Safe Weight Loss

04/08/2013 Leave a comment

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You can see television commercials for the next best weight loss pill every day on most every channel. The truth is there is no magic weight-loss pill. Some diet pills may even be dangerous to your health. Forget the fad diets. Don’t even think about starving yourself. Diet pills often have harmful side-effects. Most diet pills cause you to lose weight because they are a diuretic or have a laxative effect on your body, which can cause you to lose water weight. You will re-gain water weight as soon as you rehydrate your body. Dehydration can be dangerous, too. Other diet aids contain stimulants, such as caffeine, that speed up your heart and can increase your blood pressure. The safest way to lose weight is to see your doctor and ask her to help you design a weight loss program that includes sensible, healthy nutrition and exercise.

In order to lose weight, you have to create a calorie deficit. That is, you must burn more calories than you consume so that your body burns fat for energy. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, an eating plan that contains between 1,000 and 1,200 calories per day can help women lose weight safely. Cut back on simple carbohydrates and fats and replace those sugary fat foods with complex carbohydrates and fiber. Take cake, candy, cookies and white flour out of your diet. Replace those  calorie-laden foods with whole grains, such as bran, wheat, oats and brown rice. Eat more raw vegetables and drink water instead of soda. Eat a balanced diet with foods from all the food groups and keep track of your caloric intake if you want to safely lose weight.

Exercise is an essential part of any weight loss plan. As you use more fat for energy and start to lose weight, it’s important that you build muscle. Building muscle will also help you burn more calories since muscle tissue burns more calories than other tissues in your body. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn. Your basal, or resting, metabolism will also increase when you build more muscles. This means you will burn more calories sitting on the sofa in front of your television if you increase your muscle mass.

Filed under dieting, exercise, food, healthy body, weight loss

Calorie Deficit + Cardio + Strength Training = Weight-Loss

03/24/2013 1 Comment

Photo Credit: ParentingPatch

If you’re like most of us, you would like to lose a few pounds. You’ve tried everything but you just can’t seem to drop those last 10 pounds, right? There is no magic pill and it’s not a big mystery why you can’t drop those last 10 pounds. Most people need to create a calorie deficit — burn more than you eat. Many fad diets are based on calorie restriction by limiting the types and amounts of food you eat. Dieting can help you lose weight initially, but in the long-run you will probably regain most of that weight-loss. Deprivation doesn’t last long and you will not be very happy if you have to continually deprive yourself of foods you love. The key to lasting weight-loss is to burn more calories than you consume and build muscle mass to increase your resting metabolism.

It’s pretty easy to gain one pound of fat but you have to burn 3,500 calories to lose it. You can lose 1 pound of fat each week by creating a calorie deficit of minus 500 calories each day. Your resting, or basal, metabolism is the amount of calories you burn just being alive. Lungs breathing, heart pumping blood, brain thinking, abdominal and spinal muscles holding your body upright, all burn calories. Your basil metabolism accounts for up to 75 percent of the calories you burn every day. Increasing your muscle mass by doing strength training exercises can increase your basal metabolic rate, so that you burn more calories when at rest. Muscle tissue also burns many more calories than other tissues in your body. Gain 1 pound of muscle and burn an extra 50 calories per day while resting. Gain 10 pounds of muscle and you will burn an extra 500 calories per day doing nothing at all.

For fast and lasting weight-loss, combine strength training with cardio. Do strength training 2 days each week and cardio 3 days each week. A typical week might be Monday, Wednesday and Friday doing cardio, and Tuesday and Thursday doing strength training. Cardio is any exercise that elevates your heart rate and makes you sweat. Running, jogging, bicycling, swimming and sports activities are good ways to get a cardio workout to burn fat. Strength training includes not only lifting weights and working out on cable and weight machines at the gym, but also includes bodyweight exercises, such as push-ups, crunches and planks.

