Lose Weight Now

Well, it’s Halloween today and you know what that means? That means the holidays are just around the corner now. Less than a month to Thanksgiving.

The holidays can be a nightmare for anybody who is trying to lose weight. With all the wonderful and fattening foods at dinners and parties it’s always a hard time to stay on track with your weight loss. So, since Halloween kind of kicks off the holidays, why not make a promise to yourself today that you are going to stay on track this holiday season and still lose weight.

I will be writing several posts about how you can make it through the holidays and still manage to lose weight. So go, ahead make that promise to yourself today and check back here often in the next two months for tips and ideas on helping you get through the holidays lighter than you are today!

Happy Halloween!!

One of the hardest things that I ever faced when I was trying to lose weight was actually just sticking with the program. It seemed like if I went to one party or dinner and had some foods that I shouldn’t have or didn’t get to exercise for a few days, I always just wanted to quit all together. It’s so easy to fall into that trap if you have a bad day(s) you just want to call the whole thing off and say “Who cares?”

When I was having days like that, I just remembered the original reason of why I wanted to lose weight and why I needed to lose weight. I was doing it for my health and so I could feel better about myself. So what if I got off track for a day or even a week, the most important thing is that I stuck with and got back on track.

Remember no one is perfect! You are going to have your days were you just want to call the whole weight loss thing off, but remember what you set out to accomplish and get back into the game!

Foods packed with fiber will help you stay full longer, which in return can help you to eat less throughout the day. A single slice of whole wheat bread can be just as filling as two slices of regular white bread. So, when you are trying to lose weight, what do you think is better? Two slices of white bread or one slice of whole wheat bread?

Also, eating plenty of fiber will keep you regular and keep your system from getting clogged up, which happens many times when you start a new diet. The more waste your body can get rid of the healthier you will be and that means that you body is getting rid of calories believe it or not.

Lastly, fiber helps to keep your blood sugar levels equal. After you eat a slice of white bread or paste, your blood sugar levels will spike and then drop quickly, as the white flour turns right into sugar when digested. This signals the body to start storing the food because it has an over supply of the energy. The fiber packed food will not do that to your body. It will not send your insulin levels sky high and then make them drop quickly.

So, next time you want to eat something and actually feel full, reach for a food that is high in fiber!

Any exercise were you can work both your upper body and your lower body at the same time is an awesome exercise in my book. You can do double duty and tone your butt while you tone your biceps. This cuts down on the number of exercises you have to do and most importantly will help to get your heart rate higher which we all know is how we burn those pesky calories.

So, next time you are doing your weight training, try incorporating this exercise into your routine!

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your knees slightly bent. Hold a 3-8 pound dumbbell in each hand with your elbows bent at 90 degrees and your palms facing up.

2. Lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel with the ground. With any squat make sure that your knees are not going past your ankles. At the same time you are squatting, curl your weights up to your shoulders into a normal bicep curl.

3. Return to starting position as you raise yourself up using your thighs and butt and lower your weights back down to starting position.

4. Repeat this exercise for desired amount of repetitions. Try not taking a rest in between reps to keep your heart rate up.

If you seem to be struggling with losing weight and you are eating healthy and exercising, look at your sleeping habits. If you are not getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night, then that may be the reason why you are not losing weight.

Research has shown that in order to lose weight and become healthier, you need a certain amount of sleep for your body. Not getting enough sleep will actually slow down your metabolism, making it harder for you to burn calories. If you have a slower metabolism is will be a lot tougher to lose weight than if your metabolism was working at normal speed for you.

So, every night, make sure that you are getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep. Not only will this help your weight loss efforts it will give you more energy to get through the day!

Although you may be able to find one or two half-way decent food items at a fast food drive thru, you are better off just avoiding them all together. I found that when I was trying to lose weight, if I went to McDonalds or Burger King, I would never pick the healthy option like I said I was going to, no I always would see the menu and change my mind and get the greasy cheeseburger or chicken with fries.

Avoiding a fast food drive thru is not always easy, but it is doable. Here are some tips on how you can stop pulling into McDonalds when you are hungry.

