How to lose weight and keep it off with Slimming World

If you’ve decided that you want to lose weight it’s tempting to opt for one of the quick-fix fad diets which promise a rapid weight loss such as the ‘Master Cleanse’ or ‘Cabbage Soup Diet’; however these regimes are not a sensible, healthy option and any weight loss is likely to be regained with interest as soon as you resume your previous eating habits.

Food Optimising - a healthy approach to eating

The bottom line is that if you want to lose weight and maintain the loss you need to alter your eating habits for the better, stick to them for life and introduce some form of exercise into your daily routine.

Joining a slimming group can help to give you a kick-start to form healthy eating-habits, providing support and guidance throughout the weight-loss journey. There are many slimming classes around but I would recommend Slimming World, having been a member myself, finding it effective and easy to adapt to suit the whole family.

Food Optimising - a healthy approach to eating

Slimming World is all about ‘Food Optimising’, basically this means eating an abundance of ‘free foods’ which are unrefined and unprocessed foods such as fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, rice, pasta, pulses, eggs, fat-free yogurts and very low fat cottage cheese - literally as much as you like; keeping to a daily allowance of bread, cereals and dairy foods; and counting everything else as a ‘Syn’.  When you join you are given a booklet which lists all foods and explains how to go about optimising what you eat and if you are unsure about anything your consultant is on hand to guide you.

Eat plenty of healthy foods

Each day you decide if you are going to follow Green, Red or Extra-Easy...

Green - unlimited eggs, rice, pasta, pulses, baked beans, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, salad, fat-free yogurts, very low fat cottage cheese; plus two A choices (dairy) and two B choices (lean meat, fish, poultry, bread, cereal).

This option is for vegetarians and also suits anyone who is not a big meat eater but loves to fill up on carbs such as pasta and rice.

Red - unlimited eggs, lean meat, fish, poultry, fruit, vegetables, salad, fat-free yogurts, very low fat cottage cheese; plus two ‘Healthy Extra’ A choices (dairy) and two ‘Healthy Extra’ B choices (rice, pasta, pulses, potatoes, bread, cereal).

This option is great for carnivores, most men seem to prefer it!

Extra Easy - unlimited lean meat, fish, poultry, rice, pasta, pulses, potatoes, fruit, vegetables and salad, eggs and fat-free yogurts; plus one ‘Healthy Extra’ A choice (dairy) and one ‘Healthy Extra’ B choice (bread, cereal).

This is ideal for anyone who loves their meat and carbs together, but you have to take into account that you can only have one A and one B Healthy Extra, so either milk or cheese not both and bread or cereal not both. Personally I’d recommend getting to grips with Red and Green days to start with before moving onto this plan, but you can chose this plan if you prefer, or, go extra-easy at weekends as it allows you a bit more freedom of choice.

Healthy Extras

It’s important to try to use up your A and B allowances as they can’t be carried over to the next day.  I drink a lot of tea, so I use my milk allowance in cuppas throughout the day; or with my cereal allowance if I don’t fancy a cooked breakfast and I like to use my cheese allowance grated on top of pasta and vegetable sauce.  I would use my bread allowance if I wanted to take a sandwich to work for lunch.  You should eat regularly and until you feel fully satisfied, it’s not a deprivation diet.  If you’ve been on fad diets in the past it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you should be feeling hungry all the time.

Be a 'Synner'

Be a 'Synner'

Of course sticking to the ‘good’ foods might get a bit boring and you would be liable to fall off the wagon, so you’re allowed between 5-15 ‘Syns’ per day, this can any type of food or drink you like. Your booklet lists all the ‘Syn’ values; you can either include them as part of a meal, e.g. a sauce or gravy to go with your meat and vegetables, or as a treat such as chocolate or a G&T! If you can manage without ‘Syns’ for a few days they can be saved up which is great if you like to have a few glasses of wine on a Saturday night, or Sunday lunch with the family.

Its not rocket science

Obviously this diet works because you are cutting out all processed and fatty foods, unless you include them as ‘Syns’; and the high ‘Syn’ value of ‘goodie’ foods means that they can’t be consumed in large quantity. The emphasis is on cooking meals from scratch with free foods; you could make a delicious homemade soup which would be free, but a tin of vegetable soup could be 15 ‘Syns’ (depending on make/size), therefore being organised and making homemade soup will save your ‘Syns’.

How do I join

Slimming World classes are held all over the UK and Ireland and there are now groups in the US. There’s a joining fee of around £10 although special offers are often available, you pay a weekly fee, of around £5, to attend class. You have to pay for weeks that you don’t turn up, although you can book up to six weeks ‘holiday’ each year. When you reach your target you can attend classes free of charge as long as you keep the weight off.

Slimming World is suitable for everyone, no matter how much or little weight you have to lose. You receive an award (sticker and certificate) for each half-stone lost and there is a ‘Club 10’ award when you’ve lost 10% of your starting weight. You decide your target weight, but this has to be within a healthy BMI range. At each meeting you are weighed, which can take a little time if a lot of people attend the class, but gives you time to have a chat and a cuppa with the other members. After weighing you can stay for the ‘Body Image’ session; the consultant reads out each person’s loss/gain that week and to date (your actual weight is never divulged) and asks you to share what seems to be working, or, where you may have gone wrong. Prizes are given to the slimmer of the week; usually a selection of healthy foods such as fruit brought along by members.