Filed under aerobic exercise, cardiovascular, diet, fitness, obesity, weight gain, weight loss

5 Best Weight Loss Exercises

01/15/2013 Leave a comment

Running is one of the best choices for maximum calorie burning and weight loss.  Whether you choose to run on your favorite trails or on a treadmill, you will get a tremendous workout and burn A LOT of calories. You need to burn 3,500 extra calories per week to lose one pound of body fat, so if you run for one hour at 5 mph at least four to five times per week, you could burn between 600 – 800 calories, according to Mayoclinic.com. That means you can burn between 2,400 and 4,000 calories per week, which makes running a great way to start slimming down and toning up.  If you have bad knees, then the elliptical machine is the ideal low-impact alternative to running.  What’s most important, however, is choosing a cardiovascular activity that you will really enjoy to keep you enthusiastic and motivated to exercise on a regular basis.  Swimming, step aerobics, cycling, hiking, spinning, power walking and circuit training are all additional ways to help you lose weight and get in the best shape of your life.

Whatever physical activity you choose to do, the key to reaching your weight loss goals is to never allow your body to adapt to your fitness routine. Once your body adapts to your routine, you will plateau and stop seeing results. That is why it’s important to vary your routine roughly every three to four weeks. You can change the intensity or duration of your workout. Try exercising at a different time of day or change the location of your workouts, and don’t be afraid to try a new activity. Cross-training helps prevent injury and boredom, as well as keeps your body from adapting to your routine. Throw in an aerobics class or a swim class to shake things up a bit. Just remember to keep it fun, interesting and challenging. Keep pushing yourself to move to the next level and improve your fitness.

Here’s a list of some of the best weight loss exercises. You can calculate how many calories you will burn based on exercise duration and body weight using an exercise calculator, which you can find on many fitness websites, such as webmd.com or acefitness.org.
1.       Running
Running outdoors or on a treadmill is one of the best weight loss exercises you can do.  You can burn approximately 100 calories for every mile you run. You can do this activity virtually anywhere, and all you need is a good pair of running shoes. If you stay consistent and focused on your weight loss goals, you will see positive results.
2.       Elliptical Machine
If the high-impact nature of running is too much for you, then the elliptical machine will be the next best alternative. Training on the elliptical machine is easy on the joints and simulates the cardio of running with added resistance. You can also burn up to 500 calories in one hour, almost equivalent to running.
3.       Step Aerobics
You will get an intense cardio and strength workout when you do step aerobics. You will work your glutes, hips, legs and upper body. Alter step height and speed to burn more calories in less time.
4.       Swimming
Swimming works practically every muscle in your body. You will also develop endurance, strength and cardiovascular fitness. Add swimming as a cross-training option to your regular exercise routine for more variety, and to prevent injury and lessen the impact on your joints. Water therapy is also ideal for those with injuries.
5.       Bicycling
Cycling improves strength, muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness. You can ride a bike almost anywhere, and it’s relatively inexpensive. Or, you can work out on a stationary bicycle at home, at work or at a gym. If you cycle on a regular basis, you will tone and strengthen your leg muscles and improve the mobility of your knee and hip joints. Continually challenge yourself and burn more calories by changing the speed and/or resistance.
Photo Credit: localfitness.com.au

Filed under aerobic exercise, aerobics, running, weight loss

Eat Vegetables to Lose Weight

01/14/2013 Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Public Domain US Government

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the top two leading causes of death in the United States are cardiovascular disease and cancer. To lower your risk for heart disease and other chronic health problems, you should try to eat at least two to three cups of vegetables every day. Unfortunately, most Americans consume less than half the amount of recommended vegetable servings, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vegetables contain many important nutrients such as fiber, minerals, vitamin C, beta carotene and folate. Veggies are also abundant in water and contain little to no fat! So, eat your veggies to lose weight and stay healthy! They are low in calories, rich in fiber and chock full of vital nutrients that your body is craving. When you fill up on the good stuff, there’s less room for the bad stuff.

