Is your relationship with your significant other, mother, father, or friend making you sick?
Believe it or not, there’s scientific evidence to suggest that our relationships can actually contribute to illness. Therefore, in order to achieve a healthy life, it is important to make our relationships healthy.
There have been studies to suggest that people who are married often tend to live longer. Experts reason that marriage provides a nurturing environment for individuals, enabling them to better fight off disease. The support of a loving spouse can make all the difference in the world, especially when one is facing a serious illness.
Maintaining healthy relationships can help to lower our stress. Stress is considered to be an important contributing factor for illness. By improving our relationships with other people—particularly with family members—we can cut down on the stress which can sap our strength, making it difficult for us to ward off infections.
But it is not enough to know that healthy relationships can make us healthier. It is also critically important to know exactly how we can ensure that our relationships are healthy. Psychologists contend that the key ingredient of a healthy relationship is communication. Unless we feel safe to communicate our feelings, we will be unable to thrive in our relationships. If you don’t like to confront people, you might find it more difficult to communicate. Therefore, you must learn effective communication skills.
Before you can communicate in your relationships, you must know your goals and desires. In other words, you have to know what you want before you can articulate it to another person. You should try to keep an open mind, listening carefully to what the other person has to say. If you are bothered by a person’s behavior, try to avoid saying something like, “You are always late.” Instead, say something to the effect that, “When you are out and I don’t hear back from you, I worry.” That way, you are telling the other person how his or her behavior makes you feel. It is also vitally important that you admit your mistakes and apologize for them. Such a simple action shows that you are really concerned about the other person’s feelings.
In order to maintain healthy relationships, it is also important for you to show your emotional support to other people. Demonstrate that you will stand by them—in good times and bad. Accept them for who they are and don’t try to change them. Also, show a healthy interest in their concerns. That way, you portray yourself as a caring individual who is concerned about the other person’s welfare.
Healthy relationships also depend upon setting limits for yourself, and respecting the limits of other people. You should never tolerate abuse in a relationship, whether it is emotional abuse or physical abuse. At the first warning signs, you should seek distance from the abuser. Such distance is critical for your emotional well-being and long-term health.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/healthy-relationships.htm
Thursday 1 March 2007
Weight Loss Plateaus and Pitfalls
It's kind of like running into a wall - that feeling you get when, after a few months on a weight-loss program, you suddenly stop seeing results. This is called hitting a plateau and it is not uncommon. In fact, unless you continually update your program to reflect the changes your body has already experienced, you can almost be guaranteed to plateau at some point along your journey toward reaching your goal weight.
Weight-loss Woes
The first thing you should do upon hitting a plateau is try to determine the cause. Could you be eating more calories than you think? Research shows that most people underreport the number of calories they eat - it's not that they're lying, they just don't know how to make an accurate assessment of how much they're eating. And even if you're eating less calories than before you lost the weight, you could be eating just enough to maintain your current weight at your current activity level. It is important to keep in mind that as you lose weight, your metabolism slows down because there is less of you to fuel, both at rest and during activity. So, while a diet of 1,800 calories per day helped you lose a certain amount of weight, if you've hit a plateau, it could be that 1,800 calories is the exact amount you need to stay at your current weight.
Exercise Your Options
This leaves you with two options: Lower your caloric intake further or increase the amount of time you spend being physically active. The first option is less desirable because you may not be able to get sufficient nutrients from a diet that is very low in calories, and it is difficult to stick to it for very long. It is much better to moderately reduce calories to a level that you can sustain when you reach your goal weight. The same is true for exercise. Trying to exercise for several hours per day to burn more calories is a good way to set yourself up for failure. Not only does this type of regimen require an enormous time commitment, it is hard on the body, making you more susceptible to injury and overuse syndromes. To help balance the intake with the expenditure, a good rule of thumb is to multiply your goal weight by 10 calories per pound, and add more calories according to how active you are. Again, be realistic. Don't attempt too much in an effort to burn more calories. Instead, aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity most of the days of the week and, as you become more fit, gradually increase the intensity and duration of your exercise sessions. Choose activities that you find enjoyable, whether that be in-line skating, step classes or even mall walking. Another means for getting you off the plateau is strength training, which has been shown to be very effective in helping people manage their weight because the added muscle helps to offset the metabolism-lowering effect of dieting and losing weight. Muscle is much more metabolically active than fat; therefore, the more muscle you can add, the higher your metabolism will be.
Get Off The Plateau
If you've stopped losing weight, the key to getting off the plateau is to vary your program. The human body is an amazing piece of machinery, capable of adapting to just about any circumstance or stimulus. By shaking things up a bit and varying your program by introducing some new elements, you'll likely find yourself off the plateau and back on the road to progress in no time.
Source: http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/plateaus_pitfalls.htm
Weight-loss Woes
The first thing you should do upon hitting a plateau is try to determine the cause. Could you be eating more calories than you think? Research shows that most people underreport the number of calories they eat - it's not that they're lying, they just don't know how to make an accurate assessment of how much they're eating. And even if you're eating less calories than before you lost the weight, you could be eating just enough to maintain your current weight at your current activity level. It is important to keep in mind that as you lose weight, your metabolism slows down because there is less of you to fuel, both at rest and during activity. So, while a diet of 1,800 calories per day helped you lose a certain amount of weight, if you've hit a plateau, it could be that 1,800 calories is the exact amount you need to stay at your current weight.
Exercise Your Options
This leaves you with two options: Lower your caloric intake further or increase the amount of time you spend being physically active. The first option is less desirable because you may not be able to get sufficient nutrients from a diet that is very low in calories, and it is difficult to stick to it for very long. It is much better to moderately reduce calories to a level that you can sustain when you reach your goal weight. The same is true for exercise. Trying to exercise for several hours per day to burn more calories is a good way to set yourself up for failure. Not only does this type of regimen require an enormous time commitment, it is hard on the body, making you more susceptible to injury and overuse syndromes. To help balance the intake with the expenditure, a good rule of thumb is to multiply your goal weight by 10 calories per pound, and add more calories according to how active you are. Again, be realistic. Don't attempt too much in an effort to burn more calories. Instead, aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity most of the days of the week and, as you become more fit, gradually increase the intensity and duration of your exercise sessions. Choose activities that you find enjoyable, whether that be in-line skating, step classes or even mall walking. Another means for getting you off the plateau is strength training, which has been shown to be very effective in helping people manage their weight because the added muscle helps to offset the metabolism-lowering effect of dieting and losing weight. Muscle is much more metabolically active than fat; therefore, the more muscle you can add, the higher your metabolism will be.
Get Off The Plateau
If you've stopped losing weight, the key to getting off the plateau is to vary your program. The human body is an amazing piece of machinery, capable of adapting to just about any circumstance or stimulus. By shaking things up a bit and varying your program by introducing some new elements, you'll likely find yourself off the plateau and back on the road to progress in no time.
Source: http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/plateaus_pitfalls.htm
Accept your body - Positive self image
Because thin females and muscular males are seen as the ideal in our society and because we have come to believe that body size and shape are totally under a person's control, most people enter diet and exercise programs with unrealistic goals and expectations. If you continually strive to achieve a socially imposed ideal, you will never be free of your insecurities or your self-consciousness. You must truly realize and then learn to accept that we are not all meant to be fashion-model size.
Our body size and structure reflects not only our eating and exercise habits but also our genetics. The role this latter factor plays in determining weight seems to vary greatly between individuals. We are all born with a certain body type inherited from our parents. Although hardly anyone is a pure body type, there are three different applicable categories: ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs.
Characteristically, ectomorphs have a light build with slight muscular development. They are usually tall and thin with small frames and narrow hips and shoulders.
Mesomorphs have a husky, muscular build. They often have broad shoulders, and their weight is concentrated in the upper body, making them look compact or stocky.
Endomorphs are characterized by a heavy, rounded build with shoulders usually narrower than their hips. They have a round, soft appearance and are more often overweight or obese.
When we understand and appreciate our bodies, we are able to work with them, not against them. Although many of us are a combination of two body types, we cannot become what we are not. However, everyone can improve their appearance and their health and performance levels by implementing the principles of a safe and effective eating and exercise program.
Even if you have a genetic predisposition to being overweight, the way you live is what ultimately determines whether you become fat. Genes clearly play a role, but they certainly don't determine what you're going to have for dinner or how often you exercise. Chances are if you're living an unhealthy lifestyle, you'll become fat and unhealthy.
All of us can't be thin. But every single one of us can be healthy. By focusing on what you're eating and how much you're exercising, you'll be able to achieve optimum health and fitness, even though you may not achieve society's ideal of thinness. Accepting yourself does not mean that you're hopeless and that it's okay to do nothing. It means that you feel good and care about yourself, and that you want to be the very best you can be, regardless of your genetics, regardless of society's standards.
To achieve this level of optimum wellness, you must have a positive self image. This means that your feelings about your body are not influenced by events in your daily life. For many people, life's problems are projected onto their body. "If only I were thinner--or more muscular, I would have made the team, gotten the job, been chosen. . . . If only I were thinner--or more muscular, I could meet more people, find the right guy/girl, be happy." This self-defeating habit is reinforced by the images we see in advertising; your body becomes an easy target for everything wrong in your life.
When you have a positive self-image, you value and respect your body; you are also more likely to feel good about living a healthy lifestyle.
No matter how much genetics predetermines how you store and lose fat, the body you've been given will still respond positively to being appreciated and treated well. Focusing on fun physical activity and eating healthy foods will help you feel good whatever your size. Developing a healthy, positive image of yourself is the first critical factor in your fitness success. Having a strong sense of self-worth provides the basis for making rational and affirming decisions about your health. Good luck, stay positive, and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle!
Source: http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/accept_your_body.htm
Our body size and structure reflects not only our eating and exercise habits but also our genetics. The role this latter factor plays in determining weight seems to vary greatly between individuals. We are all born with a certain body type inherited from our parents. Although hardly anyone is a pure body type, there are three different applicable categories: ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs.
Characteristically, ectomorphs have a light build with slight muscular development. They are usually tall and thin with small frames and narrow hips and shoulders.
Mesomorphs have a husky, muscular build. They often have broad shoulders, and their weight is concentrated in the upper body, making them look compact or stocky.
Endomorphs are characterized by a heavy, rounded build with shoulders usually narrower than their hips. They have a round, soft appearance and are more often overweight or obese.
When we understand and appreciate our bodies, we are able to work with them, not against them. Although many of us are a combination of two body types, we cannot become what we are not. However, everyone can improve their appearance and their health and performance levels by implementing the principles of a safe and effective eating and exercise program.
Even if you have a genetic predisposition to being overweight, the way you live is what ultimately determines whether you become fat. Genes clearly play a role, but they certainly don't determine what you're going to have for dinner or how often you exercise. Chances are if you're living an unhealthy lifestyle, you'll become fat and unhealthy.
All of us can't be thin. But every single one of us can be healthy. By focusing on what you're eating and how much you're exercising, you'll be able to achieve optimum health and fitness, even though you may not achieve society's ideal of thinness. Accepting yourself does not mean that you're hopeless and that it's okay to do nothing. It means that you feel good and care about yourself, and that you want to be the very best you can be, regardless of your genetics, regardless of society's standards.
To achieve this level of optimum wellness, you must have a positive self image. This means that your feelings about your body are not influenced by events in your daily life. For many people, life's problems are projected onto their body. "If only I were thinner--or more muscular, I would have made the team, gotten the job, been chosen. . . . If only I were thinner--or more muscular, I could meet more people, find the right guy/girl, be happy." This self-defeating habit is reinforced by the images we see in advertising; your body becomes an easy target for everything wrong in your life.
When you have a positive self-image, you value and respect your body; you are also more likely to feel good about living a healthy lifestyle.
No matter how much genetics predetermines how you store and lose fat, the body you've been given will still respond positively to being appreciated and treated well. Focusing on fun physical activity and eating healthy foods will help you feel good whatever your size. Developing a healthy, positive image of yourself is the first critical factor in your fitness success. Having a strong sense of self-worth provides the basis for making rational and affirming decisions about your health. Good luck, stay positive, and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle!
