Increase Fat Loss by Setting Goals

By Ross Harrison

Setting goals is unquestionably one of the most useful ways to create and maintain high levels of motivation, but it only works if the goals are appropriate for your ability level. Goals need to be both challenging and attainable; otherwise they can hurt your motivation and impede long-term progress.

If you set goals that are unrealistic or unattainable, you may start feeling as though you are failing when you are actually making progress. For example, if your goal is to lose 5 pounds of fat in a week (unrealistic for almost everyone), and you end up losing 1 pound of fat, you think you failed and lose motivation. In actuality a 1 pound fat loss is realistic for most people and this achievement means you are on the way to reaching your ultimate goal.

On the other hand if your goals are too easy, you may complete every one but you won’t have a sense of accomplishment, especially after your initial successes. If you don’t feel as though you had to overcome an obstacle or apply more effort than usual, it will not increase or even sustain your motivation. In general the more difficult it is to accomplish a goal, the more motivating it will be. This is one reason why it is so important to choose the right goals.

In addition to having challenging yet attainable goals, you also need to have different types of goals, specifically short, intermediate, and long-term goals. You should start by figuring out your long-term goals, because they will determine your short and intermediate-term goals.

Long-term goals can be anything you want to achieve that requires effort over an extended period of time. They can take anywhere from a few months to many years to complete or they can even be things you want to work on throughout your lifetime. Goal setting is all about formulating a path to success and a long-term goal represents the end point of the path. You should always know where you want to end up before trying to figure out how to get there.

The next step is to develop intermediate-term goals, which should represent important milestones that occur on the way to reaching the long-term goal. For example, if someone weighs 200 pounds with 40% body fat and has a long-term goal of weighing 150 pounds with 25 % body fat, they could have intermediate-term goals such as weighing 175 pounds or getting down to 35% body fat.

Whatever your intermediate-term goals are, they should be important to you. They frequently involve doing things that you have not done for a while, such as fitting into a particular piece of clothing or achieving a physical feat (e.g. finishing a half marathon). Reaching these milestones will provide you with a sense of accomplishment and reinforce the fact that you are making significant progress towards long-term goals.

There is no universal rule about how many intermediate-term goals you should have, but if you expect to take a long time to reach your ultimate goal, you should have more intermediate-term goals. After you determine your intermediate-term goals, you should write them down in the order in which you expect to reach them. If done correctly you should have a good idea of what it will take to get from where you are to where you want to be.

For many people this is the first time where they really start believing their long-term goals are attainable, because they can visualize a path to success. The next step is then to estimate how long it will take to reach each of the intermediate-term goals. In general, intermediate-term goals can be spaced from a few weeks to a few months apart.

Now that you have long and intermediate goals, you need to create some short-term goals. These will make up the majority of your goal-setting program and they should occur frequently and be relatively easy to accomplish. Unlike your other goals, short-term goals are less about developing a sense of accomplishment and more about creating positive habits and taking the small steps necessary to reach your intermediate and long-term goals.

Additionally, short-term goals don’t have to be planned out far into the future, because they change frequently. Also, many of these goals will be reoccurring, such as drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day or exercising at least 4 times per week. Once the recurring goal becomes an everyday habit, it can be removed from your goal list, as long as you maintain the habit.

Short-term goals are also useful for stopping bad habits that will impair your results. It is a good idea to look at your intermediate and long-term goals and figure out the potential roadblocks in your path to success. Then create short-term goals to deal specifically with those problems.

For example, if you have trouble losing fat due to eating a lot of junk food before bed, try thinking of some simple things you can improve. If you typically sit down with a bag of chips and start eating, an easy change is to take a couple handfuls of chips and put them on a plate instead of taking the bag with you. This will improve portion control and decrease the calories that you store as fat. You do not have make drastic changes and over time you can become stricter. In this case, you could change your goals from 2 handfuls to 1 or even replace the chips with a healthier food.

Short-term goals should be specific. If you are trying to improve your eating habits, having goals such as not having any sugar for the whole day or not having any fried food for three days are much better than just having a goal to eat better over the next week. Having specific goals makes it easier to monitor your progress and determine if you need to change your goals.

Creating appropriate and effective goals requires thought and effort. It may be difficult at first, but once you figure out your initial long, intermediate, and short-term goals, making adjustments to improve them will be much easier.

Goal setting is without a doubt one of the greatest tools you can use for increasing motivation and success, but there is one additional requirement for goal setting to be effective. You must understand what is necessary to get from where you are now to where you want to go. Sometimes this is easy, but in the case of health, fitness, and especially fat loss, what you believe you need to do may be very different from what you actually should to do.

