Top Three Tips To Losing Your Belly

January has finally come - The month we all dread, cause lets face it. We are faced with that annual obligation to make some sort of self improving change, or resolution as more commonly referred to. So I thought that we could all use some extra tips on how to lose that extra belly fat that we are to resolve this year.

Number One - Many so-called "health foods" are actually cleverly disguised junk foods that can actually stimulate you to gain more belly fat... yet the diet food marketing industry continues to lie to you so they can maximize their profits. All we need to do is stay away from what we know is bad, and watch what we eat - overeating and binge eating are our worst enemies.

Number Two - We should all start with the most obvious, a little extra cardio always helps to burn the fat. I prefer to jog. some to bike, but there's also skiing, canoing, walking, sports and everything under the sun that makes you sweat. All followed up with lower to upper abs exercises to emphasize the stomach muscles.

Number Three - STICK TO A PLAN! This is the hardest but most effective thing we can do! running Monday Tuesday is great! but not if we watch football every other night. Doing eighty five crunches last night is working well towards the cause... but far from productive if its only a bi Tuesday routines.

Losing the belly fat and gaining those six pack abs truly isn't the easies thing to do in three weeks. But we all know its achievable. We need to watch what we eat - exercise and stick to that routine that's sticky noted to our bathroom mirror. With all that in play, we're bound for success!

Check out my blog for what I use for my ab routine.

http://drewsabs.blogspot.com/

Is The South Beach Diet Just Rubbish?

In the multi million pound diet industry, the South Beach is one of the latest best sellers. This means it's worthy of examination, because many people will go out and buy it on the hype and publicity rather than a real understanding, so let's take a look...

The first thing to note about the South Beach diet by Arthur Agatston is that it claims in its' title to give you foolproof plan for fast and healthy weight loss - well that's a concern for a start, because healthy weight loss is not fast, the two don't go together.

It also claims not to be just another low carb diet, but the whole initial weight loss is based on, yep you guessed it, low carbs! The argument is put forward about how carbs effect blood sugar levels, but not only is this debatable, the initial weight loss will come about from simple calorie reduction, whatever the effect of carbs.

Of course what happens to initial weight loss once that low carb period ends? It goes right back again of course, as it was mostly water loss. A waste of time.

As for the longer term plan, although the diet says you won't have to worry about feeling hungry or portion size, it then goes on to repeatedly mention portion size - so which is right?

It's not a great plan, the South Beach, it really isn't.

Cutting out carbs will see a big reduction in calories, which will see an initial weight loss, yes. They are facts you don't have to get this book to know. You'll also know that this isn't something that's sustainable, which is the sign of a good diet.

There are plenty of worse books out there, but if you never buy the South Beach, you won't be missing out on a life changer that's for sure.

Would I call it total rubbish? Well in my view, the fundamentals are wrong, the science is debatable and studies are not referenced in the book, so my view would be to keep your money, and pass on the South Beach diet.

Gordon Bryan is a life coach who gets annoyed by debatable diets. Find out his diet view at: http://dietfactnotfiction.blogspot.com

Operation Weight Loss

Motivation high = Success Guaranteed!

Losing weight is easy. All you need to do is use up more energy than you consume. The science behind weight loss may be straight forward; however, keeping your motivation up during this sometimes lengthy process can be the difficult part.

Making the decision to lose weight and become healthier is relatively easy too. But in order to succeed, your motivation must be high from the very beginning, and it must remain so until your goals have been achieved. We have looked at some ways to do this below. Everyone is different and one motivational method is not going to suit everyone. Choose some ways which may work for you, and then have another up your sleeve for when you need it.

Measuring up

Many people like to see their weight loss coming off in cold hard figures. A good way to do this is to weigh and measure yourself on day one of your new eating and exercise plan. Record the figures in a book, and then regularly weigh and measure over the following weeks and months. The longer you leave between measuring the better, as you'll see more results that way. Whatever you do, don't weigh yourself every day, you'll drive yourself crazy.

For many people, this method would do more harm than good. No weight lost, and they feel completely disillusioned and eat because 'there's no point trying'. A loss on the scales and those same people may think, 'this is so easy, I don't need to be so strict with myself, I think I'll have a sausage roll to celebrate'. You will know if this is you. So you can see where this method is headed?

Rather than weigh and measure yourself, you may aim to fit into a pair of your old size 10 jeans, for example. Try them on every few weeks until they fit. Don't be ridiculous with your 'goal garment'. If you are size 22, don't aim to suddenly fit into a size 8 skirt. It will just seem like too much of a mountain to conquer.

Tiny goals

If you have 20 kilos to lose, break it down into two kilo lots. Chip away, bit by bit, rather than overwhelming yourself with the entire task at hand. Just take it a day at a time, and before you know it, you will have reached your ultimate goal.

A journal

Keeping a journal is an excellent source of motivation for almost everyone. Don't fanatically write down every mouthful you eat, but rather your thoughts and wishes for the future. Start by writing down how you feel while overweight and unfit, and why you want to discover a new and improved you. When your motivation is running low, go back and remind yourself why you are on this mission in the first place. Return to centre and carry on.

Buddy up

Most people will know someone who would also like to be leaner and fitter. Pair up with your best friend, sister, wife or neighbour, and act as each others motivators. Arrange to meet on a regular basis. Call each other when you are feeling weak and can't get the thought of doughnuts out of your head. Go walking with each other. Listen to each other, and reach your goals together.

Bribe yourself

Don't forget, there's nothing wrong with a good old fashioned bribe, if that's what it takes to get you trim and healthy. The bribes can be small, for example, when I lose the next two kilos I will treat myself to a facial. The bribes can be huge. When I reach my goal weight and can run five kilometers non stop, I'll treat myself to a week in Tahiti. Use your imagination, and think about what would motivate you. Remember, whatever your bribe is, by the time you have earnt it, you can enjoy it guilt free.

The breakout

Not everyone can be trusted with this technique, but consider whether it would work for you. The breakout is just that, allowing yourself one meal per week, fortnight or month, when you can have what you want. You still need to set some boundaries though. You may allow yourself only one course to break out on, you may allow yourself only good quality food (no drive-throughs) even if it is fattening, you may stipulate you have to go for an extra long walk the day before or after.

For some people, getting back on the straight and narrow after a breakout would be virtually impossible. If you are one of these people, than this method is not for you. Others will feel rewarded and refreshed and ready for the next leg of their journey.

Visualization

Don't underestimate the power of visualization. Picture yourself how you would like to be - over and over again. Keep this picture in your mind as you are walking, swimming, asking for a tomato juice (when you think you want a sugary soft drink), declining a piece of birthday cake at a party or downing your 10th glass of water for the day. Achieving your goals will require just as much brain power as anything else.

Everyone should talk to their partner, if they have one, about how they can motivate you. That could mean to never mention your new eating and exercise plan, or to act as your drill sergeant throughout the process, or something in between. Either way, it is essential to let them know. The person you love can be a huge help or a massive hindrance if they don't know what you want from them. Remember you can't regain your health and look great, by not doing or eating anything differently. Change requires change.

