Why Lose Weight?

Do you look in the mirror and you just don't like what you see? An inflatable tube has taken up residence on your waist, and your butt seems to have dropped a couple of inches. You take a look at your face and you start to see the development of a little bit of waddle underneath the chin.

What do you do? Why is this happening? Better yet, what is happening to my body when I gain weight? These are all fantastic questions that are going to be answered on how to lose weight, and keep it off.

Many people ogle the beautiful bodies on the beach - men and women alike. Nice, tight round bottoms, flat stomachs and well toned bodies.

I'll be honest, there are some who don't need to do a darn thing and they stay in relatively good shape, but for the vast majority of people need to take notice of what they eat, how much they eat, and how much daily exercise they are getting.

Why does our weight matter so much to us? Probably for two reasons - physical appearance and health.

Physical appearance

No one really wants to be fat - plain and simple. For many people physical appearance is linked directly to their self-esteem. If they believe their body is undesirable to others, they can become depressed, or stressed and it causes serious emotional problems. Worse yet, in some people, it can trigger the impulse to eat even more, making the problem even worse. The emotional side of being obese is only just being charted in the medical world. It is already understood that a person's self-worth and self-confidence can be shattered if they gain excess weight...But the emotional toll it can take over an extended period of time might be considerably more damaging.

Health Concerns

You have no doubt heard the numerous health-related problems that come from being overweight. Even being 20 lbs overweight can start to cause hidden health problems.

Instead of that lower back pain being from yesterday's squash game, it's because your body isn't used to carrying an extra 20 lbs on the front end. Imagine, right now, if you were to strap a 20 lb weight to your belly and walk around with it all day long. An extremely increased weight can put considerable stress on your joints, especially if you aren't set up (height) to handle that sort of weight.

Then, we get to the biggies - heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. Oh, and don't forget diabetes. These are pretty serious players in the health world. In fact, they are the largest killers of human beings in the world.

Medical Fact:

In a study of 5881 people over a 14-year period, doctors revealed that someone who is merely 'overweight' has a 34% greater chance of heart failure. A person who is considered obese has a 104% increase in risk of heart failure over someone who is in their target weight range.

Stop Binge Eating | Weight Loss

If you are eating because you are bored, stressed, or depressed you are binge eating. Why should I stop binge eating? Well it can and will lead to weight gain overtime. A binge can last for as little as a few hours to days, even weeks at a time. If you maintain your current weight, you need to stop. This article will address several ways on how to stop binge eating.

The first step you should take is stop unhealthy binge eating. Eliminate unhealthy junk foods from your home. Fill your home with healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. If you must binge, eat healthy foods only to help avoid weight gain.

You should keep all foods in the kitchen and out of site. The more you see food, the more likely you are to want food. Many people binge because they are not paying attention to if they are really hungry or not. You could be watching a television program with a bag of chips in your lap. Before you know it, the whole bag is gone. Your mind was occupied by the television program. This is why it is very important to keep all your foods in the kitchen and only eat at the dinner table..

You can help stop binge eating by drinking more water throughout the day. You should drink 8-12 glasses of water each day. Drinking water will fill your stomach up and reduce hunger. Drink plenty of water between means and plenty of water before a meal. Do not think you can go drinking soda or unhealthy drinks. Drink water only.

Boredom can lead to heavy eating. If you are not doing anything and you feel the sudden urge to eat, find something to occupy your time before you actually go and eat anything. You could do exercises or play a game. I would suggest going for a walk. If you were not really hungry, the urge to eat would have disappeared.

If you are in a stressed or emotional state, find something other than eating to ease your pain. You may have to work with a counselor to identify what is actually wrong and help you cope. If you binge every time your stressed or emotional your forming a habit. Many people consciously know they are overeating but tell themselves, I'll just stop when I am no longer stressed or emotional. This is not the right mindset to have.

People who binge often lack any self control. It is you alone that tells yourself to eat, and it is you alone who can just as easily tell yourself not to eat. You must strengthen your will power to stop binge eating. Before you eat anything ask yourself, do I really need this? Am I really hungry? Can I go without having this? Feel your body out and answer these questions. If you feel like you are going to go crazy if you do not eat something, grab an apple instead junk food. Also as long as you are chewing your mind thinks your eating. You can try chewing sugar free gum and trick your mind.

