Weight Loss, Weight Loss Programs Guide – How Eating Properly Helps You Lose Weight

There are a lot of folks all over the world who are having problems and issues with weight loss.

This is the main reason for the various weight loss and fitness programs you see being promoted by self-acclaimed gurus and professionals. These so-called experts dazzle unwary clients with dizzying ways and opinions of losing weight.

While the gurus make a hell of cash from such trainings and programs; filling their deep pockets; the client’s condition doesn’t seem to change as they still remain over-weight, despite having spent some really good cash.

The weight loss training program is perhaps one of the most subliminal scam and hype that have been sold ever online.

The questions to ask now are:

• Can one really lose weight?
• How do you go about a proper weight loss plan?
• Is weight loss a myth or is it for real?

These are some of the questions that will be answered in this article.

Let’s get started!

The Right Way To Weight Loss

Myriads of weight loss ideas have been propagated over time. Some of those methods that the gurus have been promoting are as follows:

• Juice fasts
• Raw food programs
• Hypnosis
• Binging and fasting
• Scientific approach, etc.

While some of these programs are reasonable, others are just mere gimmicks to fatten their already fat pockets.

Losing weight is not a complex thing; it’s quite rather straightforward as you will see in this article. If these simple tips are adhered to, you will lose weight over time.

Secrets To Losing Weight The Right Way

Actually, the road to weight loss is no secret route, as you will see soon enough. The issue is that many simple minded folks would rather go the complicated way than following simple tips that would actually work.

Let me ask you some poignant questions.

• Are you tired of carrying those extra pounds around?
• Or, do you want to shed extra weight once and for all?

This article covers all the basics including how to eat, exercise and stay motivated to lose weight. It also covers some specific diets that you might want to try out in your sojourn to a smaller, healthier you.

Here is a good tip.

Before you start thinking about losing weight, think also about what kind of weight you want to lose; fat, or just weight. If you want to lose just weight, then carry on. If you want to lose fat weight, follow these steps, but add a workout plan.

Tip 1: Follow The Rules of Thumb

Have a diary.

It is important that you have a personal food diary and determine your weight loss goals beforehand.

Before starting up on your weight loss program, it is important to determine what your weight loss goals are. It is absolutely important to determine a healthy weight for your age. It is a bad idea to desire weight loss so you become thin. This is a bad for your health; so before starting off, have a concrete weight loss goal.

According to studies published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, persons who keep food diaries lose an average of 6 pounds (that’s about 2.75kg) than those who don’t bother keeping a record of what they eat.

So, ensure you write down the down the good, the bad and the ugly.

Ensure you write everything down; including that extra glass of wine after dinner; or those extra toppings or condiments you ate; and detailed information of how the food was prepared (fried, grilled or boiled).

Have a balanced diet.

What this means is that your diet should contain the right amount of food from all food groups.

Don’t skip meals.

The same study earlier found out that people who ate at least three meals daily lost more weight than people who didn’t.

Surprised, right!

It is speculated that persons who skip meals tend to eat more at their next meals because they become even hungrier as their bodies absorb more calories because they’re in starvation mode from skipping meals.

Now here are things you need to know about skipping meals.

• Skipping meals makes your body to stop breaking down fats and start breaking down muscle tissues. Fact is, muscle tissues burns down more calories at rest than other tissues, so you’re actually working against your goals.
• Avoid hunger by eating small portions throughout the day at regular intervals. In between meals, eat a 150-calorie snack to keep your metabolism burning and to stave off hunger. Keep away from fattening snacks, such as sweets or crisps. The body teds to conserve calories and slows down all metabolic processes on being hungry.

Eat at home.

It is true that eating out, at fast food joints makes you sociable; you get seen and also see people, but researchers have discovered that people who eat fewer meals from restaurants tend to lose more weight.

Now here are things you need to know about eating at fast foods.