For instance, there are still many people who believe that the fewer calories they eat, the more fat they will lose. Cutting calories can help you lose fat, but if you do not eat enough, your body will stop burning fat for energy and burn muscle instead. This is one of the worst things that can happen if you are trying to achieve long-term fat loss. If short-term goals are created under the assumption that fat loss is maximized by extreme caloric reduction, then intermediate and long-term fat loss goals will probably never be achieved.

If you are knowledgeable about health and fitness, then get started right away and find out how much you will benefit from setting appropriate goals. Otherwise it would be a good idea to learn more about exercise, nutrition, and other topics that are integral to your success. You can take the time to learn on your own or you might want to hire a personal trainer, nutritional expert, or other fitness professional to help get you started.

Ross Harrison, CSCS, NSCA-CPT is a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, and nutritional consultant who teaches people how to lose weight, get in shape, and improve their quality of life with exercise and nutrition. For more information or to sign up for his free health and fitness newsletter containing tons of useful information, visit precisionhealth-fitness.com.

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How to Cut Your Workout Time in Half & Lose More Weight

By Craig Ballantyne

The #1 reason for not working out is a lack of time.

If you get up at 5:30am to drive an hour to work, only to get home at 6pm and then have to launch right into carting the kids around, who can blame you for not working out? Not when it takes 45 minutes to do cardio, and another 30-45 minutes for isolation bodybuilding workouts.

If that’s the way you have to exercise to lose fat, then practically no normal person is going to be able to pull that off.

But when you look at the science, you’ll see that you can get more results in less time. You just have to increase the intensity of the workout, but at the same time, you can cut your workout time in half (or more!).

I am convinced that an effective fat loss workout can be done in 45 minutes or less, and that long, slow, excruciatingly boring cardio is not necessary for you to get the body you want. Please, read on…

Here are the details on the superiority of interval training when compared to traditional aerobic exercise:

Q: What is the role of interval training vs. steady state aerobics in a fat loss program?

Answer: Interval training is more important than cardio. First of all, it gets more results in less time. And with “lack of time” being the number one reason most people do not participate in a training program at all, clearly intervals are the winner here.

Now let’s just assume that lack of time is not a problem. Well, interval training is still more effective because it applies more “turbulence” to the muscle. Or in scientific terms, interval training results in a greater metabolic stress on the muscle.

And that causes more calories to be burned in the important 23.5 hours per day when you are not exercising.

From there, the muscle must work to recover, repair, and replenish the energy that was used in the training. It is much more metabolic work for the muscle to recover from interval training (and strength training) than it is to recover from aerobic training.

Therefore, in the post-exercise period, interval training results in more calories burned.

In fact, I just read a new study from Australia that shows interval training is superior to slow cardio for fat loss.

The researchers, Trapp & Boutcher put WOMEN through a 15 week study where one group was a control, one group did intervals (20 minutes of alternating sprints and recovery), and one group did 40 minutes of slow cardio.

The interval group lost 2.5kg of fat in 15 weeks on average (with one subject losing 7.7kg of fat), while the slow cardio group lost only 0.4kg of fat over 15 weeks on average.

The results speak for themselves.

So don’t get hung up on how many calories are burned during a training session with aerobic training. That is not nearly as important as how many total calories your body burns over the course of the day - and you will burn more with interval training.

And for those that subscribe to the fat burning zone as being important, again, you aren’t looking at the big picture (the 24-hour calorie burning period). Instead, those that believe in the importance of the fat-burning zone have a myopic view of how the body works.

The same message applies to those people that live and die by the cardio on an empty stomach method. You’re “nickel and dime-ing” the fat loss process, when really it’s a much bigger budget to balance.

Look at the big picture. Get your nutrition in order, then focus your workouts on brief, intense strength and interval training workouts that increase your metabolism for the next 24 hours.

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 Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, 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 www.TurbulenceTraining.com

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Which Feels Better A Manicure Or A Fabulous Fit Body - You Decide

By Kim Jamieson

I was at the salon recently and made this observation. I am astonished that people take better care of their nails, than they do their bodies. What is wrong with American people? They are not concerned with their health and wellness, but seem very concerned about chipped and polished nails. Why do they take care of their nails and go weekly to the salon for their manicures and pedicures, but would never set foot in the gym, or do any physical exercise to improve their health and well being. Do they think that people look at their nails, before they notice their fat, unfit, unhealthy bodies? They are wrong. People are very critical of each other, and notice everything about each other. I think it is about time that we put the same amount of time and energy into our bodies each week, as we do our manicures and pedicures.

To do this we first need to change our mind set. Trust me, if you feel good with a manicure and pedicure, imagine how GREAT you will feel when your body looks fit, healthy, and you feel trim and self confident. I do not want to forget to mention how your life will change and you will start to soar in every aspect of your life.

So let me lay the foundation:

-You must change your mindset. You must work for it and not wish for it. It is not a pill or magic fat melting potion. You need to do some form of exercise each day, even if it is a quick brisk walk.

