Questions which can help you know what you want and why

You decided to lose weight and now what?
As i mentioned in my previous post that isn't so simple.
The following questions really can help you - knowing 
precisely what you want and why, and aware of the component parts you need to address as you move along in your weight loss effort.:

What new difficulty will arise when I finally lose all this weight?
Odd question, surely but it was answered by the lady who said that she felt naked and vulnerable, when she lost weight. The protective barrier is missing, without the need for it resolved so its highly likely that a level of fear, at the very least, will be experienced.

For those who have been through a number of diets, this area is not so hard to look at because you'll have been through the experience of losing weight more than once – and knowing that once the feeling of euphoria fades, other darker feelings intrude which seem to draw you back into the past habits from before the diet.
 What are these feelings and what do you feel them to represent? Why do you need the protection of fat. Against the past? Against the present? Against something that might happen in the future? How does fat keep you safe? From what? From whom?

This leads on to the second question. 
What old pain or trauma have you neglected to work through or heal? How often do you eat to avoid the feelings connected with this issue. It certainly doesn't have to be of the magnitude of childhood sexual abuse and most frequently is painfully simple in origin. Perhaps, as a child,
you didn't experience the feeling of being loved – an innate drive in children – and often because some parents don't know how to express their love for their child and are unable to show affection physically. An adult could look at this and explain it in terms of the parent's own past and upbringing but a child does not have this capacity. 
A child will observe what happens with its friends and
subconsciously make a comparison that is unfavorable to itself. In other words, a subconscious misunderstanding will trigger that compared to others, you are somehow, inexplicably defective or bad, and not capable of being loved. There is an instant rift in your own psyche and the subconscious mechanisms have to find a way of numbing
or compensating for the sort of feelings that wreak havoc with cell systems and processes. Inappropriate eating habits are one of many possible mechanisms it can use.

Continues...

Why do you want to lose weight???

"Why do you want to lose weight?" 

It's obvious, isn't it. `I don't like being fat'. Or variations on the theme. But it simply isn't good enough, and unless you get your thinking a lot clearer and more directed, it's a little like throwing a paper airplane that a child might make, at the moon and hoping it will land bang on target.

If you binge on junk as a response to over powerful and
frightening emotions, then the eating does something.

Right?  It makes you feel better, at least for a few minutes, even though in many cases you may be so driven that you neither taste nor enjoy what you are eating but wolf it down. It forms a sort of desperate attempt to numb the fear, the pain, the boredom, the emptiness, whatever it is that drives you.

This is also why it is particularly foolish to look for some
sort of magical new diet plan that will bypass this slight hiccup. That’s why lay aside the food side of life for a while  and start where it really matters – in the emotional arena.

If you take the lid off this Pandora's box, unthinkingly, you can guarantee one thing – you'll find that you have all these same emotions flying around and your habitual response has been to bribe them with food. If you are aware of what is going on, you'll understand, and you'll cope without the need for the binges. If you don't bother to do the essential part first, then you'll be making the trip un-necessarily bumpy emotionally.


The real starting point is to be very clear about what you DO
want. This will elicit any of the factors that may form potential
barriers on the trip ahead. Forewarned is forearmed, and you can move the barriers without running slap bang into them.

If your subconscious is providing you with substantial secondary gains and benefits through being overweight…why do you want to lose weight? What is losing weight going to provide for you in the way of benefits? Do you really know, and know so precisely that you can feel
it in your marrow, or are you coasting along, with the sort of wishy washy, dreamy thinking that says `it would be nice to lose weight. I could, errm..?' Is it just an assumption that being fat feels so bad, that being slimmer just has to be a lot better…somehow.

If you don't know where you are going and why, you are likely to get seriously lost.

Unlock the door to successful weight loss and management

The key to unlock the door to successful weight loss and weight
management is to focus on learning the process and NOT on the end goal.

When we focus only on the end result, oftentimes we regress into our old behavior patterns after we achieve our goals simply because we think we can! This means that we end up throwing away all the new, healthy habits for those old dysfunctional ones. At the same time, focusing only on the big picture will keep us frustrated and cause us to give up sooner. So really, what's the point?

