New Year, New Diet for Weight Loss?

The new year is just around the corner and without fail, many people make new year resolutions to change things that weren't going right or start on new ventures. When it comes to losing weight, one of these resolutions is often a change in diet. It appears that the "out with the old, in with the new" mentality is at play as weightwatchers look to try new or different diets.

Many hope to find that magic diet which will stick. Of course there isn't one, as whether a diet works or not - let's assume it is a healthy weight loss diet to begin with - depends more on one's discipline to see it through. In fact, eating right is only one of two major components in a weight loss program; the other being regular exercise.

Nevertheless, a proper diet can definitely help a person lose weight naturally. It is all about nutrition and making changes to get rid of unhealthy habits. So, what steps must one take to start eating well and avoid poor diets?

Go On A Balanced Diet

A balanced diet means that you should eat various types of food in the correct proportion, according to the typical food pyramid. This ensures your body gets the necessary nutrients to keep it healthy. Every day, you should aim to eat more of these: grains, vegetables, fruits and protein. And much less fat and sugary foods - moderation and discipline is key here.

If you are new to dieting, speak to a nutritionist first to get an assessment of your needs and other advice. He or she can help you to create healthy eating plans to get you started and tailor them for your specific weight loss goals.

Watch the Food You're Buying

Since the items in a diet need to benefit the body, conscious selection is important. This means being more aware of what you're buying from the stores. While most of us assume certain foods are good for us, many times we can be misinformed by manufacturers who use misleading terms on food labels.

By reading the labels before you buy, you take control of the decision making in what foods to buy. Always check nutritional values and don't be fooled by items labeled as "low fat", for example. Sometimes there are "hidden dangers" such as lots of sugar, salt and calories in a lower-fat product -- the manufacturer chooses just to emphasize the selling point.

When it comes to buying snacks, learn to compare between brands and select those low in saturated fats, salt and other undesirable ingredients. Don't be swayed by TV ads or slick marketing - verify before you buy. Of course, the best bet is to snack on fruits and raw veggies (think salads and smoothies) to get plenty of fiber that can make you feel full, plus lots of vitamins and minerals.

Avoid Crash or Fad Diets

Certain types of diets, such as crash diets, promise that you can shed many pounds in just weeks. While they sound good and appeal to those who are looking for weight loss shortcuts, they simply don't work for the long term. Yes, you might see a drastic drop in weight initially with a crash diet, but you can't keep it off for good.

The other type of diet to watch out for is the fad diet, or so called "flavor of the month" diet. These diets are usually backed by celebrities and weight loss gurus to lend some form of credibility. Unless those involved had really gone through the same dieting starting from an overweight condition, fad diets are just like fashion: here today, gone tomorrow.

Because these kind of diets typically focus on certain food groups to the detriment of others, you end up eating an unbalanced diet. Your body will soon complain and you'd feel sick from various side effects. Poor nutrition can lead to serious medical conditions and your health can suffer as you become more prone to illness.

Eat Right and Lose Weight

Perhaps it's time to stop searching for that perfect diet and make plans for this new year to start eating right for weight loss. By watching what you eat and making conscious food choices that make for a balanced diet, you are treating your body right and setting yourself up to lose weight naturally. You just can't beat that.

The right path to losing weight comes down to selecting wieght loss methods that work and staying on track for the long term. Many people make the mistake of not having a proper diet and exercise program, thinking there could be weight loss secrets they might chance upon to bring them rapid success. And then they'd fail.

Why not start on a positive note before the year is out? Hop over to WeightLossWorks.org for some useful tips and solutions to getting slim. And have one less new year resolution to make this time round.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Albert_Bohay

Goal Setting and Weight Loss

Weight loss and Goal Setting

Are you a rebound dieter? Are you constantly trying to lose weight but fail in your fitness efforts? Perhaps your weight-loss journey has just begun and you want to ensure success at the weight loss game.
Setting a solid foundation for a healthier lifestyle through weight loss takes dedication with purpose. The following six tips will maintain your motivation so you can share your success story about changing your body and how you were able to reveal the fit and fabulous you.

Importance of Goal Setting

Regardless of how you envision the better version of your body, goal setting is necessary for success. You can shrink your belly fat by increasing your metabolism and improve your health if you set attainable goals. The benefit is you will also improve the look of your body after your healthy habit become rituals.
Keep in mind, change has to happen in your mind first. Dedicate yourself to change and your actions will follow. Results will eventually be visible in a slimmer, stronger version of you.

Goal setting is important to a sustainable healthy life style. Research reveals people experience greater success if they combine long-term and short-term goals for healthy weight loss. Be reasonable with yourself and stay dedicated. This way you will stay in action long enough to see and change and gain momentum from visible results.

Guidelines for Weight Loss Goals

1. Trade in the Scale for a Measuring Tape

Trade in the scale for the measuring tape. A decrease in inches is more motivating than a decrease in the numbers on the scale. Set goals specific goals to decrease your measurements. For instance, "lose one inch from my waistline in one month". Create a body map to maintain an accurate record of progress.

A body map is a record of your measurements of your body. A body map allows you to set specific goals. Draw a simple stick figure, or you can find one online. On this stick figure record at least these four measurements: neck, waist, belly, and hips. You can add more measurements if you want to really see results one inch as a time. Record these measurements monthly on the same body map.

2. Set Appropriate Objectives

Using a fat reducing plan just for vanity's sake is less helpful psychologically than losing weight to improve health. Many people want to make changes for the reason of wearing smaller pants. This goal lacks a purposeful reason for your actions. Build your weight loss goals around meaningful reasons supported by your belief system.

Your goals must be attainable and logical with respects to your life. Your life is unique and so your plan must be tailored to your needs. Of source you must include the logical: Good nutrition and increased exercise. But the key is making every desired change one small step at a time.

Avoid intimidating yourself with goals that are out of reach. Small incremental changes developed on the foundation of purposeful reasons are more effective than lofty goals that remained dreams.

3. Focus on Doing, Not Losing

Rather than telling yourself you are going to lose 2 pounds this week, quantify the amount of time you're going to dedicate to exercise this week. Be specific down to the minutes.
Or specifically outline what exercises you will be doing and how many repetitions you'll be doing. This would definitely make up of a sensible weight loss plan. Manager activity level and focus on your actions so weight loss becomes a byproduct of your focus.

