EXERCISE
shortrten rest periods
Keep your workout short and snappy and keep your rest periods short as well. Should you be taking more than one minute between sets you are more than likely dragging the workout on for longer than it needs to be, and reducing the effectiveness of your workout.

- Is running really the best exercise for weight loss?
Running can be an efficient way to help a person lose weight because it burns a high number of calories, minute for minute, compared to many other activities.
If you hate running and don’t do it, it’s not the best exercise for you. Try walking instead. It is low impact so it doesnt cause any damage to your body, and if you dont like running then a good walk can be a lot more enjoyable.

- Workout smarter
Did you know you can actually lose more weight & keep your metabolism fired up longer by doing 3-to-4 shorter 10-minute workouts instead of 1 big 30-to-40-minute cardio workout?

It has been found that women who split up their 40 minute cardio workouts into 4 separate 10 minute cardio workout sessions during the day LOST 20 pounds while women who did one big 40 minute cardio workout only lost 14 pounds.

The reason why more shorter workouts are better is because you never give your fat burning metabolism a chance to slow down.

- Find a workout buddy
Having someone else to workout with is a great way to stay motivated. When you know there is someone else going at the same time as you to workout with you, you will be more likely to show up. Plus, with their encouragement during the workout you will try a lot harder.
- Lift heavier weights to burn fast faster
If you lift heavy weights (that allow you to only do 3-to-12 reps per set) you’ll burn more calories during your weight training workout if you lifted lighter weights for 12 or more reps and the reason is simple.
You burn more calories or use much more energy to lift heavier weights plus… You’ll get a much greater after burn effect from lifting heavier weights because of the high intensity and your body’s metabolism will burn more fat to help your body recover from your heavy weight training workout – Go here to see what after burn has to do with weight loss

- Do cardio last in your workout
Spend the last 45 minutes during your workout. Before you hop on the bike or treadmill for an hour it’s best that you spend 45 minutes doing a muscle building or body sculpting workout to use up most of your body’s stored carbs or glycogen for energy so when you do get ready to do your cardio workout.
Your body will began to burn more fat for energy during your cardio workout rather than a combination of fat and carbs because you already used up most of your body’s stored carbs for energy during your 45 minute muscle building or body sculpting workout .

When you worked with most of your stored carbs GONE so you can burn more fat . You can blast away twice as much fat if you do a higher intensity workout after your body sculpting workout like intervals or Tae-bo and a perfect example of a ready-made weight training workout followed by intense intervals .

Sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep the levels of leptin in your body are lowered. Leptin is a blood protein that suppresses your appetite. Because of this you feel the urge to want to eat more. Levels of a hormone called cortisol which encourages stomach fat accumulation is also released when the body does not get enough sleep.

Lack of sleep can cause your people to want to eat high-sugar, high-fat foods and drinks. The idea is that when you don’t feel rested you will reach for quick-energy (ie: high-calorie) food. By doing you think that the food and drinks will make you feel more energized. Energy drinks, which are high in suger, are especially popular.

Should you be in the situation where you are lacking in sleep, go for make sure you reach for sugar-free gum and water.

It is important that you aim for a good nights sleep. The ideal amount of sleep is 7 hours a night, if not eight.
Goals


Part of losing weight is knowing the reason WHY. Knowing what the reason is for losing the weight is a great motivator when things get a bit tough. After you have come up with the reason why, just keep saying SO THAT are the end of the reason. The more times you say so that at the end of the reason for wanting to lose weight, the higher your motivation will be to actually do it.
For example – Why Do you want to lose weight…
• I want to lose weight to look better SO THAT…
• I can feel more confident about myself SO THAT…
• I can be the best looking person at my high school reunion SO THAT…
• I can see the surprised looks on the faces of my classmates SO THAT…

If you can come up with at least three SO THAT’S – nothing will stop you from losing weight.
Ensure that you review your goals daily. By reading them every morning when you wake up you’ll ensure that your mind stays focused on what you’re looking to accomplish.