-You must eat properly. If you eat junk you look like junk, and feel like junk. This is what I recommend. -Each day you’re going to rely on the right carbs, protein, fat, and this will enable you to live happily without the bad carbs, processed sugar and bad fat. As a result you are going to get healthy and loose weight.

-You will eat normal size portions of meat, chicken, fish, turkey (remember most peoples portions are too large). A normal sized portion is the size of the palm of your hand. -You’ll have plenty of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts. -Salads. -No bread for two weeks while you rid yourself of your sugar addiction.

-You will be eating low glycemic index foods for two weeks

-Sample Daily Menu: Breakfast: 2 eggs (protein) 1 small V8 Snack: 1 skim Mozzarella stick Lunch: Sliced Chicken Breast on a bed of mixed greens W/olive oil dressing Snack: 8-12 Almonds Dinner: Grilled Salmon with fresh grilled Asparagus Dessert: Ricotta Cheese with Cinnamon and sugar substitute

-You must hydrate. For some people it is difficult to drink water but this is a must do. Your body is at least 60-70% water, it is your source of life. Water will increase your metabolism, as much as 3%. It will also move nutrients throughout your body and to your tissues. Water flushes out toxins, and pollutants, and keeps your skin soft, hydrated. It is very easy to tell if you are drinking enough water and that your body is hydrated. If your urine looks like beer, than you need to drink more water. It should be crystal clear. -You must be consistent, and never give up. This is difficult but you can do it!

Let’s stop taking better care of our nails than our bodies. With a little work, determination and the right mind set you will achieve great health and wellness. Let your body shine brighter than your nails.

Kimberly Jamieson www.healthypainfreeliving.com has achieved success in living and maintaining a healthy fit lifestyle and has helped thousands achieve this success by using her fitness, diet, lifestyle and motivation tips. She is committed to helping others achieve ultimate health and wellness.

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Eat These Specific Foods To Raise Your Metabolism and Help Burn Body Fat

By Michael Huddleston

Here’s a list of specific foods that raise your metabolism and help burn body fat.

Cayenne Pepper -

Oxford Polytechnic Institute proved that cayenne pepper stimulates the metabolism approximately 20%. It not only stimulates the body’s metabolic rate, but also cleans fat out of the arteries. Cayenne pepper also adds great zip to foods such as spaghetti sauce and soups.

Salsa -

Salsa was proven at the Oxford Institute to stimulate the metabolism approximately 15 to 20%. It’s also America’s number 1 condiment now. You can throw it on anything from baked potatoes and scrambled eggs to beans and even veggies. It’s going to help because it is a natural thermogenic food that increases your metabolism. Of course, the hotter the better, but only choose what best suits your taste buds.

Hot Peppers -

Dr. Henry at Oxford University proved that hot peppers were very effective at stimulating the metabolism by adding just 3 grams of chili peppers to a meal consisting of 766 calories. The peppers led to what Dr. Henry calls “a diet-induced thermo effect”. “It doesn’t take much”, he says, “but I caution that you must listen to your taste buds.”

Chili Sauce / Mustard -

British investigators added about 3/5 of a teaspoon of hot chili sauce or ordinary mustard to a meal, and the hot stuff caused average metabolism in 12 subjects to shoot up 25%! The subjects burned off an extra 45 calories in the next 3 hours. Mustard and hot sauces such as Tabasco, caused one person to burn off 76 calories!

Ice Water -

High water intake reduces fat deposits and rids the body of toxins. Simply drinking eight 16 oz. glasses of water throughout the day, cooled to 40 Fahrenheit, will burn 200 calories; that’s equivalent to running 3 miles! Ice water will burn more calories since your metabolism will increase to warm the water to body temperature. It is also very effective for reducing cravings. If you’re not a water fan, we suggest you experiment with purified, spring or reverse osmosis water. If you’re still not convinced, add a little juice for flavor. Don’t drink Ice Water with meals as it dilutes digestive enzymes. A little warm water or herb tea is a good choice then.

Green Tea (Iced or Hot) -

Studies have shown that green teas that contain both Cannatic Extract and Gymnemic Acid, reduce absorption of sugar into the blood, and lessen the craving for sweets. More importantly, green tea inhibits the action of amylase, a primary digestive enzyme of carbohydrates and therefore, moves food more quickly through the digestive system, raising the metabolism quicker, and burning more calories. Green tea is best consumed before a meal to aid digestion. Other advantages include links to cancer prevention and health benefits for people with diabetes.

Apple Cider Vinegar Drink -

An excellent fat burner, apple cider vinegar assists in the reduction of excess weight. Make a potent cocktail consisting of: 1 % teaspoons of apple cider vinegar (unpasturized) in a glass of pure water. Take twice daily.Organic apple cider vinegar has the best flavor. Apple cider vinegar has received glowing reports from both Patricia Bragg MD, Ph.D. and C. Scott. If a person who is too stout takes 1 teaspoon in a glass of water first thing in the morning and then during one other meal, he/she observes that in 2 months his/her waistline has been reduced by 1 inch. In 4 months, 2 inches and so on. Inch loss is evident but it does not always reduce weight.

