Three Weight Loss Myths That You Need To Get Out Of Your Head Right Away

Every year millions of people perform research online and offline trying to find the best ways to lose weight. There is a ton of good information out there that has helped people become healthier. Unfortunately, there is also a plethora of bad ideas that are dangerously accepted as fact. They cannot all be covered in one piece but here are three of the biggest myths that you are going to want to look out for when you begin your weight loss journey.

Weightlifting Isn't As Helpful As Cardio

When most people think about losing weight they imagine waking up at six in the morning and running around the neighborhood for an hour. Now, it is true in most cases that cardiovascular exercise will burn more calories at a time when working out; but you really should focus on the long-term too. Did you know that for each pound of muscle that you add onto your body you burn 6 calories more per HOUR. That goes a LONG way towards burning weight and then keeping it off, which is what you should really want. Plus, muscle looks better than fat or just skin and bones. Weightlifting absolutely needs to be part of your routine.

Carbohydrates Are Bad For You

The Atkins diet (and bad information spread around by people who don't understand it very well) is to blame for this myth being introduced and perpetuated. Here's the thing: carbohydrates are not bad at all and actually are a crucial part of your daily nutrient intake. Carbohydrates are one of the body's main sources of fuel and energy. Among other things, carbohydrates also help to regulate the sugar levels within your cells, they help bacteria break down food in your stomach, and help your body absorb calcium. Of course if you are taking in too much it is going to be harmful, but cutting carbs out of your diet completely will be just as harmful. You have to find the healthy middle ground.

Healthy Food Is Expensive

This is one of the most popular myths that are out there. Some people will fight tooth and nail to make this point, even when you hold your grocery bills up against theirs and compare. How could expensive produce really end up being cheaper than the dollar menu? In reality, healthy food is actually just as inexpensive as long as you know the right kind to buy. Vegetables, for example, do not need to be bought fresh. Frozen vegetables have just as many nutrients and actually last longer than the fresh variety that you have to throw away after a few days. The same holds true for canned fruit. If you are a conscious shopper you WILL save money in the long run.

Keep these in mind when you are planning your diet and exercise regimens and you will do just fine. This is going to be a long journey; but by the time you reach your goal you will have a new lifestyle and feel so much better about yourself so stick with it!

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An Easy Plan For Sustained Weight Loss

Losing weight can be very difficult. The best way to lose weight, is to combine a healthy diet with a consistent exercise program. In this article we will examine one easy low- calorie diet, and an exercise program that could help you lose weight.

One of the best breakfasts for an individual trying to lose weight is oatmeal. Oatmeal is high in fiber, low in cholesterol, and low in calories. Oatmeal also provides crucial vitamins and minerals, which are very beneficial for weight loss. The benefits of oatmeal, are enhanced if mixed with antioxidant rich fruits, such as blueberries or raspberries.

Following up a healthy breakfast with a healthy lunch will help someone lose more weight. A salad with lettuce, carrots, and mushrooms is packed with vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals will speed up a person's metabolism, allowing them to lose weight faster.

Salad also can help the dieter to feel more full. This will cause the dieter to eat less- calories overall. It is important when eating salads, to not use high calorie dressings. Low calorie olive oil, is a much better option.

Adding lean meats to a diet, is very important for a dieter to lose weight. Lean meats have proteins that help people build muscles. Eating lean meats like chicken or fish, have the additional benefit of being low in calories.

Lean meats can be mixed in with the salad for lunch, or served for dinner. Having a small amount of lean chicken breast for dinner, will ensure that the dieter gets protein. Lean meats are also packed with iron, which help produce red blood cells.

A diet of oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch, and a lean meat for dinner is a great first step to lose weight. Those three foods are low in calories, curb hunger, and are packed with proteins, vitamins, and minerals. This diet will be boring for some, but it does help to melt pounds away.

In addition to eating oatmeal, salad, and lean meats, it is important to exercise. Weight training, and aerobic training should both be part of a dieter's exercise program.

Weight training or strength training, will help build muscle. By building stronger muscles, a dieter can burn calories faster. A person who trains, can burn calories even when he is sleeping.

An aerobic program combined with strength training, is a great weight loss combination. Aerobic exercise like running or walking, allows a dieter to burn calories, while using all the major parts of their body. Aerobic exercise provides more oxygen and blood to the heart. Combining aerobic exercise with weight lifting, allows for a dieter to burn the most calories possible.