It's also helpful to remember that you probably didn't pile on a sneaky 25 kilos in a couple of weeks, so don't expect it to be gone in two weeks. It takes time to achieve weight loss If you have any other motivational techniques that you have found work for you, please let us know so we can share them.

Yours in health,

Leisa St Ledger http://www.leisassecret.com

Weight Loss after Pregnancy

The elation a new mom feels soon after giving birth to a beautiful baby eventually and inevitably gives way to the despair she might feel when she looks in the mirror. Pregnancy, for many women, is a period of joy and delight; however, the downside can be experiencing excess body weight after birth. Often, a new mom is discouraged because she is not back in her pre-pregnancy clothes the day she brings her new baby home from the hospital. Unfortunately, this is just not realistic.

The average weight gain for a woman during her pregnancy is between 25-35 pounds. During and immediately following the birth, a new mom can expect to shed about 13 of those pounds. That leaves anywhere from 12-22 pounds of extra weight to lose. This can be a source of great frustration for her.

Weight loss after pregnancy is possible, but it requires some realism, patience, and a lot of work. It is reasonable to assume that it may take a new mom about 8 months to a year to get back into fighting form. This is losing a sensible 1-2 pounds per week. It would be wise to not lose any more weight than that, because it could be unhealthy. Losing the baby weight can take longer, because every body is different, so dont get discouraged if you are losing weight at a slower rate than other new moms you know.

Here are a few tips for getting rid of the excess weight after pregnancy:

• Dont diet for the first three months postpartum. Start out by just eating a well-balanced diet and moving your body. Once your menstrual cycle normalizes, you can follow a sensible weight-loss program if you feel that you need to.
• Start out slow with exercise. If you didnt exercise during your pregnancy, dont jump into a vigorous routine right away. Your body is still healing, and it needs time to adjust to the new movements. Start by taking walks around the block with your baby. Walking is an excellent (and low-impact) way to get your body primed for more vigorous exercise at a later date when your body can handle it.
• Eat several small, healthy meals a day. This keeps your energy up, especially if you are breastfeeding, as well as keeps your metabolism primed.
• Store healthy and fresh foods in your kitchen. Try to avoid highly processed and fatty foods. In other words, back away from the chips and dips! Eating plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products will not only help you lose weight, but it will also stick with you longer.
• Be patient. Though it might seem like other new moms are able to lose their postpartum weight right away, keep in mind that every womans body is different. If you eat right and exercise regularly, the weight will come off!
• Most importantly, seek advice from your doctor before changing your diet or starting any new exercise program!

The postpartum period for a new mom is rough on many levels. You are exhausted, excited, and exasperated. Concentrate on your new baby, but dont neglect yourself. Weight loss after pregnancy is possible if you eat healthy foods, get sufficient exercise, and take a few moments for yourself when you can. Dont give up hope, you can do it!

Wayne Mcgregor has a degree in nutrition and dietetics, a diploma in fitness training, and a wealth of experience in helping people to lose weight and build muscle. His website provides hundreds of free weight loss articles, sample diets, tools and charts of calorie content of different foods.

http://www.weightlossforall.com/eating-during-pregnancy-x.htm

Build Fitness With Mild Interval Training

I mentioned this as a comment to a previous post, but I thought it deserved its own post as well. If you havent exercised in a long time and have gotten out of shape, mild interval training is a good way to rebuild endurance and cardiovascular fitness without killing yourself.

Lets say your exercise of choice is running. Maybe you can only manage to run a few minutes before your heart feels like its about to explode out of your chest and youre forced to stop for fear of passing out. Its going to take you a while to build up to 30 minutes if you simply run your maximum each day and then stop.

So instead of that, try running 1 minute then walking 1 minute, repeating this cycle for as long as you can. Youll find that you can go much further without overtaxing your heart and muscles. Maybe you can even go 10-20 minutes your first time. If run 1 walk 1 is too hard, try run 1 walk 2 or run 2 walk 3. Experiment to see what intervals work best for you. If your heart is still racing after the walking interval, increase the walking interval and/or reduce the running interval.

I recommend you aim for an initial interval that allows you to do the most amount of running in a 25 minute period. If you can only manage run 1 walk 4, thats fine. Take a week to experiment with different intervals if you need to, but find one that allows you to go 25 minutes total (even if its run 1 walk 24). You should be physically challenged but not to the point of feeling nauseous or faint.

Once youre able to go 25 minutes, gradually increase the running time and reduce the walking time. Aim to reach run 1 walk 1 for 25 minutes for an initial goal. Be patient as it may take you a few weeks to get there if youre starting with a longer walking interval.

Next, gradually increase the running period while keeping the walking period at 1 minute. Go from run 1 walk 1 to run 1:30 walk 1. Then try run 2 walk 1. Keep extending your running intervals until you can manage run 8 walk 1 for 25 minutes.

Now keep those intervals the same, and gradually build your time from 25 minutes to 45 minutes. Dont worry about distance, and dont be concerned if you run a little slower. Just put in the time. Aim to increase the total time by about 10% per week, which roughly averages out to adding about 30 seconds per day.

Once you can do run 8 walk 1 for 45 minutes, you can switch to running continuously. Youll likely find youre able to do 25 minutes continuously without any trouble. After that you can continue to increase the distance, build your speed, do harder forms of interval training, or just maintain your current routine.

The advantage of this type of interval training is that youre still spending most of the time in your aerobic range, so your circulatory system will get the benefit of that conditioning. If youre out of shape, the running intervals will spike your heart rate quickly, and your heart rate will take a while to come back down, so even while walking youll still be mostly in the aerobic range. But youll avoid burning out from having your heart rate get too high. Walking wont tire your muscles as much as running, so your legs wont give out as quickly, and you wont be quite as sore after your runs.

You can adapt this idea to other aerobic exercises as well. For swimming you can switch to a slower stroke or a glide. For bike riding you can coast instead of pedal hard.

This technique is also useful for distance running. Some people run marathons in a pattern of run 7 walk 1 (or similar intervals), and they often find their finishing times are better vs. when they run continuously. The brief walking periods slow you down in the early miles, but they make up for it in later miles by keeping your running muscles fresh. So you end up maintaining an even pace even through those last 6 miles where many people hit the wall. I once used a run 7 walk 1 pattern for a 13-mile training run, and I finished in 2 hours, which was a good time for me. I felt I was running strong all the way without dragging at the end.

Even if youre terribly out of shape, you can use mild interval training to rebuild your fitness to a healthy level without causing yourself tremendous pain and discomfort. And it probably wont take that long. A typical marathon training program can take you from running 3 miles to running 26.2 miles in six months, and that requires much more time and effort than going from 0 to 3 miles.