The cider vinegar treatment will allow surplus fat to gradually disappear, whether it is a double chin or love handles. It is best to drink for 2-3 weeks, then go off for a week, so your body does not become immune to it. Works great for plateaus! Do not use this drink if you have Candidias.

* Thermogenic Cocktail - According to a group of Oxford researchers, hot spices can boost your metabolism by an extra 25%! A thermogenic cocktail, for instance, cayenne pepper, will assist your body not only by burning off calories, but will also give you more energy. An excellent thermogenic cocktail is a glass of V-8 or tomato juice sprinkled with cayenne and tobassco. Stir with a celery stick. Now your body is going to be cremating calories.

Not all fat burning foods have to be hot, though. Vegetables (preferably raw) and most fruits also increase your metabolism. Okay, maybe you haven’t been too keen on veggies in the past, but many of them are very tasty and some fruits are as sweet as candy. All vegetables are good, but the most effective for flushing out the system are the following:

Cabbage -

Red or green cabbage should be shredded, raw or steamed. Start including cabbage in your diet as it is a longevity food. Studies in the United States, Greece and Japan have shown that people who eat a lot of cabbage are less likely to develop colon cancer, and also have a lower incidence of disease-related death. Try coleslaw instead of green salad with your next meal.

Celery -

Celery takes more energy from the body to absorb and digest than the calories it provides. Celery has also long been used as a nerve tonic; it’s a good, crunchy raw vegetable to chew on if you are stressed out. Celery will calm your nerves, help flush fat out of your system, and make you sleep better. Try eating celery with low-fat yogurt dip.

Brussel Sprouts -

If you are a fan of these mini cabbages, you are in luck. Dr. Wattenburg’s research concluded that brussel sprouts are an ultra-nutritious vegetable, extremely high in vitamin C and richer in protein than any other vegetable. Dr. Wattenburg recorded that healthy young people given a diet rich in brussel sprouts and cabbage improved the functioning of their metabolic systems.

Broccoli and Cauliflower -

Both broccoli and cauliflower rank number 1 as America’s favorite vegetable, according to a poll by the Epcot Center. Your bones will love them, as they are one of the few calcium-containing vegetables. A cup of broccoli provides over 150 mg of calcium. Broccoli and cauliflower are both great in stir-fries or casseroles.

Lemon or Vinegar -

A small amount of vinegar or lemon juice (1 tablespoon), because of its acidity has a powerful slowing effect on stomach emptying, thereby slowing down the rate of starch digestion. Have a glass of water with lemon in the morning. It’s a great way to keep your blood sugar balanced.

Vinaigrette Dressing -

A vinaigrette dressing (1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 teaspoons of oil) with your salad can lower the blood sugar response to the whole meal by up to 30 percent. Best vinegars for this are red or white wine vinegars. For other delicious low­fat salad dressings, please refer to my 201 Fat Burning Recipe Book.

Apples -

A low-glycemic, low-insulin food loaded with pectin, apples leave you feeling fuller, longer. According to Dr. James Anderson, apples prevent hunger pains by guarding against dangerous swings or drops in your blood sugar levels. An average-sized apple provides only 81 calories and lowers blood sugar and blood pressure. Because of their high fiber content, apples are also a heart-healthy food.

Grapefruit -

Grapefruit is not a diet myth. It actually helps dissolve fat and high cholesterol, as proven at the University of Florida, by Dr. James Cerda. Grapefruits are loaded with over 15 grams of pectin, which helps curb your appetite by expanding in the body and making you feel fuller, longer. It is rich in natural galacturonic acid, which adds to the potential to fight fat and cholesterol. Try sprinkling cinnamon on your grapefruit to reduce the tart taste, or a little fructose if you have a sweet tooth. For a unique taste, sprinkle the grapefruit with cinnamon and broil for a few minutes; it makes a nice appetizer for a meal.

Berries -

Berries are one of the best rate reduction foods. They have a natural fructose to satisfy your cravings for sweets, but enough fiber so you can absorb fewer calories than you eat. British researchers found that the high content of insoluble fiber, found in most berries and vegetables, reduces the absorption of calories from foods enough to promote weight loss, without hampering your nutrition. Berries are also an excellent source of potassium which is effective for your blood pressure control. Enjoy berries; they make a great dessert when topped with low-fat yogurt. In the summer, drink fresh berry juice with

a protein powder, for a light snack. .

Due to their high glycemic measure, fruits to consume only occasionally include:

Apricots - Raisins - Watermelon - Papaya - Bananas - Mango

In large quantities, these fruits drive your blood sugar to the sky, but they are fine to mix in with a salad or be eaten with other foods, to help neutralize the glycemic effect.

