How To Diet For Success

For many of us dieting is far too often approached from the mindset of impending failure. Too many people have tried and failed so many diets in their past that they try the next new diet with the absolute knowledge that they will fail in this attempt as well. Guess what? They will.

Henry Ford once said, "If you think you can or think you can't you will always be right." If you think you are going to fail at the next diet you are dooming yourself to failure before you even deprive yourself of the first bite. Think about that before you begin because only a true masochist could find pleasure in perpetuating this vicious cycle without ever stopping to wonder why none of the other diets have worked for you. Henry Ford also said, "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently". In case you were wondering I would say his words are quite profound. Seriously though, if you do not examine the reasons for your failures you are certainly dooming yourself to repeat them and if you are already planning to fail why on earth would you even try?

You are the only person who can take control of your need to eat. You are the only one who can pay attention and notice when you are eating for emotional fulfillment and when you are eating from necessity. You and you alone can get yourself out of your chair and on your feet. You are the only one that can take the responsibility for the condition in which you find yourself. There are medical exceptions but even in these situations if you are trying diet after diet and failing over and over again then you must at some point in time realize that it is quite likely not the diets that aren't working.

We must all be accountable for our successes and failures in life. It is no different when it comes to dieting. There are few better feelings in the world than for someone to notice and compliment your efforts. If you are very obese unfortunately, it may take a little more time for people to actually notice the weight you've lost. Too many men and women give up simply because no one noticed and that is an incredible shame. Give your dieting practices an opportunity to work before you decide they are a failure and you just might surprise yourself with a roaring success.

The truth is far too few people hold themselves accountable to their dieting and weight loss goals. This means that far too many people are giving up without really ever bothering to give it an effort. If you have an issue holding yourself accountable to your dieting plans, perhaps you would do well to diet with a partner. This helps you not only set goals but also to meet and exceed challenges along the way. A partner can also benefit from the partnership as he or she will be challenged and feel the need to perform better than if he or she were dieting alone.

You must hold yourself accountable to your stated dieting and weight loss goals in order to achieve any lasting results. If you have not had dieting success in the past, then perhaps it is time to bring some degree of accountability into the picture and make it happen.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment. Results may vary by each individual while working out, or utilizing any of the products mentioned in this article.

Tips To Change Your Family Lifestyle, So All Can Become Fit, And Healthy

It's no secret that many parents and their children are overweight. These 10 simple tips can help you change your family's lifestyle so that you all can become fit and healthy.

1) Eat Whole Grain Foods

Processed and refined grains, such as white bread, white rice, cereal, pasta, and other foods made with white flour have a high glycemic index, low amounts of fiber, and less vitamins and minerals as foods made with whole grains.

Making the switch to whole grain foods, including whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and cereals made with whole grains, are an easy and healthy way to make your family's diet more nutritious.

2) Limit Soda and Fruit Drinks

Soda and fruit drinks have low nutritional value and a lot of calories. At about 150 calories per 12 ounce serving, your kids will gain an extra pound about every 3 weeks if they drink just one can of soda each day.

Cutting back or eliminating soda, fruit drinks, and even fruit juice, can be a good way to get rid of a lot of extra calories and leave room for your kids to eat more nutritious foods.

3) Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Most children don't eat enough fruits and vegetables and that usually means that they are eating other less nutritious foods. With a high fiber content and lots of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. And because they have lots of water in them, eating fruits and vegetables can help you to feel full and satisfied so that you don't overeat.

4) Eat More Foods with Calcium

A common mistake people make when trying to lose weight is that they stop drinking milk, eating cheese and yogurt. Calcium is important to build healthy bones and to help you lose weight. You should encourage your kids to drink low-fat milk, eat portioned amounts of cheese and yogurt to help lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.

5) Be More Active

Everyone knows that part of the cause of the current obesity epidemic is that people are much less active then they used to be. Getting kids involved in organized activities, which can be either team or individual sports, and cutting back on the amount of time in front of the TV, computer and playing video games will burn calories and improve fitness levels.

Family activities are also a good way to be more physically active. Even simple things, like walking across a parking lot, using stairs, and going for short family walks or bike rides, can make a big difference.

6) Know Where Calories Come From

While you don't necessarily need to do daily calorie counts, keep a diary of what your family eats for a few days can help you see where extra calories are coming from. Are your kids overweight because of the calories they get from a bedtime snack or those two glasses of Kool Aid or soda he drinks? Or maybe because his portion sizes are too large?

If you know where your kids' calories are coming from, you will know where to make changes and how you can cut back, especially on foods that have a lot of empty calories.

