Weight Loss Per Week

Archive for December, 2009

It is important to realise the impact of sudden withdrawal of food items that have been on your plate for a long time. If your weight loss is triggered by the danger of organ failure or severe disability, you may have to take drastic steps. In most cases,   the weight loss plan is designed to control weight gain before major health problems occur. Take care not to shock your body.

Chocolate cravings

Chocolates, ice creams, pastries and similar high fat sweet foods that have been a part of your daily routine are a clear cause of weight gain. Removing these items from your diet will do you a world of good since your blood will be purified, your body better able to discard toxins and your alimentary canal will work more efficiently. An effective weight loss plan will work towards reducing these foods. A drastic reduction of these foods will lead to increased cravings and binge eating that will play havoc with your system. If you are able to curb the bingeing, you are likely to find that your skin on your arms and neck has taken on a sagging appearance. Work to reduce your intake by cutting down the amount you consume on a daily basis. If you are used to having a chocolate bar 4 times a week, replace it with fruits 2 times a week. Do this for two weeks until you come to a point when you eat a small bar once in a week. You may feel the need to reduce it further on the basis of time taken for your target weight achievement.

Fried Items

Similarly, fried and salted foods like chips, burgers and the like affect the working of the heart over time. Your effort should be to replace the fried item with something that is easier on your system. Fried foods make you feel sluggish and you will find that your energy level increases when you reduce these foods from your daily intake. However, a sudden reduction in consumption will shock your body and drive you to satisfy its craving by over eating. Fat is required by your body in small quantities to help you assimilate vital nutrients and it is advisable to slowly move to healthy forms of fat with a weight loss plan that allows a gradual reduction of unhealthy foods so that there is a permanent effect on your health.

Manage Stress

A large part of the success of the weight loss plan depends on your ability to keep your mind occupied with activities that take you away from the regular events that involve eating unhealthy items. For instance, you may be prone to grabbing a bag of chips and eating in front of the television or computer. Your brain is used to these events going together. If you try to sit in front of the television with a plate of fruit, you will find yourself craving for chips. In the first phase of your weight loss plan, remove the habit of television watching altogether. Participate in community programs or sign up for dance or painting or any activity that takes out the routine involving eating.

Many people want to trim down so they can look better and feel better. Carrying extra weight can be very unhealthy and it can lead to numerous health complications.
When a person is facing the prospect of having to lose weight they can feel overwhelmed. The gravity of the road ahead can be a lot to absorb and they turn to a quick fix for the problem.
There are many fad diets in existence that claim that they result in fast weight loss. In most cases their claim is true, in a sense. Most of these types of quick fix diets offer the person the chance to shed a high number of pounds the first week they are on the diet. This dramatic weight loss is almost always the result of the body losing water weight.
It might feel great to look down at the scale and see a huge weight loss, but in reality that weight loss could be gained back very quickly if the person reverted back to their normal diet.
There are steps you can take that will guarantee that you have a successful and safe weight loss. Losing weight can be done in a way that is effective long term and at the same time gives you results week after week.
One of the most important aspects in any weight loss plan is exercise. When a person decides they want to lose weight quite often their focus is completely on their diets. They worry over how many calories they are consuming each day and how many of those calories come from fat or carbohydrates.
Diet is an essential ingredient in weight loss, but with a regular exercise regime the weight loss will be more effective and quicker.
When a person exercises it helps to raise their metabolism. This is essential in weight loss. With a higher metabolism, the body can burn more calories and the weight begins to come off.
On the other hand, if a person just restricts calorie consumption the weight loss is much slower. The body views this as a sign of starvation and the metabolism slows instead of speeds up.
Exercise for a weight loss plan doesn’t need to be strenuous. A brisk walk each day is sufficient to aiding in weight loss. Many people incorporate a morning or evening walk into their daily routine.
Another key to safe weight loss is not to take supplements. There are many dietary supplements available over the counter that claim fast and effective weight loss. These types of supplements can be very expensive and depending on your medical history they can be dangerous as well.
If you are serious about beginning a weight loss plan it’s advisable to contact your doctor first. He or she will be able to suggest the best course for you to take including your daily calorie and exercise needs. The doctor can also chart your weight loss progress and help you if you reach a plateau.
Weight loss can help you to feel not only healthier but more attractive as well. With a safe weight loss you’ll find renewed energy and a wonderful feeling of self confidence and accomplishment. Weight loss isn’t an easy thing but when you do it, you’ll never be more proud of yourself.