Source: http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/accept_your_body.htm
10 steps to avoid losing the thrill
What's your excuse for not making it to the gym on a consistent basis? Locker room too smelly? Eye candy not sweet enough? Music volume making your ears bleed? Feeling intimidated by buff bodies crowding the free-weight area?
Most people start off strong with an exercise program, and then within a few weeks they've got an excuse for not being there.
The majority of people will stop participating in a new workout program within the first 90 days which is why health clubs that are packed in January can seem virtually empty by March.
Which brings us to you.
If you're starting a new exercise program, you're probably very excited about it, which is great. But that excitement is going to wear off, at which point you'll begin to notice how much time and effort a workout plan really requires.
And that's the point where you may be tempted to start pulling back, or even to quit entirely. But we're not about to let that happen!!
Follow these steps from the very beginning, and you'll be one of those dedicated gym members who really get their money's worth.
1. Make workouts a key part of your schedule. Many people see exercise merely as recreation, not a necessity, which means it's the first thing to go when daily schedules get crunched. YOU NEED TO DECIDE that working out is as important as ANYTHING in your life, even as important as LIFE ITSELF.
If you don't, as soon as the initial excitement of a new program is over, everything else will get in the way; business appointments, family obligations, TV, sitting on your duff. Write your workout times into your calendar and stick to them just as you would a vital business meeting.
2. Keep it mellow. You're a lot more likely to keep your program for the long term if you avoid letting going to the gym become a hassle. Choose a gym you can get to in a reasonable amount of time at the time of day you're going to train.
If you're fighting gym traffic, you'll be a lot less motivated. Find a place where you won't have to line up to use the equipment you want. And unless you'll be going at the end of the day and can wash up at home, make sure it has clean showers and a comfortable changing environment.
3. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Many people often start out too aggressively, going to a level that's higher than they're capable of. As a result, they injure their muscle fibers, so for 48 hours they're walking around like a mummy. Then they stop going to the gym because they find themselves dreading the pain.
Many people don't realize that long, drawn out workouts is NOT better. You're not giving your body enough time to recover between workouts. 60 minutes TOPS (if you're doing a strength and aerobic workout), or about 30 minutes of a strength OR aerobic workout. Make those minutes COUNT! You can still workout daily as long as you keep your workouts short.
4. Set achievable goals. It's inevitable that as you start a new program, you picture yourself looking like the models on TV or in the magazines. But if you set your sights too high, you may find yourself discounting the gains you are making. When you're starting out, go over your long-term goals with a trainer or coach, and decide what you can achieve based on your workout schedule.
Then, instead of looking far into the future, give yourself intermediate weekly and monthly goals, such as doing an extra rep or lifting 10 more pounds. If you always have new goals to shoot for, it stays interesting.
REMEMBER: You're not exercising to lose weight. You're exercising because of HOW YOU'LL FEEL as a RESULT of exercising regularly. You WILL get leaner, you WILL have more energy, you WILL have a higher self-esteem. If you don't achieve the goals in the time you first set, it's not the goal that's wrong. It's the time frame that was wrong. Keep focused on your goals.
5. Chart your progress. Gains from one workout to the next can be subtle, and the only way to know how well you're really doing is to write everything down. Keep a journal of your workouts, as well as what you eat. Even people who are diligent don't remember exactly how well things went if they keep everything in their head.
When you write it down, you can compare results, see what is and isn't working, and see that as time goes on YOU'RE REALLY MAKING PROGRESS.
6. Mix it up. Doing the same workout over and over again gets old fast, and your results won't be as good as if you try a variety of exercises. Instead of doing 40 minutes daily on the treadmill, try every darn aerobic machine in the gym and go on hiking, in-line skating and bicycling adventures whenever you get a chance.
Change your weight training routine regularly to keep things interesting and to help break through plateaus. A lack of variety leads to staleness. A good rule of thumb is to change your sets, reps, weight, and rest periods every 3-4 weeks. You'll have more fun if you learn new tools and keep doing different things.
7. Go one on one. One reason working out can seem less enjoyable than playing sports is that it lacks interplay with others. But there are lots of ways to have some spirited competition in the gym, whether it's racing >> on treadmills or competing (safely) with your weightlifting buddy. When two guys are on the same regimen, they can make things more fun by having "mini-contests."
Try going as many reps as you can on a certain weight. Or see who can lift the most weight for 4-5 reps. Just make sure the contest rules specify doing the exercise right, since sacrificing form to lift more weight can be dangerous.
8. Work with a trainer or coach.Workouts seem easier and are more effective with a professional proddingyou on; plus, you're more likely to feel obligated to show up (especially if he's going to charge you anyway). When there's someone watching you and keeping an eye on your progress, there's incentive to keep going. If you can't afford to hire a trainer for every workout, just do it every couple of weeks or once a month and have him/her help you set goals for you to reach in between.
Also, consider getting a training partner - just make sure it's somebody who will show up every time, is dedicated as you are... in other words, a clone of you.
9. Force yourself to hang in there religiously for the first three months. Nothing sustains motivation better than results. However, whether you're a beginner or a competitive bodybuilder, your muscles must be given enough time to adapt to the growth and recovery periods that strength training requires.
Though you may see some results, like increases in strength, early on, noticeable changes in your physique CAN take up to three months. (NOTE: This DOESN'T mean that everyone will take this long to see results. I've had clients see results in the first couple of weeks; some waited a few months before things fell into place.)
It also takes that long to establish a rhythm and discipline to your training schedule, but after three months of dedication, you'll be a lot less likely to fall off the training wagon.
10. As soon as you miss a workout, re-motivate yourself. This is the danger zone, the time when most people start giving up. You've missed one workout, so what's the big deal about skipping another, or all of them? Before you know it, your whole program could go down the tubes. If you miss a workout, you miss a workout. It's over. You can't bring it back. So it makes NO sense to beat yourself up about it.
This article was provide by Garrett J. Braunreiter, CSCS, GHF's Success Coach. Please visit his site at http://www.worldpeakperformance.com
Source: http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/10steps.htm
Most people start off strong with an exercise program, and then within a few weeks they've got an excuse for not being there.
The majority of people will stop participating in a new workout program within the first 90 days which is why health clubs that are packed in January can seem virtually empty by March.
Which brings us to you.
If you're starting a new exercise program, you're probably very excited about it, which is great. But that excitement is going to wear off, at which point you'll begin to notice how much time and effort a workout plan really requires.
And that's the point where you may be tempted to start pulling back, or even to quit entirely. But we're not about to let that happen!!
Follow these steps from the very beginning, and you'll be one of those dedicated gym members who really get their money's worth.
1. Make workouts a key part of your schedule. Many people see exercise merely as recreation, not a necessity, which means it's the first thing to go when daily schedules get crunched. YOU NEED TO DECIDE that working out is as important as ANYTHING in your life, even as important as LIFE ITSELF.
If you don't, as soon as the initial excitement of a new program is over, everything else will get in the way; business appointments, family obligations, TV, sitting on your duff. Write your workout times into your calendar and stick to them just as you would a vital business meeting.
2. Keep it mellow. You're a lot more likely to keep your program for the long term if you avoid letting going to the gym become a hassle. Choose a gym you can get to in a reasonable amount of time at the time of day you're going to train.
If you're fighting gym traffic, you'll be a lot less motivated. Find a place where you won't have to line up to use the equipment you want. And unless you'll be going at the end of the day and can wash up at home, make sure it has clean showers and a comfortable changing environment.
3. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Many people often start out too aggressively, going to a level that's higher than they're capable of. As a result, they injure their muscle fibers, so for 48 hours they're walking around like a mummy. Then they stop going to the gym because they find themselves dreading the pain.
Many people don't realize that long, drawn out workouts is NOT better. You're not giving your body enough time to recover between workouts. 60 minutes TOPS (if you're doing a strength and aerobic workout), or about 30 minutes of a strength OR aerobic workout. Make those minutes COUNT! You can still workout daily as long as you keep your workouts short.
4. Set achievable goals. It's inevitable that as you start a new program, you picture yourself looking like the models on TV or in the magazines. But if you set your sights too high, you may find yourself discounting the gains you are making. When you're starting out, go over your long-term goals with a trainer or coach, and decide what you can achieve based on your workout schedule.
Then, instead of looking far into the future, give yourself intermediate weekly and monthly goals, such as doing an extra rep or lifting 10 more pounds. If you always have new goals to shoot for, it stays interesting.
REMEMBER: You're not exercising to lose weight. You're exercising because of HOW YOU'LL FEEL as a RESULT of exercising regularly. You WILL get leaner, you WILL have more energy, you WILL have a higher self-esteem. If you don't achieve the goals in the time you first set, it's not the goal that's wrong. It's the time frame that was wrong. Keep focused on your goals.
5. Chart your progress. Gains from one workout to the next can be subtle, and the only way to know how well you're really doing is to write everything down. Keep a journal of your workouts, as well as what you eat. Even people who are diligent don't remember exactly how well things went if they keep everything in their head.
When you write it down, you can compare results, see what is and isn't working, and see that as time goes on YOU'RE REALLY MAKING PROGRESS.
6. Mix it up. Doing the same workout over and over again gets old fast, and your results won't be as good as if you try a variety of exercises. Instead of doing 40 minutes daily on the treadmill, try every darn aerobic machine in the gym and go on hiking, in-line skating and bicycling adventures whenever you get a chance.
Change your weight training routine regularly to keep things interesting and to help break through plateaus. A lack of variety leads to staleness. A good rule of thumb is to change your sets, reps, weight, and rest periods every 3-4 weeks. You'll have more fun if you learn new tools and keep doing different things.
7. Go one on one. One reason working out can seem less enjoyable than playing sports is that it lacks interplay with others. But there are lots of ways to have some spirited competition in the gym, whether it's racing >> on treadmills or competing (safely) with your weightlifting buddy. When two guys are on the same regimen, they can make things more fun by having "mini-contests."
Try going as many reps as you can on a certain weight. Or see who can lift the most weight for 4-5 reps. Just make sure the contest rules specify doing the exercise right, since sacrificing form to lift more weight can be dangerous.
8. Work with a trainer or coach.Workouts seem easier and are more effective with a professional proddingyou on; plus, you're more likely to feel obligated to show up (especially if he's going to charge you anyway). When there's someone watching you and keeping an eye on your progress, there's incentive to keep going. If you can't afford to hire a trainer for every workout, just do it every couple of weeks or once a month and have him/her help you set goals for you to reach in between.
Also, consider getting a training partner - just make sure it's somebody who will show up every time, is dedicated as you are... in other words, a clone of you.
9. Force yourself to hang in there religiously for the first three months. Nothing sustains motivation better than results. However, whether you're a beginner or a competitive bodybuilder, your muscles must be given enough time to adapt to the growth and recovery periods that strength training requires.
Though you may see some results, like increases in strength, early on, noticeable changes in your physique CAN take up to three months. (NOTE: This DOESN'T mean that everyone will take this long to see results. I've had clients see results in the first couple of weeks; some waited a few months before things fell into place.)
It also takes that long to establish a rhythm and discipline to your training schedule, but after three months of dedication, you'll be a lot less likely to fall off the training wagon.
10. As soon as you miss a workout, re-motivate yourself. This is the danger zone, the time when most people start giving up. You've missed one workout, so what's the big deal about skipping another, or all of them? Before you know it, your whole program could go down the tubes. If you miss a workout, you miss a workout. It's over. You can't bring it back. So it makes NO sense to beat yourself up about it.
This article was provide by Garrett J. Braunreiter, CSCS, GHF's Success Coach. Please visit his site at http://www.worldpeakperformance.com
Source: http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/10steps.htm
Sunday 18 February 2007
How to Stick to a Diet Long Term
If you ask anyone who is overweight they will say that it is so hard to the extra kilos, but is this because we are eating more or getting lazier? I think we are doing both. The other problem people find when trying to shed those unwanted kilos is sticking to the diet longer than a day.