7) Learn About Carbs

Carbs get a bad wrap, especially with all of the proponents of high protein diets, like the Atkins and South Beach Diet. Not all carbs are created equal. While it is a good idea to avoid foods that have refined such as white bread, foods made with white flour, and foods and beverages sweetened with sugar, other carbs should be part of a balanced diet.

Instead of avoiding all carbs, just learn about how to choose foods with good carbohydrates, which includes fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grain foods.

8) Learn About Fats

Like carbs, there are good and bad fats. Instead of making the mistake of trying to stick to a low fat diet, and simply substituting other foods that are often just as high in calories, you should eat foods that have good fat in them. This includes foods with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. On the other hand, you should avoid saturated fats and trans fats.

9) Choose Healthy Meals when Eating Out

Even if your family eats healthy at home, if you eat super-sized fast food meals a few times a week, they are probably still at risk for becoming overweight. If you eat out a lot, review the nutritional facts of the restaurant's menu and watch your portion sizes. Calories and fat quickly adds up when eating out!

10) Stay Motivated, And Make It Happen!

Most people know what they need to do to be healthier however, eating healthy and exercising is not easy.   Education about the specifics of a healthy diet, getting the whole family involved, and setting goals, can help your family stay healthy and fit.  Hire a personal trainer or seek the counsel of a dietitian to keep you on the healthy track.

Now is the time to Make It Happen!


his article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment. Results may vary by each individual while working out, or utilizing any of the products mentioned in this article.

Spring Is Here...Start Your Spring Body Transformation TODAY!

Hey friends, in case you missed our New Years 24-Day Jumpstart Body Transformation, or the 21-Day Couch Potato Challenge, here's your chance to get in on our "Spring BodyTransformation". Stop standing on the side lines, you have nothing to lose but pounds!

"WHAY WAIT"  

Do you or someone you know spend very little time exercising, and a lot more time on the couch sleeping, or watching television? If the answer is yes, then this challenge is for you.

No more fake promises, no more lying to yourself, no more alienating family, and friends, no more giving up, or quitting......your belief, and TRUST in yourself that you can accomplish anything, will be taken to a new level at the completion of your 21-Days. 

More importantly, you will be able to help, and inspire others, with the new found you.

What is it about walking to lose weight that makes it a resounding success, for so many people when trying to lose weight fast? Could it be, that it does not require much effort, other than putting one foot in front of the other? Or could it be that its something so simple, that any of us should be able to do it?

By committing yourself to the Spring Body Transformation you can increase your chances of walking off the pounds, to include helping reduce your risk of high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, and any other illness you may be a candidate for, due to your inactivity.

What is the "Spring Body Transformation"

Its a walking challenge started by Me (Dwight Obey), I became a couch potato after retiring from military service, at which time shortly afterwards, I sat and watched as my weight  ballooned to over 315 pounds. 

Tired of lying to myself, family, and friends who were all concerned by my rapid weight gain, I continued to make a new start date to begin my weight loss journey, hoping that it would ease their worries.

As each start date, came and passed, I made another, and another, and another promise, until eventually I started to alienate those who were close to me (FAMILY/FRIENDS), with my false promises to get back in shape. 

It was only then, that  my dream of slimming down became serious.

I went on to term the challenge which was created specifically for me to use as a starting point for my weight loss journey, the "Couch Potato 21-Day Walking Challenge".

What are the cost for the Spring Body Transformation?

There is no exspensive gym membership required (but you may use at your own cost) or any expensive tracking device. The only thing needed is a place to walk, whether it's outside, or inside your home which is my personal preferred place for the challenge, and a way to track your time. 

If outside, ensure you have a good pair of sneakers to support your feet, if inside you can wear sneakers or simply walk barefoot in place on a floor mat or carpet as I often do.

The challenge will be something thats easily manageable, and one that you will be able to build on as you progress each week. You will manage your distance, and steps at a pace thats comfortable for you. 

What is expected during the challenge?

Your goal is to walk at least 20 minutes a day each week, ultimately building up to 60 minutes a day. If you are not able to get the full recommended minutes in one session during the day, they may be broken down into smaller segments. The goal is to reach the recommended amount of walking time (MINUTES) for each day. By simply getting up, and moving. 

Your challenge (Simple right?).

• Day 1 thru 7 Walk, or Walk in place for 20 minutes each day
• Day 8 thru 14 Walk, or Walk in place for 40 minutes each day
• Day 15 thru 21 Walk, or Walk in place for 60 minutes each day

This simple and easy to do challenge, is designed to get those who have been inactive, or those who are just embarking on a new weight loss journey to develop a daily habit of moving and exercise. At the end of each cycle of 21 days, and healthy eating, try taking two days off, and repeating the challenge, if you would like to lose even more weight, but this time you will add an additional 20 minutes to each week. Please see below.

