When You Hit A Plateau With Your Weight Loss

Dieters everywhere dread the plateau; the phase of your diet where all your hard work seems to get you no results. It seems that you are dieting and exercising your heart out for nothing. If you feel that you are currently on a dieting plateau, keep in mind that there has to be an up side (your previous weight loss), a leveling off (which you are currently experiencing) and a down side (which you’ll get to soon). Each plateau you come upon in your weight loss journey will have these same characteristics. Learning how to deal with them now will help you in the future.

Follow these guidelines to break through your dieting plateau and get back on the weight loss trail –

Continue to Exercise:
Even if it seems that you are not making progress towards weight loss, it is important to continue to exercise. Not doing so will allow extra pounds to creep back on. In fact, if you are experiencing a plateau, it may be wise to increase the amount or intensity of your exercise, to help you break out of your slump.

Continue to Eat Well:
Maintain the weight that you have lost so far by continuing to eat healthy foods. Do not use your plateau as an excuse for a binge, or drastically reduce your calorie count. Continue to eat the diet that has helped you lose weight so far. Do so consistently, and you will soon be out of the plateau.

Develop a Support Network:
Find a message board or a group of real life friends, and draw on them for support. This will help you to continue towards your weight loss goals, even when it becomes more difficult. If possible, find friends who are also dieting. They will be a great support to you throughout your weight loss journey.

As you fight your way through your dieting plateau, you are responsible for every action you take. Each decision you make will impact your weight loss now and in the future. Do the best you can to continue to make healthy choices, even though the scale may not show it.

If you have been exercising a lot, keep in mind that you may be losing fat and gaining muscle, leading to no drop in scale weight. Use the above guidelines to maintain your diet, and stay strong. Soon youll be breaking through that plateau and soaring on down the scale.

This article isn’t medical advice nor should it be interpreted or substituted as medical advice. This article is for informational purposes only. Prior to making changes to your physical exercise routine and your diet, you should always consult your personal physician. It is much better to be safe than sorry.

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If you are interested in undergoing the LapBand surgery, you will need to find a LapBand surgeon. To get started, speak with your primary healthcare professional for a referral or turn to your local phone book or the internet. With that said, you need to do more than just find a LapBand surgeon; you need to choose the best one. For that reason, ask many questions.

So, what questions should you ask your LapBand surgeon?

Am I an ideal candidate? This is the most important question to ask. If you did not receive a direct referral from your primary care physician, do not have your heart set on weight loss surgery. The ideal candidate for surgery is 100 pounds or more overweight, between the ages of 18 and 60, and has the commitment to restrict their diet.

How much does the LapBand surgery cost? On average, the LapBand procedure costs between $15,000 and $20,000. That is quite the average price range. This means that you can find varying rates. Of course, you want to choose a quality surgeon who is Board Certified and who is known to produce results, but why pay more than you have to. In addition to asking about the cost, price compare with other local surgeons.

Do you have a payment plan? Some insurance providers do cover the cost of weight loss surgery, but there are typically many rules and restrictions. If you are uninsured or if coverage is not extended, ask about a payment plan. In this case, it is recommended that you have a good credit rating. If not, at least have enough for a substantial down payment.

Will you perform the LapBand procedure? If you are receiving a consultation at a hospital or large surgical center, you could be speaking to anyone. This is not what you want. You want to have a consultation appointment with the surgeon who will perform your LapBand surgery.

Are you Board Certified? In the United States, a Board Certified Surgeon is recommended. When opting for a certified surgeon, you are given a certain level of peace, comfort, and guarantee. You know the person has undergone strict testing and is qualified to perform the procedure.

How many surgeries have you performed? Not only do you want a Board Certified Surgeon, but you also want one who has experience performing the LapBand procedure. Surgical experience is recommended, but the LapBand is different than other surgeries. So, make sure your surgeon has experience with the LapBand system. Not only is installation experience recommended, but adjustment too.

What is your success ratio? When it comes to success ratio, it is important to ask about complications and weight loss. Your goal of undergoing the LapBand procedure is to lose weight, ensure those before you have done so. Next, examine your risks. How many patient complications or deaths has your surgeon experienced under their care?

Can I see before and after pictures? Before and after pictures will not only give you insight into your weight loss potential, but it may give you comfort and peace of mind. A LapBand surgeon who has before and after pictures of their patients is one who is invested in their long-term success. These are hands you want to place your life in.

Can you speak to past patients? Hearing that a LapBand surgeon has a good rate of no complications and successful weight loss is nice, but best when coming directly from the source. Ask to speak with or meet previous patients. When doing so, ask questions. Did they like the surgeon? Were they pleased with their treatment before, during, and after surgery? Would they extend a recommendation?

The above mentioned questions are just a few of the many you will want to ask during a LapBand consultation appointment, but they are a good start. In the days leading up to your appointment, record any additional questions you think of.

