Friday 23 December 2016
Friday 16 December 2016
Lose Weight Without Exercise - Diet to Reduce Weight Without Exercise
When you think about losing weight, you may not think about diets
to reduce weight without exercise as a potential for helping you to
shed the pounds. If you understand the science behind how to lose
weight, though, this strange way of thinking can become second-nature to
you, giving you a leg up on everyone else out there who is trying to
lose weight and diet.
For starters, let's change the way you think about the word "diet." A diet doesn't have to be a bad thing. In our context, a diet is just a way of eating with the intention of helping you to lose some of the weight that you have gained. Dieting to reduce weight doesn't mean that you have to give up what you love, it just means that you need to eat less calories than you are burning in your day-to-day life. If you don't have time to exercise very much or you simply recoil at the thought of it, you can still cut weight.
This is because your body burns a certain amount of calories (usually 1500-2000 for an average adult) just to keep you alive, even if all you do is sit around all day long. If you know this, then you can strategically plan out your diet so that you don't eat more calories than your body naturally burns every day. If you can make the difference between these two amounts around 300-500 calories, your body will be forced to start burning the fat you've stored up for energy, which means that you'll start to lose weight. It won't be as dramatic as it can be if you incorporate a modest amount of exercise into your weight loss plan, but you'll still be able to use your diet to reduce weight without exercise.
For starters, let's change the way you think about the word "diet." A diet doesn't have to be a bad thing. In our context, a diet is just a way of eating with the intention of helping you to lose some of the weight that you have gained. Dieting to reduce weight doesn't mean that you have to give up what you love, it just means that you need to eat less calories than you are burning in your day-to-day life. If you don't have time to exercise very much or you simply recoil at the thought of it, you can still cut weight.
This is because your body burns a certain amount of calories (usually 1500-2000 for an average adult) just to keep you alive, even if all you do is sit around all day long. If you know this, then you can strategically plan out your diet so that you don't eat more calories than your body naturally burns every day. If you can make the difference between these two amounts around 300-500 calories, your body will be forced to start burning the fat you've stored up for energy, which means that you'll start to lose weight. It won't be as dramatic as it can be if you incorporate a modest amount of exercise into your weight loss plan, but you'll still be able to use your diet to reduce weight without exercise.
Friday 9 December 2016
Thursday 8 December 2016
Wednesday 7 December 2016
4 Easy Activities To Stay Healthy
4 Easy Activities That Can Help You Stay Healthy
The good news is there are any number of leisure activities that will help us stay healthy and physically fit. The other good news is that a lot of them are low impact and don't involve any strenuous physical activity.
Here are a few leisurely activities that you can indulge in as much as you want to promote good health and personal well being.
1. Dance
Dancing is an exceptional activity that promotes energy, vitality, physical health and an improved mood to support your overall well being at any age! We used to dance a lot when we were younger and a lot of weight loss and fitness routines as well as some of the latest exercise equipment involve some kind of dance movements.
There are many dance styles that will fit into many different lifestyles, from zumba to ballroom dancing and lots in between. All you have to do is find a partner and start moving!
2. Plant A Garden
Do you like the great outdoors? One of the greatest benefits of gardening is that it gets you out of the house and provides you with some less than strenuous physical activity. Gardening might seem like a hobby for old folks, but it offers some health benefits for everyone: exercise, stress relief, nutrition (if it's a vegetable garden).
A number of studies have indicated a correlation between brain activity and a decrease in Alzheimer disease. In this respect, gardening may even help keep your brain healthy since your mind stays active as you tend your garden.
3. Cook at home
Many people consider cooking to be a leisure activity. When you consider cooking can give you a lot of creativity opportunities and it definitely requires thinking that keeps your mind active, it only makes sense that it could be considered an important activity to your overall mental and physical health.
There's a good possibility that you may be more likely to eat a healthy and nutritious meal when you are spend time in the kitchen preparing it yourself. If you happen to be cooking with products that you grew in your own garden, then you'll reaping the rewards of two leisure activities.
4. Do Some Low Impact Exercise
Take a Walk; It goes without saying, exercise is necessary for maintaining your weight and good overall health. Most people equate exercise with going to a gym, lifting weights or some strenuous activity. But, the fact is that just walking is sufficient to promote good health, help battle the ravages of disease like diabetes. It's also been proven to be beneficial for maintaining good BMI and lowering high cholesterol and blood pressure.
The CDC website has reported that walking is an ideal place to start a physical exercise program, Try twenty minutes a day, three days a week to start. You can increase the time or distance as your strength improves or start other more strenuous activities like tennis, bicycling, or whatever. Find a partner and use the time for socializing and to hold yourself accountable for completing the walk.
Low Impact Yoga; Yoga is a centuries old holistic ancient methods of exercise that aims to treat the entire body and mind. Yoga instruction teaches you how to use good breathing techniques and the various poses allow you to strengthen your body through stretches and which help keep you flexible.
Properly done, yoga can help reduce aches and pain, and may even help prevent injury by improving flexibility and strength. It has also been reported that yoga helps relieve stress by teaching how to control breathing to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The Bottom Line
People all over the world are becoming bigger. But there are a lot of leisure activities that offer the benefits of regular exercise: stress reduction that reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, weight loss and improvement in physical fitness.
The good news is there are any number of leisure activities that will help us stay healthy and physically fit. The other good news is that a lot of them are low impact and don't involve any strenuous physical activity.
Here are a few leisurely activities that you can indulge in as much as you want to promote good health and personal well being.
1. Dance
Dancing is an exceptional activity that promotes energy, vitality, physical health and an improved mood to support your overall well being at any age! We used to dance a lot when we were younger and a lot of weight loss and fitness routines as well as some of the latest exercise equipment involve some kind of dance movements.
There are many dance styles that will fit into many different lifestyles, from zumba to ballroom dancing and lots in between. All you have to do is find a partner and start moving!
2. Plant A Garden
Do you like the great outdoors? One of the greatest benefits of gardening is that it gets you out of the house and provides you with some less than strenuous physical activity. Gardening might seem like a hobby for old folks, but it offers some health benefits for everyone: exercise, stress relief, nutrition (if it's a vegetable garden).
A number of studies have indicated a correlation between brain activity and a decrease in Alzheimer disease. In this respect, gardening may even help keep your brain healthy since your mind stays active as you tend your garden.
3. Cook at home
Many people consider cooking to be a leisure activity. When you consider cooking can give you a lot of creativity opportunities and it definitely requires thinking that keeps your mind active, it only makes sense that it could be considered an important activity to your overall mental and physical health.
There's a good possibility that you may be more likely to eat a healthy and nutritious meal when you are spend time in the kitchen preparing it yourself. If you happen to be cooking with products that you grew in your own garden, then you'll reaping the rewards of two leisure activities.
4. Do Some Low Impact Exercise
Take a Walk; It goes without saying, exercise is necessary for maintaining your weight and good overall health. Most people equate exercise with going to a gym, lifting weights or some strenuous activity. But, the fact is that just walking is sufficient to promote good health, help battle the ravages of disease like diabetes. It's also been proven to be beneficial for maintaining good BMI and lowering high cholesterol and blood pressure.
The CDC website has reported that walking is an ideal place to start a physical exercise program, Try twenty minutes a day, three days a week to start. You can increase the time or distance as your strength improves or start other more strenuous activities like tennis, bicycling, or whatever. Find a partner and use the time for socializing and to hold yourself accountable for completing the walk.
Low Impact Yoga; Yoga is a centuries old holistic ancient methods of exercise that aims to treat the entire body and mind. Yoga instruction teaches you how to use good breathing techniques and the various poses allow you to strengthen your body through stretches and which help keep you flexible.
Properly done, yoga can help reduce aches and pain, and may even help prevent injury by improving flexibility and strength. It has also been reported that yoga helps relieve stress by teaching how to control breathing to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The Bottom Line
People all over the world are becoming bigger. But there are a lot of leisure activities that offer the benefits of regular exercise: stress reduction that reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, weight loss and improvement in physical fitness.
Tuesday 6 December 2016
More than 57,000 children become overweight or obese during primary school
Every year, 57,100 children who started
primary school in England at a healthy weight end up obese or overweight
by the time they leave, according to new statistics published by Cancer
Research UK.
This worrying statistic adds to the fact that one in five children
are already overweight or obese when they start primary school. And by
the time they leave, that figure rises to one in three.