4. Make Logical Changes

Short-term weight loss plans driven by "pie-in-the-sky" goals set dieters up for failure. If you have never exercised at all, a productive action towards change is to find three different one-mile routes that you can walk this week. If you're already active and take one step up and increase the amount of activity in small increments.

For example if you already go to the gym two days a week boost your activity level to three days a week.If you try changing your habits too severely in a short time frame, you're only going to frustrate your self. This will end your efforts before you even start making an impact.

5. Keep up Self-Encouragement

An all-or-nothing attitude only sets you up to fail. Learn to judge and evaluate your efforts objectively. If you fall short of some goals, just look ahead to next week. You do not need to have a perfect record. After all, self-encouragement should definitely be a part of your weight loss plans. Otherwise, you will fall short of your goals.

Give yourself credit for the action you have taken. Increasing activity week by week is the goal. Increase your intensity in small increments and recognize your forward momentum. Recognizing your positive change will help you stay dedicated in the long run.

6. Set Quantifiable Exercise Targets

In order to maximize your efforts and reach a goal, identify specific and quantifiable actions. Stating your intention of merely improving this week is not a measurable goal. Log the time dedicated to weekly exercise. Count the number of repetition of given exercises each day. Record the foods you each at each meal. These are quantifiable.

Set a specific target such as: walk a 16 minute mile three days a week. Or include half hour Pilates sessions four times this week. Perhaps you're already active so you're already going to Zumba class twice a week, then perhaps your goal is to include one day of weight training for a half-hour. A solid weight loss plan is quantifiable. Count up the minutes of exercise and log your time.

What Does Goal Setting Mean to Weight Loss?

As in all other areas of life, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. The same is true for weight loss. If you want to boost your metabolism make sure to make a plan and get into action by incorporating your goals so you're motivated and educated to your weight-loss progress in relation to the achievable goals you set for yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7322196

Natural Weight Loss Supplements for Women

Losing weight is among the most difficult tasks on the earth; perhaps because the majority of you aren't conscious of the natural weight loss supplements for women that can make you look sexy and young in a couple of weeks.

The single most common mistake women make while looking for fat loss supplements is that they go for chemically processed products that may work in the short run but over a period, the person becomes dependent on them to stay in shape.

 In addition, most of these pills and processed chemical formulas alter the working of your heart and other body organs. So ultimately, they turn out to be unhealthy for the person's physical and general health.

Having said that, natural weight loss supplements for women do not have harmful effects. They assist our body to enhance its organs and circulatory system and metabolism to the extent that the body works more effectively without being hooked on external stimulants.

When evaluating weight loss supplements, perhaps you may encounter numerous pills and brands claiming to have 100 percent natural ingredients within their products. However, it is really not always the case; usually, the nature of the herbal product is changed completely by little processing and its benefits therefore are turned into secondary effects for the body.

Below are a few very effective natural weight loss supplements for women, which can help you shed much fat in a month. However, it should be noted here that all those natural supplements work as long as you keep a check on your diet and make your body used to some regular exercise whether, either walking or exercising. Natural or processed supplements alone cannot make a significant difference at the end. Let's look into those weight loss supplements.

Green Supplements:

These nutritional supplements can be obtained under different names and brand symbols. Green supplements usually comprise of small capsules that include extracts of just about thirty to thirty six green leafy vegetables that help improve the metabolism of the body.

 Initially, the diet plan supplement will surely have an opposite effect i.e. your craving for food might increase but after a number of days, the body adjusts to the properties of these capsules. Once adjusted, it cuts down on your appetite while increasing your metabolism, as a result, you start burning the excess fat within your body.

 Alkaline Supplements:

Alkaline vitamin supplements work by maintaining the acidity level of your system. They also come in the form of tablets, which will be consisting of natural products with high alkaline properties. These natural weight loss supplements for women affects the digestive system of the body; improving its efficiency and assisting you in digesting your meals quickly.

 Furthermore, it makes you feel lighter and enhances your psychical activity. The sense of drowsiness and laziness reduces and you feel like going out and walking around on a regular basis. Because your rate of metabolism and muscle increase, you will start shedding weight without making any particular effort.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6959542

Five Things to Avoid With Your Weight Loss Diet Menu

Sticking to your weight loss diet menu can be a trying task. The temptation, the cravings and all of the foods that you know you should not be eating. For certain, adhering to any diet plan can be a real effort that takes confidence and commitment as well as resolution to see through to the end.

Diet and Weightloss - Start Your New Year Off Right!

FINDING THE PERFECT DIET :

Arriving at the Perfect Diet is no quick, simple task in today's world of fast-paced living. For example, there are several different educational food pyramid plans. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a food guide pyramid. And the Mayo Clinic, in conjunction with the May Foundation for Medical Education and Research, has their Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid.

Then there are the lifestyle choices to go along with the dietary plans. Lives need to be balanced in order to make the perfect diet effective.
For example, depending upon the body type, history, physical and mental make up and other factors, some dietary solutions are more perfectly suitable and / or adaptable than others when working in accordance with day-to-day activities; exercise, nutrition, health, etc.

BASIC WEIGHT MANAGEMENT :

The perfect diet should be combined with a healthy weight management or activity program. Weight management may conjure up that dreaded "exercise" word. And exercise to some means pushing the body beyond limits, experiencing painful in joints, muscles, and bones - everywhere. No pain no gain, right? Wrong. Instead, replace the word "exercise" with "activity" and incorporate this in your daily routine. And a general rule of thumb for guidelines about "activity" would be to strive for a minimum of 30 minutes for adults or 60 minutes for children of moderate physical activity daily.

Individual activity goals depend upon each person's health and weight goals and issues. Begin by checking with your medical advisor or healthcare physician to get a green light on which activities would be suitable for you, what your target weight range should be and a strategic plan to improve your health.

In a nutshell, during activities, calories are burned, pounds are shed in the long run. And the number of calories burned depends upon the duration and intensity or the activity. Slow and steady is the rule of thumb. And note daily progress.

For those who have never been very active at all, it may be advisable to begin slowly like with walking 10 minutes each day, gradually building up time and distance with increased "brisk" pacing. Even if you can't get out walking, biking or swimming, take stairs instead of elevators and escalators. Clean your house.

 Clean your car. Wash windows. Wash your dog. Check out exercise videos, cassettes and workout books from the public library and put some of their ideas into action. Check out your local fitness centers, YMCA, community center, too, for ideas. Partner up with a neighbor to walk or join a community volleyball team. There are unlimited ways to be active and enjoy life at the same time without using painful weight loss strategies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7568

Keep Your Kids Healthy With Fitness Games

Kids fitness games not only keep their bodies in shape, but also keep their minds active. Parents should therefore make sure that their kids have enough time to exercise.