2nd Half (After 2-days of rest-repeat and add an additional 20-minutes per week)....If you have made it this far"CONGRATS".

• Day 1 thru 7 Walk, or Walk in place for 40 minutes each day
• Day 8 thru 14 Walk, or Walk in place for 60 minutes each day
• Day 15 thru 21 Walk, or Walk in place for 80 minutes each day

KEY TO SUCCESS: Remember your individual results will vary depending on your willingness to get up and move, while following a calorie restricted diet.

Note: To help calculate how many calories it is recommended an individual should consume daily, (based on weight, height, and whether you are a male, or female) along with other tips, please visit HealthLine: click here

Dwight - Feeling/Looking GREAT!

Written by,

Dwight Obey, Independent AdvoCare Distributor

Prior to beginning any physical fitness activities, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only, and is not a guarantee that you will be successful following this routine. Results vary by each individual, depending on their effort, and following a strict low calorie diet, throughout the 21-days 

A Weight Loss Game Plan 4 Success

They say the formula for losing weight is simple: eat less and exercise more. But, it's not really all that simple, is it?

Long-term weight loss isn't impossible, but you do have to be committed. Having a weight loss plan for your success is a good start. Here are ten items that should go into your weight loss plan.

1. Eat breakfast. This keeps you from getting too hungry later and then losing control over what you choose to eat later in the day.

2. Stock your refrigerator and pantry with healthy foods and snacks and limit high-fat, high-salt snacks such as potato chips and cookies.

3. Fill up on Fiber. Eat foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The fibers in these foods will fill you up leaving less room for unhealthy choices.

4. Don't fall into bad habits on weekends. Many people will follow a strict diet all week only to fall back into eating more (unhealthy) on the weekends as a reward for "being good" all week. Unfortunately, this can cause you to regain the weight you may have lost during the week.

5. Watch portion sizes. Your perception of what a serving size should be and a "true" serving size can differ dramatically. Measure your portions accurately, especially when you first start your healthy eating regime.

6. Set lifestyle goals - not weight loss goals. Commitment to eating healthy foods does lead to healthy weight loss -- gradually. Looking at your weight daily can cause discouragement and will make many people give up and go back to unhealthy food choices.

7. Take healthy snacks with you when you take road trips. Grab healthy granola bars, bananas, apples and other fruit to prevent the temptation of stopping for a candy bar or milk shake.

8. Don't deny yourself the foods you love. If you absolutely love chocolate, go ahead and have a small piece - half of a candy bar instead of a whole one! And avoid eating your "splurges" every day. Save them for when you really need them!

9. Start moving. Exercise is the key to long term weight loss. You've heard the saying, "Move it or lose it." Too true!

10. Keep a journal. Writing down what you eat, when and how much you exercise and your moods will keep you on track and motivated to continue the course.

Weight loss is achieved by both diet and exercise. It is also achieved by persistence. If you "fall off the wagon" one day, pick yourself up and continue your healthy lifestyle the next. Don't give up!


*You should always reach out to your doctor before making lifestyle changes like incorporating dietary supplements, adding exercise routines, or changing your diet.

Top Ten Weight Loss Tips

Did you know that finding the most effective ways to burn fat will maximize your results and minimize your waistline! Below are 10 tips for fat burning if you want to lose weight and lead a healthier way of life.

1.) Drink More Water

One of the best weight loss secrets is to ditch the sodas and stick to water! Experts say you should drink approximately eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated and healthy. Instead of turning to calorie-laden or sugar-rich drinks, grab a refreshing glass of water. In addition to flushing toxins out of your system, drinking water encourages you to build muscle.

2.) Eat More Meals

A traditional three-meals-a-day plan just will not cut it if you are in the market to burn fat. Your body is not able to metabolize large meals and will quickly turn any excess into fat. Many experts believe you should eat six small meals a day. Be sure you cut back on your food consumption at each meal, or else you will be doubling your intake and doubling your fat storage!

3.) Work Out with Weights

One great way to maximize the amount of fat you are burning is to add a weight program to your work out routine. Weight training will not only tone your physique, but will strengthen your body and improve your general health. Lifting weights will also burn calories and fat more quickly than traditional exercising, and it will also boost your metabolism.

4.) Choose Protein

Choose protein-laden foods for boosting your metabolism and enabling your body to burn fat rapidly. In addition to burning fat, consuming a protein-enriched diet will help you rebuild muscle after work outs and maintain leanness of that muscle. Wisely choose proteins for your diet. Take great care to pick proteins low in fat so you do not consume extra calories.