- Get Your Head in the Game
Effective weight loss means mentally committing to the challenge. Successful dieters know that in their hearts what they are doing will work this time. Success starts in the head, moves to the heart, and lastly involves the mouth and stomach.
Keep a Weight Loss Diary


People who have a lot of weight loss success always account for what they eat. Writing down everything you eat, including calories, is an effective way of monitoring your eating habits. Do this for just 3 days and you will have a good idea of your food consumption. The more detailed the information the better.DIETING

Eating healthy food is one of the most important steps to losing weight. It ensures that you get the nutrients that your body needs to function properly you can control the amount of calories that you are taking in on a daily basis.

Eat less calories that you are using each day and you will start to lose weight!

Here are some Healthy Losing Weight Ideas:

- Don’t miss breakfast
Eating breakfast one of the most important meals of the day because it gets your metabolism started. By skipping breakfast and wait until mid morning or afternoon to eat, you will affect your insulin levels which can spike wildly and your metabolism will run slower.

People who eat breakfast generally eat 100 less calories every day for one year as compared to people who miss out on breakfast. The people this don’t have breakfast are 4 times more likely to be FAT than people who don’t. Combine this with a good exercise and diet plan and you are already half-way there.

- Fiber
The best way to quickly and easily lose lots of excess weight is by adding fiber to your diet. As you get older, you need more fibre in your diet, especially once you are over 40 and want to lose weight.

It makes you feel full prevents you from overeating while provided you with higher energy levels throughout the day because it slows down the digestion of foods you eat. This means that your blood sugar levels will remain constant throughout the day, and will stop you from getting hungry and stop you from overeating.

-Portion Control
Eating smaller meals can be a successful method of losing weight without the need for a diet program. The most successful dieters lose weight this way. The moment that you start taking control of what you eat and the size of your meals, is the day that you will start to lose weight. Dont overeat. Serve food on smaller plates instead of large ones. It gives the impression that you are eating a lot, but you are in fact eating less calories.

- Limit salt intake
Salt helps the body to retain water when consumed in large amounts, which in turn causes false fat (bloating). The recommended amount is 2500mg (1 tablespoon) of sodium each day. By reducing the amount of sodium in your diet, you will expel some of that unwanted retain water, which in turn will help you to lose some weight.

- Limit fat
Restrict your fat intake to less than a third of your daily calorie intake.

- Drink green tea
Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells.You can burn 35 -43% more fat during the day by drinking 3 – 5 cups of green tea, and up to 70 calories a day. Green tea boosts the metabolism, helping to burn fat naturally. as well as containing a lot of anti-oxidants which have been shown are very good for you.

Green tea also lowers level of cholesterol. It prevents ceel deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells. It improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol by reducing bad cholesterol levels.

Have a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea.

When you wake up in the morning, try green tea instead of coffee. Both provide a source of caffeine to your diet but green tea is also going to help increase your metabolism and improve your weight loss results. Also, green tea tastes great.

- Don’t overeat
Use smaller plates instead of big ones to limit your meal or portion sizes and also use baby forks or spoons so that’ll force you to take smaller bites which will make your meal last longer plus you FEEL full quicker on less calories.

- Drink water
Water has a few benefits including being good for you, flushing out toxins from your body, lowering the amount of ft that is stored in the body and helping to suppress your appetite.

One of the things that your liver does is to burn stored fat energy but it cant do this if it is not working properly, and causing the liver to store more fat – drinking a lot of water ( 6 – 8 glasses a day ) will ensure that happens.

Drinking a glass of water or vegetable juice ( natural of course ) before your meals will suppress your appetite so you will not eat that much so you can lose weight fast.

- Eat smaller meals more often
It is best to try for 4 – 6 small meals a day to lose weight rather than eating 3 meals a day because you are keeping your metabolism working. It is a bit like having a fire and putting logs on it to keep it going. The same principle works with your body and the amount of meals that you have.

With 3 meals a day you are more than likely to overeat, and be hungrier because you are waiting longer periods between meals. Apart from overeating, you are also more likely to snack on things that may not be good for you.

