The Mind-Connection in Weight Loss

Do you struggle with weight loss and just can't seem to figure out how to lose the pounds?
Well, you are not alone.

Today marks a special day for everyone who has been struggling with losing weight because we are going to explore one of the most challenging obstacles to permanent weight loss in women: the mind-body connection.

The mind-body connection may sound like "magic and voodoo," but it actually makes a lot of sense, and even medical science now emphasizes the need to harmonize the body and mind to improve one's wellness.

There has always been an over-emphasis on the physical when it comes to losing weight. Of course, in the end, the numbers do matter and when you are trying to fit into a pair of jeans that are two sizes smaller, all you can think about is, "what happened to my waistline?"

But, what you may not know is that research suggests that our minds can sometimes be our biggest enemy when we are trying to lose weight.

Our brains can actually hinder our bodies from experiencing the weight loss we desire.

How? In today's post I will discuss the various mind-body issues that we all have experienced at one point or another that may play a role in hindering your weight loss. And I will share some simple solutions that will help you end specific mind-body misconceptions.

Problem #1: Toxic Stress
Stress can be extremely toxic if you don't know how to manage it.

Many people don't realize that stress impacts not just the mind, but also the body. If you want a more scientific term for it, call it "physiological stress."

When you are stressed, your brain sends an emergency distress signal to the rest of your body. Your "fight or flight" instincts kick in and suddenly, your body is only concerned with just surviving.

The result? You'll feel exhausted and fatigued almost all the time. This can make your weight loss journey problematic, because you won't have the extra energy you need to achieve your weight loss goals.

You can't lose weight if your stress levels are off the charts. Your mind won't allow you to use additional energy and resources on your new goals because it is in a physiological emergency state. You need to address the stress before attempting to start on your weight loss goals.

How can you stop stress before it stops you? Here are some steps to help you with stress management:
Step 1: Ask yourself, what is causing your stress? Be really honest with yourself!
Step 2: If the stressor is a problem you have at work or at home, can you find a solution for it? Sit down and try to solve the problem so it doesn't bother you anymore.
Step 3: If the stressor is something that you cannot solve, or it is simply an independent reality that causes stress sometimes (e.g. taking care of children), then learn to separate yourself momentarily from the stressor.
If you feel like exploding from stress all the time, take a five-minute walk outside or find a quiet room and do something you like. Learning to temporarily separate yourself from an unavoidable stressor can do wonders.

Problem #2: No Tension Release
Tension, like stress, can easily build up if you don't have an outlet to release it.
When there is just too much tension, it can be nearly impossible to make the lifestyle changes needed for successful weight loss.
If you don't have a way to "let off steam," your mind-body connection will work against anything that requires your time and energy. This is probably one of the main reasons why people feel fatigued at work. The tension in their minds and bodies are just too much to handle.You can solve this problem through regular tension release.

Having a "tension outlet" can greatly improve your life and help you achieve new goals.
I suggest picking activities that will allow you to release tension without harming your body. Absolutely avoid activities like guzzling alcohol or smoking tobacco.

Among the best tension busters are:
- Playing sports
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Writing/journaling
- Travel
- Cooking
- Arts

Problem #3: Not Believing In Yourself
Do our beliefs about our abilities matter when you are trying to lose weight?

Yes! You can't achieve something if you don't believe that you can do it in the first place. Remember the saying "what your mind conceives, the body can achieve?" That old saying was actually pretty accurate!

Here's the truth: experts who study body language and the subconscious mind agree that if you believe that you can do something, you're already halfway there.

If we flip the situation, not believing in your self will logically produce the opposite results. You wouldn't want that if you're eager to lose weight.

So if you really want to prepare yourself well and strengthen your mind-body connection for the purpose of losing weight, you have to completely trust yourself and believe that you can achieve weight loss.

But remember: it's not enough to just say that you believe in something.

You also have to reaffirm that belief on a daily basis and actively use it to motivate yourself to accomplish goals. That way, your mind will be properly conditioned by the right beliefs and a positive mindset.

The mind is a very powerful ally in weight loss, use it to your full advantage.

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Jason Vale's on his 5:2 Juice Diet

The Mind-Connection in Weight Loss

 
Do you struggle with weight loss and just can't seem to figure out how to lose the pounds?
Well, you are not alone.

Today marks a special day for everyone who has been struggling with losing weight because we are going to explore one of the most challenging obstacles to permanent weight loss in women: the mind-body connection.

