunion.Savings On New ClothesAnother reason to lose weight, may be the savings of buying new clothes. A lot of people may buy a suit or dress that fits very nice. A year later, that same suit or dress may be too small. To buy clothing every year, will add up, which means money is being spent. For this reason, people become very motivated to lose weight.Save Money on TravelNowadays, people who are overweight or so called obese, are punished. On some airlines, a person who is overweight and cannot fit in the planes’ single chair, can possibly be charged a double fee. An individual may seem fit to lose weight in order to save him or herself money.There are many reasons why people want to lose weight. Looking better and feeling good about themselves is terrific. Having a plan and setting a routine is the first big step in losing weight. Yet, there are a lot reasons why people fail the battle of weight loss.To successfully hit your weight loss goal and eliminate your overweight problems, I have done some extensive research and discovered to my surprise, the biggest mistakes on why people fail at losing weight. I also have learned that you can possibly learn from other people’s mistakes, which will make your weight loss goals much easier.

The best method to lose weight fast is to combine cardio training with nutrition, weight training and a handful of motivation. If you drop out one of these main factors then losing fat permanently is pretty impossible. It is not enough to only do weight training or cardio, or without any training therefore all of them represent the perfect weight loss recipe.All of these factors have their own place, some are more important than others but all of them are important to achieve a permanent weight loss although in the beginning combining exercise and a healthy diet will see you losing weight fast.Weight TrainingThe fat burning effect of weight training come into play after the actual workout from the increase in your metabolic rate and from the increase in post exercise metabolic rate. During the weight training you will be burning primarily sugars. But the extra increase in resting metabolism is not enough if you’re looking to lose weight fast and permanently.Cardio TrainingAfter a short workout weight training has a greater effect but cardio still has a bigger effect during intense exercise. If a person does a 20 minute aerobic-cardio workout daily will notice great chances in your weight within weeks. In fact it’s not really important if you do steady state cardio or high intensity interval training, what matters is the amount of calories that you’ve burned overall.Combining both of these types of exercise plus embarking upon a healthy and effective diet such as the calorie shifting diet will see you lose weight steadily, feel a lot healthier and more energetic and will explain how to lose weight for the long run.The best method to lose weight fast is to combine cardio training with nutrition, weight training and a handful of motivation. If you drop out one of these main factors then losing fat permanently is pretty impossible. It is not enough to only do weight training or cardio, or without any training therefore all of them represent the perfect weight loss recipe.All of these factors have their own place, some are more important than others but all of them are important to achieve a permanent weight loss although in the beginning combining exercise and a healthy diet will see you losing weight fast.Weight TrainingThe fat burning effect of weight training come into play after the actual workout from the increase in your metabolic rate and from the increase in post exercise metabolic rate. During the weight training you will be burning primarily sugars. But the extra increase in resting metabolism is not enough if you’re looking to lose weight fast and permanently.Cardio TrainingAfter a short workout weight training has a greater effect but cardio still has a bigger effect during intense exercise. If a person does a 20 minute aerobic-cardio workout daily will notice great chances in your weight within weeks. In fact it’s not really important if you do steady state cardio or high intensity interval training, what matters is the amount of calories that you’ve burned overall.Combining both of these types of exercise plus embarking upon a healthy and effective diet such as the calorie shifting diet will see you lose weight steadily, feel a lot healthier and more energetic and will explain how to lose weight for the long run.

The majority of the general public think that in order to lose weight you have to starve yourself and eat rabbit food. This is not the case you can eat and lose weight quite effectively. You need to stick by a few simple rules outlined in this article and you can eat and lose weight a lot easier than you think.

What we need to get through to people is that a diet is not a bad thing. You hear them saying I can’t eat that I am on a diet, Or I am only eating non carbs this month as I am on a low carb diet. What you do not realise is that dieting this way is not going to help you lose weight it will hinder you.

In order to be able to eat and lose weight you need to focus on your main goal. How much weight do you want to lose? How quickly do you want to lose that weight?

