The Easy Way To Lose Weight

Open any magazine these days and you could be forgiven for believing that the only way to lose weight and get into shape is to dive headlong into a grueling fitness plan.

However they all make the same mistake of assuming that if you need to lose a little weight then you must also need to run a marathon or compete in a triathlon. Nothing could be further from the truth!

See, hard competition training and just getting into shape are at opposite ends of the fitness spectrum and never likely to meet. In the exercise and gym culture, one size most definitely doesn't fit all.

So if you are not training for the next Olympics, what can you do to shed pounds and get into shape? Quite simply, just undo all the things that got you into your recent situation.

Which for most folks was a double sin of eating too much of the wrong things and doing little or no exercise.

So it stands to reason that if you want to lose weight and feel fitter, you need to eat less of the bad foods and more of the good stuff. And get your body moving! All it takes is a little spare time and effort.

Start off gently, by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Forget the car for all those short journeys, going on foot is far healthier and you get to enjoy the scenery too. Take the dog with you and share some quality time. The whole point of this is to make you appreciate that exercise is a part of your daily routine, not some pain that you need to put yourself through as punishment for eating.

As you start to notice the benefits, just enhance your target little by little. Walk more often or increase your distance. Carry a rucksack with a small weight to add a little resistance to your routine.

Drinking a glass of water before every meal will make you feel full sooner as well as fending off dehydration. Water also helps to keep your digestive system regular so make sure that you drink plenty throughout the day.

By making a few minor changes to your diet and your lifestyle, you will soon start to feel more energetic, younger and a whole lot better. Now isn't that better than risking a heart attack on the squash court?

Take your exercise to the next level with your own home exercise equipment. Mark Heywoods website features tips for buying a treadmill to help you choose the best recommended treadmill for your requirements.

Lift Weight To Lose Weight

Have you lost weight on a diet, only to regain it? Do you know which exercises will help you lose weight and keep it off?

Strength training, also called lifting weights, is one of the most effective ways to lose weight and tone up.

Why is strength training such an effective exercise for weight loss?

You build lean muscle, which actively burns calories day and night.

When you strength-train, your body burns more calories after you finish exercising than cardio exercise alone would.

Your muscles stay challenged.

Your body gets toned and curvy, the way you want it to look.

Lean muscle versus fat.

The main component of the weight loss puzzle is the first point: strength-training develops lean muscle tissue in the body.

Muscle is always working. Muscle is always burning calories. To burn more calories, you should gain lean muscle tissue.

Unlike muscle, fat is inactive tissue. It just sits on your body, parked, taking up space, looking unattractive!

Starting a Strength Training program.

If you have no experience using weights or resistance equipment, you will want to hire a personal trainer or fitness instructor. They can develop a program to meet your goals, and show you how to exercise properly.

If you do not use the equipment properly, you can injure yourself. Plus, it is unlikely you will meet your goals if you use incorrect technique.

Reps, Sets and Weight.

The amount of weight you will use per each exercise depends on the muscles you are using. Larger muscles, like thighs and back muscles, can take more weight. Smaller muscles, like triceps and rotator cuff muscles, usually require lighter weight.

Always check the weight before attempting to lift it, when you use a weight stack machine!

After your have selected your weight (your amount of resistance, i.e.), next prepare to perform 8-10 repetitions. If you are not feeling challenged by your fourth repetition, then try the next heavier weight. It should feel quite difficult by the eighth repetition.

As you practice your new routine, you will be able to use more weight and do fewer repetitions.

Perform at least 2 sets of each exercise. After a few weeks of diligent practice, you may perform 3 sets of each exercise.

If you are comfortable with the exercises, you may prefer to do 4-8 repetitions per set instead of 8-10. Again, you should be feeling challenged by the fourth repetition of each exercise. Otherwise, the weight is too light for you.

Like any new habit to improve your health, surround yourself with experts who can answer your questions, and practice!

For articles, video and exercise programs for weight loss, Join the Members' Zone at http://www.SupportandCoaching.com

Nina Schnipper is a personal trainer and massage therapist in Basalt Colorado, at Higher Spa & Studio (http://www.HigherSpa.com). She specializes in post-pregnancy exercise, and natural therapies for pain relief and injury recovery.

