Posts Tagged ‘Lose Weight’

Weight loss is all about burning more calories than you eat, but what’s the best way to do that? Knowing the basics of how to lose weight, how to exercise for weight loss and how to motivate yourself are essential for creating a program that works for you.If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you know it can be a difficult process. But, there are ways to make it easier. Understanding exactly what you need to do to lose weight is your first stepDespite what you may think, losing weight isn’t a mysterious process. In fact, weight loss doesn’t even have to involve strange diets, special exercises or even the ‘magic’ of pills or fitness gadgets. Want the secret to weight loss? Make small changes each and every day and you’ll slowly (but surely) lose those extra pounds.Rules of Weight LossTo lose one pound, you must burn approximately 3500 calories  over and above what you already burn doing daily activities. 1.  Calculate your BMR  (basal metabolic rate). Your BMR is what your body needs to maintain normal functions like breathing, digestion, etc. 2. Calculate your activity level. Use a calorie calculator to figure out how many calories you burn while sitting, standing, exercising, lifting weights, etc. throughout the day. 3. Keep track of how many calories you eat. Use a food journal to add up what you eat and drink during the day. If you’re eating less calories than you’re burning, you’ll lose weight. Setting weight loss goals is probably one of the more difficult things to do when you embark on an exercise and/or diet program. How much do you need to lose? That question is hard to answer and often based on your particular goals. If you’re losing weight for your health, your goal might be more modest, say 5-10% of your current weight. But what if you have something more specific in mind like a certain clothing-size you want to fit into? How do you set a reasonable goal for yourself?The key to setting weight loss goals is to follow the standard of goal setting. It needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and tangible. Your first step is determining if you really need to lose weight.Do You Need to Lose Weight?If you talk to most people, you’ll probably find that everyone feels like they need to lose weight, even people who appear to be at a healthy weight. Often our weight loss goals are based on what we think we should look like rather than what’s reasonable for our bodies right now. In general, a candidate for weight loss may have the following characteristics: * A BMI of more than 25 * A Waist-Hip ratio of higher than .8 for women and higher than 1.0 for men * An Abdominal Girth measurement of more than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men Of course, those aren’t the only clues that tell us we need to lose weight. There are those annoying indications like tight clothes, getting out of breath doing simple activities, or stepping on a scale for the first time in awhile. But, before you set goals based on what you think you should weigh, make sure you really need to lose weight.Set Your GoalsIf you’ve determined you do need to lose weight, your next step is to set a reasonable weight loss goal for yourself. You can base your goals on any number of  factors, but a great place to start would be the general recommendations set out by the American College of Sports Medicine which are 5-10% of body weight or one to two pounds per week.  Read more... (634 words, estimated 2:32 mins reading time)

For years, centuries even, the idea of dieting and working out has been apart of millions of peoples lives. Am I overweight? Am I too skinny? How do I lose this pesky stomach fat? have all been questions that the masses have desired answers to. With all of the different get in shape fast schemes people have fallen into a virtual gain-loss-gain weight paradox. Society has been content with accepting these fads and even pay millions of dollars each year to get the latest “loose 15 pounds in 15 days” diet from a so called expert. The so called expert Dr. Robert Atkins, whose diet has swept the country like a plague over the past five years, believe it or not died of a heart attack related to the diet that he so staunchly preached. When will someone stand up and demand that these pirates of the health and fitness industry be held accountable for what they are doing? How many more people will fall victim to these ridiculous diet and workouts shenanigans before something is done.  Read more... (503 words, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)

Why do you want to lose weight? What is your main reason for going on a diet? When most people go on a diet they want to lose weight for a variety of personal reasons. Some want to fit into old clothes they’d like to wear again. Others want their current wardrobe to fit better. Yet others want to look good in a bathing suit at the beach or look more attractive to the opposite sex. If these reasons alone were enough to motivate most people to lose weight, we wouldn’t have an obesity epidemic. Studies have shown that if you have a big enough reason to do something, something that is a major motivator; you are more likely to succeed. What could that be in terms of weight loss? It is important to understand that losing weight and keeping it off is not just about you. Your success can affect loved ones around you and descendents not yet born. Say, what? Many studies have been done that show if parents are overweight; their children are more likely to be overweight. The likelihood is great if just one parent is overweight and if both are overweight, the children are more likely to be overweight than they are to be of normal weight. Now think about this, your children are likely to have children. If your children are overweight than its likely your grandchildren will be overweight. These grandchildren of yours are likely to have children and so on and so on. In other words, the success you have at weight loss can affect thousands of your descendents not yet born. Are you getting motivated?  Try this exercise: Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes (obviously don’t attempt this while driving). Take a couple of deep breadths to relax yourself. Imagine you are sitting in the middle of the field of a large sports stadium. All of the seats are filled, the place is packed, and there is a feeling of electricity in the air. They are all there for you! These thousands and thousands of people are your descendents. They are so grateful for your weight loss success and the example you set for your loved ones. They know that if it wasn’t for you, instead of being normal weight, they may all be obese. There is a big scoreboard at the end of the stadium that says in big letters “Thank you” (Insert your name here). You see next to this scoreboard a large video screen. On this screen a countdown has started from 10. When the number reaches zero the place goes crazy! Tears are streaming down their faces as they look at you and yell in unison,  ”thank you, thank you, thank you!” Are you starting to feel a little more motivated?  Read more... (583 words, estimated 2:20 mins reading time)