If you want to stop binge eating you probably want to lose weight also. The only problem is you will fail most diets because you are always wanting something to eat.

Why is a weight loss plan important?

Only a small amount of people in the world are happy with their weight. Even though overweight people say they too are happy, the fact remains that weight loss is needed to achieve a healthy weight. There are a number of reasons for considering a weight loss plan, even if you don’t mind being a bit overweight.

The risk of a number of diseases is associated with being overweight. Things need to be kept in perspective, though. If, for example, you are more than 20 pounds overweight, don’t just assume that weight loss is needed. Everyone’s body is different, because of the fat and muscle ratio to body weight, so any suspicion of being overweight needs confirmation by your doctor.

The main risk with being overweight is heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack. Heart disease develops through your heart having to overwork to pump blood to the body. The heart can become tired because you are overweight, resulting in high blood pressure. Another aspect of heart disease can be strokes. Strokes occur when blood and oxygen cannot reach the brain, thus the brain is starved of necessary nutrients.

Another factor for consideration is the problem of anorexia. Many young people in trying to keep up with their peers, for often erroneous reasons, place themselves on a starvation-type weight loss plan – with sometimes disastrous results. Millions of youngsters throughout the world are being affected by anorexia in trying to keep up with particular celebrities, with death being the final result on occasions. Use your doctor, then, to ascertain if weight loss is needed.

If you do fit into the genuine category of being overweight, then you will need a weight loss plan that will guarantee permanent weight loss. Many diets are based on calorie reduction or the concentration of eating certain foods. Unfortunately our bodies react to this food reduction by slowing down our metabolism, resulting in less fat being burnt and you don’t lose weight. These diets should be avoided. There is a successful weight loss plan called the “Shifting Calories Method”. As you are regularly changing what you eat with this plan, your body avoids getting into a set routine. It is this irregular eating style that causes your metabolism to stay high so that your body burns fat more efficiently.

This diet does not involve following a drastically reduced calorie plan. You will have access to a variety of foods via four regular meals per day, so you will not feel hungry. It is the periodic rotation of your diet and calorie pattern that will ultimately allow you to obtain permanent weight loss.

Here, then, you have a weight loss plan that has been used successfully by thousands of people throughout the world. If you are overweight, then consider this plan as a way to obtain permanent weight loss.

Look More Youthful Appearance by Loosing Weight

Science and medicine have incontrovertibly shown that exercise is the proven path to achieving a healthy body and youthful, even attractive appearance. Amazingly, current trends suggest the world’s population is exercising less and becoming fatter. This is especially the case with Americans. These trends are likely the result of a modern lifestyle in which physically difficult work and walking are no longer normal. As a result of these trends, Scientists have discovered and developed certain natural compounds that assist in weight-loss and improvement of health with extraordinary proven results! See the link below for more on assisted weight-loss.

An estimated 60% of health ailments for non-smokers stem from being over-weight. Thus, every effort towards achieving weight loss may have profound effects on overall health. Weight loss also has dramatic effects in making us appear more youthful and attractive.

Looking Young

Exercise and weight-loss tightens and firms the muscles of the body, including those on the face. This can be achieved in many different ways. Even an additional 30
minutes of physical activity three times a week can have a significant impact when combined with a reduction in caloric intake (see link below for information on assisted caloric reduction). Many agree that the keys to looking young and being healthy are weight-loss and good skin. Amazingly, these two ideals are inter-twined. Today, science has made it easier than ever to lose weight and look younger!

Have Younger Skin

One of the most important factors in maintaining skin is good circulation. Better circulation allows blood to reach closer to the skin’s surface, thereby cleansing the skin cells of impurities and refreshing them with necessary nutrients from the inside, making the skin glow with health. Further, increased circulation brings additional blood to the surface of the skin and reduces the breakdown of collagen. Collagen has recently been shown to be a leading factor in youthful and healthy skin. It is a fibrous structural protein, which supports certain tissues of the body, most notably the skin.

