How to Journal for Successful Fat Loss

Failing to journal leads to failure. When it comes to fat loss; being accountable is the best determining factor of success. If you're looking to lose fat you need to be honest about the types and amounts of foods you are consuming. Journaling has proven time and time again to be the best method for being held accountable. Journaling will provide documentation of the good and bad choices being made. A normal weight person underestimates their caloric intake by 20% and 40% for the overweight person*. The truth is we simply don't have a clue of how much we are actually consuming.

The underestimating of caloric intake is associated more with our perception of what is a serving size. To adjust our perception of serving sizes we need to first be accountable for the current amount of food we are consuming. The accountability process will come through journaling. Recording the foods eaten will give insight into eating behavior. Once familiar with eating behaviors it is time to learn about serving sizes. Comparing how much is consumed to proper serving sizes is the best place to start when it comes to making adjustments to the diet.

The alignment of serving sizes with actual food consumed will start the fat loss process. The next step will be to distinguish supportive foods from non supportive foods. Supportive foods are foods that support the desired outcome. Non supportive foods are foods that don't support the desired outcome. In this case the desired out come is fat loss you will need to reduce the amount of non supportive foods being consumed.
Supportive foods for fall into 3 basic categories: 1. Lean proteins, 2. Fibrous carbohydrates, and 3. Starchy carbohydrates.

Lean Proteins would include foods such as: chicken, egg whites, shrimp, turkey, tuna, and salmon just to name a few.

Fibrous Carbohydrates would include foods such as: asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, peppers, and spinach to name a few.
Starchy Carbohydrates would include foods such as: corn, carrots, rice, potatoes, tomatoes, and oatmeal for example.

Non supportive foods would include almost all processed and refined foods for example: any processed flours or sugars.

Start your food journal. Record what you ate, how much you ate, when you ate, and where you ate.
Once you have recorded 3-4 days in your journal take a moment and reflect on what was eaten. Look and compare the servings you consumed to known serving sizes. Compare how many supportive foods you consumed compared to how many non supportive foods. After you have made your comparisons it is time to set a couple of goals to clean up your eating behaviors. Pick one item at time. Recommended starting place(s):

Adjusting serving sizesIncrease intake of Fibrous CarbohydratesDecrease processed foods.
Start keeping a journal today. Here are 2 simple suggestions to start journaling food intake:
Use your smart phone to take a picture of everything you eat.After lunch and/or before bed write down what you ate. Reference the pictures to write down the what, how much, when and where you ate. This can be written in a small spiral note book or logged into any digital option.

In the next article I will discuss how often to eat and simple strategies to create supportive meals.
*http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov06/meal.size.calories.ssl.html
Specializing in fat loss and stiff joints due to lack of physical activity. By using specialized exercises I can strengthen weak muscle, loosen tight muscles and pairing this with simple nutritional strategies help you loose fat. I have a vast knowledge of hundreds of exercise that can be adapted to meet your specific needs. To start loosing fat and reduce joint pain all you need to do is schedule an appointment. Email DBJFitness@gmail.com

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How to Lose Post Baby Weight - The Last 10 Pounds

Have you had some success with losing some of your post pregnancy weight, but you are struggling like crazy with the last 10 pounds (give or take) of it? Those last few pounds can sure be stubborn, can't they? In this article, we will go over some ways on how to lose post baby weight when you've got only those last few rebellious pounds to lose.
 
1. Tracking. Many people dislike writing down what they are eating/drinking on a daily basis but this has actually been known to help many with their weight loss goals. Some people may not realize just how much they are consuming until they see it written down right in front of them. This can help you decide if you need to tweak anything in your healthy eating plan in order for you to achieve your weight loss. Don't forget, drinks such as soda, alcohol and juice, all contain calories, so don't forget to add these in your food journal. You may need to cut drinks such as these out of your diet, or at least cut down on them, as they all contain sugar which will stick to you like glue. Water and tea (especially green tea) are better alternatives.

2. Weekends/Special Occasions. When it comes to how to lose post baby weight, you will need to be careful of cheating on your healthy diet. It's totally fine to cheat the odd time... the operative words being "odd time" (wink, wink). It is common for the weekend to come and for many people to take a "break" from their healthy eating. Also, you may have occasions going on such as birthdays, family get-togethers, movie outings, etc. that may sway you to cheat on your nutritious eating. This could be another reason why your weight loss efforts have hit a plateau, so you may need to bump up your will power over the weekends (and/or at special occasions).