• Eating at restaurants makes you lose control over your food portions. This makes you eat more than you actually want to. You can avoid this by packing the food home. You need to do this before you start eating or you might be tempted to eat it all up.
• When you eat from fast food joints, you have little or no information on the ingredients used to prepare such meals or how they were prepared. However, at home, you can substitute lower-calorie ingredients or make recipes over so that they still taste great while delivering healthier results

Drink water often.

It has been proven that people who drink lots of water tend to have less weight. Water has the advantages of both hydrating you and filling your stomach with a certain volume of liquid that has no calories.

The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 litres (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 litres (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

Now here are things you need to know about drinking water regularly.

• It is suggested that you drink more of cold water as the body will expend more calories in heating it up.
• Drinking water say 30 minutes before meals can reduce the amount of calories you end up consuming, especially in older individuals. Studies have shown that dieters who drank half a litre of water before meals lost 44% more weight over a period of 12 weeks, compared to those who didn’t.

Tip 2: Low-Calorie Diet

Become a lover of fruit. Everyone knows how fantastic fruits are. They help to indulge your cravings for sweet things; thanks to its natural sugars. It also contains fibre to help you feel full quickly.

Some of the tips below will help in introducing more fruit into your diet:

• Fruits that are in season are the best choice. Eating apples in the fall, for example, or cherries in late summer, ensure that you are eating fruits at the peak of its flavour. It gives a much more satisfying experience
• Instead of a pie for snacks, eat freshly cut fruits like melons or pineapple chunks rather. They are not only fulfilling but delicious as well.
• Always ensure that there is a bowl filled with fruit on your kitchen counter or in your refrigerator. Always ensure there are some dried fruits as well as fruit canned in water available should your fresh produce becomes bad.

Eat vegetables for their nutritious value as well as to help you fill up more quickly. When you make or take your lunch or dinner, ensure that at least 50 percent of the plate contains fruits or vegetables while other dishes come in small portions. Add veggies to your plate by following some of these suggestions:

• Take vegetables that contain potassium. Vegetables like sweet potatoes, spinach and lentils will ensure that you get all the potassium you would ever need.
• Let vegetables be your main dish. Take for instance, a stir-fry or a hearty salad and just a few ounces of cooked chicken, salmon or almonds would do just fine.
• For those who have the habit of eating out of boredom, chewing sugar free gums would be the way to go.
• Feast on crunchy vegetables as snacks. Cut up carrots, celery, broccoli, pepper or cauliflower and dip them in a light salad dressing.
• Indulge on frozen vegetables. They are easily prepared in the microwave whenever you are in a rush to get dinner fixed.
• Learn to eat super foods or whole grains instead of processed foods.
• Go clean with eating. Substitute whole-grain foods for processed carbohydrates. Try whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta or brown rice.
• Substitute whole wheat flour or oat flour into pancakes or baked goods. There might be the need to add extra leavening ingredients like wheat gluten.
• Swap whole grains into traditional mixed dishes. For instance, put barley in your soup instead of rice or try a pilaf with barley, wild rice or brown rice.

Be smart in your choice of protein

• Choose lean cuts of beef or extra-lean ground beef.
• Try out chicken breasts. If you use different cuts of chicken, then remove the skin.
• Avoid fatty deli meats like bologna and salami. Choose lean turkey or roast beef as a substitute.
• Vegetarians can get plenty of protein from soy, nuts, beans and seeds

Eat low-fat dairy products such as low-fat cheeses and non-fat yogurt.

Eat healthy oils.

If you cook with oil, use a teaspoon of a healthy oil such as olive oil or canola oil. Or instead of adding oil for flavour, add spices or vinegar.

Make a meal plan and stick to it.

Sticking to a meal plan will help you know how many calories you consume and compare them to the calories you are burning. This could also help in cutting out that extra snacking.

Be realistic.

If you fall into the group that like eating out, don’t become a hermit because you want to lose weight; or totally eliminate eating out. Rather, plan on eating home-cooked meals six days a week.

