Saturday, 24 August 2013
Friday, 16 August 2013
10 Ways to Prepare to Lose Weight
Have you ever tried to lose weight, been unsuccessful, and made this declaration to yourself and your family?
I’m just not ready to lose weight.
I know I did. I said those seven words over and over again during the 10 years that I struggled with obesity. I’d start a diet, lose a few pounds, quit the diet and say those words. It was a vicious cycle and one that negatively affected my self esteem and my physical well being.
The more I failed at dieting the more fearful I became that I would never lose the weight. The more fearful I became the longer it took me to try again to lose weight. The longer I took between dieting efforts, the more weight I gained. It was tough.
If you are struggling right now with getting started losing weight or beginning to falter in your weight loss efforts, take the time to analyze whether you have the tools, the knowledge, and the commitment to seriously begin your weight loss efforts right now.
Here is a list of 10 ways to prepare to lose weight. As a hint, it’s okay if you don’t have all of these down quite yet, but being prepared for challenges and issues that come up during your weight loss journey will help you get started and stay committed.
1. You know what a healthy diet looks like.
Until you know what a healthy diet is, it is very, very difficult to lose weight in a sustainable way. Educate yourself on nutrition by reading reputable websites, talking with your doctor or nutritionist, or picking up a book on nutrition. When you understand the importance of a balanced diet, you are ready to go onto the next step.
2. You have a plan.
Although “eating healthy” is an excellent goal, it is not much of a weight loss plan because you can still be overweight or even obese while “eating healthy.” Plus, it is still possible to gain weight even when your diet is pretty clean if you do not consider calories/fat/nutrient content. So find a plan that is sustainable, realistic, and one that you can follow even after you reach your goal weight.
3. You know about exercise.
Exercise alone won’t generally make you lose weight because the calories you expend often get eaten back or you may overestimate how many calories you burn, according to research. That being said, if you are physically able to exercise, I believe it is important to include exercise into your weight loss plan. Find an exercise routine you enjoy, a time that works for you, and do it.
4. You understand the importance of keeping track.
I am not a calorie counter, but that works. I watched fat percentage, and that works. Other people track successfully by keeping track of how many servings of certain foods they eat, and that can work too. The thing to remember is that having a method to track your food/exercise can help you lose weight, even if you do not track every single day. Also keep track of non-scale victories, improvements in fitness, and body measurements.
5. You have analyzed bad habits.
We all have bad habits but mine are probably different than yours. Don’t sweep bad habits under the rug but instead acknowledge what they are and figure out how to change the bad habit into a good one.
6. You have a support system in place.
Support during the weight loss process is very important so prepare yourself for weight loss by getting a system lined up. It can be one person or a group, or even a combination of the two. Going it alone is never easy.
7. Rewards are planned.
Who doesn’t like a reward for a job well done? I’d encourage you to have some planned rewards for your weight loss efforts as you go along. They don’t have to be big but you should plan on doing something special for yourself as you reach weight loss or fitness milestones.
8. You have realistic goals.
I’ve talked about this before, but setting realistic goals is really important in weight loss. Until you can acknowledge that it will take some time to lose weight, you are not really ready for a lifetime commitment of changed eating.
9. You are ready to deal with the emotional aspect of weight problems.
This is a biggie and one that trips a lot of people up. If you have more than a few pounds to lose, you’ve probably got some emotional ties to food. Be really honest with yourself when it comes to how your emotions affect your food choices as you begin to lose weight. Prepare yourself for some surprising discoveries.
10. You have a plan for getting back on track after falling off the wagon.
Not everyone falls off the wagon when it comes to weight loss, but a lot of people do. Have a plan for what you will do when you begin to stumble. It may include acknowledging the problem, turning to your support group, starting fresh, or a combination of all of those.
I hope this list of 10 ways to know if you are ready to lose weight helps you and that you will share this article with friends or family who may be struggling.
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
5 Mistakes People Make When They Try To Lose Weight
Changing your diet and losing weight isn’t rocket science, but it’s not always as simple as people think. Here are the top mistakes that I see with my clients, and some simple fixes to get things back on track.
1. They pledge to eat "healthy."
While this sounds great, it’s not enough. "Healthy" is vague, and it's different for everyone. Eating organic, for instance, seems healthy, but organic brownies and burritos can be easy ways to overeat and derail your progress.
Instead, have a plan! Some rules can seem arbitrary and strict, but without guidelines, it’s hard to succeed or make progress. Choose a plan that makes sense to you, and follow it.
2. They vow to eat less.
"Eating less" is as arbitrary as "eating healthy," but even that’s not the problem. Our bodies are clever, and they’ll do what it takes to maintain weight. After all, body fat is survival fuel, and our bodies think we need it. When we go hungry, our bodies will subconsciously encourage us to eat more and move less, and we won’t even realize it.
Instead of guessing, use a food log! Writing down what you eat makes you aware of your choices, and much more likely to make good ones. It also gives you a record of what you’ve been eating, so you can make change course if you stop making progress.
3. They trust food labels.
Terms like healthy, low-fat, whole grain, all-natural, Paleo, vegan, and organic are just some of the words that marketers put on their manufactured food products. They want to convince you that these foods will lead to weight loss, but it’s not true. Eat too much healthy food, and you’ll still gain weight.