3. Portions. Are you eating the right portions of foods? This can be a very important factor in a weight loss plateau. If you are eating too much, you will have problems losing weight, but if you are eating too little, your body will go into starvation mode and store everything you put into it, which will result in little to no weight loss as well. It is best to always eat until you are just full, not stuffed. If you are wondering what portions of foods you should be eating, a good rule of thumb at, let's say dinner, is to have half your plate full of vegetables or salad, a quarter of your plate with a starch and a quarter with a protein. Also, it is best to eat 3 meals a day with 2 healthy snacks in between.

4. Workouts. Losing the last 10 pounds can depend largely on your exercise routine. When we think about how to lose post baby weight, we tend to groan at the fact that we have to exercise. New moms barely have the energy to keep up with their little one(s), nevermind having the energy to workout. So, what I'm about to say may "hurt" a bit. You may need to workout a little more. If you think you workout enough every week, on a regular basis, then it may just be that you have to challenge your body more. It could also be that you aren't doing both cardio and strength training. Combining the two could really help you in weight and fat loss. If you are doing strength training (which is recommended to be done 2-3 times a week, leaving a day in between), are you working out with the right amount of weight? If you don't feel your muscles getting fatigued by the weights you are lifting, you will need to start using heavier weights in order to benefit from it.

5. Eating Less? Are you still eating the same amount of food as you were when you weighed more? If so, this could be the reason for a plateau. The more weight you lose, the less food (calories) your body needs. So, if you have dropped in weight already, you may need to adjust the amount of daily calories you're taking in. This can be very beneficial in losing the last 10 pounds.

6. Food. Your struggle with how to lose post baby weight may be because you are eating the wrong foods. Are you eating refined or whole grains? Switching to whole grain foods is beneficial for weight loss because of the fiber content, which will not only keep you regular, but keep you feeling full for longer periods of time. Are you eating a lot of foods high in sugar, sodium or saturated fats? These will all contribute to difficulties in weight loss. Are you a latte drinker? Those, for example, are loaded with sugar. Even the sugar you add to your morning coffee counts... it all adds up, especially if you are drinking coffee every day, and many of us drink more than one cup of it. Yikes! Also, beware of frozen meals (yes, even the "diet" type ones), as they are usually loaded with sodium.

7. Realistic. We all have a weight loss goal we want to get to, but just make sure that your goal is realistic. Your body may get to the weight that it's meant to and basically tell you "No, that's it, I'm done". It may be helpful for you to find out your BMI (Body Mass Index) to see what weight your body should be at.

Basically, what we discussed here is that to lose the last 10 pounds, you probably just need to step things up a little bit. When trying to figure out how to lose post baby weight, you may need to try different things and see what works for you, whether you think it may be portion control, the types of foods you're eating, etc. Also, be patient with yourself, it may take some time for the weight to come off. Even if it comes off slowly, that's a great thing, because it's still coming off which is the main thing.

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What Is Proactol and How Does It Work To Burn Away the Fat?

There are many people out there who want to get rid of excess belly fat that doesn't go away and most of them have no clue what to do about it. Most of these people simply cannot spare time for regular physical activity due to their tight work schedules, so they are in search of an alternate weight management approach. In this case, the most ideal solution that can help people get rid of that stubborn abdominal fat is to add Proactol to their regular weight-loss efforts.

The hassle of losing weight
No doubt, weight loss can be a huge problem and losing weight is not easy. Diet and exercise are the two essential components that need to be combined in order to lose weight successfully. Usually, techniques to reduce the intake of calories are employed by the diet component.
Usually, only 1,600 calories per day are required by people who do not exercise. Adhering to this caloric requirement and exercising at the same time is necessary for people who want to lose weight. Accomplishing this can require a lot of effort, especially when people are doing this for the first time in order to lose weight.

Proactol: An effective solution
The fact that people feel hungry and starved all the time during a traditional diet since their daily caloric intake is drastically reduced, is a major problem with dieting. Some do not realize it, but they consume around 3000 calories per day.

