So far we have discussed three ways to set up your fitness journey to help you ensure a quicker and more effective weight loss. We have set our goals, chosen our diet, and now to pick a great program to go along with it. This program should take into account your physical limitations. This could include a previous knee or back injury, heart issues, or your general fitness level. Your time constraints should also be taken into account. Since I am a working mother, I find it difficult to pick a program that lasts longer than an hour. However, the program should be intense enough to burn calories too. Some of the workouts I do last longer than an hour, but I leave those workouts for a day when my husband is home to watch my son for that period of time.
Be sure to ask your coach to assist you in choosing a program that fits your goals, diet and lifestyle.
They are knowledgeable and should be willing and ready to help you out. Once your program is chosen order it and read the nutrition guide and workout details as soon as possible. Then pick a start date. Make sure you have gone shopping to get all your meals for the week!
Make sure you also get a multivitamin to take daily as well. Go to a health store or online and purchase any supplements you need to take. Personally, I take a multivitamin, omega 3, and calcium magnesium vitamin. I also take a pre-workout formula for endurance as well as a Results and Recovery drink for a post workout drink. This helps repair muscles after a workout as well as prevent sore muscles. Next it's time to start! This is the time to go over your goals and make sure you feel motivated enough to begin. If you think you need more motivation try joining a Challenge group.
They are a great way to keep you supported and motivated by people who have similar goals than you. I have found several life-long friends from my groups and there results are amazing! Some lose weight quickly, while others may have taken a bit longer. Either way you have motivation from their results which makes you reaching yours not as impossible and you may get to your weight loss goal even quicker!!Just remember to maintain your focus on attaining your goals and when you are lacking motivation go to your coach and team mates for support.
Whether you are trying to lose 10 pounds or 100 it can seem like an impossible task. When things get difficult it is easy to lose focus and simply stop trying, thinking you have failed - again!
We've all heard that the best way to set goals is to write them down. As simple as this step seems, sometimes we overlook it.
If you have been looking at a blank piece of paper trying to figure out where to even start on your weight loss journey, I have some help for you. Listed below are 10 easy "first steps" that anyone can do. Start with #1 and work your way to #10.
Each step you complete will be a step closer to your goal of achieving your ideal weight. There's nothing stopping you now so get going and enjoy the journey to a better, healthier you.
1. Set realistic goals. Anyone who has ever set an unrealistic weight loss goal will tell you that not meeting your own expectations is the fastest way to fail at weight loss. You should plan to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week. In general, people who set realistic goals will exceed it during at least the first few weeks. Exceeding your weight loss goals will give you something to get excited about, and keep the weight loss process positive.
2. Get support. When you make the decision to lose weight, enlist the help and support of your friends and family members. Having people around you who will encourage you through the process is a great way to start.
3. Learn to keep things in moderation. When your goal is to lose weight, remember the old saying...all things in moderation. By following this mantra with eating and working out, you will lose weight at a reasonable pace and feel good while doing it!
4. Join a program. Weight loss groups are popular for more than just their diet plans. They help people to form a community with other people who have the same goals. This extended support network is great for making weight loss more exciting - having someone with whom you can share your excitement. It is also a great way to talk through some of the issues that you might be experiencing with your weight loss program. Support is crucial when you are attempting to make major lifestyle changes.
5. Buy yourself a portable music player. Music is one of your biggest allies when trying to lose weight. Listening to music will make exercise time fly by and it can definitely improve your mood.
6. Get a buddy. Having a close friend or family member agree to lose weight with you is an excellent way to get the support you need. And it gives you someone that you can learn tips, swap recipes and try new exercises with. Losing weight with a friend is also good for people who need an understanding friend to talk things through with.
7. Choose your information sources wisely. If a friend or co-worker offers diet advice over a fast food burger and shake - you need to decide whether their advice is the right way to go. Instead find trusted sources of information such as your family doctor, a nutritionist, the trainer at your gym or even a reputable website. Finding someone who can answer questions when you have them can take a load off your mind and make you feel good that you're making informed decisions about your weight loss.