Instead, eat 90% label free. Meat, eggs, poultry, fish, vegetables, and fruits are harder to over eat than most packaged foods, and don’t need ingredient labels and slogans. Label free foods should be the focus of every healthy diet.
4. They rely on cardio.
We don’t know who first said “you can’t outrun a bad diet,” but it’s true! When you run, you get good at running, and your body adapts to it. Pretty soon, you're efficient enough to burn fewer calories. Eventually, your body will want you to eat more to support your exercise. Eventually, you’ll be hungry enough to eat just a little more without knowing it, and BAM, you’ve stopped losing weight!
Instead of chronic cardio, choose resistance training, which encourages your body to burn fat and support building muscle and bone. Weights, kettlebells, and bodyweight exercises are great for building the muscle and bone that we all know to be important.
Resistance training also burns calories now and later because of EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) – the fancy term for the calories burned recovering from a workout. EPOC can burn extra calories hours or days after you’ve showered, dressed, and left the gym. Cardio can’t do that!
5. They take cheat days.
On paper, a cheat day sounds reasonable. You’ve eaten under your calorie target all week, so you deserve the break, right? Unfortunately, studies show that most people misjudge their calorie intake by quite a bit.
Knowing that you have to burn an extra 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat, most dieters shoot for a calorie deficit of up to 700 calories per day, which should lead to a pound or so of weight loss per week. Did you know that the typical dieter underestimates his daily intake by an average of 429 calories?
A cheat day can easily add 1,000 calories to your day, and completely wipe out your week’s progress. After months of not losing weight, most people will give up instead of playing this hunger game.
Instead of a cheat day, have a free meal. A reasonably sized "normal" meal or dessert. Enjoy it, then get right back on plan.
Monday, 12 August 2013
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Friday, 2 August 2013
10-Minute Total-Body Workout
The 10-Minute Transformation
Crank up your metabolism, pack on muscle, and build the body you've always wanted with the ultimate 10-minute total-body circuit
Perform each exercise below for up to 60 seconds (stop if you lose good form), moving from one to the next without rest. Once you've completed all 10 exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds. Complete the circuit up to four times total, three times a week, allowing one day of rest between workouts.
Don't let this workout fool you: "You won't lift a single weight, but in just 10 minutes you'll work harder and sweat more than most guys do in a half hour," says BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S., creator of10-Minute Torchers, the new three-DVD fitness program from Men's Health. Every second is a lung-busting, sweat-pouring challenge. No time wasted, no room for excuses. "But you'll have fun," says Gaddour. "And once you see the results, you'll be back for more."
By Jill Yaworski, Photographs by Yasu + Junko
Uneven Plank
Assume a pushup position but place your right hand and left forearm on the floor. Brace your core and hold that position, switching arms after 30 seconds so your left hand and right forearm are on the floor.
Side Plank with Quad Stretch
Lie on your left side with your legs straight and prop your upper body on your left forearm. Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders. Now pull your right ankle as close to your butt as you can, grabbing your right foot in your right hand. After 30 seconds, switch sides and repeat with your left ankle and left hand.
Crab Reach
Assume a crab-walk position, with your palms and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips and reach with your right arm over your left shoulder. Pause, and return to the starting position. Repeat, this time reaching your left arm over your right shoulder. Continue alternating sides.
Lateral Pistol Squat
Stand with your feet about twice shoulder-width apart and your arms in front of your shoulders. Shift your weight to your right leg and push your hips back as you lower your body as far as you can, turning the toes on your left foot toward the ceiling. Pause, and push yourself back up. Repeat, this time shifting to your left; continue alternating sides.
Standing Leg Raise
Extend your arms in front of your shoulders and stand on your right leg, holding your left foot off the floor In front of you. Lift your left leg as high as you can, keeping your torso upright and your left knee straight. Hold the pose for as long as you can. Then return to the starting position and repeat. After 30 seconds, switch legs.
Isometric Squat Ladder
Extend your arms In front of your shoulders and stand as tall as you can with your feet shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back and lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Hold for 1 second, and drive back up to the starting position. Repeat, this time holding the squat for 2 seconds. Hold It for 3 seconds on the next rep, then 4, and so on.
Archer Pushup
Assume a pushup position but extend your right arm out to your side so it's perpendicular to your body and only your fingertips touch the floor. Bend your left elbow and lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause, and push yourself back up. Continue for 30 seconds, switch sides, and repeat.
Airborne Lunges
Hold your arms out in front of your body and raise your right foot behind you. Keeping your torso straight, push your hips back and lower your body as far as you can by bending your left leg. Pause, and push your body back up to the starting position. Alternate legs on each rep.
Iron Cross to Overhead Pushup Hold Superset
Assume a pushup position but extend your arms out to your sides as far as you can without letting your chest touch the floor. Hold this position for 30 seconds; then extend your arms out In front of you and hold for another 30 seconds.
Isometric Jump Squat Ladder
Extend your arms in front of your shoulders and stand as tall as you can with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Hold for 1 second; jump as high as you can. When you land, immediately squat and hold for 2 seconds before you jump. On the next rep, hold the squat for 3 seconds, then 4, and so on.
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)