I believe there are loads of reasons why people say they can’t stick to a diet.
The first reason that comes to mind is that people often have an unrealistic attitude to losing weight. They gained the weight easily but then they find that it is not as easy to shed. Also, once decided, most people want to lose their excess weight really quickly and may have unrealistic expectations, such as wanting to lose 2-3 kilos each week. When this doesn’t happen they give up out of disappointment and frustration and go back to their old ways. Having the right attitude when it comes to weight loss is vital for longer-term weight loss success. Every ounce, gram or pound is a loss, be excited when you see the scales go down, as long as they keep going down then that is all that matters.
I lost 35 kilos in 20 months and one of the things that I made sure I never did was put unrealistic pressure on myself to lose weight too quickly. Often enough when you lose weight quickly – it finds you again quickly. If you have ever tried to lose weight by starving yourself slim, you will know that it really doesn’t work. Not only will you be hungry all the time but also cranky, irritable and lets not forget the bad breathe! The sensible way to shed those unwanted kilos is to have a well-balance diet that will keep you satisfied and happy. Being hungry is “diet syndrome” so instead eat the right amounts of proteins, carbs, fibre and kilojoules and I guarantee you will feel great, bounce through the day and be able to stick to your program long term.
Here are some weight loss myths:
1. Eat grapefruit and it will melt the fat away - False
2. You have to starve to lose weight - False
3. When exercising - no pain means no gain - False
4. Potatoes make you fat - False
5. Food combining should be avoided - False
6. Treat food is a no-no when losing weight - False
7. Skip meals and you will lose weight – False
8. Avoid Carbs at all cost – False
9. Drinking while eating is fattening –False
10.Counting kilojoules or calories is a waste of time - False
Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, CD-ROM MENU PLANNER and GET MOTIVATED & LOSE WEIGHT DOUBLE AUDIO CD are sold in all good newsagencies or visit Annette's website www.symplytoogood.com.au
I believe there are loads of reasons why people say they can’t stick to a diet.
The first reason that comes to mind is that people often have an unrealistic attitude to losing weight. They gained the weight easily but then they find that it is not as easy to shed. Also, once decided, most people want to lose their excess weight really quickly and may have unrealistic expectations, such as wanting to lose 2-3 kilos each week. When this doesn’t happen they give up out of disappointment and frustration and go back to their old ways. Having the right attitude when it comes to weight loss is vital for longer-term weight loss success. Every ounce, gram or pound is a loss, be excited when you see the scales go down, as long as they keep going down then that is all that matters.
I lost 35 kilos in 20 months and one of the things that I made sure I never did was put unrealistic pressure on myself to lose weight too quickly. Often enough when you lose weight quickly – it finds you again quickly. If you have ever tried to lose weight by starving yourself slim, you will know that it really doesn’t work. Not only will you be hungry all the time but also cranky, irritable and lets not forget the bad breathe! The sensible way to shed those unwanted kilos is to have a well-balance diet that will keep you satisfied and happy. Being hungry is “diet syndrome” so instead eat the right amounts of proteins, carbs, fibre and kilojoules and I guarantee you will feel great, bounce through the day and be able to stick to your program long term.
Here are some weight loss myths:
1. Eat grapefruit and it will melt the fat away - False
2. You have to starve to lose weight - False
3. When exercising - no pain means no gain - False
4. Potatoes make you fat - False
5. Food combining should be avoided - False
6. Treat food is a no-no when losing weight - False
7. Skip meals and you will lose weight – False
8. Avoid Carbs at all cost – False
9. Drinking while eating is fattening –False
10.Counting kilojoules or calories is a waste of time - False
Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, CD-ROM MENU PLANNER and GET MOTIVATED & LOSE WEIGHT DOUBLE AUDIO CD are sold in all good newsagencies or visit Annette's website www.symplytoogood.com.au
Realistic Ways to Shed Weight
In all my years in the weight loss industry, I have yet to hear of one good thing to be said about dieting. Most times people say that dieting to them means eating boring tasteless food, deprivation, hunger, irritability, starvation and not being able to go out or socialize. This could explain why so few can stay on a diet long term and actually get to their goal weight. I had to lose 35 kilos, which is a huge amount of weight, so looking down the many months of living of celery and carrots would make any motivated person cringe with fear.
Here are some realistic ways to win the battle of the bulge:
- Don’t be boring with your food choices. Steam vegetables and fish are lovely but aren’t very exciting so experiment. Try some of my fabulous low fat recipes and learn how to eat the healthy way.
- If you enjoy a wine or piece of chocolate then make sure that you work these things into your eating regime. If you love to snack then make sure that you have good healthy snacks at home when you need them.
- Eating in moderation is essential to lasting long term on a healthy eating program. For example fruit is fantastic. It is full of fibre, which will help keep you feeling full and satisfied longer and is also a good carbohydrate but beware it is possible to eat too much fruit. The normal serving size of a piece of fruit is 140g. Women should have no more than 3 pieces and men 4 pieces each day for weight loss.
- If you can’t get motivated and have little willpower your weight loss will be a struggle and you won’t last long so make sure you keep motivated, focused and have strong willpower if you wish to succeed. When you are motivated you can do anything. Think about all the positives to you losing weight and forget the negatives.
- Finally make time for the 3 most important parts of any weight loss journey:
- Shop for the right food. Buy only what will support your healthy program and don’t be tempted to buy chocolate for the kids if you know that you will sneak some for yourself.
- Allow time in your day to prepare and cook delicious low fat healthy meals and snacks. And finally
- Make time in your day for exercise. Prioritise this because without activity in your day, weight loss will be slower and also harder to keep off long term. Step up and do what ever is needed each day to be the healthy person you want to be.
Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, CD-ROM MENU PLANNER and GET MOTIVATED & LOSE WEIGHT DOUBLE AUDIO CD are sold in all good newsagencies or visit Annette's website www.symplytoogood.com.au
Wednesday 31 January 2007
Our REASONS for losing weight
first note: If you haven't done so already, please email me your address. At the end of the challenge, I have some prizes from our sponsor - and I would like to have everyone's address so that it's a surprise! (there is not enough prizes for everyone... so please don't be disappointed if you don't get something).
A little while ago I sent an email asking people their reasons for losing weight. I thought it would be interesting for others - but also for each of us to look at ourselves and give our weight loss a purpose. I have received a number of replies... but I'm determined to increase this list!! So please, read through the list. You may recognise many reasons that you hadn't thought of before. (For me, I was particularly taken by # 30). Some of these reasons may inspire you to keep going on your weight loss journey. And after reading these - you may think of some more reasons! So please - email me with more reasons (different from the ones listed here!) Lets see how many reasons we can accumulate. I once saw a list of 1000+ reasons! I want to get there! As you can see, the replies are all anonymous. So feel free to write whatever you want! Enjoy this list.
- I want to have energy to do absolutely anything I can!
- I want to feel beautiful
- I want to be proud of myself
- I want to enjoy looking at photos of myself
- I want to look as good as I feel
- I want to get on the scales and not have to worry about the number
- I want to be able to walk into a store and not have to try and find something to fit
- I want to have confidence
- I want to feel that I look good, its nice to hear, but I still need to feel it myself
- I don't want my back to ache
- I don't want to have big boobs!! (but not too little either)
- I don't want to feel fat
- I don't want to have a sore neck
- I don't want to wear a size 18-22
- I don't want to be by myself. It's not like a guy is going to complete me, but it would be nice to have someone to share my live with, its not that no-one would not love me ‘cos I’m big, I just don't love myself, as I'm not happy with myself looking like this and I just don't have the confidence.
- I want to be a good role model for my boys
- I want to be healthy
- I don't want to get diabetes (which runs in my family)
- I want to have another baby
- I want to fit into the clothes I have been hanging onto for 9 years
- I want to be thin and feel attractive
- I want to be the best I can be
- I want to feel great
- I want to look great
- I want to stop having weight loss as a major focus in my life
- I want to put my energies into something else
- I want to see what I’ll look like at my ‘ideal’ weight
- I want to know the love of a man
- I want to be able to grow old
- I want to be respected
- I don't want to miss out on promotions or job opportunities
- I want more energy
- I don't want to wake up tired every day
- I want to be able to see my feet
- I want to have children
- I want to be able to shop anywhere
- I don't want people to stare at me
- I want people to think I look sexy
- I want to enjoy having pictures taken of me
- I want to get married
- I want my family to be proud of me
- I want to be a able to run anywhere i chose
- I'm sick of feeling big
- I'm sick of siblings telling me I have a "ghetto booty"
- I don't want to become a mum (not pregnant yet) and put on many many kilos
- I would like to associate the words svelte and slim with my body - right now that's not an option.
- I want to fit back into my size 12 jeans!
- I want to be able to wear a bikini and feel good in it!
- I want to feel good about myself for a change
- I want to be able to buy 'off the rack' clothes
- I want to be a role model for overweight family members (if I can do it, so can you)
- I want to be in control of my eating habits
- I want to be healthy for the rest of my life
- I don't want to be fat and 40, I want to be fit and 40
- I want to be a personal trainer
- I don't want to become diabetic (as my sister is at age 36 and my grandparents were)
- I want to run and play with my children.
- I want to wear my size 10 clothes on again.
- I want to wear my bikini.
- To play with my son and not get out of breath
- To learn to run
- To wear "skinny girl" clothes
- So my "muffin top" belly doesn't hang over my pants
- To be healthy
- To be attractive
- So that I look good in swimmers
- So that I like what I see in the mirror
- So my boobs get smaller (hopefully)
- To get rid of my "tuck shop lady" arms
- I want to feel more attractive
- I want to be able fit into a size 12 easily
- I want to have more energy
- I want my partner to see me back in a size 12 looking good again
- I want to stop feeling uncomfy in public places
- I want to feel more confident in myself
- I want to be happier
- I want to be healthier
- I want to play more with the kids
- I want to buy sexy clothes :)
- I want to have energy to play with my son
- I want to get pregnant again
- I want to feel attractive
- I want to wear size 10 pants
- I want my husband to be proud of me
- I want to enjoy looking at photos of myself
- I want to look as good as I feel
- I want to prevent heart attack and stroke (as my mum & grandma had)
- I don't want my feet to ache when I wake up in the mornings
- I don't want my back to ache
- I want my husband to put his arms around me
- I want to buy clothes off the rack without trying them on
- I don't want my kid/s to be embarrassed when I take them to school (in the future)
- I don't want my stomach to ooze over all my waistbands
- I want to wear jeans that flatter my body
- I want a waist that is smaller than my husbands
- I want to have sex with the lights on
- I want to get into the Weight Watchers or Slimming magazine as a "success story"
- I want to become a Life Time Member at Weight Watchers
- I want to wear my first ever pair of size 10 jeans
- I want to be fit and healthy for when I fall pregnant with our first child
- I want to wear skirts without needing a 'girdle' or 'control' undies
- I want to wear strapless dresses & tops
- I don't want to look like the Michellin woman
- I want to think like a healthy person. ie: where it not 'hard work' to say no/exercise
- I don't want to crave KFC, Maccas or Hungry Jacks when I drive past
- I want to do a triathlon and not worry about it killing me
Tuesday 23 January 2007
What's stopping you from Losing Weight ??
By Annette Sym - sponsor of our weight loss challenge! www.symplytoogood.com.au
- Do you eat like you are a body builder?
- Do you eat without thinking about how much you eat?
- Do you eat an unbalanced diet?
- Do you miss meals?
- Do you refuse to give up the food you like?
- Have you given up on yourself and your ability to lose weight?
Here are the solutions to win the battle of the bulge.
Being active is a great way to help you lose weight but it can also make you hungry so don’t overeat thinking that if you're active you can get away with eating more. If you are overweight then you are eating too much.
Do the 28 day weight loss plan in book 5 and you will soon see if your having yourself too much food.