8. Dress for weight loss success: In order to start thinking thin, pay attention to what you are wearing. Overweight people tend to dress "bigger" than they actually are with baggy or oversized clothing. As you begin losing weight, consider some updates to your wardrobe that will accentuate your best features and help you to remember that losing weight will make you more attractive in your own eyes.
9. Remember, there are no guarantees with any weight loss plan. Keep in mind that there are no guarantees with any weight loss plan. While some people may see temporary benefits from fad dieting or other quick fixes, overall the best way to approach weight loss is by modifying your lifestyle and adopting a healthy way of living.
10. Stay off the scale. For best results, do not weigh yourself more than once a week at the most. Since a healthy goal consists of a plan to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week, you may not see significant results until several weeks have passed. Spare yourself the disappointment of seeing little change and plan to weigh yourself as infrequently as possible.
There you have it - 10 easy steps to get started on your way to better health and fitness. Here's to your success and your great new life!
We've all heard that the best way to set goals is to write them down. As simple as this step seems, sometimes we overlook it.
If you have been looking at a blank piece of paper trying to figure out where to even start on your weight loss journey, I have some help for you. Listed below are 10 easy "first steps" that anyone can do. Start with #1 and work your way to #10.
Each step you complete will be a step closer to your goal of achieving your ideal weight. There's nothing stopping you now so get going and enjoy the journey to a better, healthier you.
1. Set realistic goals. Anyone who has ever set an unrealistic weight loss goal will tell you that not meeting your own expectations is the fastest way to fail at weight loss. You should plan to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week. In general, people who set realistic goals will exceed it during at least the first few weeks. Exceeding your weight loss goals will give you something to get excited about, and keep the weight loss process positive.
2. Get support. When you make the decision to lose weight, enlist the help and support of your friends and family members. Having people around you who will encourage you through the process is a great way to start.
3. Learn to keep things in moderation. When your goal is to lose weight, remember the old saying...all things in moderation. By following this mantra with eating and working out, you will lose weight at a reasonable pace and feel good while doing it!
4. Join a program. Weight loss groups are popular for more than just their diet plans. They help people to form a community with other people who have the same goals. This extended support network is great for making weight loss more exciting - having someone with whom you can share your excitement. It is also a great way to talk through some of the issues that you might be experiencing with your weight loss program. Support is crucial when you are attempting to make major lifestyle changes.
5. Buy yourself a portable music player. Music is one of your biggest allies when trying to lose weight. Listening to music will make exercise time fly by and it can definitely improve your mood.
6. Get a buddy. Having a close friend or family member agree to lose weight with you is an excellent way to get the support you need. And it gives you someone that you can learn tips, swap recipes and try new exercises with. Losing weight with a friend is also good for people who need an understanding friend to talk things through with.
7. Choose your information sources wisely. If a friend or co-worker offers diet advice over a fast food burger and shake - you need to decide whether their advice is the right way to go. Instead find trusted sources of information such as your family doctor, a nutritionist, the trainer at your gym or even a reputable website. Finding someone who can answer questions when you have them can take a load off your mind and make you feel good that you're making informed decisions about your weight loss.
8. Dress for weight loss success: In order to start thinking thin, pay attention to what you are wearing. Overweight people tend to dress "bigger" than they actually are with baggy or oversized clothing. As you begin losing weight, consider some updates to your wardrobe that will accentuate your best features and help you to remember that losing weight will make you more attractive in your own eyes.
9. Remember, there are no guarantees with any weight loss plan. Keep in mind that there are no guarantees with any weight loss plan. While some people may see temporary benefits from fad dieting or other quick fixes, overall the best way to approach weight loss is by modifying your lifestyle and adopting a healthy way of living.
10. Stay off the scale. For best results, do not weigh yourself more than once a week at the most. Since a healthy goal consists of a plan to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week, you may not see significant results until several weeks have passed. Spare yourself the disappointment of seeing little change and plan to weigh yourself as infrequently as possible.
