August 2014 – Slim Fit Digest

7 Tips to Lose Weight Effectively And Consistently

Weight loss can be a challenge for anyone but it is not impossible. These tips were written to help you reach your weight loss goal. There are many different aspects of weight loss covered in this article and you should take the time to read each piece of information carefully.

Use smaller plate

To curb your calorie intake, use a smaller plate at your meals. Instead of grabbing a large dinner plate, use a smaller salad plate for each meal. It will help you keep portion sizes in check and trick your mind into thinking you are eating much more than you actually are.

Savor every bite

To enhance weight loss, chew your food carefully and really savor every bite. This helps your digestion and allows more time for the “fullness” to kick in. Mindful eating gives more satisfaction with less food, and helps eliminate eating due to boredom. A single bite of “forbidden” food does not have many calories, so if you can truly enjoy that one bite without needing to eat the whole thing you will not feel so deprived and you will be able to learn more self-control.

Don’t go to party hungry

Never go to a party hungry, even if dinner is included. If you eat a light snack with lots of fiber and a little protein and fat half an hour before, you will not be so hungry and the food won’t be quite so tempting. Feel free to try a little bit of everything, but only a little at a time so you can enjoy it without regret.

Buy instructional fitness DVDs

A great way to lose weight is purchasing a few instructional fitness DVDs. When it comes to fitness DVDs, the variety is endless. You can go with dance fitness programs or you can even ones that focus on stretching or balance. You’ll also be able to workout from the comfort of your own home.

Don’t get hungry

One great tip for losing weight is to never let yourself go hungry. Eating small meals or snacks throughout the day will prevent you from eating too much at any given time. You can eat a variety of different things, as you would at a meal, just make sure it is a smaller portion each time you eat. Also, make sure your choices are relatively healthy.

Eat baked potato

If potato chips are part of your eating routine and you are finding it difficult to give them up in your diet, look to the baked version as an alternative. Baked chips contain up to 30% less fat and calories, and best of all, the majority of people can’t tell a difference.

Get online support

Join an on-line forum to help you lose weight. There are hundreds of people out there who need encouragement and support for weight loss goals. Search the Internet for groups, find one you are comfortable with and get the on-line support you need to help you through hard times you may face while accomplishing your weight lose goals.

Incorporate these tips into your diet plan and you will surely see the results that you are after. If you have taken the time to read this article, you are on the right path. Following these tips will definitely help you to reach the goals that you have set for yourself.

Dieting With a Busy Schedule

When it comes to dieting many of us find that the number one hindrance to our success is the lack of time to prepare the proper meals and snacks for our dietary needs. It is often much more convenient to throw one thing in the crock pot for the family or resort to the fast food last resort rather than preparing the healthy and nutritious meal that we should be eating.

There are things you can do however that will reduce the temptation to hit the drive thru and keep you on course with your dieting needs.

Once a week cooking

The first of these is a process known as once a week cooking. With this method you cook enough meals to last you a week on one day. This means that for every night of the week you have a diet friendly meal ready to go. If your entire family is dieting or eating healthier with you, this works for this situation as well.

Dieting and incorporating healthier eating habits into the food for your entire family is a great way to set an example for your children will keeping you motivated and removing temptation.

With once a week cooking you freeze the food that won’t be immediately consumed and thaw it the morning you will be eating the food to cook when you arrive home after work or decide it is time for your evening meal.

This is a process that works well no matter how many soccer games, dance practices, and band recitals you have on your calendar for the week. You can manage to stick to your diet while having a great meal for your family each and every night of the week.

Readily cut fruits and vegetables

You should also make sure to have a nice supply and cleaned and cut fruits, vegetables, and salad ingredients in your refrigerator in order to make these dishes readily assessable for quick lunches or snacks. Having these foods readily available will help you resist the temptation to snack on higher calorie prepackaged food while also helping to insure that you have a ready supply of fresh fruits and vegetables to help you get your 5 servings a day.

