Author Archives: Troy

Many weight loss plans encourage eating a lot of vegetables, beans and whole grains, but this may be a problem for some people because a high fiber diet can often cause excess flatulence.  What should you do if you want to lose weight but gas is a big problem for you when you eat a lot of fiber?

Below are a few tips that should help minimize the unpleasant intestinal effects of a high-fiber diet:

Minimize the worst offenders.

Foods that seem to cause the biggest problems are cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.  Eat these in smaller portions by adding just 1/4 cup to other vegetables that are easier to digest, like eggplant, spinach, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms.  The same thing goes for beans and legumes – eat smaller portions of them and mix them in with other foods. …

Vegetables are an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but many people avoid eating them because they can taste pretty bland.  A big bowl of lettuce may be appetizing to a guinea pig, but if you like a little more flavor in your food, try one of these tips for making vegetables more appetizing:

Add some spice.

There are plenty of herbs and spices that can instantly boost the flavor of vegetables.  Try one or more of these: cinnamon, garlic, onion, dill, ginger, basil, thyme, rosemary, cilantro, mustard, and nutmeg.  You can also buy seasoning packets at the supermarket that are perfect for spicing up vegetables, meat, soups and stews.

How do you know which ones will taste good?  Experiment!  There’s nothing wrong with trying a bite at a time until you get a combination that works for you.  …

Cook them in broth.

Have you ever thought of your eating in terms of being “bad” or “good”?  Most diets have trained us to see fattening foods as “bad” and healthy foods as “good”.  In a sense this is true because they can certainly be bad or good FOR us, in relation to the effect they have on our bodies.

However, this whole “I’m on a diet so I have to be good” mentality is hardly productive.  All it does is make us feel guilty if we dare eat something that “the authority” says we shouldn’t eat.

If you really want to be successful at losing weight and keeping it off, you may want to rethink the whole concept of “being good or bad” and instead develop a new set of guidelines that empower you to make wise choices.…

When it comes to weight loss, making things as fast and easy as possible is a high priority for many people.  Slow weight loss is better than no weight loss at all – but if there are ways to speed it up safely and easily, why not?

Below are a few strategies that have been proven to boost calorie burn:

Negative calorie foods.

Your body has to expend energy to digest the food you eat, but some foods are harder to digest than others.  That means your body has to work harder to digest them, which often means you are absorbing fewer calories than your body is using to digest the food in the first place.  These foods are called “negative calorie foods”. …

The warmer months of summer in the northern hemisphere make it one of the best times to lose weight.  Not only are our bodies biologically predisposed to slim down in warmer temperatures (as opposed to storing fat during the colder months), there are several other good reasons to rev up your weight loss efforts:

1. Enjoy the bounty of Nature.

During the warmer months of the year, there is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available for low prices.  You can get them at your local supermarket, but also at many roadside stands and farmers’ markets.  The selection is vast, the prices are right, and the flavors are oh so delicious!

2. Grow your own.

You can even grow your own delicious vegetables if you have a garden or would like to start one. …

Everyone knows that to lose weight you’ve got to change your eating habits.  Reducing the amount of junk food and sugar you eat, eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising daily, drinking more water . . . these are all important parts of a healthy lifestyle that promotes weight loss.

But you may not know that there are several spices that you can add to your food that will help boost your metabolism and promote fat burning.

Below are 3 of the most common spices that promote weight loss:

Ginger

Ginger elevates your body temperature and boosts your metabolism so you burn more fat, especially when it’s used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise plan.  Beyond its weight loss properties, ginger is also known to be helpful in reducing motion sickness and general nausea, heartburn, and inflammation.…

When you’re trying to lose weight, that’s the time when everyone you know decides to throw a party, barbecue, or other social event that is sure to feature endless platters of fattening foods.  Even if you have rock solid willpower, you may find yourself being pressured to eat foods that you don’t want to eat.