When people diet, their caloric intake drops down to 2,500 or 1,600 calories, which is the reason they feel so hungry. The first few months while losing weight can be a huge struggle, due to the new meal portions, they have to implement everyday.
What is worse is that after successfully diet for a couple of months, a rebound effect is experienced by many people. So, as people start making up for the food, they have been deprived of, weight gain becomes impendent.

Thus, it is apparent that weight loss is a huge hassle, and Proactol is the perfect solution in this case, but how does it work? Proactol is a significantly effectively, yet really simple, weight loss system that is available in the form of easy to swallow capsules.

Two forms of dietary fiber are contained in these capsules that help burn fat and prevent the body from absorbing it. Proactol is a natural weight loss supplement since the fibers it contains come from prickly pear.
Proactol can now be regarded among some of the best weight loss products in the market since it was recently approved as a medical supplement. The fact that Proactol continues producing exceptional results for the people who use this supplement is one of its greatest benefits.

People can start losing weight at any age, whether they are in their 40s, 60s or 70s. Thus, it is worthwhile for anyone who wants to lose weight to invest in Proactol and take advantage of the remarkable capabilities. People of all ages can take Proactol with other health supplements and succeed at losing weight using it.

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Easily Forgotten Weight Loss Tips

Read the following article for some basic yet often overlooked weight loss tips that will reduce your waist line and promote good health at the same time.

No matter how you look at it, losing weight isn't going to be effortless. You are going to have to work hard if you are truly serious about shedding that extra baggage you've been carrying around all these years. That having been said, you are not going to lose any weight unless you start exercising. Exercise allows us to burn excess calories and more importantly increases our metabolism so that our bodies are constantly in a fat burning state. At a minimum you should strive to work out between 3 and 5 hours each week. While many of you interpret this to mean spending all that time on the treadmill working on cardio, strength training is equally important. When you lift weights, your body builds more muscle which actually promotes increased fat loss.

Whether you diet or not, the bottom line is that you are going to have to consume less calories than you take in in order to lose weight. It's simply arithmetic. You can't lose weight if you are eating more calories than your body burns each day. It is important that you track your caloric intake and that at the end of the day you are working at a caloric deficit.

This next tip is probably one that you've heard a thousand times, yet chances are you still don't follow it. Drink plenty of water! Drinking water has numerous health benefits, and it is a great way to keep you feeling full throughout the day. You'd be surprised how many calories you can cut back on if you substitute a cold glass of water for the can of soda or serving of juice. At a minimum, try and drink 8 cups of water daily and even more on days that you work out.

Lastly, don't get discouraged when you hit a plateau or lull in your weight loss. Too many times people will give up on a nutrition plan simply because they aren't getting the results they want on the scale. These are the most crucial times in your weight loss journey as you can either choose to give in to your temptation, or find a way to motivate yourself and work past the hardship.

None of the tips mentioned above are tips that are new to you, but how many of you actually use all of them when trying to lose weight? If you implement the advice mentioned above, you will not only lose weight, but you will do so in a way that will keep it off permanently.

Do you want more help with losing your excess weight then go here http://www.healthhelpforyou.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Sanger

Are You Ready to Make a New Year's Resolution to Lose Weight in 2013?

As the end of the year rapidly approaches, it's time to start giving thought to what type of New Year's resolution you want to plan for yourself.

For those who make this an annual tradition, New Year's resolutions provide people the opportunity to strive towards a goal to achieve that year.

Anyone who has lacked the motivation to get started losing weight, wondering when would be the best time to start developing a more healthy life, this may be the perfect opportunity to kick-start those efforts into gear.

Personally, about six months ago I started a weight loss commitment with an overall goal to lose sixty pounds. I am currently twenty pounds lighter, and with the New Year quickly approaching, this has given me and idea. An opportunity to focus on certain aspects of the weight loss process that I want to improve through the use of a New Year's Resolution.

For instance, at the start of this weight loss journey, I had a difficult time controlling what I ate. For me, this was the greatest obstacle I had to overcome. Stopping the bad eating habits that contributed to my enormous weight gain over the past ten years.

When initially starting out, on numerous occasions I fell back into the habit of eating fast food, snacking a bit too much while at home, and basically not sticking with my plan I started out with. This was a difficult habit to break but by consistently reminding myself of my overall goal I was able to control those urges and now they hardly ever pop up anymore.