An internet search will yield you thousands of natural weight loss tips and lose weight programs. With so many weight loss tips out there, how do you know which lose weight program will be naturally suitable for you?

Let’s cut the chase so that you don’t have to search so many weight loss sites and getting all confused and befuddled. No matter what weight loss program sites out there that you search, the credible ones will all carry the same message. To lose weight naturally and keep the unwanted weight off forever, you must consume fewer calories than you expand.

“Duh? That is a no brainer, isn’t it? Everyone knows that. So what’s new?” you are probably asking.

Well, let me ask you back. If everyone knows it, then why is it that there are so many obese people who have tried so many ways to lose weight with numerous weight loss programs are not successful in getting rid of their flab and ugly body fat? Even if some of them were successful, they cannot seem to keep the weight off for long and soon, the weight that they have lost will all come back to haunt them. Are you one of them?

The reason why the weight that they loss came back because most people go for quick fixed weight loss solutions. People prefer the no pain hassle free methods to lose weight such as taking weight loss pills, going fad diets, using abs stimulator and any gizmos that promise quick weight loss and muscle toning.

Well, the cliché “No pain no gain” is also common knowledge isn’t it? And yet people are still falling into the lure of these temporary weight loss advertisements because they are promised that they can lose weight naturally without having to undergo complicated weight loss programs.

So how to lose weight naturally and keep unwanted fat off forever? Just do these natural weight loss tips regularly and see your body fat melt before your eyes:-

•Heathy Eating Habits For Natural Weight Loss

Eat healthily. Eat 5-6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism humming all day long. Drink more plain water instead of soft drinks and sugar laden coffee or tea. Just keep in mind that the amount of calories you eat must be less than what you will use for energy on your day to day activities to help you lose weight naturally.

•Build Muscles and Lift Weights

The more muscles you packed on, the more your body will naturally burn calories because your muscles need calories to function and stay alive.

You don’t have to build big muscles like those body builders, but enough to buff and tone you up nicely and at the same time enjoy the calorie burning effect of your muscles. Your muscles will stay with you if you lift weight consistently and this will keep extra body fat at bay and is one of the best way to lose unwanted weight forever.

•Perform Cardio Exercises to Lose Weight Fast

Cardio exercises burn calories fast. That is if you perform the exercises until you are panting and puffing for 20-30 minutes. If you can read a book or listen to music whilst doing cardio exercises, then your cardio exercises are not intensive enough to burn fat effectively. Do this 5-6 times a week as part of your natural weight loss program or 2-3 times a week for weight management program.

By following these 3 tips natural weight loss program, you should be losing 1-2 pounds a week and losing weight healthily and naturally. Best of all, you will learn how to lose unwanted weight forever.

You may have read or heard about all of these diets; Atkins, Slim Fast, South Beach, Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers.You may have read or heard about all of these diets; Atkins, Slim Fast, South Beach, Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers.

You probably have seen the commercials, and you have read the advertisements. Maybe you have decided that following a diet plan like that is not for you. Maybe you cannot give up carbs so you gave up on Atkins. Perhaps weekly weigh ins are out of the question there goes Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers.

No, you do not like replacing your meals with liqui- adios Slim Fast. Maybe you do not want to think before you eat hasta luego South Beach. Perhaps you just want to eat what you want, when you want but you still want to lose weight.

But where are the weight loss tips for people who just want to live their lives without constantly focusing on their diet? Today is your lucky day. Here are some general weight loss tips that will help you feel healthy and happy and they do not require the use of any expensive shakes, meal plans or books.

Weight Loss Tips:

1. Get Support. It is important to seek support from family or friends. If that is not possible then join an online weight loss support forum.

2. If you cannot exercise for 30 minutes at a time, then break it up into three, 10 minute sessions. When you are watching TV, get up and jog during the commercials, go for a 10 minute walk during your lunch break, add 10 minutes of vigorous house cleaning to your schedule.

3. Eat what you want, but eat in moderation. You have to be aware of how many calories you are eating per day. As long as you burn more than you take in then you will lose weight.