1. Make sure that you are eating enough. If you are skimping yourself on calories throughout the day, you are going to end up being so hungry and won’t that McDonalds look good when your stomach is growling driving home from work?

2. Carry snacks in the car with you. If you find that you get hungry on the way home from work or if you know that you have a long day of running errands, make sure to stock your car with some healthy snacks. Through some nuts into a bag, or even whole wheat crackers. Pack a sandwich bag full of different cut up vegetables such as celery or carrots or throw an apple in your car. This way you have a healthy snack option when you are hungry rather than stopping at the drive thru.

3. Don’t carry cash on you. You are less likely to stop at a fast food drive thru when you have no cash on you to spend.

4. Pack your lunch at work. Even though it may take extra time in the morning or the night before, packing your lunch can help you avoid having to eat lunch from a fast food restaurant. Pack enough healthy food to satisfy you throughout the day.

A plie squat is a great way to tone and strengthen your inner thighs. If you find that you have a problem with your inner thighs and regular squats are not making any difference, try adding in plie squats to your fitness routine.

1. Stand with your feet slightly farther apart than hip-width. Your toes  and knees should be turned out in a comfortable position. Make sure to keep your back straight. Place your hands on your hips.

2. Bend your knees, lowering your hips without rotating your pelvis forward or backward. You are sinking straight down into the plie squat. Make sure to keep your abdominals contracted so that you can work them also and support your back during the exercise.

3. Straighten your legs back to starting position and repeat the exercise again. A beginner should aim for at least 10-12 repetitions.

4. For a more advanced plie squat, hold dumbbells in your hands and as you perform the exercise, place them on your upper thighs.

Halloween is only a week away and although many people think it is only for kids, many adults also get involved in the Halloween events. From eating candy to going to Halloween parties, Halloween can knock you off track when it comes to weight loss. Here are some tips for not letting Halloween get you off track.

 *If you have children in the house who will have Halloween candy, make sure it is out of sight of you. Eating a piece of candy here and there can actually add up to quite a few calories before you know it. Keeping the candy out of your view will help you avoid it.

*You don’t have to drink alcohol to enjoy a Halloween party. Alcohol is just empty calories and you would be surprised at how many calories are in one drink. Also, when you drink alcohol you lower your inhibitions and you are more likely to eat more.

*Stay away from buffets at parties and Halloween events. Eat a light snack before the meal so that you don’t over-indulge yourself.

*Watch you portions. If you want to eat the food at a party, make sure that you eat a normal portion size and not double the amount you should.

*Go trick-or-treating with your kids. It’s great exercise walking around the neighborhood and then you can let yourself have a piece of candy. Just be sure to stop at one or two small pieces of candy!

Many people complain that they can’t exercise because they are so out of shape or that it hurts when they exercise. Well, it you are physically capable of walking, do it. Walking can be great exercise for anyone who is new to exercise or is returning back to exercise  after a long time.

Walking will not burn as many calories as running or doing an aerobics class, but it will still burn more calories than doing nothing and sitting on you butt.  Pick up a pedometer to gauge how many steps you take during the day. Then you can learn how many calories you are approximately burning every day. Walking is free and takes no exercise equipment, as the pedometer is optional.

So, you have no excuses for not exercising. Remember, long lasting weight loss is not achievable without exercise!

As of right now, there is no magic pill for automatic weight loss, because it there was I would have found it by now! Weight loss takes hard work. You have to work at, there are no ifs, ands, or, buts, about it.

You will not wake up one day and be 20 pounds lighter. That’s why I call it a weight loss journey. It takes time and work, and patience. Did you gain all that excess weight in one day, one week, or even one month? NO!

You know why weight loss is so rewarding? Because you know that you worked hard at it. You didn’t cheat or pull some fast move and achieve it, but you worked hard and stuck with it. That’s almost as rewarding as being skinny.

So, yes you will have days that you want to quit and you don’t want to exercise or you want to eat a whole pint of ice cream yourself, but you will get through it. If you are really determined, you can get over the hurdles in your weight loss journey and be victorious!