Seven Motivation Tips For Men Who Want to Lose Weight

Losing weight can be an extremely difficult and often frustrating experience – especially if you are impatient about seeing results. Soon your motivation begins to waver and suddenly you find that you’re back to your old size. However, with a few tips – courtesy of wellness and fitness writer Evan Campbell – you can sort out your wellbeing once and for all and see those pounds slowly melt away.

 

1. Picture It: Campbell advises, ‘If you were once the proud owner of six-pack abs but are now on your way to looking like Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, stop the madness by digging up some photos of yourself (and your former abs) and display them in as many spots as possible, such as at your desk, or in your kitchen. The point of this exercise is to make you so nostalgic for how you once looked and felt about yourself, that you will work toward feeling this way once more. But be forewarned, the first few weeks of seeing yourself in your glory might make you depressed and cause the opposite effect: discouragement. However, once you get over feeling sorry for yourself, the anger will set in and you’ll be on your way.’

 

2. Get Your Favourite Jeans Out:Campbell recommends, ‘Resurrect your former favourite pair of jeans that you haven’t been able to fit into for months (or years) and hang them somewhere that will force you to see them every day, like your bedroom or bathroom door. They will serve as a constant reminder of how you used to look and of the fact that your current weight is unacceptable.’

 

3. Plan Ahead: ‘If you’re dead set on regaining your 34-inch waist, go to your favourite clothing store and buy yourself a kick-ass power suit, a stylish fitted shirt and slim trousers, or that belt you’ve been eyeing for a while in a size 34,’ says Campbell. ‘The fact that you invested in these stylish new threads, but can’t wear them, may just upset you enough to start losing weight.’

 

4. Keep a Log:Campbell comments, ‘So you fell off the wagon and ate that big bowl of ice cream or didn’t go to the gym for five days straight. Get a piece of paper and a pen and write down what you did, why you are now royally pissed off at yourself and what you plan on doing in the immediate future to fix it. Friends often can’t relate to personal weight problems, so a log is a good outlet for your frustration and allows you to come up with concrete solutions.’

 

5. Get a Workout Buddy: ‘You may have a friend who’s a gym rat and can provide you with all the motivation you need to make your dreams of weight loss a reality,’ notes Campbell. ‘Set up a regular training schedule with this person. The fact that you have someone waiting for you at the gym (and who’s fit, no less) will ensure that you don’t blow it off. Furthermore, as gym buddies you can spot each other.’

 

6. Hire a Trainer: ‘If you have the money, hire a trainer and pay him in advance,’ Campbell urges. ‘Not only will a trainer get you to show up at the gym and push you to your limit, the often substantial cost of hiring one may just be enough motivation to stick to the programme and lose weight.’

 

7. Look into Health Risks:Campbell warns, ‘If you are more than 25 pounds overweight, you are not only putting your looks on the line, you are also potentially sabotaging your health. So if the size of your clothes is not motivation enough to lose weight, look into the health hazards you are putting yourself at risk for by being overweight, such as diabetes and heart attack. This fear may just get you to shed those pounds faster than you know – especially if you get a physical and a warning from your doctor.’

Categories: campbell, Lose weight, Losing Weight, men, motivation, nbsp, pounds, weight, Weight Loss, weight nbsp

No Diet Required: How to Feel Full while the Pounds Melt

Does the sound of the word “diet” make you cringe? I mean, sure, you want to lose a few pounds, but does that really mean you have to crunch on celery sticks for dinner and sweat it out at the gym? Absolutely not. Using the power of mental wellbeing, the timing of your daily calendar, and smarter decision-making, you can enhance your weight loss to feel full while the pounds melt away – no diet required. Just take a look at a few tips that have come out of scientific research and expert experience:

 

1. Take an Earlier Lunch: Wellness writer Cathy Garrard details, ‘New research from TuftsUniversity found that people who ate lunch after 3pm lost significantly less weight than those who ate their midday meal earlier. Researchers also found that the late eaters consumed fewer calories during breakfast, and they were more likely skip a morning meal altogether — furthering the case that a breakfast truly is the meal of weight loss-champions.’ Laura Cipullo, RD, adds, ‘I tell all my clients to eat breakfast. Once you start eating, your metabolism clicks on, and it stays revved throughout the day.’