The mind-body connection may sound like "magic and voodoo," but it actually makes a lot of sense, and even medical science now emphasizes the need to harmonize the body and mind to improve one's wellness.

There has always been an over-emphasis on the physical when it comes to losing weight. Of course, in the end, the numbers do matter and when you are trying to fit into a pair of jeans that are two sizes smaller, all you can think about is, "what happened to my waistline?"
But, what you may not know is that research suggests that our minds can sometimes be our biggest enemy when we are trying to lose weight.

Our brains can actually hinder our bodies from experiencing the weight loss we desire.
How? In today's post I will discuss the various mind-body issues that we all have experienced at one point or another that may play a role in hindering your weight loss. And I will share some simple solutions that will help you end specific mind-body misconceptions.

Problem #1: Toxic Stress
Stress can be extremely toxic if you don't know how to manage it.
Many people don't realize that stress impacts not just the mind, but also the body. If you want a more scientific term for it, call it "physiological stress."

When you are stressed, your brain sends an emergency distress signal to the rest of your body. Your "fight or flight" instincts kick in and suddenly, your body is only concerned with just surviving.
The result? You'll feel exhausted and fatigued almost all the time. This can make your weight loss journey problematic, because you won't have the extra energy you need to achieve your weight loss goals.

You can't lose weight if your stress levels are off the charts. Your mind won't allow you to use additional energy and resources on your new goals because it is in a physiological emergency state. You need to address the stress before attempting to start on your weight loss goals.

How can you stop stress before it stops you? Here are some steps to help you with stress management:
Step 1: Ask yourself, what is causing your stress? Be really honest with yourself!
Step 2: If the stressor is a problem you have at work or at home, can you find a solution for it? Sit down and try to solve the problem so it doesn't bother you anymore.
Step 3: If the stressor is something that you cannot solve, or it is simply an independent reality that causes stress sometimes (e.g. taking care of children), then learn to separate yourself momentarily from the stressor.

If you feel like exploding from stress all the time, take a five-minute walk outside or find a quiet room and do something you like. Learning to temporarily separate yourself from an unavoidable stressor can do wonders.

Problem #2: No Tension Release
Tension, like stress, can easily build up if you don't have an outlet to release it.
When there is just too much tension, it can be nearly impossible to make the lifestyle changes needed for successful weight loss.

If you don't have a way to "let off steam," your mind-body connection will work against anything that requires your time and energy. This is probably one of the main reasons why people feel fatigued at work. The tension in their minds and bodies are just too much to handle.You can solve this problem through regular tension release.

Having a "tension outlet" can greatly improve your life and help you achieve new goals.
I suggest picking activities that will allow you to release tension without harming your body. Absolutely avoid activities like guzzling alcohol or smoking tobacco.

Among the best tension busters are:
- Playing sports
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Writing/journaling
- Travel
- Cooking
- Arts

Problem #3: Not Believing In Yourself
Do our beliefs about our abilities matter when you are trying to lose weight?
Yes! You can't achieve something if you don't believe that you can do it in the first place. Remember the saying "what your mind conceives, the body can achieve?" That old saying was actually pretty accurate!

Here's the truth: experts who study body language and the subconscious mind agree that if you believe that you can do something, you're already halfway there.

If we flip the situation, not believing in your self will logically produce the opposite results. You wouldn't want that if you're eager to lose weight.

So if you really want to prepare yourself well and strengthen your mind-body connection for the purpose of losing weight, you have to completely trust yourself and believe that you can achieve weight loss.

But remember: it's not enough to just say that you believe in something.
You also have to reaffirm that belief on a daily basis and actively use it to motivate yourself to accomplish goals. That way, your mind will be properly conditioned by the right beliefs and a positive mindset.

Article Source

Cardio vs. weights: Which is actually better for weight loss?

For decades, conventional wisdom (and Jane Fonda) said cardio was the best exercise for weight loss.

Then strength training muscled its way into the spotlight as the must-do move for revving your metabolism and losing weight in your sleep, prompting many exercise enthusiasts to join #TeamNoCardio. 

So a few years ago, Duke University researchers took to the lab and conducted the largest study of its kind to compare the two and get an answer once and for all.

After 8 months of tracking 119 overweight and previously sedentary volunteers while they performed resistance training, aerobic exercise, or a combination of the two, the clear winner was ... aerobic exercise. 

The cardio group lost about 4 pounds while their resistance training peers gained two. Yes, the weight gain was attributed to added lean mass.

