How Much Water Should I Drink to Lose Weight?

Posts Tagged ‘weight loss’

From 18 thru 24 March.
After last week’s set back in my weight loss program this week is great because at my Friday weigh-in I was down to 186 pounds (92 Kilograms) and my waist belt is up one extra notch. Now that has sounded alarm bells because it is the final notch on the belt and I hate making extra holes.
This puts the weight loss program right back on track to achieve a weight of 180 pounds (89 kilos) that was the original target. I did set 17 weeks as the target period but will beat that deadline by around 4 weeks or more at the rate I’m losing weight.
The focus during the past week has been to increase my level of exercise – not by having longer or more vigorous exercise sessions but by being more conscious of doing those little extra things that we all pretend that we don’t have time to do. Like choosing stairs rather than an escalator when the option is available, becoming really serious about questioning whether I need to use the car to do a chore and just getting off my butt and taking a walk after dinner.
One instance that I recall this week was when I promised my wife to bring a carton of milk back when I walked down to buy my morning paper. The sports page was so interesting I totally forgot to buy the milk and arrived back home without milk. – Now I wear the pants in my house with her permission so I immediately turned around and made for the car to return to the village. Then I thought of my promise to increase exercise, so I slipped the car keys into my pocket and walked back to the village. Needless to state I felt proud of myself for pocketing the car keys and remembering my exercise pledge. Maybe that extra trip to the village was worth half a pound in weight loss?
It doesn’t matter whether the exercise helped me lose weight or not, it certainly helped make this old body a little fitter and that is equally as important as losing weight. What’s the point in losing weight if your body remains too unfit to enjoy the benefits of weighing less?
As your body becomes fitter during the process of following this system you should never stop reminding yourself that this extra fitness will be the major factor in keeping the weight off. Because you are fit you will want to be more active and activity burns calories.
This article is copyright © David McCarthy 2006.

You may have read or heard about all of these diets; Atkins, Slim Fast, South Beach, Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers.You may have read or heard about all of these diets; Atkins, Slim Fast, South Beach, Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers.

You probably have seen the commercials, and you have read the advertisements. Maybe you have decided that following a diet plan like that is not for you. Maybe you cannot give up carbs so you gave up on Atkins. Perhaps weekly weigh ins are out of the question there goes Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers.

No, you do not like replacing your meals with liqui- adios Slim Fast. Maybe you do not want to think before you eat hasta luego South Beach. Perhaps you just want to eat what you want, when you want but you still want to lose weight.

But where are the weight loss tips for people who just want to live their lives without constantly focusing on their diet? Today is your lucky day. Here are some general weight loss tips that will help you feel healthy and happy and they do not require the use of any expensive shakes, meal plans or books.

Weight Loss Tips:

1. Get Support. It is important to seek support from family or friends. If that is not possible then join an online weight loss support forum.

2. If you cannot exercise for 30 minutes at a time, then break it up into three, 10 minute sessions. When you are watching TV, get up and jog during the commercials, go for a 10 minute walk during your lunch break, add 10 minutes of vigorous house cleaning to your schedule.

3. Eat what you want, but eat in moderation. You have to be aware of how many calories you are eating per day. As long as you burn more than you take in then you will lose weight.

4. Eat your largest meal during the day when your activity level is high.

5. Do not deprive yourself. Deprivation will only lead you to binging.

6. Eat when you are hungry! Do not try to starve yourself. When your body goes into starvation mode your body begins to conserve every single calorie that you eat.

7. Do not weigh yourself more than once a week. Constant weighing will only discourage you because your weightfluctuates throughout the day. In fact, ditch the scale completely! Invest in a tape measure; that will give you much more accurate results on how you are really doing.

8. Try to increase your protein. Protein helps build muscle and muscle helps burn fat.

9. Eat more fiber! It helps you feel full sooner and it has less calories.

10. Set small, attainable goals. It is unrealistic to expect to lose 40 lbs in one month. However it is very realistic to expect to lose 5 lbs in one month. Or maybe you will set a goal to stop eating sugar for a week, or maybe you will set a goal to exercise at least 4 times per week. Whatever you choose, make sure it is realistic and attainable.

11. Keep a journal of your progress. Write down your goals for the week. Write down what you are eating, how you are exercising and what is and is not working for you.

12. If you do not enjoy the exercise you are doing, pick another one. You are not going to stick to something that you dread.

13. Remember the key to weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise.

Always keep in mind that losing weight is not easy. But just think of what is more important to you eating that delicious 1000 calorie dessert and taking a nap; or making a little sacrifice to reach your
weight loss goals.