Keep packaged yogurt

You should also keep some conveniently packaged yogurt on hand as a good quick and easy dairy product. Sugar free pudding cups are another decent snack for those who need something quick and easy to have on hand. Preparation and planning are essential to successfully meeting your weight loss goals. By preparing as much of the food as possible ahead of time you will never even miss the convenience of those high calorie pre packaged meals and snacks that so many of us survive on when not dieting.

Little exercise throughout the day

Another time saver is to work your fitness opportunities into the course of your day. Rather than performing one lengthy workout each day, try to find methods of bringing a little fitness activity into the most mundane portions of your day (go stair climbing at lunch, park on the top level of the parking garage and walk down-then up when returning-the stairs), park far away from the door of the supermarket and see if your mall has a walking path that is clearly marked. You’ll be amazed at the hidden opportunities many of us have for exercising during our busy days. The trick is often in discovering the activities rather than the time.

When all is said and done, dieting doesn’t have to be as time consuming as you may think it is. There are all kinds of prepackaged plans for dieters however if that is the choice you feel is best for you. Whether you are going with Lean Cuisine meals, Weight Watchers frozen entrees, Jenny Craig, or the Slim Fast program there are all kinds of opportunities to work dieting and fitness into even the busiest of schedules. When planning your dieting practices be sure to consider the tips and advice mentioned above.

5 Moderate Exercises You Can Do and Enjoy

Have you ever felt tired and stressed out from work and by the time you get home you see your three children running towards you asking you to play basketball with them? You refused and promised them that you will after you take you rest.

Instead of disappointing your children, why not say, “yes” after all? You will be surprised by the amount of energy you will have after that 30-minute activity.

Did you know that by exercising at a moderate pace for only 30 minutes, you would feel a lot better, mentally? It has been proven that this improves the appetite and sharpens your style in problem solving. Not only that. You will also feel that it is easier to sleep at night if you do moderate exercises even for only 30 minutes every day.

What are the benefits of regular exercise? It promotes self-discipline and has a positive impact how you perceive life. Exercise helps in lifting your spirits and getting you out of any depression. For first timers, it can be done for 15 minutes for 2 to 3 days a week. You can increase the time you spend once your body gets tuned up for it.

DON’T you ever force your body! If you get hurt, then stop. You can take a break from exercising for a few days and then you can start again but you need to start from day 1.

Here are some moderate exercises you can do and enjoy:

1. Do the Walking

Make use of your surroundings. You can walk your dog, with your partner or child. Encourage your family to do the walking exercise daily and you will find yourself burning calories while enjoying the surroundings and getting enough sunlight that is also good for your body.

2. Discover the wonders of Yoga

Yoga is one effective exercise that energizes not only your body but also your soul. You may want to learn even the basic yoga positions that are not too complicated but proven effective. A five-minute yoga exercise can perk you up and recharge your body with the energy you lost for the whole day. You relax and at the same time you stretch!

3. Engage yourself into sports

Play basketball, football, baseball, tennis or badminton. Many doctors have recommended sports as an effective way to stay fit and healthy. Sports can also be done in moderation. Do not take it seriously. Shooting basketball with a friend is one moderate exercise that is also considered a sport.

4. Join exercise programs at work

If you still do not have exercises programs at work, then why not start it? You can talk to your boss about it and start with your colleagues. You do not only lose calories but it is also one good way to bond with them. This can be done 30 minutes, 3 times a week.

5. Exercise while doing household chores

Gardening, raking leaves, lawn mowing, doing the laundry, vacuuming and car washing are effective moderate exercises at home. Make use of these chores to sweat and burn calories. Instead of using machines and gadgets to perform these chores, why not do it with your hands and lose some fats?

Making exercises as part of your daily routines will surprise you of how much calories you will lose. Doing these moderate exercises of the same amount every day can burn 150 calories up to 1,000 calories a day!