Many hosts and hostesses are under the mistaken impression that their guests can’t have a good time unless they are eating and drinking to excess, and sometimes they can get downright aggressive about it.  Is there a good way to handle these situations gently and subtly?

Here are 3 good “quiet strategies” that you can use without causing a scene:

Quietly graze.

Keep going back to the food tables but take only a few small bites of something each time, and make those selections as low calorie as possible.  Raw vegetable sticks, fresh fruit, salsa with a few small chips, or a deviled egg are good choices.  Once you’ve got those on your plate, circulate and socialize while you munch slowly. 

After your plate is empty, go back and get some more low-calorie foods, and repeat this circulating and socializing process.…

When it comes to food, not all of it is created equal – at least as far as its fat-burning capabilities.  If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll want to be sure you are including plenty of “fat burning foods” to help boost your metabolism and encourage fat loss.

Below is a list of 10 Super Fat Burning Foods:

Super Fat Burning Food #1 – Whole Grains

Eating too many carbohydrates will cause your body to store fat, but eating moderate amounts of whole grains (complex carbohydrates) actually helps you burn fat.  The secret lies in the fiber content – whole grain breads, cereals, and brown rice contain generous amounts of insoluble fiber, which passes through the body undigested.  This helps keep your colon healthy and prevents consipation and abdominal bloat.  Even better, whole grains are considered a heart healthy food because they help lower cholesterol.…

When you’re trying to lose weight, every little bit of help is appreciated.  That’s why it pays to research the best fat burning foods and be sure you are including them in your daily diet.  Today we’re going to reveal the best fat burning fruits.  Often people believe that because fruit contains sugar they shouldn’t eat it, but that’s not true at all.  Fruit has a ton of great vitamins and nutrients that your body needs, and as you’ll see in just a moment, certain fruits can actually help you lose weight faster and easier.

Best Fat Burning Fruits #1 – Lemons

Although lemons are very acidic, they have an alkalizing effect on the body once they are ingested.  Being overly acidic is one suspected cause of weight gain and bloat, plus achy joints and fatigue.  Squeezing fresh lemon juice into water, or over salads and seafood every day is a great way to give your body a vitamin C boost and a great dose of “alkalizing” action that will help you lose weight faster.…

When you first decide to lose weight, your first question might be, “What is the perfect diet for weight loss?”  You want a diet that is somewhat easy, simple, and sustainable for a long period of time.  That eliminates fad diets, dangerous supplements, and other extreme measures.

The perfect diet for weight loss will have two main facets:

Reduced Calorie Intake

To lose weight consistently, you must reduce the amount of calories you are consuming each day.  To get a general idea of how many calories you typically consume in a day, make a list of your usual daily diet.  Include all beverages, meals, and snacks.  Then use a calorie counter to calculate the total number of calories.  You may have to estimate the serving sizes, especially for restaurant meals, but you’ll get a good idea of where your normal caloric intake is.…

Weight loss for many women is a daunting process.  We’ve come to see weight loss as unpleasant but necessary if we want to be healthy and attractive.  Thankfully, the old “must suffer for beauty” methodology that used to govern most weight loss plans is fading away and being replaced with more wholesome, enjoyable approaches to wellness. 

Most women know that there are really no “secrets” to weight loss; change your habits and your body changes too.  But exactly HOW do you do this?  That’s the real secret – there are dozens of ways to change your habits, and not all of them are sustainable long-term.  How can you best shed extra pounds without having to struggle and suffer?

Below are 3 powerful weight loss secrets for women that are easy, enjoyable, inspiring, and sustainable.  …

1.

When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s a good idea to find a few easy ways to cut calories because keeping your daily calorie intake under control is a sure way to drop those extra pounds.  Try these painless tricks below:

Nix the Toppings

When it comes to easy ways to cut calories, you can’t get any better than omitting those rich toppings that turn a low-calorie dish into a fattening nightmare.  For example, salad dressing, gravy, cream sauce, butter, and sweetened sauce.  Either replace the fattening toppings with low-calorie alternatives (like salsa, hummus, and vinegar), or add generous pinches of flavorful spices (like mustard, dill, and cayenne pepper).  You’ll boost the flavor without excessive calories.