There are some simple games which every kid will love playing. Kids nowadays are so focused on watching television and playing video games that they do not have time to exercise.

 This has resulted in an increase in the number of children with obesity.
Hockey is a kids fitness game that they can play in the driveway. It is an athletic game, causing children to use their arms and legs, and their whole bodies. This will help them maintain weight.
Rope skipping works well, too. They can play as a group or alone, on the playground or in the yard. They can compete against each other, seeing who can jump the most without tripping. They can use one rope, or many. This is a great way for a child to burn calories. They can be hyperactive, and this would be a good way to burn off some negative energy and fat.

Of course most kids love to ride bikes. You can also join in, making it more fun for your child, and healthy for you as well. Cycling is considered to be one of the best ways to keep active and fit. It requires a lot of energy to cycle, and the leg muscles get some exercise. Be safety conscious, however. Make sure the child wears a helmet and stays on the sidewalk. Keep close supervision to avoid accidents.

Football is a great game that provides and opportunity for your child to see what is to be a team player, as well as get some great exercise. It is one of those team games that involves racing and agility. Soccer is another good one. Cardiovascular health is improved as the child runs around the field, improving heart and many muscles in the body.

 They will have fun racing around with their friends, getting good and sweaty. They will also enjoy if you watch and cheer them on.

For when the weather is cold outside, there are indoor activities that can be done as well. A lot of kids love to dance. You can introduce your kid to dancing as an exercise and also to explore their talent. They may even want to become a better dancer, and join dancing classes.

 Hide and seek is a good indoor game. They walk around the house alternatively, trading places as the hider and the seeker. The key is that they are not just sitting around in front of the TV. Hide and seek is still good indoor walking exercise.

The duty of making sure children stay healthy falls upon the parents. It is very important to make sure they get some physical exercise somehow, and consistently. Kids fitness games such as rope jumping, cycling, swimming, soccer as well as hide and seek are some games you can let your kid play. If Done consistently, these games will increase his or her agility as well as keep them healthy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7388594

Tips For Helping Weight Loss In Children

Trying to find a diet that your children enjoy, but is also healthy for them can seem very difficult. When you encourage your children to eat healthily, it can create pressure.

 How do you keep them from getting obsessed about their weight while making sure they have a good diet? Here are some tips that can help you find a healthy diet for your kids.

1) Don't use food as a reward. This can turn out to be a habit for their lifetime if they consider a treat as a reward for good behavior. If you tell them they only get desert after eating their dinner, they can end up binging on food as rewards and make them only want to eat sweet treats.

2) Keep the sugar down in their diet. Too much sugar can cause children to put on weight, not only that, but it rots teeth. Instead of giving them desert after their food, try to give them more of the main course. Maybe give them a piece of fruit. It can be difficult, but they usually find that fruit is sweet and enjoyable, and without all the fat.

3) Don't let them snack too much. Some kids can form a habit of snacking between meals because it gives them a burst of energy. Only give them if they are needed, and not sweet stuff. Some suggestions are fruit bars, fresh fruit, unsweetened yogurt, and nuts or seeds.

4) Watch out for advertising. It can be difficult to not give them the food that they see their friends eating, or see on TV. it can affect their behavior if you give them what they want all the time, so try to think of their long term health. Make sure they aren't eating unhealthy foods all the time, only get them the things they want occasionally.

5) Be an example. Children copy the behavior of those around them so they will need to see you eating well. Eat all of your vegetables if you want your child to do so too. Try to eat healthy deserts after most meals. If you set the example, they will follow.

6) Food variety is good. Make sure that the diet has plenty of salads and proteins, beans, carbohydrates like wholemeal pasta and wholegrain bread. As long as healthy foods are eaten often, unhealthy food is fine every once in a while.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7387966

Childhood Obesity Is A Serious Problem

Obesity is a health condition where weight gain moves to a point that it poses a grim risk to health. One of the best ways to reduce the chances of childhood obesity is to improve the diet patterns and help your child cultivate exercise habits. Taking care of and preventing childhood obesity helps protect the health of your child and can avoid serious ailments.

 Body Mass Index (BMI) is a scientific indicator of determining the amount of body fat for children two years of age or older. Regular check-ups and advice from your child's doctor can help you assess if your child's weight can pose health issues in the future course.

Prospective dietary factors behind obesity

Obesity occurs when a person takes in more energy than they expend, while some people are genetically vulnerable than others, but the rise in obesity has been too hasty to be attributed to genetic factors and thus reflect changes in eating habits and levels of physical activity.

 Dormant lifestyles, high dietary intake of junk foods in place of homemade food, high intakes of sugar sweetened soft drinks and fruit juices, and strict dieting are chief reasons of increasing childhood obesity.

The most important cause behind rising childhood obesity occurs at a time when the proportion of energy derived from fat decreases substantially.

 It is thus important to consume healthy food rather than the larger amount. Moreover, foods rich in glycaemic index such as breads, potatoes, soft drinks, biscuits and cakes cause significant rise in blood sugar levels immediately after consumption and also stimulates hunger, causing overeating. These food articles thus induce flab causing heart disease and diabetes.

The increased consumption of junk food that is high in fat, energy intense, has a high glycaemic index is a major reason of increasing child obesity. Junk foods are high on energy and low on micro nutrient foods are causative agents in obesity. Fibrous food products rich in anti-oxidants and healthy day schedules can help manage this problem. Prevention and management of obesity requires synchronized efforts to improve diet and induce the physical efforts in the early years of children at schools, in families and communities.

Actions to Prevent and Remedial measures for Obesity

Obese children are more prone to mental sickness as they feel detached and unfriendly. They need regular and careful medical examination by a pediatrician to assess a physical cause.

 If obesity is not due to the genetic disorder, the only way to reduce weight is by reducing the number of calories consumed and to increase the child's level of physical activity by indulging into sports.

 Cultivate healthy eating habits, avoiding fatty and sugar rich junk foods and include fruits, vegetables and low-fat snacks in the daily diet. Increase physical activity, by taking a few brisk walks with your child every day.

Obese children feel isolated. Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated irrespective of appearance and overweight. An overweight child probably knows better than anyone else that he or she has an overweight problem. They need love, support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents and community. Encourage and enjoy healthy foods and physical activity like sports, walk, etc.

