There are really only two ways to lose weight: eat less or exercise more.   To lose one pound you have to either cut 3500 calories from your normal diet or exercise enough to burn off the 3500 calories.

The average person consumes about 2000 calories a day.   Walking for 15 minutes uses about 100 calories.  2000 calories may seem like a lot but it goes quickly.  A McDonald’s Big Mac hamburger has 560 calories, a glass of whole milk 160 calories, a small apple has 50 calories.  Cutting more than 500 calories from your daily 2000 isn’t recommended.  The body has a built in protection system that lowers your metabolism to conserve energy if food consumption is drastically reduced.   If you go on a 800 calories a day program within a week your body will compensate. Read the rest of this entry »

So you’ve decided to join a fitness center to get the exercise you need for your weight loss programs. There are basics every and any fitness center should have.

Safe equipment and safe instruction. Read the rest of this entry »

So, you want to exercise but you think that you just don’t have the time. Hey, you’re busy with the spouse and kids and activities and work and…

The list just keeps going on and on… Read the rest of this entry »

Joining a fitness center can motivate you to stick with your weight loss program.  But  there are so many to choose from, how can you narrow down the field?

Determine what your goals are for your fitness program. Read the rest of this entry »

You don’t have to radically change your lifestyle or your eating habits to lose weight.  Small changes in your daily routine can add up to major changes on the scale.

We all know that drinking water is good for you, but can it also help you take off the pounds?  Yes if it’s ice water.  If you drink an 8 ounce glass of ice cold water, your body burns up 25 calories to get its temperature back to normal.  If you drink only 4 glasses of ice water a day, you’ll lose 12 pounds in a year. Read the rest of this entry »

Exercise combined with a few changes in your diet can melt off the pounds in no time.  But if you think exercise means hours sweating in the gym, think again.  As with any new exercise program check with your doctor before proceeding.

Studies have shown that walking at a brisk pace has the same benefits to your heart as jogging, with less stress to your joints.   Walkers are less prone to injuries than joggers.  A brisk pace means that you can talk while you’re walking without gasping for air.  If you can sing a tune you’re going too slow.  You should be able to keep up the pace for 30 to 60 minutes without a lot of stress. Read the rest of this entry »