To highlight the staggeringly high level of children's obesity and epidemic of rising ill-health, Cancer Research UK has transformed a shop front into an XL school uniform shop to show the new norm of larger school uniforms.
The Government has reneged on its commitment to publish a robust strategy to tackle the crisis of children's obesity. Encouraging exercise and a sugar tax alone won't curb the rise of ill-health which could cost the NHS billions. Commitments to protect children from junk food marketing and mandatory targets to reduce the amount of fat, sugar and salt in food are also vital.
We know that obese children are around five times more likely to grow into obese adults, and carrying too much weight increases the risk of cancer as well as other diseases.
Sarah-Louise Bridgewater from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, mother of two, said: "As a mum, my number one priority is to make sure my children are healthy. Seeing these outsize school uniforms has really worried me.
"As much as I want to, I just can't watch my children 24 hours a day and it's hard to stop them spending their pocket money on junk food. We've got to pull together to stop kids stuffing themselves with fatty sugary food that's going to make them ill later in life."
Being overweight or obese is the single biggest cause of preventable cancer in the UK after smoking and contributes to 18,100 cases of cancer every year. It is linked to 10 types of cancer including bowel, breast, and pancreatic.
Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK's director of prevention, said: "The Government has failed children. More than 57,000 children will become overweight or obese during primary school each year in England, and the Government had a chance to prevent this. The childhood obesity plan is simply not up to the task of tackling children's obesity. Instead, the next generation faces a future of ill health, shortened lives, and an overstretched NHS.
"It will take more than encouraging exercise and a sugar tax to tackle the obesity epidemic. The Government has already recognised the influence of junk food marketing on children's health by banning junk food advertising during children's programmes -- it's time to close the loop hole during family viewing time.
"Young waistlines have been expanding steadily over the last two decades. With so many overweight and obese children in England, we are seeing a greater need for larger school uniforms. And it's a shame the Government has missed an opportunity to save lives."
Source
To highlight the staggeringly high level of children's obesity and epidemic of rising ill-health, Cancer Research UK has transformed a shop front into an XL school uniform shop to show the new norm of larger school uniforms.
The Government has reneged on its commitment to publish a robust strategy to tackle the crisis of children's obesity. Encouraging exercise and a sugar tax alone won't curb the rise of ill-health which could cost the NHS billions. Commitments to protect children from junk food marketing and mandatory targets to reduce the amount of fat, sugar and salt in food are also vital.
We know that obese children are around five times more likely to grow into obese adults, and carrying too much weight increases the risk of cancer as well as other diseases.
Sarah-Louise Bridgewater from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, mother of two, said: "As a mum, my number one priority is to make sure my children are healthy. Seeing these outsize school uniforms has really worried me.
"As much as I want to, I just can't watch my children 24 hours a day and it's hard to stop them spending their pocket money on junk food. We've got to pull together to stop kids stuffing themselves with fatty sugary food that's going to make them ill later in life."
Being overweight or obese is the single biggest cause of preventable cancer in the UK after smoking and contributes to 18,100 cases of cancer every year. It is linked to 10 types of cancer including bowel, breast, and pancreatic.
Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK's director of prevention, said: "The Government has failed children. More than 57,000 children will become overweight or obese during primary school each year in England, and the Government had a chance to prevent this. The childhood obesity plan is simply not up to the task of tackling children's obesity. Instead, the next generation faces a future of ill health, shortened lives, and an overstretched NHS.
"It will take more than encouraging exercise and a sugar tax to tackle the obesity epidemic. The Government has already recognised the influence of junk food marketing on children's health by banning junk food advertising during children's programmes -- it's time to close the loop hole during family viewing time.
"Young waistlines have been expanding steadily over the last two decades. With so many overweight and obese children in England, we are seeing a greater need for larger school uniforms. And it's a shame the Government has missed an opportunity to save lives."
Source
Monday 5 December 2016
5 Healthy Eating Do's and Don'ts For Weight Loss
So you've decided to focus on healthy eating and in turn, improve
your daily nutrition in order to lose weight. Awesome! That can likely
be one of the most important decisions you make for your health and the
direction your future takes. Before you dive headlong into the weight
loss process, here's a list of 5 healthy eating do's and don'ts to help
give you precise focus and direction.
If you start with these specific healthy eating tips, you will leapfrog right to the front and not have to struggle with issues that usually stump those new to the process.
5 Healthy Eating Don'ts for Weight Loss
- Don't Starve Yourself
Many people think that in order to lose weight you need to starve yourself. Their thinking is, if I don't eat food I won't gain weight. The problem is everyone NEEDS food. It is what fuels our bodies to get through each day. Denying your body sustenance will only cause you to overeat the next time you do eat meaning you'll take in too many calories at one sitting. Instead of forcing your body to deal with this, just get in the habit of eating 5 small meals evenly spaced throughout the day so you keep your body nourished while at the same time control the amount of calories you do put into your body.
- Don't Snack During Leisure Time
When we are watching tv, reading a book, browsing the Internet, sewing, playing video games, or any other type of leisure activity, do NOT snack. Anyone who has snacked while doing a leisure activity knows from experience that the outcome is usually not a good one. Entire bags of potato chips and 2 liters of soda have been known to be devoured during one leisure session which amounts to hundreds upon hundreds of needless calories. If you must have a small snack during your leisure time, have a fruit and a tall glass of water. Presto, hunger cravings will vanish and you will have only consumed around 100 calories.
- Don't Buy Unhealthy Food/Drinks
It goes without saying if you don't buy the junk, you will be unable to eat the stuff when you're at home. Don't purposely put temptation in your kitchen making it that much more difficult to stay eating in a healthy manner. Out of sight out of mind really helps in this situation.
- Don't Eat Late At Night
Get in the habit of not eating anything three hours before you go to sleep. Eating late at night does not give your body the chance to burn off those calories before going to sleep so guess where they will end up. Stuck right around your belly, back, legs or chest. Dinner should be the smallest meal of the day ranging from 400-600 calories including drinks.
- Don't Eat Until You're Stuffed
If you are eating until you are so full it's hard to move guess what, you've eaten far too much for one meal. Portion size is king when it comes to healthy nutrition. Serve an appropriate portion size, drink a lot of water with your meal, and you'll find that you really don't need that much food to get full. Your body will thank you afterwards and you'll avoid the "food coma" feeling you've likely had to deal with from past experiences.
Now that we're done with all the unhealthy habits you shouldn't let happen, here are 5 healthy eating do's you should start adhere to as soon as possible. Remember this is a process, so don't get down on yourself if you have trouble making these 5 healthy habits stick on a consistent basis.
5 Healthy Eating Do's For Weight Loss
- Do Research Healthy Meals & Snacks
If you've been eating out at restaurants and fast food spots for some time, it's important you start getting used to actually putting your kitchen to good use. Keep in mind 70% of your weight loss success will be dependent on your nutrition and the amount you're eating on a daily basis. Take some time to research the Internet to find some healthy meals and snacks that look appealing to you. You'll find tons of them within 15 minutes of searching on Google. Save or print out the directions along with ingredient list and the pictures if you want and you'll be all set.
- Do Count or Monitor Your Calories
Your body only needs a certain amount of calories each and every day. Look online to find out what an appropriate calorie amount is for you - which will take into consideration your gender, age, height, and usual activity level. This number can range anywhere from 1,500 - 3,000 calories per day which is why it's important to learn what is appropriate calorie amount for you. Once you have this number, you can use one of the many FREE calorie counting apps/websites to keep track of what you're consuming on a daily basis. This tip right here can really get you focused on eating healthy regularly so give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how it helps you.
- Do Prepare Portioned Snacks
It's so important to not only eat proper portions at your meals but also your snacks. Keeping your body properly nourished throughout the day in the form of snacks will prevent hunger cravings from creeping in tempting you to eat something unhealthy. It will do you no good to eat a healthy breakfast, then at ten o'clock when you start to get a little hungry go to the vending machine at work and get a 20 oz bottle of soda along with a giant Snickers bar. Say hello to 700 calories right there! Instead, prepare/bag healthy snacks at home and toss them in your lunch bag when you head out in the morning.
- Do Take Travel Lunch Leftovers
When you are away from home, try never to rely on having to go out to eat. Not only will that waste much more money than is necessary, but you'll often be confronted with a meal that is far too large. Instead, get used to packing leftovers in plastic travel containers. To ensure you have enough food to take with you the next day, get in the healthy habit of cooking a bit extra. By doing this you'll be guaranteed to have leftovers that can be used for either lunch the next day or future meals.