 Set good examples for your child. Don't be shy of your child's overweight. When your child sees you enjoying healthy foods and physical activity, he or she is more likely to enjoy the same for rest of life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7417123

Burning Fat Vs Burning Calories

To lose weight and get in shape you must have a good diet and exercise regularly to burn fat. The first thing you must understand about exercise is that just because you are burning calories does not mean you are burning fat. Your main focus when you exercise should be losing body fat, and you can’t lose body fat just from burning calories. When we exercise, our bodies will start burning calories, but the calories that are burned are the calories from carbohydrates in our system. In order to burn calories from your stored fat, your body requires the presence of oxygen. There is a certain amount of oxygen that your body needs in order to start burning fat and the only way for you to measure the amount needed for your own body is to keep up with your target heart rate during exercise. Please understand that if you continue to only burn calories from carbohydrates, you will lose mostly “water weight” which leads to a decrease in your metabolism. Also, think of the calories that are burned from carbohydrates as your energy calories. If you lose too much energy calories then your muscles will not receive enough energy to increase your metabolism which indirectly burn fat. Therefore you must increase your calorie intake when you are on an exercise program to replace your burned energy calories.

Burning Fat Calories during exercise

During aerobic exercise, your body goes through several stages before it reaches the point where you are burning fat. You will hear people say that you are only burning sugar (carbohydrates) not fat during the first 10 minutes of exercise. This is true to a certain extent. I say this because you will continue to burn sugar past the 10 minute mark if you are not working out hard enough for your body to want more oxygen; or you are working out too hard and you can’t supply your body with enough oxygen for fat burning. When you exercise you must move at a steady pace (not too fast, not too slow) so your body will utilize your stored fat (not carbohydrates or sugar) as its energy source. Also remember that just because you reached the fat burning stage does not mean you will stay there. Staying at the fat burning stage once again depends on if you are moving at a pace that is right for your body. Make sure that you are within your target heart rate range.

Burning Fat Calories at rest

The only way for you to continue to burn fat calories hours after you have finished working out is through the anaerobic exercise of weight training. Weight training is the key to burning fat at rest. Weight training is an anaerobic activity that will cause you to burn more calories than aerobic exercise. The calories that you are burning during weight training exercises are mostly calories from carbohydrates (meaning you must eat even more calories per day for energy); but the calories you burn at rest are mostly calories from fat. The reason you are burning fat at rest is because weight training increases your metabolism which uses your stored fat as energy.

To make your body the ultimate fat burning machine you must do aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (weight training) exercises.

Yousmile

Copied with permission from: http://plrplr.com/93507/burning-fat-vs-burning-calories/

Eliminate Negative Thoughts And Lose Weight

You think thousands of thoughts each day. You talk to yourself more than anyone else. You are your most trusted advisor and confidant. Many of the conversations that you have with yourself you would never share with anyone else because to do so would expose the “real” you. The you that is filled with self doubt, worries, sadness, guilt, hurts and disappointments.

But this is not the “real you” at all. This is the you that your ego and belief systems have constructed. These negative beliefs have been constructed by you, and accepted by you as truth. The sad thing is that nothing can be further from the truth.

Where did these false ideas about you originate? They mostly came from others; parents, teachers, co-workers, and friends. They might have planted the seed by saying something like “she is fat” and you have cultivated those comments to the point that they have become your truth.

You are allowing your entire life to be controlled by some obscure comments made years ago. Nobody has the right or power to dictate who you are. Only you know who you truly are and what’s in your heart.

When you were born you entered this world without the burdens of you current negative belief system. You entered this world as a beautiful bundle of joy filled with unlimited potential and possibilities.

I’m here to tell you that you have not changed. You are still and will always be a beautiful bundle of joy with unlimited potential and possibilities.

The only difference is what you give your attention to. Let me ask you a question. If you stopped all the negative talk that you currently have with yourself such as;

- I’m too fat

- Why would anyone want to love me

- I will never be thin

- I always fail

And the list can go on and on… How would you feel ? Do you think that you would feel emotionally lighter ? Do you think that you would feel happier ? Do you think that you would feel more confident ?

Now how do you think your life would change if you were to go one step further and modify your self talk by only speaking positively about yourself. If you take some time and focus on what you like about yourself and focus on only that your emotional state will become positive to the point that you will be able to accomplish anything.

Once you begin looking for the positive things within you, you will be surprised to realize your magnificence has always been there just below the surface. You have never been anything other then that shining bundle of joy that entered the world years ago. It’s easy to uncover positive aspects of yourself by asking some questions.

- What am I good at?

- Who has benefited by me being in the world?

- Who am I, what is in my heart that only I know?

- What do I like about my body?

Your goal is to feel good now. How do you feel now? If you only observe what you feel is positive about you, you will feel good, you will be happy. Decide right here and right now how you want to feel. Decide that you will always look for the good within you and appreciate that goodness.



So what does all of this have to do with losing weight? Everything!!! Your emotional state is the control valve that determines what you draw into your experience. How you talk to yourself creates your beliefs and programs your subconscious. So you need to ask yourself do you want your beliefs and subconscious programming to be based on false negative thinking. Or do you want your beliefs to be based on the truth, that you are and always have been a perfect being.

Begin today to love and nurture yourself. Allow the joy, playfulness and enthusiasm that you naturally had as a child begin to flow into your everyday experiences. Allow yourself to celebrate each and every success no matter how small. Love and appreciate yourself every opportunity you have. Do this everyday and watch your weight begin to dissolve just as your old negative beliefs about yourself begin to dissolve.


Yousmile

Fitness Is More Than a New Year Resolution

One of the most common new year resolutions is to get in shape. You've probably heard countless friends and family talk about how they're going to join a gym or start a new weight loss routine for the new year.
But fitness is too important to just leave it to a new year resolution. It is important to have a year-round fitness routine which adapts to the changing needs of your body and lifestyle.

Starting a fitness routine now is the best way to set yourself on the right path. It's not just about making promises to yourself that come the new year things will change, it's about getting actual results from a properly planned routine of exercise.

It can be all too easy to put off starting a fat loss plan and it takes real willpower to make that change today. There can be many excuses that pop into your mind about why you can't start changing your body and losing weight immediately. But your health is too important to leave to chance. The quicker you start a well-planned fitness routine, the sooner you'll see real results. These results will spur you on to push harder, eat better, and increase the amount of effort you're putting into your weight loss routine.