If all you are concerned about is losing 100 pounds, then you will
never recognize your 5-pound weight loss as an achievement. You may end up literally thinking, "So what if I lost 5 pounds, I still have
95 to go!" This type of negative thinking contradicts the goals you
set in the first place. The obvious result: sabotage! Emphasizing
your positive results will result in more productive and proactive
behaviors.

Focusing on the process means you must give it your best effort every day and make small changes step by step. In doing so, your goal will become more attainable with fewer frustrations and setbacks.
Patience and realistic thinking must take precedence. Don't tell
yourself that you will never have another chocolate or glass of wine.
The word never is an absolute that causes nothing but anxiety and
feelings of deprivation. Once you feel deprived, it will be nearly
impossible to stick to any weight loss plan. Thinking never is
unrealistic and inflexible. This will only help you to attain short-
term goals and a lot of wasted time and energy.

Being flexible means you are more capable of coping. When you know how to cope, you are more able to turn food away because you no longer need it for comfort and control. Some people feel as though they are trapped in their body. But truly, they are really trapped by their own inflexible thinking.

It's true that setting long-term goals is necessary. However, you
must break each down into more digestible pieces. Setting only long
term goals will make you lose sight of your daily progress.
Concentrating on the process combined with providing yourself
positive reinforcement on a regular basis will give you the fuel that
you need to persevere.

A temporary quick fix will result in the roller coaster ride of your
life: losing, gaining, hating yourself, liking yourself, being
comfortable, being uncomfortable and so forth. You know the ride I'm talking about! Short-term solutions do not provide long-term results. So, invest in learning the process now and you'll reap the benefits always! Why ride the roller coaster when you can drive in luxury and comfort for once and for all?

The magic number

Nutritional labels are a godsend to health-conscious consumers. But if you're relying on the information you get from a quick glance at the calorie and fat content, the label may actually be leading you astray.

You absolutely cannot afford to ignore one magic number: the one that states how many servings the package contains. For example, the calories entry on a bottle of Snapple says 120. But that doesn't mean there are 120 calories in the bottle. Why? Check the servings per package entry, and you'll see that it says 2. Drink the whole bottle, and you're downing 240 calories, not 120.

This not-so-little problem crops up frequently in packages that look like they contain single servings. The Food and Drug Administration has recently cracked down on this deceptive practice, but that doesn't mean you should assume all is as it appears. Be sceptical. If you're going to bother to check the label, make sure you get all the info you need.

Salt.Can we live without adding it in our food?

Sodium and Sodium Chloride are commonly known as salt, and they occur naturally in foods, usually in small amounts. Salt, and other sodium containing ingredients are often used in food processing.

The benefits and roles of sodium in our bodies are often over looked. Sodium plays an essential role in the regulation of fluids in our bodies, and also in the regulation of our blood pressure.
There are health risks associated with sodium intake.
 Evidence suggests that many people at risk for high blood pressure reduce their chances of developing this condition by consuming less salt or sodium. Another important reason for us, especially females, to reduce salt intake is the fact that high salt intake may increase the amount of calcium that is excreted in the urine, and therefore, increase the body's need for calcium.
All of us, especially females, need to be aware of this in an attempt to prevent things such as Osteoporosis later in life. Osteoporosis is a disease that is characterized by low bone mass, and by the structural breakdown of bone tissue, which leads to bone fragility and an increased risk for fractures and bone breaks.
Obviously, Osteoporosis is something that none of us want to have to deal with!
So you are probably wondering how salt and Osteoporosis are related to each other. Well, one of the biggest risk factors associated with Osteoporosis is low calcium intake.
So, when we consume high levels of salt or sodium, our bodies need an increase for calcium, we are just creating an even higher risk for developing this bone disease.
That in itself should be reason enough to at least pay attention to the amount of sodium that you are consuming each day!
How much sodium should I eat?
There is not a recommended daily allowance for sodium intake, but rather a recommended daily minimum and daily maximum.
The daily minimum is 500mg, and the recommended daily maximum is 2400mg. So now I challenge you to look at the labels on the foods you eat daily.
Check out the sodium levels and you should be able to get a pretty good idea of the amount of sodium you consume daily! The average American consumes 2500-5000 mg of sodium each day! That's more than double the recommended daily maximum!
The good news is that our taste for salt is acquired, and it can in fact be relearned! I suggest you cut back slowly so that your taste buds have a chance to adjust, and eventually you won't have that urge to add as much salt!
Here are some examples of ways you can decrease your sodium intake:

• Cook from scratch. De-emphasize the use of processed foods.
• Choose fresh, frozen or canned vegetables without added salt
• Snack on fresh fruit and vegetables
• Read food labels
• Use alternate spices and herbs to season foods.
• Try seasoning mixes such as Mrs. Dash or Mr. Pepper
• Choose non prescription medications low in sodium. Ask your pharmacist about the sodium content of your prescription medication.
• Use pepper instead of salt!

You binged! And now what?

You’ve been on a BINGE?

You decided to stop and you don’t know what to do?


You've been on a junk food binge for three days [a week, two months, a year, most of your life] now. You're ready to stop; you know your life was immeasurably better before you took that first bite that sealed your doom.

"How do I stop?" you ask yourself. In some ways it seems it would be kinder to just continue the binge, putting off the inevitable just one more day. But you feel fat, you feel disgusted, you may even hate yourself.

"I have to stop doing this!" you cry inwardly. But how do you know that you won't get up, dust off, only to fall in the mud once more? You wonder if it is worth it to put forth the effort when it seems likely you will only blow it again. After all, it seems, you've bit the dust before a million times.

Sounds familiar? With a few changes here and there, it could adequately describe the experience of most anyone who struggles with compulsive eating.

So now what? Stopping the binge is hard, but usually only for a couple days if you can successfully get back on track, and then you're left wondering how you could ever have fallen for that old temptation again.

Here are some ideas for making a smooth transition from binge back to healthful living:

• If you're into praying, pray.

• Recognize that crazy eating usually causes crazy thinking too, so if you're aware that not every thought that passes through is a good, healthy thought, it makes it easier to conscientiously ignore those that threaten to abort your right intentions. Resolve to refuse to listen to negative thoughts which berate you, remind you of your mistake-ridden history, and urge you to give up.

• Cleanse your home of all "binge foods." Whatever your current food downfall(s) is(are), get rid of it(them). If you can't stand to throw food away, give it to someone.

• Stay away from slippery places whenever possible for a while. For instance, don't pick a doughnut shop to meet a friend for coffee. Going out to dinner with the family "just because" is probably unwise at this stage as well. Be kind to yourself, and don't get on a baking kick "for the kids" your first week back in line.

• Make yourself accountable to someone. For some people, it helps if they know they will "report" to another person each day. It sure can make it harder for you to play games with yourself, as long as you are upfront and honest with your accountability partner.

• I rarely stop a binge episode in the middle of the day. Once a day is shot, it usually stays shot. So when I've made up my mind to turn around and go the opposite direction again, I sit down the night before the "new beginning" and write down menus for the next three days. It is important to do this when you are in a relatively good frame of mind ( a hopeful one). Your menus should NOT be deprivational. In fact, I suggest pretending that you are designing them for a best-loved friend who has come to you for help in getting off a binge. You would not suggest this friend starve herself on meals of raw carrots and celery, would you? You would not punish or teach your friend a lesson with an overly restrictive diet. No, you would create a plan that would satisfy your pal's hunger while moving him/her back in the direction of his/her goals and affording the greatest odds of success.

• Plan to exercise, and decide when, where, and what, at the same time you are deciding your menus. Choose something you normally enjoy doing. Don't take "no" for an answer. If you normally work-out alone, consider inviting a friend to do it with you, at least the first day. Exercise will help detoxify your body faster, improve your outlook, and put a spring back in your step. Even so, don’t be tempted to pull out your whip and work-out two or three times a day for several days trying to undo the damage from the binge.

• It is so unfair, but I've noticed that the morning after a binge I am usually starving. Not good for a person who wants to get going in the right direction again. So that first day, I make it a policy to choose one or two low-fat or fat-free foods, unsweet, to eat as much of and as often as desired in response to hunger pangs. Suggestions are fat-free rice cakes (preferably not sweet), dry cereal, raw vegetables with or without low-fat/fat-free dip, fresh fruit or vegetable broth. Eating three or four pieces of fruit over the course of the day can help ease sugar withdrawals somewhat.