5.) Cut Calories Wisely

It may be tempting to drastically cut your calorie intake when starting a healthy lifestyle. Instead, use a step method when cutting your calorie intake to minimize risk. Reducing calories too quickly results in your body rapidly burning all available calories, which will lower your metabolism. Furthermore, you are more likely to maintain your healthy lifestyle through this step method.

6.) Reward Yourself

When it comes to successfully dieting to burn the most fat, be sure to reward yourself. Everyone has temptations and favorite treats so allow indulgence. You will be less likely to cheat on your new diet if you grant yourself small rewards. If you are a chocolate lover, treat yourself to a small square of chocolate or single chocolate kiss each evening.

7.) Avoid Marathon Work Outs

The biggest mistake people make when looking to burn fat and lose weight is to have one long, extensive work out session. Instead, break up your work out plan into small chunks throughout the day. Take a brisk walk in the morning, enjoy a work out at lunch, and then exercise more in the evening. In addition to staying active all day long, breaking up your work out will better maintain your metabolism.

8.) Mix It Up

Choosing to engage in a variety of quality exercises will keep your interest and best allow you to maintain your goal of burning fat. Instead of doing the same exercises each day mix it up! Opt to swim laps one day, jog another, and bike the next. Rotating your activities will not only allow you to experience a variety of athletics, it will also allow you to better tone your body.

9.) Skip Happy Hour

For those individuals who want to burn fat quickly, avoid alcohol. Rich in sugars and carbohydrates, alcohol is a calorie-rich substance. These empty calories can add up quickly and take away from necessary nutrients that should be included in your daily diet. Furthermore, alcohol acts as an inhibitor for burning fat, allowing your body to store it more quickly.

10.) Try a Low GI Diet

A low GI diet is an excellent method of burning fat quickly. This diet encourages individuals to consume high amounts of foods with low rankings on the Glycemic Index. These foods are nutritious and will aid your body in burning fats and calories at a quicker pace. This diet includes many of your favorite fruits, vegetable, meats, dairy, and grain products.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment. Results may vary by each individual while working out, or utilizing any of the products mentioned in this article.

Did You Know That Weight Training Is Beneficial For Women

We have all heard the old saying that weightlifting causes huge muscle buildup in women, this is purely a creation of the media. It's true that some women weightlifters takes steroids, and these hormones do make them look very masculine, however the average woman who weight trains, will simply achieve a slim, healthy body without adding unwanted muscle mass.

The benefits of lifting weights, which is also called weight training, strength training or resistance training include stronger muscles, a stronger heart, a much leaner physique, a longer life, and a body better able to support your everyday needs and activities. Women, however, still tend to shy away from this beneficial form of exercise.

Ladies question, does the mere idea of weightlifting scare you?

I don't want to lift weights because they'll make me too big and bulky. For how many of you is this the reason you've never attempted weight training?

It seems to be many a man's dream to have big, bulky muscles. Why is it then, that men, whose bodies naturally contain much greater amounts of testosterone and growth hormone, lift weights yet DON'T get big and bulky?

It's true! Unless they are supplementing with dangerous and unhealthful steroids or similar substances, most men do not naturally bulk up hugely by lifting weights regularly. And neither will most women.

The idea that women get big, ugly muscles from weight training is a complete misconception.

The fact of the matter is that women must lift weights in order to achieve the lean, sculpted bodies they dream of having. If a woman does happen to have the genetic disposition to bulk up quickly, there are easy ways to alter a workout to prevent this extra muscle size, while still increasing strength and rapidly burning fat.

Let's start discussing some basics of weight training...

Weight training involves controlled lifting and working out with weights. Two basic terms related to weightlifting are rep's and set's. A rep describes the complete act of raising and lowering a weight during a single act of exercise. A set describes the number of times a particular rep is performed.

For example, when a person does five reps of a squat, they squat down and stand up five times, continuously, before stopping and either moving on to another exercise or finishing their workout. Those five squats would equal one set. A balanced weight-training session will include several sets of different exercises.

Your goal as either a beginner, intermediate, or advanced weight lifter should be to exhaust your muscles in the shortest time frame - that simply means that when you lift a weight, you should lift a heavy enough weight to exhaust your muscles doing only 10 - 15 reps.

And you should do this exercising pattern about 3 days each week - with at least 24 hour of rest after each workout.