Next to water, collagen is the most important structural substance in our bodies, accounting for 25-30% of its total protein. Your ligaments, tendons, bones and skeletal muscles are all held together by collagen. Also, smooth muscle tissues, such as your blood vessels, digestive tract, and organs depend on collagen for optimal functioning. Collagen is even the main component of your hair, skin, and nails. Collagen breaks down over time without good circulation. Losing weight and exercise are proven ways to increase circulation to the skin. Losing weight is a big step to improving circulation and maintaining healthy skin.

Why Drinking Water Helps You Lose Weight

I will talk about the importance of water during the weight loss plan, drinking water is very essential to lose your extra weight and decrease any side effects.

We should drink water to adjust the level of hydration, the hydration is the most important thing for our bodies to do well, to get toxins out and cleanse our bodies , to keep our joints working and to help the digestion mechanism. I recommend that you should drink two liters of pure water every day, because this is exactly you body needs to complete the sweating, urination and other bodily processes. Without drinking water throughout the day, the body will go into the dehydration process which affect all function of the body, and this is why dieting experts always recommend to abstain from most kinds of food, but not from water.

The metabolism of our body is depending on water to work correctly. By decreasing the recommended daily amount of water, the breaking down of food particles and the conversion process to convert it to energy will be slowed down, which make the amount of burned calories are very small, and also the amount of lost weight will be very small also. When the metabolism of our bodies start to slow down, weight loss process will slow down also and more than the rate of metabolism slowing, especially when the daily exercising becomes non effective as because the body’s energy is missing.

Water plays an essential role in the actions of digestion process and elimination process. When the amount of water decrease the body will go to the Pad digestion process that will decrease the energy that generated from the food. This will make the our bodies to ask for more and more food and this is why the weight loss process will stop and the weight gain process will start.

So, what can I do exactly to lose my extra weight by drinking water, the answer is here, you drink a large glass of water before every meal throughout the day, the water will fill a large part of your stomach and that will get your body feeling that the stomach is not empty and no need for more food, that is it.

in order to reap the benefits of drinking enough water, you should spread the intake throughout the day. Do not drink two liters of water in one time because your body will flush the excess and a lot of it will be wasted. Also, you do not need to restrict yourself to only water, you can also drink fruit juices, green tea and coffee count as also liquids that can be used by the body for the hydration process. Alcohol is not allowed here, alcohol exactly has the opposite effect on the body. And, ladies, do not be afraid that drinking much water will make you retain it. It is dehydration, not abundance, which forces the body to hang on to what it has. Stick with water, it will benefit your diet plan in all cases.

Fat Loss Secrets - Fat Burning Diet

Are you happy with your weight? If so, you may be in the minority. If not you are probably looking for ways to experience real fat loss, not simply weight loss. Fat loss means more than just weight loss. Quick weight loss can be attributed to water loss. Real weight loss is when you lose fat and change your whole lifestyle with a more healthy diet and exercise. Many people who are overweight say that they are happy with their bodies, but the fact remains that weight loss in order to achieve a healthy weight is very important. There are a number of reasons you should consider weight loss, even if you don’t mind having a few extra pounds.

There are many things to consider if you are overweight, mostly that you are at risk for a number of diseases. The main health risk you will probably experience is heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack. Many heart attacks are deadly. Heart disease develops when you heart has to work extra hard to pump the blood to the body, which causes it to become fatigued. This can occur simply because you are carrying extra fat, or can be a result of high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Another reason to strive for fat loss is heart disease. High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can also put you at risk for a stroke, which occurs when blood, and therefore oxygen, cannot reach the brain. This can happen due to high cholesterol. When you have high cholesterol, the fatty deposits build up on your artery walls. If a piece of this plaque breaks off and travels to the heart, it causes a heart attack, and traveling to the brain causes a stroke.

Fat loss is also important for women who wish to become pregnant. When you’re overweight, the hormones in your body are changing, and if you don’t get the right nutrients you may find that your body does not produce the right chemicals for the hormones needed to ovulate or carry a child. Even if you become pregnant, being overweight puts you at risk for a miscarriage or health problems with the baby. True fat loss will increase your chances for a healthy pregnancy.

