Archive for the “Weight Loss Tips” Category

Usually I would have posted this yesterday, but I was a bit busy and did not get a chance to logo back on. Anyway, I found this article that will help many people that are just starting there weight loss journey is hopes to have success. I believe success is key if you have the right tools to educate yourself as you lose the weight and this article hit home. How can someone begin to lose weight if they have no clue of how much food that are consuming on a daily basis? Do you agree with me on that one? I believe a start is the track what you are eating to get an idea if you are eating too much for weight loss or too little. One tool that has helped me through my weight loss journey and even to this day is Calorieking.com. They have a abundant of food in there data base, even foods from your favorite restaurants to look at. So, check out this article and I hope this helps anyone beginning a journey to a new and healthier you.

Keep Track Of What You Eat!
By Don Carlin

It is very well known that in order to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. So how many calories do you consume each day? How do you know how many? Do you simply guesstimate? If so, then that is simply not adequate. When you take the first step to lose weight, you must get a handle on your eating, period. It is impossible for most people to keep track of all this in their head. Therefore you must have a journal of what you eat. One of the earliest things I did was create an Excel spreadsheet that I used to track what I ate on a daily basis. Why would I do this? First, I needed to get an idea of how much I was eating currently. Without knowing, I had no basis to cut calories. But once I started, I learned quickly how much I ate. I had always thought I was doing an okay job, but seeing the daily caloric values, I was shocked how much calories I consumed each day. On the flipside, I was able to see where I could cut back without adversely affecting my health.

Now that you decided to keep a log, how do you go about doing it? I know of people who use a notebook, and they write down what they ate and kept track that way. Others bought software that has huge databases of all foods - including meals from popular restaurants. You simply select what you ate, and the program calculates not only your calories, some programs even provide you nutritional information as well. There are web-based tools that do the same. I simply decided to use a spreadsheet.

Using the food labels, I would enter what I ate, how much calories it contained, and since I wanted to track protein, I entered the grams of protein contained. Using Excel’s auto sum feature, I would total the amount of calories and protein. Whenever I ate at a restaurant, I used http://www.dietfacts.com/ It contains entrees for many, many restaurants. In the, rare, cases I could not find the restaurant, I used this rule of thumb to estimate my calories.

Carbohydrates and proteins have 4 calories per gram; fats have nine calories per gram. I simply made rough estimates and since this situation did not happen enough, I was not overly concerned. Once I started tracking, I discovered this was an excellent accountability tool. Because I was very strict about putting everything I ate, I always had the log in the back of my mind. I would hesitate to sneak, because I had to place it in my log and see the daily caloric intake rise.

I did allow myself once a week to enjoy my favorite foods - I called it my “free day”, a day I did not track what I ate. You know, in spite of eating very liberally on my free day, and I mean extremely liberally, I still ended up losing six pounds a week. Because I ramped my water consumption to about 96 to 120 ounces a day, it clearly was not water weight I was losing. As time progressed, I used this log to also track my weight, and eventually I would track my waist size, body fat composition, my basal metabolic rate, and my estimated calories I burned from my physical training.

Tracking what I eat was instrumental in my weight loss, and my spreadsheet remains a valuable tool to this day. Take control over your weight - begin by taking control of your eating. You will be surprised and pleased by the outcome!

A runaway weight loss success story. Lost over 80 pounds in four months (36 of those pounds in just six weeks)- went from 240 to 160, kept all of it off for nearly a year, so far. I am sharing with others my research that led to my success so they too may control their weight.

Because I monitored so carefully how much I ate, I lost 80 pounds in four months, and 36 of those pounds in just six weeks. Find out more about my successful story at: http://www.squidoo.com/fromobesetoathletic/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Carlin
http://EzineArticles.com/?Keep-Track-Of-What-You-Eat!&id=794006

Tags: Nutrition, weight loss, calorie counting, health, diet

Hey Everyone! I found an great article for those who are struggling with their diets and think that skipping breakfast will do them justice in losing weight. I have always disagreed with skipping breakfast because your body needs that fuel to keep your engine running through out the morning. Take a read and tell me what you think?
Importance of Breakfast in Your Diet
By Deborah Carraro

    Many people make the mistake of skipping or skimping on breakfast in their daily diet. This may be due to any number of reasons…rushing off to work, jumping into household chores, getting caught up with child care or just plain poor eating habits. Breakfast is an important element in one’s daily diet, whatever type of diet you may prefer.

