5 Ways to Stay on the Bandwagon

Speaking for myself, I know my goal of living a healthy life and making the right food choices is a difficult one. I find my motivation for exercising, in knowing how good I feel both mentally and physically when I exercise and how these feelings allow me to focus more, sleep better, and feel confident about my body. That being the case, even with these motivators, I still "fall off the wagon" sometimes, when the immediate motivator (maybe I'm depressed and the immediate need for comfort food is more important at that moment) overrides my longer-term motivators.

When this happens and I fall back into my old ways of eating junk food I begin to feel sluggish and I find myself not even wanting to exercise. That's when I stop and revisit these five actions to get back on track and on the motivational bandwagon:

1. Find my 'Why' - I have a talk with myself to remind me of why it is important for me to make the right food choices and exercise on a consistent basis. I remind myself of how good I feel when I make those choices.

2. Take Action - Once I have found my 'why', it is time to do something about it and take action. I start with food choices, I set myself up for success by writing out a meal plan for the week before I go to the grocery, and I only buy what is on my list avoiding temptation to buy junk food. Next, I make sure I have breakfast in the morning, and in the meantime I prepare my lunch and snacks, that way I am not tempted to buy lunch "on the go" which usually ends up being something unhealthy. I make a goal at the beginning of the week for how many times I want to exercise, if I exceed my goal then great!

3. Use Music - I like to load my iPod with upbeat music to motivate while I exercise which I find helps the time go by quicker and keeps me focused on finishing.

4. Surround yourself with people who have similar goals - I find that by surrounding myself with people who share a similar goal I am able to stay on track with my own goals. People who give you positive feedback and encouragement are just as important as a healthy diet. I love teaching my TRX Challenge Class because it gets me fired up when I see what an impact I have on others by coaching them in their workouts. I also like to exercise with a partner, whether going for a walk/run, or attending a class of some sorts, it is always more fun to exercise with someone else!

5. Use Quotes - I love to find inspirational quotes, especially since I am addicted to Pinterest these days, I love "pinning" inspirational/motivational quotes. And whenever I need a pick-me-up, I read these quotes to help motivate me to get back on track.

I will end with a quote I found the recently and have found it to help me visualize my health goals and find my way back on track "Create a life that feels good on the inside. Not one that just looks good on the outside"

3 Easy Proven Weight Loss Tips

The secret to losing weight fast is eating more healthy foods and exercising more. Therefore, a good balanced diet that is high in fiber, vegetables and fruits while avoiding high calorie foods. The idea here is to make sure that you are burning more calories than you take in, thus weight loss. For example, you do not need to enroll in a gym, but engaging in your hobbies like swimming, running with your dog, playing soccer, jogging e.t.c are simple enjoyable activities that keep your body fit while at the same time helping you burn the undesired calories.

1.) Reduce your calorie intake

It is advisable to increase your vegetable servings to a minimum of 4 per day and the fruit serving to 3 per day. Include complex carbohydrates in your diet because they take longer to digest thus keeping you feeling full for longer, have fewer calories and offer more nutritional value and other health benefits like low cholesterol and a decreased risk of heart disease. Examples of such foods are; whole grain foods, legumes, bran cereals, oats, high fiber vegetables and fruits. Avoid processed and refined foods because they are stored in the body as glucose and calories thus weight gain. Examples are; white rice, pasta, processed meats, caramel and fizzy drinks. Include proteins like unprocessed fish, chicken, nuts and seeds in your diet to help form your muscles and help in burning calories faster. The final and most important diet tip, for the weight loss journey is to eat small servings, do not skip meals, eat a healthy breakfast, and dinner should be served 1 hour before bedtime.

2.) Drink plenty of water and fresh juices

Drinking a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water a day aids in digestion, ensures that toxins are flushed out of the body system and keeps the skin hydrated and clear. Include fresh vegetable juices and fruits juice in your drinks. During the weight loss program, drinking 1 glass of organic vegetables juice per day makes sure that the body still has access to the energy it needs, keeps the body hydrated, helps to detoxify the body by eliminating toxins in the body and is able to burn down the calories fast. Juicing vegetables also boosts the body's immunity and soothes the digestion process.
In conclusion, the highlights to a successful weight loss program outlined above is to maintain a well balanced and high nutritious diet of whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables whilst a consistent exercise programme which will translate to a lean healthy body.