Now in December, through perseverance and dedication to make my goal become a reality, I've got a much better handle controlling the choices of food that I make.

Having a weekly menu of meals has helped immensely and has actually inspired me to want to cook meals that will be healthy for my body. Therefore the need or desire for me to ever have go out to get a McDonald's or Burger King meal has completely ceased especially when most combo meals are 1,500+ calories. In all honesty, I don't think I've eaten fast food for over a month which is by far a record for me.
With the New Year's resolution coming up soon, there are certain aspects I want to focus on to improve my success with weight loss. One is to exercise more frequently by having a schedule that I will stick with. I realize that if I combine a regular exercise schedule and continue with my healthy eating habits, I will lose weight at a more rapid pace.

Therefore as this New Year approaches, start thinking about possible resolutions you want to establish for yourself. What are the goals you would like to accomplish in 2013? Is this the year you declare that you are going to tackle the weight issue?

One fact about New Year's resolutions is that they are more likely to be achieved when the individual is firmly committed to making it come true. If you are determined to be successful with your New Year's resolution, and plan out a strategy to help keep you focused, then you will make it happen.

Gregory L. Gomez, M. Ed, has been teaching 5th grade in the LAUSD for 12 years and has recently embarked on a journey to lose weight, eat healthier, and finally get in shape! Follow his progress on http://HealthyChoicesInLife.com as he strives to lose 60 pounds through dedicated exercise and eating healthy. From healthy eating guides to a step-by-step manual to help tackle the process of losing weight, readers will find the latest information to combat the rising obesity epidemic and start getting into shape at http://healthychoicesinlife.com/how-to-reduce-weight-today.

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Holiday Dieting? Forgetaboutit! By Pete A Turner

Hey it's the Holidays, Christmas, Chanukkah and New Years. It's a time of parties, cookies, rich desserts and all those comfort holiday meals.

Enjoying the holidays and don't worry about your diet. If you are like me your will power breaks down when you smell those holiday cookies or that pumpkin pie. I was doing okay and then my daughter dropped off some Christmas cookies and I ate four cookies before my brain finally kicked in and said STOP!! Do I feel guilty? Yes a little. Do I want another cookie? No, my sweet tooth seems satisfied at least for the time being.
There are some lessons here:

1. Enjoy the Season: Sure those four cookies were a little too much, but I got that out of my system and hopefully I won't be tempted again.

2. I balanced out the cookies by sticking to my normal diet and foods the rest of the day.

3. The sugar buzz I got after eating plus the sluggish feeling after the buzz made me appreciate the way I feel when I eat right.

4. Our bodies do need a break or rest and the holidays can help our bodies rebuild and restore as long as we don't over do the partying.

5. If you are like me, the holidays give me an even bigger reason to hit the gym and stick to my diet. It really affirms that the lifestyle I have chosen is right for me.

I believe the last statement about the right lifestyle is very important. At sixty-six years old I know more than ever that it is not about dieting or exercising. It is about lifestyle. Because I have chosen a healthy lifestyle and I am mindful of the food I eat and stay physically active I can enjoy a sugary treat now and then. Plus the deeper I go into this lifestyle the less I want those treats.

Here are a few tips that help me get pass the tempting holiday treats and let me enjoy the season.

1. Stick to your exercise routine. If you are traveling and staying with friends and or family bring your workout clothes. Take a run or a walk.

2. If you belong to a nationwide chain like Gold's Gym, find one close to where you are staying.

3. Staying at a hotel? Most have some exercise equipment available.

4. Pack exercise bands. I love these bands - they are light weight.

5. Eat light and save those calories for the party.

6. Have a protein snack before going to the party.

There are many ways to stay fit and still have a fun time. So enjoy the holidays, share the joy of the season with family and friends. Come January you will be ready to reach new heights of wellness!

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Coach Pete is a former teacher, athletic coach, entrepreneur and a proud grandfather. He is passionate about living life to the max. Coach Pete draws on his sixty-five years of living to help older men live active, healthy and rewarding lives.

