The Firm Diet Plan

The firm diet plan is what's needed when you move from your regular way of eating in your attempt to lose weight. It is usually very hard to stick to your diet plan.

You make promises to yourself regarding all the things you will give up. You swear that you are giving up fizzy drinks and replace it with water. You fool yourself into believing that one little piece of that bar of chocolate will not hurt, but have you ever eaten one little piece of chocolate and leave the rest? It does not happen easily we need to stick to the firm diet plan.

The Firm Diet Plan - It Is Just an Apple

The way to lose the weight is to commit and promise yourself you will not give in to temptation. I remember years ago asking a work colleague if she would like an apple, and was told that her diet did not allow it now.

My thought was, one apple won't hurt! But where do you draw the line. The idea is to commit to something and stick to the plan.

As the only way you can lose the pounds is by sticking to your carefully thought out plan, how do you get the motivation and control to stick to your diet plan?

The firm diet plan - these tips below will help you stay on track.

• Set practical weight loss target for yourself. What you have to remember is if you set unattainable goals you will fail. Stay away for fad diets or crash diets that promise you to lose 20 pounds in one week. Set a realistic weight loss goal - doctors and dietitians will tell you one pound a week is a healthy loss. Once you have your goal, give yourself a treat (half an apple) and start losing another pound.

• Choose your diet plan well and make sure it is suited to your way of eating as well as healthy. Choose your food items well. Are you cutting down on fats and sugars? Stick to around 1500 calories a day, and look closely at your weekly shopping list. Ask yourself if you can live with the plan chosen and will it work for you.

• Plan your meals a week or more in advance. Make your shopping list and do not forget the healthy snacks. They will come in handy when you need something quick to eat or waiting for mealtime.

• Remember the point of dieting is not only to lose the weight, but to develop a new permanent lifestyle; you do not want to regain the weight.

• Make sure you have each day the required vitamins and minerals in your diet.

• Talk positively and give yourself pep talks. Set aside a few minutes each day to be positive. Talk loudly to yourself - stop worrying about what others think about you. Reaffirm your goal of losing the pound at the end of the week and nothing is going to stop you.

• Losing weight is not that easy or we will all be the ideal weight with nothing to worry about. Take it slowly. It took years to pile on the pounds and it will take time to take it off. Aim to lose one pound a week - that is 52 pounds a year.

Check out 60 Ways To Lose Weight

Theresa Williams is a grandmother with two children and three grandchildren, in her sixth decade plus of life, now retired for full time employment. As she is not the retiring type, she has started on a new course in her life. She lives with her two dogs and a garden that is too large to cope with. As weight control in later years is something we really have to be concerned with, we are living longer and need to maintain good health for ourselves and family.

60 Ways To Lose Weight

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How to Turn 'Diet Failure' Into Weight-Loss Success

"Past performance is no guarantee of future results."

That's the boilerplate we see when we buy a mutual fund or other potentially risky investment. It serves as a warning, lest we think success is a sure thing.

But what if we flipped things around and used those words to encourage ourselves?

What if we used them to remind ourselves that yes, we can change, that we can succeed in the future even if we've struggled in the past?

Plenty of women feel like they've "failed" at fat loss because they've tried this diet or that diet, lost some weight, and then regained it. Maybe that describes you.

But let's look at those events as results, not failures. Let's examine them to see why you might not have been successful.

And let's not make the mistake of thinking we're doomed to stay unhealthy just because we haven't attained our goals just yet.

A better strategy is to figure out what we can learn from the past and use our "failures" to make better choices now. You can start by asking yourself these questions:

1. Did the diet provide enough calories to keep you satisfied? (Most popular diets do not!)
2. Did the diet include enough high-quality protein?
3. Was the food plan based on normal whole foods (e.g., lean meats, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy, whole grains) rather than fake foods (e.g., shakes, meal-replacement bars, "diet" cookies)?
4. Did anyone support you during your fat-loss program?
5. Was exercise part of your routine?
6. Did you have an exercise buddy, join an exercise class, or otherwise enlist the help of people who kept you accountable?
7. Did the diet promise fat loss if you took certain supplements?
8. Did the program promise weight loss greater than one to two pounds a week?
9. Did the diet cut out whole categories of essential macronutrients (for example, carbohydrates or fats)?

If you answered no to some or all of questions 1 through 6 or yes to some or all of questions 7 through 9, the odds were against you.

Don't let that discourage you: you just learned something.

All of those factors have a powerful influence on your chances of success.