Body Magic

Lose weight more quickly

Slimming World encourages members to incorporate gentle exercise into daily routine and there is a Body Magic progress chart included in your joining pack, where you can record any physical activity you complete, however I found that exercise was not the main focus of the meetings and was only discussed in passing, in fact ‘no exercise required’ is a selling point. I think this is a great shame because exercise is without doubt key to aiding weight loss and living a healthy life.

Slimming World - Pros and Cons

Pros

• It’s a great way to start to eat healthily with the emphasis on cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients.
• There is limited weighing/measuring of certain foods and free foods can be consumed freely.
• ‘Syn’ values make you aware of what is good to eat and what should be avoided, although most is common sense, seeing the ‘Syn’ value of your favourite ‘junk’ foods makes you think twice about eating them.
• If you find it difficult to diet on your own a group might offer the additional support you need.

Cons

• If you and a partner are attending each week it can be expensive (around £40 per month), but still may be cheaper than buying lots of take-away food!
• It can be expensive to buy fresh fruit and vegetables at the supermarket, but this shouldn’t be a problem if you learn to buy what’s in season and shop at markets instead of supermarkets.
• There is not enough emphasis on exercise and physical activity,
• There can be a lot of waiting around after weighing in for Image Therapy to start, especially at peak times e.g. New Year.
• You need to be organised, decide what you plan to eat and stick to it; you can’t start on a Red day and change to a Green day at lunchtime.
• If you don’t stick to the plan and go back to your old eating habits you will regain the weight.

I think that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages and if you ‘Food Optimise’ for a few weeks you will definitely see results and feel more energised without ever feeling hungry.

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W E I G H T L O S S

Positive thoughts produce positive results. The only problem is that some of our most persistent, self-

defeating beliefs are stored deep in the unconscious, where they have the power to undermine our

happiness and sabotage our success. Now you can effortlessly change those negative beliefs to produce

the results you want.

Special combinations of brain wave frequencies are harmonically layered in soothing music to trigger

heightened states of receptivity. Here the unconscious is primed to receive and act on a new set of ideas.

Subliminal messages are deeply absorbed by the unconscious to immediately impact your sense of self,

your creativity and the dynamic expression of your power in the world.

Instructions for Listening

Listen to this program every day for six weeks. Be on the look-out for “coincidences” and acknowledge

even the smallest synchronicity as they occur. Once your subconscious has fully absorbed and

integrated the subliminal messages, reality conforms to what your subconscious mind believes. The results

are profound.

Track 1 can be used anytime and anyplace; while working, relaxing, exercising, reading or even sleeping.

The subconscious mind has the capacity to absorb subliminal messages without special attention from

the conscious mind.

Track 2  is designed to be used with stereo headphones to maximise the benefits of the brain wave

frequencies. When listening with headphones, find a time and place where you are not likely to be

disturbed. Position yourself comfortably with your spine straight and breathe deeply. This posture allows

your natural channels of energy to open and flow freely. Using headphones while consciously relaxing

enhances your receptivity to the brain wave frequencies and subliminal suggestions.

Subliminal Messages

I am active, attractive and in demand

I love myself, I feel great

I am healthy, I look great

I eat what is good for me

Every cell of my body exudes beauty and health

I respect myself, I control my weight

I enjoy my body, my body is great

I relax into my perfect weight

I let my slim self emerge

I am nourished, I am satisfied

I burn fat

I am active and full of energy

I love exercise

I achieve my goals with ease

I surrender to appreciation

I Honor myself, I Honor my body

I respect the integrity and wisdom of my body

I eat less, I weigh less

I feel light

I am whole, complete and satisfied

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Muscle Recovery

Very interesting research lately provides new insight on how to recover quicker from sore muscles. It was found that low-intensity exercise on your days away from the gym actually help quicken the healing process.

The reason here is that light exercise such as walking or biking for about 15-20 minutes helps improve blood flow to your muscles all over your body. This improved blood flow in turn carries nutrients which are essential in muscle tissue recovery.

Makes sense doesn’t it? Now many people who take a rest day or two but then end up falling out of their routine have something new to consider. If you just add a quick walk to the grocery store or give yourself a break and get out of the house to relax your mind you are doing your body extra good.

This is also interesting for those who over-train at the gym and don’t get enough rest. Just keeping a one day on, one day off routine for best results can now be enhanced by doing light cardio on the off day.

Here are some extra ideas you may want to consider to help muscle recovery:

• Nutrition: Notice that in the statement above it is stated that improved blood flow carries nutrients to aid in muscle recovery. This means that you should pay special attention to eating extra healthy when you are sore so that you get all the adequate minerals, vitamins and amino acids (found in protein).
• Warm-Up/Cool Down: Leaving enough time before and after your workout for warming up and cooling down is an absolute must to allow your body to prepare for workouts and then to slow down and bring your heart rate back to normal
• Flexibility Training: Also allowing 10-15 minutes after your workout for training your flexibility is really important for relaxing your muscles and re-aligning everything.
• Adequate Sleep: You should be aiming for 7-8 hours a night, no exceptions! Sleep is absolutely essential to muscle recovery.
• Massage Therapy: I can’t stress enough how much massage therapy has helped me with muscle recovery. A registered massage therapist will know exactly where your trouble spots are and allow them to massage out all the knots. This will also improve blood flow to that area and increase recovery speed.
• Adequate water intake: Aiming for 2 liters of water a day is best practice for anyone exercising, and increasing this especially on cardio days is very smart.
• Yoga/Meditation/Relaxation: Reducing stress in your life is made easy if you practice any of these…just get rid of all your hang-ups and try them already!