There you have it - 10 easy steps to get started on your way to better health and fitness. Here's to your success and your great new life!
http://www.realmanfitness.net
Do you feel like your days of being fit and sexy have passed you by? Do you think there's no hope for you to look great at the beach, or anywhere for that matter? Well, there is still hope. Check out this site and see what is possible for anyone who decides to simply put one foot in front of the other on their journey to health and fitness.
http://www.realmanfitness.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_M_Hail Do you feel like your days of being fit and sexy have passed you by? Do you think there's no hope for you to look great at the beach, or anywhere for that matter? Well, there is still hope. Check out this site and see what is possible for anyone who decides to simply put one foot in front of the other on their journey to health and fitness.
http://www.realmanfitness.net
Your body can't discriminate between intentional calorie deprivation (as in a diet), and starvation. When you dramatically reduce your caloric intake, your body shifts into a protective mode by slowing your metabolism down and holding onto fat (an important energy source) and burning muscle instead. In the beginning of a diet you WILL lose weight by dramatically cutting calories. But it won't be fat loss, it will be water weight and lean muscle tissue - the exact OPPOSITE of what you want to get rid of.
Not only will harsh diets slow your metabolism down to a crawl, causing your initial weight loss to come to a gradual halt, they will also inevitably bring about a "rebound" effect. This rebound will make you even fatter than you were before starting the diet. When you rebound, not only do you generally put on more weight than you actually lost with the diet, your percentage of body fat generally increases because your body cannibalized muscle tissue as an energy source during the dieting process. Thus the "yo-yo" effect that almost all dieters experience.
To permanently lose the fat stores in your body, you've got to burn more calories and increase your metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns fuel throughout the day - even when you're NOT exercising) with a precise exercise routine and proper nutrient ratio adaptations (that means eating the right stuff at regular intervals). Even if you don't exercise (but I recommend you do), just eating 5-6 small, high quality meals each day (and by a meal, I mean anything from a nutritious snack to a sit-down dinner) will substantially increase your metabolism - and you'll burn more calories!
WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS MYTH #2:
Pills, powders and shakes can make you skinny.
Fat burners, diet pills, nutritional supplements - you know who gets the most out of these products? The manufacturers and sellers. Some of this stuff is extracted from foods and has a role in nutrition, but it's not a substitute for eating right. And much of the "miracle" drugs you see advertised are exceedingly dangerous to you. Don't believe me? The next time you see an advertisement in a weight loss magazine for one of these "miracle" products - or if you see a commercial on TV for one - read or listen to the DISCLAIMERS AND WARNINGS that accompany these ads. A lot of this stuff is dangerous and it has no place in a healthy, permanent weight loss and fitness lifestyle.
Sure, if you're willing to risk exposing your body to these drugs, you might be able to lose some weight - at first. But you will experience no long-term benefits - none! In fact, it's really much worse than that. "Dieting" in any form that denies your body the essential nutrients and calories it needs to function efficiently can cause you to lose weight...until you stop the diet. And anyone who has "dieted" knows you cannot sustain the diet indefinitely. Your body screams out for nourishment and eventually you give in. That's when the rebound effect begins. You will inevitably regain all the weight you lost - PLUS SOME. And the regained weight is predominantly fat. During your diet your body cannibalized some of your lean muscle to use as fuel. After the diet, your regained weight does not come back in the form of lean muscle plus some fat - it comes back almost exclusively as fat.
WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS MYTH #3:
A regimen of aerobic exercise will burn the most fat.
I see women who spend 4 days a week, 40 minutes at a time, on the stair-stepper, treadmill or bicycle who don't lose weight! I know men who run 6 miles a day who have no muscle tone and rolls of fat around their waists. You've been led to believe that if you want to lose fat, all you have to do is regular aerobic exercise. There's more to it than that.
You must be able to monitor and control your cardiovascular intensity to maximize the number of calories you burn. And, if aerobic exercise is not supplemented with resistance training (lifting weights) to at least maintain muscle mass, you cannot effectively accelerate the fat loss process. Each pound of lean muscle tissue burns 35-50 calories a day while your body is at rest. Whereas body fat is not metabolically active, so little to no fat is burned for each pound of body fat.