Avoid the crazy diets that restrict or eliminate how much carbohydrates you have. The best way to lose weight long term is to eat from all the food groups. Make sure that you eat the healthy choices for example lollies are high carbs and so is fruit. The difference lollies are junk food and not at all beneficial to your health where as fruit is packed with goodness and great for health and wellbeing.
Missing meals means you may binge late at night. Always start the day with breakfast as it kick starts your metabolism and will set you on the right track for the day. Lunch will keep your energy levels up and help you avoid lethargy and headaches mid afternoon.
If you don’t make some changes nothing will change. I remember when I was overweight how much I loved eating chocolate, now 14 years on I am not at all interested in it. It took time but I taught myself not to desire it and give it power. Making changes to habits that got you overweight must be eliminated if you are to lose weight long term.
If you stay focused, committed and above all excited about your journey ahead you will succeed. Instead of thinking about what you are going to give up think about what you will gain losing those unwanted kilos. I remember visualizing myself with a flat tummy, in a pair of slim jeans with a T Shirt tucked in. Believe in the outcome, focus on what you want to achieve and never give up on yourself.
Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1, 2, 3, 4 and NOW JUST RELEASED BOOK 5, CD-ROM MENU PLANNER and GET MOTIVATED & LOSE WEIGHT DOUBLE AUDIO CD are sold in all good newsagencies or visit Annette's website www.symplytoogood.com.au
Sunday 21 January 2007
Obesity and related Illnesses
Overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. More than 61 percent of Americans aged 20 years and older are overweight and one-fourth of American adults are obese - an estimated 97 million, which puts them at risk for poor health. Yet obesity continues to increase alarmingly in men, women and children. With children ages six to seventeen years old, there is an obesity crisis. Since 1980, the number of overweight children has doubled, and the number of overweight adolescents has tripled. In addition to being a major health risk, obesity is associated with approximately 300,000 deaths a year in this country and obesity causes a myriad of health complications.
Many Americans tend to look at it as a physically unattractive, cosmetic problem without considering the many related illnesses that go along with it. But the health ramifications are far more serious even though the psychology of weight image does come into play physically due to how you feel about yourself. Overweight and obese adults are at risk for premature death and disability as a consequence of being overweight and obese, the health risks increase even more when a person's obesity increases.
Obesity-related illness results in hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year in the United States and billions of dollars in health care costs.
Being obese causes an increased risk for developing a number of serious and potentially fatal health problems, including:
High Blood pressure, hypertension - One-third of all cases of high blood pressure are associated with obesity High blood pressure is twice as common in adults who are obese than in those who are at a healthy weight.
High blood cholesterol - 50% more likely to have elevated blood cholesterol levels.
Diabetes Type 2 - non-insulin dependent accounts for nearly 90% of all cases of diabetes. Researchers estimate that 88 to 97% of type 2 diabetes cases diagnosed in overweight people are a direct result of obesity
Congestive heart failure - obesity increases the risk of congestive heart failure, a potentially fatal condition in which the heart muscle weakens, progressively losing the ability to pump blood.
Heart disease - heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina or chest pain, and abnormal heart rhythm is increased in persons who are overweight or obese.
Stroke - There is a link between obesity and stroke; this is particularly the case for people whose fat is situated predominantly in the abdominal region. Overweight people are more likely to have high blood cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, but these associations are not the only explanations for the greater stroke rate.
Gallstones and gallbladder disorders.
Gout - the condition may develop in people with obesity incidents are remarkably higher, Gout is strongly associated with obesity.
Osteoarthritis - Obesity may be a major factor in the development of osteoarthritis, particularly of the knee and especially in women.
Some types of cancer -such as endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon
Complications of pregnancy.
Poor female reproductive health - examples would be menstrual irregularities, infertility, irregular ovulation.
Bladder control problems - such as stress incontinence.
Psychological disorders -such as depression, eating disorders, distorted body image, and low self- esteem.
As always the best advice is found by asking your Doctor, you may want to ask him or her about your weight and the effect it's having on your health. Your Doctor can help you find out about your BMI to determine what health risks you are prone to with your particular weight. BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. BMI can be calculated with simple math using inches and pound, for adult's aged 20 years or older, BMI falls into one of these categories: underweight, normal, overweight, or obese.
With all these health risks in mind, the question is not "Why lose weight?" it should be "What better reason can there be not to lose weight?" If the cosmetic benefit of a healthy weight isn't a priority for you, that's understandable but it isn't the real issue. If you think about it how many of us would prefer to eat what we want everyday rather than try to eat a healthy diet, and lead a longer and healthier life.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/obesity-illness.htm
Many Americans tend to look at it as a physically unattractive, cosmetic problem without considering the many related illnesses that go along with it. But the health ramifications are far more serious even though the psychology of weight image does come into play physically due to how you feel about yourself. Overweight and obese adults are at risk for premature death and disability as a consequence of being overweight and obese, the health risks increase even more when a person's obesity increases.
Obesity-related illness results in hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year in the United States and billions of dollars in health care costs.
Being obese causes an increased risk for developing a number of serious and potentially fatal health problems, including:
High Blood pressure, hypertension - One-third of all cases of high blood pressure are associated with obesity High blood pressure is twice as common in adults who are obese than in those who are at a healthy weight.
High blood cholesterol - 50% more likely to have elevated blood cholesterol levels.
Diabetes Type 2 - non-insulin dependent accounts for nearly 90% of all cases of diabetes. Researchers estimate that 88 to 97% of type 2 diabetes cases diagnosed in overweight people are a direct result of obesity
Congestive heart failure - obesity increases the risk of congestive heart failure, a potentially fatal condition in which the heart muscle weakens, progressively losing the ability to pump blood.
Heart disease - heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina or chest pain, and abnormal heart rhythm is increased in persons who are overweight or obese.
Stroke - There is a link between obesity and stroke; this is particularly the case for people whose fat is situated predominantly in the abdominal region. Overweight people are more likely to have high blood cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, but these associations are not the only explanations for the greater stroke rate.
Gallstones and gallbladder disorders.
Gout - the condition may develop in people with obesity incidents are remarkably higher, Gout is strongly associated with obesity.
Osteoarthritis - Obesity may be a major factor in the development of osteoarthritis, particularly of the knee and especially in women.
Some types of cancer -such as endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon
Complications of pregnancy.
Poor female reproductive health - examples would be menstrual irregularities, infertility, irregular ovulation.
Bladder control problems - such as stress incontinence.
Psychological disorders -such as depression, eating disorders, distorted body image, and low self- esteem.
As always the best advice is found by asking your Doctor, you may want to ask him or her about your weight and the effect it's having on your health. Your Doctor can help you find out about your BMI to determine what health risks you are prone to with your particular weight. BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. BMI can be calculated with simple math using inches and pound, for adult's aged 20 years or older, BMI falls into one of these categories: underweight, normal, overweight, or obese.
With all these health risks in mind, the question is not "Why lose weight?" it should be "What better reason can there be not to lose weight?" If the cosmetic benefit of a healthy weight isn't a priority for you, that's understandable but it isn't the real issue. If you think about it how many of us would prefer to eat what we want everyday rather than try to eat a healthy diet, and lead a longer and healthier life.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/obesity-illness.htm
Fitness tips for the working mother
Working mothers face tremendous challenges when it comes to exercise. They can find themselves short on time, energy, and stamina. New mothers, in particular, may find it difficult to attend to their own fitness needs. However, it is entirely possible for working moms to achieve their fitness goals. All it takes is a little bit of creativity and a great deal of commitment.
First of all, working mothers must give themselves permission to exercise. They may be so busy trying to please their spouses, children, and bosses that they feel as if they don’t deserve to devote time to themselves. However, trying to be all things to all people—without taking time to safeguard one’s health—can lead to disaster. Working mothers must recognize the fact that they need to be fit in order to take care of all of their other obligations. Exercise can also help them to keep sickness and injury at bay, so that they can remain healthy over the long term.
Next, working mothers need to make a commitment to exercise. In other words, they need to make it a priority in their lives. If they don’t, they may find that too many other things stand in their way of exercising—shopping, preparing meals, getting ready for work, carpooling, and the like. They must, in a sense, make an appointment with themselves to exercise.
One of the ways to ensure that exercise is a part of a working mother’s daily routine is to take an exercise class. If you invest money in a class, you’re more likely to keep your commitment to exercise. The class can consist of aerobics, aqua-aerobics, kickboxing, modern dance—whatever appeals to you. You can take the class during your lunch break, while your children are in day care or in school. Or you might be able to squeeze in a class before work, after you drop your children off for the day. Making time for an exercise class may take a bit of schedule-shuffling, but it is well worth the effort.
If you are a new mother, you might also consider a “Mommy and Me” exercise class. These classes allow mothers to exercise with their infants. These programs fulfill a variety of functions. They can help you shed unwanted “baby weight.” They can also make it easier for you to bond with your baby. In addition, they can introduce you to other mothers who are facing the same kinds of struggles as you are. You might check with your local gym to find out if there are such classes in your area.
Some working mothers also squeeze in exercise by organizing family walks. You can walk around your neighborhood while pushing a baby stroller, or encourage your school-age children to walk with you. If you keep a brisk pace, walking can be an incredibly beneficial form of exercise. You might also try walking with another working mother while your children are at their grandparents’ house or at the babysitter’s. Working mothers face tremendous demands, both at home and on the job. Therefore, it is important that they keep fitness in the forefront to help increase their staying power. With planning and dedication, working mothers can find the exercise program that works for them.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/fitness-working-mother.htm
First of all, working mothers must give themselves permission to exercise. They may be so busy trying to please their spouses, children, and bosses that they feel as if they don’t deserve to devote time to themselves. However, trying to be all things to all people—without taking time to safeguard one’s health—can lead to disaster. Working mothers must recognize the fact that they need to be fit in order to take care of all of their other obligations. Exercise can also help them to keep sickness and injury at bay, so that they can remain healthy over the long term.
Next, working mothers need to make a commitment to exercise. In other words, they need to make it a priority in their lives. If they don’t, they may find that too many other things stand in their way of exercising—shopping, preparing meals, getting ready for work, carpooling, and the like. They must, in a sense, make an appointment with themselves to exercise.
One of the ways to ensure that exercise is a part of a working mother’s daily routine is to take an exercise class. If you invest money in a class, you’re more likely to keep your commitment to exercise. The class can consist of aerobics, aqua-aerobics, kickboxing, modern dance—whatever appeals to you. You can take the class during your lunch break, while your children are in day care or in school. Or you might be able to squeeze in a class before work, after you drop your children off for the day. Making time for an exercise class may take a bit of schedule-shuffling, but it is well worth the effort.
If you are a new mother, you might also consider a “Mommy and Me” exercise class. These classes allow mothers to exercise with their infants. These programs fulfill a variety of functions. They can help you shed unwanted “baby weight.” They can also make it easier for you to bond with your baby. In addition, they can introduce you to other mothers who are facing the same kinds of struggles as you are. You might check with your local gym to find out if there are such classes in your area.
Some working mothers also squeeze in exercise by organizing family walks. You can walk around your neighborhood while pushing a baby stroller, or encourage your school-age children to walk with you. If you keep a brisk pace, walking can be an incredibly beneficial form of exercise. You might also try walking with another working mother while your children are at their grandparents’ house or at the babysitter’s. Working mothers face tremendous demands, both at home and on the job. Therefore, it is important that they keep fitness in the forefront to help increase their staying power. With planning and dedication, working mothers can find the exercise program that works for them.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/fitness-working-mother.htm
Saturday 13 January 2007
Inexpensive ways to exercise
Perhaps you’re a student, trying to make it on a student budget. Or, you’re a stay-at-home mother with little cash to spare. Or you’re just getting started in your career and you don’t have much in the way of disposable income. No matter what your situation, know that there are inexpensive ways to exercise for weight loss.
