This article may seem a little obvious to most people, especially people who are overweight, but believe it or not, there are factors involved with being overweight that many people are not aware of. They think it all comes down to eating too much. Ironically, it’s got very little to do with how much you eat, but more to do with WHAT you eat as well as factors that have nothing to do with eating at all. Bet that comes as a shock to you? Well, after reading this article, you may find quite a few things shocking as to why you’re having so much trouble fitting into that new cocktail dress or speedo.

Let me start off by saying that you can eat as much as you want and still maintain your ideal weight. If you’re thinking this is voodoo, it’s not. See, the general concept of how we gain a pound and lose a pound is very simple. The best way to explain this is with an example. But first let me explain what a calorie is. Yes, the evil culprit to this whole vicious cycle of gaining and losing weight. Continue reading »

An apple a day keeps the doctor away but it also keeps the pounds off as well.  Any type of apple will do, just eat it fresh and with the peel.  The pectin in the peel makes you feel fuller.  The average apple only has about 50 calories and is full of vitamin C and fibers.  Drinking apple juice or cooked apples won’t give you the same effect as a raw apple.

You can slice an apple and add it to cooked oatmeal for breakfast.   Sliced apples, turkey  and a sprinkling of walnuts makes a great sandwich filling.  Chopped apples can be added to a salad.   Apples can be added to chicken salad or ham salad. Continue reading »

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. Continue reading »

There’s rather a sad part to being overweight that goes way beyond the mere fact that you’re unable to get into your favorite outfit. Many people who are overweight, especially if they have found that they’re unable to lose the pounds no matter what they do, tend to reach a point of acceptance. They stop trying, even to the point of making excuses for their appearance. Some will even go as far as to say that there’s just more of them to love. If you’ve been there, you know who you are and what a lonely place it really is. Well, the first thing that somebody needs to do when attempting to lose weight is actual deal with the problem in a realistic way without burying their head in the sand and either pretending it will go away or that it doesn’t matter. This article will focus on some of the main things you’ll need to do psychologically in order to deal with actually taking off the pounds.

The first, and probably most important thing that you’ll have to do is to accept that you’re overweight and that you need to diet. Denial is not going to get you anywhere. You have to stare the problem right in the face and confront it head on. You have to have a positive attitude that you’re going to lose the weight. Sometimes attitude is everything. So going in with that positive attitude will make things a heck of a lot easier. Continue reading »

So how much weight did you lose? 10 pounds? 20 pounds? 30 pounds? Excellent! But you’ll still need to keep working to keep it off. It’s really easy to slack off and start to regain that weight that you worked off, but you don’t have to if you truly don’t want to.

Let me give you some tips that will help you in your life after weight loss. They’re easy and effective, so there’s no reason for you to regain that weight that you worked so hard to remove! Continue reading »

The South Beach Diet is similar to the Atkins Diet in that it has an initial two week phase I period that drastically reduces carbs.  The difference between Atkins and South Beach is that there are good carbs and bad carbs. The glycemic index of a food is what counts.  The glycemic index is how much a food increases blood sugar compared to the amount that same quantity of white bread would increase blood sugar.

A spike in the blood sugar or glucose, signals the pancreas to make more insulin. The insulin’s job is to get the sugar out of the blood stream into the organs for energy or into storage.  The body stores glucose as fat.  Keeping the blood sugar from spiking means less insulin is produced which means the sugars are absorbed slowly resulting in a steady level of decreasing sugar levels rather than a rush.  Low blood sugar leads to cravings for sugary foods and over eating.  And the cycle starts again. Continue reading »

In this final installment of our series on dieting, we’re going to wrap things up by getting you ready to actually go and lose the weight. If you think this doesn’t take preparation, think again. Going on a diet, however you plan to do it, takes as much preparation as it does to prepare for playing at the US Open. There is a mind set that’s involved as well as a routine that has to be followed. Losing weight is something that has to be worked at everyday. So, in this article, we’re going to point out some of the main things that you’re going to need to do in preparation for one of the most important times of your life. Hopefully, after reading this, you’ll be armed with everything you need to take those pounds off.

The first thing you have to do is choose one of the methods outlined in the previous article in this series. If you decide you want to diet by using one of the “package” diets, such as Weight Watchers, then get all the facts of how the diet works first. Make sure you understand what it is you’re getting into before you do it. Like I said, the mind set is very important here. If you go in with a positive attitude, regardless of what method you choose, you’ll have a better chance of success. Continue reading »

So you want to lose weight and you would really prefer to lose weight fast. How do you do it? Counting carbs? Counting calories? Running? Walking? Or, dare I say…

Diet pills? Continue reading »

Finding your target weight can either be simple or complex. It just depends on how you choose to view it. Let’s take a look at the simple way to find your target weight first.

If you are currently overweight, and you know it, finding your target weight can be as simple as starting the healthy journey of losing weight. Be honest with yourself and realize that you are overweight and any changes that help you to lose weight are a step in the right direction of reaching your target weight. You will notice changes in your appearance and even your energy levels by losing as little as ten pounds. Yes! Ten pounds! Continue reading »

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. Continue reading »