Eat Like a Bird

Do you know anyone who eats very lightly and everyone tells them they eat like a bird? …

One of the most common questions dieters ask is, “How do I lose weight around the stomach?”  No one likes a bloated, puffy, jiggling mass hanging out over their belt, and when they decide to lose weight that is one of the first things they want to get rid of.

Below are five simple yet effective strategies to help you lose weight around the stomach:

Eat Lightly

Do you have a habit of “stuffing yourself” at meals?  Do you eat so much that you’re very full and uncomfortable for about an hour after you finish eating?  That’s a sure recipe for building up that spare tire!  Start immediately reducing the volume of food you eat at any given time.  With every meal and snack, eat just enough so that you no longer feel hungry, but not enough that you are exactly “full”.  Aim for “satisfied”.  It may take a little practice to get the hang of it, but it’s well worth the effort.…

Along with warm, humid weather often comes swelling hands, feet, fingers, ankles and stomachs.  Water retention is a common problem for many people, especially women.  If you’ve ever felt bloated and uncomfortable and couldn’t seem to get rid of the extra water your body was holding onto, you’re going to enjoy today’s tips.  We’ve got some simple, quick water weight loss tips to help you release any excess water you may be retaining.

1. Quick Water Weight Loss Tip

Reduce your sodium intake.  If you tend to eat a lot of salty foods, or if you add a lot of extra salt to your meals, it’s important to minimize that.  The recommended daily amount of sodium for adults is 2400 milligrams.  That sounds like a lot until you realize just how much sodium certain foods contain!  For example, an ordinary can of chicken noodle soup.  The serving size is 1/2 cup, which contains almost 900mg of sodium.  There are 2.5 servings in a 10 oz.…

Let’s face it; sometimes trying to lose weight can be draining.  You’re eating less than you are used to eating, exercising more than you ever did before, and having to deny yourself all of your former favorite foods (i.e. the stuff that made you gain weight).  Most people find that they need to endure a period of adjustment when they first start a new weight loss plan, and during that period of time they may be low on energy.  Sometimes the slump can happen even after you’ve been following your plan for awhile – you just feel tired and listless.

Has this ever happened to you?  Are you in one of these “slumps” right now?  Today we’ve got some high energy weight loss strategies that should help boost you up again:

High Energy Weight Loss Strategy #1

Be sure you are eating enough calories to fuel your busy lifestyle.  So many people make the mistake of drastically cutting their calories!  They think, “Oh, if I just eat a few hundred calories a day, I’ll lose this weight in a month” – but that’s the worst thing you could do, both for your energy level and your long-term weight goal.  Whatever you weigh right now, multiply it by 10.  So, if you weigh 160 pounds, that’s 1,600.  That’s how many calories you would need to eat daily in order to MAINTAIN your current weight.  Since you want to lose weight, most experts would recommend reducing your caloric intake by 400-500 calories or so, which means eating 1,100-1,200 calories a day.  That should enable you to drop one pound per week.  (Everyone is different – this is just a general example.  Note that some experts recommend never eating fewer than 1,200 calories per day.  You’ll be able to tell which is the right caloric intake for you by how consistently you lose weight and how well you feel energy-wise.)

It seems counterproductive but when you eat enough food so that your body doesn’t think it’s in danger of starving, you lose weight much more easily.  If you’ve been cutting your calories too low, you’re going to suffer the consequences of low energy, poor concentration, and sluggish weight loss.  Try boosting your calories up to where they should be and see if that makes a difference.  For most people it will.…

Are there any herbs for weight loss and energy that are affordable and safe to use?  There are, but there is little “official” evidence that they truly work for weight loss.  Also, keep in mind that some herbs may interfere with medications you may be taking, and they may have an adverse effect on certain medical conditions.  What’s “safe” for one person may not necessarily be safe for you.  Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any kind of herbal regimen.