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Post Workout Nutrition

Post Workout Nutrition

Post workout nutrition is a very important part of any diet and training regimen and I believe it gets missed a lot even by professional athletes and trainers. It’s important to understand the science behind this to really get the big picture, so let me start with that…

During exercise our body breaks down glycogen (sugar molecules which we get from food), as well as some fat and some protein. Glycogen of course is the most readily available in most cases and is the fuel for us to not only exercise but to also allow us to really pushes through to the next level.

If our training intensity is high enough and we are exercising for about an hour our glycogen stores are diminished substantially and our body turns to protein and then fat for fuel. This is unfortunate because it means that we actually break down muscle sooner than our body breaks down fat for energy. From an evolutionary standpoint this makes sense because our bodies learned to store fat for times when food was lacking (picture a bear hibernating during winter). Pretty interesting if you look at it in this point of view isn’t it?

Your Post Workout Nutrition Focus:
But, here is the golden nugget…after our exercise routine our bodies ability to restore our glycogen stores are at its highest. Researchers believe that this time is usually limited to within 30 to 60 minutes after exercise. Thus, you want to make sure you save your high glycemic foods to this time period (as well as pre-workout but that will be in another article!).

Many of you may think that if you starve your body after exercise that you will begin to burn fat and therefore make you eliminate body fat. Unfortunately, the complete opposite is true!!!

If you starve your body after exercise you are going to be hit by a number of negative consequences.

Firstly, if you don’t get enough high quality carbohydrates within 60 minutes post-workout then your glycogen stores will not be at their optimal level next time you workout. This means that you won’t have maximal energy and will feel drained and unmotivated next time your exercising. Can we all relate?

Secondly, you are telling your body that it may not get food again for quite a while. Our body takes this to heart and reduces our metabolism to compensate and also begins to store food as fat as much as it can just in case it doesn’t get food again.

Pretty much a double whammy right? So now that you know the science behind post workout nutrition what are some healthy examples of foods to eat?

Post Workout Foods:
Fruit especially those extra sweet ones such as ripe bananas, apples, pears, watermelon are fantastic solutions for post-workout nutrition.

New research however shows that your body also has greater uptake of essential amino acids which are found in proteins right after your workout. So having a full meal like a bowl of brown rice with chicken, vegetables and cashews with light teriyaki sauce would be perfect. Of course, you can be creative with this and substitute fish, lean beef or even prawns. Something like roasted or steamed yam with a tablespoon of organic butter and spices sprinkled on top is also very smart.

For those seeking weight loss: carrots, chocolate milk, honey on whole wheat toast, steamed nugget potatoes, lentil soup, whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce, fruit salad, yogurt and oats.

For those seeking muscle gain: your favorite pasta with low fat sauces and extra veggies, cereal with skim milk, dark chocolate, gatorade, chili.

Have any questions about your post workout nutrition? Please leave a comment below…

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Weight Loss Motivation

The most common question I get is “how do you stay motivated?” So here are some great tips on being successful in your goals:

- Set weekly goals.

- For extra motivation train with a partner or join a group.

- Swimming is an excellent way to get you started, switch things up a bit and to reduce impact on your body.

- Seek the advice of a certified fitness professional and make sure it’s someone you feel comfortable with.

- If you don’t get time to the gym one day or you are traveling you can do a heck of a lot at home with stability balls, resistance bands and videos

- In the beginning, aim for 3 exercise sessions/week with no more than two days rest in between. Increase duration of each session as your fitness level improves. 
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- Add a lot of variety into your workouts. If you find you are getting bored of running on the treadmill for 30mins, switch it up! Try 10mins run, 10mins eliptical trainer, 10mins stairmaster. For weight training, never do the same workout! Just mix it up as you go and make sure you challenge yourself.

- Start slowly and build up to fitness programs and better eating habits. Really enjoy that feeling you get after your workout. Try to relax, free yourself from stress and most importantly have fun!

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Fat Loss Secret

Fat Loss Secret

When it comes to fat loss you may think that there really is no secret. Highly intense training and super strict diet is all it takes right?

Well the answer may be a little more surprising than you think. In fact, there are a ton of secrets that I have come across and researched along the way of training for over 18 years now and when you combine them together they create a dramatic and powerful change.

Lately I’ve been having a ton of feedback with visitors of this blog leaving comments as well as our Facebook & Twitter page and the topic of fat loss is almost always the most asked about question. So I thought it was time to try a new series of articles out where I talk about the latest interesting research that is being discovered and talked about when it comes to fat loss.

Fat Loss Secret

One of the most fascinating of these a study at the Wayne State university which found that slowing down the time it takes to lower a weight can actually boost your metabolism!

This is a pretty cool secret to fat loss which I think is as easy as pie, and I’ve actually come across this ideology in training when reading some exercise routines which have been discovered in bodybuilding quite a few years ago.

Back to the secret, the study was specific in finding that taking just 3 seconds to lower a heavy weight can actually boost metabolism for as long as 72 hours after lifting the weights. Researchers have hypothesized that the reason that this occurs is based on negative resistance. When we do workouts which focus on the lowering or negative resistance part of an exercise our muscles see greater damage, and the body then elevates metabolism to help with the repair process.

In this case, the study was done with heavy weights where the maximum repetitions used was just 6, but testing this ideology with higher reps is definitely worth a try if it can help you lose fat a little quicker, doesn’t it?