People who eat more frequently are less likely to be fat.

Should you feel like munching on something within 3 hours of your last meal, chances are that there is something else going on. Perhaps you’re feeling stress or boredom, not real hunger. (Thirst can also mask itself as hunger; drink a glass of water before you eat.) Try to workout what’s bothering you and fix it if you can. If you can’t, divert your temptation to eat – call a friend, organize your sock drawer, or read a book. Better yet, take a walk.

- Enjoy a Balanced Diet
Good nutrition is more than just counting calories. It is also about making healthy choices. So if you are reducing the size of your portions, you may also be reducing your intake of benficial nutrients.

Here are the 5 foods you should be eating as part of a balanced diet every day:
Whole Grains: Whole grains provide fiber, trace minerals and antioxidants and slow-release carbohydrates that keep your body and brain fueled. Aim for 4 to 9 ounce-equivalents per day.
Fruits & Vegetables: Fruit and Vegetables are virtually calorie free and can add a lot of bulk to a meal. They are a quick way to add more food to your diet without introducing additional calories. They give longer lastingenergy and help to fight off hunger cravings. The more vegetables and fruit people eat, the thinner they are.
Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, but high in vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals—compounds that fight disease-causing free radicals and amp up enzymes that clear toxins. Aim for 1 to 2 cups of fruits and 1½ to 3½ cups of vegetables per day. An apple (or more) a day They’re packed with fiber and water, so your stomach will want less. Try two small apples and two fewer large cookies.
Lean Proteins: Some studies show that, gram for gram, protein may keep you feeling fuller than carbohydrates or fats do. For overall health, choose sources that are low in saturated fat: seafood, poultry, lean meat and tofu. Eat 3 to 6½ ounce-equivalents per day.
Low-Fat Dairy: Nonfat (or low-fat) milk and yogurt provide a satisfying combination of carbohydrate and protein. They’re also good sources of calcium, which dieters often fall short on. Cheeses contain calcium, too, but pack in calories. Choose cheese with bold tastes so you don’t need a lot to get great flavor. Eat 2 to 3 cups of dairy daily.
Healthy Fats: Heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (in nuts, avocados and olive oil) and polyunsaturated fats (in canola oil, plant oils and fish) infuse food with flavor. Eat 4 to 8 teaspoons per day. Enjoy them in these delicious nut recipes and fish recipes.

- Eat more protein
Protein causes the body to burn off the most calories just digesting it, by including it in your diet you can automatically see a nice metabolic increase. Many women do fall short in protein, so this is something to really focus in on.

The more you eat earlier on, the less you eat as the day wears on, research has shown. So after your cereal, add a hard-boiled egg or a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick to keep you feeling full — and away from that pre-lunch brownie.

You’ll eat up to 500 calories less per day when at least 30 % of the calories you eat is from protein and… You increase your body’s fat burning metabolism every time you eat fiber & protein because your body has to burn a lot of calories just to digest the protein & fiber you eat .

Protein speeds up your weight loss by helping you build and/or maintain lean muscle that also raises your fat-burning metabolism. The main reason why people lose weight fast on high protein diets is because Protein suppresses appetite by keeping you fuller longer.

- Don’t resort to crash diets or quick fix solutions
Losing lots of weight quickly on a crash diet isn’t healthy or sustainable. Experts generally recommend losing no more than one to two pounds a week.

To lose a pound of fat, you need to create a deficit of 3,500 calories. To lose one pound a week, you need to create an average 500-calorie deficit each day. And to lose two pounds, you need a 1,000-calorie deficit.

Those deficits can be achieved through various combinations of diet and exercise. To create a 1,000-calorie deficit, for instance, you might aim to eat 500 fewer calories each day and burn 500 more through exercise.
Clearly, weight loss takes effort, time and commitment. “.

- Avoid sodas – Even Diet sodas
Since regular soda is basically a weight gainer drink and since water is a 0 calorie weight loss drink – You would lose 1 pound every week if you replaced 2 bottles of soda with 2 bottles of water.