I used to skip breakfast all the time. I would often fill up on water and head out the door for the daily 1.5 hour commute to work. Of course, the first stop after getting off the train would be a coffee - simply to keep me going, not for the caffeine fix! When I worked in the Corporate World, I counted myself among the many who would skip their morning meal. Breakfast was a luxury time didn’t permit.

Some who are very weight loss conscious, or just wish to control weight through diet, erroneously think that skipping breakfast is a good way to eliminate calories. This is a mistake in terms of overall health, calorie control and good diet habits. Because the food we eat in our diet, the times when we eat and the particular type of food intake (protein, starch, sugar) all affect blood sugar levels and appetite. We need to control food intake in our diet in order to keep energy and blood sugar at appropriate levels.

I started back at the gym two months ago after a five year hiatus. One of the first things I did, even before setting foot in the door of the gym, was incorporate a breakfast and a morning snack into my daily routine. It’s made the world of difference. In fact, the days that I don’t eat a full meal or skip my snack, I feel it in my energy levels when I hit the gym.

In essence when we awake in the morning our body has been through a period of “fasting”, with no food intake for a number of hours. This results in relatively low blood sugar. If one skips breakfast in one’s diet, the blood sugar level continues to dip and a sudden craving can develop for food, especially for sugar in the diet, which again causes a quick rise in blood sugar. When the diet includes sudden intake of sugar, the sugar level jumps, which develops a roller coaster effect and leads to a poor diet which includes “quick fixes”. Typically a quick response to low blood sugar is a sweet, a soft drink or alcohol…none of which are a good diet supplement.

A diet which maintains appropriate levels of blood sugar and energy will include a healthy breakfast. Blood sugar levels will be maintained with a diet that includes a balanced breakfast combining whole grain, some source of protein and fruit. Protein in particular in the diet, including breakfast, will maintain blood sugar levels, avoiding the dips which lead to snacking.

If you’re pressed for time, consider a smoothie. You can chop your fruits and vegetables the night before and load them into your blender glass. Refrigerate overnight (or not if you prefer room temperature smoothies) and whirl away in the blender in the morning along with your favorite liquid. Five minutes is all you’ll need to whip up a nutritious and substantial breakfast. You can even pour it into a travel mug or neoprene jug and tote it with you on your commute.

A healthy breakfast is an essential part of a healthy diet. Beginning your day with a good, nourishing meal is the first step toward maintaining a balanced diet and a sensible approach to good eating habits. Don’t skip breakfast in your daily diet.

Your body will thank you.

Deborah Carraro is an avid nutrition, health & fitness enthusiast. If you’re tired of feeling tired and drained all day and often fall victim to the 3 PM lows, then you’re in for some surprises once you learn to make delicious and nutritious smoothies. Visit http://www.smoothiesforhealth.com for more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Carraro
http://EzineArticles.com/?Importance-of-Breakfast-in-Your-Diet&id=784645

Tags: nutrition, weight loss, weight loss tips, health

I am so glad that I am off from work today. I slept in a little later than normal which I truly needed it. My son hopped into bed my bed this morning and slept with me until 8:30am. I loved it!!! We got up showered ate our healthy breakfast together. I had:

1. old fashioned oat meal
2. grapes
3. 4oz of turkey breast

Yummy!! Then we played around the house and on the web for a while, then we were outside playing soccer together, tag, and drawing our bodies on the patio. To top that off we played with play dough too. After all of that fun we had lunch which was tuna on whole wheat and a banana. I added some chips to my sons lunch and I did not even take a bit! Unreal for me. Finally after that I got him down for his nap and here I am. In a bit I am going to workout my lower body. On the bowflex I will:

1. 3 set of 15 leg extensions (100lbs) I could do more, we’ll see.
2. 3 sets of 15 leg curls 80lbs
3. Then I will do the workout I mentioned before that I found in my Oxygen Mag.