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6 Foods That Curb Sugar Cravings

While many of us crave sugar for emotional reasons due to it being a "psychoactive" substance, there can be physical reasons for your sweet tooth as well. Sometimes willpower isn't the problem--it's poor nutrition. If your diet is mostly processed & cooked, you may be lacking the fiber, vitamins & minerals that your body needs to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

Here are 5 foods that can help curb sugar cravings and get you on the right track in terms of healthy eating:
1. RAW TOMATOES - rich in chromium & serotonin. Lack of the mineral chromium can be one cause for craving sugar, as it stabilizes blood sugar levels. Low levels of serotonin (the happy hormone) can be another. Tomatoes give you a two-for-one deal!

2. ROMAINE LETTUCE - again, rich in chromium. Consuming lots of processed foods, white sugar & caffeine (coffee, soda, etc) can create a chromium deficiency. Romaine lettuce is also high in protein and fiber.

3. LEAFY GREENS - such as kale, chard, collards, spinach, mustard, beet, chicory, dandelion & arugula. Your "catch all" foods for nutrition. Loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals, eating lots of greens, especially raw in salad form, is one of the top ways to really nourish and energize your body so you aren't attracted to the short-term energy boosts that sugar provides.

4. CINNAMON - known to regulate blood sugar levels. Just a 1/2 teaspoon a day can really curb your sugar cravings. Pair it with number 4 and number 5 and set up your day right to avoid getting that sweet tooth later on in the day. Try drinking herbal tea that contains cinnamon throughout the day or when a sugar craving strikes.

5. WHOLE OATS - Be sure to go whole rather than quick or instant, as whole oats still contain all their fiber. Oatmeal is ranked number one for satiety. It's high in fiber and is shown to reduce hunger later in the day. It's also rich in B vitamins and zinc. Just don't eat it smothered in sugar! Instead, add cinnamon (#3 above) and finely chopped apple (#5 below) and some raisins or chopped dates to sweeten.

6. APPLES - High in pectin, a dietary fiber. Eating plant-based (fruit & vegetable) fiber is one of the best ways to curb cravings. Apples have the perfect mix of fiber & fructose, plus they have a low glycemic rating compared to many other fruits. Be sure to eat the skin! And be sure to buy your apples organic.

Melody Larson is a natural weight loss and holistic wellness coach, law of attraction teacher, published author, and successful entrepreneur offering free wellness tips, spiritual growth advice, and healthy vegan and raw food recipes on her site, http://wellandawake.com.
Grab her free ebook, 3 Holistic Secrets to Health & Happy Weight Loss, in which she shares her own top personal strategies for losing weight, eating healthy and living happily.

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So congratulations! You’ve lost some weight! Now, how do you keep it off?

When you’ve spent weeks or even months striving and sacrificing, you don’t want to have your spirits sink as you see the scale start to go up. For most of us, regardless of our weight loss method, weight regain is a real possibility. But is it inevitable?

Follow these five sure tricks, and your scale will stay put:

If you gain a pound, lose it! People who are successful at maintaining a weight loss weigh themselves at least twice a week. Pick regular times of day, and regular days of the week, to weigh and keep a chart. If you find you’re up a pound or two, follow a healthy and structured food plan until the extra weight comes off again.

Have planned snacks instead of grazing. To combat rampant, spontaneous snacking, plan a couple of balanced snacks every day that you can measure out and enjoy. Be sure to include some protein and complex carbohydrates in your snack. If you feed yourself a bit more frequently, you will be less likely to graze mindlessly.

Balance your treats with healthy choices. You can have an occasional treat, but you can also have an occasional healthy choice. Keep the treat small so that you don’t get a big sugar or unrefined carb rush. And if you must eat sugar or an unrefined carb, eat a little protein with it so that your blood sugar doesn’t crash and cause cravings for more of the same.

Admit your trigger foods and avoid them. All you have to do is look at certain foods and you know you’ll eat them. Don’t keep any snack foods in plain site around your house. Put them away. If you find yourself going to the cupboard or refrigerator to peruse the snack items, you’ll need to keep the trigger foods out of your house altogether.

Experiment and use the tools that work for you. Many dieters hate the act of writing down what they eat. Some dislike exercise. Others abhor weighing and measuring their food. Still others will not give up sugar and unrefined carbs. You need to be honest with yourself, though. These tools are proven to work. So, experiment with all the tools available to you and use the ones that work.

Weight regain is not inevitable, but you need to take action to avoid it. Apply these solutions to your life and you will find weight maintenance to be simple and satisfying.

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