7 Good Reasons To Exercise Now

Many us need to follow an exercise program, in order to remain healthy. Below, you’ll find several good reasons why you should start exercising now:

1. Contributes to fat loss

It is well proven from scientific research all over the world that physical exercise contributes to weight loss. If you burn more calories than you consume through nutrition, you’ll lose weight. When you exercise, you burn more calories than when you don’t. It’s really simple – the more you exercise, the more weight or fat you’ll lose.

2. Prevent disease

The chances of developing several various diseases has been proven to decrease when exercising. These diseases include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and the stroke.

Around 4 out of 5 deaths caused by heart disease and cancer, are linked to factors that include stress and lack of exercise. We all know that diabetes increases the chance for heart attacks and strokes.

What this shows, is that many of the risk factors and diseases caused by not exercising are working in conjunction to damage your health. To prevent this from happening, start exercising.

3. Improving disease

Many severe and minor diseases can be improved or even healed through regular exercise. These even include the diseases listed above. By following a regular plan, you can also decrease HDL cholesterol levels, decrease triglyceride levels,
and decrease your blood pressure as well.

Exercising on a regular basis will also reduce the risk of prostate cancer for men, breast and uterine cancer for women, and much more. All of this is scientifically proven, which is why you should start exercising today.

4. Enhance your state of mind

Everyone knows from the many scientific studies that regular exercising will lead to an increased release of endorphins in the body. These chemicals will fight depression and make you feel happy. The body releases these endorphins only 12 minutes into the workout.

There is another chemical known as serotonin that is increased during and after a workout. The increased levels of serotonin in the central nervous system is associated with feelings of well being and decreased mental depression. The chemical can also help you sleep better at night.

5. Enhance your wellness

When you are in great shape and well fit, you’ll have more energy and you’ll notice that your overall mood is improved. You will have experienced that
you can stretch beyond your own limits and you know that you can do more than you thought possible.

6. Persistence

Exercising regularly will give you more energy, which can help you be more productive at home and at work. Exercising can help give your new goals a sense of purpose and give you something to focus on and aim for. This can help you increase your persistence and prevent you from going off track while you aim for your goal.

7. Social capabilities

After a workout on a regular basis you can boost your self esteem. This can help you look better and you’ll be more comfortable as well. Exercise will also help you to become more active and meet new people, which will prevent you from feeling isolated and unsupported. Exercise will also increase your interests in sex, and can help you to improve your marriage or your partner relationship.

After knowing all of these tips and reasons to exercise, you shouldn’t hesitate to get out there and exercise. You can exercise at home or go out there and join a gym. There are several different ways that you can exercise, all you have to do
is select a few that you like. Take a little bit of time out of your day and start exercising – you’ll feel better than ever before and your body will thank you.

7 Ways To Get Those Extra Pounds Off

There are so many products available on the weight loss market that it can be challenging to know what is the best for you to choose from. These products can be helpful, and it is a great idea to do enough research on each of them to know what will work best for you and your lifestyle.

Control what you eat

An important part of any weight loss journey is learning to control your own food. This means learning to cook from scratch, so that you know exactly what’s going into the foods you eat. Also, cooking from scratch will let you replace high-calorie ingredients such as cream, with lower-calorie ones such as skim milk.

Drink green tea

If you want to make a lifestyle change that will help you to lose weight now and keep it off in the future, switch from drinking coffee to green tea. The caffeine in coffee can cause you to retain water and become dehydrated. The antioxidants in green tea not only help you to feel better, they can also aid in maintaining a healthy weight.

Substitute your sugar

If you are accustomed to using large amounts of sugar in your food (coffee, tea, baking, etc.), one way to help yourself lose weight is to consider switching to a sucralose-based sweetener like Splenda. You will get the sweet taste you crave without all the calories, which will lower your daily caloric intake.

Eat grapefruit

One of the best ways to lose weight is by eating grapefruit. Studies have shown that when grapefruit is eaten with protein, it triggers fat burning and in turn, causes weight loss. So the next time you go grocery shopping, grab some grapefruit when you enter the produce area.