Copyright Steve Pavlina

Steve Pavlina
Personal Development for Smart People
http://www.stevepavlina.com
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog (blog)
http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles (articles)

Steve is intensely growth-oriented. He trained in martial arts, ran the L.A. Marathon, and graduated from college in three semesters with two degrees. He can juggle, count cards at blackjack, and make damn good guacamole. Steve is also a polyphasic sleeper, sleeping just 2-3 hours per day and only 20 minutes at a time. So chances are good that he's awake right now.

Causes of Weight Gain

Cellular telephones and computers have made communication very easy. There was a time that you only saw the wealthy or well-to-do individual with a cellular telephone. Nowadays, everybody has them. Everywhere you turn you see someone with a cellular telephone attached to his or her ear (or it seems to be attached). Before everyone had a cellular telephone, you would have to walk (or ride) to find a pay telephone to make a telephone call. Not anymore. You see people now with the telephones strapped to their sides, (when they are not talking on them). Why stop what you are doing to get up and make a telephone call, when you have a cellular telephone at your immediate disposal? If you dont want to talk to anyone, just send him or her a text message.

Computers are everywhere. When computers were first invented, there were only personal computers that had to sit on a desk or table. Nowadays, we have laptop computers that go with us everywhere we go. No more posting a letter. Just send an email. No need to go to the post office to post a letter. You dont even have to buy a stamp.

In order to gain control over our weight, we must start with realistic expectations. Rather than putting the entire focus on weight loss, we must look toward a healthier attitude when trying to gain control over our weight. A realistic goal for controlling our weight would be about ten pounds a month. With a diet and exercise program, this is a reachable target. We must remember that the weight did not appear all at one time, therefore, the weight will not disappear all at one time. Another deterrent in weight control management is the media. With all the hoopla regarding the many diet pills on the market, it is difficult to concentrate and focus on a healthy regime when trying to gain control over our weight. The media presents many ways of getting the perfect body shape and looks by proposing new diets that will work miracles, not to mention the exercise equipment that supposedly helps do the work for us.

Deciding what to do to control our weight, we must weed through all the diet commercials and diet paraphernalia to find what will fit our needs. Researching the dozens of diet regimes on the market today takes plenty of concentration remembering what our specific needs are. While trying to gain control over our weight, we must adhere to two main factors, diet and exercise. Diet and exercise is the means for losing weight and toning up at the same time.

This article was written by Mary Mason-Shields, an independent distributor for a major health and wellness company. http://www.marymshields.usana.com, http://www.maryreset.blogspot.com

How To Pass The Air Force Physical Fitness Test With Ease

If you're reading this, you probably either want to know what you'll have to do for the air force physical fitness test and/or how to train for it.

This article will cover both.

What Is Involved In The Air Force Physical Fitness Test?

You'll be doing exercises in the following 4 areas: aerobic (running), body-composition, push-ups, and crunches.

Now, you'll be rated on a scale of 1-100, but the trick comes with the age groups. You see, with different age groups comes different demands.

Just to state the obvious, the older you are the less you'll be required to do.

If you want a full list of these ages and the requirements you can visit
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/l/blmalefitness.htm if you're a male and
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/l/blfitfemale.htm if you're a female.

3 Steps To Training For The Air Force Physical Fitness Test

1) The first thing you'll want to do is write down the top grade you can get for each category. For example, 60 pushups would be a perfect 10 for a 20-25 year old.

After you do this, add a few reps and shoot for that. I would personally shoot for 70-75 just to be safe (and maybe impress your future officers).

2) Since you're going to be training to failure during your air force physical fitness test most likely, I would suggest training to failure while you are preparing for the test. However, this is taxing on your body so do not do it everyday. You can try it every other day or ever 2 days, depending on certain factors such as how much you eat, your genetics, etc.

3) The third thing you'll want to do to pass your air force physical fitness test with ease is to start learning how to visualize. It's going to help you tremendously through the grueling workouts the air force will put you through, and it's going to help you reach your goals faster.

The requirements for the air force physical fitness test aren't too hard, but if you're out of shape now they will prove to be a challenge.

Using these 3 techniques, and making sure you prepare in advance, the air force physical fitness test should be a walk in the park for you.

And if you need to lose a lot of weight to make it easier (remember, doing anything with your body will be much easier if you weigh less), there are a large variety of books that are available to help you get a fit body in the shortest amount of time as possible.

Jeremy Reeves believes he's found the best products on the market to help you get in great shape fast. If you're going to start training for the air force physical fitness test, you have to check out the book called "Turbulence Training" that he's reviewed for you on his website - http://www.fitness-product-reviews.com

How Much Does Weight Loss Cost You?

Everyone wants to lose weight, no one wants to diet. People rather spend fortunes on getting the advise on how to get slim, but still they don't get thinner. The problem lies in the simple fact that a book can not make you thin. A book can only give you information on how to get thin. It actually tells you what you have to do, what to eat, what not to eat, but it will never be able to lose the weight for you.

Then you might say, where is the problem? I'll just buy a pill instead. So people go out and spend another fortune on diet pills. They don't only buy diet pills, they buy lotions, teas, juices and all sorts of weight loss products. They buy fat burners and energy drinks. Some might even go to retreats to drop a couple of pounds. Rather spend the money than actually do something about your weight yourself.

Do a crazy fad diet and lose it fast

Some decide to not go with the crazy weight loss products but they want to change their diet to lose the weight. But no, they don't want to spent too much time figuring out how to actually eat healthy. They find the next best fad diet and jump on it. Entire food groups get cut out, calories are dropped dramatically and you probably will feel like you are half dead for the entire time of the fad diet. So what, it works. You lose the weight. You might ruin your body, your organs and so on with doing this radical eating, but you are thin now. So what do you want to do now? Go back to the old eating habits until you are obese again and then losing the weight once more on another fad diet?

Do a balanced eating program

The most sensible but also the most costly way of losing weight is by following a balanced eating program. This means that you include all the food groups and eat everything balanced. The downside? You have to figure out how to plan your meals out, you have to go grocery shopping regularly. You might even have to cook. It is tons of work. But it is worth it. Only a balanced diet will allow for you to lose weight and at the same time stay healthy. If you need to, don't look at it as a balanced eating diet, but look at it as a way to heal your body. If you have been overweight for a while your body will most likely have suffered from it. Change your eating sensibly so your body can adjust and slowly heal as you grow thin over time.

Actually exercise

Consider exercise. Exercise can seem as even more work than eating a healthy diet. If you decide to go to the gym five times a week, it will take time away from the things you used to do. Also, working out will take away from the energy you have. It is right when people say that exercise will give you more energy, however it does not always seem like that at first. Working out can not only cost you time and energy. You will have to have a gym membership, clothing and you will have to wash all your clothes more often. Maybe you don't have a clue about working out and will hire a personal trainer for a couple of weeks. Trust me, they are expensive.

So what do we learn?