When she's not relieving pain or creating stronger bodies, Nina enjoys hiking, camping, backpacking, running, full-moon snowshoe hikes, and bluegrass music.

Weight Loss Mistake #1: People Don't Research

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they decide to lose weight is not doing research. Even though it may seem like there is not much involved when it comes to losing weight, there are more details than you will probably ever know. By doing the proper amount of research into your situation, you will ensure yourself of coming up with the best results possible.

You will want to research your own current situation, which includes many different factors. First off, you will want to weigh yourself in order to determine how much weight you want to lose. Think about it; if you dont know how much weight you want to lose, how are you ever going to reach your goals?

After you find out how much you weigh, you will want to look into why you are overweight. Do you eat too much? Do you find yourself eating junk food at all times of the day? Did you stop working out on a regular basis? By finding out why you are overweight you will be able to determine how to best combat your problem.

After you are done looking at your own situation, you need to look externally to find ways to better lose weight. This can be the most difficult part of the whole process. There are tons of different weight loss solutions that are available. It is your job to find out which one will work best for you. If you think that you can lose the weight by going on a strict exercise regimen all you will need to do is join a gym. But if you feel that you need more help than that, you may want to try out one of the many diets that are available. By researching the diets that you can try, you will find out which one you will be able to best follow. Many people think that dieting consists of eating fewer calories. This is definitely true, but there are more ways than one to accomplish this. If you research each diet, and write down the advantages and disadvantages, you will give yourself the best chance of losing weight in the long run.

Researching your current situation may not be the most fun part of losing weight. But many people that skip this step find out that they are getting nowhere, and then have to start over at the beginning.

By putting in the appropriate hours of research you will ensure yourself of getting off on the right foot. Don't fall prey to one of this common mistake that people make when they are trying to lose weight. This mistake is easily avoidable, and it will save you a lot of time and aggravation in the long run!

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Know What to Eat To Lose Weight With More Food, Less Fat

Enjoying six meals a day boosts energy, builds muscle and sheds pounds!

By having six mini meals during the day, you can tame that hunger.

And your diet should blend protein and fiber rich complex carbohydrates -- not the bad kind of carbohydrate like white bread, donuts and
other junk foods.

The benefit of including protein and fiber in your diet is - it can give you a feeling of
being satisfactorily full, and prevent any cravings.

Remember, the key point to note is - controlling your hunger shrinks your gut!

Studies into obesity discovered that people who ate 6 meals,
ate 27 per cent less at their last meal than people who ate 2 meals containing
the same kilojoules.

Therefore consistent eating will keep your protein levels high, helping you build muscle.

However, the challenge is to keep your mini meals - mini!

Hence, it is critical that you do not over-eat.

But do you know what to eat to lose weight?

Here are some mini kilojoule meal ideas you can try to control the cravings :

Breakfast

- 460KJ : Latte with low-fat milk

- 1050KJ : Any way you like your eggs on a wholemeal English muffin with melted cheese

Mid Morning Snack

- 360KJ : 2 slices of reduce fat cheese

- 420KJ : Hard boiled egg with a handful of cherry tomatoes

Lunch

- 740KJ : Canned tuna with balsamic vinegar on multi grain crackers or bread

- 1240KJ : Tortilla wrap with 50g chicken breast,refried beans and salsa

Mid Afternoon Snack

- 670KJ : Reduced fat cheddar cheese melted on apple halves

- 1050KJ : one cup of low fat yogurt

Dinner

- 840KJ : 2 cups mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen) with half a cup marinara sauce and some grated Parmesan cheese

- 1160KJ : 3 or 4 large handfuls of greens, sauteed in olive oil with a handful of walnuts and half a cup of raisins

Evening snack

- 630KJ : 1 cup rice pudding

- 630KJ : 6 or 7 strawberries, dipped in yogurt and drizzled with chocolate sauce

- 630KJ : one cup of cocoa made with skim milk

There you have it - some mini meal ideas you can try during the day to avoid hunger but sustain energy.

Start your 6 mini meals a day now and know what to eat to lose weight.

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