On the other hand, the following foods actually slow digestion and absorption for a more balanced blood sugar level. The fiber from these fruits also binds with some fat to prevent its absorption. High fiber foods are beneficial for speeding up bowel transit time and to taking some stress off the liver as less toxins form, allowing the body to metabolize more efficiently.

Apples - Berries - Cherries - Grapes - Grapefruit - Oranges - Peaches - Pears

Fatty Fish -

Fighting fat with fat may sound paradoxical, but not all fats make people fat. Omega 3 fatty acids, found in salmon, mackerel, tuna and other fatty fish, can increase the metabolic rate, rid the body of excess fluids and increase energy levels. Dr. Joel Krener, University of Florida, discovered that daily supplements of EPA (found in health food stores) brought dramatic relief for inflammation and stiff joints from rheumatoid arthritis. Other essential fats for a healthy metabolism are Omega 6 fatty acids, especially Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). Good sources are evening primrose oil, borage seed oil and black current oil. If you are not a fish lover, fish oil capsules and flaxseed (either in seed form or as an oil) are great sources of Omega 3 essential fat. In fact, flaxseed may play a role in the prevention of heart disease and cancer. You can also use flaxseed oil as a salad dressing.

Soup -

Forget the salad before a meal; have soup instead. A study by Dr. John Foreyt of Baylord College of Medicine, found that people who consumed a bowl of soup before lunch or dinner lost more weight than dieters who didn’t. This is because soup fills you up better than salad, since salad generally consists of 75% water.

Oatmeal -

Oats drive down cholesterol. 23 out of 25 studies prove that a large bowl of oatmeal did the job. Oatmeal is a great, long chain molecule food that expands in the body and makes you feel fuller, longer. Oatmeal also releases glucose into the blood stream, slowly but surely. Add buckwheat to your bowl and you’ll get a double whammy.

Pumpernickel Bread -

Studies at Michigan State University show that some breads reduce the appetite and others did just the opposite. The reason for these study results is that white and whole-wheat varieties are high on the glycemic index, and elevate the blood sugar greatly, which in turn stimulates fat production in storage.

Breads that are dense, high fiber breads, do just the opposite. Researchers found that subjects who ate dark, high fiber breads, compared to those who ate white bread, were less hungry on a daily basis and

- lost five pounds in just two months without doing anything else differently.

A key to choosing dark breads, such as pumpernickel, mixed grains and some whole-wheat’s, is that the more chewing the bread requires, the more density and fiber it contains. If the bread melts in your mouth, it is a high glycemic food.

www.carbohydrate-guide.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Huddleston

               

Summer Fat Burning Tips

By Gregg Gillies

Summer is a great time to easily burn extra calories and finally lose the weight you’ve been wanting to get rid of for a long time.

Forget the stationary bike, the elliptical trainer or the treadmill. Get out of the gym and into the fresh air. Take advantage of the fat burning weather by participating in great outdoor cardio activities like tennis, basketball, walking, jogging, swimming, road biking or in-line skating.

You’ll find that participating in exercises like this won’t even feel like working out. You’ll enjoy yourself, the time will fly by, and you’ll most likely burn more calories than if you were sitting on a stationary bike in the gym.

The summer months are also a great time to take advantage of your cross training possibilities to keep from getting bored. You can pick a few different activities, like the one’s mentioned above.

There’s a whole lot more where they came from; fat burning cardio activities like backpacking, mountain biking, volleyball, and rock climbing.

Enjoyable outdoor fitness programs can really help to melt away the pounds and you’ll enjoy yourself while your at it. That’s an unbeatable combination.

Here’s a sample week of outdoor cross training cardio program for fat loss:

Week 1

Monday: Walk for 40 minutes

Tuesday: Jog for 20 minutes

Wednesday: Play tennis for an hour

Thursday: Road bike for 40 minutes

Friday: In-line skating for 40 minutes

Saturday: An hour of hiking

Sunday: Road bike for 30 minutes

This is just a sample of what an outdoor cardio plan could look like for you. The activities will depend on your likes and dislikes and the length of the sessions will have to do with the current state of your cardio conditioning.

As you get accustomed to your routine, try increasing the time you spend on certain activities, depending on your fat loss goals.

The more intense your exercise session the more calories you will burn. In other words, the harder you work, the better you’re going look. But remember, there’s a tipping point. You need to find that balance between frequency, duration and intensity. Overtraining will stop your progress cold.

There are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. If you burn 500 calories a day through exercise, you’ll lose a pound of fat per week. This is true IF you were burning the same amount of calories you were taking in each day before adding the exercise regimen.

Consider implementing some outdoor activities while the weather is nice and you’ll be surprised at the extra calories you burn because you’re having fun while exercising.