Therefore, a combination of properly monitored aerobic exercise and resistance training enables you to rapidly burn the maximum amount of fat. SPECIAL NOTE: This may sound like it's involved and time consuming. It's not! With the proper fitness and nutrition system in place, you can quickly burn fat, lose weight and get fit in as little as 40 minutes per session - exercising in the privacy of your home only 3 times per week. And in 12 weeks you can dramatically transform your body.
WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS MYTH #4:
Resistance training (weight lifting) doesn't burn fat.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Muscle is metabolically active tissue. Fat is not. Fat is an energy source for the body, but most people have much more than they need. Fat does not use energy - it is used as energy. Muscle uses energy. Lots of it. The more lean muscle you have, the more fat you burn. And here's the biggest benefit, and why everyone needs to incorporate resistance training in their exercise program: the more lean muscle you have, the more fat you burn - WHILE YOU ARE AT REST!
You see, that's really the ultimate weight loss and fitness secret. Looking great is not just a function of how much fat you burn when you're working out, because you can only exercise so much in a given week. The real secret is how metabolically active your body is the other 95% of the time. People with more lean muscle burn fat at a much greater rate than do those with less lean muscle. That doesn't mean you have to look like Arnold or Madonna to be an efficient fat-burning machine. But you do have to at least maintain - and preferably increase - your lean muscle tissue. It's easy with the proper resistance training program.
SPECIAL NOTE: women will NOT become "bulky" or "musclebound" by incorporating resistance training into their exercise routine. In fact, just the opposite is true. Lean muscle is more compact and firmer than fat. Resistance training will make women smaller, firmer and sexier. Women are not genetically predisposed to adding muscle "mass." Men, on the other hand, will gain mass and see exciting muscle growth through the proper use of nutrition and resistance training.
WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS MYTH #5:
Thigh reducers, tummy trimmers and body part shapers can "spot" reduce.
All over the country people are falling for infomercials touting muscle-specific exercisers for body fat reduction. You cannot reduce your waist size by working the abdominal muscles, nor can you reduce your thighs with a thigh exerciser. It's a scam. A total rip-off. The only way to reduce body fat is by combining a precise program of supportive nutrition with the right balance of aerobic and resistance exercise. If it sounds hard, it's not. It's just hard to cut through all the lies, misinformation and total nonsense being shoved down your throat by these big, mega-buck companies attempting to further line their pockets at your expense.
Not only will harsh diets slow your metabolism down to a crawl, causing your initial weight loss to come to a gradual halt, they will also inevitably bring about a "rebound" effect. This rebound will make you even fatter than you were before starting the diet. When you rebound, not only do you generally put on more weight than you actually lost with the diet, your percentage of body fat generally increases because your body cannibalized muscle tissue as an energy source during the dieting process. Thus the "yo-yo" effect that almost all dieters experience.
To permanently lose the fat stores in your body, you've got to burn more calories and increase your metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns fuel throughout the day - even when you're NOT exercising) with a precise exercise routine and proper nutrient ratio adaptations (that means eating the right stuff at regular intervals). Even if you don't exercise (but I recommend you do), just eating 5-6 small, high quality meals each day (and by a meal, I mean anything from a nutritious snack to a sit-down dinner) will substantially increase your metabolism - and you'll burn more calories!
WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS MYTH #2:
Pills, powders and shakes can make you skinny.
Fat burners, diet pills, nutritional supplements - you know who gets the most out of these products? The manufacturers and sellers. Some of this stuff is extracted from foods and has a role in nutrition, but it's not a substitute for eating right. And much of the "miracle" drugs you see advertised are exceedingly dangerous to you. Don't believe me? The next time you see an advertisement in a weight loss magazine for one of these "miracle" products - or if you see a commercial on TV for one - read or listen to the DISCLAIMERS AND WARNINGS that accompany these ads. A lot of this stuff is dangerous and it has no place in a healthy, permanent weight loss and fitness lifestyle.
