In this article I will go over the types of weight loss programs that are available to do as well as list some pros and cons of each. Hopefully, that information will help steer you in the right direction so you can determine which is the best option for you and your unique personality and needs.

Before you start any type of weight loss programs, though, make sure you talk to your doctor. For one thing your doctor can probably offer you some recommendations but if not, she can at least guide you in regards to any limitations you may have so your weight loss is done safely.

Now that that is out of the way, here are some ideas of some programs you may want to consider:

1. The pre- packaged food program. This is pretty straight forward; you sign up and you get fully prepared meals delivered right to your door. The companies claim that the meals will allow you to lose weight because they are nutritious and have the perfect combination of lean protein, fats and carbs as well as just the right amount of calories.

There are several such plans like this available, two of the most well known are Nutri-System and Seattle Sutton (which I have personally used and found very good).

When you are trying to decide between one or the other, make sure you carefully check out all the types of food plans, what is included (how many meals), the price including any shipping or handling costs, what their cancellation policy is in case you aren’t satisfied and the actual calories and nutritional benefits of the meals themselves.

2. Meeting type programs. These have been around for a long time and most people will immediately think of Weight Watchers. This is a type of diet plan where you not only get ideas of what types of foods to eat and in what quantities, you also get help from others who are trying to accomplish the same thing.

This approach allows you to interact with each other and keep each other focused and moving forward. Since you are all trying to lose weight, there are no feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness.

And, there is no public weight in! If you go to an actual meeting (though now you can get access to the materials online if you prefer) you will be weighed but it is 100% private and no one will see or know what your weight is.

How many times have you considered joining a gym, for example, only to feel out of place and get intimidated by all the hot bodies they have on the commercial? I know I have.

When you are trying to lose weight you don’t want to be reminded of what you aren’t (yet) you want to be surrounded by others who look about the same way you do, right?

There are many weight loss programs available today but before you sign on the dotted line you need to read the fine print. You need to know what it is, what it isn’t and what to do if you aren’t satisfied. Making an informed decision will allow your weight loss to be a dream come true instead of a nightmare.

Tags: Amount Of Calories, Atkins, Calories, Cancellation Policy, Carbs, Diet Plan, Fats, Feelings, Food Program, Healthy Diet, Lean Protein, Long Time, Lose Weight, Losing Weight, Perfect Combination, Perfect Protein, Personality, Pros And Cons, Quantities, Right Direction, Seattle Sutton, Shipping, Types Of Food, Weight Loss Programs, Weight Watchers —

If you are considering losing some weight, the best way to document your progress is to create your own personalized weight loss chart. Charting your progress will show you on a daily, weekly or monthly basis the positive changes you are making and continue to make.

It is always easier to see what you are doing and compare it to where you started and even give you a good idea as to where you are headed. This is called visualization. People who learn to visualize what they want and then map out and keep track of how they are doing are exponentially more successful than those who do not.

If you want to start this for yourself, go out and get a dry erase board with a couple of different colored dry erase markers. Some may even come with the blank calendar on them. You could have a whole month planned out in advance if you get one like this. First, in one color, write the name of the month and fill in the dates. Next, document your beginning weight on the first day of the month. You will be able to compare the difference when you weigh yourself at the end of the month.

Have someone help you measure your chest, waist, hips, thighs and right upper arm. Write these measurements down on a blank space on the calendar. If you are really self conscious then keep this weight loss chart where only you have access to it. Measure every month or so to track inches lost as well as your weight loss.

Another good way to track progress is to take before, during, and after pictures of yourself. Tack them up alongside your dry erase board and that way all your information is in one place. You will be able to tell at a glance how much progress you are making. This will help the motivation factor stay at a high level and encourage you to keep on going.

You could even use this board to plan your menus for the week or even month. This may take a while but just like they do for your kids at school Map out what your diet will consist of. I don’t care if it is just what you will make for dinner each day. To make it even more involved then plan out each meal and your snacks, too, for that matter. Track your water consumption as well. If you just make a little check mark at the bottom of the calendar for every glass of water you drink then that should be just fine.

Take this load off of yourself and this way all you have to do is look at what you have planned for dinner and just make it. Be sure to have all the ingredients on hand though. Make your grocery list for the week by what your recipes call for. Your weight loss chart can have all of this information and more on it. All to help you stay on track and lose all the weight you want. Use a different color marker for each entry or category so you can keep them straight and make it easier to tell what’s what.

Tags: Blank Calendar, Blank Space, Charting, Diet, Dry Erase Board, Dry Erase Markers, Glance, Healthy Diet, Hips Thighs, Losing Weight, Measurements, Menus, Motivation Factor, Positive Changes, School Map, Track Progress, Upper Arm, Visualization, Waist Hips, Weight Chart, Weight Loss Chart —

Walking for weight loss is easy and best of all it’s free. You do not have to join a gym or a club to be able to walk. all you have to do is step right out your front door. Anyone can do it, even your kids. I can be quite enjoyable to get out of the house and go for a walk in the morning after breakfast or in the evening after dinner. It doesn’t matter when you go, as long as you go.