That said, let’s look at some of the most common herbs for weight loss and energy:

St. John’s Wort

St. John’s wort is most commonly used as an herbal antidepressant, but some people claim it also helps with weight loss.  These claims have not been substantiated, and there is no reliable documentation proving that St.…

Are there any herbs for weight loss and energy that are affordable and safe to use?  There are, but there is little “official” evidence that they truly work for weight loss.  Also, keep in mind that some herbs may interfere with medications you may be taking, and they may have an adverse effect on certain medical conditions.  What’s “safe” for one person may not necessarily be safe for you.  Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any kind of herbal regimen.

That said, let’s look at some of the most common herbs for weight loss and energy:

St. John’s Wort

St. John’s wort is most commonly used as an herbal antidepressant, but some people claim it also helps with weight loss.  These claims have not been substantiated, and there is no reliable documentation proving that St.…

If your weight loss has been pretty stable and predictable for the most part, it can be incredibly frustrating to see the numbers on the scale stop moving . . . and refuse to budge . . . and still refuse to budge!  This is known as the dreaded weight loss plateau, and it can mean different things for different people.  Almost always, breaking a plateau requires doing something different to jumpstart your weight loss again.  The problem is, it’s hard to know exactly what those actions might be.

Below are a few questions to ask yourself:

1. How many carbohydrates have you been eating?

Eating too many carbohydrates (simple or complex) can cause weight loss to stall.  Just how many carbs you can safely eat each day without stalling your weight loss is a very individual thing.  Some people never have a problem with carbs.  Others have to be very careful that they don’t overdo it or they stop losing weight, or even start gaining weight.  If you’ve been stuck on a plateau for a few weeks, a reduced carbohydrate day might get things moving again.  Note that you don’t have to completely eliminate carbs from your diet, nor is it advisable to do so.  Just eating fewer grain products, starchy foods, and especially sugar will often make a difference.  Replacing those calories with something else is recommended, however, because you don’t want to cut your calories down too low.  Good choices for replacements are vegetables and lean protein.  Increasing your water intake might be helpful too, because eating too many carbohydrates can cause fluid retention, which will is alleviated by drinking more water.…

Oh, we all love the salty, fried, crunchy goodness of potato chips – but they’re not necessarily the best choice of snack when you’re trying to lose weight, right?  In moderation, once in awhile it’s okay to indulge a little, but the rest of the time you may want to enjoy some healthier, diet-friendly alternatives to potato chips.

Try some of these yummy substitutions:

Popcorn

Popcorn is better for you than potato chips simply because it’s got a lot of fiber and very little fat.  Obviously, air-popping your popcorn without added fat is the healthiest way to eat it.  But if you prefer the quicker, tastier microwavable option, get some “light” mini-bags; most of them contain 100 calories and only 2 grams of fat.  Compared to potato chips you’ll avoid consuming an extra 50 calories and 8 grams of fat (or more).…

Diet soda is a popular beverage choice for people who are trying to lose weight, but is it really better for you than regular soda?  Does it really help you lose weight?  Or are there better options? 

We’ve come to see dieting as a simple formula of calories in, calories out, and for the most part that’s true.  But there are other factors to consider, including the chemical chain reaction that is caused by the foods and drinks we consume.

Most diet sodas contain just a few calories, and some contain no calories at all.  That means you can drink as many of them as you want and not gain weight, right?  Not necessarily.

Consider these points:

When you ingest something sweet, your pancreas releases a flood of insulin to help your cells absorb the sugar and convert it into energy.  Eating or drinking too much sugar creates a huge demand for more and more insulin from the pancreas, which not only stresses the pancreas but results in way too much insulin in the bloodstream, which promotes weight gain. 