"Many people have tried different ways to get in shape, and one of the most effective is a fitness bootcamp" says Rafael Moret, the owner of Rated "R" Fitness bootcamp. This kind of environment provides not only the right equipment to help your fitness routine, but also the motivation, encouragement, and fun. Instead of a solitary exercise routine in a corner of the gym, you can be training with properly qualified bootcamp fitness instructors on a purpose-built facility with other people who share the same goals as you.

You can push your body a lot harder when a professional is setting your targets, because you'll be safe in the knowledge that they're not only medically sound for you to take part in, but also realistic for your fitness level. After starting training, you will find you lose fat and increase muscle tissue. And this increase in muscle tissue means your body will burn more calories when you're resting, making it easier to keep fat off your body.

It's possible to burn far more calories in one bootcamp session than in a standard low-intensity gym workout. You benefit from seeing the results faster, which will improve your motivation and determination to stay in shape. Bootcamp workouts have been shown to lower stress and help people enjoy their lives.

It will come at a much lower cost than a personal trainer, so there's no worrying about the cost of getting involved and starting right now. It's a surprisingly low-cost way of getting fit. When scheduling bootcamp sessions, they can fit around your work commitments.

 It is the fastest way to get in shape and see some serious fat loss. Many people have tried a lot of different ideas from fad diets to low-intensity gym sessions before trying the bootcamp approach. But it's this type of exercise that has sen them lose weight and increase the strength of their heart.

 It's a good idea to speak with a bootcamp instructor about your fitness history and future goals so your targets and activities can be set appropriately. Instead of just making a new year's resolution you should start a bootcamp routine today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7427266

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7427266

Being Overweight Increases Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is well know that being overweight or obese increases your risk of several health conditions, from heart disease and diabetes to chronic back pain. A new study demonstrates that a BMI over 25 puts you at an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by inflammation that destroys the lining of joints and, eventually, causing bone erosion. It is believed to be an autoimmune disease in which the body misidentifies a threat and creates unnecessary, harmful inflammation around joints. It can affect joints in the hands, feet, wrists, knees, ankles, spine, elbows, hips and shoulders. Joints tend to be swollen and stiff, particularly in the morning. Joints may feel warm due to inflammation. You may experience a fever as well, since this is a form of whole-body inflammation that occurs when the body detects a threat.

This condition affects far more women than men. As rheumatoid arthritis progresses, joints may be deformed by erosion and may move out of alignment. Inflammation targets synovial lining in the joint, which thickens and causes ligaments supporting the joint to become overstretched and weak. Cartilage and bone around the joint deteriorates. The loss of structural integrity can lead to misalignment and increased pain upon movement.

Two long-term studies, one spanning from 1976-2008 and the other from 1989-2009, tracked over 100,000 adult women each to determine whether being overweight or obese factored into lifetime risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Risk was determined by "hazard ratio;" participants with a healthy weight were considered to have a hazard ratio of 1.00, and this served as a reference to base the risks of those with excess weight on. The longer study found that overweight individuals had a hazard ratio of 1.19 (19% higher), and obese people had a ratio of 1.18 (18% higher). The shorter study found overweight participants to have a ratio of 1.78 (78% higher) and obese participants to have a ratio of 1.73 (73% higher).

Though the numbers differed, both studies lent supporting evidence to the theory that excess weight increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Learning the risk factors for this condition is important, considering there is no cure for it. Treatment surrounds management of pain and stiffness as well as attempts to slow the disease's progression.

Losing weight healthily can be done in a number of ways. Healthy eating and physical activity generally combine to help you lose fat and gain lean muscle. Talk with a dietician or your doctor about different weight loss programs, or begin a program like Weight Watchers on your own. Weight Watchers has both free and low-fee program options.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amee_LaTour

A Planned Approach to Weight Loss

Weight loss occurs when the body is using more energy than it is consuming, it will use stored reserves from fat or muscle, gradually leading to weight loss.

In addition to resorting to an ideal diet that has less calories, action needs to be taken to increase the metabolic rate of the body. Regardless of one's age this can be achieved.

If one is consuming 2000 calories daily but burning only 1500 calories surely this will result in weight gain. This unfortunately is a daily occurrence. There are many people who have gained a considerable amount of weight and keep wondering "how did that happen?" in the first place.

When the amount of muscles in your body is increased especially after weight training exercises, the muscles are metabolically active even after exercises and continue to burn calories even when resting. This type of exercise is highly recommended if convenient.

Not everyone is able to go to the gym and carry out weight training. However if more people were aware that simply moving practically any part of the body will result in calories been burnt they would do so. One should pace up and down, open and close the fists, tap the feet, move the head around use the stairs more often. Just imagine moving almost any part of the body instead of remaining motionless.

How about going to the park for a brisk walk for at least half an hour three times per week? That would certainly be great for weight loss. Think of the overall advantage to the body to do these exercises for at least ten minutes at a time each day, not only would weight loss be achieved, but the entire body would gain maximum benefit.

After one sticks to an exercise and calorie routine, then it is very important to carefully monitor one's calorie intake. In order for one not to gain weight easily, the scales should be used at least once per week to monitor your weight stability.

Of course sometimes when one is losing weight, one can easily exceed the amount of weight one intended to lose. Here the calorie intake need to be increased until the intended weight is achieved.

Eating healthily is so important. To maintain good health, means to have a balance diet daily. Fruit and vegetables are so important in our daily food intake, cereals and potatoes, milk and other dairy foods, meat and fish.

 These all form a part of a balance diet. Foods that are high in fats and sugar should be consumed in small portions. These include biscuits, cakes, soft drinks, pastries. These foods are among the best tasting foods, but could prove detrimental.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Albert_A_Fletcher

Natural Weight Loss Supplements for Women

Losing weight is among the most difficult tasks on the earth; perhaps because the majority of you aren't conscious of the natural weight loss supplements for women that can make you look sexy and young in a couple of weeks.

 The single most common mistake women make while looking for fat loss supplements is that they go for chemically processed products that may work in the short run but over a period, the person becomes dependent on them to stay in shape.

 In addition, most of these pills and processed chemical formulas alter the working of your heart and other body organs. So ultimately, they turn out to be unhealthy for the person's physical and general health.

Having said that, natural weight loss supplements for women do not have harmful effects. They assist our body to enhance its organs and circulatory system and metabolism to the extent that the body works more effectively without being hooked on external stimulants.