These meals prepared at home should be balanced up with enough fruits, vegetables, dairy, etc. Vegetable-based dishes, dishes with lean meat, grilled or baked foods, as well as organic foods are normally healthy. You may also dine on snacks but try to make them healthy, for example, fresh vegetables with guacamole, or oatmeal. Put off high calorie dressings or sauces. Make yourself a promise that if you can follow through for six whole weeks and exercise as well (if that so happens to be one of your goals), you will give yourself a treat at a restaurant one day of the week.

Consume only naturally-occurring carbohydrates instead of refined alternative.

The best choices include carbohydrates which occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk, whole grains, legumes and seeds. Avoid refined foods, like white bread, semolina pasta or crackers, or processed sweets like candy bars or sugary vegetables.

Be aware of the risks of living low-carb.

Adhering to a low-carb diet long-term, could increase the risk of heart disease and bowel cancer because you’ll be eating so many products made from fat and animal tissue. Some other risks associated with long tern low-carb diet include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Fatigue and poor concentration
• Constipation
• Bad breath

Tip 3: Other Lesser Known Diets

Go the Paleo Diet way and eat like a caveman.

This sounds crazy, right?! However, you don’t have to hunt for mammoths on the plains or for dragons.

Rather, you would focus on consuming foods that gatherer ancestors would have eaten. Foods like:

• Grass-produced meat
• Fish and sea foods
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Eggs (omega-3 eggs enriched are best)
• Seeds and nuts
• Healthy oils like olive oil, walnut oil and coconut oil

Go The Raw Food Way.

Instead of slaving over a hot stove or cooker, just stick to raw foods. The Raw Food Diet way requires about 75 percent of your dietary intake to be uncooked. Many folks eat loads of fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and beans.

The following tips would help those on a raw food eating plan:

• Eat loads of iron. Good sources of iron include tofu, cashews, almonds and legumes.
• Stock up on calcium. Eat bok choy, soybeans, figs, tempeh and cabbage.
• Vitamin B-12 supplements are good. You may also consume nutritional yeast, fortified soy milk, and fortified breakfast cereals.
• Consume omega-3 fatty acids. You can take a supplement along with eating flaxseed and walnuts. Also use oils rich in omega-3s, like canola, flaxseed, soybeans and walnut oils.

Follow the Sonoma Diet.

This is the diet that places emphasis on whole foods and calls on you to ditch refined foods with added sugar, foods made from refined white flour and food containing saturated fats.

Here’s all you would want to know about Sonoma diet.

• Start with Wave 1. Wave 1 is more like the induction period into a college frat. You’ll ditch the carbs in favour of foods like vegetables, nuts, low-fat cottage cheese and soba noodles.
• Now move on to Wave 2. In Wave 2, you can add fruit, a wider variety of vegetables, sugar-free sweets and 6 ounces (175 ml) of wine daily.
• Finally, end on Wave 3 when you reach your goal weight. On Wave 3, you can pretty much have any food that isn’t processed or full of hydrogenated fat. Keep sweets for special days, and go for exotic vegetables and fruits to make things interesting.

Join up with a commercial diet plan.

It pays to join up with other people who are losing weight if you prefer to eat whatever you want. You might want to try out weight watchers who meet weekly. On the other hand, if prefer prepared meals so that you don’t have to cook, try Jenny Craig or NutriSystem.

Tip 4: Burn Calories

Introduce basic aerobic / cardio exercise.

It’s advised to start with a small goal of 30 minutes, 3 times per week especially if you are currently not exercising at all. The followings tips would sure come in handy.

• Purchase a pedometer. Gird up the pedometer to your belt and try to take 5,000 steps daily. Move up to a goal of 10,000 to 15,000 steps as you get in better shape.
• Buy quality shoes. Go to an athletic shoe store and buy shoes designed for a specific sport if you are trying an activity like running. Otherwise, get some good all-around cross-training shoes. Don’t bother with the cash you are spending. Remember that your health is worth very investment you are making.
• Get started by walking. Walking around your neighbourhood costs nothing and is a great way to start moving. You may also try out other low-impact exercises like bike riding, swimming or slow running.