Gregg Gillies has a blog at www.tnafitness.com where you can get his new fat loss, muscle building and overall fitness tips.

His muscle building and fat loss articles have appeared in Ironman Magazine. He has written two books and is a regular contributor to Body Talk Magazine. Grab a copy of his free ebook Fat Loss Secrets Revealed! at www.fatlosssecretsrevealed.com

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Fat Loss Eating Plans - What Should You Look For?

By Jason Conley

The way your metabolisms works is largely based on how you eat. It only follows then that if you change the way you eat, you can change your metabolism. Fat loss eating plans are not a new concept. There have been hundreds or thousands of diet plans that tell you exactly what to eat, but if you’ve ever tried a no carb diet, or a no fat diet, or if you’ve ever been desperate enough to try the grapefruit diet, then you know they are not a long term solution for most people. It seems that everyone has a different opinion on how to lose weight, but there are a few things that almost all experts agree on. When you are on a fat loss eating plan, you must do several things. You must eat four to eight meals a day. You must drink lots of water, and you must start now.

One big mistake people make when tying to lose weight is going to far in cutting the amount they eat. They skip meals, and then wonder why they aren’t losing weight. The truth is, skipping meals is one of the worst ways to lose weight. By skipping meals, you are putting your body into “starvation mode” and it will try to store as much energy as it can. Of course the way the body stores energy is as fat. By eating small meals throughout the day, you keep your metabolism high because it takes energy to break down the food. Frequent meals also help to regulate your insulin levels. Excess insulin can lead to increased fat. When selecting your fat loss eating plan, be sure it recommends four or more meals a day.

This doesn’t mean you can eat unhealthy foods all day. You will still need to eat the right foods, foods that have been determined to be easy for your body to metabolize fully. Because these foods are easy for your body to convert into energy, it will break them down quickly.

Another mistake people make is not drinking enough water. Drinking more water does several things. First, it keeps you from retaining water. Much like skipping meals makes your body retain fat, not drinking water makes your body retain the water that it does get. Drinking water also helps you feel full. If you drink a glass of water before eating, you will fill fuller faster. Water is also necessary for your kidneys perform properly. Good kidney function is important to weight loss because if the kidneys can’t perform efficiently, the liver has to help them out. If the liver is busy helping the kidneys, it can’t perform its task of converting stored fat into energy. If you haven’t been drinking enough water for a while, it will take your body a few days to adjust. You may find yourself heading for the restroom a lot. As your body adjusts, you will not have to go as often. Any fat loss eating plan should include lots of water, as much as a gallon a day for men, and three quarts a day for women.

A final mistake for people wanting to lose weight is procrastination. On Thursday, you’ll start after the weekend. On Monday the gang is going out to lunch. On Wednesday, you’ll wait one more day. On Thursday, you’ll start after the weekend. When you realize that in less than two of those cycles, less than two weeks, you could be 11 pounds lighter, you may decide that it isn’t worth putting off. The only way you are going to make a dramatic change in your appearance and in your life is to start today. Next month, don’t look back and wish you had started losing weight a month ago. When looking for a fat loss eating plan, select one that is easy to use and follow so you don’t have an excuse for putting it off.

With all the fat loss eating plans available, it is important to select one that uses scientific principals, not just the latest fads. If the plan you are considering doesn’t recommend a variety of foods your body can easily metabolize and drinking plenty of water, you need to keep looking. If the plan is so complicated you keep putting off starting, then you need to look for another plan, one you can actually follow. Anyone can lose weight regardless of genetics. It just takes a good plan and the desire.

Jason Conley struggled with weight loss on and off for years. While in the military (Air Force, 15-years) he often needed to drop a few pounds before a PT test and weigh-in. He has started fat-loss-eating.com to help others who would like to lose weight.

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Discover How To Lose Fat With Strength Training

By Dan Clay

Fat Loss Tip 1 - Total Body Workouts
If fat loss is your goal you need to train the whole body every workout. The more exposure each muscle has to exercise the bigger the adaptation it makes, so don’t just train each muscle once a week. If you do train the whole body every workout just remember to give yourself 48hrs rest between sessions to let you body recover. Why train each muscle only once a week? Would you do cardio once a week and expect results?

Fat Loss Tip 2 – Supersets
Superset means performing two different exercises in sequence rather than doing all the sets of a particular exercise one after another, e.g. squats then chin up’s. The good thing about using supersets is that you are using different muscles in succession. Each muscle gets a chance to recover while you work another muscle, therefore you can decrease the rest periods which will keep your heart rate high and supercharge your metabolism. Another benefit of supersets is that your recovery rate will increase and you can perform the same workout in a shorter amount of time.