Weight loss plateaus can be pretty discouraging for even the most motivated and driven individuals. If you don’t avoid or overcome your weight loss plateau you run the risk of losing motivation and becoming disillusioned with your weight loss program. The real shame is that you give up on all your gains when you are so close to realizing your dream if only you just break through the plateau. Weight loss plateaus are a normal part of our life. We encounter it in most things that we do where we have become accustomed to it over time. When this happens we usually find that progress either stalls or slows.

Weight loss plateaus often occur 8-12 weeks into your program. One of the simplest ways to avoid encountering the weight loss plateau is to change your program every 4-5 weeks. As with all things in your life when you start something new you will find most of the gains in the early part, usually the first week or two and then noticeable progress starts to decrease as you continue with a plateau occurring usually around the 8 to 12th week as your body now is comfortable with the program.

So for example with respects to a weight loss program involving exercise sessions at the gym then change either the actual exercise equipment you are using or a variable within the exercise to give your body a new variation to get used to. To get the benefits of aerobic exercise you want to be able to try and maintain your heart rate at around 70% of its maximum for at least 30 mins and up to 60 mins. As you progress on your fitness regime you will find over time that you are able to maintain your heart rate at 70% intensity with less strain and work on your part. So you will want to review your maximum heart rate every time you change your program so that you can continue to keep to the 70% number.

So with this in mind you can change your exercise so long as you are able to keep to the above percentages and duration. One example is if you have started with the treadmill you can now shift to a bike for 4-6 weeks. Or you can change from a treadmill to bike with alternate sessions. It’s up to you. Likewise with weights you want to be either increasing the weights or increase the reps.

There is no reason why you can’t translate this to your meals as well. Why not introduce foods that you haven’t tried during your weight loss regime.

The key is variety, by keeping variety in your weight loss program you are keeping it interesting and enjoyable. We tend to stick better with things that we find stimulating.

How can I lose weight as quickly as possible. I have heard this question so many times that I have lost count. A great many people want to lose many pounds as rapidly as they can. This is not hard to understand if you are greatly overweight and have now decided to correct your weight problem.
There is unfortunately no simple answer that is right for everyone. The quickest way to lose weight depends on so many factors which vary from individual to individual.
In some cases your weight is influenced by your genes. In others it is simply consuming too much food. Often a lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle are the cause. In all cases you are simply consuming more calories than you expend in your daily life.
Someone who is engaged in hard manual work will obviously burn off a lot more calories daily then an office worker,who sits at a desk all day. An active youngster who plays a lot outdoors and runs around burns a lot of calories. A child who sits watching TV a lot is liable to become overweight.
We all know how many seriously overweight people are to be seen everywhere we go. Obese adults and youngsters are seen everywhere. An inactive lifestyle combined with overeating is the cause in most cases. The sad result is diabetes and heart problems for too many people.
The only safe way to lose weight quickly is to lower your expectations to a more reasonable rate of weight loss. You can lose weight rapidly but don’t expect miracles. You have decided that you should lose weight as fast as possible,but you must first decide on just how many pounds you really want to lose?
There is no safe way to lose a great amount of weight quickly. On a good diet exercise program most people lose one pound per day safely or a bit more if you are quite a bit overweight.
That is the quickest way to lose weight. There is no way that you can reasonably take off 30 pounds in a week. Some of the dieting ads you will see around try to make you believe that that this can be done but please don’t be suckered –it just can’t.
The quickest way to lose weight is to get on a really good weight loss program which is based on the latest research data. All the evidence is that these programs really work well and you will lose weight quickly on them.
So my recommendation for the fastest way to lose weight is to aim for about one pound per day,or a little more if you are really overweight. Don’t take the word of some con artist that he can show you how to lose 30 pounds in a week. It simply is not true. You can lose weight rapidly but not that fast.

For anyone seriously trying to lose weight, I know it can be a daunting task. If you are unable to be dedicated, follow your plan and invest the time and effort, I can tell you it will not be worth your time to even commence. Losing weight has to be a lifestyle change. It’s not going on a diet eating pre-packaged or frozen food and then losing several pounds then returning to your normal eating habit after you have lost some weight..That certainly will not do it. That is what is called yo yo dieting. It does you no good. There is no quick fix for losing weight, Weight loss can be easy if planned properly.

There is no magic wand to get the weight off you have to work at it consistently and eventually it will become a part of your daily routine. If you are willing to do what is required you will be surprised at yourself and you could even surprise everyone around you at the beautiful, confident person you can become. Weight loss can change your entire perspective on life. You will become a different person who is willing to take on any other challenges that comes your way. You would be surprised how one change in your life can cause you to become a person who is ready to take on a whole different outlook on your entire life, whether it be financial, educational or emotional.