4. Eat your largest meal during the day when your activity level is high.

5. Do not deprive yourself. Deprivation will only lead you to binging.

6. Eat when you are hungry! Do not try to starve yourself. When your body goes into starvation mode your body begins to conserve every single calorie that you eat.

7. Do not weigh yourself more than once a week. Constant weighing will only discourage you because your weightfluctuates throughout the day. In fact, ditch the scale completely! Invest in a tape measure; that will give you much more accurate results on how you are really doing.

8. Try to increase your protein. Protein helps build muscle and muscle helps burn fat.

9. Eat more fiber! It helps you feel full sooner and it has less calories.

10. Set small, attainable goals. It is unrealistic to expect to lose 40 lbs in one month. However it is very realistic to expect to lose 5 lbs in one month. Or maybe you will set a goal to stop eating sugar for a week, or maybe you will set a goal to exercise at least 4 times per week. Whatever you choose, make sure it is realistic and attainable.

11. Keep a journal of your progress. Write down your goals for the week. Write down what you are eating, how you are exercising and what is and is not working for you.

12. If you do not enjoy the exercise you are doing, pick another one. You are not going to stick to something that you dread.

13. Remember the key to weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise.

Always keep in mind that losing weight is not easy. But just think of what is more important to you eating that delicious 1000 calorie dessert and taking a nap; or making a little sacrifice to reach your
weight loss goals.

Weight loss plateaus can be pretty discouraging for even the most motivated and driven individuals. If you don’t avoid or overcome your weight loss plateau you run the risk of losing motivation and becoming disillusioned with your weight loss program. The real shame is that you give up on all your gains when you are so close to realizing your dream if only you just break through the plateau. Weight loss plateaus are a normal part of our life. We encounter it in most things that we do where we have become accustomed to it over time. When this happens we usually find that progress either stalls or slows.

Weight loss plateaus often occur 8-12 weeks into your program. One of the simplest ways to avoid encountering the weight loss plateau is to change your program every 4-5 weeks. As with all things in your life when you start something new you will find most of the gains in the early part, usually the first week or two and then noticeable progress starts to decrease as you continue with a plateau occurring usually around the 8 to 12th week as your body now is comfortable with the program.

So for example with respects to a weight loss program involving exercise sessions at the gym then change either the actual exercise equipment you are using or a variable within the exercise to give your body a new variation to get used to. To get the benefits of aerobic exercise you want to be able to try and maintain your heart rate at around 70% of its maximum for at least 30 mins and up to 60 mins. As you progress on your fitness regime you will find over time that you are able to maintain your heart rate at 70% intensity with less strain and work on your part. So you will want to review your maximum heart rate every time you change your program so that you can continue to keep to the 70% number.

So with this in mind you can change your exercise so long as you are able to keep to the above percentages and duration. One example is if you have started with the treadmill you can now shift to a bike for 4-6 weeks. Or you can change from a treadmill to bike with alternate sessions. It’s up to you. Likewise with weights you want to be either increasing the weights or increase the reps.

There is no reason why you can’t translate this to your meals as well. Why not introduce foods that you haven’t tried during your weight loss regime.

The key is variety, by keeping variety in your weight loss program you are keeping it interesting and enjoyable. We tend to stick better with things that we find stimulating.