This topic has been on my mind since a friend e-mailed to thank me for believing in her-and to say that some of the others in her life have seen her "fail" at diets before and thus expect her to "fail" again.

Here's what I know: your past performance does not dictate future results.

With solid information rather than hype, people who support you, the willingness to change your habits, and enough self-love to cut yourself some slack when you hit a rough patch, you absolutely can lose fat and improve your health.

I know you have the power.

Mary C. Weaver, CSCS, is a fat-loss and body-transformation coach for women and an NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist.

She helps women lose weight, speed up their metabolism, and take years off their body.

Register for her online training session, The 7-Step Formula for Weight-Loss Success: Tuesday, March 26. Sign up here ---it's FREE!

Save your spot today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_C_Weaver

What Makes You Obese?

Obesity, in simple terms, is excess of fat in the body. And to know that you are obese or not, you can take the help of BMI calculator. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, then you are overweight and if it is 30 or more than 30, you are obese. There can be a number of reasons for obesity, some of which are listed below:

• Eating More than the Required: We often find it difficult to control our cravings, which results in over eating. Over eating simply means consuming more calories than your body actually needs.
• Inactive Lifestyle: Now that technology has given birth to laptops, automatic washing machines, dish washers, video games and a number of other such devices, most of the people are following an inactive lifestyle. Days when people had to go out of their house to a closely located market for buying necessary items are a thing of the past. Using Internet, people can buy any item they want with just a click.
• Lack of Sleep: According to surveys, lack of sound sleep increases your chances of gaining weight. The condition applies to children as well as adults.
• Medication: There are medicines that can cause a rise in your weight. If this is the case with you, it would be advised to choose an alternative treatment available.

With an aim to shed kilos instantly, most of the obese people put their faith in weight reduction surgery. Though the surgery rapidly reduces weight, it puts you on the risk of harmful infections. Moreover, the result of the surgery is not guaranteed.

Signing up for a weight loss program is a good substitute of surgery. There are various weight loss clinics that offer such programs based on diet plan, safe medicines, or both. The clinics follow a tested procedure that includes examining body, conducting tests, studying results and suggesting an effective weight reduction method.

Since their introduction, weight loss clinics have been very popular due to the fact that they can easily transform the life of obese. If you are thinking to contact any particular weight reduction center, then you are suggested to do a thorough research. The research could include reading reviews on Internet, talking to the previous patients and visiting the center personally. The research will help you determine the authenticity of a particular clinic and choose a reliable partner in the pursuit of your weight loss goal.

Gaurav, working for California Medical Weight Management, spreads awareness about the importance of harmful effects of obesity. According to him, weight loss centers play an important role in curing obesity. In his articles, he writes about the commitment medical weight loss centers towards transforming the life of obese people.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gauravyng_Mahajan

Ways to Stop Food Cravings

Ways to Stop Food Cravings is a struggle for many of us. It is common for food cravings to happen just around bedtime. Around that time of the day we are looking for some tasty treat before we go to bed. At times these craving are impossible to ignore.

Most food cravings have nothing to do with the need for nutrition but emotionally related. We are hard-wired to crave food to nourish as the same way we crave sex to have children. So in order for the human being to survive we need to eat and we need to have kids.

Biology has the upper-hand and we cannot do much about it. We cannot just say it is biology and eat. We will get as big as a whale in no time. So we have to be crafty and smart in our approach to our cravings or they will control us.

So, how do we control the situation and work toward looking at ways to stop food cravings? Here are a few tips.

• In order to curb your cravings, you cannot eat what you do not have. For instance, if you love chocolate biscuits do not buy it. Keep healthy food on hand for those times you fall victim to temptation.

• Can you recognize the feelings and emotions that cause you to comfort eat? Do you eat when you are stressed or bored? Recognize the feeling and when you are more likely to head for the kitchen. Make a note in your food diary. Label a column in your diary, ways to stop food cravings and keep careful notes.

• Curbing your hunger is a matter of self control and discipline. Although this is important, you will need support from friends and family. Discuss your over-eating habit with them to see if they may have ideas as to how you can curb it.

• Exercising increases the feel-good endorphins and that will help keep down your cravings. At least 30 minutes a day will be sufficient.

• If you cannot resist the temptation, eat food between 100-200 calories. Choose low fat foods.

• Do not skip meals. Eat smaller meals about six a day. Try some relaxation or do something pleasurable to get you away from comfort eating.

• Set a timer for one hour. If after the hour you still feel the craving, have a small amount of what you fancy.. Set the timer for another hour and get busy doing something. Most cravings lasts no more than 20 to 30 minutes. After the hour the problem may be solved.