I addition to that above I found another workout in that I found on shape.com it seemed pretty neat. It’s a rear cable lunge. I know I sound obsessive about the butt area, but I want this darn little bit of fat gone and see some firmness going in here. hee hee. But (hee hee) check it out and see if this is something you would like to add to your workout. I love variety in my workouts so that I don’t get bored, so if you are needing more variety check this out and each week I will be adding new workout ideas that I find here.

example:

Pictures: By Shape Magazine

Tags: fitness, weight loss tips, exercise, butt sculpting

Well my day did not start off as planned today. Remember I said that I was going to get up earlier to exercise? Well that did not quite happened and I blame my hubby for that. (Taking the easy way out, huh?) Well, he kept me up late and I did not got to sleep until 1a.m. I know I have got to stop that. So I slept in and went to work without exercising. The great thing though is that when I got home after cooking dinner and eating, playing with our son, getting him bathed, reading stories to him before bedtime I finally managed to workout. Clap, clap for me!!!  It was 9:00pm and I fought the temptation not to workout and I popped in my Cathe cardio fusion DVD and worked out for 30 minutes!! I am proud of myself even through I was breathing so hard and felt so out of shape I made it through 30 minutes!! I was tired, but now I fell GREAT and glad that I did it.

Tomorrow I do not have to be into work until 2:00PM, so I will get up in the morning and workout my upper body on the bowflex since I did not get that in tonight and then I will add more cardio on Tuesday.

In a bit I will be reading more of the Burn the fat feed the muscle e-book. You guys, I have been ready through the first 225 pages and now I am at the best part of the book the which is the meal plans and the correct foods to eat which I kind of already now. Now I have to be honest, but I found that the first part of the book was so boring to me. Why? Well the first part was all about the science of weight loss, setting goals, different types of diets and the pros and cons of each, body types, measuring fat, etc. After working on my own personal weight loss and researching many nutritional and training facts during that time I felt like I already knew these things so I found it boring. Is there anyone else out there that read this e-book? What are your thoughts on it? Was it helpful is your goal to losing body fat and building muscle? All comments are welcomed.

I better go. But everyone have a great week and get strong!

Tags: weight loss, burn the fat feed the muscle, fitness , nutrition

Good morning all,

I just finished my morning workout this morning and soon I will get showered and all made up for work in a bit. You are probably wondering what workout did I try now? Well I just purchased my November issue of the Oxygen Magazine and I came across a cool workout that will get anyone’s legs into shape. The mag shows 6 different workouts you can do and man they feel GOOD!! If you have the issue already the workout is on pages 83-86. If you don’t have the issue yet you can click here and once you are on the page you can click on their interactive preview. So if you are looking for something new to add to your existing or new workout I think this one is great. Enjoy!

Tags: bodybuilding, legs, fitness, exercise workouts

I was looking for something new to try for dinner that was easy to cook, low fat and yummy. I came across this yummy treat on foodnetwork.com. I think I will be adding this to my dinner menu when I go to the grocery store this Friday for me and family. I will update this post to let you know how it taste. I am praying that it taste wonderful.

Thai Shrimp Stir-fry with Tomatoes and Basil - Slimmed

From Food Network Kitchens

Thai Shrimp Stir-fry with Tomatoes and Basil - Slimmed You won’t have to sacrifice taste or satisfaction to save calories with our Thai Shrimp Stir-fry. With 400 fewer calories than a similar sized serving of Shrimp Scampi, this is a dish worth trying.

1. 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2. 1 tablespoon water
3. 2 teaspoons Southeast Asian fish sauce
4. 4 teaspoons light brown sugar
5. 3 tablespoons peanut oil 3 cloves garlic,
6. chopped 1 tablespoon grated, peeled, fresh ginger
7. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chile flakes 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8. 1/2 medium red onion, cut in 1-inch dice
9. 1 medium yellow pepper, seeded, cut in 1-inch dice
10. 1 jalapeno chile, thinly sliced into rounds
11. 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
12. 3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
13. 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves
14. 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
15. Serving suggestion: Jasmine rice ( I am going to use brown rice as a substitute)

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, fish sauce, and sugar; set aside. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chile flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until pink but still translucent in the middle, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the onion, pepper, and chile to the skillet, and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan along with the soy sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, and stir-fry until the sauce glazes the shrimp, about 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes and stir until coated with sauce, about 15 seconds. Remove pan from the heat, stir in the basil, mint, and lime juice. Transfer to a serving dish, serve immediately.

Copyright 2003 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

Nutrition Information

Calories 286 Fat 13g Saturated Fat 2g Carbohydrates 17g

Tags: Nutrition, weight loss, diet, low fat recipes

If you are in a diet slump this article is for you.