When losing weight it boils down to the simple fact that as much as you put in your are going to get out of it. If you just want to spend a couple bucks on a book or two you won't lose much weight. When you put some effort into changing your diet you can do a lot for your weight loss, however to become healthy with your weight loss you will have to put quite some brain, time, energy and money into it. Therefore we can conclude that weight loss is not cheap, especially not if you want to do it well.

To read more by Alexa Cooper on weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle visit her website at http://www.10stepstoweightloss.com/blog

How To Get 6 Pack Abs - 7 Sizzling Abs Tips That'll Help You Lose Weight In Record Time!

Do you want to know how to get 6 pack abs like the pros?

Many men and women all other the world desperately want to know how to get 6 pack abs.

Here are 7 tips that will help you tremendously.

1. Drink a lot of water

To build a powerful abdominal structure, you need to drink a lot of water. It is recommended to drink according to your body weight.

2. Body weight exercise

While you want to work on your 6 pack abs, you will also work other parts of your body like the chest, the legs and most importantly your lower back.

Many beginners fail to follow an exercise routine for the lower back, and you absolutely need to avoid this.

Why?

Because if you don't train your lower back along with your abs, you will be subject to injuries in the futures.

3. Aerobic exercises

Aerobic exercises are good to burn the fat. I'm talking about the static bike and other similar machines.

4. Abs exercises

If you are a complete beginner and want to lose your belly fat to get your most wanted 6 pack abs, you will start to practice an exercise called crunch.

5. Diet

What many people don't know is that doing crunches and other sit ups are not enough to burn the belly fat and get a superb flat stomach.

A good diet is highly important. There are a lot of reviews of diet programs to lose weight on the Internet and you want to spend some time reading some of the websites on this subject.

6. Motivation

Motivation may be the most important aspect of your wonderful abs plan. If you want to get in shape, you will need to be highly motivated.

7. Partner

A good partner will help you to get result faster.

Finally! Discover a powerful weight loss system used by thousands of bodybuilders and people around the world to obtain low-low body fat level. Learn how you too can get rid of your stomach fat for good when you visit: http://www.positiveattitude4life.com

Franck Silvestre is a professional Martial Artist. Visit his website today at Turbulence Training

Idiot Proof Diet Handbook Review

The Idiot Proof Diet, also known as the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet, has become one of the most popular and successful diet plans today. It has been successfully used by tens of thousands of people around the world. But what is the Idiot Proof Diet? What is it based on and how does it work?

The Idiot Proof Diet was given the name it has, because it's supposed to be so simple that even an idiot can do it. But don't let the name turn you off, it may be simple to use, but the science behind it isn't simple at all.

The Idiot Proof Diet is based on the Shifting Calories Method.

The Shifting Calories Method was created when it was discovered that, over a period of time, your metabolism grows accustomed to the type and quantity of food that you eat. This is the main reason why low carb, low fat, low protein, and low calorie diets may provide an initial weight loss, but not a long termed one. You see, your metabolism adjusts to the new quantity of food that you eat or to the lack of the food group (carbs, proteins, fat) that you deprive yourself of, and slows down.

That's why over 95% of diets fail, because they don't keep the metabolism running at a high level. A slow metabolism means a slow rate of fat burn and it also means that once you get off your diet and go back to eating normally, your metabolism is so slow that you end up gaining all the weight you lost and even more, much faster than you can imagine.

The Shifting Calories method is about keeping the metabolism off balance, never letting it get used to any eating routine so that it remains at a high level of fat burn. You do that by constantly rotating your food. Sounds difficult? That's why the Idiot Proof Diet comes with a unique menu software which tells you what to eat and when. You get to eat 4 meals every day but the type of food is always shifted around, so you continue to burn fat at a high rate for a long time.

The Idiot Proof Diet doesn't involve exercise, so anyone who is interested in developing muscles should try something else. The Idiot Proof Diet is strictly a weight loss diet.

The Idiot Proof Diet states that you can lose 9 lbs. every 11 days you're on this diet. I don't want to burst anyone's bubble here, but that's ambitious and not all users of this diet manage to lose so much. But losing 6 lbs. every 11 days is pretty common on this diet. Sure, there are many users who lose 9 lbs. every 11 days, some even more, but not all of them.

The important thing to remember that it does take commitment. You have to follow the menu you get. It's not hard but it has to be done in order for you to succede.

Overall, the Idiot Proof Diet is what it says it is: a simple to use, reasonable diet that doens't starve you and gets you great results. I'd say that it's a great diet for people who want to lose fat fast and keep it off for a long long time.

To read how you can start to lose as much as 9 lbs. in 11 days in keep it off, visit this webpage:
Idiot Proof Diet Review.

John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. He is an advocate of safe dieting and fitness. To read more about safe diets that just plain work visit this webpage: http://squidoo.com/fatloss4idiotsdiet.

How to Diet

Wouldnt it be great if life came with a How To manual? Some people think the same is true of dieting. With so many fad diets on the market and so many rules to follow, many people wonder how to diet and lose weight properly.

It can become confusing and overwhelming for a dieter. While some diets praise the virtues of low fat pasta, other diets may view that same pasta as something kin to poison. Carbohydrates are terrible, right? One diet may say to dine on a baked potato rather with fat-free margarine while the other diet says youd be better off eating a steak. One diet views a turkey sandwich as a healthy choice while the other diet says bread is off limits. Its understandable why people become confused on how to diet.

When it comes to knowing how to diet, the best strategy is the easiest one. Regardless of all the recent fad diets or the hype you may be hearing about one type of food being a better choice than another, it all boils down to one simple, often overlooked scientific fact. If youre looking to lose weight, you probably already know how to diet. Its by the easiest, simplest method by cutting calories.

If you havent heard of this concept in a while, youre not alone. With all the new diets claiming calories arent so important, its easy to forget how to diet best. Science, however, cant be argued. A calorie is the measure of energy we gain from food. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. So, it doesnt matter if you have a baked potato for lunch. It doesnt matter if you have a piece of steak. When figuring out how to diet, you need to start counting your calories.

Some people may be thinking, That cant be true. If I ate Hershey bars instead of salads, Id be sure to gain weight. Youre right and wrong. Although a Hershey bar isnt a healthy choice, one calorie from a Hershey bar is the same type of calorie as one calorie from a turkey sandwich. Granted, dining on Hershey bars isnt how to diet because youd be racking up a load of calories, but its important to realize that calories dont come in different varieties. It takes just as much work to burn off one calorie of turkey as one calorie of chocolate.

So whats the best solution on how to diet, and more importantly whats the sure answer to the pressing issue of how to diet without being hungry? Although cutting calories to lose weight seems great in theory, its hard to drastically decrease your food intake when you have a growling stomach.