Eating a healthy diet of oatmeal, salad, and lean meats combined with a consistent exercise program, will help a person lose weight. The foods in the diet are low in calories, packed with minerals, and contain protein and iron. A well balanced diet, and consistent exercise program, should ensure that a dieter loses weight consistently and safely.

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Incorrect Body Weight Loss

The single, most important thing about weight loss is the method. It all starts there. Results can be achieved with a number of different methods, and there is always more than one way to get from A to B, but the method you use to get there often contributes to whether or not you arrive.

Equally, there are some method to lose weight that are shortsighted, unlikely to work, or just plain dangerous.

The most popular, almost "tried and tested" method of weight loss is dieting. The problem with dieting is that it doesn't really work, and where people do manage to succeed with it, they often end up putting the weight back on, plus more, further down the road.

For me, dieting is just counter-intuitive. The key to losing weight is burning calories, not starving yourself of them. To burn calories, you need to have a fully functioning metabolism. If you can burn more calories in a day than you can eat, then you will start to lose weight.

This is where the misconception about dieting comes in. People think "Instead of burning more calories, I will just take fewer in".

Actually, this doesn't make sense. When you take fewer calories on board, your body doesn't have enough fuel to work properly, so it reduces the metabolism to compensate. You are taking less on, but you are also burning less.

There might end up being some weight loss at some point, but as soon as you start eating again, you put the weight back on rapidly.

Moreover, when your body does burn fat to turn it into fuel, it actually uses up protein first. If you are not eating enough to replace those proteins, all that will happen is you lose muscle mass, which does reduce your weight, but the fat will still be there underneath.

Eventually, you might be on of the lucky ones to hit their "target weight" using this method. Hooray! You can eat again! Now you are piling fat back on top of fat. This is not going to have a good outcome.

What is my solution?

It just makes sense to give your body the fuel it needs. I am not saying to go out and eat as much as you want, I am saying eat smart. There are healthy, nutritious foods out there that will give you everything you need, but for only 100-200 calories.

This is going to help keep your body working efficiently, burning calories and fat, but keep your muscle mass, only take on a few hundred calories, and not have to starve yourself in the process.

People who use this method not only find it easy to keep going, they tend to wind up healthier, and as a result they keep the weight off.

I'm not one to believe "My method is the best and everything else is terrible," but I do think it appears more like common sense than dieting. It makes sense to me that if you give your body what it NEEDS, it will function correctly, and will reach its ideal weight naturally.

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Dissecting Weight Loss Myths

One of the quickest ways to become discouraged when you are trying to lose weight is falling victim to many of the myths that are out there regarding diets and weight loss. All too often, people will talk themselves into believing a lot of the myths simply because they have heard them time and time again. Knowing the difference between a fact and a myth when you are trying to lose weight a live a healthier life will allow you to focus on your body and your overall health.

There are quite a few people out there who want to achieve weight loss who think that they need to work harder if they have more weight that they want to lose. While it is important to work hard at your weight loss goals, needing to shed a high number of pounds never means that you have to embark on a super intense workout plan. Implementing a well balanced diet along with a fitness routine that you can handle will help you to achieve the best possible results. This is why people who have quite a bit of weight to lose will often work with a personal trainer to help them put together a comprehensive weight loss and exercise plan.

There are people out there that try many diets that tell them that they can eat whatever they want. In reality, this couldn't be further from the truth. There is an old saying that you are what you eat. Remember this phrase and live by it as you are trying to achieve your desired weight loss. While it is a wonderful thought that you can eat whatever you want and trick your body into shedding pounds, this is a very rare occurrence. In order to maintain optimal fitness and lose the weight that you are fighting with, it is important that you practice portion control along with a well balanced diet filled with good, fresh foods.

Another common myth that people will fall victim to when they are on a weight loss journey is that they can starve themselves and lose weight. It is important to remember that this is never the case. Leaving yourself without healthy calories and going hungry is only going to make you feel unhealthy and out of energy. Your body needs a certain amount of calories each day in order to function properly. Instead of trying to cut out foods altogether, it is important that you simply take notice of the types of foods that you are eating. Instead of reaching for a muffin in the morning, grab a piece of fresh fruit and so on.

No matter what your plans are for weight loss, you can have the success that you deserve as long as you do not fall victim to the many myths that are out there about losing weight. Get onto a plan that works for you, even if you start by taking baby steps. Your ultimate goal is your own health and your weight loss journey is your own personal path.