Sure, if you're willing to risk exposing your body to these drugs, you might be able to lose some weight - at first. But you will experience no long-term benefits - none! In fact, it's really much worse than that. "Dieting" in any form that denies your body the essential nutrients and calories it needs to function efficiently can cause you to lose weight...until you stop the diet. And anyone who has "dieted" knows you cannot sustain the diet indefinitely. Your body screams out for nourishment and eventually you give in. That's when the rebound effect begins. You will inevitably regain all the weight you lost - PLUS SOME. And the regained weight is predominantly fat. During your diet your body cannibalized some of your lean muscle to use as fuel. After the diet, your regained weight does not come back in the form of lean muscle plus some fat - it comes back almost exclusively as fat.
WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS MYTH #3:
A regimen of aerobic exercise will burn the most fat.
I see women who spend 4 days a week, 40 minutes at a time, on the stair-stepper, treadmill or bicycle who don't lose weight! I know men who run 6 miles a day who have no muscle tone and rolls of fat around their waists. You've been led to believe that if you want to lose fat, all you have to do is regular aerobic exercise. There's more to it than that.
You must be able to monitor and control your cardiovascular intensity to maximize the number of calories you burn. And, if aerobic exercise is not supplemented with resistance training (lifting weights) to at least maintain muscle mass, you cannot effectively accelerate the fat loss process. Each pound of lean muscle tissue burns 35-50 calories a day while your body is at rest. Whereas body fat is not metabolically active, so little to no fat is burned for each pound of body fat.
Therefore, a combination of properly monitored aerobic exercise and resistance training enables you to rapidly burn the maximum amount of fat. SPECIAL NOTE: This may sound like it's involved and time consuming. It's not! With the proper fitness and nutrition system in place, you can quickly burn fat, lose weight and get fit in as little as 40 minutes per session - exercising in the privacy of your home only 3 times per week. And in 12 weeks you can dramatically transform your body.
WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS MYTH #4:
Resistance training (weight lifting) doesn't burn fat.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Muscle is metabolically active tissue. Fat is not. Fat is an energy source for the body, but most people have much more than they need. Fat does not use energy - it is used as energy. Muscle uses energy. Lots of it. The more lean muscle you have, the more fat you burn. And here's the biggest benefit, and why everyone needs to incorporate resistance training in their exercise program: the more lean muscle you have, the more fat you burn - WHILE YOU ARE AT REST!
You see, that's really the ultimate weight loss and fitness secret. Looking great is not just a function of how much fat you burn when you're working out, because you can only exercise so much in a given week. The real secret is how metabolically active your body is the other 95% of the time. People with more lean muscle burn fat at a much greater rate than do those with less lean muscle. That doesn't mean you have to look like Arnold or Madonna to be an efficient fat-burning machine. But you do have to at least maintain - and preferably increase - your lean muscle tissue. It's easy with the proper resistance training program.
SPECIAL NOTE: women will NOT become "bulky" or "musclebound" by incorporating resistance training into their exercise routine. In fact, just the opposite is true. Lean muscle is more compact and firmer than fat. Resistance training will make women smaller, firmer and sexier. Women are not genetically predisposed to adding muscle "mass." Men, on the other hand, will gain mass and see exciting muscle growth through the proper use of nutrition and resistance training.
WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS MYTH #5:
Thigh reducers, tummy trimmers and body part shapers can "spot" reduce.
All over the country people are falling for infomercials touting muscle-specific exercisers for body fat reduction. You cannot reduce your waist size by working the abdominal muscles, nor can you reduce your thighs with a thigh exerciser. It's a scam. A total rip-off. The only way to reduce body fat is by combining a precise program of supportive nutrition with the right balance of aerobic and resistance exercise. If it sounds hard, it's not. It's just hard to cut through all the lies, misinformation and total nonsense being shoved down your throat by these big, mega-buck companies attempting to further line their pockets at your expense.
Marilyn is a successful exercise/nutrition trainer and coach who works with women who are 50+. Her website http://www.fitandfabulouswoman.com provides fitness information, fitness products, fitness services, fitness advice and on-line personal training that support mature women in being their best...one-stop shopping for a healthy body, a clear mind and a soaring spirit.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marilyn_Jerome
Many people have started what seemed like a great weight loss
plan, only to find that it did not work out for them. It is important to
choose a plan that fits well with your lifestyle because it will be
much easier for you to follow. The tips in this article will help you
discover which diet will give you the best chance of success.