Have you hit a plateau in your weight loss which is when your scale seems to be stuck at the same weight for days or sometimes weeks? If you are there right now, don’t panic! It’s only a temporary condition and you will be losing again if you just keep your cool, your courage and your will to reach your healthy weight! Now is not the time to give up!
Congratulations on your weight loss so far! What you’re experiencing is common, as many successful dieters find their weight remains static for several days or some stay put for a week or two. Why this happens isn’t clear but it seems to be the body’s way of ‘catching up’ with its sudden change in size.
Although it’s disappointing when you don’t lose weight steadily, this is a crucial time for you. It’s at this point that many people give up, fail to reach their goal and pile the weight back on. In contrast, most people who get through this difficult patch go on to reach their goal, and then stay slim forever.
There’s never been a more important time for you to stay motivated so look back on your success to date, whether that’s checking out your journal or comparing pictures of yourself before you started losing weight, with pictures now.
You might also find it motivating to measure your vital statistics, even though the scales don’t show a loss, you might still find you’re losing inches. I always suggest that you weight only once a week, first thing the same day of the week and also try on the same pair of jeans to see how they are fitting. If you haven’t already done so, you should make sure you update your goals Chart with your current weight.
So, what do you do? Well. Please don’t stop your program!
1. Make sure you are staring your day with a Medifast meal! With in the first hour of waking, fuel your body with highly nutririous shake, oatmeal, or capacino.
2. Make sure you are getting all 5 medifast meals in daily. The easiest way to guarantee this is to eat every 3 hours.
3. Be honest, are you measuring your lean and green meal to assure the proper calories and carbs? Remember that the meal should be around 33 calories and 10 carbs.
4. Begin an exercise program that will help to boost your metabolism. Simply walking at a good pace (can still walk and talk) is a great way to start. Add weight training and more vigorus aerobics as you feel fit to do so. Building muscle is important to your maintenance program because as you increase your muscle mass you’ll increase the amount of calories you burn on a day to day basis.
5. Change your workout if you have been doing the same thing for awhile. For example, Change out the elipticle for the treadmill or bicycle. Begin swimming or choosing different weight machines or exercise tape.
6. Ask for Help. Chances are your Health Advisor has been through a plateau and can give you some great tips and motivation!
7. There may be some stress in your life that is causing your weight loss to slow. Make sure you are getting enough sleep.
8. Make sure that you are drinking enough water. You can take your current weight divide it in half and that will give you an approximate amt of water needed/day.
9. Strengthen your will power. This is the time to reflect on how well you’ve done so far, how you like your new found body and self, the control over food and choices that comes with this program.
10. Do not be hard on yourself! It happens to almost everyone, no matter what weight loss program they choose. The difference will be whether you stick it out or quit. And remember, the feeling and empowerment you will feel when you reach your goal not to forget the lifestyle you will have (able to do a lot more activity) once you’ve gotten those unwanted pounds off is so worth the wait and continued effort!

A couple of weeks ago I’ve heard again the same old argument, “If weight loss programs would really work, then we would all look great. But we don’t look all that great, so it means weight loss cures are a total waste of time and money!”

You’ve probably heard or thought about something similar too at some point in your life if you’ve ever tried any kind of weight loss program.

I believe that quick weight loss cures don’t work because people fall too often pray to less-than-honest advertising campaigns, spend money on “miracle products” and get no results whatsoever.

So what would really work?

Is there any such a thing as a miracle quick weight loss cure or miracle pill? The short and long answer is, of course, “No!”

Weight loss cures and programs would be benefited if the accent would be shifted not so much on losing weight as on improving the general health of the individual. Furthermore, many specialists report that change in general lifestyle cannot be accomplished effectively unless it involves the whole family of the individual in facing weight issues.

What can one do to improve his or her health, well being and self image?

Procrastination is the number one challenge you will have to face if you want to make durable changes in your life. I mean what can happen if you don’t take your 30-minute walk today? Nothing, really.

There’ll be time that you will skip your walk more and more often and then your gym classes because it will be harder for you to do a full body workout when you’ve done no exercise at all during the week. By the way, 2 hours once a week is not that effective anyway.

And then there are all the small treats you just can’t say no to. And does it really make such a great difference if you’ll eat a little chocolate today, or a double cheeseburger?

When I needed to find a weight loss cure that really works I’ve tried a lot of things. I’m not saying they are all waste of time, but I didn’t like neither one of them. There are friends of mine who swear by Atkins or Hoodia or who knows what else, but I’ve never had any success with any of the well known weight loss programs.

And I am not the type that goes to the gym either. I simply hate to sweat at the gym. I am doing all the chores that needs to be done around the house, I love gardening and I spend a lot of time playing with my dogs, but I just cannot make myself get up and going to the gym.

Plus I love to cook and I love to eat.

Sounds hopeless, isn’t it?

Well, it would be hopeless if I would be into quick weight loss, but I am not.

I’ve set myself a simple goal: I have to lose 1 (one) pound per month. It would have taken me 3 years to reach a healthy weight. It sounds like an eternity and it may well be so for people who expect miracles.