Work out at the gym.

You can use a treadmill, an elliptical trainer, a stationary bike, a rowing machine or a stair climber. Start off with short sessions, then gradually add minutes as you get more fit. In addition, use the settings on the machines to increase the intensity as you gradually lose weight.

Take up a class.

You can take a traditional aerobics class or try something a bit different like:

• Kickboxing: This might not involve fancy moves like that of Jeanne Claude but it will surely keep you fit. It combines moves from martial arts, aerobics and boxing for a great cardio workout.
• Jazzercise: All Jazzercise group dance fitness class combines dance-based cardio with strength training and stretching to sculpt tone and lengthen muscles for maximum fat burn. Jazzercise is a combination of jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga, and kickboxing.
• Zumba: This combines Latin music with easy dance moves. Because it alternates fast and slow movements, Zumba is a great vehicle for interval training.
• Pilates: These exercises by Joseph Pilates are tailored to help strengthen your core muscles and also lengthen your limb muscles. There are many dancers who use Pilates as a part of their fitness regimen.
• Yoga: Yoga helps improve your breathing and mental focus and at the same time increasing your strength and flexibility. Yoga is also a great stress reliever.
• Martial arts: You can go for something traditional; like karate or taekwondo, or you can try something more modern like mixed martial arts (MMA).
• Boot camp: A boot camp workout will employ calisthenics like push-ups, lunges and crunches as well as sprints or other interval training based on military boot camp training.
• Strength training is also ideal. Advice; start small, aiming for one or two 15-minute sessions per week until you feel motivated to do more.
• Do exercises that affect several muscle groups. If you do exercises that work out large groups of muscles instead of focusing on specific muscles, you’ll save time and actually burn more calories. Some of the following might help you out:
• Start with squats paired with an overhead dumbbell press to work your lower body and upper body simultaneously.
• Perform resistance exercises as you sit or recline on an exercise ball. It will help strengthen your core while working on other areas at the same time.
• Make use of machines and free weights. These are tools that focuses on particular muscle groups like the arms, thighs, shoulders, glutes and upper back. Focused exercises should be done only after general exercises.
• There should be some rest at least one full day between strength training workouts so that your muscles can recover. Recovery will help you to avoid pain and injury.

Get into a sport. Join a local volleyball team or softball team, or join a tennis league.

Enlist a personal trainer. If you have the means, then enlist a personal trainer. A personal trainer will provide a customized workout for your fitness level and your goals.

Tip 5: Stay Motivated

Make a bet with a friend or group of friends.

This would sure go a long way to getting you committed and focused. Make a bet with your friend or group of friends that you will succeed in losing a certain amount of pounds in a given period or pay a certain agreed amount of money.

This will keep you motivated and surely focused.

Don’t take it too hard on yourself.

Don’t beat yourself up if you so happen to slacked in routine you have meticulously been following. For instance, if you missed one day to exercise, ate too much, ate junk food etc.

Research has shown that if you blame yourself continually over a mistake, you are most likely to repeat the mistake over again in the future.

Set mini-achievable goals.

Let your goals be reasonably achievable. Instead of thinking that you need to lose 20 pounds, think that you want to lose 1 to 2 pounds this week. Or, you could focus on non-pound goals such as skipping after-dinner snacks this week or only taking alcohol during weekends.

Reward yourself bountiful with something like a sports trip with a friend, a manicure or pedicure, a massage or a trip to the movies when you meet your mini-goals instead of with foods.

Give yourself a treat every now and then.

Once in a while, allow some reasonable indulgence; especially for special occasions. Only ensure that these “indulgences” don’t become daily habits.

Well, we have seen the open secrets to losing weight effectively. It’s not some very difficult stuff like rocket science. If you have the passion and your put your mind to it, you will sure succeed.