Top 3 Fat Loss Supplements

Since we’re talking about muscle damage it then makes sense to include natural supplements which can help our body with recovery. Without a doubt the top 3 supplements would be:

Gluatmine (Try: Optimum Glutamine)
BCAA’s (Try: Optimum BCAA 1000 Caps)
Whey Protein (Try: 100% Natural Whey)

Fat Loss Secret Conclusion

Whatever advantage you can get for knowing more and more fat loss secrets the quicker you will be able to attain your beach body 6 pack goals, and little secrets like this one are pretty sweet especially since you don’t really have to do any more work. Throw this type of slow negative resistance exercises at least once a week in your routine to see how much it affects your physique and try and if you’re diet isn’t always 100% then the above mentioned supplements will really help your body recover and show better results.

If you like this secret and want to know more fat loss secrets please leave a comment below, as I always I appreciate your feedback…

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Good Foods

We all know that what we eat can help us prevent certain illnesses. We see on television all the time about people who are ill because of their diet.

Well, maybe we should say lack of a diet. These people tend to be at risk of disease because they don't have the right things to eat. When people think of health and prevention, I think some of them think about pills and their doctor.

To some people, they think these are the only tools they have. That isn't true. In fact, there are more important tools for you to use.Our diet is important not just for our appearance. A good diet will decrease your chance of getting cancer and other diseases. I know that it is hard to believe that just what we eat can play such a big role, but it does. 

Think of it like this. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. That is true. Your body needs many things to survive. Over the long term you realize that diet is more important than ever before. I probably just like you have known many people who have had cancer. Also, we see on television all the time famous people getting cancer. A lot of these people don't smoke. They don't do drugs, rarely drink alcohol.

Why are they getting cancer? I'm sure some of it has to do with genetics and some of it has to do with pollution. While up to 1/3 of it, is due to diet. 

That's right, they get cancer because what they eat. Perhaps it could be said better by saying, what they don't eat. Let's talk about some of the foods you should eat to prevent cancer and other illness. This is an important article, so I would bookmark it and come back when you have any questions.

Apples. It was once said, an apple a day will keep the doctor away. This is true. These are loaded with vitamins A and C. They also help lower cholesterol and they lower your chance of getting cancer. 

Broccoli. Just because a former president didn't eat his, doesn't mean you should avoid yours. Actually, this is one of my favorite veggies. One serving has 97% of your vitamin C for the day. Also, it is a good source of calcium. 

Oranges. Not only do these babies taste good, but they are good for you as well.

They do help in preventing colds and flues. They also help prevent many forms of cancer. They are one of my favorite fruits. 

Onions. Half an onion a day will lower your cholesterol. Also, if you ever notice how you tear up when you cut an onion. They are good for people with asthma or other breathing problems. They open up the head so to speak. Also they fight cancer such as stomach cancer. You might not know it, but onions were once believed to be sent from god. They were believed to make people live longer and healthier. One thing you might not know is, onions reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Maybe there is some truth to all of that god stuff after all. 

Carrots. Carrots have beta carotene which has been known for a long time to fight cancer. Remember when you were a kid and were told to eat your carrots or you will go blind? Well, that isn't true, but they are good for the eyes. 

Salmon. Out of all the fatty fish, this one is best for you. It contains omega-3 fat, which is very good for your heart. People who eat salmon at least once per week are said to have a 50% lower chance of heart attack. 

Beans. You know these little devils. I used to eat them the night before going to school so I could fart all day long. Not only are these good for prostate cancer, but they also are a good source of fiber. 

Seaweed. No, I don't mean a joint that you smoke while at sea. I mean the stuff that comes from the ocean. This is loaded with iodine and other things. It has calcium, magnesium, and iron. This is very good for fighting cancer. 

Lemons. All you have to do is go to the supermarket and see how many lemon flavored cold remedies there are to see the potential of this citrus fruit. 

Lemons are a great way to prevent a cold, the punch of vitamin C will keep you healthy. It is also good for sore throats. 

Garlic. What doesn't this stuff do? Well, while it might not be a cure all like once believed. It does prevent almost everything under the sun. From heart disease to cancer, this is great stuff. I suggest that you study up on garlic so that you understand all of the good things it does. It would take an article the

length of a book to go into great detail. 

There you have it. Though I'm sure you are some what surprised, I'm sure that you will be able to absorb all the info in this article. If you can't, just bookmark it and read where you left off. 

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The Best Weight Loss Exercises

Weight Loss Exercises

For anyone looking to loose weight regardless of age, be prepared for the hardest mental battle of your life. Loosing weight is part science (picking the right weight loss exercises , right foods, etc.) and part art (motivation, determination, and perseverance) For most people the art side of things is what seems to be the deciding factor in whether or not they will actually end up loosing weight at the end of the process. The sad thing however is that the traits of motivation, determination, and perseverance can not be taught by a weight loss coach, or a personal trainer, rather they must be instilled into the person, and that will only happen if he or she is truly ready to make a serious change for the better. One thing that can be sculpted however is the idea of which weight loss exercises to do and which foods to eat. Particularity I would like to discuss the different variation of weight loss exercises and how you should approach them for proper weight loss.

Starting out on a new weight loss plan can be tough, however you will find that after several weeks you start getting into a routine of sorts which allows you to continue running, walking, and exercising without feeling as if you are doing any of those things. In the mean time however it is important to note that some people decide to work out to hard to fast, and end up getting burned out and quitting, do not let this happen to you! Take an approach that will allow you to stay consistent and not get depressed along the way.

To help you reach your weight loss goals here are some solid weight loss exercises that have helped people to loose weight and stand the test of time.

Stair master: For most people the idea of continually walking up stairs sounds scary, boring, and pretty tough. Let me be the first to tell you that it is! However the game of weight loss when it comes to science is very specific and in reality it is not about what you think is fun, rather it is about what brings the results the fastest. Exercising on the stair master three to four times per week at a rate of twenty to thirty minutes will burn calories at a rate that you simply cannot believe. The reasoning is the fact that anything you do uphill or on an incline burns calories at a rate much faster than on flat land.