• Drink lots and lots of water. Shoot for a minimum of 2 litres a day (roughly 8 tall glasses). This will help flush out toxins, clean out your digestive tract, and rehydrate your tissues. Most binges incorporate a lot of sugar and/or sodium, and both are very dehydrating. You should drink this much water anyway, but especially after a binge.

• Avoid idle time. For housewives like me who don't have a job outside of home, it’s perfect. Especially that first day, losing myself in a project, especially a physical one, the day goes by and I almost forget about eating. Projects that can be used include yard work, deep housecleaning, reorganizing a closet, going through drawers and getting rid of stuff, cleaning out the shed, taking the kids on an adventure, or putting together a puzzle. Other good ideas include taking a nap if you are really tired, making time to visit a friend or loved one if you are feeling lonely, or reading a book for leisure if you need to relax.

• After the third day of successful healthy eating, assuming you are feeling much of your self-control returned, if you are so inclined, you can do a fast for a couple of days. Eat regular meals, but only fresh raw fruits and vegetables. If you don't feel up to strenuous exercise during the fast you can try brisk walking if the weather permits or hop on a treadmill for a while. Fasting will help clean your body and your mind. NOTE: If you are currently overcoming a long-standing eating disorder, fasting is not recommended for you at this time.

"All or nothing"

Can we escape from the “All or Nothing” thinking?
  During our weight loss effort many of us might start thinking "all or nothing". That is, you either think you have to follow a strict diet with a rigid eating regimen that offers no flexibility in order to succeed; or, you think if you eat junk for a day or two, you’ve blown it and there’s just no use trying. This is very easy to get caught up in and it can be very detrimental to weight loss.

3 easy steps you can do:

Loosen up The first step in choosing to avoid all or nothing thinking is to shake the idea that to lose weight you have to be on an extremely restrictive diet. The fact is, most people who successfully lose weight and maintain it don’t go on diet. They make healthy, permanent lifestyle changes: they decrease the fat and calories they consume, they get moving and they learn how to deal with emotional eating issues. These are skills that will serve you long into life if you master them now. We need to focus on weight management, not just weight loss.

Give In... Just a Little Plus, severely limiting your food intake or completely cutting out your favourite foods only sets you up to binge. Temptation becomes much less powerful when you can have just a taste of something now and again instead of thinking you can’t have it at all. Some people think it’s just the opposite: if I eat a little bit, I’ll just want it all. Granted, that may be the case the first few times you try to partake just a bit of your treats, but the more you get used to satisfying your craving with a small amount of food instead of a larger portion, the easier it will get.

Still Saying the "D Word"? Still not convinced you don’t have to diet to lose? If you need the structure of a support group or eating program, you can still have your freedom to choose what you eat. A good example of a lenient program is Weight Watchers. As long as can you work your favourite treat into your Points budget, it’s allowable. Be leery of any diet that restricts entire food groups or that relies on the same type of food as its mainstay. We need variety not only for our personal tastes, but for nutritional purposes as well.

Diet on the go...is it possible?

Sooner or later, even confirmed control freaks surrender to the nutritional whims of the road. Fatty food, sugary pastries and ferocious portions dominate all-day conferences, cocktail minglers, hotel coffee shops and power-lunch menus. A good snack is hard to find.