Besides being healthy, being overweight can also affect your daily life. Without fat loss you may find it difficult to purchase clothing in your size or you may find that the clothing that does come in larger sizes is more expensive. This is simply due to the manufacturers need for more material to make the same article of clothing. Problems extend beyond shopping when doing things like visiting theme parks, where you may not be able to ride all of the rides, or using public transportation, where you may feel crowded in seats made for smaller people. Fat loss, even if you are currently happy with your own weight, is always a healthy and smart option. It is truly in your own best interest.

40-30-30 Diet

Many of you have certainly heard of a popular 40-30-30 diet. But what exactly does 40-30-30 means?

A 40-30-30 diet is a balanced diet based on 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat. With the proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, you allow your body to burn stored body fat and make significant progress in losing excess pounds in the form of fat tissue. It is important to know that the key to losing unwanted pounds is to be able to access and burn off your body's fat stores.

Eating the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat creates a hormonal response that leads to burning stored fat for energy. Any food that you eat works for or against the two major hormones, insulin and glucagon. These two hormones work together to control the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood.

The human body wants blood glucose (blood sugar) maintained in a very narrow range. Insulin and glucagon are the hormones which make this happen by functioning as a push-pull system: insulin's main function is to keep sugar level in the blood from being too high, while glucagon main function is to keep the sugar level from being too low.

The 40-30-30 ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats sets the body up to burn fat instead of sugars (carbohydrates) as the primary source of fuel. This is done by regulating the amount of insulin the body produces. It is important to know that fats do not make the body fat, insulin does.

When you eat a lot of carbohydrates, your insulin level goes up, signaling your body to store fat. While insulin assures that cells receive the necessary blood sugar, it also inhibits fat burning, converting almost half of your dietary carbohydrate directly into body fat. And this is certainly not what we want. We want to burn fat, not store it. By eating a 40-30-30 balance, insulin level stays low while glucagon level rises, signaling the body to mobilize fat for fuel.

By controlling the glucagon-insulin ratio in the body, the 40-30-30 diet produces wonderful effects. It promotes long-term weight loss as the body burns excess fat and is a must for anyone who thinks they are too fat. There are also some positive side effects like energy level increase, stronger immune system, increased mental focus, decreased food cravings... Once you experience what this balanced diet can do for you, you will never look at food the same way again.

20 Diet Plan Steps To A Slimmer You

Sticking to a diet plan is not easy, if it were then everyone would be thin and we wouldn't need to set diet goals for ourselves. We all need a little help to keep us on track with our diet plans sometimes. These 20 tips are meant to give you some additional ammunition in your war against the weight.

1) Make sure you eat a good breakfast. It keeps your energy levels stable and keeps your metabolism high.

2) Fill your plate with veggies and eat them first. If you split your plate into 4 sections two of them, or half the plate, should be veggies. That leaves 1/4 for a meat item and 1/4 for a starch.

3) Remove liquids with calories from your diet plan. This includes soda's and juices. Switching from regular Coke to Diet Coke saves you 180 calories from a 12 ounce can. That's 65,700 calories a year or almost 19 pounds.

4) Try to avoid caffeine. It will give you that temporary boost in energy and dull your appetite, but later you'll feel even worse and twice as hungry. And the more hungry you are the more likely you are to binge.

5) Switch from whole milk to 1% or skim milk.

6) Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day.

7) If you're feeling hungry have a glass of water first. Often we think we are hungry when in reality we are thirsty. Even if it is true hunger the water will fill you up a little and you'll be less likely to overeat.

8) Have a healthy snack at 3PM when your energy is low. Vegetables with low calorie dip, rice cakes and sugar-free jam, low fat yogurt or a small handful of almonds are all good choices.

9) Keep your portions reasonable. Portions should be the size of your fist or the size of a deck of cards. Stay away from "supersize" portions

10) Eat at a slower pace. It can take 15 minutes for our brains to register that we are full so if you're eating fast you're probably eating too much.

11) Eat more soup. They are filling and good for you. Stick with the non-cream soups that are low in calories and often high in fiber.

12) Eat every 3 hours to keep your metabolism high, hunger at bay and your blood sugar levels stable.