Now, you can easily follow the best plan on how to diet without being hungry, without dealing with the side effects that accompany diet pills, and without spending a fortune stocking your refrigerator with health food. Although this concept is one thats new to the market, Hoodia Gordonii, a cactus-like plant with appetite suppressing properties, has actually been around for centuries. Although not originally intended as an answer for how to lose weight, Bushmen ate this plant on long journeys in the African desert to ward off hunger. When animal testing was done on this vegetable in the 1990s to determine whether it was toxic, the results were surprising. The animals that ingested Hoodia actually lost weight. More studies revealed that Hoodia Gordonii contained an ingredient that cuts the appetite by up to 2,000 calories a day making it easy to lose calories and achieve that physique youve always dreamed of. Finally its easy to know how to diet without being hungry and without spending a fortune.

When weight loss is the necessary outcome, using Hoodia Gordonii is almost essential. Visit Martin Stanwycks site http://www.hoodia.info.ms to learn more about how it can change the way you look, your health, and your self esteem.

Hoodia Gordonii - What Components Are Effective In Promoting Weight Loss

In these times, when it comes to acquiring fast, reliable and safe weight loss, Hoodia Gordonii is considered the trend-setter in this field. This succulent cactus-like plant was originally used by the San Bushmen of Southern Africa to suppress appetite during hunting trips and times of food scarcity.

Since this plant grows in one of the harshest regions of the planet, the plant comes with an aura of mystery as well as carrying a ton of weight loss benefits. Although the extracts from this plant have been tested to effectively suppress appetites, it has been a challenge to make the supplement readily available to Western consumers.

P57: The Single Molecule Which Effectively Promotes Weight Loss

The entire cactus-like plant is not required for appetite suppression, but rather one single molecule, P57, creates the desired effect. This molecule is found in the flesh of the plant, and not within the roots, spines, or flowers. Unfortunately, the chemical is quite hard to isolate from the plant extract. It is also reported to be difficult to synthesize, and it is highly unlikely that a cheaper, synthetic product will be created in the coming years.

The High Demand Has Created Supply Concerns

Contrary to popular notions, the Hoodia plant is not endangered. There are several other succulents and cactus plants that look just like it, and in turn, are the ones on the verge of extinction. Unfortunately for the other species, the high demand for Hoodia causes them to be collected by mistake. As such, the plant is on the list of Endangered Species and is under protection by international health and plant trade regulations.

Does Hoodia Have Any Negative Long-Term Effects?

Today, there are many prescription weight-loss medications sold in the market, and some have been noted to cause damage to the liver or other organs. It is not yet clear how past laboratory trials have fared to that of trials run on animal subjects during the development phases of many other medications. After Pfizer aborted the project, Unilever Pharmaceuticals took up the cudgels for developing this dietary product, and they are still working on it.

While the supplement is only available on a limited basis at the moment, there is no question that it is a potent appetite suppressant. Obesity is a major issue in almost every nation, and as pharmaceutical manufacturers work to establish reputable supplies, it would only be a matter of time before reliable products become readily available.

Hoodia is but one of many species in the genus and it takes a trained botanist or a native plant collector to be able to distinguish the actual plant, or the flower, from the rest. Without seeing the actual flower, it would be difficult to set apart other species, as some devious collectors may get another variety, and market the supplement as the real thing.

An international regulatory group, CITES (Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species), establishes guidelines for the proper harvesting and trade of this plant, and collecting Hoodia in the wild is considered illegal without first acquiring a permit from CITES and the local governments in the areas where Hoodia is prevalent.

http://hoodiastore.org - Hoodia Store

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Want a Challenge? The 300 Movie Workout

Today I did the 300 movie workout. You might have heard of the 300 workout from the 300 movie promotions. The actors trained hardcore, using kettlebells, weights, bodyweight, tires, and more.

The 300 workout is a challenging 300 repetition workout put together by a trainer for the lead actor in the 300 movie. This isn't how they did their workouts...it was just a test of his strength-endurance.

Here's the workout...all exercises are done without rest. Just go, go, go.

Pullups - 25
Deadlifts with 135lbs - 50
Pushups - 50
24-inch Box jumps - 50
Floor wipers - 50
1-arm 36lbs Kettlebell Clean n Press - 50 reps
Pullups - 25

One actor, Andrew Pleavin, completed the workout in 18:11.

Remember, he didn't practice this workout...and neither did I.

My time: 19:07

My butt was kicked by a hollywood actor. It was a brutal workout, starting out strong and slowing down, finishing at a crawl. And I don't plan on doing that any time soon, or really, ever again.

Obviously this is an advanced workout...you shouldn't do it unless you are as fit as a college athlete.

Fortunately, this can easily be changed. Appropriate exercises should be subbed in, and you should drop down to 100 total reps - or as .: recommends - 4-6 exercises of 15-25 reps each.

For example, you might do a 150-repetition workout - this is great for a man with moderate fitness:

15 bodyweight rows
25 bodyweight squats
15 pushups
50 jumping jacks
20 mountain climbers
10 close grip pushups
15 bodyweight rows

An intermediate woman could do a 100 rep workout:

5 bodyweight rows
15 bodyweight squats
5 pushups
50 jumping jacks
10 mountain climbers
10 lunges
5 bodyweight rows

Those are some challenging workouts. Work with a trainer to come up with other ideas. And always, train safe.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked home fat burning workouts have helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. Craig Ballantyne's TT Members workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment. Craig's beginner bodyweight workouts for fat loss help you lose fat without any equipment at all.

The Secret of How to Lose 5 Pounds in a Week

Are you losing at least one pound per week? If diet and exercise are made priorities then it should be completely feasible to lose at least a pound per week.

It needs to be understood that a pound of bodyfat contains roughly 3500 calories and if one removes 500 excess calories a day then at least one pound will be lost until a goal weight is achieved. This doesnt take regular exercise into consideration which means more weight can be lost.

As far as the diet is concerned, make sure you remove those 500 calories from superfluous food sources such as sodas which can be replaced with water or unsweetened tea. Thats easily 120-150 calories depending on the soda.

Instead of fries or chips, go with steamed vegetables instead. Vegetables and fruit are recommended for two reasons: Not only do they have fewer calories due to the water content but they contain considerably more vitamins and minerals than the unnecessary junk. The diet facet is certainly more challenging than exercise in terms of fighting off the calories.

While for most, exercise is the easier of the two, it is still a motivational challenge at times. Some days we are too busy, while other days simply leave us too tired. And while easier said than done, try not to fall into a rut like that.

One of the best aspects of exercise is that it can serve as one-stop shopping in terms of calorie reduction. For instance, an hour of jogging burns up to 900 calories! However, remember to use weights as well because building muscle is what boosts the metabolism in the long-term. Alone, an hours worth of weight training will burn 500 calories but the metabolic boost you get is unique only to resistance training.

Of course, one needs to remember to not only eat a nutritious protein and carbohydrate snack an hour after exercising but to eat enough calories throughout the day. Many, think starvation will lead to fat loss when exactly the opposite is true. The body must break down its own muscle tissue in an effort to maintain ones metabolism since not enough calories are being eaten. When calories are lacking, body fat is hoarded and metabolisms are slowed down in order to conserve energy due to the fight-or-flight response.

Once a solid diet and exercise program has been established, removing 500 calories a day will become the healthy sidenote to an overall healthy lifestyle.