Treadmill at Incline: Going along the same lines as exercising with the stair master. Running/Walking on the treadmill at an incline will increase the about of calories burned exponentially. Most people think that running on the treadmill is the best way to burn calories, and although this is better for your cardiovascular system, the best way to burn fat fast is by doing incline exercises. For instance try to start out three to four days per week, twenty to thirty minutes per day walking at 3.5MPH at a 5 degree incline. Increase the incline by one degree per week until you are at incline of 10. From their go back to 5 degrees and increase the speed to 4.0MPH. Eventually you will be able to run up the incline which will help to increase your cardiovascular health as well as burn calories and fat fast.

Other weight loss exercises that everyone should be doing every single day include body weight exercises such as push ups, and sit ups. Start with 20 per day and gradually work your way up to doing 100 per day. If you plan on doing any sort of weight training be sure to use weights that you can perform three sets of 8-10 repetitions with.

In the end these weight loss exercises are only a stepping stone to help you achieve proper weight loss. You must also have a clean diet, and eventually work a weight loss supplement into your given routine.

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Help with Weight Loss Motivation

Weight Loss Motivation

You can see it now, you are on your way home from a stressful day at work, and all you can think about is a cheeseburger and fries to make the worries of a stressful day go away. Though how could you? You have been dieting for weeks, running daily, eating salad, drinking water etc. you cannot blow it now, but somehow you do. At first it tastes good and you feel as if it is exactly what you needed, but after wards you realize the fact that you have set yourself back a day or two, and feel extremely guilty.

The fact of the matter is, no matter how strong your will power, chances are there are going to be times when you are on a diet that all you can think about is eating something that you know would be detrimental to your goal of loosing weight. So rather than have a friend near by with a hammer waiting to hit you on the head each and every time you desire something other than watermelon and spinach, here are some ways that you can help yourself to stay positive and fight the urges naturally.

1. Keep pictures of the “old” you nearby
   Although it may be hard for some people the reality is that you are trying to make a change due to the fact that you are unhappy with yourself or who you used to be, and truthfully the best way to keep yourself from reverting to that old self is to keep pictures around. These will act as a constant reminder of who you used to be, and act as a motivating factor never to get back their. So next time you are ready to hit the drive thru window at Taco Bell just open your glove compartment and look at the picture of you +the pounds and see if its worth it to eat a taco as opposed to staying committed to the new you.
2. Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels^TM
   Im sure you have all heard that before, but say it 5-10 times and truly think about it, it is the best advice I was ever given when it comes to weight loss. No matter how hungry you think you are, or how bad you think you want a Big Mac just think about how great you will feel, and how much healthier you will be when the weight is gone. I can positively assure you that the feel no longer being overweight is much more satisfying than the taste of some cookie dough ice cream.
3. Tell your friends and family your goals
   When it comes down to it, the people that are going to truly be their for us in life are those in our immediate family, and our very close friends. These are the people that will be their to motivate and to keep us on the right track when all we feel like doing is giving up. So be sure to fill in your family on your goals and what you hope to achieve, because if you are considering eating an extra piece of bread at dinner or a glass of soda instead of water, you can rest assured that those closest to you will be their to help guide you through those rough times.
4. Keep a journal of your exercise routines
   The most invigorating thing can be looking at your past five trips to the gym on a piece of paper and looking at the improvements that you have made. 30 seconds off my mile time, 10 more pounds on the bench, 20 more crunches unassisted, etc. Looking at these small feats of success will help to keep you going even if you do not feel like going to the gym that day.

If you take all of these different techniques and put them into action, I firmly believe that you will be in a far greater position than if you decided not to. The harsh reality is that we all fall off the wagon sometimes, but for the true champions its about who can bounce back from that one bad meal, and hit the gym harder than ever the next day. Let yourself be that person!

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The Best Weight Loss Supplement

The Weight Loss Supplement War

Have you tried to loose weight in the past and either failed miserably or came so close you could taste it, but could never manage those last 10 pounds for whatever reason? Odds are that you were following a nice and clean diet, coupled with a solid cardiovascular workout routine, and some strength training to boot. However as we have come to realize in the world we live in, sometimes the bare essentials are not good enough, or and sometimes not even remotely close. So for the topic of weight loss it is important to consider the upside and downside to the world of weight loss supplements. In particular the top three which are Lipo 6, Green Tea, and Hydroxycut Hardcore. By the end of this article you should be able to determine whether or not you are ready for a fat burning product, and which one of these three will suit you the best.

To kick things off, we should talk about the top of the line product, Lipo 6 by Nutrex. This product has been recognized as the top fat burner by the top body building website several years in a row. Inside the revolutionary v cap design of these weight loss pills users should be ready for a quick shot of caffeine meant to have you pumping through your workout at record speeds with more intensity than ever before. However this product contains an ingredient that is sometimes frowned upon in the community of weight loss and bodybuilding. This is a nutrient known as Guggulesterones which should be researched by the user before taking the product to determine whether or not this product is truly for you. Besides that, this product has been recommended by weight enthusiasts all over the world for various reasons. Moving on we have the more natural method known as green tea weight loss.