Drinking diet soda instead of regular may seem to be the solution to this problem, but some experts claim that even the taste of something sweet (whether it contains sugar or not) still triggers insulin production.  If that’s true, it means that even though you would consume fewer calories drinking diet soda instead of regular soda, the impact on your body is pretty much the same.…

Chewing gum is often recommended for people who want to eat less and control their appetites, but does it really work?  Can chewing gum really help you lose weight?  Yes, and no.  It depends.  That clears things up, right? 

Seriously, there are a few things you should keep in mind if you want to chew gum to lose weight:

Chewing gum does keep your mouth busy.

The great thing about chewing gum is that it keeps your mouth busy so you aren’t tempted to eat.  That’s a good thing. 

Chewing gum offers a sweet taste for few calories.

Another benefit of chewing gum is that you get a nice sweet flavor for only a few calories.  Sugary gum has 15-25 calories a piece, while the sugarless variety has about 5 calories.  That’s a lot better than a slice of cake or a candy bar.  Some gum manufacturers are even producing interesting dessert flavored gum like strawberry shortcake and mint chocolate.…

If you’re struggling to lose weight despite making changes to your diet and exercise habits, you may be tempted to just give up.  After all, what’s the sense in trying if you’re not going to get anywhere?  Your frustration is understandable, and most of us have been there at one time or another.  But before you make any rash decisions, let’s take a look at some possible reasons why you’re struggling to lose weight and see if we can find some workable solutions for you.

First, take a step back mentally and look at your overall lifestyle habits throughout your lifetime.  Do you come from a family that loves to eat too much?  Do you “comfort eat” frequently when you feel anxious or depressed?  Do you have “lazy habits” that make you avoid getting enough exercise?…

It seems like there are pills for everything these days, but you have to wonder if taking so many pills is a good idea; especially since side effects often show up months or years later.  The weight loss industry is no different; there are endless kinds of pills that claim to melt fat away, reduce appetite, and increase energy.  Whether these pills work long term remains to be seen, but many people want to know, is weight loss without pills possible?

To answer that question, let’s take a look at the main purpose of weight loss pills, and see if there are natural alternatives.

Weight Loss Pills Reduce Appetite

One of the main purposes of weight loss pills is that they claim to reduce your appetite.  Sometimes this is done chemically by interfering with the hunger/satiety signals in the brain, while other pills may help provide a feeling of fullness with added fiber.  Achieving weight loss without pills means finding ways to control your appetite naturally.…

There are a lot of different ways to lose weight, but many of them are complex, confusing, expensive, and time-consuming.  If you’re looking for a simpler way, take a look at these 3 Weight Loss Made Easy tips for success:

Weight Loss Made Easy Tip #1

Shrink those portion sizes.  Did you know that most overweight people eat 2-3 times the amount of food they should be consuming each day?  The massive portion sizes that have become “normal” in our modern culture is to blame for that.  The first weight loss made easy tip is to start trimming down your portion sizes, no matter what you eat.  Do you normally eat a plate full of cooked pasta?  Shrink that down to 1/2 cup, and add some cooked vegetables and a serving of lean protein.  Is your cereal bowl the size of a dishpan?  For most cereals, a serving size is 3/4 cup.  You get the idea – start shrinking your portion sizes and that alone should make you drop a few pounds.…

There are a lot of ways to lose weight these days – just do a search online or open any magazine and you’ll find diets galore.  Many of them probably work . . . for awhile.  But if you want to achieve long-term weight loss while also improving your health and fitness, you’ll be more interested in learning how to lose weight properly.

