How Much Water Should I Drink to Lose Weight?

Posts Tagged ‘Weight Loss Success’

3,500 calories to burn a pound of weight from your body. That is how many additional calories you have to burn for every pound of weight you wish to lose.A common question among those who are overweight is “how can I lose weight quickly?” No thought is given to how many years it took to accumulate the weight and that just possibly it could take just as long to lose it.However, It is possible to increase the rate at which you lose weight. All you have to do is increase the number of calories you burn each day and make sure they are more than the calories you take in.You have 3 main body functions that need energy to work.

1. Your Life Force.Your body functions whether you are awake or not. To function it needs energy. It gets this energy by burning calories. The action of burning calories to keep your body humming along is called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and approximately 30% of calories consumed by your body are used for this function.

2. Physical Activity. Body movement, hands, arms, legs etc., over and above the automatic life sustaining BMR actions your body makes. These actions burn about 60% of the calories your body takes in.

3. Dietary Thermogenesis. This is the action of burning calories during and immediately after the act of eating which enables the body to eat, digest, use and absorb the food. Approximately 10% of the calories burned by your body are used in this function.

How then does all of this help us to lose weight quickly, given that you need to burn 3,500 calories to burn a pound in weight?

The experts recommend losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds a week. This translates to burning an additional 3,500 to 7,000 calories a week. Breaking it down this eqates to between and 500 and 1,000 calories to lose daily.

It gets even easier to lose the weight if you choose to split this amount into calories you want to burn off with additional activity and calories you want to lose by reducing your intake through better eating.

Within these parameters losing weight does not get much simpler than that. How quickly you can lose weight then is dependant on how committed you are.

Here are 3 strategies for losing weight you can start using today.

1. Exercise – 20 to 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week, of aerobic exercise like brisk walking, swimming, jogging or aerobic training, all of which will increase your heart rate. High intensity workouts of a sustained nature like these keep your body burning fat long after finishing the exercise.

2. More Meals – 5 smaller  meals eaten during the day allow your metabolism to burn fat faster that larger less frequent meals do. Smaller, regular meals also allow you to keep hunger pangs and potential binge eating in check.

3. Spicy Food – research has shown spicy food can boost your metabolism by up to 50% for anything up to 3 hours after finishing your meal. Chillies are particularly good at this.

With little effort these strategies can be put into effect and your life can start changing for the better very quickly. You can lose weight quickly but only if you consistently work at it.

These strategies will help you achieve your weight loss goals.

You do not have to be one of the many who are dissatisfied with what they weigh and how they look. Did you know that four out of five American women are unhappy with how they look?

On any given day one in four American men and and 50% of American women will be dieting. Of those who are dieting 95% will regain the weight they lose, plus an extra couple of pounds, within two years of completing their weight loss program. Only 5% manage to lose weight and keep it off. Find out HERE how you can be one of the 5% who not only lost weight, and achieved the slimmer, more attractive body look they desperately wanted, but also managed to keep their trim looks.

Weight loss success for many people is a constant struggle while others seem to get it on the first try. So why do some people struggle and others breeze through this difficult challenge?
There are certain factors that seem to work against some people, like age, a lower metabolism and even genetics play a part. But these are all things that can be overcome with the right motivation, commitment, knowledge and support.
In fact, these are the secret ingredients that successful losers have, and by losers I mean those who have lost the weight and kept it off. You can find just about every weight loss tip like drink plenty of water, eat healthier foods and exercise more. All of these are great tips and will help towards losing weight. But if you struggle to lose weight then you need to dig deeper and try new ways to stay committed to your weight loss goal, gain all the right information for you, find ways to get motivated and build the proper support system.Weight Loss Success through Commitment
My guess is if you didn’t want to lose weight you would not be reading this article. But saying you want to lose weight is just a small step to really committing to weight loss.
Increase your commitment by creating a personalized weight loss plan. Set a realistic goal, one that is something you can achieve and would be happy with. The goal can be in terms pounds, inches or body fat loss. Or it can even be by clothing size or the way you look in the mirror.
Make smaller goals that you can measure your progress by the week or month. Making smaller goals helps you stay focused and committed towards your long term goal. Plan for the week and go shopping for the foods you need and clear your schedule to allow time for your planned exercise routines.
Keep in mind that even the best made plans can change as life will give you the unexpected. Don’t let a missed day of exercising or eating right throw you off track. Shrug it off and keep on going with your plan and make adjustments if needed.Weight Loss Success through Knowledge
Knowledge is power and with the right knowledge on your weight loss needs you can accomplish amazing results. Many weight loss programs are designed to adjust to the individual needs. Each person’s calorie intake needs and exercise needs will be different.
Your daily calorie intake for weight loss is dependent on your weight and height, age and gender and activity level. Do the proper research to first determine what your basal metabolic rate is. Then adjust your calorie intake needs for your level of activity. Once you have armed yourself with this information, then create a calorie deficit, where you consume fewer calories than you burn.
If you are able, add exercise to your weekly routine. Studies show that people who exercise and diet lose weight quicker and are more likely to keep the weight off versus those who only diet. Start out slow if you have not exercised in awhile. You should try to create a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories a day for weight loss by eating fewer calories and adding exercise. Be sure you don’t reduce calories too low or you will cause your metabolism to slow down and you run the risk of actually gaining weight.Weight Loss Success through Motivation
If only we could buy motivation in a can we would be all set to lose the weight. Unfortunately motivation cannot be bought and is at times very difficult to find. Try looking for that certain something or someone that inspires you to stay with your weight loss and keep you motivated.
Try motivating yourself using a reward system. You can reward yourself with whatever you want but try to stay away from food as a reward. Use a calendar and place stickers or stars when you reach a goal or had a good week. Although this may seem like you are back in school, it is a visual reminder of how well you are doing. When you hit a significant goal treat yourself to a night out with your friends and family.
If you hit a weight loss plateau and feel like giving up, motivate yourself by looking back at your progress to see how far you have come. Remind yourself that plateaus are just part of the journey and to stick with it. Eventually you will come off the plateau and be on the losing end of things again. Try mixing up your exercise routine or change and add different foods to push past the weight loss plateau.
Another weight loss motivation tactic is to create your own personalized motivational saying. Even if you don’t think you are a creative person, write something down that you can relate to and get motivated by. Post it where you can read it everyday. You know yourself best and therefore can create a personalized weight loss motivation tip that will inspire you.Weight Loss Success through Support
Support groups can be found for just about everything life can throw at you, including weight loss support groups. Weight loss can be very challenging and frustrating. Adding support to your weight loss ingredients can be the difference between getting through the challenge and giving up.
You can look for organized support groups through weight loss programs, on-line forums or chat rooms. You can also build your own group. Include your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. Let them know you are trying to lose weight and want their support. Perhaps you and your neighbor can go walking a couple of times a week. At work, you and your coworkers can plan a “bring your own healthy meal” day at work, instead of going out for lunch.
With the right support, motivation, knowledge and commitment, you can be successful at your weight loss goals.