 

2. Pile Your Plate with Protein: ‘Protein is very important for its satiety,’ says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD. ‘Plus, if you eat more of it, your body has to work harder to burn the calories because it takes more work to digest the amino acids.’ In fact, a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour found that women who chose to eat more of this muscle-building nutrient were more successful at losing weight than those who didn’t consciously pile on the protein.

 

3. Picture a Hearty Meal: ‘If the thought of having a mere salad for lunch only makes your stomach grumble more, let your mind drift to something a little more delicious — and substantial,’ suggests Garrard. ‘A study from the University of Bristol found that people who think about eating a large portion of food feel fuller later than those who mentally conjure up a skimpy, unsatisfying meal. Researchers showed volunteers either a small or large serving of soup just before lunch, and two or three hours later, those who’d seen a bigger bowl reported significantly less hunger than those who had seen a smaller one.’ Cipullo explains, ‘It’s about feeling psychologically satisfied. If you believe you got the meal you really wanted, you don’t feel deprived.’

 

4. Ditch the Distractions: Cipullo points out, ‘Mindful eating is a big nutritional trend right now. You will feel more satisfied with your food if you are paying close attention to the meal.’ This was the finding of a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The researchers found that if you out the TV and other gizmos and pay closer attention to what you’re eating — including the taste, texture and aroma – as well as chewing more slowly, you won’t consume extra calories unnecessarily.

 

5. Use Olive Oil: According to Garrard, ‘In a recent study, Austrian researchers examined the satisfaction level of different types of edible fats: lard, butter, grapeseed oil, and olive oil. Over the course of three months, study participants ate 500 daily grams of low-fat yogurt enriched with one of those four oils. Olive oil was the most satiating, as reflected by high levels of the hormone serotonin in the blood of those who ate the variety. Surprisingly, researchers found that it was the aromatic compounds in olive oil that gave the healthy cooking staple its competitive edge, and that Italian-made varieties contain larger amounts of them.’

Categories: diet, diet required, feel, Lose weight, meal, nbsp, olive oil, pounds, pounds melt, Researchers, study, Weight Loss

How to Lose 10 Pounds in a Long-Term Healthy Way

If your New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight, increase your fitness and improve your general wellness and wellbeing, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got easy and yet very effective methods that you can use to start shedding those pounds.

 

First of all, if you must snack, snack the smart way. You don’t have to avoid snacking altogether, but if you choose healthier things to snack on, you can feel satisfied and still lose weight. For example, a snack that includes just 100 calories is six whole cups of SmartPop by Orville Redenbacher – the equivalent to just 14 almonds.

 

If you have a sweet tooth, stay away from sweets and treats and instead snack on fruit.

 

The next thing you can do to ensure that you lose weight and keep it off is to have fun when you are working out. Very few people actually enjoy working out, but you can turn it into a game and have fun. Identify the physical activities that you really enjoy doing, and then you are more likely to be consistent with your physical exercise, and more motivated to integrate it into your daily life.

 

For example, if you love to dance, enrol in a dance class and sweat the fat off your body. If you love outdoor sports, take some skiing lessons on a dry slope, and book a holiday somewhere fabulous for when you get up to speed.

 

A great tip is to avoid soda altogether. If you drink sugary drinks, you take in hundreds of unnecessary extra calories every day. Two cans of fizzy pop can contain 300 or more calories. If you do nothing else, replace these sugary drinks with plain water and you will lose 10 pounds in around 16 weeks without making any other real changes. Water is also great for cleaning you, suppressing your appetite and boosting your metabolism.

Categories: calories, Healthy, Lose, Lose weight, nbsp, pounds, Snack, Sugary Drinks

Steal Their Secrets: How The Top Celebs Lost Weight

Let’s be honest – looking at celebrity weight loss photos is a secret guilty pleasure for most of us! Studying those before and after photos and reading about how they achieved this – be it through fitness, crazy diets or surgery – is quite addictive.

 

Most of us assume that you’d need an enormous paycheque to get the same look of wellness and wellbeing, but is that really the case? We’ve looked at a few of the weight loss techniques that have been put in place by celebrities and assessed how healthy and pricey they really are.

 

Diana DeGarmo, for example, has been following a five factor diet, which consists of five small meals on six days of the week, and one day where you cheat and eat whatever you want. Diana is an ex contestant on American idol and shrank three dress sizes in just two months with this healthy and achievable diet.