3.) Exercise as a hobby

Keeping the body fit is an essential to healthy weight loss and therefore it's important to engage your body in various activities that will help you achieve your goal. In doing this you want to choose an activity that is more of a hobby to ensure consistency and fun in doing it. For example, the following cardiovascular exercises will help you burn more calories, however it is advisable to alternate high impact cardio exercises and low impact for example running and speed walking. Other examples include: swimming, cycling, walking or running with your dog, walking to work, soccer, basketball, skiing, skipping rope, jogging, e.t.c

In conclusion, the highlights to a successful weight loss program outlined above is to maintain a well balanced and high nutritious diet of whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables whilst a consistent exercise programme which will translate to a lean healthy body. Try out these 3 simple tips and in 8 to 12 weeks you will have shed off those extra calories!

How To Lose Weight in 2014

Many people talk about losing weight as the new year starts. So far it is one of the most common new year's resolution since time in memorial or since people started paying close attention to their body figure. The fact is only 5% people who made a new year's resolution to lose weight actually do it and only 3% were only successful. Somehow, this makes me think that maybe new year's resolutions are things that you don't want to do for that specific year because more often than not, people don't actually even try to accomplish these resolutions.

Now don't get me wrong. I've been observing some of my friends and the people around me who had a new year's resolution to lose weight but at the end of the year they even gained more. I had my share of new year's resolution in the past but not one of them is about losing weight but still I was able to accomplish them. I follow a strict guideline when it comes to doing new year's resolution that might help you especially if you want to lose weight this 2014.

1. It should be realistic and attainable

Always check if your resolution is indeed achievable or not. Don't make any new year's resolution which is totally impossible. A resolution is totally different to a dream. It requires action and is achievable within a given amount of time.

2. Make a time frame

Right after you decided what your new year resolution is, it is important that you create a timeline wherein you could evaluate whether you are actually achieving something or not. Like for example if you want to lose 150 pounds within that year. Then it would be wise to divide the entire year in four quarters and set goals per quarter. For example on March 2014, you should have already lost 20 pounds, then on June 2014, you should have already lost 60 pounds and so on. What this does is help you motivate yourself in doing all the things that you have to do in order to met you quota per quarter and at the same time provide an evaluation tool in order determine if what you're doing is actually helping you or not.

3. Create a list of things to do to attain it and turn them into habits
If you truly want to lose weight it is highly important that you try and make all of your weight loss actions into habits. That way you don't mind going to the gym 3 times a week simply because it grew into you and its something that you're already used to.

New Year's resolutions are fun but they're more fun if you actually do them. If you want to lose weight in 2014, then do everything you can to aid your weight loss right away!

I Want Thinner Legs!

Saddlebags?

Cellulite?

Love handles?

Think it's hopeless?

Think again!

There is a simple philosophy on weight loss that most people don't understand. You can get smooth, sexy legs without adopting a fitness model schedule. You don't have time to plan out six small meals a day or spend 3 hours at the gym every day. You can still lose that stubborn fat that piled up around your hips and thighs.

Here's what that philosophy boils down to. Your body stores toxins in fat cells. There are toxins in your body and it's constantly being pounded with more. They come from the food you eat, the air you breathe, they're even produced as a result of your body's natural functions and recovery processes.
Most of us produce more acidity and toxins than our bodies can handle. The same dietary problems that produce excess toxins also inhibit your body's ability to process those toxins out. The result is an unbalanced body with a bunch of toxins that it has to deal with.

In order to prevent these toxins from attacking your vital organs and functions, your body stores these excess toxins in fat cells! When these fat cells are full of toxins, they become swollen and inflamed. This swelling causes a lumpy appearance (cellulite).

This also makes your body resistant to weight loss. If your body thinks it needs more fat cells to protect itself, it will hold onto them! That's a major reason that you can lose a bunch of weight and have that stubborn 10-20 pounds that you just can't seem to get rid of. It's also the reason that many people think that once you have cellulite on your legs it never goes away!

The big secret is discovering how to detoxify the fat cells and balance the acidity/alkalinity levels in the body. Without the swelling and inflammation that comes from a toxic body, the fat cells will shrink, returning the surface above to a smooth appearance. It will also then allow the body to burn or break down those fat cells because they aren't necessary for protection.

So, what are some easy ways to detoxify those fat cells?

1. Drink more water

My first challenge to my weight loss clients is that they eliminate high-sugar beverages such as soda and sweet tea from their daily routines and replace them with water for 30 days. When they see the difference in the way they look and feel, it becomes easy to stay disciplined thereafter.

2. Eat more raw fruits and veggies

Raw fruits and vegetables contain the micro-nutrients necessary for a balanced body. They promote alkalinity in the body, and are key to disease prevention and healthy weight.

3. Find natural supplements that help balance the body

There are supplements available that use natural ingredients to detoxify and feed the body on a cellular level. There are also all-natural products that amp up the metabolism to burn extra calories every day. People who burn more calories and feed their cells with healthy micro-nutrients tend to burn fat at an all-time high.

