Weight Loss Tips

Below are our top 10 health and fitness tips, in no particular order. From healthy eating habits to exercise programs, these health and fitness tips will help you get smarter about weight loss, wellness and healthy living overall.

1. Drink more water. You hear this all the time and there’s a reason for that - because it’s important! Drinking water curbs your hunger, hydrates your body and nourishes you from the inside out, including your skin. Aim for half your body weight in ounces per day. i.e. if you weigh 150 lbs, you would aim to drink 75 ounces of water per day.

2. For faster fat loss and a stronger heart, try sprint interval training. The basic format of sprint interval training is sprint/walk/sprint/walk, etc. Pick a stretch of road that is flat for 50 yards - sprint the 50 yards, walk back slowly, repeat - do this 10 times. Make sure you’re warmed up before you start sprinting and that you warm down when you’re done. Sprint interval training boosts your metabolism, burns more fat, and takes less time to complete.

3. Stay away from sugar! When you consume sugar, it causes your body to release insulin - and insulin causes your body to store fat. That’s why those fat-free cookies with extra sugar are actually causing you to gain weight. Read the ingredients label and stay away from products heavy in sugar and high fructose corn syrup. “Healthy” breakfast cereals and bars are notorious for being high in these two ingredients.

4. Add more of the following foods to your diet: whole grains, olive oil, eggs, natural peanut butter, fish, poultry, berries, apples, almonds, protein powder and water. These foods will help you burn more fat, stay in shape and better your health.

5. Add weight training to your exercise routine. Adding muscle to your body increases your life span, makes you stronger and burns fat. If you’re looking to tone up, use a weight that you can lift 8-12 times; if you’re looking to add bulk, use a weight you can lift 4-6 times. Weight train 2-3 times per week and keep your weight training sessions to 45 minutes max.

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1. Thinking: If you are going to have any kind of success with losing weight, it is important keep a good attitude. Don’t think about it as “diet”. Think of it in terms of a lifestyle change. Everytime I go on a diet, I keep thinking, “Well when I’m done, then I’ll be able to have a few donuts!”. What needs to change is your thinking. You need to change your action. You won’t have to start running marathons or swear off chocolate. Be kind to yourself. This way, when, not if, you cheat a little, you can get right back at it the next day.

2. Physical Activity: When I was 40 pounds overweight, there was no way I was getting on a treadmill. I had to start off slowly. Brisk walks. Swimming. Low impact cardio. Things like that. My knees were not going to deal with a 5 mile run. So keep it cool at first. Go easy. Just do something to get your heart pumping. You’ll be amazed at how good it feels and soon you’ll be craving the workout instead of that bag of chips. Always check with your doctor before you start any kind of exercise program.

3. Plan Ahead: When are you planning on doing this? We only get 24 hours a day. I can say that actually getting to the gym is more than half the battle. Think ahead. Plan your day around your workout. Not the other way around. Will you get up in the morning? Will you be working with a trainer? Will you go during lunch or after work? This change in attitude is going to take some effort and planning in advance. I like going to the gym even tho I love the fresh air. I can workout while I get some reading done. I never have enough time to read everything. Riding my bike on the city streets while reading is just not going to keep me healthy. Do you really need to see that show or that game that’s on tonight? The gym has a million TVs. No fair missing the playoffs now. The same planning goes into meals. Shopping lists and menus are going to require more attention too. DO NOT go to the supermarket with a vague idea of what you are going to do to meet that weight loss goal. Cook meals in advance and wrap them up for quick healthy meals for when you’re in a hurry.

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The New Year is here. One New Year’s resolution for many people is to lose weight and to keep it off. Unfortunately, for some, this can be such a daunting task that their resolve lasts for a few months at best. The good news is that weight loss does not have to be difficult. With the right mindset, it is possible to lose weight and keep it off. Here are 10 tips to assist in this process.
Tip #1: Focus on making small changes each step of the way. For most people, successful weight loss involves not only a diet change, but a lifestyle change as well. Since this can be overwhelming for some, it is best to take baby steps. For instance, instead of signing-up for a full year’s membership at a gym, go for a few months or try walking in the neighborhood three times a week for thirty minutes. Once this is done habitually it becomes part of one’s lifestyle.
Tip #2: Eat 100% organic, virgin, and unrefined coconut oil. There is research which supports this as an aid in weight loss.
Tip #3: Eat apples, preferably organic, every day. Apples decrease appetite and stabilize blood sugar. Eat at least one apple per day.

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Losing weight may not be effortless, but it doesn’t have to be
complicated. To achieve long-term results, it’s best to avoid
quick-fix schemes and complex regimens. Focus instead on making
modest changes to your life’s daily routine. A balanced, healthy
diet and sensible, regular exercise are the keys to maintaining
your ideal weight. Although nutrition science is constantly
evolving, here are some generally-accepted guidelines for losing
weight: Read the rest of this entry »

• Eat smaller portions.
• Avoid second helpings.
• Eat less fat by staying away from fried foods, rich desserts, and chocolate candy. Foods with a lot of fat have a lot of calories.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables. 

When we eat more calories than we need, we gain weight. Being overweight can cause heart disease. When we eat fewer calories than we need, we lose weight.

Aim for about eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Fruits and vegetables contain water and can contribute to your daily water intake.