But good tips aren’t. Here’s how highfliers stay trim. In general:
Don’t skip meals.
In restaurants:
Drink lots of water — have two glasses while you’re waiting for your food.
Don’t even look at the menu. Ask for your favorite tastily spiced steamed vegetables; grilled, baked or broiled chicken or fish; and fruit for dessert.
Cut a full-sized portion in two, and eat only one half.
Order extra vegetables.
Start out with tomato or broth-based soup for a nice full-belly feeling — you’ll be less likely to overeat during the rest of the meal.
Stop at two courses.
For an occasional treat, share a dessert.
On airplanes:
Request a low-calorie meal when you book your flight. If this is not possible, you can always pick up or pack something to take with you.
Always carry a water bottle.
Skip the alcohol and order fizzy water instead.
Smart snacks:
Carry low-fat energy or granola bars, fat-free whole-grain crackers, air-popped popcorn, baby carrots, apples and bananas.
Find a local grocery store and buy precut vegetables, diced fruit salads or nonfat yogurt for snacking.
Visit a salad bar — just veggies, grilled chicken, egg whites, beans (no added oil) and low-fat dressing (on the side) or vinegar, please.
Exercise!
Stay in hotels that have a gym — and use it.
Pack a jump rope and Dyna-band so you can work out in your hotel room.
Do some resistance-based exercises in your room. Focus on working your abs, arms and legs.
Take the stairs whenever possible.

Mealtime strategies for healthy eating

Breakfast





Strategy #1--Choose fruit more often. Just a few great

choices in the fruit family are: cantaloupe, grapefruit,

strawberries, oranges, bananas, pears, and apples.



Strategy #2--Choose whole-grain cereals and products more

often. Examples are whole wheat or bran breads, bagels, and

cereal.



Strategy #3--Try making pancakes and waffles with whole

wheat flour instead of white flour and one whole egg and one

egg white rafter than two whole eggs. For a low-fat topping

with fiber, try applesauce, apple butter and cinnamon, or fruit

and low-fat plain yogurt.



Strategy #4--Fruit juice and skim milk are familiar

breakfast drinks. For an extra boost in the morning, why not

try a fruit smoothie made from juice, fruit and nonfat plain

yogurt blended together. Other nonfat choices are seltzer

water, coffee, and tea.



These breakfast choices are sound nutrition choices

because they are not only low in fat and cholesterol but also

provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Some foods that you

should choose less often are sausage, bacon, butter, whole milk

and cream (including commercial nondairy creamer). These foods

are high in saturated fat and cholesterol.







Lunch





Strategy #1--Try a fiber-rich bean, split pea, vegetable,

or minestrone soup. Use commercially canned and frozen soups

and cream soups less often--they can be high in sodium and fat.

If you make your own soup, use broth or skim milk to keep the

fat content low.



Strategy #2--Have a bean salad or mixed greens with plenty

of vegetables. For fiber include some vegetables like--carrots,

broccoli, cauliflower, and kidney or garbanzo beans. For a

low-fat dressing, try lemon juice or a reduced-calorie

dressing. If you use regular dressing, use only a very small

amount.



Strategy #3--Try sandwiches made with water-packed tuna,

sliced chicken, turkey, lean meat, or low-fat cheese, and use

whole-grain bread or pita bread. To decrease fat, use

reduced-calorie mayonnaise, or just a small amount of regular

mayonnaise, or use mustard. Mustard contains no fat.



Strategy #4--For dessert, have fresh fruit, low-fat

yogurt, or a frozen fruit bar.



Strategy #5--Fruit juice and skim milk are good beverage

choices. Club soda with a twist of lemon or lime, hot or iced

tea with lemon, or coffee without cream are refreshing drinks.







At lunch, try to eat these foods less often: processed

luncheon meats, fried meat, chicken, or fish; creamy salads,

french fries and chips, richer creamy desserts, high-fat baked

goods, and high-fat cheeses such as Swiss, cheddar, American,

and Brie.





Dinner





Strategy #1--Eat a variety of vegetables. To increase

variety, try some that might be new to you, such as those from

the cabbage family (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower,

and cabbage), dark-green leafy vegetables (spinach and kale),

and yellow-orange vegetables (winter squash and sweet

potatoes). For old favorites, like peas and green beans, skip

the butter and sprinkle with lemon juice or herbs. Or, how

about a baked potato, with the skin, and topped with low-fat

yogurt and chives, tomato salsa, or a small amount of low-fat

cheese?



Strategy #2--Try whole wheat pasta and casseroles made

with brown rice, bulgur, and other grains. If you are careful

with preparation, these dishes can be excellent sources of

fiber and low in fat. For example, when milk and eggs are

ingredients in a recipe, try using 1 percent or skim milk,

reduce the number of egg yolks and replace with egg whites.