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When To Select Body Weight Reduction Surgery

Obesity runs in my family. It's not an excuse, but it is certainly the truth. I believe that I was pre-destined for obesity, partly due to genetics, and partly due to overindulgence. My mother, sister and I are all obese. Several of my aunts, uncles and cousins are also overweight. So, I am not alone in my plight. I have tried every diet you can name in the 53 years I have lived on this Earth, and not one of them has helped me to keep off any weight that I have lost.

I have finally decided to get serious about my weight problem. By getting serious, I am talking about weight loss surgery. I have not decided what type of surgery I want as of yet, but I am leaning toward the Lap Band, due to its less invasive nature, and easy reversal. I am wary of having my stomach stapled, or having most of it removed. I like that the lap band can be adjusted as needed, and requires minimal hospital stay.

The reasons I have for choosing weight loss surgery are many.The most persuasive to me have been the following:

Health Issues

I have several health issues that make weight loss surgery a wise choice for me. My BMI, or body mass index, is 58. This puts me well above the required BMI of 40 in order to qualify for the lap band. I have mild hypertension, sleep apnea, severe osteoarthritis in my hips, knees and hands. Most importantly, I feel that without this surgery, I will die at an early age due to complications from obesity.

Appearance

I do not care much what others think of me. I still have rather high self-esteem. However, I do wish to improve my appearance mostly for myself, but for my husband and children as well. At 430 pounds, I am not as attractive as I once was. I believe that all people should take pride in how they look, and just do the best they can. For me, that means getting fit, and losing weight.

Activity

I used to be an active woman. As a young adult, I was an avid ice skater. I loved hiking, fishing, camping and yard work. All of my most-loved activities are now impossible. I walk with a cane due to my arthritis, which will most likely improve once I lose weight. Also, I would like to be able to join my family in their activities, instead of opting out with a headache, or other non-existent ailment.

As you can see, I have many valid reasons to consider weight loss surgery. I have many years ahead of me if I can lose the weight, and get healthy. Many people scoff at those who choose weight loss surgery, claiming that they are taking the "easy way out." I disagree. Surgery is never easy, and those who undergo this type of surgery must still watch what they eat, and change their eating habits. I know it will not be an easy road, but it is a road I feel I must travel.

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The Top Five Things You Shouldn't Do When You're Trying To Lose Weight

If you want to lose weight in a healthy manner and with long-term results, where you lose weight for good, there are some things you need to do or not do in order to achieve it. Below are some things you should NOT be doing when you're trying to lose weight.

1. Making yourself go hungry

If you do it long enough, losing weight by not eating or eating very little is counterproductive. For one, the body will go on crisis mode and will conserve the energy it has by slowing down your metabolism. When you get back to eating regularly your body, because it's on crisis mode, lessens the amount of calories that it burns and stores the rest as fat. Other than slowing your metabolism, however, not eating properly is detrimental to your health because it deprives your body of the necessary nutrients to function properly.

2. Snacking on processed foods

Processed foods have sodium content that causes your body to retain water instead of expelling unnecessary liquids. You'd be surprised but when you lose water weight, you can actually lose up to two pounds. So, stop eating cookies, chips, spam and other processed foods. If you feel the urge to snack, binge on fruit instead.

3. Letting your mind go wild

Your mind can be your own worst enemy when it comes to losing weight. Weight loss takes time and if you don't quiet your mind so that you're able to control your eating habits and patiently wait for the results, nothing's ever going to happen, or you'll circle around the same cycle of losing weight and gaining it right back. So, relax and meditate and, more importantly, visualize your ideal end results. There are many meditation programs out there like the Silva Method. Try one of them and don't stop until you see results.

4. Constantly weighing yourself

The problem with our culture nowadays is that people want instant results, but this simply isn't possible when it comes to weight loss. Your body needs time to process your actions to put out the appropriate results. If you're trying to lose weight naturally by using diet plans, you should be patient enough to wait eight weeks before standing on the weighing scale.

5. Not seeking out a support group

Did you know that any goal is more easily achieved when you have a support group? Think of Alcoholics Anonymous and other anonymous groups. Being overweight is a condition that's being experienced by millions of people, yet people who are trying to lose weight usually do it alone and anguish in the process. Make your efforts more fun, and let others learn from you, by seeking support. Search for a support group online and regularly contribute.

