HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS
Step One: Sort Out The Food Issue
The mistake many people make when they go on a diet is not preparing themselves mentally, psychologically and emotionally to succeed. There are many things that have to change to successfully lose weight..
One of them is eating right consistently and finding the right exercise for you - one that doesn't make you shudder or sigh painfully when you think about it. Losing weight is an explorative journey and getting rid of obstacles is essential for success.
Losing the pounds and keeping them off for good does not mean you have to feel hungry all the time and stop eating your favorite foods. What is more important than a radical approach to this is to make little changes that will bring significant results later on.
Detox your kitchen: This means starting a cleaning process of getting rid of all unhealthy foods from your kitchen. Do your research (use our website to learn about the best foods you can eat) and make a firm decision that you will not keep processed or fatty foods in your kitchen. After you have changed the type of foods available in your kitchen so that you won't find yourself running out to the panty to eat foods you shouldn't! ...
Tell your family and friends you're on a diet: That's right - friends and family can obstruct a person's willpower to stick to a new way of thinking, eating and exercising if they themselves are not into it. Although it is unintentional, going out to lunch with a friend who eats hamburgers and other fatty foods isn't going to do you any good. They need to understand how important this is to you. Suggest that they bring over salads if they visit or choose a healthy low calorie restaurant that you can all go to. If they are not capable of doing this - build yourself up mentally to go it alone and develop the willpower to overcome any distractions!
Know that eating right at work means preparing healthy meals yourself:
Willpower is essential Laziness is unacceptable. You have to get to
the point where you are serious enough to lose the weight and know that
you are on a positive journey. See that new body you want and remember
it took time for you to gain weight so it will take time (although
considerably less) to lose weight. Getting frustrated in a middle of a
weight loss program and giving up is not acceptable. if you are going
to give up - it means you're not ready to begin. Whether it is a snack,
lunch, or dinner, you can save around three
hundred calories a day if you prepare your own food for lunch. This is
a better alternative to lunching or dining out and eating sodium-packed
processed
foods in most restaurants. Make it a point to eat regularly:
During a weight loss program its important to stay full and well
nourished on low calorie foods. So...bulk up on fruits, veggies, nuts,
low calorie snack bars and cooked meals. Keep snacking...keep munching
- don't give your brain the power to feel hungry. Keep full! Create a
schedule that has you munching on fruits and healthy stuff
several times a day. Expect cravings for sugar: It
is going to happen - be ready for it. Many people are not ready for the
terrible withdrawal symptoms that occur. For this, you really have to
be strong. Firstly, make sure you have a lot of sweet fruits on hand to
quell the attack; mangoes, pomegranates, water melons, peaches etc.
Eat...eat...eat until you cant eat anymore until that craving is gone.
Then wink at yourself in the mirror because you did it - you survived a
sugar craving without gorging on chocolate but that's not all - there
are going to be cravings for carbohydrates - this is where having a
heavy breakfast such as oats porridge or any other low calorie cereal
is important. Make sure it is a slow burning, low calorie breakfast
that can keep you feeling full for a long time.
Pasta is a low fat
carbohydrate (for lunch and dinner). Also, arm yourself with low
calorie snack bars when you are out. Think of yourself being on another
planet - a healthy, weight loss planet and there is no excuse for going
back to the foods you used to eat. Guess
what? - sugar & carbohydrate cravings may occur for awhile - but
withdrawals do not kill you (take it from someone who knows who became
vegetarian). Withdrawals are your receptor sites having a temper
tantrum - kicking and screaming and trying to make you feel so bad or
even insane that you gorge on whatever food you are withdrawing from. I
don't care if you have to bite a cushion or curl up in a corner - IT
WILL PASS - DON'T GIVE IN. It really is like a spoilt child demanding
what it wants.
Educate yourself:
The more you learn about how toxic processed foods are such as ready meals,
packaged and junk foods, the more you will respect your body enough to
avoid giving it such trash anyway.
Cook lots of simple meals in large quantities. You can eat portions of these for the rest of the week. This is important so you will have healthy meals to eat even |
| CHOOSING YOUR WORKOUT Workouts should match your personality. If you are quiet - a workout DVD in your home is good for weight loss. If you are extroverted - joining the gym will probably work - but more important is finding an exercise program you enjoy. Once again, this should be done during your research period before you begin your weight loss program. What works for you? Joining a yoga class? Pilates? Cardio workouts? Work with your mind, emotional makeup and body to find what will last. What if the weight is psychological? There are psychological reasons why a person may gain weight and not be successful in losing it and health conditions too. You need to do a physical checkup before you start a workout program to see if your weight problem is hormonal or due to some other medical condition. |
If you need a therapist...don't delay. Remember diet fads don't work because they don't always address the underlying causes of weight gain - you have to know who you are before you begin the road to a healthier and happier you..
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