But look at it my way – I didn’t have to make major adjustments in my lifestyle right from day one. All I did was to eat a little less fries than usual and some more veggies. And then I’ve started to drink less sweet carbonated drinks.

It took me more than a year to give up fries and cola, but I’ve done it and I was so proud of myself. I still don’t go to the gym, but I do walk for 30 minutes four times a week and I do try not to use the elevator at work.

And so, with minor adjustments over a long period of time I’ve come to achieve my goal and I haven’t gained any weight back!

Weight loss and goal setting are two inseparable things. I m sure you have heard of the adage that says “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”. This is as true as it gets when it comes to losing weight.
It is not that people do not know that they need to lose weight, rather is the accuracy of how much they need to lose and why they need to lose it that is not clear. The same way you are likely to run off the road if you are driving in the dark without lights, is the same way you would fail if your weight loss endeavor if your planning is not accurate.
You likely have heard that you need to lose between one pound and two pounds a week. And as much as this is very safe and commendable advice, it is not necessarily a hard fast rule.
The better way to set a goal is to first determine what weight you want to live with for the rest of your life. You can use a jeans size to determine this or you can go more scientific by using the BMI scales.
Ideally your “for life” weight should be something you are emotionally attached to. You want to desire that size enough to be able to overcome huddles that are imminent in your dieting journey. Emotional attached or deep down desire is a source of passion. Passion is your fuel that keeps you going when you really feel like you don’t want to. If your goals are just numbers in a sheet of paper you can as well stop trying to lose weight.
To start your plan, you need to be able to state your purpose in one sentence. For example “I want to be size 12 in one year”. This statement will be the basis for the goal setting. You can then devise steps month by month, week by week to help you reach this goal. Your ultimate desire to be a size 12 is your goal. Steps to achieving this goal are your objectives. Objectives build up to lead to a goal. For example you would have weekly objectives that lead to achieving monthly objectives which then lead to achieving the ultimate goal.
The beauty of planning on paper first before attempting weight loss is that it allows you to see if your plans are achievable. If after deciding on your ultimate goal, you break it down and you find you need to loss 3 pounds of weight in a day then you know your plan is unrealistic.
But it can be a different story if you need to loose 3 to 4 pounds a week. And a much of this is on the higher side, it is feasible with stringent techniques.
So the question then is can you keep up with this stringent techniques to be able to lose weight. If you feel you will not, you would be better off adjusting your ultimate goal. Usually you do this by increasing the time you need to reach your goal.
In our case above, you could double the time required to reach your goal. This immediately drops your weekly target from 3 to 4 pounds to 1.5 to 2 pounds. This is more easily achievable with a simple weight loss plan.
As it is said, if you are not going anywhere, anywhere you get to is fine. Goals help determine where you want to go and help you map your way there.

The reason for search of weight loss exercises by many dieters is for health and self-esteem. Exercises help in burning calories, muscle building and weight management. Too hard exercises and doing too much of exercises can result in serious injuries, burnt out and also may lead to frustration. When doing weight loss exercises start slowly and increase intensity gradually.Exercises which are easily welcomed by every aspiring weight loss person :

Walking – the easier exercise where there is no time commitment or specific requirement is needed. Walk for a minimum of 40 minutes for four days in a week and you will see the difference it makes, by yourself. Health benefits of walking are it reduces the risk of life-threatening maladies like diabetes, heart diseases and high blood pressure.

Swimming – Start slowly and focus on a few strokes. Practice for 25 minutes for three days in a week and it takes away a few pounds lightly.

Water aerobics – If you don’t know swimming, then you can easily practice water aerobics. It is the best method of weight loss exercise as it has less impact with aerobics in it and creates resistance on all moves.

Running helps in burning more calories in lesser time comparatively than any other weight loss exercise.

Running and walking both produce endorphins and brain chemicals, which gives you happiness and confidence. The energy burnt during these depends totally on your speed, weight of your body and experience.

For people in need of weight loss exercises they actually want to fit in a program on their busy schedules. The challenge for you is to balance your family demands, career, relationships, commitments and organizational responsibilities. The following important keys will help you to balance your lifestyle and your weight loss exercise program together.

Be Committed for a regular schedule of exercises at least three days in a week and you have to take time for it on your “to do” lists. If you want to succeed then you have to plan ahead.