My wife has lost about 25 pounds over the past three months by incorporating these principles. She had a serious problem with cellulite and her problem areas were her thighs and hips.

Today, her legs are smooth and cellulite-free. She doesn't have a special diet. She just avoids high levels of simple sugars and uses healthy supplements to maintain proper balance on a cellular level.
If your bounce has become a jiggle, and you'd like to get your sexy back, today is the day. If doing what you're doing isn't working, it's time to make a simple change. Try it for yourself.

Top 5 Tips for Eating, Drinking and Being Merry!

The number one habit to "go south" this time of year is health. Suddenly there is no time to do your exercise program yet plenty of time to eat, drink and be merry. While eating, drinking and being merry are fun and exciting, it often reverses all of the hard work that has taken place over the course of the year. Whether you celebrate or not this holiday season, use my five tips below to keep all the success you have had so far from going down the drain.

1. Make a Plan. Planning is the number one secret to staying on your fitness plan, not gaining weight and not having to start over come January. Plan your workouts. Put your workouts in your calendar. Even though you have a standing class or training session, when you see it in your calendar you will be more likely to keep them. Plan your eating. If you have ever have said "I shouldn't have eaten all of that" you know it has the potential to happen again. So before you hit any party (or sweet tray), plan to do it differently and it will be different.


2. Write down and share with a trusted friend (or even your fitness instructor) what your plan or goal is for the holiday season. Whether it's deciding to eat festive foods in moderation or not at all, or cutting your exercise routine down by half instead of discarding it entirely, when you commit to something and share it with others, you are more likely to follow through.


3. Know your serving sizes. You know what you like to eat-and therefore might overindulge upon. Instead, plan to eat a healthy serving size. When at a party or even at home, before you fill your snack, dinner and dessert plates, look at the choices first and then choose wisely. Use http://weightloss-20.com/..../top-5-tips-for-eating-drinking-and to look up what a healthy serving size is if you are not sure. Being aware of what and how much you eat is key to staying on target.


4. Drink non-alcoholic beverages. When you overindulge in alcohol, all bets are off as you almost always will eat more. Drink a healthy non-alcoholic beverage while you enjoy your favorite food. If you wish for an alcoholic beverage, have it after you have eaten and drink it slowly and mindfully. This keeps your mind aware of your actions and easier for you to 'be good'.


5. Prepare ahead of time. Before heading out to a function, party or even the grocery store, have a small healthy meal first. This can make sure that you are not starving when you arrive and therefore you will not dive into the bowl of chips, eat a tray of cookies or buy junk food.

This time of year there are extra temptations to lure you away from your regular healthy diet and fitness routine. Do not be one of the millions of people who every year say "I need to lose the weight I gained from the holidays" or "Next year will be different". This is your year to do things differently!

Kim Ravida is a lifestyle and business coach helping women entrepreneurs, holistic health practitioners and business owners enjoy happy and healthy lives while building and leading successful and profitable businesses.

 

5 Hot New Tips for Shedding Off Those Extra Pounds

The internet is literally filled with tips and tricks to help any person lose weight. Try googling "weight loss" and see for yourself.

But if you look at most of these articles, you will find they usually same the same thing --- make the right food choices, exercise, de-stress, etc. If you have tried most, if not all, of these things and still have not noticed any significant weight loss, you might want to check out these new tricks.

1. Find New Friends

A lot of people lack the motivation to lose weight and if you cannot motivate yourself, be sure you are surrounded with people who can not only motivate you but also support you in achieving your goals.
If you unfortunately do not have any friends who can step up to challenge then there is no reason for you not to go out and look for new ones. You will be surprised at how a lot of people have gym buddies or "Zumba" mates. They will certainly be more encouraging and you will even have more fun this way.

2. Load Up on Apps

Your mobile phones are not only good for texting or emailing but they can also be converted into handy weight loss tools. Simply go to the AppStore or Play Store app on your smartphone and search for apps which you think can help you achieve your goals.
There are apps for counting calories, distance you ran and even for planning healthy meals. Instead of downloading games and whatnots, make better use of your phones.

3. Get Rid of Your Gadgets (Sort of)

If you are spending hours and hours on the couch playing games on your devices or game consoles, maybe it is about time to delete those game apps or shelve those consoles --- unless they will be helping you lose weight.

For instance, there are Wii games like tennis which can almost be the same as the real thing. You can also use your consoles as DVD players so buy exercise videos instead like basic Yoga, Pilates and the popular, Zumba.

Of course, nothing beats going out and actually playing these sports game so dust off your tennis racquet, call up a tennis body and work up a sweat.

4. Take More "Selfies"

Nothing else will motivate you more than seeing yourself online and not looking your "best". In today's world of Facebook, Instragram and Twitter, it would be better for you to take more and more selfies to motivate yourself into losing weight.