 

Valerie Bertinelli has been following a three meal and three snack a day plan. This is portion control at its very best and really doesn’t cost much. The celebrity has shed 25 pounds using this method.

 

Arden Myrin, the TV comic, has shed 30 pounds all of her own accord by simply sticking to a three meal a day plan and avoiding flour and sugar altogether. No snacks are allowed on this diet, and although it is affordable, skipping the snacks could actually slow down metabolism in the long run.

 

Robin Quivers tried out a plan which invited him to lose 21 pounds in 21 days – and he surpassed it by three pounds. Results like these are unpredictable, though, and losing a great deal of weight in a very short space of time can actually lead to further gain in the long run.

Categories: celebrity, diana, diet, loss, nbsp, pounds, weight, Weight Loss

How You Can Lose Weight Even When You Are Travelling

When you are travelling, it is very easy to gain weight. Without the time and space to focus on a weight loss and fitness regime, it is easy to see the pounds creeping on. Whether you are travelling for work or for your own personal enjoyment, there are lots of incentives that offer themselves up along the way to give in to your food-related desires! Fortunately, there are lots of things that you can do to help keep the weight at bay even when you are travelling.

Being on holiday offers lots of great opportunities for you to walk. Although there may be opportunities to rent a car or take a cab, try to avoid the temptation and instead walk wherever you need to know. This way, you actually get to see a lot more of the country that you are visiting, and you may even find shops or attractions along the way that you would have missed if you had been in a vehicle.

On the other hand, you could also look into renting a bike to explore the local area. Cycling is a great way to lose weight and tone up your leg muscles as well as some upper body muscles, plus it will be a lot faster than walking.

You should also carry water with you at all times. This is especially important in hot countries, of course, but even if you are not in a hot climate, water is still one of the best ways to help keep your weight loss on track. Drinking regular water should help to keep the hunger pangs at bay, and will also stop you from drinking other, sweeter, unhealthier foods.

There’s also nothing to stop you finding out if there is a local gym in the place where you are visiting, and doing a couple of workouts in your spare time.

 

Categories: Lose weight, lots, opportunities, pounds, travelling, Water, weight, Weight Loss

Going on Holiday? How to Successfully Maintain Weight Loss

Most people focus on their weight and fitness in the lead up to a holiday, but when they are actually away any idea of maintaining their diet completely goes to pot. What you need to remember, however, is that your wellness and wellbeing are just as important – if not even more important – when you are away as when you are at home.

 

One common mistake that people make is following a very restrictive pre-holiday diet, such as a starvation diet. Usually they are focused on losing as much weight in as short a period of time as possible. Whilst these fad diets often see results at first, the long-term results are generally not good, with people generally regaining the weight that they lost fairly quickly – and sometimes gaining even more weight than before.

 

Instead of looking for a quick fix diet, you should aim to lose a pound or two per week over a long period of time, as you are more likely to be able to continue with this when on holiday, rather than starving and then binging. These long-term weight loss schemes also mean that your cravings for certain foods abate, and your understanding of a healthy diet changes, so that you actually find yourself with new habits that help you to continue and even improve on your weight loss in the long term.

 

When at home and when on holiday, one important thing to remember is to drink as much water as you possibly can. Not only will this help with your weight loss, but keeping well hydrated helps you to feel better, have more energy and to have clearer skin.

 

Remember to factor in exercise too – the more calories that you burn off through exercise, the more calories you can afford to have in your diet. An active person does not need to put themselves on a strict diet as they will naturally stay lean.

Categories: diet, holiday, Long term, loss, nbsp, pounds, weight, Weight Loss

Little Lifestyle Tweaks that Can Cause Major Weight Loss

You buy the books, you sign up to the classes and you even fill your cupboards with the lemongrass and bulgar wheat, but the second a colleague offers you a cupcake, that’s it; diet out the window. Surely there’s a better way to lose weight than going the whole hog and falling at the first hurdle? According to Marissa Lippert, RD, author of The Cheater’s Diet, making a few tweaks here and there, rather than taking the all-or-nothing approach, ‘can lead to more weight loss than you ever imagined.’ So, which of our dieters’ slim-down secrets can help your weight loss wellness in a real-world way?

 

1. Eat in a little more: Kerri Butler, of Joplin, Missouri, notes, ‘I used to eat out at restaurants up to nine times a week! By cutting back to just once a week and ordering a grilled chicken salad instead of a large bowl of pasta, I’ve lost 20 pounds in one month.’