Green tea has been around for centuries, and for good reason. The product developed and first used by the Chinese has been said to have the ability to cure and prevent ailments such as tooth decay and cancer, and has been linked to the world of weight loss as well. The person who decides to use green tea as his/her method of weight loss is most likely looking for the most natural way to help shed extra weight, and while this is honorable, it is not always the best scenario. Green tea contains various extracts which have been shown in clinical studies to help increase a persons metabolism and in turn allowing that person to burn more calories at a faster rate. The product is also known to help energize the user upon ingestion. The only issue with this product is the fact that in order to see some very staggering results, users are urged to drink on average of six glasses per day, which sounds like a lot to me! However for the beginner who is not looking to introduce any foreign nutrients into his/her system this product seems like a winner.

Lastly we have the product of hydroxycut hardcore, which is just as hardcore as the name implies. This product is very similar to that of Lipo 6 except for the fact that it does not contain any trace of the Guggulesterones, which makes it “healthier” than the Lipo 6 version. Though in the end these weight loss products all level out in terms of delivering caffeine to help speed up your heart rate as well as enable you to workout with more intensity at a longer time period. For the serious weight loss enthusiast this product should do the trick.

If you think that weight loss supplements are the route that you are interested in taking, it is important to note that no one under 18 should ever take these products. You should also not take these products if you have any sort of heart condition or malfunction. In the end there is no substitue for hard work, a balanced diet, and an exercise routine, but for those of you looking for that extra edge, be sure to give a weight loss product of your liking a try today.

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Quick Weight Loss Tips Guide

Quick Weight Loss Tips

For just about everyone on a diet, there are those lonely times when the only thing on the mind is food. Unfortunately that food is generally not spinach and broccoli, but rather, pizza and cheeseburgers. The fact of the matter is, no matter who you are or what you are dieting for, there are going to be those times in which you will convince yourself that cheating on your diet is not a big deal, and do just that, cheat. However it is how you bounce back from that cheat meal, and how you handle the other non cheating days that will make the biggest difference in your quest for proper weight loss. Below I am going to outline some of what I consider to be the best tips for weight loss, hence my title, weight loss tips.

1. Ditch the Soda, Drink the Water
   It is very common to ask an overweight person what he/she is drinking on a daily basis, and get a response that follows along the lines of soda, and sport drinks. Unfortunately these types of beverages can be detrimental to a persons figure, and would most definitely hinder performance on a diet. The reasoning stems from the fact that these drinks contain large amounts of sugar, carbohydrates, and high fructose corn syrup (another form of sugar). If not burned off properly these nutrients will sit in the pit of a persons stomach and eventually turn into pure fat. Another negative in a persons drinking diet is alcohol, which commonly contains high amounts of carbohydrates, calories, and fat. Though there is hope if a person is willing to change their drinking habits there is hope. Water is by far the best beverage a person can consume while on a diet of any kind. It contains none of the bad stuff (calories, carbohydrates, or sugar), it fills you up, and keeps you hydrated. Most doctors recommend that you drink 8 glasses of water per day, however I recommend that if you are serious about loosing weight, drink upwards of one gallon per day.
2. No more Fast Food
   From experience I can honestly say that the biggest factor in my weight gain in life comes from fast food. In generally these products are gross processed foods, warmed and served to the customer. I will not argue with the fact that these foods can taste very good, but you have to set your priorities in the right direction. Would you get more fulfillment from eating a Big Mac or from loosing 50 pounds? For most people that should be an obvious choice, but for those who think that short term satisfaction is key, just think about the long term health and social effects. If you are person that is constantly on the run, and is always eating fast food, find something else, like subway, or a panera and have a whole wheat bread sandwich, with water and an apple.
3. Fruits and Vegetables
   This category is pretty self explanatory, the harsh reality is that many people do not eat nearly enough fruits and/or vegetables on a daily basis. Now I am not a doctor or a nutritionist, but I would recommend having at least one fruit or vegetable with every single meal that you consume on a daily basis.
4. Take a Multi-Vitamin
   I would be willing to guess that most people do not get their required daily dosages of vitamins/minerals just out of the foods they eat, especially if they are neglecting fruits/vegetables and eating fast food. However for a few bucks one can go to the local pharmacy and find a multi vitamin that will give 100% daily dosage of all the vitamins and minerals they would every need. Coupled with a solid diet, these extra nutrients can help to push you over the edge.
5. Exercise
   Perhaps the most important thing of all when it comes to weight loss is the exercise property. I would suggest that person do at the very least, 20 minutes of cardio three times per week. If you are capable of running, then run, otherwise walk, but make sure you are doing so at an incline. Other exercises include the stair master, an elliptical machine, or the bike. All of these can burn calories for you, some more than others.

That should get you started onward to your weight loss goals, just remember no fast food!

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Good Weight Loss Food

Proper weight loss boils down to the following three things; daily exercise, a proper diet, and supplementation. For this particular topic, weight loss food is at the forefront of our discussion. For many people the idea of dieting in and of itself is simply to much to bear, considering the fact that most diets are prescribed as salad and vegetables all day long, and this is simply not the case. For the purpose of this hub we will assume that the main goal is to loose weight, and there are no medical or food related conditions that would prohibit the person from consuming the foods listed.

The first thing that you should do when beginning a diet or a weight loss plan is to go through your cupboards and pantries to remove all of the sweets, sugary drinks, and whatever else you feel would be a temptation for you while you are on the plan. For some people just the sighting of a certain food product is enough to pull them off the wagon and back into their old way of life.

Once you have removed all of the temptation from within your home, your next mission is to head to the grocery store for grocery shopping like you've never done before. You want to focus on eliminating excess carbohydrates, sugar, and fat. Whereas your main goal is to increase your overall protein intake. To accomplish this task one should purchase an abundance of chicken, fish, beans, skim milk, tuna fish, etc. Anything with a high protein content and low to moderate carbohydrate and fat content is a perfect weight loss food .