Ian Robertson is an established personal trainer and nutrition advisor helping people lose weight at PhenForum.com, the online weight loss program. Learn how to lose 10-20lbs consistently every month when you join our free newsletter full of useful tips and expert advice on how to lose weight and keep it off forever. Just click here to create your free account and start receiving your daily newsletter with instant support and motivation!

Taking a Weight Loss Dietary Supplement

A weight loss dietary supplement has different functions in helping aid weight loss. Some act as appetite suppressants to help users eat less, therefore have lesser calories to burn. Some act as thermogenics, increasing the body's metabolism, which means increasing its calorie-burning abilities, while some, on most occasions, support a combination of functions for speedier weight loss.

More doesn't mean more

Some people make the mistake of taking a weight loss dietary supplement above its recommended dosages. This not only futile because studies have shown that increasing dosages have very little effect on its efficacy, but more importantly can be very dangerous. While most weight loss dietary supplements have natural ingredients, that doesn't mean that more of it in your body is good. Dosages are given for that reason. Because the ingredients in the weight loss dietary supplement have undergone testing and have yielded to be most effective in particular potencies, anything less or in excess will negate the benefits that a particular weight loss dietary supplement has in general. You know that anything in excess is bad for you and that also applies even if you're taking more of the good stuff.

Buy safely

Apart from taking proper dosages, safeguard your health by buying only from licensed manufacturers and distributors. The weight loss industry is home to a lot of amazing products, and consequently, to those who want to cash in on the many who are eager to use these products. As such, counterfeit products might be circulating in your locality. To be sure, buy only from respectable drug stores and health food stores. Be wary also of weight loss dietary supplements that are extremely inexpensive. You may be tempted to buy them because of the savings you'll get but there's always a catch. And your health isn't something so easy to get back once you get caught.

Phillip England is a weight loss expert and Author of the popular report "The Ultimate Weight Loss Secret". To receive your free information on the secret that doctors, and health companies either don't know, or don't want you to know, please see http://www.theultimateweightlosssecret.com/secret

Weight Loss With No More Guilt

I have just had a lovely weekend with old friends at one of the Proms in the Park. The food that we all took to share, yet again was supplied in an over abundance, as was the wine!

The evening was wonderful and at this year's event I enjoyed myself even more because...

There was no more guilt!

Have you ever wondered what it is that keeps you trapped, unable to re-motivate yourself when you had eaten something 'bad'?

It is the pattern of guilt . . .

- The thoughts that you 'shouldn't have eaten...'

- The shame of eating too much;

- The thought of how much weight you have put on;

- The thought of how 'bad', weak willed and useless you are.

With these thoughts you keep yourself trapped in a pattern of behaviour that brings only stress and the inevitable comfort eating. Its no wonder life is a struggle and permanent weight loss so elusive when your life is dominated by shame and guilt!

So here's how you stop the guilt...

Reflect on how much you enjoyed the food;

Tell yourself you are allowed to enjoy it;

Remember, one meal of excess won't be noticed on your hips;

Remember your motivation comes from positive thoughts;

Reflect on how much you enjoy the foods that gives you energy and happiness (your special fuel mix);

Reflect that without guilt there is no need to comfort eat;

Feel the motivation to eat the foods that lift your spirits.

Once in a while it is not 'bad' to eat foods that you have, in the past, labelled negatively. They may not be the best of fuel for your body but on a rare occasion it is not 'bad' to enjoy them. So enjoy them and see how easy it is to get back on track with you healthier eating habits.

Chrissie Webber is a published author, business coach and leadership trainer. As Managing Director of Life-Shapers Ltd she is developing her online weight-loss motivation company http://www.lifeshapers.co.uk into a franchise of Life Shapers Weight Management Coaches.

Her track record in the area of weight management is firstly a personal one. Following a lifetime of weight issues - at her heaviest, over 21 stone and a massive size 30 - she has personal experience of diets and their devastating effect on size and psyche.

With a background in nursing, psychology and business coaching, coupled with a lifetime of dieting, she developed and successfully used a series of models and tools that enhance weight loss motivation. Now over 5 dress sizes smaller and having sustained her weight loss for several years she has written a book about her motivational journey. Weight Loss, Life Gain - A Motivational Journey to Permanent Weight Loss was published in January 2008 by Accent Press.

Her Blog http://www.chrissiewebber.co.uk and free monthly eZine now offer support to others.

How To Make The Decision Whether To Exercise At Home Or At A Gym

The decision of where you will go to work out is a very important factor in your workout. A lot of different factors will go into this choice, and each and every one should be well looked over before you start working out. After you have made the choice of where you are going for your workout, you can then move on and find out your plan.

If you exercise regularly you most likely know, exercising out of your home has many advantages. The finance dept is one of the best things to look at. With the gas prices being what they are today, it is quite obvious that you'll save money on fuel as well as wear and tear on your vehicle by choosing to work out at home.

Memberships to a gym can be and often are very expensive and may include other things that you dont really need such as day care and maintenance of the pool. You also will not need to worry about the exercise gear because you will always be working out at your home.

Keep in mind that working out at home does require financial obligation. Even though you plan to run, it is very important that you have running shoes. This statement goes to any type of equipment that you may purchase to use at home. If you go out and buy cheap equipment, you will probably get frustrated or the equipment might break leaving you ripped off.

Along with the financial plus, exercising at home may also help the people that dont like to work out in public. If you are worried about how you appear in gym clothes, it is very good to know that the only person who has to be with you when you exercise at home is you. Another thing is when your at home you dont have to worry about time.

Those of you who get pumped when you work out with a buddy, a gym may be a better idea than working out at home. At the gym, you'll also more of a selection of equipment as well, far more than you'll have at home.

If you need other services than just weights and equipment, the gym may have just what you need. If you plan to swim a triathlon, you'll find the swimming pool at the gym to be just what you need to prepare yourself. Swimming is another great way to exercise, as it will work muscles in your body that you probably never even knew you had.

Gyms will also offer you to take classes that you might find to be very helpful. If you attend a class every day, you may be into it enough to say that you have been there at class working out and getting into shape. You can also meet new and more people in class or just help others out if you wish.

All in all, making the choice of working out at home or in the gym is up to you but make the right choice. The most important choice you will need to make is what kind of place you want to be in while youre working out do you want to be at home or in the gym.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about home gyms as well as exercise equipment at http://www.treadmillsandhomegyms.com

Medifast Weight Loss System - A Quick Overview

I've lost nearly 65 pounds on medifast and am still going strong. From the questions that I am often asked, I find that there are a lot of misconceptions about this diet plan. Here is a quick overview which will hopefully give you an accurate idea of what this system is all about:

Medifast is a meal replacement diet which means that you replace some of your daily meals with prepackaged options provided by the company. There are over 70 different meals from which to choose. There are some liquid choices, but the plan is definitely not a liquid only diet. Typical meals include shakes, bars, puddings, teas, lattes, cappuccinos, chilis, stews, crackers, eggs, and oatmeals etc.