Some studies now link high consumption of diet soda with weight gain because even though diet sodas have 0 calories. Artificial sweeteners increase your cravings for sugars and other foods that make you gain weight.
Your body doesn’t register calories from liquids the same way it does those from foods, so you won’t get those “stop eating” signals to help you compensate for the overload later on. Change from two glasses of regular soda or fruit juice to diet soda or a flavored seltzer

- Don’t drink juice
It’s better to eat raw fruit instead of fruit juice because fruits contain more fiber and the juice will always contain more sugar than the actual fruit and just like soda.
You can also lose up to an extra pound a week by replacing juice with water since most juice drinks are mainly just water & sugar.

- Eat Foods You Love
Everyone is hardwired with her own eating inclinations and aversions, from needing two cups of coffee (and only coffee) every morning to loathing raw broccoli. If you’re trying to override your preferences and force yourself to eat things you don’t like, at times that don’t feel right to you, you’re simply not going to last long on that diet. You’ll have better success at sticking to a weight-loss plan if you choose a preference that matches your eating habits as much as possible and customize it to your quirks.

- Plan ahead with your meals
Plan ahead with your meals, and organize meals that you enjoy eating. Do the same for the rest of the days meals. Planning your meals really does help you to lose weight. In this day and age it is so much easier to go out to eat, but you have no idea what is in the food. Plus, by panning your meals it forces you to have healthy food on hand. If you know what you have had for lunch then you can decide when to eat dinner, and you are less likely to eat a big meal.

So when you hear the question “what for dinner?” you should get excited, rather than having a feeling of deard at having to prepare yet ANOTHER meal.

- Control your daily calorie intake
The rule of weight loss is really simple: Less calories in than out, or more out than in….

If you have trouble exercising you can lose weight by controlling your calorie intake on a daily basis. Most people need about 1200 – 1500 calories a day and if you are active then you can aim for 1700-to-2000 calories a day. Count those calories when you eat and watch as you lose 1 -2 pounds a week.


What other types of diets are out there? Check out my review of The Diet Solution. Discover if nourishing your body with the correct nutrition to achieve optimum health benefits, as advocated by nutritionist and exercise specialist Isabel De Los Rios, is the way to go for you?

DITING

Eating healthy food is one of the most important steps to losing weight. It ensures that you get the nutrients that your body needs to function properly you can control the amount of calories that you are taking in on a daily basis.

Eat less calories that you are using each day and you will start to lose weight!

Here are some Healthy Losing Weight Ideas:

- Don’t miss breakfast
Eating breakfast one of the most important meals of the day because it gets your metabolism started. By skipping breakfast and wait until mid morning or afternoon to eat, you will affect your insulin levels which can spike wildly and your metabolism will run slower.

People who eat breakfast generally eat 100 less calories every day for one year as compared to people who miss out on breakfast. The people this don’t have breakfast are 4 times more likely to be FAT than people who don’t. Combine this with a good exercise and diet plan and you are already half-way there.

- Fiber
The best way to quickly and easily lose lots of excess weight is by adding fiber to your diet. As you get older, you need more fibre in your diet, especially once you are over 40 and want to lose weight.

It makes you feel full prevents you from overeating while provided you with higher energy levels throughout the day because it slows down the digestion of foods you eat. This means that your blood sugar levels will remain constant throughout the day, and will stop you from getting hungry and stop you from overeating.

-Portion Control
Eating smaller meals can be a successful method of losing weight without the need for a diet program. The most successful dieters lose weight this way. The moment that you start taking control of what you eat and the size of your meals, is the day that you will start to lose weight. Dont overeat. Serve food on smaller plates instead of large ones. It gives the impression that you are eating a lot, but you are in fact eating less calories.

- Limit salt intake
Salt helps the body to retain water when consumed in large amounts, which in turn causes false fat (bloating). The recommended amount is 2500mg (1 tablespoon) of sodium each day. By reducing the amount of sodium in your diet, you will expel some of that unwanted retain water, which in turn will help you to lose some weight.