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In this article I’m going to go over some quick ways to lose weight. But, be warned, I’m not going to talk about the latest diet “wonder pill” or the latest fitness do-dad. I’m going to talk about real methods for helping you get where you want to be as quickly and safely as possible.

You see, I don’t believe in short term fixes, they are just too … short term. I think it is better to spend your time making changes that can last you for a lifetime. I mean which would you prefer; work hard lose 5 pounds but after a while find that you can’t keep taking that supplement and gaining back that 5 pounds plus ten more…

OR

Making small lifestyle changes over a period of time and losing all the weight you need to lose and keeping it off forever (since you have changed some aspects of your lifestyle your weight loss will be permanent as long as your lifestyle changes are permanent!)?

To me it’s a no brainer. Starting small and making permanent lifestyle changes can ensure that you stay healthy and strong for the rest of your life.

Before you do anything though, please talk to your doctor. It is important that your doctor is in the loop with any changes you want to make especially when you start increasing your physical activity.

So, there are basically two components to losing weight and keeping it off forever: what you eat, and what you do.

If you love sweets (I do!) I personally think it is wrong to say to yourself: “I will never eat candy again!”. I know your heart is in the right place but more than likely you won’t be able to stick with such a strict diet.

In my opinion it is much better to just say “I am going to cut way back on how often and how many sweets I eat”.

That simple change will be much easier to live with but will still help you accomplish your goal. Start thinking of the food you eat as fuel for your body.

Every time you go to shove something in your mouth ask yourself if it is a good source of fuel for your body. If it isn’t you may want to reconsider that particular choice.

Try to eat throughout your day and eat nutritiously throughout your day. 5 – 6 small meals or snacks during the day will keep your metabolism burning all day long. You will be amazed at how effective this one simple change can be.

When I started eating like that I lost almost a pound a day! Of course, the meals can’t be too big and they have to be nutritious if you want it to work. If you stuff a cheeseburger into your mouth 5 or 6 times a day you will gain weight and not lose it!

You also need to get more physical activity into your life. It can be pretty much anything you enjoy that gets your body moving. If you like to dance than find a dance workout DVD. If you like to swim, swim. The same goes for biking, hiking, jogging, etc.

Moving enough to raise your heart rate and doing that at least 3 – 4 times a week is another great way to shed those excess pounds and if you do activities you enjoy, you won’t think of it as a chore you will actually enjoy the process. You will be having fun and the weight loss will just be a benefit!

Those are the quick ways to lose weight that I recommend!

Tags: Brainer, Candy, Dad, Eating Habits, Fitness, Healthy Diet, Heart, Lifestyle Changes, Lifetime, Losing Weight, Period Of Time, Physical Activity, Quick Ways To Lose Weight, Rest Of Your Life, Strict Diet, Sweets, Ways To Lose Weight, Weight Lose, Weight Loss, Wonder Pill —

Many women think that weight loss for men is easier than it is for women. And maybe that is true, men do have more lean muscle mass on average then women. Lean muscle mass is the thing that can keep the metabolism burning hot which will help burn up those calories, but that is really only part of the picture.

You see, men have to deal with slowing metabolism as they age just like women do. In many cases it is caused by the same factors, loss of lean muscle mass. It doesn’t matter that they are male, weight loss for men will be just as challenging if they have less lean muscle mass.

The good news is that if you are really motivated, and you have the right information, there is a lot you can do to reverse this trend and stay in good shape throughout your life.

Here are some points to consider, they may just help a little:

1. Of course, the first thing you need to do before you start to workout, especially if you are over 40, is to go to your doctor and get a thorough physical. The last thing you want to have happen is to find you have some heart related issues after you start working out.

2. Get a plan, better yet, get a personal trainer. The more detailed you are in your workout routine, the more likely you will stick with it. Keeping a workout journal can be an excellent idea, especially when you are first starting.

And, as I said above, having a personal trainer teach you a good workout routine as well as the proper form to use during all the exercises will help you get the most out of each and every workout.

It may just keep you honest too. You will be less likely to slough off if your trainer is there ready to kick you in the butt.

3. Lose the notion of eating “3 squares a day”. That is not the best way to keep your body fueled throughout the day. Keeping your bodies furnace burning hot all day long is the best way to keep those unwanted love handles at bay. And the best way to keep that furnace burning hot all day long is to feed it.

Cut back on the carbs, get out of thinking that beef is a major food group and get in touch with the idea that fish is good for you.

Eat more fruits and vegetables and cut back on the beer and other alcohol. Hey, there has to be some sacrifices if you want to look great!

No matter what your age or current fitness level, weight loss for men can be accomplished and it doesn’t even have to be miserable. Just by making some simple changes to your daily routine you may be able to get back in much better shape. You can look better and feel better so it is worth the small sacrifices.

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