When evaluating weight loss supplements, perhaps you may encounter numerous pills and brands claiming to have 100 percent natural ingredients within their products. However, it is really not always the case; usually, the nature of the herbal product is changed completely by little processing and its benefits therefore are turned into secondary effects for the body.

Below are a few very effective natural weight loss supplements for women, which can help you shed much fat in a month. However, it should be noted here that all those natural supplements work as long as you keep a check on your diet and make your body used to some regular exercise whether, either walking or exercising. Natural or processed supplements alone cannot make a significant difference at the end. Let's look into those weight loss supplements.

Green Supplements:

These nutritional supplements can be obtained under different names and brand symbols. Green supplements usually comprise of small capsules that include extracts of just about thirty to thirty six green leafy vegetables that help improve the metabolism of the body. Initially, the diet plan supplement will surely have an opposite effect i.e. your craving for food might increase but after a number of days, the body adjusts to the properties of these capsules. Once adjusted, it cuts down on your appetite while increasing your metabolism, as a result, you start burning the excess fat within your body.

Alkaline Supplements:

Alkaline vitamin supplements work by maintaining the acidity level of your system. They also come in the form of tablets, which will be consisting of natural products with high alkaline properties. These natural weight loss supplements for women affects the digestive system of the body; improving its efficiency and assisting you in digesting your meals quickly. Furthermore, it makes you feel lighter and enhances your psychical activity.

 The sense of drowsiness and laziness reduces and you feel like going out and walking around on a regularbasis. Because your rate of metabolism and muscle increase, you will start shedding weight without making any particular effort.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patricia_Simmons

Weight Loss and Hemorrhoids

Losing weight definitely can feel impossible at times. The motivation and dedication is always there to begin with, but unfortunately it seems to wane after a little while. What things make it easy for some people to lose weight and keep it off? What do they know about weight loss that you don't?

Get started on your weight loss journey by identifying what you want to achieve. Do you want to lower the likelihood of recurring hemorrhoids? Do you want to fit into your old skinny jeans? Do you want to achieve a target weight? Is it your goal to raise your energy level and get in shape?

Make sure you keep track of your progress. Make sure you check your weight only once a week. If you weigh yourself too often, it can be a detriment to your self-esteem. Always try to write down everything that you consume in a food journal This should include any snacks and beverages. It may turn out that writing down what you are considering putting in your mouth can help you make a more positive and healthy choice.

Keep healthy snacks with you in case you get hungry during the day to prevent yourself from slipping up. If you haven't eaten all day, you can easily find yourself wandering into a fast food restaurant. Planning your meals out and packing a lunch will save you money and help trim your waistline.

Every successful and healthful weight loss plan combines reasonable exercise and a balanced eating plan. You will actually have more energy if you set aside time to exercise regularly every week. If the thought of a structured exercise regimen is a little daunting, think about an activity that you enjoy and go with that. Some fun and entertaining exercises that will help someone lose weight are walking with friends, learning how to salsa, or even just taking a hike.

When you have a kitchen full of tasty but unhealthy foods, it's hard to stop yourself from eating them. The healthier the foods you have available in your kitchen are, the more likely you are to choose them instead of sugar laden junk! Keep your kitchen filled with healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, and low-fat proteins.

 If you do not have junk food in your cupboards you will be less likely to over-induldge. If you eliminate junk food from your home and replace it with healthy food, you will cease making bad choices.

Enlist the aid of your friends and family members. Having many supportive people around will motivate you to keep going when you feel like quitting. Make sure there are

people that you can talk to when you're worn out or having a hard time. Your support system can be a huge help all the way through your weight loss journey.
These tips will not only help with weight loss, but could lower the likelihood of developing hemorrhoids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_M_Richards

Weight Loss Tips That Will Take You to the Top

Are you one of those people who have tried just about everything out there to help you lose weight and have failed miserably time and time again? So why do you think that you have fallen short of your goals? Well if you stop and take a look at the big picture for a minute, you may realize that it might just be something that you are doing (or not doing) that is the main reason that you have not succeeded in your weight loss goals.

It's the truth that you will always get out of something what you actually put into it. So it's safe to say that you have been failing on your program not because the particular diet or supplement regimen didn't actually work, but because it was you who didn't actually work. So here are some extremely helpful tips for you so that you can change your future at this moment and start succeeding at the weight loss game.

The very first thing that you need to do is accept the fact that your success lies in your hands and in nothing else. This can also be referred to as taking responsibility for your actions. So when you see that you have failed at losing the weight that you set out for yourself, know that it was your decision and not the fault of anyone else or anything. Realize that your future is in your own hands and that you have the power to
change it.

After you have accepted responsibility, you must then get your head in gear and light the fire under your seat. In essence, you must be determined beyond belief that you are going to trim down your belly fat and fit into those jeans that you did when you were much younger. All success starts in the mind with the proper mindset and attitude, so get yourself psyched up and ready to tackle the toughest obstacles that stand between the you that is right here and the you that is waiting for you after you dropped the pounds.

 The main point is to believe with all of your heart that you will achieve your goal and get into the best shape of your life.
When you have taken responsibility and set your mind with determination then you will be able to control the amount of food that you eat every day. Overeating is the main cause of obesity and the one thing that you must take care of right from the start. Being able to control your portions is much more important than the actual types of food that you are eating. Most people could see a great reduction in bodyweight if they just started eating smaller portions and cut their calories every day. It would be ideal to get a lot of fruits and vegetables in every day but in the real world this is not always possible.

 SO the best suggestion is to limit the amount of food that you are eating each day and you will see the numbers start to reduce on the scale too.
After you have your self control in check it is time to start burning up all of that extra belly fat with some intense workouts.

When you hear the word "intense" please don't think that you need to go to a gym to get your burn on. There are many ways that you can get a killer workout in right at home or at the Public Park or recreation center. Try doing some interval training where you are exercising at 100% of your physical capacity for a short burst followedby a lighter interval. An example would be to sprint for 30 seconds followed by a light jog for 60. Then you would repeat this several consecutive times and will ultimately get a serious fat burning workout without stepping foot into a health club.

Although these suggestions are really simple, they will go a long way in helping you to take responsibility, take action and take your weight loss to the next level. So get off your couch and get going to a successful weight loss program for the ultimate in health and fitness.

If you are interested in getting the absolute most out of your weight loss program then a weight loss supplement like Phen375 may be what you need. Be sure and get the facts before you buy Phen375
 so you can find out if using a product like this is the right thing for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francisco_Toscan

7 Weight Loss Myths Broken

With so much weight-loss information out there, it's hard to make sense of it all and distinguish fact from fiction. Here are a few common myths explained and clarified!
To loose weight I need to...