- Limit fat
Restrict your fat intake to less than a third of your daily calorie intake.

- Drink green tea
Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells.You can burn 35 -43% more fat during the day by drinking 3 – 5 cups of green tea, and up to 70 calories a day. Green tea boosts the metabolism, helping to burn fat naturally. as well as containing a lot of anti-oxidants which have been shown are very good for you.

Green tea also lowers level of cholesterol. It prevents ceel deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells. It improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol by reducing bad cholesterol levels.

Have a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea.

When you wake up in the morning, try green tea instead of coffee. Both provide a source of caffeine to your diet but green tea is also going to help increase your metabolism and improve your weight loss results. Also, green tea tastes great.

- Don’t overeat
Use smaller plates instead of big ones to limit your meal or portion sizes and also use baby forks or spoons so that’ll force you to take smaller bites which will make your meal last longer plus you FEEL full quicker on less calories.

- Drink water
Water has a few benefits including being good for you, flushing out toxins from your body, lowering the amount of ft that is stored in the body and helping to suppress your appetite.

One of the things that your liver does is to burn stored fat energy but it cant do this if it is not working properly, and causing the liver to store more fat – drinking a lot of water ( 6 – 8 glasses a day ) will ensure that happens.

Drinking a glass of water or vegetable juice ( natural of course ) before your meals will suppress your appetite so you will not eat that much so you can lose weight fast.

- Eat smaller meals more often
It is best to try for 4 – 6 small meals a day to lose weight rather than eating 3 meals a day because you are keeping your metabolism working. It is a bit like having a fire and putting logs on it to keep it going. The same principle works with your body and the amount of meals that you have.

With 3 meals a day you are more than likely to overeat, and be hungrier because you are waiting longer periods between meals. Apart from overeating, you are also more likely to snack on things that may not be good for you.

People who eat more frequently are less likely to be fat.

Should you feel like munching on something within 3 hours of your last meal, chances are that there is something else going on. Perhaps you’re feeling stress or boredom, not real hunger. (Thirst can also mask itself as hunger; drink a glass of water before you eat.) Try to workout what’s bothering you and fix it if you can. If you can’t, divert your temptation to eat – call a friend, organize your sock drawer, or read a book. Better yet, take a walk.

- Enjoy a Balanced Diet
Good nutrition is more than just counting calories. It is also about making healthy choices. So if you are reducing the size of your portions, you may also be reducing your intake of benficial nutrients.

Here are the 5 foods you should be eating as part of a balanced diet every day:
Whole Grains: Whole grains provide fiber, trace minerals and antioxidants and slow-release carbohydrates that keep your body and brain fueled. Aim for 4 to 9 ounce-equivalents per day.
Fruits & Vegetables: Fruit and Vegetables are virtually calorie free and can add a lot of bulk to a meal. They are a quick way to add more food to your diet without introducing additional calories. They give longer lastingenergy and help to fight off hunger cravings. The more vegetables and fruit people eat, the thinner they are.
Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, but high in vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals—compounds that fight disease-causing free radicals and amp up enzymes that clear toxins. Aim for 1 to 2 cups of fruits and 1½ to 3½ cups of vegetables per day. An apple (or more) a day They’re packed with fiber and water, so your stomach will want less. Try two small apples and two fewer large cookies.
Lean Proteins: Some studies show that, gram for gram, protein may keep you feeling fuller than carbohydrates or fats do. For overall health, choose sources that are low in saturated fat: seafood, poultry, lean meat and tofu. Eat 3 to 6½ ounce-equivalents per day.
Low-Fat Dairy: Nonfat (or low-fat) milk and yogurt provide a satisfying combination of carbohydrate and protein. They’re also good sources of calcium, which dieters often fall short on. Cheeses contain calcium, too, but pack in calories. Choose cheese with bold tastes so you don’t need a lot to get great flavor. Eat 2 to 3 cups of dairy daily.
Healthy Fats: Heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (in nuts, avocados and olive oil) and polyunsaturated fats (in canola oil, plant oils and fish) infuse food with flavor. Eat 4 to 8 teaspoons per day. Enjoy them in these delicious nut recipes and fish recipes.