Like anything else, losing weight is a goal worth pursuing. In nature, no animal is ever overweight. That said, the natural state of your body is perfect. Always keep that in mind if you have serious doubts that you can lose weight. Yes, you can, however, you have to do things in a certain way in order for things to change.

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Different Efficient Ways To Get In Shape

Are you looking for a way to get in shape? You can reach a healthy weight by adopting an efficient weight loss system. Go over the following article to learn more about different efficient ways to get in shape.

How much weight do you want to lose? Start by figuring out a healthy weight for your size and age. If you are not sure how much you should weigh, meet with a doctor or with a nutritionist. Your goal should be to lose one or two pounds a week. Losing weight at a faster pace is not a healthy solution.

Find a way to stay motivated. You should make a list of the reasons why you want to get in shape. Reward yourself when you get good results, for instance by buying new clothes. Avoid rewarding yourself with food. Following your weight loss program will be easier if you find new foods you really love and have fun with your fitness program. If possible, find some friends who want to lose weight too so you can exercise together.

Try introducing new healthy foods to your diet. If you do not get five fruits or vegetables a day, introducing more fruits and vegetables in your diet should be a priority. Go to the grocery store more often and look for fruits and vegetables that look appetizing. If you do not like a vegetable right away, try different ways to cook it. You should also try juicing so you can have a couple of glasses of juice a day to get your five portions of fruits and vegetables.

Be more careful with the portions you eat. If you tend to overeat, put less food on your plate and try eating slowly. Avoid distractions so you can stop as soon as you are full. If you always feel the need to snack between meals, try having several smaller meals during your day. Have five small meals at regular hours or even six.

Be active for at least thirty minutes a day. Going for a walk is a great way to burn calories after eating. If you cannot go for a walk, find an activity you can do to get some light exercise. You could for instance clean your house, play in the backyard with your children or work on a home improvement project.

Work out twice a week to tone your body. You should start by developing your core muscles, for instance by doing some sit ups and some crunches. Once working out becomes easier, try exercising more frequently. Add some cardio exercises to your fitness workouts so you can burn a large amount of calories. Look for exercises you really enjoy so you look forward to working out. Join a gym if you need help with your fitness program.

These tips will help you reach a healthy weight in a reasonable time frame. Use what you just read to develop your own weight loss program and you will soon get the body you always wanted.

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Monitoring Your Body Weight Loss Progress

One of the most important aspects of weight loss that many people forget is that they should track their progress. There are several reasons why you should do this, but the most important is being able to see what your work is doing to your body. There is no better way to stay motivated than watching yourself shrink into the body that you desire. Here are some ways to track your weight loss progress.

The most common and easiest way to see your weight loss progress is by weighing yourself. This is simple to do with a scale. Electric scales tend to work best as the traditional scales can be easily tipped or thrown off causing numbers to vary greatly. You should weight yourself once a week. Anymore than that can become obsessive and can negatively impact your goals. You need to weigh yourself the same way on the same day every week. For example, if you plan on wearing a shirt during the process, make sure you always do that at every weigh in on the same day every week. The best time to weigh yourself is after you wake up before you drink or eat anything. Make sure you keep a written log of your numbers in a notebook, on a calendar, etc.

Another common way to track your weight loss progress is by taking measurements. This is not as simple as weighing yourself, but it's still fairly easy to do. Use a tape measure that can be wrapped around your body to measure yourself. Like weigh ins, do this once every week. You should measure your waist, thighs, chest, and arms. It's not important where you take the measurements, but you must be consistent. If you take a measurement of a certain spot on one of those areas, make sure you do that every time you measure yourself every week. The best time to do measurements is first thing after you wake up and on an empty stomach. Doing it afterwards can change the measurements and throw of the numbers.

You can also track your progress by taking photos. This is a great way to see how far you have come and how far you have left to go. Sometimes, numbers only go so far. When you can actually see the weight loss, you can get a real sense of accomplishment. It's also a lot of fun to see how your body has changed over time because of your efforts. Unlike the other two progress-tracking methods, you should stick to doing this once a month.

Seeing the results of all of your hard work involved with your weight loss can make you feel that you are gaining a better body, better health, and ultimately, a better life. Some people like to go by numbers and some like to go by looks. No matter which way you prefer, tracking your weight loss can help you stay motivated so that you can reach your goals in no time.

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