When you are in the bread aisle, it is recommended that you only buy enough bread to have one slice per day, and it must be wheat. The best weight loss food comes in the form of whole wheat products, such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and whole wheat rice. A solid rule of thumb that every dieter should stick in the back of their heads and essentially live by is, if its white, its not alright. This means that you should try to not consume any product that is white, such as as rice, pasta, or bread.

Once you have eliminated all white food products, and stocked up on your protein you want to make sure that you keep your metabolism running all day long. To achieve this eat 5-6 small portioned meals per day, as opposed to the normal three. So essentially have your three meals, and a snack in between, just remember to not eat any form of carbohydrates or fats within two hours of heading to bed.

After you have managed to get your diet in check you are going to want to make sure that you are exercising at least three days per week for at least 20-30 minutes per each day. This will allow you to increase your metabolism speed, burn more calories, and help you feel more fit and invigorated throughout the day.

The last step in the weight loss process is supplementation, which involves incorporating some form of weight loss pill into your plan. Check out any of the links below about weight loss supplementation for the rules and regulations regarding weight loss pills and tablets.

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4 Amazing Strategies To Lose 15 Pounds In 21 Days

Weight loss is a struggle thousands of us face every day of our lives. The biggest problem for people is knowing where to start, and knowing what to do in order to lose the weight. This article is going to outline 4 amazing strategies that will get you to lose 15 pounds in the next 21 days - guaranteed to work as long as you follow them as they are written - you will be 15 pounds lighter in only a few weeks time. Take a few minutes to read this article and see how easy these strategies are to implement - and they won't cost you a cent..

The following 4 weight loss strategies are ones that I myself have used and so I know they work. They are things you can start right now, today that will get you pounds lighter in the next few days and weeks. Here they are

1. Watch Your Calorie Intake

The way I have done this is I will actually write down everything I eat from food and drink for a few days to work out how many calories I am currently consuming and what is currently keeping me at the weight I am now. Usually calories are written on the packaging of food, or alternatively you can purchase a calorie booklet that lists hundreds of foods with calorie content included. So once I have this figure - say for example your total calorie intake is 2000 calories prior to any dietary changes, I will then reduce it by around 200 calories - and then when I have this figure I plan out my daily food and drink meals so they are made up of the new calorie figure - which in this case would now be 1800. Once you actually start taking note of how many calories are in certain foods, you will be really surprised about how many foods you eat that have high calorie amounts - and this is what is stopping you from losing weight. Did you know that 1 glass of orange juice can have up to 500 calories alone? that is a lot especially if you set your daily limit at 1800 - then you only have 1300 left to have any other meals or drinks with. So this is something you need to get started with immediately.

2. Increase Your Fitness Intensity

Once you have worked out your total calorie food plan you need to incorporate some form of exercise. Now this can be anything from walking, running, cycling, playing sport or just joining a gym. Plan to complete 4 workouts per week. In order to lose your 15 pounds in 21 days you will need to be active and get your heart rate up so you burn calories - this is where the weight loss comes in. Now any one can do the exercise I mentioned above for weight loss, but to get quicker results I suggest that every day you actively exercise you should increase the pace a little - increase the intensity - push yourself that little bit harder each time you walk, run, jog, cycle - your body will love you for it and you will be burning alot of calories. A quick note - if you want really fast results then exercise in the form of weight bearing is extremely beneficial as when you work out with weights your body actually continues to burn calories for up to 48 hours after you finished the workout, as oppposed to only doing cardio exercise which only burns the calories while you are doing the exercise.

3. Keep a Diary

This is very important. If you keep a diary of everything you are doing then you are really taking responsibility for your success. Not only that but documenting everything down will keep you on track and make you accountable everytime you feel like going off track. When I did these 4 steps I kept a food diary and a workout diary and it wasn't until I began doing this that I was able to see where I was going wrong and what I could improve on - believe me when I say that if you get into the habit for just these 3 weeks to document what food you are eating you are much more likely to stick to your total daily calorie limit than if you weren't documenting it. It may sound tedius but if you really want to lose that 15 pounds in 21 days - do it, you will be so gad you did.

4. Discipline Yourself

One of the most undervalued steps in losing weight. I wasn't sure whether to put this step first or last - but I think all four are just as important as each other, you can't achieve your weight loss goal doing only 1 or 2 of these steps - you need to do all 4 or it won't work, and this step plays a major part in whether you will succeed or not. Not many of us have self discipline - to be disciplined in something means you have to really take responsibility for yourself and everything you do. Discipline is a sign of strength, a sign that you can focus on what your dreams are and what you want to achieve - and then you go out and do it. You stop thinking it about it and actively, physically make steps to do what you want to acheive. It is the same for weight loss - if you can discipline yourself for the next 21 days to follow these 4 steps you will get your results.

These steps will work for you if you do them as written and are focused and motivated. You also have to keep in mind that during these 21 days you are going to be learning alot about what foods you are consuming, what you are physically capable of doing in the form of exercise and how these effect your weight loss. With this new education you will be able to continue on your weight loss journey, and will eventually not need to write down everything, or count calroies as much because you will have a good idea of it all already. These steps are great for losing weight quickly - but you will also be teaching yourself along the way how to lose that weight permanently - purely and simply because you have educated yourself and learnt how important the calorie component of food is and the negative effect it can have on your weight loss results.