Fat Loss Tip 3 – Big Bang for Buck Exercises
Use large compound exercises which use more than one muscle group. These include squats, deadlifts, pushing and pulling exercises, rotational movements and combination lifts. These Big Bang exercises recruit a great deal more muscle than machine weights and isolation exercises, which will in turn ignite your metabolism. Isolation exercises such as bicep curls and leg extensions only use one muscle group at a time.

Fat Loss Tip 4 – Use Free Weights and Cables
Every minute you spend in the gym needs to be time efficient so don’t waist your time, stay away from machine weights. Machine weights create muscle imbalances, do little to create a metabolic response and require you to use few motor skills. Free weights and cables will allow your muscles to move through a greater range of motion and activate the stabilizing muscles. More muscles trained equals more calories burned through increased lean muscle mass.

Fat loss Tip 5 – Strength Train First
Always do your strength training before you do your cardio workout. If you perform your weights program first you will be able to lift heavier for longer, meaning you’ll increase your lean muscle tissue. As an added bonus your energy levels are low from the weight training, therefore you’ll begin burning fat a lot quicker when you do your cardio, maximizing on the afterburn effect.

Fat Loss Tip 6 – Post Workout Shake
Consume protein and carbs within thirty minutes of putting your last weight down, it’s not just what you do in the gym it’s how well you can recover. Protein is the building block for muscle, carbs help to transport it to where it needs to go, this alone can make a huge difference.

Fat Loss Tip 7 – Rep ranges Between 8-12
Scientific studies show that training between 8-12 reps produces the most significant gains in lean muscle tissue. This is extremely beneficial since muscle is the only tissue that’s metabolically expensive. Training with lightweights and large reps for fat loss is a myth! The bottom line is the more lean muscle mass you develop, the more calories you burn, the leaner you become and the easier it becomes to stay lean.

Fat Loss Tip 8 – Short Rest Periods
It’s been scientifically proven that short rest periods between 30-60 seconds produce the most amounts of testosterone and growth hormone. Growth hormone will help your muscles grow and helps your body use fat for energy.

Ladies don’t worry about getting to “bulky” from weight training, this is a myth you will become lean and toned. Women only have about 1/10th the amount of testosterone men have the hormone responsible for building muscle In addition men’s weight routines and nutritional programs are usually designed specifically for gaining muscle.

If you have any questions regarding this report, any other health related questions, or you would like to book your free consultation, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

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Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Clay

               

Three Tips To Burn Fat Secret Way

By Paul Foley

Burn fat secret way is one of the most popular terms searched on the internet. The United States is gradually becoming an obese country, and there are several countries around the world that are following the U.S.’s steps. As a result, there are people looking for a secret way to burn fat.

Sure, there are the monotonous television commercials saying you can lose a certain amount of weight in just a few weeks. There is a plethora of weight loss programs and pills that are calling your name out. But these are not secrets by any means, at least based off of the publicity they get throughout our society. So what are the burn fat secret ways?

The more sleep you get, the lower your metabolism is going to be. If you want to speed up your metabolism, which burns calories and fat quicker, than sleep a little less than normal. This certainly does not mean cut a few hours a night off of your sleeping pattern, because sleep is essential for your health as well. But cutting off a half hour per night will make a noticeable difference.

Once you have gotten yourself up earlier, exercise to get your day going on the right foot. It does not necessarily matter what kind of exercise you do just as long as you are exercising. Developing a pattern or putting together your own workout program can be extremely beneficial to help you stay motivated. The more motivated you are to workout in the morning, the better chance you have of staying consistent.

Studies have shown that working out in the morning can help burn up to three times the amount of fat you would burn working out at any time of the day. The reason for this is really quite simple. Throughout the day our body’s main source of energy is carbohydrates. During the night, we use up all of the carbohydrates as energy. Then when we wake up and exercise, the only thing our body can use for energy is fat, which it eats up.

Now is this a burn fat secret way? Probably not, but there are many people that do not get up and workout in the morning. Therefore, it is a secret to them.

The last burn fat secret way to try is eating breakfast. After you have completed your workout, eating breakfast is a great way to get your metabolism started. By eating breakfast, you are providing your body protein and other nutrients to eat up. Breakfast will also provide you with the energy needed to get through your day without stress.

When it all comes together, the true burn fat secret way relies on your morning. All you have to do is get up a little earlier than normal, workout, and eat breakfast and you will find yourself burning more fat than ever.

The author used to suffer from a serious weight problem, but after a short battle has overcome it. To find out how I burn the fat - You can find more here Free Fat Burning Info

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Foley

               

Fat Loss For Idiots - Lose 9lbs in Every 11 Days

By Kuan Chee Hong

Despite what you may think, losing weight isn’t a mysterious process. In fact, weight loss doesn’t even have to involve strange diets, special exercises or even the ‘magic’ of pills or fitness gadgets. Want the secret to weight loss? Make small changes each and every day and you’ll slowly (but surely) lose those extra pounds.