- Do Drink Lots and Lots of Water
The number one healthy habit you should get used to doing is drinking a lot of water each and every day. Lots and lots of water. Not only does water have absolutely zero calories, but it helps make everything move along smoothly through the digestive process. Get in the habit of always having a container of water with you so you're never empty-handed during the day.
If you get rid of just one soda per day, over the course of a year you'll eliminate 54,750 calories, or 15.6 pounds, from potentially being put into your body. Imagine if you changed all your drinks to water!
Hopefully you can put to immediate use these 5 healthy eating do's and don'ts and get right on track to reach your health and fitness goals.
If you start with these specific healthy eating tips, you will leapfrog right to the front and not have to struggle with issues that usually stump those new to the process.
5 Healthy Eating Don'ts for Weight Loss
- Don't Starve Yourself
Many people think that in order to lose weight you need to starve yourself. Their thinking is, if I don't eat food I won't gain weight. The problem is everyone NEEDS food. It is what fuels our bodies to get through each day. Denying your body sustenance will only cause you to overeat the next time you do eat meaning you'll take in too many calories at one sitting. Instead of forcing your body to deal with this, just get in the habit of eating 5 small meals evenly spaced throughout the day so you keep your body nourished while at the same time control the amount of calories you do put into your body.
- Don't Snack During Leisure Time
When we are watching tv, reading a book, browsing the Internet, sewing, playing video games, or any other type of leisure activity, do NOT snack. Anyone who has snacked while doing a leisure activity knows from experience that the outcome is usually not a good one. Entire bags of potato chips and 2 liters of soda have been known to be devoured during one leisure session which amounts to hundreds upon hundreds of needless calories. If you must have a small snack during your leisure time, have a fruit and a tall glass of water. Presto, hunger cravings will vanish and you will have only consumed around 100 calories.
- Don't Buy Unhealthy Food/Drinks
It goes without saying if you don't buy the junk, you will be unable to eat the stuff when you're at home. Don't purposely put temptation in your kitchen making it that much more difficult to stay eating in a healthy manner. Out of sight out of mind really helps in this situation.
- Don't Eat Late At Night
Get in the habit of not eating anything three hours before you go to sleep. Eating late at night does not give your body the chance to burn off those calories before going to sleep so guess where they will end up. Stuck right around your belly, back, legs or chest. Dinner should be the smallest meal of the day ranging from 400-600 calories including drinks.
- Don't Eat Until You're Stuffed
If you are eating until you are so full it's hard to move guess what, you've eaten far too much for one meal. Portion size is king when it comes to healthy nutrition. Serve an appropriate portion size, drink a lot of water with your meal, and you'll find that you really don't need that much food to get full. Your body will thank you afterwards and you'll avoid the "food coma" feeling you've likely had to deal with from past experiences.
Now that we're done with all the unhealthy habits you shouldn't let happen, here are 5 healthy eating do's you should start adhere to as soon as possible. Remember this is a process, so don't get down on yourself if you have trouble making these 5 healthy habits stick on a consistent basis.
5 Healthy Eating Do's For Weight Loss
- Do Research Healthy Meals & Snacks
If you've been eating out at restaurants and fast food spots for some time, it's important you start getting used to actually putting your kitchen to good use. Keep in mind 70% of your weight loss success will be dependent on your nutrition and the amount you're eating on a daily basis. Take some time to research the Internet to find some healthy meals and snacks that look appealing to you. You'll find tons of them within 15 minutes of searching on Google. Save or print out the directions along with ingredient list and the pictures if you want and you'll be all set.
- Do Count or Monitor Your Calories
Your body only needs a certain amount of calories each and every day. Look online to find out what an appropriate calorie amount is for you - which will take into consideration your gender, age, height, and usual activity level. This number can range anywhere from 1,500 - 3,000 calories per day which is why it's important to learn what is appropriate calorie amount for you. Once you have this number, you can use one of the many FREE calorie counting apps/websites to keep track of what you're consuming on a daily basis. This tip right here can really get you focused on eating healthy regularly so give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how it helps you.
- Do Prepare Portioned Snacks
It's so important to not only eat proper portions at your meals but also your snacks. Keeping your body properly nourished throughout the day in the form of snacks will prevent hunger cravings from creeping in tempting you to eat something unhealthy. It will do you no good to eat a healthy breakfast, then at ten o'clock when you start to get a little hungry go to the vending machine at work and get a 20 oz bottle of soda along with a giant Snickers bar. Say hello to 700 calories right there! Instead, prepare/bag healthy snacks at home and toss them in your lunch bag when you head out in the morning.
- Do Take Travel Lunch Leftovers
When you are away from home, try never to rely on having to go out to eat. Not only will that waste much more money than is necessary, but you'll often be confronted with a meal that is far too large. Instead, get used to packing leftovers in plastic travel containers. To ensure you have enough food to take with you the next day, get in the healthy habit of cooking a bit extra. By doing this you'll be guaranteed to have leftovers that can be used for either lunch the next day or future meals.
- Do Drink Lots and Lots of Water
The number one healthy habit you should get used to doing is drinking a lot of water each and every day. Lots and lots of water. Not only does water have absolutely zero calories, but it helps make everything move along smoothly through the digestive process. Get in the habit of always having a container of water with you so you're never empty-handed during the day.
If you get rid of just one soda per day, over the course of a year you'll eliminate 54,750 calories, or 15.6 pounds, from potentially being put into your body. Imagine if you changed all your drinks to water!
Hopefully you can put to immediate use these 5 healthy eating do's and don'ts and get right on track to reach your health and fitness goals.
Saturday 3 December 2016
The Best Cardio for a Fat Free Life
Studies have shown that exercising for at least 30 minutes 5 days
a week produces the most beneficial results. The thing is, that
exercise can cover a huge range of activities provided that your heart
rate is raised to a suitable level for your age and remains at that
level for the majority of the exercise period.
So What Sort Of Cardio Exercise Should I Do?
This is the fun part - almost anything provided it is safe and follows the criteria for raising your heart rate. I like to mix it up, one day alternating fast walking with jogging in the park, another attending a folk dance class and so on. The simplest routine is one that is also highly effective - just going for a power walk, arms pumping at sufficient pace will provide a low impact route to stripping excess fat from your body. It's crucial to keep boredom at bay and to constantly push yourself just that little bit more. For these reasons, I advocate a class or new hobby that is both physical and fun. Some ideas include:
Tennis
Cycling
Soccer
Volleyball
Hiking
Dancing of all types
Boxing
Canoeing
Rowing
Skiing
Water-skiing
Wind-surfing
Surfing
The possibilities are literally endless and half the joy comes from mastering a new skill which, in turn, boosts your new found confidence. Ideally, you would split your exercise routine into four or five sessions with one or two devoted to your new hobby or sport per week. Create a fitness plan for 4 weeks of exercise in a journal. That's roughly how long it takes for our bodies to truly absorb and begin to feel the benefit of healthy new habits.
Create a comments section to record your observations on how your exercise session went. It's here that you can really work on upping your motivation by praising yourself where necessary and by paying close attention to how YOU felt about your session.
Was it fun? Easier than last time? A little more than you expected? Note it all down and you'll start to see how you progress over the coming weeks. You can also create a space to suggest modifications for yourself or even just to write down which particular exercises really worked for you.
Remember, this is all about taking responsibility for your own body and the more you do this the stronger your motivation will be to do the right thing for yourself.
So What Sort Of Cardio Exercise Should I Do?
This is the fun part - almost anything provided it is safe and follows the criteria for raising your heart rate. I like to mix it up, one day alternating fast walking with jogging in the park, another attending a folk dance class and so on. The simplest routine is one that is also highly effective - just going for a power walk, arms pumping at sufficient pace will provide a low impact route to stripping excess fat from your body. It's crucial to keep boredom at bay and to constantly push yourself just that little bit more. For these reasons, I advocate a class or new hobby that is both physical and fun. Some ideas include:
Tennis
Cycling
Soccer
Volleyball
Hiking
Dancing of all types
Boxing
Canoeing
Rowing
Skiing
Water-skiing
Wind-surfing
Surfing
The possibilities are literally endless and half the joy comes from mastering a new skill which, in turn, boosts your new found confidence. Ideally, you would split your exercise routine into four or five sessions with one or two devoted to your new hobby or sport per week. Create a fitness plan for 4 weeks of exercise in a journal. That's roughly how long it takes for our bodies to truly absorb and begin to feel the benefit of healthy new habits.