13) Use low calories condiments like mustard instead of fatty ones like mayonnaise.

14) Keep a food journal, especially if you're just starting to diet. There are lots of them available online. My favorite free one is at FitDay.com

15) If you're eating out get a doggie bag and put half your meal into it for later or even better for someone else. A typical meal out will have 1000+ calories, not including
bread, appetizers, drinks etc.

16) When eating out skip the dessert. If you simply have to have that triple fudge chocolate layer cake share it with someone.

17) Treat yourself once a week. Even the strongest of us have weak moments. If you know that you'll get a break once a week it's much easier to stick with your diet for the other 6 days.

18) Exercise regularly. Even if you just walk 20-30 minutes a day the benefits are amazing. You'll lose not just from the calories you burn during exercise, but also from the boost in metabolism.

19) Find an exercise partner. It helps to know that someone is counting on you to show up at the gym. And it makes it more like an appointment and thus harder to skip out on.

20) Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Try to drink only on weekends and limit yourself to one or two glasses.

Even using just a few of the tips can save you hundreds of calories daily and take off some unwanted pounds. I am not that overweight to begin with and dropped almost 10 pounds just by cutting soda out of my diet plan and drinking more water. Good luck with whatever diet plan you choose and I hope this list will help some of you to meet your diet goals.

6 Natural Weight Loss Tips

Commonly, and first of all, people who want to lose weight naturally think about reducing the amount of food they eat.

This is only part of the solution, but not exactly the best there is. In fact, depending on the amount you reduce in your diet, it may even be dangerous to your health. So, how do you lose weight naturally, effectively and safely?

Here are some points one should consider when trying to lose weight naturally:

Beware of the Crash Diets
If you are thinking of trimming down, you probably think that dropping the calories can alone shed off your unwanted excess of fat. Probably, this is because of the current fad in advertising about low-calorie food products and beverages. What you may not know is that this could be dangerous because when you decrease your calorie intake below the required levels, the body begins to digest the fats.

Sounds good, but it isn't, in actuality. Burning fat requires a lot of energy. Since there is not much energy in the body to facilitate metabolism of fat, it will run at a very slow pace resulting in fatigue, illness and a weak immune system...And you'll still have the fat. Fat is not the only place where the body gets it's energy from.

A low-calorie diet is also compensated for by the body by burning muscle. People on this type of diet, who revert back to their old eating habits, end up gaining back most of their weight, if not all the weight they have shed off. This would consist mainly of fats.

...And since fats have more volume per mass than muscle, this person ends up having the same weight as before, but will be bulkier. When losing weight, one should keep in mind that they should lose excess body fats only. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't reduce your calories...Just make sure that you've met the body's minimum requirement for calories to survive, energize, and repair.

However, one can try eating small meals at more frequent intervals. This way, the body will not think that it is being starved and will not store food as fat.

Eat Right
One may have considered junking the crash diet option, but that doesn't mean you should forget to watch what your is eating. Variety must always be considered so that you may be able to get the necessary nutrients your body needs from your diet. It is also healthier to eat foods which are roasted, steamed or broiled, rather than fried. It is also important to include a lot of fiber in the diet. Frequent re-hydration is paramount.

Increase Your Lean Muscle Mass
Muscles burn calories when they work; they even do so at rest. Actually, you burn more calories just being alive than you probably ever will doing activities in a day. Unlike fats, which just lie around, bulge around the pants and dangle beneath the sleeves, muscles burn calories all-day long. With this fact as ammunition, one can start weight loss by increasing muscle mass.

The more muscles a person has, the less fat that is left. This is attainable starting with working out with resistance exercises, not just weights. There are tons of resistance moves that you can do with or without weights.

Aerobics-R-Us
Aerobic exercises are not just good for the heart by increasing cardiovascular endurance...Aerobics also help by increasing lean muscle mass, while simultaneously
decreasing excess body fat. In addition to these reasons, aerobics make the metabolic process more efficient and helps to keep the metabolic rate increased, even a long while after exercising.

Imagine burning fat efficiently, while driving along the freeway or even while watching television. When you are in good aerobic shape, you will recover from workouts and between sets during your workout a heck of a lot faster. This will help you feel better while working out, and allow you to work harder without any conscious effort.