 

2. You can buy salty snacks, just not at the supermarket: ‘I reached my goal weight after I stopped routinely buying snacks at the grocery store’ says Heather Del Baso, Worcester, Massachusetts. ‘If I wanted a bag of chips or a candy bar, I had to walk to the store to get it. That inconvenience usually made me ignore my cravings.’

 

3. Never skip breakfast: Bo Hale, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, explains, ‘I used to skip breakfast, but now I never go without. I always eat about 300 calories of a healthy mix of protein and whole grains. My go-to meal: a sandwich with natural peanut butter and apple butter. It keeps my hunger down so I snack less throughout the day. In a little over a year, I’ve shed 65 pounds.’

 

4. Run, Forrest, Run: ‘When I wanted to fit into my skinny jeans again, I started running 20 minutes a day during my lunch hour,’ says Lauren Castor, Anniston, Alabama. ‘In two months, I’ve lost 20 pounds, have tons of energy, and just finished my first 5K. Those jeans? They’re too big now!’

 

5. Just quit: Leila Fathi, Memphis, Tennessee, asserts, ‘I quit smoking, and right away joined a gym and started working out with a personal trainer. There was no way I could exercise and feel healthy if I kept lighting up. I’ve already dropped 37 pounds in three months!’

 

6. Purge your sins: ‘I totally cleaned out my pantry,’ Lori Feldman, Coconut Creek, Florida, remembers. ‘Once I replaced the foods I used to overindulge in, like ice cream, with lower-cal snacks, such as roasted sunflower seeds or Special K Chocolatey Delight cereal, I began making better choices automatically. Now, I’m slimmer than I was before I had my two kids!’

 

7. Turn happy hour into healthy hour: ‘After work, my colleagues and I always grabbed dinner—and it was usually deep-fried,’ admits Ellen Setzer of Cleveland, Ohio. ‘Then we changed things up. Instead of nights out, we started walking and running around a local track. A year later, I’m down 40 pounds.’

 

8. Let the music take control: ‘I loaded my iPod with jams that make me look forward to going to the gym,’ Kara Marshall, York, Maine, comments. ‘They energise me, allowing me to pick up speed on the elliptical—and because I want to hear my entire playlist, my workouts are longer now. Two months later, I’m down 13 pounds and have killer legs.’

 

9. Add a few veggies into the mix: Janessa Mondestin, New York City, New York, asserts, ‘By adding vegetables to the foods I love—like eating pizza topped with arugula and green peppers instead of pepperoni—I became so full so quickly that I no longer had room to eat things like chips or super-rich desserts. I said good-bye to four dress sizes!’

Categories: breakfast, Healthy, nbsp, pounds, pounds nbsp, Run, skip breakfast, snacks, ve lost, vegetables, weight, Weight Loss

Which Fitness Programmes Are Best For Weight Loss?

Losing weight and boosting your fitness are two things that most people aspire to do, but few people actually achieve. Before we start heading into winter, when those winter woollies add a few imaginary pounds to your figure, it might be a perfect time to finally get into shape, and fortunately there are some simple activities that can boost your wellness and wellbeing and help improve your fitness.

 

You may have heard of Zumba – the healthy dance craze that has been sweeping the nation. This is one craze that is not just a fad – those who do Zumba actually see results really quickly. The Zumba plan makes you shed pounds through movement and a range of motion, and it engages all your core muscles and gets your pelvic muscles pumping. The fun aspect of the dance class means that you do more activity than you would otherwise, and you don’t notice just how much exercise you are taking (until the next day when you are likely to ache a bit!)

 

TRX strength training is also a great programme, as it uses strength training to help you shed pounds. Using suspension straps, you go through a range of weight training exercises and motions. You burn a lot of calories with this programme – far more than you would through any kind of traditional weightlifting programme.

 

Circuit training is also great for helping you shed pounds and tone up. This means that you don’t just do cardio or strength training, you incorporate them into one workout (with a little bit of abs work too for good measure). This allows for the best calorie burn and helps you to build lean muscles, and is the best way to get fat off quickly and build a healthy and strong body.