Think of it this way. If you are currently eating 2500 calories a day your body knows that it has to burn that amount of calories. You then decide to go on a diet and cut your calorie intake to 1000 calories a day. The body then adjusts itself and starts only burning 1000 calories a day so in effect you will not be losing weight doing this kind of diet.

Your body needs to be trained on the amount of calories it needs to burn in order to lose weight. This is where most people fall down in their dieting. If you follow a few simple rule this can be overcome and will allow you to eat and lose weight.

1. Rule 1 is the most important of them all. PLANNING you have to make a plan of how much weight you want to lose and how quickly you want to lose it. You can then set goals and plan the meals you are going to eat.

2. You have to eat 3 solid meals a day. A lot of people skip breakfast or lunch but if you consistently eat 3 meals a day it stops a lot of the snacking between meals.

3. Don’t stop eating food you like. Everything in moderation is fine. You do not need to deprive yourself that mid week pizza and then feel guilty the rest of the time. As long as you don’t eat 5 pizzas a week you will be just fine.

4. If you fall off the wagon do not give up. Start a fresh the next day and try again. A lot of people give up when they do not eat the right things. Everybody is allow a mistake just dust yourself off look at your weight loss goal and get back on that horse again.

These are a few rules that if you stick to you will achieve that weight loss goal that you have set yourself. You will still be able to eat and lose weight and you will not need to starve yourself.

The pharmaceutical companies who manufacture weight loss pills are enjoying a boom time at the moment feeding off the desperation of a populus that is increasing in weight year after year.

Sales of prescribed weight loss pills and over the counter variants are going through the roof since the health scares surrounding types of this product caused it to be removed from circulation during the late 1990s. Links to heart valve disease were something of a death nail to the weight loss pill market.

Nowadays, the weight loss pill is experiencing a renaissance. According to the pharmaceutical companies these weight loss pills are made completely of natural ingredients and are no longer of risk but yet they are still dogged by health issues.

Weight loss pills can be either prescribed or bought over the counter and the difference between the two are briefly highlighted here:

Prescription Weight Loss Pills:

Weight loss pills that are prescribed are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration agency. These pills have been monitored and scrutinized by the administration prior to use by the general public and as such are deemed the safer option.

The most popular of these is Xenical which works by reducing the amount of fat consumed by the body by 30 %. Unfortunately, Xenical is still dogged by side effects that include passing gas, abdominal cramping, increased number of bowel movements, leakage of oily stool and a loss of total control over bowel movements.

Over-the-Counter Weight Loss Pills:

The temptation to use over-the-counter weight-loss pills is often irresistible and the fact that many are not regulated warrants the question, are these products safe?

There are many pharmaceutical companies cashing in on the revived weight loss pill market and this is mirrored by the myriad of products available. Here is a shortlist of products, their claims and what you need to know:

1 Hoodia:

Possibly one of the better known products, claims to decrease appetite substantially.

Verdict: No conclusive evidence to support any of their claims.

2. Alli:

Reduces fat absorption by the intestines. A lesser strength variant of Xenical.

Verdict: As one of the few FDA approved over the counter weight loss pills it has the benefit of backing to substantiate its weight loss claims.

3. Guar gum:

Stops absorption of fat and suppresses appetite.

Verdict: Unlikely to cause weight loss, can cause gastrointestinal problems.

4.Green tea extract: Much revered in certain circles as it is claimed to increase metabolism

Verdict: Limited supportive evidence.

There are literally hundreds more all with relatively the same verdict. There is one resounding factor that all of these weight loss pills have in common. They all state that they are more effective when used in conjunction with a diet and a exercise routine.

If you decide to use a weight loss pill and follow its instruction to use a diet and an exercise program isn’t that hiding whether or not the tablet is effective or not?

Personally, I would forget the weight loss pill and look for an effective weight loss plan that will:

1. NOT tell me to go on a low calorie diet yet still provide me with fast but sustained weight loss

2. NOT put my health at risk

3. NOT cost a fortune

4. NOT be difficult to keep up

Never take diet drugs if pregnancy is suspected or if you are allergic to sulfites and tartrazine. Individuals under 18 or over 60 should consult their doctor prior to taking weight loss pills