Extra "Push"
Some people need a little help with motivation. In fact, in one area or another, we all need a little extra push. So, try working out with a personal trainer once a week. Then half of the other days, get a workout partner...someone who is serious about obtaining goals. This will help hold both of you accountable,and will encourage you to show up and keep up with the plan.

On Taking Diet Pills
Over-the-counter diet supplements affect the amount of weight one loses, as well as how long one keeps that amount of weight off. However, one must be wary of the side-effects of these diet pills. As such, one must faithfully follow the instructions provided in the packaging of these pills. It is also prudent to consult a physician
irregardless before trying out these drugs, and also to find out which type would be best pill for you.

Losing weight naturally does not have to mean sacrifice and suffering. It actually means opening up to a more full and healthy life where you don't have to feel bad about yourself, aren't sensitive about the way you look, and where you aren't able to do what you want to do because of insecurities or lack of ability due to being overweight or obese.

Losing weight naturally might entail a little adjustment in your lifestyle, plus some discomfort, but as the old saying goes, "no pain, no gain". What do you have to lose
besides fat, cellulite, and a lack of self confidence anyway?

To your immediate and lasting natural weight loss success!

The Secret to a Healthy Weight Loss

Every year is the same old resolution. You are going to eat better, exercise more, and lose weight. Usually only lasts about two months, if that, and you are back to the same old routine. I know, I have been there many times!

Natural weight loss is just plain hard to do. But, it is possible. And, it is the most effective way to lose weight. There are so many diets and drugs for you to try. Some people actually need to have the drugs due to health issues. But, even these people must follow some type of eating and exercise plan. Diets are a temporary solution. If a diet does help you lose those extra pounds, and the weight stays off for more than a year, it is not the diet working. It is that your lifestyle has changed.

Diets, journaling, and watching those calories are actually a helpful tool to begin a lifestyle change without even realizing that is what you are doing! For example, when you are watching your calories or counting those points, you usually have to make a choice. Should you go for the candy bar at 350 calories or have a smaller treat and much more food for the same amount of calories? This is the beginning of a lifestyle change. Making choices is an important part of your lifestyle change.

Making the choice to exercise is also very important to a healthy weight loss. You do not have to go to the gym every night for an hour. As long as you can fit some time in, as little as 30 aerobic minutes three times a week, this will help you lose the weight and increase your energy level. Get creative! Dance to your favorite CD, go for a walk, take up a new FUN sport, or just run around with your kids or pets. Increasing your metabolism helps increase your energy level. This will help you get to your goal weight sooner. Remember to always warm up and cool down! The more exercise you can fit in, the more calories you will burn. And, you will feel so much happier and healthier!

Watch your beverages! Those are where the calories sneak in! Carbonated beverages made with sugar contain about 150 calories per 12 ounces. Coffee contains 2 to 3 grams of fat per 6 ounces. Diet beverages may seem to be the route to go, but recent studies have shown that diet soda can lead to an increase of snack food intake. You are not getting your sugar fix with a diet soda! Drink as much water as you can! Often, people mistake feelings of thirst for feelings of hunger. Studies show drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day can help cut down on hunger urges. Drinking more water will help your entire system! Drinking water provides a feeling of fullness, and helps the body to more efficiently use stored fat.

Effective weight loss is important to your health and self-esteem. It is a challenge to lose the weight and keep it off. Many times, people feel as if they have failed themselves when they revert back into their old habits. There will be times that you are at a plateau and you just can't get those last few pounds off. When this happens, you have to make a choice to keep going. All you need to do is mentally believe you can do it. At this point, just reevaluate your eating patterns and exercise schedule. Actually, you should be proud of this moment, as this means your body has adjusted to the previous weight you have lost, and it needs an updated schedule.

Drugs can help you lose the weight, but there are many side effects to them. Some side effects are very dangerous. Diets just do not last.

So, the secret to losing weight is to believe in yourself. Once you have accomplished your goal the natural way, without high priced drugs and diets, your self-esteem will rise and you will KNOW you can do anything. And this lifestyle change will lead to a healthier, happier you.