Before you begin your weight loss program check with your doctor to make sure you are fit enough to embark on this new lifestyle you will be taking on.

Firstly you will need to know your Body Mass Index (BMI), this can be very helpful in determining how much weight you need to lose based on your height.

Secondly, try incorporating a healthy, clean eating habit, eat as much fruits and vegetable per day that will make you comfortable and each week you can add additional fruits and or vegetable until your body starts to enjoy eating this type of food. Do not force yourself to eat too much initially, this will turn you off and make you not want to eat it.

Try to cut back on the fast food as much as possible, have less soda gradually until eventually you do not have the desire for this type of food. Fast food and soda does not provide you with necessary nutrients that your body needs. Also try to control your portion size, yes, this is very important when trying to lose weight.

Incorporate some exercise into your weight loss regime. You can start of with simply walking a block or two initially, then gradually add a little more each week until yo have gotten to a point where you are able to walk say, 3 miles per day for 3 or 4 days per week. Eventually you can take it to the next level. If you have a baby you can put the baby in the stroller and push along while walking. This can be very convenient for anyone with a young child who does not have child care support all the time.

The above is a very simple technique that can be used by anyone wanting to lose weight in an inexpensive manner and very doable. This is how I lost some weight after many many frustrating attempts. I decided to sit down and make a note of all the steps I had taken that eventually worked for me however the key is consistency. Good luck on your weight loss journey.

Have you hit a plateau in your weight loss which is when your scale seems to be stuck at the same weight for days or sometimes weeks? If you are there right now, don’t panic! It’s only a temporary condition and you will be losing again if you just keep your cool, your courage and your will to reach your healthy weight! Now is not the time to give up!
Congratulations on your weight loss so far! What you’re experiencing is common, as many successful dieters find their weight remains static for several days or some stay put for a week or two. Why this happens isn’t clear but it seems to be the body’s way of ‘catching up’ with its sudden change in size.
Although it’s disappointing when you don’t lose weight steadily, this is a crucial time for you. It’s at this point that many people give up, fail to reach their goal and pile the weight back on. In contrast, most people who get through this difficult patch go on to reach their goal, and then stay slim forever.
There’s never been a more important time for you to stay motivated so look back on your success to date, whether that’s checking out your journal or comparing pictures of yourself before you started losing weight, with pictures now.
You might also find it motivating to measure your vital statistics, even though the scales don’t show a loss, you might still find you’re losing inches. I always suggest that you weight only once a week, first thing the same day of the week and also try on the same pair of jeans to see how they are fitting. If you haven’t already done so, you should make sure you update your goals Chart with your current weight.
So, what do you do? Well. Please don’t stop your program!
1. Make sure you are staring your day with a Medifast meal! With in the first hour of waking, fuel your body with highly nutririous shake, oatmeal, or capacino.
2. Make sure you are getting all 5 medifast meals in daily. The easiest way to guarantee this is to eat every 3 hours.
3. Be honest, are you measuring your lean and green meal to assure the proper calories and carbs? Remember that the meal should be around 33 calories and 10 carbs.
4. Begin an exercise program that will help to boost your metabolism. Simply walking at a good pace (can still walk and talk) is a great way to start. Add weight training and more vigorus aerobics as you feel fit to do so. Building muscle is important to your maintenance program because as you increase your muscle mass you’ll increase the amount of calories you burn on a day to day basis.
5. Change your workout if you have been doing the same thing for awhile. For example, Change out the elipticle for the treadmill or bicycle. Begin swimming or choosing different weight machines or exercise tape.
6. Ask for Help. Chances are your Health Advisor has been through a plateau and can give you some great tips and motivation!
7. There may be some stress in your life that is causing your weight loss to slow. Make sure you are getting enough sleep.
8. Make sure that you are drinking enough water. You can take your current weight divide it in half and that will give you an approximate amt of water needed/day.
9. Strengthen your will power. This is the time to reflect on how well you’ve done so far, how you like your new found body and self, the control over food and choices that comes with this program.
10. Do not be hard on yourself! It happens to almost everyone, no matter what weight loss program they choose. The difference will be whether you stick it out or quit. And remember, the feeling and empowerment you will feel when you reach your goal not to forget the lifestyle you will have (able to do a lot more activity) once you’ve gotten those unwanted pounds off is so worth the wait and continued effort!

A couple of weeks ago I’ve heard again the same old argument, “If weight loss programs would really work, then we would all look great. But we don’t look all that great, so it means weight loss cures are a total waste of time and money!”

You’ve probably heard or thought about something similar too at some point in your life if you’ve ever tried any kind of weight loss program.