Create a comments section to record your observations on how your exercise session went. It's here that you can really work on upping your motivation by praising yourself where necessary and by paying close attention to how YOU felt about your session.
Was it fun? Easier than last time? A little more than you expected? Note it all down and you'll start to see how you progress over the coming weeks. You can also create a space to suggest modifications for yourself or even just to write down which particular exercises really worked for you.
Remember, this is all about taking responsibility for your own body and the more you do this the stronger your motivation will be to do the right thing for yourself.
Sunday 27 November 2016
How to lose weight the healthy way
Find out how to lose the weight the healthy way, from
introducing changes gradually to reducing your calorie intake.
The healthiest way to
lose weight is neither crash diets nor bursts of exercise. The body likes slow
changes in terms of food and exercise.
For example, someone who hasn't exercised for years shouldn't rush into running miles a day or pounding the treadmill. Not only will the struggle to do so leave you feeling disheartened and demotivated, you're also far more likely to injure yourself and set your fitness levels back further.
The same goes for people who suddenly start starving themselves. Diets that severely restrict calories or the types of food 'allowed' can lead you to be deficient in the nutrients and vitamins that your body needs.
So, if you need to lose weight, what should you do?
For example, someone who hasn't exercised for years shouldn't rush into running miles a day or pounding the treadmill. Not only will the struggle to do so leave you feeling disheartened and demotivated, you're also far more likely to injure yourself and set your fitness levels back further.
The same goes for people who suddenly start starving themselves. Diets that severely restrict calories or the types of food 'allowed' can lead you to be deficient in the nutrients and vitamins that your body needs.
So, if you need to lose weight, what should you do?
Energy
needs and weight loss
Your body uses food
for energy. It stores any excess energy as fat. This means if you eat more food
than your body needs for daily activities and cell maintenance, you'll gain
weight.
To lose weight, you need to get your body to use up these stores of fat. The most effective way to do this is to:
To lose weight, you need to get your body to use up these stores of fat. The most effective way to do this is to:
- reduce the amount of calories you eat
- increase your levels of activity.
This is why experts talk about weight
loss in terms of diet and exercise.
Introduce changes gradually
Small changes can make a big
difference. One extra biscuit a week can lead you to gain 5lb a year – cut that
biscuit out of your diet and you'll lose the same amount.
You're also more likely to stick to, say, swapping full-fat milk for semi-skimmed or making time for breakfast each morning than a diet that sets rules for all foods.
You should think of weight loss in terms of permanently changing your eating habits. While weight-loss goals are usually set in term of weeks, the end game is to sustain these changes over months and years, ie lifestyle change for life.
You're also more likely to stick to, say, swapping full-fat milk for semi-skimmed or making time for breakfast each morning than a diet that sets rules for all foods.
You should think of weight loss in terms of permanently changing your eating habits. While weight-loss goals are usually set in term of weeks, the end game is to sustain these changes over months and years, ie lifestyle change for life.
Increase your activity levels
Someone who increases the amount they
exercise, but maintains the same diet and calorie intake, will almost certainly
lose weight.
No matter if you hate gyms – even light exercise, such as a short 20 minute walk, will be beneficial if done most days of the week.
Every single time you exercise more than usual, you burn calories and fat.
There are lots of ways to increase the amount of activity you do. Team sports, racket sports, aerobics classes, running, walking, swimming and cycling will all improve your fitness levels.
Find something you enjoy that's easy for you to do in terms of location and cost. You're then more likely to build it into your routine and continue to exercise, despite inevitably missing the odd session through holidays, family commitments, etc.
No matter if you hate gyms – even light exercise, such as a short 20 minute walk, will be beneficial if done most days of the week.
Every single time you exercise more than usual, you burn calories and fat.
There are lots of ways to increase the amount of activity you do. Team sports, racket sports, aerobics classes, running, walking, swimming and cycling will all improve your fitness levels.
Find something you enjoy that's easy for you to do in terms of location and cost. You're then more likely to build it into your routine and continue to exercise, despite inevitably missing the odd session through holidays, family commitments, etc.
- Get out and about at the weekend. Leave your car on the drive and walk to the shops. Try to incorporate longer walks into outings to the park, coast or countryside and take a picnic, so you're in control of what you are going to eat that day.
- Every extra step you take helps. Always use the stairs instead of the lift, or get off the bus a stop before the usual one and walk the rest of the way.
- Use commercial breaks between TV-programmes to stand up and do exercise, or consider using an exercise bicycle in the living room while watching your favourite programme
Reduce your calorie intake
What is overweight?
Doctors use BMI to assess weight.
A BMI of 18.5 to 25 is healthy.
If you have a BMI of more than 25, you're overweight.
Over 30 is obese.
Over 40 is morbidly obese.
To calculate your BMI, you'll need to know your weight in kilos and your height in metres, then follow the example below.
1. Multiply your height by itself, eg 1.7x1.7= 2.89.
2. Divide your weight (eg 80kg) by this figure.
3. 80 ÷ 2.89= 27.7.
27.7 is the BMI.
If you're overweight, you can't continue with your current eating habits if you really want to lose weight.
It's not possible to reduce body fat while eating lots of food, cakes and sweets. This doesn't mean you can never have any treats, but you need to learn how to limit these foods to small quantities – say, for special occasions.
In terms of weight-loss, you can get your body to use up existing stores of fat by eating less and making healthier choices.
This doesn't mean crash diet (anything less than 1500 calories), which usually ends up with you either getting weaker or giving up in desperation. Quick-fix diets can lead to a yo-yoing effect of drastic weight loss followed by weight gain, resulting in a vicious cycle.
There are no shortcuts to losing weight in a healthy and reasonable way.
Eating 300 to 500 calories less per day should lead to a loss of between one and two pounds per week. This is a realistic target. It may seem slow, but it would add up to a weight loss of more than three stone in a year.
Fat contains the most amount of calories out of all the food types (protein, carbohydrates), so a good way to achieve this is to cut down on fatty foods and eat more wholegrain bread, fruit and vegetables.
Below are ways to reduce calorie intake without having to alter your diet significantly.
A BMI of 18.5 to 25 is healthy.
If you have a BMI of more than 25, you're overweight.
Over 30 is obese.
Over 40 is morbidly obese.
To calculate your BMI, you'll need to know your weight in kilos and your height in metres, then follow the example below.
1. Multiply your height by itself, eg 1.7x1.7= 2.89.
2. Divide your weight (eg 80kg) by this figure.
3. 80 ÷ 2.89= 27.7.
27.7 is the BMI.
If you're overweight, you can't continue with your current eating habits if you really want to lose weight.
It's not possible to reduce body fat while eating lots of food, cakes and sweets. This doesn't mean you can never have any treats, but you need to learn how to limit these foods to small quantities – say, for special occasions.
In terms of weight-loss, you can get your body to use up existing stores of fat by eating less and making healthier choices.
This doesn't mean crash diet (anything less than 1500 calories), which usually ends up with you either getting weaker or giving up in desperation. Quick-fix diets can lead to a yo-yoing effect of drastic weight loss followed by weight gain, resulting in a vicious cycle.
There are no shortcuts to losing weight in a healthy and reasonable way.
Eating 300 to 500 calories less per day should lead to a loss of between one and two pounds per week. This is a realistic target. It may seem slow, but it would add up to a weight loss of more than three stone in a year.
Fat contains the most amount of calories out of all the food types (protein, carbohydrates), so a good way to achieve this is to cut down on fatty foods and eat more wholegrain bread, fruit and vegetables.
Below are ways to reduce calorie intake without having to alter your diet significantly.
- Replace fizzy drinks and fruit cordials with water.
- Swap whole milk for semi-skimmed, or semi-skimmed for skimmed.
- Eat less lunch than usual. For example, make your own sandwich and limit the use of margarine or butter and full-fat mayonnaise (store-bought sandwiches often contain both).
- Stop taking sugar in tea and coffee.
- Have smaller portions of the food you enjoy.
- Avoid having a second helping at dinner.
- Cut out unhealthy treats – such as confectionary, sugary biscuits and crisps between meals.
- Cut down on alcohol intake.
All these things will influence your
health in a positive way.
Finally, don't be tempted to skip breakfast – or any meal to lose weight. While skipping a meal will reduce your calorie intake for that hour, it will leave you much hungrier later on.