However, that muscle mass didn't lead to any meaningful fat loss over the course of the study. In fact, the aerobics only group shed more than 3½ pounds of fat while the lifters didn't lose a single pound despite the fact that they actually exercised 47 more minutes each week than the cardio group.

Not surprisingly, the cardio-plus-resistance group improved their body composition best -- losing the most fat while adding some lean mass. But they also spent twice as much time in the gym.

It's simple math, says study co-author Cris Slentz, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Duke University. "Minute per minute, cardio burns more calories, so it works best for reducing fat mass and body mass."

That's not to say that you shouldn't lift weights, especially as you get older and start losing muscle mass, he notes. "Resistance training is important for maintaining lean body mass, strength and function, and being functionally fit is important for daily living no matter what your size."

For the biggest fitness gain/weight loss bang for your exercise buck, combine the two, doing your strength training first and finishing off with your cardio. An American Council on Exercise study on exercise sequencing found that your heart rate is higher -- by about 12 beats per minute -- during your cardio bout when you've lifted weights beforehand.

That means more calories burned.

It's also important to remember one essential fact about exercise and weight loss, says Slentz. "Exercise by itself will not lead to big weight loss. What and how much you eat has a far greater impact on how much weight you lose," he says.

That's because it's far easier to take in less energy (calories) than it is to burn significant amounts and it's very easy to cancel out the few hundred calories you've burned working out with just one snack.

Where exercise appears to matter most is for preventing weight gain, or for keeping off pounds once you've lost weight, says Slentz. "Exercise seems to work best for body weight control," he says.

The National Weight Control Registry, which since 1994 has tracked more than 10,000 people who shed an average of 66 pounds and kept it off for at least five years, would agree.

Ninety percent of successful weight loss maintainers exercise for about an hour a day and their activity of choice is cardio, simply walking. 

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Ways of Preventing Childhood Obesity

What Causes Childhood Obesity?
Childhood obesity has become prevalent in developed countries. One fourth of the children in the US are overweight, and 11% are obese. There is evidence that excessive sugar intake, larger portion size, and the decline in outdoor and physical activity play key roles contributing to the rising rates of obesity worldwide. Hence, both over-consumption of calories and reduced physical activity are factors in childhood obesity.

What is the best way to cure childhood obesity?
Prevention is the best cure for childhood obesity. Obesity can be control through many strategic interventions which include creating the right environment, imbibing physical exercise, and diet. Most of these strategies can be started at home while some can happen at school as children spend much time at school. After-school care services can play a significant role in influencing the diet and physical activity for children at an early age. The faster the plan is initiated, the better for today's generation.

What are the causes of childhood obesity?
Although the exact factors supporting childhood obesity are not entirely understood, it is a proven fact that obesity may occur when the energy intake exceeds the energy spent by children. Genetic factors also play a role in childhood obesity, but it is not the only factor to looked when trying to determine what causes obesity in children. Different outside factors like environmental factors, lifestyle preferences, and cultural conditions are also reasons for the rise in childhood obesity. The following are being considered as factors as well:

Behavioral and social factors
1. Diet: improper regulation of Calorie intake can be a factor as children consume foods of high calories but do not spend it in activities.
2. Fat Intake: Studies show that the fat intake has decreased in some parts while increased in some areas of the country. However, children have a robust system that burns fat efficiently. Hence it cannot be an isolating factor.
3. Other dietary factors: Soft drink intake by children has increased during the past decades and has been a significant cause of the of obesity and type II diabetes. However, no conclusive studies have been published as of now.
4. Physical Activity: Numerous studies have shown that nonphysical activities like watching TV and playing video games have contributed much to an obese population. Parents often encouraged their children to watch television and spend more time inside the home so that they can complete their work and babysit at the same time. Many children have recorded low participation rates in sports and physical education which has added to their chances to become obese.

What are the ways to prevent childhood Obesity?
Having a neighborhood that has a big and safe place to play sports as well as a school which encourages physical activities as a part of school work is the first step to getting children out in the open. A home where physical activity is considered necessary, and the right diet is encouraged will decrease the chances of a child becoming obese drastically. Less time in front of the television and family dinners at the table instead of the TV will be helpful as advertisers are targeting this age group influencing their eating habits to a great extent.
Obesity is a disorder that has multiple causes including depression and the physical and mental health of obese children. Cardio and digestive diseases in adulthood are common in obese children. Over-consumption of calories and reduced physical activity is believed to be the main factors in the occurrence of childhood obesity.

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