My job as a sports performance and fitness professional means that it’s my duty to help athletes achieve peak performance and also help regular clients achieve their goals in fitness such as fat loss and weight loss.
It is pretty obvious that what you eat is critical to your health and your performance.
In fact there was a study done on a group of people who were put on an excellent exercise program which consisted of 3 days per week of strength training, and 2 days a week of cardiovascular training. This went on for 12 weeks. That is a long time, and that is a lot of exercise (certainly much more than most people do!).
The results: A total amount of fat loss of… 0.5-1kg!!
Pathetic!
It is common for people who do everything correctly, that they lose 8-10kg of fat in 12 weeks. And even more if they started out very overweight.
The reason that the university study shows such disappointing results?… These people were told that they could eat whatever they pleased.
Conclusion: Nutrition is critical to achieve your fitness goals.
However there is another side to the story.
There are diets out there that promise incredible amounts of weight loss/fat loss.
I myself have tried all kinds of diets including very low calorie liquid diets. It was a liquid only diet but the liquids were high quality protein powders. It also includes healthy fats like fish oils and flax seeds, as well as some supplements to prevent muscle loss.
These diets WORK. You will lose fat, you will look lean, and you will defeat psychological cravings for bad food (this is probably the best effect)
BUT….
Don’t forget, these are DIETS. They are not NUTRITION. There are some “side effects” that make diets short term projects, rather than life long plans.
Here are some of the problems…
Metabolic slowdown – Diets that have very low calories cannot be done for long periods of time because the body responds with shock and thinks that it is in a state of starvation.
Stress hormones will go up – low calories is a condition that is stressful to your body!
Fat storage will go up – to stay alive
Non essential systems will slow down (reproductive, immune system, digestive system etc)
Digestive system will weaken (no need to work hard if we are eating all liquids/too little food)  Read more... (564 words, estimated 2:15 mins reading time)

Studies have shown that there are more people who are overweight now than ever before. To counter this threat, health professionals have come up with various ways to lose weight.
Some programs recommend the person eat products that are rich in carbohydrates while cutting down on protein and the other way around. A few examples of these are the south beach diet, protein power and the Aitkin’s diet.
One program that could make the person have great abs and lose weight is called the Abs diet. Mr. David Zinczenko, author of the book “The Abs Diet Eat Right Every Time Guide”, is the person who designed the abs diet. Thos who want to try this should commit to the program over a 6-week period. After which the individual will see a dramatic change such as flatter abs and weight loss.
This dietary plan was initially designed for men but some women have also tried it and have reported to show positive results. Studies have shown that a pound of muscle gained helps the person burn more than 50 calories per day. So, if after extensive work in the gym the individual is able to develop 10 pounds of muscle, this translates to burning 500 calories daily.
People who follow the program consistently are able to lose twelve pounds in the first two weeks with about five to eight in the succeeding weeks. Everybody normally eats three square meals a day. This diet program involves eating small servings six times a week. The food consists of eggs, whole grain cereals or bread, poultry, lean meat, low fat dairy products and certain fruits.
Aside from only eating those in the list, the person will also have to endure a 20-minute workout three times a week that is designed to help in the fat burning process. The abs diet is fairly new compared to other programs that have been around for more than 10 years. The abs diet is available in the bookstore or in the Internet. It is best to read up on it and do some research so the person will be able to understand what will happen should the individual decide to try it out.
Dieting doesn’t always mean giving on some of those favorite meals but simply cutting down on some and getting the much needed energy for the body from something else. A good example is the Atkins’ diet. This type of program focuses on taking in less carbohydrates and more of proteins.
There are more than five diet programs that focus on less carbs. The reason is because one carbohydrate focuses on four water molecules. People that are able to stick to the plan are capable of losing more than 10 pounds in less than a month’s time.
Why can’t the person just give up eating foods that contain carbohydrates? This is because people need this source of energy for brain activity and muscle function. A good way to maintain a good amount in the system is to eat food such as whole wheat or gain and staying away from products such as pasta, bread or rice that are color white. Brown bread or red rice can be consumed.
The best way to maintain this is by making sure that carbohydrate intake should not exceed 65% in the food being eaten.
Fat is also something that the individual has to watch out for since this also contributes to weight gain. One way to maintain it will be to make sure that the person only consumes 30% calorie intake from these products. A few examples of these are non-fat milk, nuts, vegetables, fruits and other fat free products available in the grocery store.
Eating less will reduce the calories. Now, in order to burn the existing ones causing flabs to appear in the body, the person has to exercise. Cardiovascular exercises such as swimming, running, aerobics and cycling are some of the best ways to lose weight. This is because the individual will use muscle glycogen and fatty acids as an energy source through out the entire exercise.
The American Council for Sports Medicine believe that a cardiovascular workout should last for a minimum of 20 minutes and done at least three times a week. In order to lose weight, the individual should at least do it for half an hour for five days weekly.