Here are some ideas for grain-based dishes:



--Whole wheat spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce;



--Whole wheat macaroni and chickpea stew in tomato sauce;



--Tuna noodle casserole, using water-packed tuna (or rinsed,

oil-packed tuna), skim milk, and fresh mushrooms or sliced

water chestnuts;



--Turkey, broccoli and brown rice casserole using skim milk

and egg whites;



--Eggplant lasagna, made with broiled eggplant and part-skim

mozzarella or ricotta cheese.



Strategy #3--Substitute whole-grain breads and rolls for

white bread.



Strategy #4--Choose main dishes that call for fish,

chicken, turkey or lean meat. Don't forget to remove the skin

and visible fat from poultry and trim the fat from meat. Some

good low-fat choices are:



--Red snapper stew;



--Flounder or sole florentine (make the cream sauce with

skim milk);



--Salmon loaf (use skim milk, rolled oats, and egg whites);



--Baked white fish with lemon and fennel;



--Chicken cacciatore Italian-style (decrease the oil in the

recipe);



--Chicken curry served over steamed wild rice (choose a

recipe that requires little or no fat; "saute" the onions

in chicken broth instead of butter);



--Light beef stroganoff with well-trimmed beef round steak

and buttermilk served over noodles;



--Oriental pork made with lean pork loin, green peppers and

pineapple chunks served over rice.







Strategy #5--Choose desserts that give you fiber but little

fat such as:



--Baked apples or bananas, sprinkled with cinnamon;



--Fresh fruit cup;



--Brown bread or rice pudding made with skim milk;



--Oatmeal cookies (made with margarine or vegetable oil; add

raisins).



For many, the end of the workday, represents a time to

relax, and dinner can be a light meal and an opportunity to

decrease fat and cholesterol.





Snacks





Strategy #1--Try a raw vegetable platter made with a

variety of vegetables. Include some good fiber choices:

carrots, snow peas, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans.



Strategy #2--Make sauces and dips with nonfat plain yogurt

as the base.



Strategy #3--Eat more fruit. Oranges, grapefruit, kiwi,

apples, pears, bananas, strawberries and cantaloupe are all

good fiber sources. Make a big fruit salad and keep it on hand

for snacks.



Strategy #4--Plain, air-popped popcorn is a great low-fat

snack with fiber. Watch out! Some prepackaged microwave popcorn

has fat added. Remember to go easy on the salt or use other

seasonings.



Strategy #5--Instead of chips, try one of these low-fat

alternatives that provide fiber: toasted shredded wheat Squares

sprinkled with a small amount of grated Parmesan cheese,

whole-grain English muffins, or toasted plain corn tortillas.



Strategy #6--When you are thirsty, try water, skim milk,

juice, or club soda with a twist of lime or lemon.

 

Healthy Eating Bible - How to Eat Healthy and Establish Healthy Eating Habits Easily to Live a Longer, Happier and Healthier Life (Healthy Lifestyle)

Healthy Eating

You decided to workout and now what?

 So far I mentioned that in order to choose the perfect weight loss program which will work for you it is important to learn some basic information.
And since I decided to make this blog to share my experience in weight loss with you all I think it’s better if I also share with you this information and not let you search it elsewhere.

So for starters here some basics about exercise:

Types of Exercise

There are two types of exercise: anaerobic and aerobic. Aerobic (with oxygen) training involves the use of the heart. Aerobic training is commonly referred to as cardiovascular training. Walking and biking are examples of aerobic training. Anaerobic (without oxygen) training does not involve the heart. Instead, it relies on energy stored within the muscles. Strength training is an example of anaerobic training.


Workout Frequency

The frequency of an exercise program can vary depending on fitness level and personal goals. Three or more workouts per week are preferred.

Workout Duration

The duration of a workout can be very brief, or it can last for several hours. Thirty minutes to 1hour is typical.

Workout Intensity

Always start with a light resistance level then gradually work your way up.

Sets and Reps

A rep (short for repetition) is any motion or exercise that is done repeatedly. A set is a grouping of repetitions. Repetition range can vary depending on factors such as the muscle being trained and fitness level. Consider starting with 10 reps and 2 to 3 sets per exercise.