Not only are you likely to overeat to compensate, but you'll often make bad choices to fill the gap: a cereal bar is not as healthy as a bowl of cereal or as filling, leading you to 'need' something extra for lunch.
Irregular eating habits also disrupt your body's metabolism, which makes it harder to lose weight in the first place.
Finally, don't be tempted to skip breakfast – or any meal to lose weight. While skipping a meal will reduce your calorie intake for that hour, it will leave you much hungrier later on.
Not only are you likely to overeat to compensate, but you'll often make bad choices to fill the gap: a cereal bar is not as healthy as a bowl of cereal or as filling, leading you to 'need' something extra for lunch.
Irregular eating habits also disrupt your body's metabolism, which makes it harder to lose weight in the first place.
Write down your plan
Food diary
If you're not sure what's wrong with
your diet, try keeping a daily diary of everything you eat and drink.
You can use a notebook or an online diary.
At the end of the week, review your entries for problem areas.
Look out for processed foods, alcohol, fast food, roasts, creamy sauces and fried foods.
If your diet seems largely healthy, look at portion sizes.
If you're not sure what's meant by 'healthy diet', read our series on nutrition.
Once you've decided on what changes you're going to make, write them down. For example:
You can use a notebook or an online diary.
At the end of the week, review your entries for problem areas.
Look out for processed foods, alcohol, fast food, roasts, creamy sauces and fried foods.
If your diet seems largely healthy, look at portion sizes.
If you're not sure what's meant by 'healthy diet', read our series on nutrition.
Once you've decided on what changes you're going to make, write them down. For example:
Week 1
- Exercise: one 20 minute walk every lunch hour.
- Alcohol: none in the week, two small glasses of wine on Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
- Food: no chocolate or biscuits in the week, choose healthy snacks such as fruit, trim all fat from meat, eat no fried or fast food.
- For each week list your targets concerning alcohol, exercise and your food plan.
- Each day should then be listed in a simple chart and items you have had should be written down. It is also important to make a note of your mood and any comments you would like to get off your chest for each day.
Be patient and persevere
It might take a week or two before you
notice any changes, but they will steadily appear. After the first month you'll
be able to see the results and measure them in terms of looser fitting clothes.
Keeping your motivation up is one of the most difficult aspects of dieting. There will be days when healthy eating goes out the window, and there will be weeks where you may not lose any weight – or put a little back on.
This is normal for everyone – dieters or not – so don't let it undo your plans for a slimmer you. You're not doing anything 'wrong', but you may need to look at your plan. Do you need to increase your activity levels? Make a few more changes to your diet? Put more effort into sticking to your current plan?
The other side of this is to make sure you celebrate your goals. While there's joy enough in stepping on the scales and seeing them dip lower, be sure to mark long-term progress with a reward – such as new clothes or time off from domestic chores.
Celebrating is also a way to involve your nearest and dearest – it's up to you whether you want their encouragement in the form of gentle reminders not to eat certain foods. But support from other people can get you through the bumpy patches.
Keeping your motivation up is one of the most difficult aspects of dieting. There will be days when healthy eating goes out the window, and there will be weeks where you may not lose any weight – or put a little back on.
This is normal for everyone – dieters or not – so don't let it undo your plans for a slimmer you. You're not doing anything 'wrong', but you may need to look at your plan. Do you need to increase your activity levels? Make a few more changes to your diet? Put more effort into sticking to your current plan?
The other side of this is to make sure you celebrate your goals. While there's joy enough in stepping on the scales and seeing them dip lower, be sure to mark long-term progress with a reward – such as new clothes or time off from domestic chores.
Celebrating is also a way to involve your nearest and dearest – it's up to you whether you want their encouragement in the form of gentle reminders not to eat certain foods. But support from other people can get you through the bumpy patches.
Health benefits of weight loss
Studies show that overweight women who
lose between 10lb and 20lb halve their risk of developing diabetes. For
men, the risk of heart problems reduces considerably.
Generally, we gain weight as we age. A few pounds over the years are not a problem, but people who gain more than 20lb compared to their weight as an 18-year-old will rapidly increase their risk of health problems due to that extra weight. In particular, women increase their risk of heart attack and double their risk of dying from cancer.
It may seem like these are problems to worry about in the future, but time flies by and tomorrow becomes today. By keeping your weight in the healthy range, you're less likely to be troubled by illnesses in your later years.
Generally, we gain weight as we age. A few pounds over the years are not a problem, but people who gain more than 20lb compared to their weight as an 18-year-old will rapidly increase their risk of health problems due to that extra weight. In particular, women increase their risk of heart attack and double their risk of dying from cancer.
It may seem like these are problems to worry about in the future, but time flies by and tomorrow becomes today. By keeping your weight in the healthy range, you're less likely to be troubled by illnesses in your later years.
Other people also read:
- Body weight: what determines your body weight and what is a healthy weight.
- Obesity: around one in four men and one in three women in the UK are overweight. Are you one of them?
- Type 2 diabetes: if you are overweight you will significantly increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Source
Monday 21 November 2016
11 Foods to Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight
The foods you eat can have a major effect on your weight.
Some foods, like full-fat yogurt, coconut oil and eggs, help with weight loss.
Other foods, especially processed and refined products, can make you gain weight.
Here are 11 foods to avoid when you’re trying to lose weight.
In observational studies, consuming French fries and potato chips has been linked to weight gain.
One study even found that potato chips may contribute to more weight gain per serving than any other food.
What’s more, baked, roasted or fried potatoes may contain cancer-causing substances called acrylamides. Therefore, it’s best to eat plain, boiled potatoes.
Sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda, are one of the unhealthiest foods on the planet.
They are strongly associated with weight gain and can have disastrous health effects when consumed in excess.
Even though sugary drinks contain a lot of calories, your brain doesn’t register them like solid food.
Liquid sugar calories don’t make you feel full, and you won’t eat less food to compensate. Instead, you end up adding these calories on top of your normal intake.
If you are serious about losing weight, consider giving up sugary drinks completely.
White bread is highly refined and often contains a lot of added sugar.
It is high on the glycemic index and can spike your blood sugar levels.
One study of 9,267 people found that eating two slices (120 grams) of white bread per day was linked to a 40% greater risk of weight gain and obesity.
Fortunately, there are many healthy alternatives to conventional wheat bread. One is Ezekiel bread, which is probably the healthiest bread on the market.
However, keep in mind that all wheat breads do contain gluten. Some other options include oopsie bread, cornbread and almond flour bread.
Candy bars are extremely unhealthy. They pack a lot of added sugar, added oils and refined flour into a small package.
Candy bars are high in calories and low in nutrients. An average-sized candy bar covered in chocolate can contain around 200–300 calories, and extra-large bars may contain even more.
Unfortunately, you can find candy bars everywhere. They are even strategically placed in stores in order to tempt consumers into buying them impulsively.
If you are craving a snack, eat a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts instead.
Most fruit juices you find at the supermarket have very little in common with whole fruit.
Fruit juices are highly processed and loaded with sugar.
In fact, they can contain just as much sugar and calories as soda, if not more.
Also, fruit juice usually has no fiber and doesn’t require chewing.
This means that a glass of orange juice won’t have the same effects on fullness as an orange, making it easy to consume large quantities in a short amount of time.
Stay away from fruit juice and eat whole fruit instead.
Pastries, cookies and cakes are packed with unhealthy ingredients like added sugar and refined flour.
They may also contain artificial trans fats, which are very harmful and linked to many diseases .
Pastries, cookies and cakes are not very satisfying, and you will likely become hungry very quickly after eating these high-calorie, low-nutrient foods.
If you’re craving something sweet, reach for a piece of dark chocolate instead.
Alcohol provides more calories than carbs and protein, or about 7 calories per gram.
However, the evidence for alcohol and weight gain is not clear .
Drinking alcohol in moderation seems to be fine and is actually linked to reduced weight gain. Heavy drinking, on the other hand, is associated with increased weight gain.
The type of alcohol also matters. Beer can cause weight gain, but drinking wine in moderation may actually be beneficial.
Ice cream is incredibly delicious, but very unhealthy. It is high in calories, and most types are loaded with sugar.
A small portion of ice cream is fine every now and then, but the problem is that it’s very easy to consume massive amounts in one sitting.
Consider making your own ice cream, using less sugar and healthier ingredients like full-fat yogurt and fruit.
Also, serve yourself a small portion and put the ice cream away so that you won’t end up eating too much.