I believe that quick weight loss cures don’t work because people fall too often pray to less-than-honest advertising campaigns, spend money on “miracle products” and get no results whatsoever.

So what would really work?

Is there any such a thing as a miracle quick weight loss cure or miracle pill? The short and long answer is, of course, “No!”

Weight loss cures and programs would be benefited if the accent would be shifted not so much on losing weight as on improving the general health of the individual. Furthermore, many specialists report that change in general lifestyle cannot be accomplished effectively unless it involves the whole family of the individual in facing weight issues.

What can one do to improve his or her health, well being and self image?

Procrastination is the number one challenge you will have to face if you want to make durable changes in your life. I mean what can happen if you don’t take your 30-minute walk today? Nothing, really.

There’ll be time that you will skip your walk more and more often and then your gym classes because it will be harder for you to do a full body workout when you’ve done no exercise at all during the week. By the way, 2 hours once a week is not that effective anyway.

And then there are all the small treats you just can’t say no to. And does it really make such a great difference if you’ll eat a little chocolate today, or a double cheeseburger?

When I needed to find a weight loss cure that really works I’ve tried a lot of things. I’m not saying they are all waste of time, but I didn’t like neither one of them. There are friends of mine who swear by Atkins or Hoodia or who knows what else, but I’ve never had any success with any of the well known weight loss programs.

And I am not the type that goes to the gym either. I simply hate to sweat at the gym. I am doing all the chores that needs to be done around the house, I love gardening and I spend a lot of time playing with my dogs, but I just cannot make myself get up and going to the gym.

Plus I love to cook and I love to eat.

Sounds hopeless, isn’t it?

Well, it would be hopeless if I would be into quick weight loss, but I am not.

I’ve set myself a simple goal: I have to lose 1 (one) pound per month. It would have taken me 3 years to reach a healthy weight. It sounds like an eternity and it may well be so for people who expect miracles.

But look at it my way – I didn’t have to make major adjustments in my lifestyle right from day one. All I did was to eat a little less fries than usual and some more veggies. And then I’ve started to drink less sweet carbonated drinks.

It took me more than a year to give up fries and cola, but I’ve done it and I was so proud of myself. I still don’t go to the gym, but I do walk for 30 minutes four times a week and I do try not to use the elevator at work.

And so, with minor adjustments over a long period of time I’ve come to achieve my goal and I haven’t gained any weight back!

There are literally tons of information and articles about losing weight. Believe it or not, people still make the same dieting mistakes over and over again. I am not referring to little slip ups. What I am talking about are big mistakes that become real problems in your weight loss attempts. If we can define these mistakes it may make it possible for healthy, permanent weight loss.
The first mistake is the all or nothing attitude. People who approach their dieting in this manner will often select a diet that practically impossible for them to maintain. When they first begin, they remove anything from the kitchen that does not fit in with their new diet. What they are thinking is that they wish to be perfect. They probably will be. Maybe for a day or two, or perhaps ever a couple of weeks. But something always happens. For some reason they are not able to continue with their diet. When this happens the entire process is ruined and the diet is over. So what they do is go to the store and replace all the things that they threw out in the first place.
If this is your approach to dieting then it is necessary to ask yourself some difficult questions. What exactly is the purpose of your diet? Do you want to lose this weight permanently? Perhaps you just wish to lose a few pounds. The secret here is to make lifestyle changes in your diet. This way you create a slow and regular means of losing weight.
The second mistake is the attitude of sacrifice. Many people see their diet as some sort of sacrifice. It is easy to see why. You are not allowing yourself to eat the foods that you enjoy the most while attempting to achieve your target weight. This is what happens. You have done your research. You have come up with well thought out diet that you can do. You can successfully lose that weight and achieve your target weight. Okay! Now what? You have reached your goal. Have you really changed your eating habits? Did you learn to eat those so called bad foods in moderation? Are you likely to end up out of control? Can you broaden your diet in moderation and maintain your target weight?
The third mistake is goal failure. Defining your goals is essential with your weight loss program. Your goals should be crystal clear. They must be realistic. You should write them down. You probably have an ideal weight in mind when you begin. If you are more than a few pounds overweight, this goal is probably too far away to be helpful. A more practical goal is to lose 2 pounds per week for the first several weeks. After that, 1 pound per week. Of course, this will vary from week to week. However, when you track your progress you will observe that you are consistently moving toward your goal.
Do not worry if you have been making any of these mistakes. Just like everything else in life, it important to learn your lesson and to move on. The truth is that we learn more from our failures than we do from our successes. Do not let your mistakes to be an excuse for giving up. Success comes from making a commitment and by being persistent.