First, what NOT to do:

Avoid Pills

Diet pills may serve a purpose for some people, some of the time, but most health experts agree that they really aren’t necessary for most people – and may in fact do more harm than good.  Losing weight is a matter of changing your eating habits so that your body begins burning stored fat, rather than storing still more fat.  No mystery there.…

Many a frustrated dieter has screamed to the heavens: Why can’t I lose weight with diet and exercise?!? Sometimes it SEEMS like you?re doing everything right and not getting the results you deserve, maybe Kent Ertugrul got you signed up for Phorm or another professional and still can’t drop the pounds, but more often there are a few little habits that are holding you back.  If you’ve been trying to lose weight with diet and exercise and you’re not seeing the progress you want, take a look at the common culprits below:

Too Much Sugar

Even if you are watching your calories like a hawk, you may be eating or drinking too much sugar.  Sugar creates a chemical reaction in your body that promotes the storage of fat. …

Amidst the many weight loss programs and “cures” available today, many people are looking for the fastest natural way to lose weight, one that does not include dangerous pills or extreme fad dieting.  Does this way even exist?  Absolutely!

The fastest natural way to lose weight is to adjust your eating and exercise habits to promote a healthy body weight.  That sure sounds simple, but we all know that it’s often anything but simple.  Or rather – the process itself is simple but the steps we must take are hard!…

Have you ever noticed that when you “fight against” anything you end up making little progress?  The very essence of resistance brings to mind sluggishness and stagnation, and the same concept applies to weight loss.  Whatever you try to resist or fight against, or “get rid of” just seems to get bigger and stronger in your life (or on your body).

For that reason, you can improve your weight loss success by switching your focus away from fat, and placing it squarely on fitness, health, well-being, reaching your goal weight, and so on.  (Any positive outcome as opposed to the negative condition you are trying to change.)

You may be thinking, “what’s the difference?”  The difference is that your mind-set makes all the difference in your ability to be successful.  When you fight against something, or try to get rid of it, or resist it in any way, you are in a negative state of mind.  You may be thinking thoughts like this:  “I hate this fat; I’ve got to lose this weight; I’m sick of feeling tired; I’m sick of wearing clothes that don’t fit well; I have to work out to lose this weight; I can’t eat foods I like because I’m fat.”  Needless to say, those thoughts are not at all positive and they perpetuate a bad attitude.  Over time, that negative attitude is going to wear you down.…

Have you ever noticed that most people start a diet or weight loss plan and they do great for two, maybe three weeks, but then their motivation starts to drop?  Almost all of the people who start a diet plan start feeling less interested and less motivated within 3-4 weeks maximum.  This happens because they start to feel bored and they lose that inner spark of enthusiasm when the days keep dragging on and they’re still eating the same foods, doing the same workout routine . . .

If this has happened to you too, you’ll be glad to know that there is a way to overcome it.  The secret to continued weight loss motivation is: REGULAR CHANGE.

The more you keep changing things up and setting new challenges for yourself, the more likely you will be to stay motivated and interested. 

There are a few ways you can do this:…

1.

When you’re trying to lose weight, picnics and barbecues can be kind of frustrating.  (Oh yippee, another gathering where I’m not allowed to eat 90% of the foods offered.)  But there are many delicious, low-calorie dishes you can bring to a picnic or barbecue that are very satisfying and perfect for warm weather.  Below are 5 of them that can be whipped up in a jiffy.

Vegetable Salad

All right, you’re thinking that salads are boring, but they don’t have to be.  You can start with a traditional green lettuce base and then add virtually any kind of vegetable (or fruit, for that matter) that you want.  Think colorful, flavorful additions like radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, green peppers, yellow peppers, onions, baby spinach leaves, mushrooms, carrots, olives, capers, cranberries, nuts and seeds .…

You see the commercials all the time: this cereal provides 100% of the recommended amount of key vitamins and minerals; this cereal can help lower your cholesterol; this cereal can help you lose 2 pounds a week.  Are these claims true?  And if so, what is the best cereal for weight loss?

It is definitely possible to use cereal for weight loss – but it’s not just about the cereal.  It also matters what else you are doing to shed pounds.