Four Things That May Keep You From Losing Weight
By Lori Jones

Here are 4 things that can be keeping you from losing weight.

1. All calories are created equal. What we need to do is make sure we eat the right amount of calories”. As long as you eat foods that are low-glycemic, you can eat a lot more than you thought you could and still lose weight. Just make sure the foods you eat are low on the glycemic index scale!

2. Carbs will make me fat. This isn’t true. Carbs are very necessary for your body. You can’t lose weight without them; just make sure you skip the refined sugars and flour. You can eat pancakes, french toast and even dessert, as long as you make them with low-glycemic ingredients.

3. Low-carb foods are the only way to lose weight. Your body needs carbs in order to keep your blood sugar stable. The key is to eat the good carbs like fruits, veggies and whole grains

4. Weight-loss is all about willpower. If you don’t eat, you won’t gain weight” Not really. You don’t need to deny yourself the foods you love! You actually should eat 5-6 times a day so that you can keep your blood sugar stable and you don’t have any spikes in your insulin. When you actually eat low-glycemic foods you won’t feel hunger pangs and you will lose weight!

To lose weight, you need to speed up your metabolism. Do this by eating lots of low-glycemic foods all through the day.

Here are some tips:

*Make sure you eat a big breakfast that is filled with good carbs. I offer a fitness tip of the week, join my newsletter. Find more information at http://ljgethealthy.com

Lori Jones fitness instructor, personal trainer at a top destination spa. Offering a fitness tip of the week newsletter. Join now ljhealth@gmail.com
http://www.ljgethealthy.com
http://www.ljsolutionsnow.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lori_Jones
http://EzineArticles.com/?Four-Things-That-May-Keep-You-From-Losing-Weight&id=761247

Tags: weight Loss tips, nutrition, diet

Hey everyone I came across a great article from Nutrisystem to aid anyone that is in the midst of losing weight this fall season. I know when I started to loss the weight I inspired close friends of mind to get in shape once they saw the pounds melting off of me and then we ended up becoming workout buddies throughout the process. When we both lost reached our goal weights we both went shopping together and bought new wardrobes together and had a blast trying on anything we wanted!! So check this out and get inspired and if you are the one that is still looking for a way to get your body into shape for next summer I totally recommend that you sign up for Nutrisystem today!!

Enjoy!!

A Little Help from Our Friends

NutriSystem Editorial Staff

5 Great Ways to Become a Weight Loss Trendsetter

You may have always sensed that your friends can help shape your attitudes and your actions. Now, it turns out that friends can also have a significant impact on your weight. In fact, a study published in the July 26th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine states that if you have a close friend who’s obese, it can increase your chances of obesity by 57%.* To put it simply, obesity can be socially contagious. Families and spouses are influential, too, but their impact on your weight gain isn’t as significant as your friends’ influence.

Depending on the people you see when you look around you, this could seem like a pretty depressing study. But the research also offers hope. That same study shows that when a person begins losing weight, it has an impact, too—a decidedly positive influence on friends and family.

If you’re losing weight with NutriSystem, this means every pound you’re losing is having a ripple effect through your circle of friends, whether or not you’re even aware of it. With all this in mind, here are five ways you can help get your circle of friends on the path to a healthier lifestyle:

1. Spread the news. If you’re one of those people who tends to keep your weight loss success to yourself, maybe it’s time to be a little more open about your decision to lose weight and your choice of a weight loss program—especially if you’re successful on your program. Instead of being low-key about what you’re doing, why not talk openly with your friends? That way, they can support you on your journey, and you’ll start that weight-loss ripple effect with the people you care about.

2. Suggest an activity alternative. Most people are pressed for time, and it’s not unusual for friends to meet and talk over lunches or dinners. But next time you and your friends want to get together, why not suggest an alternative to eating out? Plan a walk together, or get tickets to a game. See a movie, go to an exhibition; check out area open houses, garden or history tours. Take a friend shopping with you (it’s great to have an objective assessment of what you’re trying on). Head to a neighborhood coffee or teahouse and sample the newest blends. In other words, think of anything you enjoy besides eating, and get your friend involved, too.

3. Become an organizer. It’s easier to accomplish your weight loss goals if you’ve got a plan; that’s true whether losing weight is an individual or a group effort. If one or more of your friends is interested in losing weight, schedule a regular get-together, an informal meeting where you can exchange tips, talk about your progress (or your setbacks), celebrate your accomplishments and generally have fun. You could also arrange a group walk for a charity or cause of your choice.