Pizza is a very popular fast food. However, commercially made pizzas also happen to be very unhealthy.
They’re extremely high in calories and often contain unhealthy ingredients like highly refined flour and processed meat.
If you want to enjoy a slice of pizza, try making one at home using healthier ingredients. Homemade pizza sauce is also healthier, since supermarket varieties can contain lots of sugar.
Another option is to look for a pizza place that makes healthier pizzas.
Coffee contains several biologically active substances, most importantly caffeine.
These chemicals can boost your metabolism and increase fat burning, at least in the short term.
However, the negative effects of adding unhealthy ingredients like artificial cream and sugar outweigh these positive effects.
High-calorie coffee drinks are actually no better than soda. They’re loaded with empty calories that can equal a whole meal.
If you like coffee, it’s best to stick to plain, black coffee when trying to lose weight. Adding a little cream or milk is fine too. Just avoid adding sugar, high-calorie creamers and other unhealthy ingredients.
Added sugar is probably the worst thing in the modern diet. Excess amounts have been linked to some of the most serious diseases in the world today.
Foods high in added sugar usually provide tons of empty calories, but are not very filling.
Examples of foods that may contain massive amounts of added sugar include sugary breakfast cereals, granola bars and low-fat, flavored yogurt.
You should be especially careful when selecting “low-fat” or “fat-free” foods, as manufacturers often add lots of sugar to make up for the flavor that’s lost when the fat is removed.
Source
Some foods, like full-fat yogurt, coconut oil and eggs, help with weight loss.
Other foods, especially processed and refined products, can make you gain weight.
Here are 11 foods to avoid when you’re trying to lose weight.
1. French Fries and Potato Chips
Whole potatoes are healthy and filling, but french fries and potato chips are not. They are very high in calories, and it’s easy to eat way too many of them.In observational studies, consuming French fries and potato chips has been linked to weight gain.
One study even found that potato chips may contribute to more weight gain per serving than any other food.
What’s more, baked, roasted or fried potatoes may contain cancer-causing substances called acrylamides. Therefore, it’s best to eat plain, boiled potatoes.
Bottom Line: French fries and potato chips are unhealthy and fattening. On the other hand, whole, boiled potatoes are very healthy and help fill you up.
2. Sugary Drinks
Sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda, are one of the unhealthiest foods on the planet.
They are strongly associated with weight gain and can have disastrous health effects when consumed in excess.
Even though sugary drinks contain a lot of calories, your brain doesn’t register them like solid food.
Liquid sugar calories don’t make you feel full, and you won’t eat less food to compensate. Instead, you end up adding these calories on top of your normal intake.
If you are serious about losing weight, consider giving up sugary drinks completely.
Bottom Line: Sugary drinks can negatively affect your weight and general health. If weight loss is your goal, then giving up soda and similar drinks may have a big impact.
3. White Bread
White bread is highly refined and often contains a lot of added sugar.
It is high on the glycemic index and can spike your blood sugar levels.
One study of 9,267 people found that eating two slices (120 grams) of white bread per day was linked to a 40% greater risk of weight gain and obesity.
Fortunately, there are many healthy alternatives to conventional wheat bread. One is Ezekiel bread, which is probably the healthiest bread on the market.
However, keep in mind that all wheat breads do contain gluten. Some other options include oopsie bread, cornbread and almond flour bread.
Bottom Line: White bread is made from very fine flour, and can spike your blood sugar levels and lead to overeating. However, there are many other types of bread you can eat.
4. Candy Bars
Candy bars are extremely unhealthy. They pack a lot of added sugar, added oils and refined flour into a small package.
Candy bars are high in calories and low in nutrients. An average-sized candy bar covered in chocolate can contain around 200–300 calories, and extra-large bars may contain even more.
Unfortunately, you can find candy bars everywhere. They are even strategically placed in stores in order to tempt consumers into buying them impulsively.
If you are craving a snack, eat a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts instead.
Bottom Line: Candy bars consist of unhealthy ingredients like sugar, refined flour and added oils. They are high in calories, but not very filling.
5. Most Fruit Juices
Most fruit juices you find at the supermarket have very little in common with whole fruit.
Fruit juices are highly processed and loaded with sugar.
In fact, they can contain just as much sugar and calories as soda, if not more.
Also, fruit juice usually has no fiber and doesn’t require chewing.
This means that a glass of orange juice won’t have the same effects on fullness as an orange, making it easy to consume large quantities in a short amount of time.
Stay away from fruit juice and eat whole fruit instead.
Bottom Line: Fruit juice is high in calories and added sugar, but usually contains no fiber. It is best to stick to whole fruit.
6. Pastries, Cookies and Cakes
Pastries, cookies and cakes are packed with unhealthy ingredients like added sugar and refined flour.
They may also contain artificial trans fats, which are very harmful and linked to many diseases .
Pastries, cookies and cakes are not very satisfying, and you will likely become hungry very quickly after eating these high-calorie, low-nutrient foods.
If you’re craving something sweet, reach for a piece of dark chocolate instead.
Bottom Line: Pastries, cookies and cakes often contain large amounts of added sugar, refined flour and sometimes trans fat. These foods are high in calories but not very filling.
7. Some Types of Alcohol (Especially Beer)
Alcohol provides more calories than carbs and protein, or about 7 calories per gram.
However, the evidence for alcohol and weight gain is not clear .
Drinking alcohol in moderation seems to be fine and is actually linked to reduced weight gain. Heavy drinking, on the other hand, is associated with increased weight gain.
The type of alcohol also matters. Beer can cause weight gain, but drinking wine in moderation may actually be beneficial.
Bottom Line: If you are trying to lose weight, you may want to consider cutting back on alcohol or skipping it altogether. Wine in small amounts seems to be fine.
8. Ice Cream
Ice cream is incredibly delicious, but very unhealthy. It is high in calories, and most types are loaded with sugar.
A small portion of ice cream is fine every now and then, but the problem is that it’s very easy to consume massive amounts in one sitting.
Consider making your own ice cream, using less sugar and healthier ingredients like full-fat yogurt and fruit.
Also, serve yourself a small portion and put the ice cream away so that you won’t end up eating too much.
Bottom Line: Store-bought ice cream is high in sugar, and homemade ice cream is a better alternative. Remember to be mindful of portions, as it’s very easy to eat too much ice cream.
9. Pizza
Pizza is a very popular fast food. However, commercially made pizzas also happen to be very unhealthy.
They’re extremely high in calories and often contain unhealthy ingredients like highly refined flour and processed meat.
If you want to enjoy a slice of pizza, try making one at home using healthier ingredients. Homemade pizza sauce is also healthier, since supermarket varieties can contain lots of sugar.
Another option is to look for a pizza place that makes healthier pizzas.
Bottom Line: Commercial pizzas are often made from highly refined and processed ingredients. A homemade pizza with healthier ingredients is a much better option.
10. High-Calorie Coffee Drinks
Coffee contains several biologically active substances, most importantly caffeine.
These chemicals can boost your metabolism and increase fat burning, at least in the short term.
However, the negative effects of adding unhealthy ingredients like artificial cream and sugar outweigh these positive effects.
High-calorie coffee drinks are actually no better than soda. They’re loaded with empty calories that can equal a whole meal.
If you like coffee, it’s best to stick to plain, black coffee when trying to lose weight. Adding a little cream or milk is fine too. Just avoid adding sugar, high-calorie creamers and other unhealthy ingredients.
Bottom Line: Plain, black coffee can be very healthy and help you burn fat. However, high-calorie coffee drinks that contain artificial ingredients are very unhealthy and fattening.
11. Foods High in Added Sugar
Added sugar is probably the worst thing in the modern diet. Excess amounts have been linked to some of the most serious diseases in the world today.
Foods high in added sugar usually provide tons of empty calories, but are not very filling.
Examples of foods that may contain massive amounts of added sugar include sugary breakfast cereals, granola bars and low-fat, flavored yogurt.
You should be especially careful when selecting “low-fat” or “fat-free” foods, as manufacturers often add lots of sugar to make up for the flavor that’s lost when the fat is removed.
Source
Sunday 20 November 2016
Diet to Lose Weight | What I Eat In A Day | Burn Fats Diet
Healthy way to lose weight. What do you think?
Saturday 19 November 2016
Friday 18 November 2016
Healthy Weight Loss and Dieting Tips
In our eat-and-run,
massive-portion-sized culture, maintaining a healthy weight can be
tough—and losing weight, even tougher. If you’ve tried and failed to
lose weight before, you may believe that diets don’t work for you.