Walking for weight loss should be combined with a healthier eating plan as well. This combination should net you up to a three pound weight loss per week. Start by buying fresh, healthy foods and measuring out single portion sizes.

Portion sizes is the biggest problem some people have. They just do not know when to stop eating. You might even be surprised that a single portion size is the size it is. When you realize that you have been eating three or four portions of something all at one time then it will make sense to you why you are over weight.

If you make up a meal plan then limit yourself to about 1200 to 1500 calories per day. This range is the perfect amount to lose weight at about 1-2 pounds per week. You may see a big drop right in the beginning but what you are seeing is your body adjusting and getting rid of water weight first.

Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables along with lean meats like chicken, turkey, fish, and shrimp. Lean protein helps build lean muscle. Whole grains provide the fiber and essential fatty acids your body needs so stock up on nuts and seeds like almonds or sunflower seeds. Watch your salt intake and stay away from sugary snacks and breads made with white flour.

Before you start your daily walks, go buy a new pair of shoes. A good pair of shoes with the mesh upper will help your feet breathe and stay cooler during your walk. Dress in layers for the weather changes that can happen and just tie your jacket or sweatshirt around your waist should you have to take it off.

If yiou are interested to know how far you have walked then get yourself a pedometer. A pedometer measures every step you take. If you count as you go you would need to count 2000 steps to measure one mile. I think it would be better to have the pedometer do it, frankly. That way you could listen to music or talk with your walking partner instead of counting.

Otherwise you could just clock a certain distance with your car then you would know how far you walk with out having to guess or count your steps. Try to get in 30 minutes of walking for weight loss per day. Increase the intensity and do some power walking once you work up to longer walks or do some basic interval training.

Tags: Atkins, Calories, Calories Per Day, Chicken Turkey, Eating Habits, Essential Fatty Acids, Fresh Fruits And Vegetables, Fruits And Vegetables, Getting Rid Of Water Weight, Healthier Eating, Lean Meats, Lean Muscle, Lean Protein, Losing Weight, New Pair Of Shoes, Nuts And Seeds, Portion Size, Portion Sizes, Pound Weight Loss, Salt Intake, Sugary Snacks, Sunflower Seeds, Weather Changes, Whole Grains —

If you are one of the millions of people trying to lose weight and having little to no success then maybe some tips on losing weight will help. Losing weight is important for your health and well-being but doing it safely is the most important aspect.

The first thing you need to know is that weight loss will not happen overnight. So, you need to find ways to keep yourself motivated to have the success you want. Tips on losing weight start with finding a work out buddy. This will keep things from getting too mundane and having a work out buddy will help keep your motivation at a high level. Make it sort of a competition between the two of you.

Keep close tabs on what you eat. You will want to start eating healthier and if you write everything down when you eat it then you will see where changes can be made and substitutions will be easier for you to make.

Stick with whole foods in their natural state. Overly processed foods are loaded with bad carbs and sodium to give them a longer shelf life. Eat lean meats or fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Although, if you want to get a good start on losing weight, steer clear of breads and cereals for at least the first two weeks then add them back in very slowly.

You need to do this to basically reset your insulin pump. Some carbohydrates you eat are immediately converted to simple sugars in your body. This, in turn, makes you pancreas release insulin to control the sugar content of your blood from skyrocketing. These simple sugars are supposed to be used as energy. If they do not get used as energy when they are available the body converts them to fat and then stores them around your mid-section.

If you do not feel that you are getting all the nutrients you need then by all means take a multi-vitamin supplement to enhance what you are getting. Typically, though if you are eating healthy then you are getting all you need in the form of vitamins and essential nutrients so you will not need to supplement. But, hey, it couldn’t hurt.

One of the best tips I could give you is, hydrate. Drink plenty of water. Some people think that they can drink anything to stay hydrated and this is just not the case. Too many things are loaded with empty calories, like those energy drinks or sports drinks. One of the worst things you can do for yourself is drink diet pop.

Diet pop will actually trick your body into staying fat. When you drink it, your body expects to be getting something of value and when it doesn’t get what it thinks it should be, you end up eating more at your next meal to compensate for the lack. Not to mention the chemicals they use to “sweeten” diet pop, yuck!

Eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and getting at least some moderate exercise everyday should put you on the right track for losing the weight you want to lose. These are the easiest, most effective tips on losing weight you can find. Start today and you could be fit and trim in no time.

Tags: Bad Carbs, Breads, Calories, Carbohydrates, Cereals, Essential Nutrients, Fresh Fruits And Vegetables, Fruits And Vegetables, Fruits Vegetables, Healthy Diet, Insulin, Insulin Pump, Lean Meats, Losing Weight, Mid Section, Multi Vitamin, One Of The Millions, Pancreas, Shelf Life, Simple Sugars, Sugar Content, Vitamin Supplement, Vitamins And Minerals, Whole Foods, Whole Grains —