To begin with, one of the most cost-effective ways to exercise is simply by walking. It requires no special equipment—other than a good pair of athletic shoes. You can do it virtually anywhere—in a park, on a hiking trail, or around your neighborhood. Walking is also one of the best methods of cardiovascular exercise around. If you’re able to increase your pace from three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half miles an hour, you can expend 50 percent more calories. That means that, in a half hour of walking, you could burn more than 200 extra calories.
Another low-cost way to exercise is to work out with an exercise videotape or DVD. These tapes and DVDs can cost less than $20, but they can provide you with a year’s worth of exercise routines. Assuming you already have a VCR or DVD player, you won’t have to invest in any expensive equipment. You can also do the exercises in the privacy of your own home, so you don’t have to worry about how you’re dressed.
Also, a number of television stations run exercise programs.
Yet another way to exercise without putting out a great deal of money is to ride a bicycle. While you will have to invest in a bike, you might be able to pick one up at a low price by buying second-hand through a newspaper ad or through a used bike shop. Once you’ve bought your bike, you won’t have to invest any additional money in your exercise routine.
A number of magazines offer regular exercise features. These can be quite good and may even offer full-body workouts. By investing a mere $6.00 in a magazine, you might be able to find a fitness routine that you can use the entire year through. If you want to be really frugal, you can simply check out a fitness magazine from your local library and Xerox the exercise pages for future use.
One no-cost way to exercise is to dance. You don’t even need any training—you can simply get up out of your seat and begin to move. Turn on a radio station with dance music and let yourself go. You might also consider checking out dance CDs and audiocassette tapes from your neighborhood library.
You can also pick up free exercise tips from the Internet. You’ll find that many exercise experts offer their own websites which are filled with valuable information. Your doctor can also help you in developing an exercise routine that’s right for you.
As you can see, it doesn’t take a great deal of cash in order to exercise. And physicians say that, with regular exercise, you should be able to lose weight. By investing just a little bit of money up front, you can achieve as good a workout as you would be able to get at an expensive gym.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/inexpensive-exercise.htm
To begin with, one of the most cost-effective ways to exercise is simply by walking. It requires no special equipment—other than a good pair of athletic shoes. You can do it virtually anywhere—in a park, on a hiking trail, or around your neighborhood. Walking is also one of the best methods of cardiovascular exercise around. If you’re able to increase your pace from three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half miles an hour, you can expend 50 percent more calories. That means that, in a half hour of walking, you could burn more than 200 extra calories.
Another low-cost way to exercise is to work out with an exercise videotape or DVD. These tapes and DVDs can cost less than $20, but they can provide you with a year’s worth of exercise routines. Assuming you already have a VCR or DVD player, you won’t have to invest in any expensive equipment. You can also do the exercises in the privacy of your own home, so you don’t have to worry about how you’re dressed.
Also, a number of television stations run exercise programs.
Yet another way to exercise without putting out a great deal of money is to ride a bicycle. While you will have to invest in a bike, you might be able to pick one up at a low price by buying second-hand through a newspaper ad or through a used bike shop. Once you’ve bought your bike, you won’t have to invest any additional money in your exercise routine.
A number of magazines offer regular exercise features. These can be quite good and may even offer full-body workouts. By investing a mere $6.00 in a magazine, you might be able to find a fitness routine that you can use the entire year through. If you want to be really frugal, you can simply check out a fitness magazine from your local library and Xerox the exercise pages for future use.
One no-cost way to exercise is to dance. You don’t even need any training—you can simply get up out of your seat and begin to move. Turn on a radio station with dance music and let yourself go. You might also consider checking out dance CDs and audiocassette tapes from your neighborhood library.
You can also pick up free exercise tips from the Internet. You’ll find that many exercise experts offer their own websites which are filled with valuable information. Your doctor can also help you in developing an exercise routine that’s right for you.
As you can see, it doesn’t take a great deal of cash in order to exercise. And physicians say that, with regular exercise, you should be able to lose weight. By investing just a little bit of money up front, you can achieve as good a workout as you would be able to get at an expensive gym.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/inexpensive-exercise.htm
Thursday 11 January 2007
BMI - Body Mass Index - an explanation
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is the standard, generally accepted way of expressing weight. In deciding if the weight of a person is excessive, insufficient, or normal, it is difficult to just refer to weight alone as the height of the person is equally important.
The BMI is a calculated value achieved by dividing the height (expressed in kg) by the square of the height (expressed in metres). It has the great advantage of both being a very simple measure to collect, and providing a reasonably strong correlation with the amount of fat in the body in the vast majority of people.
For a typical Western population the following are terms describing weight using the BMI as the measure:
BMI
<18.5 = Underweight
18.5-25 = Normal
25-30 = Overweight
30-35 = Obese
35-40 = Severely obese
40-50 = Morbidly obese
over 50 = Super obese
When BMI can be Misleading
In Athletes: The BMI can be misleading in athletes (such a body builders) who have a low body fat percentage, but deliver an excessive BMI as they have a significant increase in muscle mass. As the index is a calculation of weight and height alone, it assumes that the increase is due entirely to body fat.
In Children: The BMI can be misleading in children, as body fatness changes over the years as they grow, and girls and boys also differ in their body fatness as they mature. In children it is better to express weight as a percentile value, in which it is compared to others at the same age and sex.
In Ethnic Groups: For some ethnic groups the BMI values need to be modified. For Chinese, Indian and Malaysian people, a BMI greater than 23 is regarded as overweight and a BMI greater than 27.5 is regarded as obese.
source: http://www.core.monash.org/bmi.html - There is also a caluclator on this site if you want to check your BMI as your weight decreases!
The BMI is a calculated value achieved by dividing the height (expressed in kg) by the square of the height (expressed in metres). It has the great advantage of both being a very simple measure to collect, and providing a reasonably strong correlation with the amount of fat in the body in the vast majority of people.
For a typical Western population the following are terms describing weight using the BMI as the measure:
BMI
<18.5 = Underweight
18.5-25 = Normal
25-30 = Overweight
30-35 = Obese
35-40 = Severely obese
40-50 = Morbidly obese
over 50 = Super obese
When BMI can be Misleading
In Athletes: The BMI can be misleading in athletes (such a body builders) who have a low body fat percentage, but deliver an excessive BMI as they have a significant increase in muscle mass. As the index is a calculation of weight and height alone, it assumes that the increase is due entirely to body fat.
In Children: The BMI can be misleading in children, as body fatness changes over the years as they grow, and girls and boys also differ in their body fatness as they mature. In children it is better to express weight as a percentile value, in which it is compared to others at the same age and sex.
In Ethnic Groups: For some ethnic groups the BMI values need to be modified. For Chinese, Indian and Malaysian people, a BMI greater than 23 is regarded as overweight and a BMI greater than 27.5 is regarded as obese.
source: http://www.core.monash.org/bmi.html - There is also a caluclator on this site if you want to check your BMI as your weight decreases!
Water and Exercise
Our bodies are made up of over 75% water. We all know that without water, there is no life. In fact we can only live 3 days without it. However, water has been replaced in most diets by soft drinks and other sugar sweetened refreshments. But, water is a healthier and more necessary drink that leads to better health and longetivity.
Your personal need for water can vary due to exercise, temperature and weight. Studies have shown that over 2/3’s of adults do not get enough water on a daily basis. By simply drinking water regularly you can replenish your body and keep it well-hydrated and functioning at maximum efficiency.
Most of us wait until we are thirsty to drink water. However, this is not a reliable gauge of the water needs that our body has. By the time we are thirsty we have already lost two or more cups of our body’s composition of water. Therefore drinking water regularly is a much better answer than waiting until one is thirsty.
It is also very important to not substitute beverages with alcohol and caffeine for water. The reason for this is that these beverages act as a diuretic and cause you to lose more water through increased urination. You think you are getting water through these beverages but the fact is they are causing you to let it go almost as quickly as it accumulates.
When you work out you need more water. This makes elementary sense. Our bodies lose a great deal of water due to perspiration. In fact we need to drink 2 cups of water for each pound lost through working out. Even when we sleep our bodies lose water. Drinking a glass of water before we go to sleep and when we wake up helps to offset this loss and keep our bodies functioning optimally.
It should be obvious that when we are sick our bodies need more water than at other times. When we have a cold or flu our bodies can become dehydrated. You can prevent this by drinking more water at times you are sick.
There are numerous opinions on whether purified water actually provides a tangible benefit. It is a subject you should explore yourself in determining the type of water that is appropriate for you. The same applies to exactly how much is enough? Below you will find some articles dealing with this subject. The best way to find out what you need is to simply set a goal to drink a certain number of glasses and then after a week or two see how it has effected you.
Make it a habit to drink water daily. Keep a bottle with you at all times and drink it throughout the day. Learn to drink water rather than other beverages that do not replenish your body’s nutrients. Drink water daily and watch yourself become healthier and happier.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/water-article.htm
Your personal need for water can vary due to exercise, temperature and weight. Studies have shown that over 2/3’s of adults do not get enough water on a daily basis. By simply drinking water regularly you can replenish your body and keep it well-hydrated and functioning at maximum efficiency.
Most of us wait until we are thirsty to drink water. However, this is not a reliable gauge of the water needs that our body has. By the time we are thirsty we have already lost two or more cups of our body’s composition of water. Therefore drinking water regularly is a much better answer than waiting until one is thirsty.
It is also very important to not substitute beverages with alcohol and caffeine for water. The reason for this is that these beverages act as a diuretic and cause you to lose more water through increased urination. You think you are getting water through these beverages but the fact is they are causing you to let it go almost as quickly as it accumulates.
When you work out you need more water. This makes elementary sense. Our bodies lose a great deal of water due to perspiration. In fact we need to drink 2 cups of water for each pound lost through working out. Even when we sleep our bodies lose water. Drinking a glass of water before we go to sleep and when we wake up helps to offset this loss and keep our bodies functioning optimally.
It should be obvious that when we are sick our bodies need more water than at other times. When we have a cold or flu our bodies can become dehydrated. You can prevent this by drinking more water at times you are sick.
There are numerous opinions on whether purified water actually provides a tangible benefit. It is a subject you should explore yourself in determining the type of water that is appropriate for you. The same applies to exactly how much is enough? Below you will find some articles dealing with this subject. The best way to find out what you need is to simply set a goal to drink a certain number of glasses and then after a week or two see how it has effected you.
Make it a habit to drink water daily. Keep a bottle with you at all times and drink it throughout the day. Learn to drink water rather than other beverages that do not replenish your body’s nutrients. Drink water daily and watch yourself become healthier and happier.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/water-article.htm
Walking for weight loss
Note: sorry that the measurements below are in pounds, calories & miles - you can find a conveter on Google if you would like to calculate to Kms and Kilograms ...
People who walk daily have a lesser incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. Not only does walking make you healthier but it also burns calories, creates psychological well being, increases metabolism, strengthens muscles, increases flexibility, improves respiratory function and helps concentration and memory.This should give you plenty of reasons to try and walk a little each and every day. Besides that, simple physical inactivity is one of the leading causes of ill health.
Walking not only benefits you but it also benefits the Earth. By learning to walk rather than driving a car you are doing your part to help the environment by not releasing toxins into the air, which hurts the long-term stability of the planet. A short four-mile trip you take walking keeps about fifteen pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.
Walking also saves you money on gas and other expenses associated with your vehicle. Every time you start your car it costs you about five cents considering current gas prices. Needless to say driving anywhere adds to this enormously. Yet, most people still use their vehicles to make short trips, which could easily be made by walking. If you can even make the simple choice to walk once a week when you would normally drive you will go a long way toward making a difference both in your pocket book as well as in your life.
Walking is also a stress reducer. Stress has been proven to contribute more than any other factor to the reduction of longetivity. Walking can help reduce that stress and increase your longetivity.
One of the primary reasons people decide to walk is to lose pounds.
There are some simple formulas you can use to determine how many calories are being burned according to your weight and how fast you are walking.
3.0 miles/hour (20-minute mile): Burns .027 calories/pound/minute.