It is difficult for anyone to follow a rigid diet every day for any amount of time. If you are considering a diet with specific menus for every meal of your day, you will find it nearly impossible to continue it for more than a few weeks. Instead, look for a diet that offers several options for each meal. This allows you to stay within the nutritional guidelines without worrying whether or not you have those food items available. If you eat out occasionally, look for a restaurant that offers meals within a certain calorie range.
Some people need the support of family members or friends to stick to their diet plan, and others prefer to work toward their goal individually. If you live alone, you may find it preferable to work at losing weight on your own. If you have a family, you will likely find it easier to change your meal plans to include lower calorie meals with good nutrition. Getting your children started down the road to eating healthy is a good thing anyway.
Make sure you include a balance of the major food groups in your diet. You must include adequate protein or you will not feel satisfied, and healthy fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber and vitamins. You do not need to eliminate bread and other carbohydrates from your diet, but choose varieties made with high fiber grains.
It is really best to lose weight steadily, and the best way to accomplish this is to change how you eat and exercise. If you only lose one pound each week for a year, that would be a total of 52 pounds. Unless you are very obese, that amount would make a big difference in the way you look and feel.
Think about your favorite foods and find ways to include them in your diet. Obviously, you cannot have ice cream every day, but you could have a serving of low-fat, sugar-free ice cream about once every week. Look for other foods you really enjoy that are included in a nutritious diet. You may love apples or oranges, so eating a piece of fruit instead of a high calorie snack could be a great choice.
Dieting to lose weight can be effective, but it will be even more effective if you increase the amount of exercise you are getting every day. Check out your local gym for a program focused on people who are dieting. This can be a great way to get support from others, and increase your energy and metabolism at the same time.
Most people find the key to losing weight is finding a program that works for them. Sometimes it is a simple change of lifestyle, getting more exercise and eating a healthy diet. This is the best plan because it lasts a lifetime.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Ashraf_Hanafy_Mahmoud_Mohammed
It is difficult for anyone to follow a rigid diet every day for any amount of time. If you are considering a diet with specific menus for every meal of your day, you will find it nearly impossible to continue it for more than a few weeks. Instead, look for a diet that offers several options for each meal. This allows you to stay within the nutritional guidelines without worrying whether or not you have those food items available. If you eat out occasionally, look for a restaurant that offers meals within a certain calorie range.
Some people need the support of family members or friends to stick to their diet plan, and others prefer to work toward their goal individually. If you live alone, you may find it preferable to work at losing weight on your own. If you have a family, you will likely find it easier to change your meal plans to include lower calorie meals with good nutrition. Getting your children started down the road to eating healthy is a good thing anyway.
Make sure you include a balance of the major food groups in your diet. You must include adequate protein or you will not feel satisfied, and healthy fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber and vitamins. You do not need to eliminate bread and other carbohydrates from your diet, but choose varieties made with high fiber grains.
It is really best to lose weight steadily, and the best way to accomplish this is to change how you eat and exercise. If you only lose one pound each week for a year, that would be a total of 52 pounds. Unless you are very obese, that amount would make a big difference in the way you look and feel.
Think about your favorite foods and find ways to include them in your diet. Obviously, you cannot have ice cream every day, but you could have a serving of low-fat, sugar-free ice cream about once every week. Look for other foods you really enjoy that are included in a nutritious diet. You may love apples or oranges, so eating a piece of fruit instead of a high calorie snack could be a great choice.
Dieting to lose weight can be effective, but it will be even more effective if you increase the amount of exercise you are getting every day. Check out your local gym for a program focused on people who are dieting. This can be a great way to get support from others, and increase your energy and metabolism at the same time.
Most people find the key to losing weight is finding a program that works for them. Sometimes it is a simple change of lifestyle, getting more exercise and eating a healthy diet. This is the best plan because it lasts a lifetime.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7529888