You’re probably right: some diets don’t work at all and none of them
work for everyone—our bodies all respond differently. But while there’s
no easy fix to losing weight, there are plenty of steps you can take to
develop a healthier relationship with food, curb emotional triggers to
overeating, and achieve lasting weight-loss success.
The truth is there is no “one size fits all” solution to permanent healthy weight loss. What works for one person may not work for you, since our bodies respond differently to different foods, depending on genetics and other health factors. To find the method of weight loss that’s right for you will likely take time and require patience, commitment, and some experimentation with different foods and diets.
If you eat a carbohydrate-rich meal, your body releases insulin to help with the influx of all this glucose into your blood. As well as regulating blood sugar levels, insulin does two things: It prevents your fat cells from releasing fat for the body to burn as fuel (because its priority is to burn off the glucose) and it creates more fat cells for storing everything that your body can’t burn off. The result is that you gain weight and your body now requires more fuel to burn, so you eat more. Since insulin only burns carbohydrates, you crave carbs and so begins a vicious cycle of consuming carbs and gaining weight. To lose weight, the reasoning goes, you need to break this cycle by reducing carbs.
We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. All too often, we turn
to food when we’re stressed or anxious, which can wreck any diet and
pack on the pounds. Do you eat when you’re worried, bored, or lonely? Do
you snack in front of the TV at the end of a stressful day? Recognizing
your emotional eating triggers can make all the difference in your weight-loss efforts. If you eat when you’re:
Part of the problem is that many of us have swapped dairy and animal fats for the empty calories of refined carbohydrates and sugar. Instead of eating whole-fat yoghurt, for example, we’re eating low- or no-fat versions that are packed with sugar to make up for the loss of taste.
Adding a little tasty fat, such as butter, to a plate of vegetables, for example, can make it easier to eat healthy food and improve the overall quality of your diet. While some people would be wise to limit the amount of saturated fat they consume, others may find that enjoying healthy sources of saturated fat and The Fat Debate can help weight loss. Some nutritionists also warn against swapping butter or lard for industrially manufactured vegetable oils due to the damaging heat and solvents used in processing.
Different views of successful, healthy weight loss
Pick up any diet book and it will claim to hold all the answers to successfully losing all the weight you want—and keeping it off. Some claim the key is to eat less and exercise more, others that low fat is the only way to go, while others prescribe cutting out carbs. So what should you believe?The truth is there is no “one size fits all” solution to permanent healthy weight loss. What works for one person may not work for you, since our bodies respond differently to different foods, depending on genetics and other health factors. To find the method of weight loss that’s right for you will likely take time and require patience, commitment, and some experimentation with different foods and diets.
“Calories in/calories out” view of weight loss
Some experts believe that successfully managing your weight comes down to a simple equation: If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight. Sounds easy, right? Then why is losing weight so hard?- Weight loss isn’t a linear event over time. When you cut calories, you may drop weight for the first few weeks, for example, and then something changes. You eat the same number of calories but you lose less weight or no weight at all. That’s because when you lose weight you’re losing water and lean tissue as well as fat, your metabolism slows, and your body changes in other ways. So, in order to continue dropping weight each week, you need to continue cutting calories.
- A calorie isn’t always a calorie. Eating 100 calories of high fructose corn syrup, for example, can have a different effect on your body than eating 100 calories of broccoli. The trick for sustained weight loss is to ditch the foods that are packed with calories but don’t make you feel full (like candy) and replace them with foods that fill you up without being loaded with calories (like vegetables).
- Many of us don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. We also turn to food for comfort or to relieve stress—which can derail any weight loss efforts before they begin.
Low carb view of weight loss
A different way of viewing weight loss identifies the problem as not one of consuming too many calories, but rather the way the body accumulates fat after consuming carbohydrates—in particular the role of the hormone insulin. When you eat a meal, carbohydrates from the food enter your bloodstream as glucose. In order to keep your blood sugar levels in check, your body always burns off this glucose before it burns off fat from a meal.If you eat a carbohydrate-rich meal, your body releases insulin to help with the influx of all this glucose into your blood. As well as regulating blood sugar levels, insulin does two things: It prevents your fat cells from releasing fat for the body to burn as fuel (because its priority is to burn off the glucose) and it creates more fat cells for storing everything that your body can’t burn off. The result is that you gain weight and your body now requires more fuel to burn, so you eat more. Since insulin only burns carbohydrates, you crave carbs and so begins a vicious cycle of consuming carbs and gaining weight. To lose weight, the reasoning goes, you need to break this cycle by reducing carbs.
Control emotional eating
We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. All too often, we turn
to food when we’re stressed or anxious, which can wreck any diet and
pack on the pounds. Do you eat when you’re worried, bored, or lonely? Do
you snack in front of the TV at the end of a stressful day? Recognizing
your emotional eating triggers can make all the difference in your weight-loss efforts. If you eat when you’re:
Stressed – find healthier ways to calm yourself. Try yoga, meditation, or soaking in a hot bath.
Low on energy – find other mid-afternoon pick-me-ups. Try walking around the block, listening to energizing music, or taking a short nap.
Lonely or bored – reach out to others instead of reaching for the refrigerator. Call a friend who makes you laugh, take your dog for a walk, or go to the library, mall, or park—anywhere there’s people.
Low on energy – find other mid-afternoon pick-me-ups. Try walking around the block, listening to energizing music, or taking a short nap.
Lonely or bored – reach out to others instead of reaching for the refrigerator. Call a friend who makes you laugh, take your dog for a walk, or go to the library, mall, or park—anywhere there’s people.
Stay motivated
Permanent weight loss requires making healthy changes to your lifestyle and food choices. These tips can help you to stay motivated:
Find a cheering section. Social support means a lot.
Programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers use group support to
impact weight loss and lifelong healthy eating. Seek out support—whether
in the form of family, friends, or a support group—to get the
encouragement you need.
Slow and steady wins the race. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your mind and body, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. Aim to lose one to two pounds a week so you’re losing fat rather than water and muscle.
Set goals to keep you motivated. Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children’s sakes. When temptation strikes, focus on the benefits you’ll reap from being healthier.
Use tools to track your progress. Smartphone apps, fitness trackers, or simply keeping a journal can help you keep track of the food you eat, the calories you burn, and the weight you lose. Seeing the results in black and white can help you stay motivated.
Get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep stimulates your appetite so you want more food than normal; at the same time, it stops you feeling satisfied, making you want to keep eating. Sleep deprivation can also affect your motivation, so try to get about eight hours of quality sleep a night.
Slow and steady wins the race. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your mind and body, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. Aim to lose one to two pounds a week so you’re losing fat rather than water and muscle.
Set goals to keep you motivated. Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children’s sakes. When temptation strikes, focus on the benefits you’ll reap from being healthier.
Use tools to track your progress. Smartphone apps, fitness trackers, or simply keeping a journal can help you keep track of the food you eat, the calories you burn, and the weight you lose. Seeing the results in black and white can help you stay motivated.
Get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep stimulates your appetite so you want more food than normal; at the same time, it stops you feeling satisfied, making you want to keep eating. Sleep deprivation can also affect your motivation, so try to get about eight hours of quality sleep a night.
Cut down on sugar and refined carbs
Whether or not you’re specifically aiming to cut carbs, most of us consume way more sugar and refined carbohydrates than is healthy. Eliminating candy and desserts is only part of the solution, though. Sugar is hidden in foods as diverse as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, and many foods labelled “low fat” or “no fat.” All this hidden sugar amounts to nothing but a lot of empty calories.- Opt for low sugar products and use fresh or frozen ingredients instead of canned goods whenever possible.
- Soft drinks (including soda, energy drinks, shakes, and coffee drinks) are one of the biggest sources of hidden sugar. One can of soda or a medium shake can contain between 10-12 teaspoons of added sugar.
- Switching to diet soda isn’t the answer as it can trigger sugar cravings and contributes to weight gain. Instead, try switching to carbonated water with a splash of juice or unsweetened iced tea.
- By slowly reducing the sugar in your diet a little at a time, you’ll give your taste buds time to adjust and be able to wean yourself off the craving for sweets.
- To avoid unhealthy spikes in blood sugar, avoid refined carbs such as white bread, white rice or pasta, and opt for their whole-grain counterparts instead.