- Eat more protein
Protein causes the body to burn off the most calories just digesting it, by including it in your diet you can automatically see a nice metabolic increase. Many women do fall short in protein, so this is something to really focus in on.

The more you eat earlier on, the less you eat as the day wears on, research has shown. So after your cereal, add a hard-boiled egg or a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick to keep you feeling full — and away from that pre-lunch brownie.

You’ll eat up to 500 calories less per day when at least 30 % of the calories you eat is from protein and… You increase your body’s fat burning metabolism every time you eat fiber & protein because your body has to burn a lot of calories just to digest the protein & fiber you eat .

Protein speeds up your weight loss by helping you build and/or maintain lean muscle that also raises your fat-burning metabolism. The main reason why people lose weight fast on high protein diets is because Protein suppresses appetite by keeping you fuller longer.

- Don’t resort to crash diets or quick fix solutions
Losing lots of weight quickly on a crash diet isn’t healthy or sustainable. Experts generally recommend losing no more than one to two pounds a week.

To lose a pound of fat, you need to create a deficit of 3,500 calories. To lose one pound a week, you need to create an average 500-calorie deficit each day. And to lose two pounds, you need a 1,000-calorie deficit.

Those deficits can be achieved through various combinations of diet and exercise. To create a 1,000-calorie deficit, for instance, you might aim to eat 500 fewer calories each day and burn 500 more through exercise.
Clearly, weight loss takes effort, time and commitment. “.

- Avoid sodas – Even Diet sodas
Since regular soda is basically a weight gainer drink and since water is a 0 calorie weight loss drink – You would lose 1 pound every week if you replaced 2 bottles of soda with 2 bottles of water.

Some studies now link high consumption of diet soda with weight gain because even though diet sodas have 0 calories. Artificial sweeteners increase your cravings for sugars and other foods that make you gain weight.
Your body doesn’t register calories from liquids the same way it does those from foods, so you won’t get those “stop eating” signals to help you compensate for the overload later on. Change from two glasses of regular soda or fruit juice to diet soda or a flavored seltzer

- Don’t drink juice
It’s better to eat raw fruit instead of fruit juice because fruits contain more fiber and the juice will always contain more sugar than the actual fruit and just like soda.
You can also lose up to an extra pound a week by replacing juice with water since most juice drinks are mainly just water & sugar.

- Eat Foods You Love
Everyone is hardwired with her own eating inclinations and aversions, from needing two cups of coffee (and only coffee) every morning to loathing raw broccoli. If you’re trying to override your preferences and force yourself to eat things you don’t like, at times that don’t feel right to you, you’re simply not going to last long on that diet. You’ll have better success at sticking to a weight-loss plan if you choose a preference that matches your eating habits as much as possible and customize it to your quirks.

- Plan ahead with your meals
Plan ahead with your meals, and organize meals that you enjoy eating. Do the same for the rest of the days meals. Planning your meals really does help you to lose weight. In this day and age it is so much easier to go out to eat, but you have no idea what is in the food. Plus, by panning your meals it forces you to have healthy food on hand. If you know what you have had for lunch then you can decide when to eat dinner, and you are less likely to eat a big meal.

So when you hear the question “what for dinner?” you should get excited, rather than having a feeling of deard at having to prepare yet ANOTHER meal.

- Control your daily calorie intake
The rule of weight loss is really simple: Less calories in than out, or more out than in….

If you have trouble exercising you can lose weight by controlling your calorie intake on a daily basis. Most people need about 1200 – 1500 calories a day and if you are active then you can aim for 1700-to-2000 calories a day. Count those calories when you eat and watch as you lose 1 -2 pounds a week.


What other types of diets are out there? Check out my review of The Diet Solution. Discover if nourishing your body with the correct nutrition to achieve optimum health benefits, as advocated by nutritionist and exercise specialist Isabel De Los Rios, is the way to go for you?