   Read more... (617 words, estimated 2:28 mins reading time)

With the popularity of the Atkins/Low Carb diet fading rapidly, it was only a matter of time before the next “big thing” came along to replace it. Enter: the Glycemic Diet.
The premise of the Glycemic Diet is simple: carbs are not the bad guys-it’s the TYPES of carbs you eat that are most important.
What Is It?
The Glycemic Diet is based on a scale called the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index (or G.I. for short) charts how quickly a food is converted into sugar in the body. Foods that have a higher G.I. number are converted into sugar more quickly than foods that have a low G.I. number, based on a scale of 1 to 100.
For example, straight glucose (which is straight sugar) has a G.I. number of 100, whereas a whole grain like barley has a G.I. number of 27. Proteins and fats, which have neglible impact on blood sugar, are generally not listed on the Glycemic Index, only carbohydrate containing foods.
So why is the G.I. number important? Insulin is secreted by the pancreas in response to increases in blood sugar in your body. Insulin is the primary storage hormone in your body and is used to help get nutrients into the different cells of your body. When blood sugar goes up, insulin is released to bring blood sugar back down by storing the sugar until a normal baseline is reached.
The faster a food is converted into blood sugar (e.g. with high G.I. foods), the higher the blood sugar levels get and the more insulin is secreted by the pancreas to help the cells of your body absorb the sugar. Your blood sugar decreases and your pancreas stops sending out insulin.
It’s a simple “stimulus-response” system that works to keep blood sugar levels in balance in the body.
Now, that’s all well and good but how does that affect your fat loss?
First, when insulin is present in the bloodstream, the body is in STORAGE mode and will NOT release fat from your fat cells to burn. So while blood sugar and insulin levels are high, your body isn’t burning fat.
Next, while your blood sugar is up, your body is using that blood sugar for energy instead of fat. Sugar is the preferred fuel for your body because it’s metabolically easier to use. This is why if you eat a carb-containing food before training, your body is going to be using primarily the sugar from that food for energy rather than your bodyfat AND, since insulin and blood sugar are present, your body is in STORAGE mode, not fat-burning mode.
[Quick Lesson - put away the Gatorade if you want to burn fat during your workout! Sports drinks have a G.I. number very near 100!]
Now comes the REAL fat loss killer…
When you eat a high G.I. food and your blood sugar levels rise very quickly, your body doesn’t really know how much insulin to send out so it sends out quite a lot and keeps sending it out. The result: soon your body has sent out TOO MUCH insulin and your blood sugar levels drop BELOW normal levels.
When your blood sugar drops below normal levels, you may feel dizzy, nauseous, and (the killer for fat loss) immediately hungry for sugary foods. This is a natural defense mechanism as your body wants to get your blood sugar back up into the normal range as quickly as possible!
But then the vicious cycle starts. When you eat the sugary food to get the levels back to normal, blood sugar goes up again and BEYOND normal levels, which sends insulin levels back up again.
How The Glycemic Diet Works:
The theory of the Glycemic Diet is to put a stop to this vicious blood-sugar/insulin cycle by focusing your eating on LOW glycemic carbs. When you eat low G.I. foods, the carbs are converted into sugar (the usable form in the body is called glucose) more slowly, allowing for a steadier release of that sugar into the body. The pancreas doesn’t shoot out large quantities of insulin in emergency response, which means your blood sugar doesn’t drop a lot soon after eating.
This “steady-state” nutrition allows your body to more easily access stored fat and to use that fat for energy rather than constantly relying on blood sugar. The bonus…you don’t get nearly as hungry because your blood sugar levels don’t drop far below normal.
Think of it this way…fat burning is like walking blindfolded on the deck of a ship (stay with me here ). When insulin and blood sugar levels fluctuate constantly up and down, it’s like walking on a ship in a storm that’s rocking all over the place in the waves. You have to constantly react to changes in your balance and you’re not going to get very far and definitely not in a straight line.
When you eat lower glycemic foods, it’s like walking in calmer seas. Even blindfolded, you’re going to be able to walk fairly straight and cover a lot more distance more quickly. You won’t have to be constantly reacting to changes that keeping you from walking that straight line.
And that straight line is fat loss!
Another advantage of the Glycemic Diet is that it also focuses on including good amounts of protein, healthy fats and fiber in with the foods you eat. Protein, fats and fiber, while having the advantage of no glycemic response, also work to bring DOWN the G.I. number of carb-containing foods when combined.
For example, a rice cake (a typical diet food which has a G.I. number of 87) will spike your blood sugar quickly. But put some peanut butter on it and the number drops by 10 to 20 points.
There are times when a high blood sugar response is desirable though! The only time, quite honestly, is immediately following a workout. At that time, your body is primed to use all the nutrients you put in. A G.I. carb at this time can help your body recover by spiking insulin levels. Insulin, in addition to helping sugars get into cells, also helps other nutrients like amino acids (the building blocks of protein) get into cells, which is very desirable after a workout.
The Bottom Line:
The concept of the Glycemic Diet is scientifically sound (that means it works). This is not a “fad diet” even though it may come across like one in the media. Eating low glycemic foods for fat loss can have a positive impact not only your fat loss but on your mood and well-being in general.
Think of it this way…a diet that focuses on natural, unprocessed foods such as whole grains, quality lean proteins, healthy fats and lots of fiber, regardless of the media and advertising gimmicks and hype that are used to promote it, is going to be a very effective diet.