1. Cut the fat in my diet

Myth

Fat is essential to every diet and should consist of 15 to 30% of one's daily calorie intake. This being said, it is important to give your body the best fats (unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated; including omega 3 and 6), limit the saturated fats (animal fat from meat and dairy) and avoid the trans-fats (in many baked pre-packaged goods). Fats are important for many functions in the human body, as every cell membrane in our body consist of them. They play an essential role in many bodily functions as well as being essential for absorbing lipid-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). The Mediterranean diet, world renowned for its health properties and healthy weight virtues is a perfect example of this. Fat consists of 25-35% of calorie intake, only 8% being saturated (dairy and meat), the rest coming from olive oil and other plant based sources.

2. Cut the carbohydrates

Myth

My defense of carbohydrates is continual! Why are they essential? Carbohydrates serve crucial functions in the human body. Among other things, they are your body's principal source of energy and the only source of energy for many important cells such as neurones and red blood cells. This being said, an over consumption of carbohydrates transforms itself into fat, which is why, on average, an adult's plate should consist of only 20% whole grains and or starchy vegetables, the rest being vegetables, fruits, protein and fat.

Most important of all is the type of carbohydrates you choose. The reasons this food group has a bad reputation is that chosen incorrectly they wreak havoc on your blood sugar and cause you to crave more food rather than fill you up and provide you with the nutrients and long-lasting energy you need.
Which ones are best? Choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains instead of 'white' or refined carbohydrates (white rice, white bread, white pasta... ).

3. Replace sugar with artificial sweeteners

Myth

You've heard that sugar makes you gain weight therefore you make sure to drink diet coke rather than the original, put sweetener in your coffee and feast on sugar-free cookies.
On top of the fact that there is not much research on the safety of artificial sweeteners, the consumption of aspartame and saccharine, like sugar, is very addictive, and they wreak havoc on our blood sugar, causing drops in energy that make us crave more food as a result. Ironically enough, diet drinks have also been linked to obesity and overeating.

There is a lot of research that links diet drinks to weight gain. The theory is that because the sugar-free drink contains no calories, its sweet taste sends a signal to the brain to expect food and calories, and because these are not arriving, the body starts craving food and more calories. Another explanation is that consuming high amounts of sugary substances dulls your taste buds and as a result, makes you crave more high calorie foods.

The ultimate solution to free yourself of this vicious cycle and loose weight, is to wean yourself off of sugar and sugar substitutes slowly. You can start the weaning process with Stevia, a safe and natural, no-calorie sweetener.

4. Eat less

Myth and reality

Reality: Portion control and snack control are two of the keys to maintaining a healthy body weight. The easiest way to control your portions this is to see your daily food consumption as a pie chart! On average, 60% of your plate should consist of vegetables and fruits; 20% from carbohydrates; and 20% from protein. This can be modified depending on your age, the season, your activity level and other factors.
Not making it to your next meal without a snack? Put an end to this snacking by:

• Increasing your consumption of satiable foods and decrease your refined carb consumption (white carbs). Satiable foods include those rich in fiber and healthy fats. Refined carbohydrates, including sweets will give you a quick burst of energy and then leave you tired and feeling hungry.

• Train your body not to eat outside of meals and put yourself on a fixed meal schedule. Notice that when you are jetlagged you are hungry at the times when you normally eat at home. 

• This is because the body remembers that you usually eat at certain times at which point it prepares itself to digest. Getting yourself on a 3 meal a day with no snacks schedule should take about the same amount of time as getting over jetlag: a few days to a week. Most adults have a relatively sedentary lifestyle that does not require snacks if they've had decent satiable meals.

The myth part is that one should not starve him or herself. Consuming three meals per day and having only fruits or vegetables as occasional snacks, helps to avoid the feeling of being ravishingly hungry and making unsound food decisions while in a hypo-glycemic state. Meal skipping also slows your metabolism meaning that your body burns less energy throughout the day. Meal skipping also provides you with less energy to go for that jog or power walk which will burn calories and also increase your metabolism!

5. Do not eat 2 hours before going to bed or after 8 pm

Partly true

I am not big on rules, especially when they are aimed at everyone but let's see why this can partially hold true.
Our bodies have an energy stock to keep us going between meals called glycogen stock; it releases energy for 6-8 hours after your meal. Fasting for 12 hours between dinner and breakfast is an important weight loss tool for the simple reason that after the body has depleted its stock of glycogen it starts burning your stock of fat. If you are snacking in the evening, the body's glycogen stock is replenished and you are not giving a chance for your body to burn fat.

My revised version of this weight loss 'rule' which is also important for your health is to: fast for 12 hours between dinner and breakFAST.

6. Eat low calorie foods

Myth

Diet foods may cause overeating. Professor David Pierce explains that foods with low calorie content disrupt the body's ability to use taste to regulate caloric intake. (1)
In addition, diet foods contain more artificial flavors and products in order for the food's taste not to be compromised. Why is this bad? The health consequences of regular consumption of these products are uncertain and little long-term research has been done.

7. Drink a lot of water

Myth and reality

It is commonly recommended that people trying to loose weight increase their water consumption. This is mostly because thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Also, while you are drinking water you are not drinking calorie containing drinks such as juices, soft drinks, alcohol, etc. Water also helps your body eliminate toxins which are more present in your circulation when you start eating healthier. Removing these toxins contributes to your health. In terms of losing weight though, water does not contain any magical component which will help you achieve this.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7305186

Some Important Aspects Concerning Weight Loss

With a society that is rapidly becoming more obese, many individuals are realizing that their lifestyle has to change. Currently, our nation is fatter than it has ever been, probably due to jobs becoming less physically demanding. Here are some important aspects concerning weight loss.

Overweight and Health Problems

Being overweight does not merely lead to ordinary health problems; it leads to many serious ones. Some of these problems include high blood pressure, heart diseases, stroke, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease and gallstones, as well as breathing problems like sleep apnea and asthma.

What is Considered Obese?

The definition or description of obesity is having body fat in excessive proportion. Any person is considered obese when his/her BMI or Body Mass Index is equal to or more than 30. That is when 30% of your body is fat. Look in the mirror and see if 30% of your body seems overweight to you - and be honest.