Eat walnuts

You will find that of you eat walnuts it will help you lose weight. One study revealed that eating walnuts with breakfast kept people feeling fuller than those who didn’t have walnuts. Walnuts are also great by themselves.

Eat breakfast like a king

If you want to eat better, you should eat a healthy breakfast. Skipping breakfast is definitely not a good thing. A good breakfast should contain a fruit, a serving of dairy and some fiber. You can eat a banana, a bowl of healthy cereal and some yogurt. You could also, drink a glass of orange juice, eat a couple of pieces of toast and some cream cheese.

Avoid eating muffins

You should avoid eating muffins for breakfast. Muffins are usually high in fat and sugar content. They are made from processed white flour which is devoid of nutrients. When the sugar is burned off in the morning, you will feel very tired and low in energy. A muffin does not provide you with the essential nutrients that you need for a good start in the morning.

Although products are not the only thing needed to aid you in your journey to lose weight, they can certainly give you an extra edge. These products will all give you their added benefits and when put together with a healthy diet and regular exercise, you will find yourself losing weight faster than you thought you would.

5 Dieting Tips for Successful Weight Loss

The most common reason that people cite for dieting today is weight loss. While most of us would love to claim the noble mantle of dieting for health the vast majority of us are doing so for vanity. This, however, is a perfectly acceptable and plausible reason for making the lifestyle changes that are necessary in order to diet. In fact, this reason might prove to be a far greater motivator than many of the other commonly stated reasons for dieting.

When dieting for weight loss one of the most common complaints is constantly feeling hungry. In order to help combat this, you might want to incorporate some of the following strategies into your dieting program:

Eat more high fiber foods

Whole grains, apples, pears, and lima beans are a great source of fiber as are many breakfast cereals. Easy does it however when it comes to fiber as it may be filling but there are some unpleasant side effects that may accompany heavy fiber eating (remember that beans are a good source of fiber).

Try using a product such as Bean-o when consuming larger amounts of fiber. You might also try spreading your fiber intake throughout the day rather than consuming all your daily fiber at once.

Drink plenty of water

Another method for feeling fuller when dieting is to drink plenty of water while dieting. Water provides an important service to the body and is very necessary when it comes to delivering all the nutrients where they need to go.

Water also helps regulate your metabolism, which is very important to the dieting and weight loss process. Additionally, water will help you skin retain its elasticity so that your skin can go more easily back into place once the serious weight loss begins.

Learn to control your portions

We live in a world where portions are over inflated and super sized so often that we no longer know what an appropriate portion looks like. Restaurant meals are quite often more than adequate for at least two full meals and that is before salads, soups, appetizers, or desserts have been ordered.

Learning to portion correctly can save you from over loading your calorie intake for the day massively. It can also help you get extra helpings of the lower calorie foods such as lettuce and other vegetables rather than taking such large portions of calorie rich starches or fried foods.

Do not go “Gung Ho”

There are limits to what the body and the mind can handle. When you go on a diet you are making a drastic change to your bodies caloric intake. If you go overboard you can lead to health risks along the way.

Begin cutting calories a little at a time and incorporate changes as you go rather than going in with an all or nothing attitude. If you go overboard with your dieting plans chances are that you are dooming your diet to failure.

Get active physically

Take your diet one step at a time for the best results and be sure to incorporate extra physical activity into the mix. Even gardening when done on a regular basis can burn calories, so can cleaning the house, and playing with the little ones.

Take a walk to the park or the corner store rather than getting in the car and pull a wagon or push a stroller while you’re at it. The added weight will be just enough resistance to burn a few extra calories.

Dieting for weight loss does not necessarily have to be a major sacrifice on your part but in order to be successful it will be a radical change in lifestyle, particularly if you need to lose more than a few vanity pounds.

The health implications of loosing the weight are well worth the required effort and should not be taken lightly no matter how excited you are about your new body that is hiding inside your old one.