3.5 miles/hour (17 minute mile): Burns .033 calories/pound/minute.
4.0 miles/hour (15 minute mile): Burns .042 calories/pound/minute.
4.5 miles/hour (13 minute mile): Burns .047 calories/pound/minute.
Take the number of calories/pound/minute you burn and multiply it by your weight and then by the number of minutes you walk.
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and walk a 20-minute mile for 60 minutes, you multiply 150 by .027, then multiple the result (4.5) by 60. You burn 270 calories.
It is important that when you do walk that you walk at a moderate pace. Walking will do you no good if it is so leisurely that you exert no effort. A good walk should leave you moderately perspired. This ensures that you are working at an ideal intensity.
Walking is a habit like anything else. If you can create a habit of walking everyday it will contribute to a new and healthy you in the long term.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/walking-article.htm
People who walk daily have a lesser incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. Not only does walking make you healthier but it also burns calories, creates psychological well being, increases metabolism, strengthens muscles, increases flexibility, improves respiratory function and helps concentration and memory.This should give you plenty of reasons to try and walk a little each and every day. Besides that, simple physical inactivity is one of the leading causes of ill health.
Walking not only benefits you but it also benefits the Earth. By learning to walk rather than driving a car you are doing your part to help the environment by not releasing toxins into the air, which hurts the long-term stability of the planet. A short four-mile trip you take walking keeps about fifteen pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.
Walking also saves you money on gas and other expenses associated with your vehicle. Every time you start your car it costs you about five cents considering current gas prices. Needless to say driving anywhere adds to this enormously. Yet, most people still use their vehicles to make short trips, which could easily be made by walking. If you can even make the simple choice to walk once a week when you would normally drive you will go a long way toward making a difference both in your pocket book as well as in your life.
Walking is also a stress reducer. Stress has been proven to contribute more than any other factor to the reduction of longetivity. Walking can help reduce that stress and increase your longetivity.
One of the primary reasons people decide to walk is to lose pounds.
There are some simple formulas you can use to determine how many calories are being burned according to your weight and how fast you are walking.
3.0 miles/hour (20-minute mile): Burns .027 calories/pound/minute.
3.5 miles/hour (17 minute mile): Burns .033 calories/pound/minute.
4.0 miles/hour (15 minute mile): Burns .042 calories/pound/minute.
4.5 miles/hour (13 minute mile): Burns .047 calories/pound/minute.
Take the number of calories/pound/minute you burn and multiply it by your weight and then by the number of minutes you walk.
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and walk a 20-minute mile for 60 minutes, you multiply 150 by .027, then multiple the result (4.5) by 60. You burn 270 calories.
It is important that when you do walk that you walk at a moderate pace. Walking will do you no good if it is so leisurely that you exert no effort. A good walk should leave you moderately perspired. This ensures that you are working at an ideal intensity.
Walking is a habit like anything else. If you can create a habit of walking everyday it will contribute to a new and healthy you in the long term.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/walking-article.htm
Exercising in the heat - tips to keep your cool !
On a hot day we may feel like we’re melting, but did you know that our internal temperature (or core temperature) only changes by a few degrees? Our normal body temperature at rest is maintained between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius. Our core temperature is extremely important as the processes that occur in our cells need it to be very constant in order to keep the body alive. In fact, you will require medical intervention if it drops below 34.4 degrees, or above 41 degrees.
Sources of heat
Apart from the obvious source of heat: the environment, the body also has another major contributor: metabolic processes. Anything that increases energy production, the release of hormones, or basal metabolic rate, also increases heat production.
Body temperature whilst exercising
Body temperature reflects the balance between heat production and heat loss. As we exercise we increase our body temperature and for us to be able to continue we must be able to release the excess heat. This is done using the circulatory system. The heat is carried by the blood, to the skin. It is then released into the external environment.
The release of heat is completed by any of 4 mechanisms:
Conduction: the heat is transferred through contact with another object. This object must have a lower temperature. The body loses only small amounts of heat due to this process.
Convection: the heat is transferred by the motion of a gas or liquid (eg, air across the skin when running, or water across the skin when swimming). As these air or water molecules come into contact with the body, heat is released to them, they move on, and are replaced by cooler molecules.
Radiation: the heat is transferred from one object to another without contact. This can result in heat loss or heat gain, depending on the environmental conditions
Evaporation: heat is transferred through the evaporation of bodily fluids when brought into contact with the external environment (eg, sweat evaporating off the skin, and to a lesser extent our breathe as we exhale). This is usually the most important form of heat loss during exercise. In this process the heat is transferred from the body, to water on the surface of the skin (sweat). When the sweat reaches a certain temperature it is converted to a gas and the heat is released into the environment.
What does all this mean to the average exerciser?
Sources of heat
Apart from the obvious source of heat: the environment, the body also has another major contributor: metabolic processes. Anything that increases energy production, the release of hormones, or basal metabolic rate, also increases heat production.
Body temperature whilst exercising
Body temperature reflects the balance between heat production and heat loss. As we exercise we increase our body temperature and for us to be able to continue we must be able to release the excess heat. This is done using the circulatory system. The heat is carried by the blood, to the skin. It is then released into the external environment.
The release of heat is completed by any of 4 mechanisms:
Conduction: the heat is transferred through contact with another object. This object must have a lower temperature. The body loses only small amounts of heat due to this process.
Convection: the heat is transferred by the motion of a gas or liquid (eg, air across the skin when running, or water across the skin when swimming). As these air or water molecules come into contact with the body, heat is released to them, they move on, and are replaced by cooler molecules.
Radiation: the heat is transferred from one object to another without contact. This can result in heat loss or heat gain, depending on the environmental conditions
Evaporation: heat is transferred through the evaporation of bodily fluids when brought into contact with the external environment (eg, sweat evaporating off the skin, and to a lesser extent our breathe as we exhale). This is usually the most important form of heat loss during exercise. In this process the heat is transferred from the body, to water on the surface of the skin (sweat). When the sweat reaches a certain temperature it is converted to a gas and the heat is released into the environment.
What does all this mean to the average exerciser?
The human body’s automatic temperature controls work very well, but you’ll perform much better if you follow these guidelines:
- Expose as much of the skin as possible to the open air. This will not only allow the sweat on your skin to evaporate, but it will also allow some heat loss via convection.
- If you are not able to expose much skin (eg, sports uniform), then take frequent water breaks.
- Wear cotton clothing whenever possible.
- In extremely hot weather, take frequent rest periods.
- If you do not regularly exercise in hot conditions, take time to acclimatize before participating in high intensity exercise.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/exercise-heat-article.htm
Saturday 6 January 2007
Motivation Tips - # 2
- Reflect on your exercise history! When you last enjoyed exercise, how did it feel? What is different now?
- Don't watch the clock! If you continually watch the time, then don't wear a watch. If you are at a fitness centre, cover the display on the machine.
- Spend the time with your best friend! Take your dog with you. He will always be keen and it will help to keep him healthy as well.
- Eat well! Improving your diet can give you more energy and increase your motivation to exercise.
- Use intervals! Break your training up over the day. Do half in the morning and half in the evening.
- Mix up the cardiovascular and weights! Do 5-10 minutes of cardio, then 5 minutes of weights, then repeat.
- Train with someone different each day! Time will go faster as you catch up.
- Try a new form of training! The methods of exercising are endless. Try something that you think might be interesting (eg, Pump, Boot Camp, Pilates, Surfing, Rollerblading, etc)
Exercise with your kids! Spend time with the family as you all get healthy. - Invest in your future! View your workouts as an important part of your lifestyle and as an investment in your health instead of a daily chore.
- Use exercise as a trade off! You must exercise "X" times per week if you want to do/have "Y".
- Surround yourself with positive people! You will be surprised at how positive your attitude will be if you spend time with people who really enjoy their life.
- Use your workouts as "zone-out" time! Don't be contactable and don't think about work/family.
- Use positive mental imagery! Each night as you go to bed spend time imagining what it would be like to be fit and healthy. How would your life be? How would you feel? It will be more attainable if you can imagine yourself reaching your goals.
- One step at a time! Think of every rep, set, metre, or workout you do as being one step closer to your goals.
- Change your surroundings! If you always train indoors, then start exercising 1 day per week outside.
- Start a team sport! You will get to meet new people and its always very social.
- Challenge yourself! Move out of your comfort zone. Do something that will challenge you physically and mentally.
- Variety is the spice of life! Change your training regime every session.
- Be accountable! Organise for someone to re-assess your fitness every month. This way you will be less likely to take time off.
- Compete with a friend! See which one of you can attend the most sessions, run the fastest lap, or reach their goals the fastest. The competition will keep you both focussed.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/weight-loss-motivation.htm
Motivation Tips - # 1
- Read something inspiring! It could be a biography, quote, poem, or song. Use other peoples experiences to give you that lift.
- Start a walking group! It's more social and you all get to feed off the motivation of each other.
- Think of exercise as a menu rather than a diet! Make a list of activities and choose 1 each day.
- Use a training journal! By keeping track of your activities you can see the improvements in your fitness week to week.
- Start an interest or hobby that requires physical fitness! It could be bushwalking, rock-climbing, tennis, golf, or scuba-diving. If you require physical fitness to enjoy the activity you will be more inclined to train for it.
- Increase your incidental activity! This is the amount of activity you do in your normal course of your day, the activity not generally classed as exercise. You could: walk to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, never use the remote to the TV, or play with the kids for 15 minutes per day.
- Try cross-training! If your exercise program is always the same then break it up with one session per week of swimming, bike riding, jogging, sprints, or circuits. You could even play a different sport and use it as a training session.
- Use a Personal Trainer! Personal trainers can provide motivation as well as training variety.
- Use an exercise video! If exercising in public places is not for you, then try training at home. There are many forms of training available on video now including: boxing, aerobics, pilates, and yoga.
- Just start! You will always be able to find excuses not to train so don't think about it, just walk out the door.
- Listen to music! Put on the stereo or use a walk-man. Music certainly helps the time go faster.
- Watch TV! Most fitness centres now have a cardio theatre where you watch your favourite shows whilst you work out.
- Read about the benefits of exercise! We all know that exercise is good for us but do you know why it is? Reading a reputable publication on exercise can inform you of the great ways exercise can improve your life. It's more than just being able to walk up those stairs!
- Don't complicate things, make it simple! You don't have to find a fitness centre or join a Tai Chi group. Just find a nice park and go for a walk or run.
- Create a list of reasons you want to be healthy and read it regularly It may be to improve health, play with the kids, or trek through India. Whatever the reasons write them down.
- Exercise first thing in the morning! Get it out of the way early and you will be less likely to find excuses not to do it.
- Compare yourself to others! Find yourself someone that you know that has problems related to health that you just don't want. It may be death, illness, or the fact that they have let themselves go so far that they have very restricted movement.
- Train for an event! It could be a corporate sports day, fun run, or family activity. This will give you something to think of other than the time exercising.
- Shop for new training gear! You will feel a lot more comfortable exercising if you look great.
- Write down the compliments you receive on your improved health! You can then read them when whenever you need to refocus on your goals.
- Shorten your workouts! Anything is better than nothing so rather than quitting exercise altogether, just shorten your workouts until you feel motivated again.
- Compete with yourself! Set small goals within each session. Decrease your time for a set distance or increase the total distance covered. Small increases lead to big gains.
- Read whilst you exercise! Get a magazine or book and pass the time you spend on the stationary bike. You may not exercise as hard but you will still exercise.
- Monitor your heart rate! Checking your heart rate during a session not only takes your mind off what you are doing, it also allows you to compare sessions and monitor improvements in fitness.
- Set a plan! Fail to plan, Plan to fail! Write down what you want to achieve, then how you will achieve it. Ensure that it is realistic and attainable.
- Re-assess your goals! If you are losing motivation, maybe your goals were too easy or too hard. It may even be that you have changed what it is you now want to achieve.