If you’re looking for ways to increase your veggie intake, try some of these delicious ideas:
ü  Top a baked potato with stir-fried vegetables or vegetable salsa.
ü  Add shredded or finely chopped vegetables to pasta sauce, chili, lasagna, meat loaf, baked potato, or soup.
ü  Begin every meal with a salad and mix in plenty of colorful vegetables and dark green varieties of lettuce.
ü  Add greens to smoothies or have a tasty whole-food shake that contains lots of superfoods to support healthy weight loss, such as spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass, quinoa, acai, goji berries, etc…
ü  Add veggies for breakfast. Add salsa to your scrambled eggs or stuff an omelet with spinach or broccoli.
ü  Keep your veggies readily accessible and visible in your refrigerator. Prepare snack-size bags of pre-cut carrots, peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, and celery.
ü  Buy frozen veggies, so you always have a supply of veggies ready to go. And you won’t have to take as many trips to the grocery store.

As you can see, it’s not as hard as you think to start eating healthier. Just plan ahead and keep your kitchen stocked with metabolism-boosting foods. Before you know it, you will feel more energetic, sleep better, lose weight, and feel great about taking back control of your health!

 

 

Filed under food, weight loss

Stress And Weight Gain

08/01/2012 Leave a comment

Photo Credit: stuartpilbrow CC-BY-SA-2.0

Many people are under stress. Work, social obligations, bills, running the kids here and there can cause a great deal of stress. Often people under stress fail to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits and may gain weight. You may be tempted to stop for fast food on your way to work or skip the gym because you worked late. Even if you do try to eat a balanced diet and exercise, you may still gain weight. Stress triggers a hormone that may actually cause you to gain weight. 
Cortisol is a hormone that is essential for a number of body functions, including maintaining blood pressure, metabolizing carbohydrates for energy and stimulating the release of insulin into the blood stream to keep blood sugar levels stable. Stress causes elevated levels of cortisol in the blood. Excess secretion of cortisol by the adrenal glands stimulates your appetite, which can lead to overeating or unhealthy snacking. 
Elevated cortisol levels may also cause your body to store fat in your abdomen. Belly fat has been linked to diseases, such as stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. The best way to combat stress-related weight gain is to reduce the amount of stress in your life. If that’s not immediately possible, continue eating a healthy diet and get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day. Exercise can help combat stress. Take time to relax and care for yourself. Do things that are enjoyable and help you relax. 

Filed under diet, exercise, lifestyle, stress, weight gain, weight loss

Debunking Diet Myths

07/20/2012 Leave a comment

Photo Credit: FotoosVanRobin CC-BY-SA-2.0
It can be difficult for some people to lose weight. When they don’t reach their weight-loss goals as fast as they think they should, some may be willing to try just about anything to lose weight. There is no shortage of fad diets and myths that can actually harm your efforts to eat a healthy diet and lose weight. There are no quick fixes for weight loss. The healthiest, safest way to lose weight and get fit is exercise and a nutritious diet.
One myth that persists is that you have to eat a low-carbohydrate, zero fat diet to lose weight. A low-fat diet with healthy carbohydrates and heart healthy fats combined with exercise can help aid in your weight loss efforts. Calories are the real diet busters. To lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. Carbohydrates are an important part of your healthy diet. The USDA dietary guidelines suggests at least 1/2 of your food plate should contain fruits and vegetables, a little more than 1/4 of your plate should be whole grains and the final portion of your plate should be protein. The nutrients from all of these food groups are important for a healthy body. You have to reduce caloric intake and increase exercise to lose weight.

Some people still believe that skipping meals is a good way to lose weight. Skipping meals or fasting is not a good way to lose weight. When you skip meals, you will be more hungry and may over-eat at the next meal. Skipping lunch may cause you to eat more than you normally would at dinner. Skipping breakfast is a bad idea. Your body has been without food for hours while you were sleeping. Eating breakfast will replenish your nutrient-deprived body and jump-start your metabolism. Some people are able to lose weight by eating 3 small meals plus 2 healthy snacks throughout the day instead of 3 larger meals. It is also a myth that one type of food can help you lose weight. For example, grapefruit has been touted as a magic weight loss food because it is claimed to speed up the metabolism. Grapefruit is a healthy, vitamin-rich food, but eating a lot of grapefruit will not cause the fat to melt. Only a healthy diet and exercise really works. 