In addition to eating five of these meals per day, you will provide your own "lean and green meal." This is usually your largest meal of the day and although you can have it at any time, most people prefer to eat this main meal at dinner time. The lean and green consists of lean protein and veggies or salads. It may sound difficult to eat six times per day, but it really isn't because the foods are pretty much grab and go and very convenient.

I find the taste of the foods to be pretty decent, but you can make them taste even better by adding sugar free syrups. You can add these to the shakes, puddings, lattes and oatmeals. I like adding either caramel or cherry flavored syrup but there are countless choices. You can also make muffins and cookies from the pudding and shake ingredients. I also take the liberty of adding fat free cheese and sour cream to the soups and stews.

The company states that the typical weight loss is 2-3 pounds per week. I have found that if I add a bit of exercise (power walking, roller blading, or gardening with a weight vest) I can get this even higher, usually as much as five pounds per week. This program works by putting your body in ketosis and tricking it into burning its own fat. Since exercise also burns fat, moving your body means doubling your efforts.

The cost is about $8 per day, but there are usually coupons available. For me personally, this has been the only plan that has been both effective and easy for me stick with. Eating the company's foods does take some getting used to initially, but adding the syrups and being motivated by the changes in your body can really help.

Lindsey Price is the author of the ebook "Getting The Most Out Of Medifast" which includes the latest coupons, recipies, and tips. To get a free copy (immediate download / no information required), click here.

You can also visit her diet review website at http://geniefrancisdietreview.blogspot.com/

Do Your New Year's Weight Loss Resolutions Suck!

For many people, New Year's Day marks the start of a new chapter in their life. But often, they have a tough time making good New Year's resolutions, let alone sticking to them. Let me help you make better resolutions and create a plan to accomplish them.

It also offers a fresh opportunity to take advantage of some post-holiday motivation. A time to finally get serious about the workouts you resolved to do this year. And there is no better plan to follow than the combination of short strength and interval workouts.

Don't let that little voice in your head talk you out of success. If you want to get lean so that you can be lean for next summer, than now is the time to take action.

Tip 1 - Write your goals down, and be specific about them. Research has shown that when people write the goals down and are very clear about the details, they tend to have more success. So don't just think "i want to lose weight", write down "I want to lose 5 pounds". Then take that goal and post it so you see it every day. And think about it every day as well.

And as you go about your day, remember this..."Everything that you do is either taking you closer to or farther away from your goal". Think about that at every meal, or every time you choose to sit on the couch instead of exercising.

Tip 2 - Plan your nutrition. Spend 2 hours on the weekend shopping and preparing as many meals as you can for the workweek ahead. Don't get caught without good food at lunch and have to resort to the food court. That is not going to help. Pack your protein, fruits, vegetables, and nuts and you'll have good quality snack and lunch foods to give you energy while helping you control your appetite and burn fat.

Tip 3 - Use a professionally designed training program to help you get the most bang for your buck. Don't just go in to the gym unprepared. You'll be overwhelmed by the January crowds and you'll likely quit out of frustration.

So plan, prepare, and be confident that you have everything in place with your nutrition and training.

And finally, Tip 4 - Get social support. Have friends join you for workouts. Recruit your doctor, a nutritionist, and trainer to be on your side. Do all of these and you'll always have someone to turn to during tough times.

Good luck, and may this be your best year ever!

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Mens Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines and all over the Internet, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Historical Approaches to Weight Loss and Healthy Eating

Here are a few interesting facts:

Today, we have made nutrition a science; we think that our experts know the secrets to healthy eating.

A much wider variety of healthy foods are available to us today than ever before.

However, in modern society, more of us have weight problems and become ill or even die from conditions related to being overweight than ever before!

Maybe its just possible that we have something to learn from the way that people ate in the past throughout much of human history, in fact. One thing goes without saying, and is probably the most important factor in the past, food was more natural. While it may be true that people ate more fat and even more calories, they acquired them from food that was close to its natural state, and therefore better for health.

But heres something else something that may surprise you. People in most ancient societies and right through the Middle Ages and Renaissance did not follow the advice that most nutritionists would give today. They hardly ate any breakfast at all, though we are often told that breakfast is the most important meal. In fact, they were likely to eat only one large meal a day or two at the most, in which case one would be larger than the other. And heres another thing that would make modern nutritionists shake their heads in despair quite a lot of the time, it seems, that one big meal was eaten rather late in the day often after the sun went down and the days work was done!

This is, of course, the direct opposite of what we hear nowadays. We are told never to skip breakfast, and that numerous smaller meals are better than fewer large ones. According to traditional societies, though, thats just not true. People in ancient Greece and Rome would eat very little in the morning a small piece of bread, maybe, or a fig or two. They would work throughout the day, eating little or nothing. Then, when work was done for the day, they would sit down to a great meal. What it consisted of would vary according to how well-off the people were, and the precise region they lived in but for everyone, the evening meal would be comprised of most of their daily calories. They would go to bed on a full stomach, digest during the night, and be energized and have little need to eat next morning.

As time went on, some farming cultures varied this basic plan somewhat, and had their main meal in the middle of the day. They would then have a light supper rather like our lunch late in the evening. In fact, there are people in some European cultures today who eat exactly like this to this day.

Today, breakfast is sacrosanct, but it actually was not even invented until the seventeenth century. At that time, the idea of breakfast was popularized by the British royal family and their breakfast consisted of several courses, including meat, salads, and even dessert. In fact, the royals and aristocrats were the deviants all along. They didnt eat like most people did they increased the amount and frequency of their meals, and ended up with much of the health and weight problems that we have today!

By contrast, the peasants meals seemed to be, for the most part, just right as long as there wasnt a drought or famine in the area, that is. Of course, part of it might have been the simple food and hard labor, but evidence suggests that people in bygone times had very few weight problems, despite (or maybe because of?) their tendency to eat most of their calories at one meal, which was often an evening meal, at that! Should we follow their lead? It goes against conventional wisdom, but it seems worth thinking about. If nothing else, we should appreciate the fact that this type of eating has been around a lot longer than modern diets and eating plans, and seems to have been successful, for the most part. So if youre not a breakfast person, dont despair chances are you werent bred to be!

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Weight Loss for Women Over 40 - Love Yourself First

If you are 40-something, you know that it is getting harder to manage your weight. This is true for most, but it doesnt mean you cannot still maintain a healthy weight.

First you may need to re-frame your outlook. If you are dreaming about your high school weight, you may need a reality check. For some, this may be possible, for others it may simply be unrealistic and unnecessary. When determining what your goal weight is, consider this: fi Calculate your BMI (see below). This is the best way to assess whether you really need to lose weight, or you just want to look better in your jeans. If your BMI is in the healthy range of 19-24, then you can be assured that your weight is not adversely affecting your health. If it is over 24, then you could reduce your risk for disease by losing a few pounds.

fi Love yourself first. If you think that losing fifteen pounds will solve all of your body image problems, you are probably wrong. Work with a therapist or life coach so that you can come to peace with who you are and the body shape you were born with. Try not to let your appearance be your biggest motivator to eat well and exercise. fi Consider inches, not just the scale. Take your waist, arm and thigh measurements now. Then compare every two weeks for three to four months after you have been exercising and eating better. You may not always see huge losses on the scale, but lost inches means lost fat and better health.