- List your obstacles to exercise and design a plan to overcome them! Be thorough, think of every reason you can find not to exercise, then write down a reason that you should.
Don't do anything that you don't like! You will have a greater chance of continuing to exercise if you find it enjoyable so if you don't like to run, do sit-ups, or swim, then don't do it. - Find the right location! It is always more enjoyable to exercise in a nice environment so take a visit to a local lake or park.
Source: http://www.free-online-health.com/weight-loss-motivation.htm
Wednesday 3 January 2007
Building a weight loss support network
For many of us the weight loss journey is a hard and lonely one. While some of us can achieve successful weight loss alone, many more need a support network to help us lose weight and keep it off. This article describes what a weight loss support network is, how it can help, which people make valuable members of one and how to develop one of our own to help us stay motivated and achieve a healthier body weight.
What is a weight loss support network?
Basically, a weight loss support network is a group of people we can share our weight loss goals, challenges, triumphs, thoughts, feelings and journey with, and who will provide support to us when we need it and help us in some way to achieve our goal.
Support networks can be formal, informal, expert, non-expert, online, offline, large or small, or any mix of these depending upon our individual circumstances and needs.
Formal groups, as the name suggests, is a network specifically designed to help us (and perhaps others) to lose weight and meets formally at regular times and places. Examples of a formal group include things like diet clubs or weight watchers meetings, jogging or exercise clubs and classes.
An informal group on the other hand, often just gets together whenever and wherever possible and may just be made up of a group of friends who occasionally chat over lunch or work colleagues who sometimes walk together at lunchtime.
Expert groups may be made up purely of weight loss and fitness experts such as weight loss specialists, dietitians, personal trainers, gym instructors, psychologists, etc.
Non-expert groups simply include people for general support and motivation such as that which can be sourced from close family and friends, colleagues, neighbours, etc.
Online networks can be a great help to those of us with weight loss or fitness goals because for many of us losing weight is a daily battle and online support networks are available to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Online support networks via the internet can provide us with many things like healthy recipes, diet and exercise tips, weight loss tools, support groups and forums and a wealth of useful information, including where to get more help if we need it.
Some of us may benefit from large weight loss support networks that include support across a range of areas (such as diet, exercise, psychological and emotional needs), or may provide support in only one area but provide it from many sources. Smaller groups may provide similar support but will do so from a limited number of sources. The most effective weight loss support systems combine formal and informal elements, expert and non-expert members, are both online and offline, and provide support across as many areas as needed from the largest number of sources available.
How does a weight loss support network help people lose weight?
What is a weight loss support network?
Basically, a weight loss support network is a group of people we can share our weight loss goals, challenges, triumphs, thoughts, feelings and journey with, and who will provide support to us when we need it and help us in some way to achieve our goal.
Support networks can be formal, informal, expert, non-expert, online, offline, large or small, or any mix of these depending upon our individual circumstances and needs.
Formal groups, as the name suggests, is a network specifically designed to help us (and perhaps others) to lose weight and meets formally at regular times and places. Examples of a formal group include things like diet clubs or weight watchers meetings, jogging or exercise clubs and classes.
An informal group on the other hand, often just gets together whenever and wherever possible and may just be made up of a group of friends who occasionally chat over lunch or work colleagues who sometimes walk together at lunchtime.
Expert groups may be made up purely of weight loss and fitness experts such as weight loss specialists, dietitians, personal trainers, gym instructors, psychologists, etc.
Non-expert groups simply include people for general support and motivation such as that which can be sourced from close family and friends, colleagues, neighbours, etc.
Online networks can be a great help to those of us with weight loss or fitness goals because for many of us losing weight is a daily battle and online support networks are available to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Online support networks via the internet can provide us with many things like healthy recipes, diet and exercise tips, weight loss tools, support groups and forums and a wealth of useful information, including where to get more help if we need it.
Some of us may benefit from large weight loss support networks that include support across a range of areas (such as diet, exercise, psychological and emotional needs), or may provide support in only one area but provide it from many sources. Smaller groups may provide similar support but will do so from a limited number of sources. The most effective weight loss support systems combine formal and informal elements, expert and non-expert members, are both online and offline, and provide support across as many areas as needed from the largest number of sources available.
How does a weight loss support network help people lose weight?
Weight loss support groups can help those of us with weight loss goals in many ways including:
- Providing motivation
- Providing encouragement
- Helping us to stay accountable and on course
- Providing us with guidance, advice and information
- Listening to us when we're feeling down and doubtful
- Providing friendship when we most need it
- Helping us feel that we are part of a team and that we are not alone
- Helping us to overcome our fears
- Sharing and enjoying our experiences and successes
Which people should we have in our weight loss network?
As mentioned earlier, the best weight loss support networks combine formal and informal elements, have both expert and non-expert members, are both online and offline and are large or small depending upon our individual circumstances and needs. Generally speaking, when we are putting together our own weight loss support network, we should be looking to recruit the help of people who:
- Are trustworthy
- Are reliable and dependable
- Have expertise gained from experience
- Are non-judgmental
- Are, or have been, in a similar situation to us
- Are positive, fun and enjoyable to be around
- Don't give up easily
- Will be honest with us
- Will get tough with us if we need it
- Will forgive our failures and encourage us to stick to it despite them
- We feel comfortable sharing our feelings and thoughts with
- We are confident can help us
- Are as committed to a healthy lifestyle as we are
- Genuinely care about our health and happiness and are happy to help
How to develop a weight loss network of our own
If we think we need or would like a network larger than just a few people, it may be a good idea to sit down and make a list of the areas in which we would like support. Then we can simply list under each area who we would like to recruit to our support team. The areas of help we might consider listing may include things like:
- Diet
- Exercise
- Motivation
- Goal Setting
- Progress Tracking
- Cooking
- Weight loss information
- Healthy Recipes
- Role Models
- Emotional Support
- Sharing the journey
Under each of the headings chosen, we can then list people who can help us including both professionals and non-professionals.
Among the professional help available to us are doctors, dietitians, personal trainers, life coaches, weight loss specialists, gym instructors, psychologists, etc, and gaining help from these professionals is as simple as calling their office and making an appointment to see them.
Non-professional help can come from friends, family, neighbours, colleagues and acquaintances, internet support groups and forums etc, and help can be gained from them usually just by talking to them about your goal, gauging their reaction (whether they seem supportive or not) and if necessary asking them if they would like to help or get involved in some way on our journey. Generally, the most useful non-professional network members will be other people who share our weight loss or fitness related goals or have already successfully achieved similar goals. It is these people who are more likely to form walking or exercise groups with us, share recipe ideas and cooking tips with us and listen to and encourage us when we are finding the going a little tough. They are also the most likely people to really enjoy sharing our experiences and successes.
Conclusion
For many of us the weight loss journey is often a hard and lonely one. Keeping motivated and sticking to our course are critical if we are to achieve our ideal weight and maintain it for the rest of our lives. While a small number of us can achieve successful weight loss alone, many more of us need a support network to help us lose weight and keep it off. This article described what a weight loss support group is, how it can help, which people make valuable members of one and how to develop one of our own to help us stay motivated and achieve a healthier body weight.
Good luck with your weight loss goal, we sincerely hope that by providing free access to this website that we will be a valuable member of your weight loss support network and we thank you for visiting weightloss.com.au.
© Copyright Ultimate Weightloss.Reproduction of this article is permitted free of charge provided that it is reproduced unchanged and in its entirety, it is accompanied by a website link back to www.weightloss.com.au and is properly credited to Weightloss.com.au.
Tuesday 2 January 2007
Plotting your weight loss course
I'm sure you already know that weight loss and improved fitness don't happen overnight. But did you know that there are steps that you can take to improve your chances of weight loss success before you even start your healthier eating and exercise plan?
There are five distinct stages of behavioral change. Knowing what stage you are at now will help you to create a road map which will help you to achieve your future weight loss and improved fitness goals.
Here are the five major phases:
Stage 1 - Pre-contemplation: This is the point where you don't feel that any change in your lifestyle is necessary. You may be thinking that exercising just takes too much time or that fast food is just too convenient to even consider giving up. Starting a fitness or healthier eating program during this stage would probably result in failure. The best thing you can do during this phase is to reassess your life goals and educate yourself further about health, diseases and risks.
Stage 2 - Contemplation: During this stage you may start thinking that a change is necessary. So, you think that maybe cutting back to eating fast food only three times a week is not so bad and you might be able to at least take a walk once in awhile. This is a good time to learn more about the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise.
Stage 3 - Preparation: At this point you are getting more serious about taking action. You've penciled in a walk with your friend for next week and are planning to go grocery shopping to cook a home meal. You may want to research exercise equipment, gyms, personal trainers, and healthier eating programs to learn more about what you can do to get in better shape.
Stage 4 - Action: Here's where you actually take the first step. The first step may be as simple as taking a daily walk, reducing your fast food visits to twice a month or just cutting back on daily soft drinks and unhealthy snacks. Or, you may go as far as hiring a personal trainer or joining a gym. During this stage it is very important to learn coping mechanisms that will help you avoid relapsing into your old ways. One way to avoid exercise dropout is to form new healthy habits that lead to permanent lifestyle changes.
Stage 5 - Maintenance: This is, of course, the stage that everyone should strive to be in. Being here means that you are exercising regularly and eating healthily most of the time. It is important throughout this stage (which should last the rest of your life) that you include a variety of exercise types or workouts that change relatively frequently. You should also seek and encourage the support of friends and family and include them wherever possible in the healthier aspects of your new life.
What stage are you in right now?
So, now can you identify what stage you are at? You may find that you are in the pre-contemplation stage for nutritional habits but that you are in the preparation stage for exercises. That's okay. It's not critical for you to force both areas into the same stage. You can work on changing your nutritional and exercise habits separately.
The key to success is first identifying your stage and then taking steps to advance to the next level (unless, of course, you are already at the Maintenance stage). Use the suggestions mentioned above in each stage to help you move to the next phase.
It's also important to tune-in to your fears, past struggles and expectations. Making nutritional and exercise changes is not easy and should be approached slowly. Remember to make small changes. Don't try to go from a completely sedentary lifestyle to an hour of daily exercise overnight. Build up slowly starting with even just 10 minutes of exercise every other day.And lastly, be sure to inform your family and friends of your plans and enlist their support. Support is extremely important for anyone with weight loss and fitness related goals.
© Copyright Ultimate Weightloss. Reproduction of this article is permitted free of charge provided that it is reproduced unchanged and in its entirety, it is accompanied by a website link back to www.weightloss.com.au and is properly credited to Weightloss.com.au.
There are five distinct stages of behavioral change. Knowing what stage you are at now will help you to create a road map which will help you to achieve your future weight loss and improved fitness goals.
Here are the five major phases:
Stage 1 - Pre-contemplation: This is the point where you don't feel that any change in your lifestyle is necessary. You may be thinking that exercising just takes too much time or that fast food is just too convenient to even consider giving up. Starting a fitness or healthier eating program during this stage would probably result in failure. The best thing you can do during this phase is to reassess your life goals and educate yourself further about health, diseases and risks.
Stage 2 - Contemplation: During this stage you may start thinking that a change is necessary. So, you think that maybe cutting back to eating fast food only three times a week is not so bad and you might be able to at least take a walk once in awhile. This is a good time to learn more about the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise.
Stage 3 - Preparation: At this point you are getting more serious about taking action. You've penciled in a walk with your friend for next week and are planning to go grocery shopping to cook a home meal. You may want to research exercise equipment, gyms, personal trainers, and healthier eating programs to learn more about what you can do to get in better shape.
Stage 4 - Action: Here's where you actually take the first step. The first step may be as simple as taking a daily walk, reducing your fast food visits to twice a month or just cutting back on daily soft drinks and unhealthy snacks. Or, you may go as far as hiring a personal trainer or joining a gym. During this stage it is very important to learn coping mechanisms that will help you avoid relapsing into your old ways. One way to avoid exercise dropout is to form new healthy habits that lead to permanent lifestyle changes.