Workout Assistance

Never exceed your known physical limits. Always seek the assistance of a professional before performing difficult exercises.


Breathing Technique

The contraction of a muscle during exercise is referred to as the concentric phase of the movement. The goal is to try to exhale as you contract the muscle (e.g. breathe out while you push). Inhalation should take place during the eccentric phase or opposite movement.

Useful resources:

Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training for Women 

Workouts For Dummies

The Now What? Fitness Series Collection Complete 6-Book Set Simplifying A Total Health And Fitness Plan Including Cardio, Strength Training, Healthy Nutrition, Working Out At Home And In The Gym

Choosing your best weight loss program

In my previous post, I mentioned the necessary step everyone must make before starting any weight loss program.

Let's say you did it and now what?

Since I was in my 20's I followed every diet I could find in magazines or online. I have lost some weight and then regained it again and again.

So in this post, I will talk about how to choose the program you need in order for you to not do the same mistakes as I did.

The kind of diet and exercise you should choose depends on many factors such as age, gender, physical condition and health problems.

The best way to choose is to ask the help of an expert (a dietician for the diet and a personal trainer for the exercise) to personalize your program.

Though not all of us have the time and the financial ability to hire these experts we can read books, articles either offline or online and learn the basics such as calorie intake, food ingredients, e.t.c.

When you do that it will be easier for you to choose. 
 

Keep in mind though it may take some experimenting to find the right diet and exercise for your individual body.

It’s important that you feel satisfied so that you can stick with it on a long-term basis. If one diet plan doesn’t work, then try another one. There are many ways to lose weight. The key is to find what works for you.

Skyrocket your Weight Loss in 4 steps

I don’t know why but in many websites about weight loss everyone makes promises or claims “I lost 24 pounds in a week” e.t.c.

I simply won’t do that. Every person is different and how much weight she or he will lose  depends on their age, sex, metabolic rate, exercise level and of course and most important how much effort he/she will put.

Miracles in weight loss simply don’t happen. Everything is the result of hard work.

If someone tells you differently just don’t believe him.

You need to have made a decision to take your health in your hands.

So the following 4 steps are absolutely necessary before starting any weight loss effort:

First of all you need to prepare yourself mentally.

If you don’t then you won’t make it. Perhaps you will be able to lose some pounds in the beginning but eventually you will gain them again as soon as you become tired and you will start making the same mistakes again.

When I am talking about mental preparation  I mean to look inside you and see whether your eating habits are the result of psychological reasons.

Almost everyone faces the same problems. Some people are eating when they have insecurities, other when they are stressed over something, other when they are down and so on.

After you recognize the reasons of your eating then you must try to find other ways of dealing with them.

Since every one of us is different there is no recipe you can just follow and everything will be okay.

You must find what will work for you alone.

For me something that helped me was the support of my family.

Other people may feel they can’t find any psychological reason for their eating habits or anything that can help them solve them. In that case they should seek help from an expert.

I know that might be hard for a lot of people but it really deserves the time and money spent.

This won’t only help you in your weight loss problem but also in all your life.

The second step before starting a weight loss program is to visit a doctor and make the necessary tests in order to make sure you don’t have any health problem.

If you are healthy it’s easier to lose weight.

In case though you find something that can prevent your weight loss then you should make the necessary treatment first or you should start a program with your doctor cooperation.

The third step before starting your weight loss program is that you must decide your target.

You should make sure you make a logical target.

It’s better to have a target for example 10 kilos in 3 months instead of 30 kilos in 6 months. If you don’t, then in case your efforts don’t work you may be disappointed and give up.

Finally the forth step and not less important is that you should ask for your family and friends' help.

When someone has to go through a weight loss program eating with friends and family can be very torturing, especially if they are eating all the forbidden foods and drinks.

However if they know what you are going through they will help you.

Moreover if you can find an exercise partner that will be great because having to exercise with someone else means you won’t be able to make excuses and not exercise one day or more and also makes the exercise enjoyable and you won’t feel the time.

Resources:
1. Emotional Eating - Gain Control Of Emotional Eating And Break Free Forever