Another popular myth is that you have to give up all the foods and drinks that you love if you are going to lose weight. Again, weight loss requires burning more calories than you take in through your food. You can still have a piece of cake or a soda occasionally. Lasting weight loss requires a commitment to lifestyle changes that include exercise, plenty of sleep and a nutritious diet. Reduce the calories you ingest from sweets and sugary drinks to help reduce your total caloric intake. Include more fiber and whole grains in your diet to help reduce the overall number of calories in your diet. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day to lose weight and get fit. 
  

Filed under diet, healthy body, healthy foods, myths, weight loss

Get Rid of Back Fat

06/25/2012 Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Krestavilis PD
Fat can be deposited anywhere on your body. For many people, especially women, fat deposits on the back are a problem. Wearing a bra can cause back fat to bulge above and below the bra. A successful weight loss plan must include a low-fat, low-sugar, nutritious diet combined with regular exercise. It is almost impossible to “spot” train your body to lose fat in only one place, like the belly or the back. However, you can and should focus on exercises that burn fat while working specific muscle groups for a more lean and toned body. Start by being more active generally. Walk more, ride a bicycle, take the stairs instead of the elevator and adopt a healthier diet. Then try some exercises that target the muscles of the back to help reduce fat on your back.
Lower back extensions stretch the muscles of your lower back and help to strengthen your back muscles for better posture and balance. Lie on the floor on your stomach. Stretch your body out straight. Place your hands on the floor palms down beside your hips. Breathe in and lift your chest off the floor. Keep your face pointed toward the floor during the exercise. Lift your chest as high as possible and hold the position for 5 seconds. Relax and lower your chest back to the floor. Do 10 repetitions of this exercise. When you feel stronger, try lifting your legs and chest at the same time. 

The bridge exercise will stretch all the muscles of your back, your abdomen and your thighs. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Keep your feet flat on the floor and place your palms on the floor beside your hips. Breathe in and squeeze your abdominal muscles. Lift your hips toward the ceiling as far as you can. Keep your shoulders and hands on the floor. Hold the position for 5 seconds and then breathe out as your lower your body back to the floor. Do 10 repetitions. 

Filed under back, exercise, fat, fitness, obesity, weight loss

Still Trying To Lose Belly Fat? Try An Exercise Ball

06/18/2012 Leave a comment

Photo Credit:  LocalFitness.com.au
It can be difficult to lose stubborn belly fat. There are no reliable and safe quick fixes. Diet pills won’t burn away belly fat and fad diets are dangerous. To get rid of belly fat, you have to eat a healthy, low-fat diet and exercise. Sometimes even the most dedicated person can reach a plateau in the battle against belly fat and just can’t seem to lose those last couple of inches. Try an exercise ball. An exercise ball, also called a fitness ball, may help you tight up your abdominal muscles and lose those last couple of inches of belly fat. Continue to exercise regularly, eat a nutritious low-fat diet and drink plenty of water. 
Exercise ball crunches can help you burn belly fat because you are not only doing crunches, you have to balance on the ball which works your obliques, hips, thighs and lower leg muscles. To do crunches on an exercise ball, sit on the ball with  your feet planted firmly on the floor. Place your feet about hip-width apart on the floor and sit up straight. Cross your arms over your chest. Inhale and squeeze your abdominal muscles. Slowly lean backwards until you feel the pull in your abdominal muscles. Hold the position for a couple of seconds and then exhale as you slowly return to the upright position. Do 10 repetitions if you are a beginner and slowly increase the number of repetitions by adding 5 repetitions every other day. 
The exercise ball lift is an easy-to-do exercise that will really work your abdominal muscles and burn belly fat. Lie on your back and place the exercise ball between your ankles. Place your hands on either side of your body, palms down for stability. Squeeze the ball with your ankles and inhale. Tighten up your abs and slowly lift the ball using your legs. Lift the ball as high as you can and hold it for 3 to 5 seconds. Exhale and lower the ball back to the floor. Do 10 to 15 repetitions. Add 5 repetitions each week until you can perform 25 to 30 repetitions. Add some extra fat burning power to your ball lift by adding an ab crunch to the lift. Cross your hands over your chest and lift your upper body toward your knees as your lift the ball with your ankles. Hold the crunch and lift for 5 seconds and the roll your upper body back to the floor slowly as you lower your legs. 