Categories: fitness, pounds, Programme, shed, shed pounds, Strength Training, training, weight, Zumba

How to Use Body Wraps to Shed Those Unwanted Pounds

Body wraps are the new popular weight to help you shed weight. They are believed to be a safe way to boost your wellness and wellbeing, and you don’t have to slog it out for hours down at the gym in order to squeeze into that favourite outfit, if you play your cards right.

 

Many people, women in particular, believe that these wraps will help them to shed unwanted pounds, and spas across the world offer a variety of different wraps, including things like mineral salts, seaweed and ivy extracts.

 

In truth, when they are combined with an exercise regime and a diet plan, wraps can help you to shed unwanted pounds, especially those in the form of cellulite. They can also help to improve the skin tone and to trim down your tummy, bum and thighs. They’re not even necessarily hugely expensive, as you can do them yourself at home and save yourself hundreds of pounds.

 

All you need to do is look around the home to see what ingredients you have to make a wrap with. You can use things such as sea salt, Epsom, aloe vera, essential oils such as sage and lavender, sunflower oil, chamomile, rose petals and clay. All of these ingredients can be found at health food stores and you may even have some of them lying around at home.

 

To make them into a wrap, puree the ingredients into a smooth paste and then spread it onto your body. The application part can be really messy so make sure you are lying comfortably on a mattress that has been spread with old towels. When the ingredients are on, wrap yourself in plastic wrap and try to relax whilst listening to some gentle music. After the rest period, you should unwrap yourself, gently wash off the materials and then have a drink of water.

Categories: body, body wraps, ingredients, nbsp, pounds, shed unwanted, unwanted pounds, Wrap, wraps

The Metabolic Syndrome Diet: How Does it Work?

The fast paced lifestyle we’ve become accustomed to means that we struggle to make time for a number of things, our diet and general wellbeing being one of them. It’s easy to put taking care of ourselves aside for the purpose of fitting more into the day, but eventually that attitude builds up to makes us rather ill. In more serious cases, it can even lead to us being more prone to developing diseases. The solution to this is simple – the metabolic syndrome diet. Metabolic syndrome is a result of the lifestyle choices many of us opt for, such as eating the wrong quantities and types of food, not exercising enough and being stressed all the time. There are a number of physical manifestations of this problem, such as abdominal fat, high risk of diabetes, cancers and bodily inflammation. The cost of this problem could be your life – the fat around your stomach could actually be risking an early death. There is some good news though – the situation is preventable, simply by removing your belly fat. With simple but effective lifestyle changes, you can achieve this and boost your health in the process.

Exercise and stress management are two of the key components of the metabolic syndrome diet. Exercising for twenty minutes around four or five times a week is the best way to reduce visceral fat, as well as slowing your anxiety and stress down to a manageable level. You should live within ten percent of your normal body weight, for which there is a simple formula. The basic rule for men is 106 pounds for the first five feet then six pounds for every additional inch. For women, the rule is 100 pounds for the first five feet and then five pounds for every additional inch. Experts also advise that you monitor your calorie intake to make sure you don’t gain too much weight.

Your diet also, naturally, plays a big part in maintaining this diet. It’s advised that you eat early to give your body chance to break the food down and to utilise it, but don’t skip breakfast – this has an adverse effect. You should also eat often – this doesn’t mean large portions all the time, but rather four or five smaller meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism going throughout the day. The more fibre you can eat, the better, as this will keep you fuller for longer to limit your snacking. You can get this from eating more fruit and vegetables, as well as whole grains. Of course, fatty foods and processed goods are off the menu – this are usually high in saturated fats, sugar, salt and unhealthy additives. Wherever possible, aim for fresh and healthy meals that are loaded with nutrients for overall wellbeing – soup is a great way of getting plenty of veggies into your diet in one simple, filling meal.

Snacking can be the biggest cause of people giving up on their diet, but if you make better choices you may still be able to sneak in a snack without ruining your whole diet plan. This means opting for nuts, seeds and fruit instead of the crisps and biscuits. Nuts are loaded with health-boosting nutrients, as well as being filling and low in fat. Natural, sugar-free yoghurt with berries will also fill you up without ruining your fat or sugar intake – it will also count towards your five a day if you include plenty of fruit. Lastly, ensure that you stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water – experts recommend around six to eight glasses each day to keep your body functioning correctly.

Categories: additional inch, diet, Fat, metabolic, Metabolic Syndrome, pounds, simple, syndrome, syndrome diet