Stage 5 - Maintenance: This is, of course, the stage that everyone should strive to be in. Being here means that you are exercising regularly and eating healthily most of the time. It is important throughout this stage (which should last the rest of your life) that you include a variety of exercise types or workouts that change relatively frequently. You should also seek and encourage the support of friends and family and include them wherever possible in the healthier aspects of your new life.
What stage are you in right now?
So, now can you identify what stage you are at? You may find that you are in the pre-contemplation stage for nutritional habits but that you are in the preparation stage for exercises. That's okay. It's not critical for you to force both areas into the same stage. You can work on changing your nutritional and exercise habits separately.
The key to success is first identifying your stage and then taking steps to advance to the next level (unless, of course, you are already at the Maintenance stage). Use the suggestions mentioned above in each stage to help you move to the next phase.
It's also important to tune-in to your fears, past struggles and expectations. Making nutritional and exercise changes is not easy and should be approached slowly. Remember to make small changes. Don't try to go from a completely sedentary lifestyle to an hour of daily exercise overnight. Build up slowly starting with even just 10 minutes of exercise every other day.And lastly, be sure to inform your family and friends of your plans and enlist their support. Support is extremely important for anyone with weight loss and fitness related goals.
© Copyright Ultimate Weightloss. Reproduction of this article is permitted free of charge provided that it is reproduced unchanged and in its entirety, it is accompanied by a website link back to www.weightloss.com.au and is properly credited to Weightloss.com.au.
Sunday 31 December 2006
Keeping a weight loss journal
Successful long term weight loss for most of us is about making small and progressive changes to our daily exercise and eating habits.To help us make those changes, keeping a simple weight loss journal or diary can be a great help. This article discusses why it's a good idea to keep a weight loss journal, what to record, some possible formats and provides some examples of journal entries.
Why keep a weight loss journal
Do you remember exactly what and how much you ate on Monday of last week and how many kilojoules or calories you consumed and burned? Or do you remember exactly how far and how quickly you walked last month?
If the answer is no, then you could benefit from keeping a weight loss diary to plan and track your weight loss progress.
Even if the answer is yes, you too could benefit from keeping a weight loss diary because eating the same thing everyday and exercising for the same length of time and intensity is likely only to help you maintain your status quo, not help you lose weight and become fitter and stronger.
Here are some of the great things a weight loss diary can help us do:
- Clarify and focus our weight loss goals
- Break down our goals into manageable chunks
- Plan future activity and eating patterns
- Record our actual activity and eating patterns
- Record other important "peripheral information"
- Keep track of our progress towards our goals
- Better understand and manage our eating habits and portion sizes
- Break unhealthy and emotional eating
- Take guess work out of the weight loss equation
- See how balanced our diets and lives are
- Improve our nutrition
- Stay motivated
- Stop unconscious eating
- Overcome the hidden barriers to our weight loss success
- Understand the relationship between our eating habits, our exercise habits, our lifestyle habits and successful weight loss
- Understand which of life's stresses impacts us the most
- Understand our sleeping patterns
- Track our blood pressure, cholesterol levels, Body Mass Index, etc
- Provide a hard record of our successes
Things to record in a weight loss journal
One of the reasons more people don't currently keep a weight loss diary is because they think it needs to be complicated and time consuming to be effective. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Keeping a weight loss journal should be simple and shouldn't take up a lot of our valuable time. Like most things weight loss related, starting off slowly and as simply as possible and progressing gradually is the key to successfully starting to keep a weight loss journal.
A good starting journal might record:
- Our weight loss goal
- Our daily activities/exercise
- Our daily food and drink consumption
- Our current and progressive weight
- Our current and progressive body measurements
Later on, we can also start to record things like:
- The amount and quality of sleep we get
- Our daily energy levels
- Our daily emotions
None of the above need be complicated. For example, recording our food and drink consumption doesn't mean we have to start looking up the calories of everything we put in our mouths. As you'll see in the examples below, all we need to do is record exactly what we eat and drink and when. Adding why, if the reason is anything other than hunger, can be handy but isn't included in the examples below. Simply knowing that we've eaten three slices of super supreme pizza for lunch or a four egg omelet for breakfast is enough information to help us plan eating a salad sandwich or two and half slices of super supreme pizza for lunch and a three egg omelet for breakfast next time.
Likewise, the exercise component of our diary needn't be overly complicated. Knowing that we walked for 25 minutes each day last week or that we did three sets of 15 dumbell curls with 3lb dumbells will help us to plan walking for 26 minutes a day or do three sets of 15 dumbell curls with 5lb dumbells next week.
Just be careful not to miss anything, especially small items that can be easily forgotten or overlooked later. The key here is to record everything we eat and all the exercise we do immediately after eating it or doing it.
Weight loss journal formats
Keeping in mind that our weight loss journal doesn't need to be complicated to be effective, but can be as sophisticated as we would like it, we can use any of the following to record our daily weight loss information in:
- A simple Exercise Book
- Any form of Diary
- A scrapbook
- Any loose leaf folder or file
- An Excel Spreadsheet
- An online diary, forum or blog
- A specially designed computer program diary
Conclusion
Successful long term weight loss for most of us is about making small and progressive changes to our daily habits, particularly with regard to the level and intensity of our physical activity and the amount and types of food we eat.
To help us plan and keep track of those small changes, keeping a simple weight loss journal can be a great help.
This article discussed why it's a good idea to keep a weight loss journal, what things are useful to record in a journal, some possible formats for weight loss journals and provided some examples of journal entries.
A journal can be started on any day of the year so why not start one today?
Good luck and thanks for visiting weightloss.com.au. © Copyright Ultimate Weightloss.Reproduction of this article is permitted free of charge provided that it is reproduced unchanged and in its entirety, it is accompanied by a website link back to www.weightloss.com.au and is properly credited to Weightloss.com.au.
Changing our eating behaviour
Changing our eating behaviour is one of the critical lifestyle changes necessary to successfully lose weight and keep it off. For many people, changing old eating habits is one of the hardest things they’ll ever do, as anybody who has failed at dieting can attest.If you’ve tried to change your eating habits before and have failed, or if you’re about to embark on a weight loss plan that involves a change towards healthier eating, the tips in this article may help you succeed.
First things first
One of the reasons most people fail to stick to a diet is that they take the wrong first step.
There are broadly two ways to change your eating habits in order to help you lose weight:
First things first
One of the reasons most people fail to stick to a diet is that they take the wrong first step.
There are broadly two ways to change your eating habits in order to help you lose weight:
- Change what you eat
- Change how much you eat
Ideally, in order to maximize weight loss over the LONG TERM we need to change both. But it’s not a good idea to change both at once. This is where most people make mistakes. They try to change both at once or if they only change one, they change the wrong one first.
When faced with the above two options, most people take option 1 first when the best first option to take to help you lose weight is typically option 2.
Why? The reason is actually quite simple. It is far easier for most of us to go from eating 3 to 2 pieces of fried chicken for dinner than it is to go from 3 pieces of fried chicken to a garden salad. Sure, eating the salad will help us lose more weight than forgoing only one piece of fried chicken, but permanent weight loss is a long term process and going down to 2 pieces of chicken forever is far better than eating a garden salad for dinner for 1 week and then going back to 3 pieces of chicken for the rest of our life.Remember, we are trying to make permanent lifestyle changes here and most of us won’t stick to these changes if they are too radical compared to what we are currently doing.
Food reduction tips. Here are some tips to help you reduce the amount you eat:
- Making small permanent changes are better than radical changes that you won’t be able to live with.
- Don't worry about falling back to your old behaviour for a day or two, only the long term counts.
- Use portion controlled packaged foods to help you (prepackaged frozen meals and single serve snack packs for example).
- Use smaller plates than usual to serve your meals.
- When eating out, buy entrée sized meals or share a full sized meal with your partner or friend.
- Separate a third or quarter of the food on your plate and move it to one side before you begin eating, then leave that third or quarter uneaten at the end of the meal.
- Eat small amounts of food every couple of hours so you’re not starving at main meal times.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day – most people mistake thirst for hunger.
- Eat slowly and concentrate on your meal – don’t watch TV while you’re eating for example.
- Gradually reduce your serving sizes over time until they reach the ideal size.
- When eating take away, don’t buy super-sized options.
- Remember that to make these changes habit you are going to have to continue to practice them consciously for awhile (maybe up to 3 months) until they become unconscious.
- Be the last one at the table to start eating.
- Put your fork or food down between bites.
- Chew or swallow each bite before the next.
- Pause in the middle of the meal.
- Don’t eat while cooking – this increases your total serving size, often without being noticed.
- Place leftover food in small, single serve containers.
- Have soup or a salad with low calorie dressing to begin a meal.
- As soon as you begin to feel full, stop eating.
- Try to reduce stress in your life and other things that cause you to eat on emotion.
The second step
OK, you’ve gradually started to reduce the amount of food you eat and are starting to slowly (but surely) lose weight.
If you haven’t already, now is the time to start to become more active to improve your general level of fitness, increase your energy levels and of course speed up the weight loss process.
Now that these habits are well established, it’s time to start thinking about making minor positive adjustments to what we eat. Instead of eating a piece of fried chicken for dinner for example (we’ve migrated from 3 down to 2 and now down to 1) maybe we can have a piece of fried chicken without the skin or a piece of grilled or broiled chicken instead.And maybe we can replace half of the chips that accompany our chicken with a corn cob or a handful of your favourite steamed vegetables.
See how we’re making small positive changes that we can live with? While changing what we eat is often more difficult that slowly but gradually reducing how much we eat, there are things that we can do to make sure that when we do begin to change this aspect of our behaviour that we are successful.
Healthy diet modification tips
Here are a couple of things to consider when improving our diet:
- A healthy diet is a balanced diet and a balanced diet has plenty of variety - occasional fast food meals are OK; just don't make them the staple.
- Plan ahead – don’t be forced into choosing inferior food options because you failed to think ahead.
- Start by modifying your breakfast. Breakfast is so important that it is the logical place to begin when trying to improve your diet. Whole-grain, high-fiber cereals with low-fat milk are an excellent choice.
- Understand and read the Nutrition Facts labels on packaged food.
- Compare the nutritional facts of like products and if possible, opt for the choice with the lowest calories, sugar, salt and/or fat.
- Be adventurous; try new dishes whenever you can.
- Remember that the cooking method you use can increase or reduce the calories contained in food.
- Buy a new cookbook or food magazine for food and healthier choice ideas.
- Exchange healthy recipes with friends.
- Try new restaurants.
- Alternate alcohol with low calorie drinks (water is perfect).
- Join a healthy cooking class.
- Start a healthy cooking dinner club.
- Invite friends over for a vegetarian (or other theme) meal.
- Make meals delicious as well as nutritious.
- Remove temptations from your home.
- Become physically, not externally connected to eating.
- Shop using a shopping list and never shop when hungry.
- Be wary at cultural and social events – don’t let your guard down.
- Feel proud every time you say "no" to a problem food.
- Neutralize food. There are no good or bad foods - all foods are OK when eaten in moderation.
- Stop Dieting.
General Guidelines for behaviour modification
In addition to the tips above, try some of these general guidelines to behaviour modification:
- Be ready to change.
- Develop a plan.
- Set goals, track your progress, and reward yourself to stay motivated.
- Make change fun.
- Slow down your busy lifestyle.
- Understand your personal barriers to change so you can avoid excuses.
- Don’t look for quick fixes and easy options.
- Keep a positive attitude.
- Watch your language, especially when talking to yourself.
- Change your reward system so that it is not based on food and rewards behaviour modifications, not weight loss results.
- Enlist the help of qualified professionals (e.g. a registered dietitian,
Good luck and remember you can do whatever you set your mind to!
© Copyright Ultimate Weightloss.Reproduction of this article is permitted free of charge provided that it is reproduced unchanged and in its entirety, it is accompanied by a website link back to www.weightloss.com.au and is properly credited to Weightloss.com.au.
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