Almost every female celebrity has had her name associated with a certain diet at one point or another. However no matter how much you trust and admire a celebrity they don’t always recommend good dietary advice.

Remember Oprah Winfrey pushing the Cabbage Soup Diet about a decade or so on her television. This diet alternated eating one certain food all day with drinking a high sodium broth made from cabbages, V8 juices and Lipton’s onion soup mix. One day you would eat nothing bananas, another day nothing but soup and another day nothing but meat. The problem with this diet is that it was basically a calorie deprivation diet that many people found hard to stick to. It was also a diet that was extremely high in sodium. Oprah later retracted her faith in this diet, but this is a good example of “When Good Celebrities Diet Wrong.”  Read more... (661 words, estimated 2:39 mins reading time)

New Rebel Diet book – the diet that forces you to cheat!

After quite a wait, the book is finally released. Rebel Diet, the anti diet industry guide to freedom from diet hell with the practical guide to weight, life and the relationship between our mental state and the effect on dieting, metabolism and weight loss and how to change it is on the shelves in the UK.

Rebel Diet , the new book by Emma James MABNLP, MATLTA, MABH, Dip FTST is out on sale in the UK and worldwide on the 8th July.  Read more... (546 words, estimated 2:11 mins reading time)

When it comes to sports nutrition, there is no exact diet that works for all people or all the different sports out there. An amazingly large number of myths about fitness, sports nutrition and nutrition in general are floating around so it’s important to do your homework. A great place to start planning meals and menus as an athlete is with a sport nutritionist.
Ensuring you receive the correct nutrition will encourage your success in any sport or fitness activity that you participate in.
A wise athlete will do whatever it takes to make sure they stay healthy for every game. The better you eat the better you will perform. Eating right also helps you recover from injury faster. One way start to improve physical prowess and develop more lean muscle is with creatine.
While most of the promotions and advertisements for sports nutrition companies still feature men and women with perfectly shaped bodies, the nutrition alone will not achieve those results. When establishing a rigorous diet and exercise plan, proper nutrition will vary depending on the training days involved. When it comes to potentially performance-enhancing supplements, consult a sports nutrition expert for help.
A determination of how much how much fat, carbohydrates, and proteins you should intake is best determined by calculating your own body and fat mass index. When establishing a diet for your training and competition schedule, consider eating wholesome fresh produce as part of your sport nutrition, but also vary your diet so you don’t get too bored with it.
While most individuals would love to have the problem of not eating enough for their body, it’s quite common for endurance athletes to lack sufficient nutrition. Very cheap supplements are usually just that, very cheap. Proper nutrition is important and not always cheap. A wise athlete recognizes the importance of nutrition and consumes the right food and supplements every day.
Ensuring you are always feeding your body’s daily recommended nutritional amount is an effective way to gain muscle, tone up, loose fat and slim down. Also, a smart athlete knows that every athlete does not need the same nutrition and the best sports nutrition program will be personalized. A sports nutritionist can help you determine how much of which foods to eat and when will be the best time to eat them. Ensuring you meet your very body’s daily nutritional demands is more important than sliming down in a week. If you are eating healthy, the results will come. Feed your body superior sports nutrition so it can fully benefit from all those sets and reps you’re cranking out.