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How Lose Weight Fast with Lemonade

     Many people think diets only involve eating less, but the lemonade diet doesn't require you to eat less, it only requires you to drink more lemonade. What great about drinking natural lemonade, is that it taste good and it naturally boosts your metabolism and energy level.  This allows you to lose weight and feel great at the same time.

Step 1: Drink 3 glasses of  pure squeezed lemonade made from lemons or a natural form of lemonade at least 3 times a day.  The fresher the lemonade the better, but any sort of lemonade, without sugar or preservatives will work.

Step 2: Drink more more.   Like most fruits and vegetables, lemons can help detoxify your body, when coupled with pure water this effect can be amplified.  

Step 3: Add some lemon juice to your water and this will further boost your metabolism and detoxify your body.

Step 4: You will feel bursts of energy through out the day. Especially after a meal, use this time to move around, walk, exercise or anything to keep your body moving this will burn more calories and naturally detoxify your body.

Step 5: For maximum weight loss results, eat fewer heavy and processed foods. You don't need to become a vegan, but if you can eat more vegetables and fruit this will further help your body lose weight.

Step 6: For maximum weight loss, you can couple your diet with a water and tea fast.  This involves slowly removing any food from your diet and drinking only water and pure tea.  

If you need more information on a water fast and a Lemonade Fast, please click the below links, but be careful this should not be attempted without consulting a physician.

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10 EASY STEPS TO LOSE WEIGHT IN 10 DAYS

If you want to loose weight quickly you need to bring change in your lifestyle. Motivate yourself at first and throw a challenge of 10 days. At first you have to choose an effective weight loose program for you. And the following steps will help you to go forward.


1. Moderate exercise: If you don’t have high blood pressure, then wake up early in the morning, stretch your body and then go for a walk for 15 minutes. This is for the first day, you need to increase 10 to 15 minutes for the following days.


2. Drink a lot of water according to your body weight. We thought that 6 to 8 glasses of water is enough for us. In fact, it depends on the person’s body weight. Suppose your weight is 140lb, divide your weight with 2. It will be 70. And you need to drink minimum 70 ounce of water everyday.

3. For the first day eat only fresh fruits that contain a lot of anti oxidant like orange, lemon and other fruit. 

4. You may have juice, tea or coffee, but it must be sugar free.

5. For the second and third day eat only vegetables. Add broccoli, cucumber, spinach, eggplant.

6. For the fourth and fifth day along with the vegetables have two glasses of milk- one glass in the morning and another in the evening.

7. On sixth and seventh day you may have low fat yoghurt, beans, an egg, two 250 gm of pasta with tomato sauce and a lot of water and sugar free juice.

8. On eighth and ninth day you can have vegetable soup and two slices of any kind of fish. But remember; don’t go for processed soup as they have hidden calories.

9. On the tenth day you may chose any of the above programs again.

10. On these 10 days you have to develop a healthy sleeping habit. When we sleep our body repaired. If you don’t have adequate sleep you will not loose weight.


With all these 10 steps you need to ensure that you’ll not eat any junk, fast or, processed food. You also need to avoid all types of drinks and soda. Don’t take too salty food.

So, don’t think when should I start? Go and start to get into the way to loose weight.

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Fun workouts that don't feel like exercises, but still burn fat

Exercise does not always equal pain

For most of us to find the motivation to exercise can be really difficult. In most cases it is linked with trying to lose weight and that in itself is a demoralizing thought.

What with diet control and calorie counting and now struggling to burn the fat with exercise, it just sounds like way too much work with no forthcoming results.But guess what? Exercise can be fun.

Here's a list of fun workouts that don't feel like exercises but will still burn fat.

Gardening

It may seem like a rather passive activity, but if you are growing flowers and vegetables in your back yard, you will get a decent work out in the bargain.

The weeding, planting, fertilizing and watering take time and effort. Plus you have a beautiful display to show for your efforts. Well worth trying out.

Dancing

A night out in the town can actually mean a whole lot of calories burning up. Of course you will have to actually work up a sweat rather than just sway to the music.

Even if you don't go out, just record a CD with some of the best foot tapping numbers you know. Now spend half an hour a day dancing to this CD.

Walk and Talk

I hate going for a walk without my cell phone. I use the time I am walking to catch up with the lives of friends and family.

The added advantage to this is that I end up doing more rounds than originally planned because some one I was talking to has not finished the story they were telling me.

Strip Tease

Stop laughing, those girls really work hard at this art. Don't believe me, then try it out on your own. Develop a strip tease routine. Use a Pole dancer's techniques.

Believe me sliding up and down that pole is quite a work out. I know because I tried it once. Plus you can put it to some good use else where :)

Go to the Mall

Head over to the largest Mall in town, and now begin window shopping. Don't take any elevators or escalators. Walk the entire length and breadth of the floor before you climb up to the next level.

Oh, just make sure you leave all your credit cards at home. We want to lose weight on the body and not in the bank balance.

Join a Class

It could be Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, Rope Climbing, Kick Boxing, Judo or whatever else grabs your fancy. Just as long as it involves you doing some physical activity.

The regular practice sessions will burn calories, you will make friends and lose weight. Plus when you pay for a class the compulsion to attend it becomes a high motivator.

Leave your comfort zone

Train for an adventure sport that will take you out of your comfort zone. It could be para sailing, hang gliding, jet skiing, surfing, sledging, snow boarding, or any thing else that you have never tried in your life before.

Besides burning the fat and losing calories you will also gain an interesting conversation piece. And the added confidence that comes from mastering a new skill.

So get rid of the notion that exercise is no fun and get out there and pick a work out.

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