• One of the ways to stop food cravings is pop a stick of chewing gum in your mouth. Get calorie free, it tends to stop you snacking.

• Have a glass of water you can be thirsty and not needing something to eat.

• Throw out all the unhealthy foods you have in the fridge and cupboards. Plan carefully and you will succeed. The goal here is to eat sensibly, be cheerful, and live long!

Check out 60 Ways To Lose Weight.

Theresa Williams is a grandmother with two children and three grandchildren, in her sixth decade plus of life, now retired for full time employment. As she is not the retiring type, she has started on a new course in her life. She lives with her two dogs and a garden that is too large to cope with. As weight control in later years is something we really have to be concerned with, we are living longer and need to maintain good health for ourselves and family.

60 Ways To Lose Weight

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Theresa_Williams

Home Body Wraps and Weight Loss: Top 3 "Marketing Myths"

Body wraps are being touted as the latest weight loss miracle product because celebrities are paying up to $200 per body wrap to "slim down" for big events like movie premieres. At $200 per wrap and using the highest quality ingredients, these high end spa body wraps do indeed quickly shed fat deposits and help anyone look noticeably thinner-for a short time. However, there are a large number of "at home wraps" available at a mere fraction of the cost of the spa wraps that claim to provide the same amazing results or better. But as with most things, the marketing myths tend to pale in comparison to reality. Specifically, here are the top 3 marketing myths about at home wraps and weight loss:

Myth #1: Lose 2-14 Inches From One Wrap

Like most "marketing facts", this is actually a half-truth. Most consumers assume the 2-14 inches of loss will come from one area, like the waist or belly. However, most home wraps making this claim are actually talking about the cumulative inch loss from several regions of the body, including: Arms, legs, thighs, hips, and rear end. So rather than losing 2-14 inches from one area, you might lose ½ inch to 2 inches per region if the body wrap actually works.

Myth #2: Body Wraps Work In Just One Hour (or even 2 or 3 hours)

Let's be clear: Nothing will ever help you shed 2-14 inches, even cumulative inches, in just one hour or even a few hours. Even the very best spa wraps on the market today take 1-2 days to fully shed toxins and fat deposits. Any product claiming faster results is flat-out lying. The only truth to this claim is that ingredients will begin to eliminate toxins in as little as an hour but you'll never see any results in less than 1-2 days, period.

Myth #3: Results or Permanent

No, not even close. Body wraps eliminate the toxins your body has stored in its skin cells which are located adjacent to your fat deposits. Until you eliminate those toxins, your body cannot burn those fat deposits for energy or eliminate those unwanted pounds. However, since we are constantly ingesting new toxins in virtually every food or beverage we consume, the slimming results of a body wrap are only temporary. On the highest quality wraps, your results will last around 4 weeks unless complement it with a healthy diet and exercise. If you do, then the results could become permanent but otherwise, they will last a few weeks before you need to either apply a new wrap.

But At Home Body Wraps Do Work-Really!

While most home wraps are a complete waste of your time and money, some actually work as advertised and for a fraction of the spa pricing. However, when it comes to predicting results, the ingredients are truly everything! Most cheap and inferior products are made with synthetic ingredients that your body likely can't use and may even make matters worse if they become stored as more toxins. Therefore, look for herbal body wraps because they are made from all-natural ingredients that actually purge the toxins and fat deposits as advertised.

Jennie Chen Johnson is a health and wellness contributor specializing in natural detoxification and weight loss strategies. To learn more about home body wraps and weight loss, visit http://www.justbodywraps.com today.

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Raspberry Ketone - Eliminating The Fat From Your Body

Many products come on the market every day professing to be the next big thing to help you shed the pounds, within a matter of days. These products claim to be the miracle product that you have been waiting for, capable of giving you the body of your dreams.

The thing is most of these products exaggerate the results they can provide. Dropping two stone in two weeks is close on impossible. Unless you go under the knife, or submit yourself to a course of liposuction, losing that much weight that quickly is just crazy.

However, what if I told you there is a weight loss product that really can help you to shed the pounds. Albeit at a sensible rate, there are no silly guarantees, just cold hard facts.

Raspberry Ketones provides you with the advantage that you need to lose fat quickly. It increases your energy level, speeds up your metabolism and helps you to lose fat quicker.

The increase to your energy level will help you to work harder and exercise more vigorously. You will end up with a huge amount of energy at your disposal. More energy equals more exercise that in turn means more calories burnt. The final result is that you just get slimmer and slimmer.