For example, let’s say you eat all of the wrong foods and don’t exercise.  Will eating a bowl of cereal help you lose 2 pounds a week?  Not likely.  Even if it’s the “best cereal for weight loss,” it won’t help you if the rest of your habits are out of balance.…

Using visualization for weight loss is a simple matter of using the power of your mind to generate specific feelings in your body, which will then inspire you to take better actions to achieve your goal.  There are a few different ways to do this, and we’ll explore two of them below:

Visualizing the End Result

Consider for a moment what your weight loss goal is.  Do you want to look a certain way, wear certain types of clothing, or weigh a certain amount?  Close your eyes and imagine that you’ve already achieved this goal.  Picture yourself wearing a nice outfit that makes you feel good, or see yourself doing something that you would do after you’ve lost weight, like horseback riding or skydiving.  Stay with the mental images for a few minutes, making them as realistic as possible.…

Using affirmations for weight loss can help give your healthy eating and exercise lifestyle a boost.  That’s because a very large part of successful weight loss is mental, not just physical.  Below are 3 key things that will help you use affirmations for weight loss effectively:

Weight Loss Affirmations Key #1

Stop the negative affirmations.  Did you know that speaking or thinking negatively about yourself or your body is a form of affirmation too?  When you say or think things like, “I’m so gross, I need to lose weight . . . Ugh, I feel fat today . . . losing weight is so hard for me,” all you do is keep “affirming” that you don’t like your body, that you aren’t attractive, and so on.…

Losing weight is challenging for almost everyone, even if they really do want to lose the weight.  But that challenge grows much bigger for people who have a fear of losing weight.  Weight loss for these people will be much harder because they’ve got some emotional issues to work through before they can focus on the physical aspects of weight loss.

The fear of losing weight is usually not about the weight loss itself.  More often it’s about what the weight loss would mean in other areas of your life.  For example, you may fear that your spouse will get angry about your change in appearance (or feel less attracted to you).  You may fear that other men/women might become more attracted to you, which would create tension between you and your spouse.  There are many possible reasons why a person might fear losing weight; these are just a couple of common examples. 

If you think you might have a fear of losing weight but you aren’t sure, ask yourself these questions:…

What negative things could happen if you lost weight?

Every few months one of my close friends calls to tell me about a new diet plan she’s following or will soon be following.  “My co-worker lost 20 pounds on this diet.”  “My neighbor says her daughter is doing great on this plan.”  “I’m starting my diet again tomorrow.”  To her credit, she usually picks diets that are safe, no extreme fads or dangerous diets.  But I can’t help but chuckle mentally every time she tells me she’s starting a new diet because in between those diets, she’s eating all the wrong foods and exercising only rarely.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m no saint with my eating and exercise habits either.  I do my best to eat healthy, and I also enjoy a few high-calorie treats occasionally.  I’m also not against dieting in general.  It’s a good thing to be conscious of bad eating habits and take steps to improve them.  But is dieting really the way to go? 

When I look at my friend, I see that she’s lost and gained the same 20 pounds over and over again for the past several years.  She firmly believes that dieting is the only way to lose weight, and once she’s lost it she goes right back to the eating habits that made her gain the weight in the first place.  Shortly thereafter, she starts gaining weight back and decides to go on another diet.…

People often think that their lives need to be a certain way before they can be happy.  “I’ll be happy when I’m making more money.  I’ll be happy when I meet Mr. Right/Ms. Right.  I’ll be happy when I lose weight.” 

The truth is that being happy is a choice we make day by day, moment to moment.  Many great spiritual teachers encourage us to be happy despite the fact that we don’t have everything we want, and by doing so we will be open to receiving still more happiness.

When it comes to weight loss however, it doesn’t seem like being happy can help you lose weight . . . until you consider a few important things:

Happy People Exercise More

People who are chronically unhappy, depressed, or angry don’t exercise as much as happy people do.  Let’s face it; you need to have at least a partially positive attitude to recognize the benefits of regular exercise, and you need to feel somewhat happy or positive to be motivated to work out.  Unhappy people avoid things that make them feel good, and exercise is a great way to feel good. 