Healthy Fat

Some amount of fat in the diet is not only good, but it is needed very much to be healthy. However, majority of nutrition experts agree that most Americans need to eat far less fat than they presently do. When eating fat, make certain it is mainly fat that is unsaturated, such as fat in nuts, grain, and vegetable sources like olive oil.

Steps to Take for Weight Loss

Here are some steps that should be taken for weight loss: resolve you want to lose weight; get educated; have a good weight loss goal in mind; develop a plan with your physician and get proper follow-up.

Exercise is Best

It actually does not matter what kind of physical activity you do - planned exercise, sports, yard work, household chores, or work-related task - all of these are beneficial.
Over the past years, advertisement for exercise has targeted mostly simplified exercise routines for weight loss and maintenance.

Some of these advertisements sell the mistaken belief that one machine will work your entire body and give you the results you need. In reality, most of these machines are really only good for only one or two type of conditioning, for example, cardiovascular. These machines also have limits to the kind of exercise you are able to do and they are not considered suitable for everyone. To define the kind of exercise
and/or an athletic trainer who is certified.

How Much Exercise

Studies show that the most sedentary individuals can gain noteworthy benefits health wise, if they amass only ½ hour or more of physical movement every day.
For the best total health benefits, experts advise 30 minutes of exercise that is moderately intense daily. Aerobic movement for most days and strength or anaerobic training 2 to 3 days each week is suggested for the greatest results.

If you have been inactive for some time, you might want to start with activities that are less determined, such as walking at a comfortable pace or swimming. Begin at a leisurely pace and this will let you become fit without damaging the body. As soon as you get in better shape, you may increasingly do more determined activities.

Remember, for good weight loss, you need to improve your lifestyle as well, in addition to a suitable diet and exercise regime.

Masses are turning to obesity at quite a frightening rate. If you want to stay fit and healthy while you are alive, you better get a great weight loss plan going as soon as possible. This article highlights some major areas concerning weight loss.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_J_Jayden

Losing Body Fat With Diet and Exercise

If you are looking for some trouble-free approaches to get rid of extra fat, there are many food regimen and workout plans available to choose from that are going to help you lose weight.

Yet, what they do not let you know is that unless you truly change your life-style, you are never going to be able to maintain the weight off. This is one of the reasons why it is so highly recommended to combine diet and exercise in order to be successful with your weight loss venture.

Plenty of people don't like to exercise because they do not think it is enjoyable. This is why it is necessary to find something that you really enjoy doing. It could be anything from having a nature walk with your relatives to asking a neighbor to go walking with you. This is a tremendous way to catch up on visiting with a friend.

 If you think about it for a while, you could be having the same conversation on the telephone. In this way, you are in fact getting out and doing something about your health. Sooner than you know, you will realize that exercise is in fact very addicting.

If you still have a tough time remaining on task, you may consider purchasing yourself a gym membership. Many individuals will confirm that the only motive they utilize their gym membership is because they do not want to see it go to waste. If you can come by someone to go to the gym with you, this is going to be beneficial to both of you. Other folks will tell you that they eliminated their cable tv subscription and used the money for a gym membership instead. If you work out when your favorite tv shows are on, it will make the entire situation completely pain-free.

Now that we have your exercise down, we need to start thinking about what you are putting in your mouth. Without a doubt, you are going to really want to cut down on your carbohydrates. It is essential to still eat a satisfactory amount of carbs so that you have energy to get through the day. You need to know the significant difference between good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables are good carbohydrates. It is generally a good idea to load up on as many fruits and veggies as you can. Some people opt to eat a salad at the very least once a day. This is a tremendous way to get all of your vegetable portions in one meal.

If you unite diet and exercise simultaneously, it will not take very long before you start being able to see the positive results and you can testify to other people you have found simple methods to drop unwanted bodyweight.

By Aned Moss 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7426792

Obesity

Obesity is now being called an epidemic in the health community. In fact, it will soon be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, even ahead of cigarette smoking. Obesity leads to type two diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke and even an increased risk of cancer. With all of these health risks, as well as the general improvement in the quality of life that can occur, losing weight is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.

No matter what we would like to believe, there simply isn’t a magic solution to losing weight. The body will shed excess fat when it needs more calories to function through the demands you place on it in a given day than the amount of calories that you feed it. It’s that simple. So, in order to lose weight, you need to decrease the number of calories that you eat as well as increase the amount that you burn.

There is a wide range of options to choose from when looking for a weight loss program. All of them often spend a lot of time explaining what to eat, in what amounts and even at what times or in what combinations. But few of them emphasize the importance of exercise – not just for losing weight, but for your general health and wellbeing. Exercise is vital when trying to lose weight for several reasons:

First, as you start to eat less, your metabolism will slow down somewhat. Exercising helps to elevate your metabolism back to an efficient level.Second, as mentioned, exercise burns more calories so that you can lose weight faster and stay motivated in your efforts.Third, exercise actually releases endorphins, chemicals that keep your mood elevated.

Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym or straining through exhausting workouts. In fact, in order for you to stick with it on the long run, exercising should be something that you enjoy. Start by increasing your activity level in an overall way. Take the stairs when you can. Park further from the mall door when you go shopping. Go for a walk in the park or through a neighborhood you love and bring a dog or a friend along for company. Take dance or martial arts lessons.

Once you become more active in general, you’ll find it easier and more natural to move into regular exercise. Which you’ll need to do eventually in order to get regular, noticeable health benefits. You need to raise your heart rate to a fat burning level and keep it there for at least 20 minutes, 3 times or more a week. However, if you don’t want to go to a gym, there are other options. Videos and DVDs are now available in all kinds of exercise types. That way you can change your routine whenever you want so that you don’t get bored with what you’re doing. Try a range of aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, or pretty much any activity you want right in the comfort of your own home.

If you have physical limitations that would keep you off from exercising, you can still find a way to increase your activity level. Water aerobics is a wonderful option for those who have joint problems or limited mobility because it relieves the pressure on your body that your weight provides. But you still get the resistance to challenge your muscles from the water. There are even classes and videos available that let you exercise in a seated position.

Whatever kind of exercise you choose, it’s important to stay motivated and keep it fun. Try gathering a group together to make it a social event. Or get a pedometer, a device that tracks how far you walk, and see how many miles you can walk a week. Make a competition amongst your friends or family members and treat the winner with something special (not food related!). Make the experience of exercising something that you look forward to, and it will soon become a regular part of your healthier lifestyle.

BY:Laurent Beach
 http://c9a900amr9nhg-doy5rn3h09hn.hop.clickbank.net/