Lose Weight

I seem to be constantly struggling to change how the majority of the population views body weight. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard something along the lines of “I’ve dropped two pant sizes but I haven’t lost any weight.” In reality, if you aren’t considered obese, what does it really matter what the scale reads if your circumference measurements and body fat are decreasing? That is how I came up with the “metal analogy”. Weight is like metal; the weight of a particular volume of muscle is greater than that of the same volume of fat, just as a 1″ x 1″ block of iron weighs more than a 1″ x 1″ block of aluminum. Muscle weighs more than fat, and a scale doesn’t take this into consideration.

Muscle is much denser than body fat and therefore weighs more. If you look great, fit into the clothes you aimed to fit into, and feel great, you shouldn’t care that the scale isn’t showing exactly what you expected to see. However, if you fall into the obese category, that is another story. In that case, you should see changes occur on the scale. However, if you don’t fall into the obese category, then it pays to know what you should be looking for:

Looser fitting clothes

Body fat decrease

Change in circumference measurements

I highly recommend that you have your body fat and circumference measurements taken. Measure your chest, waist, hips, thighs, calves, and arms so that you have some way to gauge your progress. Have a reassessment done after three months and you should see noticeable changes. In the mean time, assuming your goal is to lose weight, you should see changes in the way your clothes fit you.

It’s also important to point out that it’s impossible to spot reduce fat. Fat burning should be viewed as an entire body process. How your body chooses to let go of fat is specific to each person. One person may first lose weight in the abdominal region, while another may lose from the facial region. That is another reason why it is important to do measurements in order to track your progress. Fat is usually dropped first in the last area that it was put on.

If you are following a balanced exercise program and doing some type of resistance training, like weight lifting, you are probably adding muscle at the same time that you are losing fat. The scale may very well read the exact same weight that you started out at because you dropped 5 pounds of fat while adding 5 pounds of muscle. And muscle is a good thingthe more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn at rest, thus resulting in a higher metabolism. So the next time someone expresses feeling down because she has been working really hard to lose weight but hasn’t seen a change on the scale, remind her that her hard work is most likely paying off by changing her body composition, rather than her body weight.

©Melissa Allen is a certified personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well as the owner of Optimum Condition personal fitness training and kickboxing instruction. She is a self-syndicated columnist and a member of the San Diego Press Club and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. She welcomes input from her readers, so please contact her with any questions or comments that you may have by calling (619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com, or visit her website at http://www.optimumcondition.com

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When losing weight, most of us don’t have the time to drastically change our lifestyles. We need a practical and convenient way to integrate effective habits into our daily lives. The following steps are easy and practical ways to get you on the track to loosing weight and feeling better.

1. Drink Water! Water doesn’t just help quench your thirst. All metabolic processes within the body utilize H2O and drinking plenty of it helps your body function optimally. It also helps you feel your best—many of the common daily headaches and fatigues we experience can result from a lack of water intake.

2. Eat Breakfast! Many Americans fail to realize the true value of a morning meal. It not only boosts energy for the long day ahead, but keeps your metabolism regulated. Skipping a meal can put the body into “survival mode” which means that it actually begins storing and saving fat as opposed to burning it.

3. Exercise! There is no easy way around it: successful and sustained weight loss requires a commitment to physical activity. The best way to be loyal to physical activity is to work it into each day. Take a small part of each day to go for a walk, do aerobics, do yoga, or whatever other type of activity you enjoy. Mix it up so that you don’t get bored with it. Soon, you will not only get used to it, but you will feel better too!

4. Choose Variety! Don’t let popular dieting trends fool you: Carbs are good for you too! In fact, carbohydrates are what your brain run on and are very important for proper body functions. Following a high-protein diet over a long period of time can not only cause headaches, but also places considerable stress on the kidney. The important thing is to eat a variety of foods. This includes fruits, vegetables and even carbs. Just remember to be smart about the types of carbs you eat:: whole wheat instead of white.

5. Eat Slowly! We all get in a hurry from time to time, but it is important to take the time to listen to our bodies. Eating quickly doesn’t give our bodies time to tell our brains that we have eaten enough. Consequently, we continue eating and are left filling stuffed and bloated. Eating more slowly allows us to recognize when we actually have eaten enough and stopit also helps us savour and enjoy the food we do eat.

Essential to losing weight is giving our bodies what they need. This means drinking plenty of water, eating timely and proper meals, staying active, and giving our body the time to tell us when it is full. Our bodies will reward us for our attention.

Amie Gerlowski writes about weight loss products such as Hoodia. Learn more about Hoodia Gordonii at Hoodia-Dietpills.com.

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Losing weight doesn’t have to be boring when you focus on bright, colourful meals. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you’ll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus. Not everyone has the rime or the patience to count calories, but assessing the colours on your plate is something anyone can do - and it only takes an instant!

Why Colour Is Important

Many fatty and caloric foods, such as dairy products and startchy carbs, are beige or brown. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain.

That’s because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories….but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you’ll get more enjoyment from eating when there’s a variety of colours and flavours on your plate.

Although these ideas may sound whimsical, they’re grounded in scientific fact. Dr David Heber, renowned nutritional expert from UCLA’s Centre for Human Nutrition established the role of colour in his book, “What Color is Your Diet?” So, next time you visit the refrigerator, think colourfully. And remember to mix, not match!

Kim Beardsmore M.B.A. (H.R.M.), B.Sc. (Biochemistry) is an independent Herbalife distributor, weight loss coach and creator of the online weight loss & fitness magazine Weight Loss Health. For a free weight loss consultation, newsletter and resources to help you lose weight and keep it off forever, visit http://weight-loss-health.com.au Online Herbalife store at http://weightlosshealth.herbalcoach.com Herbalife home business opportunity http://free2liv.com

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