4. Arrange a group weight loss challenge. Sticking with a weight loss program somehow seems easier if you’re not on your own. So form a one-on-one buddy system with your friends. You can set times for regular check-ins (by phone or in person). This will really help you during the intervals between your group gatherings. In addition, you and your friends can set up a weight loss incentive program—either a day at the spa or a ticket to an upcoming game—for the person in your group who either loses the most weight or reaches goal first.

5. Schedule a “B & A” photo shoot. When you start your program, get out the cameras, and invite your friend or friends over for a “before” photo shoot. These before pictures can be a powerful incentive for beginning or sustaining a weight loss program, and, in time, they are visual evidence of just how far you’ve come.

Since a lot of people are camera-shy, the key to an informal photo shoot is making it fun and completely safe and non-judgmental. Take both group and individual pictures, and be sure you save them all, either in print or on disk. Then get together again when you’re halfway to goal, and once you’ve reached goal, to take “after” photos. You may even want to make a commemorative album when you’ve all reached your goal weights. The side-by-side shots of your weight loss journey will be priceless!

*The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network over 32 Years, New England Journal of Medicine, July 26, 2007, Volume 357:370-379, Number 4.

Tags: Weight loss, weight loss tips, nutrisystem, healthy living, diet

I was just reading my September issue of my Fitness Magazine and came across an article the gives ideas to mix and match Meals in order to rev up your meal plan. If you are like me and you get bored with food easily or if you are new to the weight loss game and need ideas of what to eat and how many calories you need to eat in order to loss weight check it out. The magazine shows photos of different entrees so that you can have a visual for the yummy meal ideas for a 350 calories breakfast, 400 calories lunch, 450 calorie dinner, and 150 calories snack ideas. I was so excited and tore out the pages and placed each of them in my recipe log, so that I can implement the new foods into my routine. If you don’t have a copy already click link provided and you can get an idea of how to get started. I just had to share.

Tags: weight loss, calories, nutrition, weight loss meals, fitness

The average person gains an average of five to ten pounds a year. And let’s face it, dieting is hard! Here are five tips to help you get the weight off and keep it off. If you don’t think you are ready to commit to all of the five tips right away then pick one today, right now, and just get started. Like Nike says, Just do it!!! No matter how you go about your weight loss journey, you have to remember to HAVE FUN or you will just continue to pile on the pounds and that’s not fun.

1. Attitude IS Everything

If you went into last year’s holiday season thinking you could eat like a sumo wrestler and deal with it January 1st of the new year, well, how’s that working out? Swimsuit season will sneak up on us before we know it and does it always come fast? It is now time to get your mind ready to realize a few things. One, you are not as young as you used to be,and two it’s going to take effort to get the weight off.

2. Eat exactly what you need

You should aim for a comfortable feeling of satisfaction at every meal not the full, I ate too much feeling. You will be amazed at how quickly your stomach adjusts. Besides, you can enjoy your meal and feel great afterwards too. This tip alone can save you hundreds of calories per meal. If you want to try all the courses, have smaller portions of everything you really want. This has helped me a lot!

3. MOVE!

Give up the couch this winter and break out the gym clothes. If you really can’t get to the gym, do a few exercises at home with exercise DVDs or go for a walk. By doing these activities will not just burn calories; it will keep you in touch with your desire to get skinny and healthy. Also keep as active during the day as you can. You know the routine; use the steps, park farther away. No matter what you chose remember that a journey of thousand miles begins with the first step!

4. Trash Day

Time to clean out the cabinets. That’s right! This is the single best tip you can put into place today. Why? Let’s say you are watching reruns and you get the craving to eat the entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia, if you don’t have it in the house then you are less likely to get in the car and go get it.

5. Relax!

Stress makes us do crazy things to our bodies like smoking, drinking, and oh yes, eating. You have many reasons to reduce your stress levels as you do drinking your thousand-calorie Starbucks Frap.

If this describes your pattern of eating you are not alone. This is the single highest response given when asked why people eat the way they do, the nervous eater. If you can recognize it and at least alter the foods you are taking in, you can save yourself thousands of calories a week. So, no matter what you chose, just get out there and do it!

Tags: weight loss, weight loss tips, fat, diet, healthy living, fitness, nutrition