Happy People Eat Healthier

Unhappy people don’t see the point in eating healthy, so they gravitate toward “comfort foods” that soothe them and keep them overweight.  Happy people know that nutritious food will make their bodies feel good, which will help keep them feeling good emotionally too.  They seem to instinctively know that staying happy means treating their bodies with love and kindness.…

When you start a diet, willpower can be your best friend.  It keeps you feeling strong and in control, no matter the temptations you face each day.  But how do you get that strong, rock-solid willpower that will keep you on track until you reach your weight loss goal, and beyond?  It’s actually very easy to strengthen your diet willpower, but it does require a little bit of practice. 

Start with these three strategies:

Diet Willpower Strategy #1 – Need vs. Want

The first step in strengthening your willpower is to recognize the difference between needs and wants.  You may want that chocolate brownie, but do you really NEED to have it?  Will it kill you to say “no thanks”?  Most of the time, just acknowledging that you don’t really need to eat certain foods makes you feel empowered enough to bypass them.  You may need to practice this technique several times before you feel really confident with it, but it does get easier the more you do it.…

Eating healthy is one of the most powerful things you can do to lose weight and improve your health, but in our fast-paced, fast-food modern world, that can be challenging.  If you’ve ever struggled to find creative ways to eat healthy, take a look at the following 11 tips:

1. Eat more salads.

Salads are one of the healthiest food choices you can make for yourself.  They are low in calories, delicious, and packed with nutrients and fiber.  Even better, they are incredibly inexpensive unless you’re adding exotic ingredients.  You can buy lettuce and a nice selection of vegetables to make a huge salad for $10 or less, it takes just minutes to prepare, and it will stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least a few days.…

Setting weight loss goals is one of the most common practices among people who want to lose weight, but few people do it in a way that makes them more likely to succeed.  Below we’ve compiled some excellent tips for setting effective weight loss goals, and the reasons why you should do so.

First, the benefits of setting weight loss goals:

You’ll have a clear idea of what you want to achieve.
You’ll have a clear plan of action for achieving it.
You’ll have fewer opportunities for excuses.
You’ll be more motivated to stick with your plan long-term.
You’ll be able to see your progress clearly along the way.

There are other benefits to setting weight loss goals, but those are some of the best ones.…

Few people consider exercise safety when they first begin a workout routine; they are usually more focused on burning calories and dropping pounds – however, being safety conscious is important if you want to get the best benefit from your workouts.

There are two important categories of exercise safety to consider: injuries that can occur from the exercise itself, and external threats that can jeopardize your safety while exercising.  Below we’ll cover some of the most common threats from both categories, and provide tips for avoiding them.

Exercise Safety Tip #1 – Avoid overdoing it.

When you first start a workout, it’s important to work your way up to higher levels of intensity gradually.  Strained muscles, torn ligaments, and sprained ankles, shoulders, knees, wrists and backs are common injuries that result from trying to do too much, too soon.  Take it easy when you’re first starting out!…

When you want to lose weight, you may immediately start focusing on dietary changes like cutting calories, reducing portion sizes and eliminating junk food.  These are all great changes that will indeed result in weight loss, but there’s another factor to consider.  For health purposes, it’s wiser to focus on getting FIT rather than just losing weight.  After all, it’s possible to be thin and sickly, thin and weak, and thin and unhealthy, right?

Here are a few things to keep in mind regarding fitness and weight loss:

Physical activity boosts metabolism.

The more active you are, the thinner you will be and the healthier you will be.  Not only that, but when you exercise regularly and live an active lifestyle you’ll be able to consume more calories while still maintaining a healthy weight.  When you try to lose weight just by eating less, you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of eating fewer and fewer calories just to maintain a healthy weight as your metabolism slows down as you get older.…