You can choose to take "before" and "after" photos for better results. Plus, the fact that your online friends can see your progress and leave encouraging comments will make you feel even more inspired. Just make sure you do not abuse the concept of selfies and watch out for privacy settings if you do not want the whole world to see these photos!

5. Check Out the Home Shopping Network

A lot of you probably ignore the home shopping network and consider them a waste of time but you will find there are actually exercise equipment being sold there that might suit your lifestyle and weight loss objectives. Just make sure you do your homework before making a purchase.

 

How to Lose Weight Fast

People ask me this question on a daily basis. If I had a pound for every time someone asked me, I would be a very rich man (or a very fat one!) In this article I am going to uncover the mystery surrounding weight, or rather fat, loss. Many people think that there is a special exercise or something slim, toned people do that is different to what you do - I'm here to spill the beans.

Losing weight is not rocket science! It just comes down to a few key points:

1) Not all foods are equal, and a calorie is not the same across the board. You might tell yourself that you're allowed a Caramel Latte; after all it's only 250 calories and you know you have a daily limit of 2,000. Right? Sorry, but no! Firstly you need to take into consideration the hormonal effect the food or liquid will have on your body. Science is only discovering now that different foods react differently when ingested. A latte has a high sugar content which causes your body to release insulin, and insulin is a fat storage hormone. (The caffeine in the coffee also leads to the release of cortisol, which is a hormone that breaks down protein.) As a result that innocent little latte has turned your body into a sponge to store all the calories as body fat. 200 calories from, for example, a sweet potato will affect your body differently. The sweet potato contains complex carbohydrates which take longer to break down than simple carbohydrates (like sugar in your latte) and, as a result, eating a potato leads to a lower insulin spike. Because the sweet potato takes longer to digest (those complex carbohydrates) insulin will be secreted over a longer period and this helps to keeping your levels stable and is less likely to cause fat storage.

So, what should you be eating? Foods that are unprocessed must be your first choice. Think of anything in its natural form and it's probably good to eat. Calories from fruit need to be treated with a little caution. Fruits contain fructose (in simple language 'fruit sugar') along with lots of other things, like fibre, vitamins and minerals. But sugar causes an insulin spike, which leads to fat storage, so it is advised that you limit your fruit intake to 3 pieces a day, preferably eaten before midday. You can eat as many vegetables as you like. Green vegetables are especially good for you; starch vegetables are less good for you.

2) New science backs the theory that meal frequency is a thing of the past. Scientific research states that the number of meals you eat in a day doesn't matter as long as you eat enough of the right kind of food and stick to your calorie limit. However, I disagree. I find that small complete meals (protein, carbohydrates and fats ) are the best and should be spaced out every 3 to 4 hours. And here's why:
- the longer you wait to eat the more prone you are of binge eating. If you are eating every 3 hours your blood sugar levels will remain constant and you won't want to binge on sweets or cakes especially in the late afternoons and evenings.

- I believe that the scientific study is flawed. The people used in the controlled study may not be sufficiently like me for the results of that study to apply. For example I am a man, I'm 25, I weigh 205lbs, with 10% body fat, I watch my diet and I train regularly. If the test subjects are middle aged men who don't train or have never dieted a day in their lives then it is arguable that the study results will not be applicable to me. Small, frequent meals have been used by body builders for decades. This method is still used, simply because it still works! I like that logic!

3) Weight training is something I believe everyone should do at least 4 times a week. It could be argued that this is too frequent and that there is a risk of overtraining. However, I don't believe there is such thing as overtraining, but I do believe that you can under rest and under eat. Your weight training program should be the core of your plan to get in to shape. Compound movements will help get rid of your flabby tummy and arms, and exercises like squat, lunges and dead lifts should be used almost daily. Remember that it's not about how much you can lift - you're not a weight lifter! It's all about engaging the muscle and keeping tension on it at all times. Commit yourself to doing your best when you train, each and EVERY session. You should be out of breath after every set; you should need to recover after every set. The intensity of your workout is what keeps you losing weight after you have dropped those first few pounds (which is usually mostly water from fluid retention).

4) Many people believe that cardio is the way to lose weight. Cardio, I'm afraid, is last on the list! The key is eating (what, how and when), then weight training, and finally cardio. However cardio is important and should be done at least 5 times a week at a minimum heart rate of 130bpm. Too much cardio can be counter-productive; 30 minutes is ideal.

Finally, as a guide for you - men should aim to lose a minimum of 2 pounds a week; anything less than this and you're probably doing something wrong. Women should expect to lose a minimum of 1 pound a week - again, anything less than this would indicate that you're doing something wrong.