Utilize your weekends to work out producing effective results. The benefit, which you will get out of this, is the flexibility and control of the weight loss exercise program.

You should give high priority for your weight loss exercise program and rescheduling has to be done only for important emergencies.

Encourage others to participate in your weight loss exercise programs and this will motivate you to work out with commitment. Make your dear ones aware of your weight loss commitment and ask for their support.

If things are not working the way as you have expected because of external influence, don’t be tough on you and get de-motivated.

For women, excess weight may be due to genetic factors and environmental factors and women have to understand that quick weight loss will not bring them result for long-term. A woman has to compulsorily drink at least one glass of juice before exercise during morning exercises. Spot exercises will not bring women desired result of burning fat on the desired area. Aerobic weight loss exercises and activities are suitable for women, which include jogging, cycling, skating, brisk walking and doing exercises with aerobic equipments.

Whatever goals you have, either weight loss or fitness, if you are continuously practicing your weight loss exercise program, then your success towards the goal is not far-off.

Well it is that time of the year when thoughts of bathing suits, sun tan lotion, and beach balls begin to strike fear in the 63% of Americans that are overweight. With that in mind I got together a group of my colleagues…a virtual think tank of fitness professionals…with over 50 years of experience helping even the self proclaimed hopeless people drop weight and keep it off.
We compiled a list of ten things you can change starting today to begin your weight loss process and keep those pounds off permanently. So grab a bowl of cottage cheese, sit back, and take a few minutes to read this list of simple weight loss tactics; but remember real weight loss does not happen overnight so get to work on your summer body early and be ready to stick it out for at least 8 – 12 weeks.
1. Drink Water
Universal agreement among dietitians, nutritional consultants, coaches, life coaches, personal trainers, and mystic gurus put this simple recommendation at the top of our list. Close your eyes and imprint these two words in your mind. Put down that 4th cup of coffee and go pour yourself a glass of water (don’t worry we’ll be here when you get back). Studies support 8 glasses of water per day to promote weight loss.
2. Load your body
Cardio is great, but remember it is only one piece of your fitness program. A complete weight loss program will incorporate strength and core training on a weekly basis. Be sure to load your body using dumbbells, medicine balls, resistance bands, barbells, or your own body weight.
3. Eat Frequently
It’s a fact. You can eat yourself thin. Yet many health and fitness professionals feel like a broken record saying this over and over again to skeptical clients that cannot understand how eating more frequently will help them lose weight. Breakfast is essential to weight loss, but it is just the beginning. Eating smaller meals more frequently will keep your metabolism purring throughout the day.
4. Vary your cardio program
To keep your cardio interesting try to mix it up. Jog, bike, walk hills, swim, play tennis, team sports… anything to keep your heart rate up for 45 to 60 minutes three times a week.
5. Do not Drink Sugar
I am not going to make this an endorsement for Diet Coke or Pepsi. The jury is still out on whether these can be considered weight loss drinks but one thing is certain; sugar is your enemy. It must be defeated on every front including your daily mocha latte and your late night red bull pick me up. You do not need the calories. Look for sugar free versions of the things you drink daily and watch the calories you save pile up.
6. Bake Do Not Fry
Baking is a great alternative to frying your food. It keeps the fat content down and your arteries will thank you for it later in life.
7. Lean Protein (Not any Protein)
Bacon is not a health food. Ok I will admit it, things taste better with bacon in it… but we are talking weight loss here and, like me, you should substitute lean meats for fatty meats. Skin your chicken, cut excess fat off all meat and increase your consumption of turkey, chicken and fish. Your body will thank you.
8. Join a fitness center
If you have a hard time scheduling time to run by yourself or train at home try joining a gym. Fitness classes are a great way to get fit while having fun and if you have a budget to support it, hiring a personal trainer is an excellent way to guide yourself through this effort.
Above all, remember these are life-changing tips not a fad diet endorsement. Do not expect to lose 10 pounds in one week. One to three pounds per week is an excellent pace for permanent weight loss. So kiss those fears of the beach goodbye, squeeze into your newest two-piece bikini and get ready for a great summer beach season.
(Overweight = A Body Mass Index (BMI) in excess of 25.0 -The National Center for Health statistics)