Filed under abdominal, abs, belly fat, exercise, fitness, weight loss

Cool Down & Get In Shape With Water Aerobics

06/15/2012 Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Jorge Royan CC-BY-SA-3.0

Many people enjoy a refreshing swim or just splashing around in a pool on hot summer days. Swimming or just playing in a pool is a good aerobic workout. Water aerobic exercises are a safe alternative to regular aerobic exercise for some people. Those who have joint problems, such as arthritis, are overweight, pregnant and most older people, can benefit from water aerobics. Water aerobic exercises are extremely low impact. The water provides resistance, so just walking back and forth across a swimming pool is a good workout. Gyms and community centers often provide water aerobics classes complete with weights, floats and other exercise equipment, as well as trained fitness experts to help you get the greatest, safest benefit from your workout. 
Some of the benefits of water aerobics include improved endurance. The water resistance forces you to work your muscles without the danger of injury associated with weight bearing or high-impact exercises. Simply walking in the pool or swimming will improve your core strength as you engage your abdominal muscles to move against the resistance of the water. The water supports the weight of your body, which makes water aerobics a good exercise for pregnant women. You will stay cool during your workout, too.
Even though water aerobics is generally safe for most everyone, be sure to take some common sense precautions before beginning a water aerobics fitness program. Be sure to see your doctor for a complete physical checkup and tell your doctor that you want to start water aerobics. Make sure that there is a trained and certified lifeguard on duty at the pool where you will be exercising. Remember to drink plenty of water before and after your workout. Stretch your muscles before entering the pool to prepare for exercise. Be very careful walking around in bare feet on the wet area around the pool. Don’t forget the sunblock if you exercise in an outdoor pool. 

Filed under aerobic exercise, aerobics, fitness, health, swimming, weight loss

Sensible Snacking

06/14/2012 Leave a comment

Photo Credit: FotoosVanRobin CC-BY-SA-2.0

Americans really enjoy their snack foods. Vending machines are located just about everywhere and contain sugary drinks, chocolate bars, salty chips and pretzels and candy snacks. Convenience stores and many grocery stores place the candy bars and small bags of chips close to the checkout line or beside the cash register where you will be tempted to make an impulse buy. These snacks can contribute hundreds of empty calories to your diet. According to the USDA snacks can amount to nearly 600 calories per day. Many people will consume a full meal’s worth of calories every day just by snacking. Eating between meals does not have to be a diet disaster. You can eat a healthy, nutritious snack between meals that can help boost your metabolism to aid in weight loss. The key to losing or maintaining your weight and still enjoy between-meal snacks is to snack sensibly.
If you get hungry between meals, you should eat a healthy snack so that you do not over-eat at mealtime.  Snacks that will curb your hunger without adding too many extra calories will contain fiber and protein.   Peanut butter on whole wheat crackers or on a stalk of celery will ease your hunger pangs and provide nutritional protein, carbohydrates and fiber to help you feel full. Raisins, walnuts, almonds, dried cherries and apricots or fresh fruits, such as apple slices, a pear, an orange or a handful of grapes are rich in nutrients, fiber and antioxidants. One-half cup of low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit, like blueberries, raspberries or strawberries, can help you feel less hungry while providing your body with important vitamins and calcium. 
Don’t keep a bowl of chips, pretzels, popcorn or candy on the table in the television room! Mindless snacking can add hundreds of calories to your diet and you won’t even realize how much you have eaten. Replace your high-calories television snacks with healthy alternatives like dried fruits, nuts, granola and fruits. Low-fat cheese and whole wheat crackers is a healthy alternative to popcorn and chips. Cut out the sodas when you snack. Drink a glass of water before your snack to help you feel full between meals. 

Filed under calories, diet, metabolism, snacks, weight loss

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