Is The Raspberry Ketone Diet Right For You?

This diet is perfect for those that put the energy into their exercise routines and closely monitor their progress. If this sounds like you then the raspberry diet is for you.

Raspberry Ketone raises your metabolism. If you like to exercise then you are probably going to burn twice the amount of calories when you take this diet supplement. This fat burner is that good.

Are There Any Side Effects to Raspberry Ketone?

If you are worried about side effects to raspberry ketone you don not have to be, there are no known side effects to this particular diet supplement.

You are not actually eating mountains of raspberries, it is not physically possible to eat the amount of raspberries that you need to get the benefit you will receive from the ketone inside them. It is the raspberry ketone that is good for weight loss.

Raspberry ketone has been endorsed by a number of TV celebrities who are well known for voicing their opinions on products, good or bad.

Should I Try The Ketone Diet Or Not?

You have so much to gain by trying the this diet, and nothing to lose, most reputable suppliers will offer you a money back guarantee if you discover it does nothing for you.

Raspberry Ketone really is a miracle in a bottle, no you will not lose 20 pounds overnight, however you will find that it boosts your metabolism, increases your energy and helps you burn more calories. All of this will allow you to shed those extra pounds. So why not dig a little deeper into Raspberry Ketone and see what it can do for you.

For more information on what Raspberry Ketones can do for you visit my site at raspberryketonedroz.org and find out more about this amazing product.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Lane

Body Wraps: Weight Loss Tool or Waste of Time?

If you believe the marketing hype, then body wraps are weight loss tools that seemingly possess the magical ability to help you lose "2-14 inches" of fat and cellulite in just one application. In addition to these incredible weight loss claims, wraps are also supposed to help you tighten and tone skin, jump-start new diets, and even help detoxify your body. But before you start shopping for an at home body wrap for weight loss help, let's just examine their claims in detail first:

Claim #1: Body Wraps Can Help You Shed 2-14 Inches in One Application

This is probably one of the most misleading claims about body wraps because most people assume that the 2-12 inches of fat loss will occur in just one area-like maybe your abs or waistline. But don't believe the hype because this inch-loss is actually "cumulative" meaning they are measuring the total inch loss from several areas of your body, including: Arms, Legs, Thighs, Hips, and Buttocks. So while a wrap might help you lose a couple inches from your waist, another couple inches from your thighs, and so on for a total "cumulative" inch loss of 2-14 inches. So while a wrap can help you look slimmer "overall", they are not going to help you eliminate a large number of inches from any one area or magically make your belly fat disappear in just one application.

Claim #2: Only Takes About an Hour to See Results

Again, this is only a "half-truth" much like the 2-14 inches claim. Yes, the ingredients do absorb into your skin within an hour and begin purging toxins. However and depending on the quality of the wrap, the ingredients should continue to flush toxins from your skin deposits for the next 24 to 48 hours. So rather than applying a body wrap just an hour or two before your big event, you really need to apply it a day or two in advance for the best results.

Claim #3: Body Wraps Provide Long-Term Permanent Weight Loss

Sorry, but this is marketing hype as well. Wraps only purge the toxins in your skin cells that are trapping fat cells in place. Until you eliminate those toxins, your body cannot burn the fat cells for energy and you will never be able to shed those unwanted inches. Once your body flushes the toxins, it can finally burn those fat deposits and that's exactly what it does immediately following the application of the body wrap. However, because the foods and beverages we ingest are made with additives, preservatives, and other synthetic ingredients which the body considers toxic, the toxins return in just a few weeks. So unless you follow-up a wrap with healthy diet and exercise, the results will only last a few weeks. However, you can maintain your inch-loss by reapplying a body wrap every 4 weeks or so but again, you really need to follow-up with healthy diet and exercise for best results.

Concluding Thoughts

Yes, body wraps really do work but you have to be careful when reviewing many of the claims made by companies selling the wraps. Because while 2-14 inches of fat loss is possible, it's a cumulative inch loss spread between your arms, legs, thighs, hips, and buttocks. And although it only takes about an hour to actually apply a wrap, it takes up to 48 hours for the body wrap to produce maximum weight loss.

For best results, it is highly recommend that you use herbal body wraps since they are made from 100% all-natural ingredients, are easier to apply, and last longer than most at home wraps on the market today.

Jennie Chen Johnson is a health and wellness expert specializing in detoxification and natural weight loss. To learn more about herbal body wraps or just visit http://www.justbodywraps.com today.

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