Less sugar can mean a slimmer waistline
A lot of belly fat surrounds the abdominal organs and liver, and is closely linked to insulin resistance and diabetes. Calories obtained from fructose (found in sugary beverages such as soda and processed foods like doughnuts, muffins, and candy) are more likely to add to this dangerous fat around your belly. Cutting back on sugary foods can mean a slimmer waistline as well as a lower risk of disease.Think good fat, not low fat
Walk down any grocery store aisle and you’ll be bombarded with low-fat or fat-free snacks, dairy, and packaged meals. But while our low-fat options have exploded, so have obesity rates. Clearly, low-fat foods aren’t delivering on their weight loss promises.Part of the problem is that many of us have swapped dairy and animal fats for the empty calories of refined carbohydrates and sugar. Instead of eating whole-fat yoghurt, for example, we’re eating low- or no-fat versions that are packed with sugar to make up for the loss of taste.
Be smart about saturated fat
Prominent organizations such as the American Heart Association maintain that eating saturated fat from any source increases the risk of heart disease. However, there’s evidence to suggest that not all saturated fat is the same. Studies show that eating whole-milk dairy is actually linked to less body fat and lower levels of obesity. This may be because full-fat dairy keeps you feeling satisfied for longer, helping you to eat less overall.Adding a little tasty fat, such as butter, to a plate of vegetables, for example, can make it easier to eat healthy food and improve the overall quality of your diet. While some people would be wise to limit the amount of saturated fat they consume, others may find that enjoying healthy sources of saturated fat and The Fat Debate can help weight loss. Some nutritionists also warn against swapping butter or lard for industrially manufactured vegetable oils due to the damaging heat and solvents used in processing.
Fill up with fruit, veggies, and fiber
Even if you’re cutting calories, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to eat less food. High-fiber foods are higher in volume and take longer to digest, making them filling—and great for weight-loss.
Fruits and vegetables – Enjoy whole fruits across
the rainbow (strawberries, apples, oranges, berries, nectarines, plums),
leafy salads, and green veggies of all kinds.
Beans – Add beans of any kind (black beans, lentils, split peas, pinto beans, chickpeas) to soups, salads, and entrees, or enjoy them as a dish on their own.
Whole grains – Try high-fiber cereal, oatmeal, brown rice, and multigrain bread.
Beans – Add beans of any kind (black beans, lentils, split peas, pinto beans, chickpeas) to soups, salads, and entrees, or enjoy them as a dish on their own.
Whole grains – Try high-fiber cereal, oatmeal, brown rice, and multigrain bread.
Easier than counting calories
Counting calories can quickly become tedious, but you don’t need an accounting degree to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s generally okay to eat as much as you want—you’ll feel full before you’ve overdone it on the calories.
Eat vegetables raw or steamed, not fried or breaded, and dress them with herbs and spices or a little olive oil or butter for flavor.
Add nuts and cheese to salads and use healthy salad dressings, such as olive oil.
Add fruit to low sugar cereal—blueberries, strawberries, sliced bananas. You’ll still enjoy lots of sweetness, but with fewer calories, less sugar, and more fiber.
Bulk out sandwiches by adding healthy veggie choices like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and avocado.
Snack on carrots or celery with hummus instead of a high-calorie chips and dip.
Add more veggies to your favorite main courses to make your dish more substantial. Even pasta and stir-fries can be diet-friendly if you use less noodles and more vegetables.
Start your meal with salad or soup to help fill you up so you eat less of your entrée.
Add nuts and cheese to salads and use healthy salad dressings, such as olive oil.
Add fruit to low sugar cereal—blueberries, strawberries, sliced bananas. You’ll still enjoy lots of sweetness, but with fewer calories, less sugar, and more fiber.
Bulk out sandwiches by adding healthy veggie choices like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and avocado.
Snack on carrots or celery with hummus instead of a high-calorie chips and dip.
Add more veggies to your favorite main courses to make your dish more substantial. Even pasta and stir-fries can be diet-friendly if you use less noodles and more vegetables.
Start your meal with salad or soup to help fill you up so you eat less of your entrée.
Tune in when you eat
We live in a fast-paced world where eating has become mindless. We eat on the run, at our desk while we’re working, and in front of the TV. The result is that we consume much more than we need. To practice “mindful” eating:
Pay attention while you’re eating. Eat slowly,
savoring the smells and textures of your food. If your mind wanders,
gently return your attention to your food and how it tastes.
Avoid distractions while eating. Try not to eat while working, watching TV, or driving. It’s too easy to mindlessly overeat.
Mix things up to focus on the experience of eating. Try using chopsticks rather than a fork, or use your utensils with your non-dominant hand.
Stop eating before you are full. It takes time for the signal to reach your brain that you’ve had enough. Don’t feel obligated to always clean your plate.
Avoid distractions while eating. Try not to eat while working, watching TV, or driving. It’s too easy to mindlessly overeat.
Mix things up to focus on the experience of eating. Try using chopsticks rather than a fork, or use your utensils with your non-dominant hand.
Stop eating before you are full. It takes time for the signal to reach your brain that you’ve had enough. Don’t feel obligated to always clean your plate.
Take charge of your food environment
Set yourself up for success by taking charge of your food environment: when you eat, how much you eat, and what foods you make easily available.
Cook your own meals. Cooking meals at home allows
you to control both portion size and what goes in to the food.
Restaurant and packaged foods generally contain a lot more sugar,
unhealthy fat, and calories than food cooked at home—plus the portion
sizes tend to be larger.
Serve yourself smaller portions. Use small plates, bowls, and cups to make your portions appear larger. Don’t eat out of large bowls or directly from food containers, which makes it difficult to assess how much you’ve eaten.
Eat early, weigh less. Studies suggest that consuming more of your daily calories at breakfast and fewer at dinner can help you drop more pounds. Eating a larger, healthy breakfast can jump start your metabolism, stop you feeling hungry during the day, and give you more time to burn off the calories.
Fast for 14 hours a day. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast until breakfast the next morning. Eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestion a long break may aid weight loss.
Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. You can create your own small portion snacks in plastic bags or containers. Eating on a schedule will help you avoid eating when you aren’t truly hungry.
Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry. Create a shopping list and stick to it. Be especially careful to avoid snack and convenience foods.
Drink more water. Thirst can often be confused with hunger, so by drinking water you can avoid extra calories.
Limit the amount of tempting foods you have at home. If you share a kitchen with non-dieters, store indulgent foods out of sight.
Serve yourself smaller portions. Use small plates, bowls, and cups to make your portions appear larger. Don’t eat out of large bowls or directly from food containers, which makes it difficult to assess how much you’ve eaten.
Eat early, weigh less. Studies suggest that consuming more of your daily calories at breakfast and fewer at dinner can help you drop more pounds. Eating a larger, healthy breakfast can jump start your metabolism, stop you feeling hungry during the day, and give you more time to burn off the calories.
Fast for 14 hours a day. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast until breakfast the next morning. Eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestion a long break may aid weight loss.
Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. You can create your own small portion snacks in plastic bags or containers. Eating on a schedule will help you avoid eating when you aren’t truly hungry.
Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry. Create a shopping list and stick to it. Be especially careful to avoid snack and convenience foods.
Drink more water. Thirst can often be confused with hunger, so by drinking water you can avoid extra calories.
Limit the amount of tempting foods you have at home. If you share a kitchen with non-dieters, store indulgent foods out of sight.
Get moving
The amount exercise aids weight loss is open to debate, but the benefits go way beyond burning calories. Exercise can increase your metabolism and improve your outlook—and it’s something you can benefit from right now. Go for a walk, stretch, move around and you’ll have more energy and motivation to tackle the other steps in your weight loss program.
Lack time for a long workout? Research shows that three 10-minute spurts of exercise per day are just as good as one 30-minute workout.
Remember: anything is better than nothing. Start off slowly with small amounts of physical activity each day. Then, as you start to lose weight and have more energy, you’ll find it easier to become more physically active.
Find exercise you enjoy. Try walking with a friend, dancing, hiking, cycling, playing Frisbee with a dog, enjoying a pickup game of basketball, or playing activity-based video games with your kids.
Remember: anything is better than nothing. Start off slowly with small amounts of physical activity each day. Then, as you start to lose weight and have more energy, you’ll find it easier to become more physically active.
Find exercise you enjoy. Try walking with a friend, dancing, hiking, cycling, playing Frisbee with a dog, enjoying a pickup game of basketball, or playing activity-based video games with your kids.
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