Secondly you need to make some changes in your eating habits. Most women at this age are pretty busy. They may be juggling a family, career and aging parents. This often adds up to skipping meals, eating junk food, and being dehydrated! Keep these tips in mind each day to get you out of a bad habit: fi Sit down and take a lunch break. While breakfast may be quick, lunch should not have to be on the run. Often we think that we are saving time by eating at our desks or in our car! But your body and mind need some downtime and a twenty to thirty minute break will likely leave you more focused and energized. Plus, sitting down will help you eat more slowly, which will help you eat less and stop when youre full.

fi Plan two to three snacks a day. If you work out of the home, bring two snacks with you each day. If you work at home, choose your snacks in the morning or the night before. You may even want to post a Healthy Snack List on your refrigerator to help you make good choices. Portions are important. Snack ideas: Low fat yogurt; 1-2 ounces pretzels; low fat string cheese with 6 wheat crackers; low fat granola or high fiber bar; 10 animal crackers and a glass of skim milk; a piece of fresh fruit or a cup of melon or berries; raw carrots; hummus with 6-8 wheat crackers; a glass of low fat chocolate milk. fi Consider keeping a food log. Writing down what we eat helps keep us accountable for all the little tidbits and go into our mouth. fi Be patient. Weight loss after forty is slower than it was before. You have to simply accept this. Make small changes, stick with them, and you will eventually see results.

Finally, exercise is more important than ever. Again, with the busy and often content lives that 40-something women may lead, they may get relaxed on exercise. Its never too late to start an exercise program. Check with your doctor first to find out if there should be any restrictions, then shoot for exercising 3-5 times a week. While this may seem like a lot, keep in mind, household activities count too. So consider more formal exercise (like jogging, walking, weight lifting) to be done 3-4 times a week.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and American Heart Association (AHA) have released updated physical activity recommendations for adults and older adults. The recommendations are an update and clarification of the 1995 recommendation on the types and amounts of physical activity needed by healthy adults and older adults to improve and maintain health. Specifically, the guidelines recommend all healthy adults aged 18 to 65 years need moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes on five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 20 minutes on three days each week. So the good news is that once you increase your intensity, you can get by with 3 days a week of activity. Keep these ideas in mind when planning out your activities: fi If you are not active at all, start walking. A nice walk outside each morning will be a great way to start your day. Even if you only have time for a 30-minute walk, start there. Some activity is always better than no activity.

fi If you are already a walker, try jogging. Increasing the intensity of any activity will help boost your metabolism. Start by jogging for 30 seconds, then one minute, and continue alternating minutes of jogging with walking. Before you know it you will be jogging two miles. fi Dont hire it all out. Often individuals may have a comfortable lifestyle at this point and be able to hire folks to do the weeding, mulching, dig a new garden, mowing, or housework. Consider doing some of these old chores yourself. Shoveling mulch builds muscle and burns lots of calories! fi Try weight lifting. Weight training doesnt mean you have to turn into a body builder nor does it mean you have to go to a gym. If you want to join a gym, thats fine. It is a good idea to get some initial training from a personal trainer to be sure you are doing the activities with good form, but once you have the form down, you can easily work out at home. Invest in a set of light hand weights (usually 2, 3 and 5 pounds each) and start doing repetitions. We lose muscle as we age and weight lifting is one way to build some back and burn more calories.

Take your weight loss goals one at a time and you will see results eventually. In the meantime, think about your short-term goals and how eating healthy foods and using your muscles keeps your body well. Before you know it you will be inches smaller and a few pounds lighter

Rosanne Rust, MS, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian
Nutrition Consulting, Writing, Lectures
Licensed Provider for Real Living Nutrition Services

Tired of dieting?
Try a new approach to weight management:
http://www.reallivingnutrition.com/RosanneRust.aspx

5 Easy Weight Loss Tips You Can Use Right Now

Sometimes, just the thought of starting on a diet and fitness regimen can be so overwhelming, we stop before we even give it a shot. Let's not be overwhelmed then, OK? Instead, let's look at 5 easy ways you can start down the path to a slimmer, lighter you.

1. If you have a sitting job, stand up and stretch yourself every half an hour. Most of the jobs today are indeed sitting jobs that are in one word sedentary. This is especially true for those who sit and punch away at the keyboard or toy with the mouse all day long.

So if you have such a job, make it a point to get up at least every half an hour and stretch yourself.

2. Stop being a couch potato. It is the easiest thing in the world to become a couch potato. You know what we are talking about don't you? That shapeless thing that sits or reclines on a shapeless chair in front of the television and thoughtlessly munches away at something fried!

If you are inclined to become a promising old couch potato, break the habit, cut at the very root of the vine. And you want to know what is the best way for that? Take away that favorite chair of yours. In fact, it would be a very good idea if you could keep a chair that isn't too comfortable in front of the TV.

3. Eat only when you are hungry. Some of us have the tendency to eat whenever we see food. We use parties as an excuse to stuff our selves. Understand that the effect of a whole week of dieting can be wasted by just one day's party food. Whenever you are offered something to eat do not decline it completely bit just break of a nibble so that you appear to mind your manners and at the same time can watch your diet.

4.When you decide it's time to start working out, start slowly and don't get discouraged if you don't achieve your fitness goals after the first week. Many people make this mistake. They feel that if they really push their bodies they can lose more weight in a couple of work outs. This is a very serious thing in fact.

If you try to push your body too much in the first few goes, you are likely to end up with sprained joints, a sore back and even torn ligaments. The rule to be followed here is slow and steady wins the race.

5. Finally, I would like to let you in on a easy fitness secret. As it is I understand that most of us tend to put on weight particularly in the mid section, right. It is the tummy that seems to have a mind of its own. Well I will tell you a sure shot method to reduce the flab around the waist line. Mind you this doesn't hold true for post pregnancy tummies. This is what you have to do.

Breathe in air as strongly as you can and as you do so, tuck in your tummy as much as you can. Hold it like this for a few seconds and then slowly release your breath taking care not to let out your tummy. Try to keep breathing like this at least fifty or sixty times in a day.

In fact breathe like this whenever you can remember to do so. After the first day, you should feel the muscles of your stomach tightening each time you do this. Then you know that you are on the right track. If you practice this without fail for 20 days, at the end of the twentieth day, you will have lost at least an inch!

James B. Allen is the publisher of Power Living Press. He invites you to come learn more about living a healthier, wealthier, more beautiful and more powerful life TODAY by visiting:

http://www.PowerLivingPress.com