There are many reasons why should we lose weight. The following reason is what we think of:

1. Because you whine that you need to. Have you ever been wrong about anything?

2. Twenty pounds of warm human fat can refill every bottle in an empty case of beer, with enough left over to fill your blender.

3. The statement “There’s more of me to love” has an actual bedroom translation of “There’s more of me to endure.”

4. It’s not scaling Everest or writing the great American novel. You can do it in your spare time.

5. You’ll speak of toaster pastries the way you talk about that dirty blonde from the blues bar in Berkeley, another whiskey-soaked lament over a love too great to last.

6. It’s the difference between being thought of as jolly or witty.

7. You’ll lose weight everywhere, including the suprapubic fat pad at the base of your penis. So as your belly shrinks, something else appears to grow.

8. Decreased: your chances of developing heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, depression, back pain, impotence, gallstones, joint problems, high blood pressure, low sperm counts, and an impressive collection of prescription-drug bottles.

9. Increased: your chances of putting four fingers on a basketball rim.

10. You’ll literally get closer to women.

11. Holy sh— . . . abs!

12. Men who lose weight never have less sex. They may not have more, mind you, but they never have less.

13. You’ll shock the world at your local pool by being the only “big splash” champ to win the “little splash” crown.

14. Research shows that since you’ll have less weight propelling you into the windshield, you’ll also have less risk of dying when your car hits a semi.

15. Every time you pick up a 20-pound dumbbell, you’ll remember.

16. You’ll be able to reach even more places to scratch.

17. The clothing cliche: It’s liberating the first time your pants fall down by themselves.

18. More pullups, because there’s less to pull up.

19. Wait till you ride a WaveRunner, quad, or snowmobile when you’re 20 pounds lighter. Vroom, baby.

20. In our society, people respect weight loss. Even if you do nothing cool or interesting or memorable for the rest of your life, you’ll have done that.

Anyway, I found that many people are losing weight successfully, whereby they lose 9lbs in every 11 days. On top of that these lose weight program can be done by anyone and also maintain your health. For more information please click here.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kuan_Chee_Hong

               

Stop Skipping Breakfast If You Don’t Want To Be Fat!

By Bryan Lee

Introduction Breakfast is the first meal of our day after we wake up, and is also known as the KING of all meals – the most important one. Not only does breakfast provide us the energy to jumpstart our day, eating breakfast also plays an extremely crucial role in fat loss. This article will further investigate why and how the king of all meals will promote fat loss in our bodies.

Skipping Breakfast Many people on a fat loss diet choose to skip breakfast for one very simple reason – to remove some calories from their diet. After all, by taking in lesser calories than we need, we will be losing weight, right? Not in our case, and we shall see why.

What Happens When You Skip Breakfast? Skipping breakfast brings about many undesirable ill-effects to our body. Researchers have found that healthy women who skipped breakfast for two weeks actually ate more during the rest of the day. These women also had higher levels of LDL cholesterol (BAD) and lower insulin levels than the group of women who ate breakfast. The women who ate breakfast were found to have consumed a total of 100 calories less than the group which skipped breakfast!

So what does this mean? LDL cholesterol, which is bad cholesterol, can clog up our arteries, increasing our risk to heart diseases. When an artery gets clogged up, heart attacks or strokes can happen.

Lower insulin levels are related to diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that helps us store excess glucose in our blood. If our body becomes insensitive to insulin, excess glucose will not be stored, resulting in diabetes.

Upon waking up, the stress hormones in our body (cortisol) are sky high. One function of cortisol is to convert proteins into blood glucose. Excess glucose gets converted into fats. Prolonged periods of skipping breakfast will result in a lot of our body muscles to be broken down and converted into fats. Result? You devolve into a lump of fat!

Start Eating Breakfast! Eating breakfast, especially cereal foods, will release carbohydrates into our bloodstream. Detecting the presence of excess glucose in our bloodstream, our body releases huge amounts of insulin. Insulin is cortisol’s worst nightmare, and the introduction of so much insulin into our body will suppress cortisol levels!

Since our body is so starved during our sleep, all those excess glucose will be immediately shuttled into our liver and muscle cells instead of being converted into fat. Hence, if you have a sweet tooth, breakfast is also the best time of the day to satisfy your sweet cravings without worrying about putting on excess weight! One more reason to not skip breakfast!

Conclusion Fat people skip breakfast. Remember that. If you don’t want to be fat anymore, start eating your breakfast. It is also the only time of the day when you have the least chances of putting on fat. It is the best time of the day to satisfy that sweet craving too! Start eating breakfast tomorrow when you wake up, stop skipping it anymore!

Bryan Lee is an author of Figurelicious (www.figurelicious.com), dedicated to helping people lose weight easy and healthy way. If you found the article above helpful, you can go to Figurelicious for more articles written by Bryan.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Lee

               

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