Now I'm going to share a principle exercise with you that many commercial fitness "buff's" will hate me telling you because this single exercise will do more for your body than almost any other exercise around - making it completely unnecessary for you to ever buy another exercise gadget from late night television ever again.

Before I share it with you I've got to give you a quick disclaimer...this exercise should be done (at least initially) under the supervision of a qualified personal trainer, so that you learn the proper form to use during the movement.

This exercise will work EVERY muscle in your body, and you can do it in the privacy of your own home, without any fancy machines or expensive video's.

In fact, this exercise a foundational core exercise and it'll set your internal furnace up to burn more calories throughout the rest of the day than any other exercise we've tested (when done properly).

It's called the dead-lift and here's how it's done for maximum fat loss and body shaping...

STARTING POSITION

Stand with feet flat and placed slightly farther apart than shoulder width with toes pointed slightly outward.

Squat down with hips lower than shoulders and grasp the weight lifting bar (or any small object)...in the beginning I highly suggest that you use very little added weight, so when you bend to grasp something, use a book or something else that's small and light weight - just to help you balance.

Place hands on bar (or whatever you choose to lift) slightly less than shoulder width apart, inside the knees and with elbows fully extended. Place bar roughly 1 inch in front of shins and over balls of feet.

UPWARD MOVEMENT

• Lift bar off floor by extending hips and knees.
• Maintain an erect and flat back at all times.
• Keep elbows fully extended.
• Keep bar as close to shins as possible without hitting or scraping.
• When bar passes knees move the hips forward.
• Keep body erect at point of full knee and hip extension.

DOWNWARD MOVEMENT

Allow the hips and knees to flex to slowly lower the bar to the floor.
Repeat movement until finished with set.

Now this might sound a bit confusing the first several times you read it - however, once you practice it for a day or 2, the movement will become second nature to you and you'll begin feeling and seeing the results quickly.

Remember that with any new exercise comes a bit of soreness, so start very slowly, and gradually increase your intensity.

Ladies, I encourage you: Let go of your preconceived ideas about weight training. Do not fear it. Embrace your weightlifting potential! You will benefit so much more from it than from spending hours on that piece of cardio equipment alone.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment. Results may vary by each individual while working out, or utilizing any of the products mentioned in this article.

What To Do Before Starting A Weight Loss Plan

Starting a weight loss plan can be both fun and daunting at the same time. You’re opening up new possibilities for yourself, but at the same time, you’ll be changing a lot of things that you’re used to. Many people get stuck in their heads when they start planning to lose weight, a mindset which can make the whole endeavor fail. However, with enough preparation, you can have a weight loss program that works.

It’s important not to set yourself up for failure. Before you even begin forming a weight loss diet plan, get it in your head that you will succeed. As long as you pace yourself and remain realistic, you can set out to achieve your goals.

To maximize your chances for success, it’s best to prepare for what lies ahead. Don’t just begin your weight loss plan without preparing for it, because that’s like going up on stage at a dance recital without ever learning the routine. Here are a few things you’ll need to know and remember before you start on your weight loss plan.

Go easy on yourself

A lot of past diet fads advised the removal of certain types of food from your diet. While doing this can help you gain some short term success, it’s not the best for long-term success. Thus, it’s not really a weight loss plan that really works. If you deprive yourself of foods that you’ve always loved, there’s a huge chance that you’ll be tempted to try a “bite” of that forbidden ambrosia. That little “bite”, no matter how much you deny to yourself that it will ever happen, will eventually lead to binging. This isn’t really a hallmark of a weight loss program that works

Just imagine completely cutting one of your favorite foods out of a weight loss diet plan. Let’s say that this food is pizza. You love pizza, but you have to give it up. Then, your friends order a pizza for movie or game night. You think to yourself, “just one bite won’t hurt”, but then you find yourself scarfing down whole slices. We want what we want, and we want what we can’t have even more. It’s best to not play mind games with yourself like that when you need a weight loss eating plan to be effective.

Set attainable goals

One thing that can set us up for failure in any venture is having unrealistic expectations and goals. We’re more prone to giving something up if we can’t reach even the short term goals. However, we have to ask ourselves: are we just incapable of succeeding at what we set out to do, or are we expecting too much too soon?

In weight loss, it’s most likely the latter. A weight loss plan that really works is manageable and only a little daunting.

One thing you can do is keep a journal that tracks your progress and keeps an account of what you mean to achieve for each week. You should also make your goals as specific as possible. Instead of writing “lose two pounds” as your goal for the month, break it down to more specific and manageable steps. You can thus have a weight loss plan that won’t drive you crazy because it’s easier to follow and track.

Until then, good luck in your eight loss journey, and remember you can do this!