We all know that being overweight can produce many negative side effects on your physical and mental health. Heart attack, stroke and diabetes are three of the most common. Some of the other less talked about but equally damaging are stress on your muscles and joints. It’s a fact: weight loss reduces physical stress.

Getting rid of some stress can actually make it easier to loss weight too. Stress and weight loss are intricately wound together. If you are under a lot of stress your body tends to hold on to the weight. Nothing works as well as it should. Your metabolism slows down and it is much harder to lose the weight.

As you can see it is a real catch 22. Being overweight puts stress on your body and being under too much stress encourages weight gain (or at least discourages weight loss).

OK, I know I’ve made it all sound overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. Even though weight loss reduces physical stress and stress makes it more difficult to lose weight, it’s not impossible.

The best way to start is with simple day to day changes. Don’t try to change your whole world all at once, instead pick one area to work on and then go for it. Once you’ve conquered that first obstacle, pick another.

Keep doing that and before you know it you will be at your proper weight, which will diminish the abuse your joints and muscles will take and you will have less stress in your life.

For many people a good first obstacle to try and work on is their eating habits. Again, don’t think you have to do it all at once. how about starting small? Maybe take a week and concentrate just on drinking more water every day. Or eating more fruits and vegetables daily. how about cutting down on the soda you drink?

Simple, one step at a time. Don’t expect huge changes quickly. It takes time to see changes and it takes time to let the momentum build. Once you start with one thing, successfully add another and so on, the whole process will begin to pick up steam. From that point on it will seem extremely easy to do.

If you can combine some diet changes along with a little more physical activity you can greatly speed up the process. Again, start small. While it’s commendable to join a gym and resolve to spend 30 minutes every single day on the treadmill, it is also a big change and it may be harder to stick with.

If you find that you can stick to it, great, more power to you. But for many people over reaching on their goals is a great way to fail and get discouraged.

Something as simple as parking a little further from the door so you have to walk more every day is a great place to start. How about taking the stairs in stead of the elevator at least once a day? Maybe take the dog for a walk at least twice a week, etc.

You get the idea. Just start making changes, simple changes that you know you can stick with, and the rest will follow.

True weight loss reduces physical stress but it can also help alleviate a lot of emotional stress as well.

Tags: Being Overweight, Catch 22, Eating Habits, Fruits And Vegetables, Health Heart, Healthy Diet, heart attack;, Joints, Losing Weight, Loss Weight, Mental Health, Metabolism, Momentum, Muscles, Obstacle, One Step At A Time, Physical Stress, Soda, Step At A Time, Time Don, Weight Gain, Weight Loss —

Weight loss and self-esteem are like the scales of justice, as one side goes down the other side goes up. Usually, the more weight you lose, the higher your self esteem goes up.

No one should think that they have to be ‘perfect’ whatever that means anyway. Perfect is an impossible standard to have, or to achieve, no one is perfect. Even all the ‘perfect’ super models and actresses you see on t.v. aren’t so perfect if you would see them without their makeup and flattering lighting.

Just find the weight that is perfect for you and your body type. Once you have set realistic goals for yourself, stick with a program that will give you every chance of attaining those goals.

I have a friend who is getting married in the spring. She wants to lose about 60 lbs. by then. She has given it a lot of thought and has set a ‘start date’. She plans on starting an exercise routine and a healthier eating plan starting on that date and continuing for the rest of her life.

By gearing up to make these changes in her life, she is allowing herself to get her head around the whole thing. That will greatly increase her chances of success. Since she has a clear and realistic game plan and a reasonable time frame, she will almost assuredly meet her weight loss goals.

She has also enlisted the help of friends to accomplish this goal. Fortunately for her, some of her closest friends are work out nuts so they can help her and bolster her when she hits a rough patch, which she probably will.

Even after just having lost a few pounds, you can already see a significant boost in her self esteem. It’s more than just the fact that she has lost a few pounds, it’s also about the fact that she has set a goal for herself and slowly but surely she is accomplishing that goal.

Being able to set a goal and see that goal met is extraordinarily fulfilling. It can really make you feel great about yourself above and beyond just the physical changes you can see in the mirror or feel in your clothes.

This is why weight loss and self-esteem can be such a powerful combination. It really is a two for one: you become better looking and you are able to set and meet a goal for yourself. Both of those things on their own can be incredibly powerful, when you combine them the benefit can go up exponentially.

If you want to see the benefits of weight loss and self-esteem increase for yourself, just set a weight loss goal, make a plan, find a friend or two to help you along the way, and go for it. Do not make it harder than it needs to be by setting yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations. Take it slow and steady and you will get where you want to be.

Tags: Actresses, Clothes, Eating Habits, Exercise Routine, Game Plan, Healthier Eating, Lighting, Losing Weight, Loss Weight, Lot, Makeup, Mirror, Nuts, Physical Changes, Realistic Game, Realistic Goals, Rough Patch, Scales Of Justice, Self Esteem, Super Models, Time Frame, Weight Loss Goals —

Instant weight loss, hmm, really? When I read this, do you know what immediately went through my mind? Things like instant pudding or instant rice. Where all you do is mix it up and in 5 minutes you have pudding or rice that you can serve your family. We all know that weight loss is not like that unless, of course, you are willing to cut off a limb.

If that is the decision you have made, may I make a suggestion that you start at the top and work your way down? This is the only way you will achieve instant weight loss.

Weight loss is a process, and depending on the amount of weight you have to lose, it could even be quite a lengthy process. You must make a commitment to yourself to change the way you eat and live. You have to eat a lot less than you do now and get regular exercise everyday for the rest of your life. I am never one for pulling punches so, listen up. If you do not get up off your lazy butt and get moving, you will die. Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow but your life expectancy is getting shorter and shorter every minute you sit and veg in that recliner or on that couch.

Losing weight is not rocket science. All you need to do is burn off more calories every day than you take in. Simple. If you haven’t got a clue, and I think if you think that weight loss can be instant you really don’t, here’s what you do. Put on a pair of shoes, tie ’em up, get up, walk to the door, open it, step outside, and go for a walk around the block. Again, simple. The sooner you start, the sooner you will accomplish your goal. People do it all the time. There is no reason you can’t do it, too.

I know you, you are the type of person who will sit there week after week watching The Biggest Loser hoping that if you watch it long enough you will go to bed one night and wake up skinny. If it was that easy no one would be fat now would they? Or you think that by watching every week you will automatically lose weight by osmosis or something, right? Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

Along with the exercise you need to learn how to eat right. Did I just hear you say you think that you do not eat that badly to begin with? Once again, you are wrong. If you ate correctly and in the right amounts you would not be fat, now would you? No, you wouldn’t be. So stop deluding yourself and get with the program. The next time you have a meal, dish up what you normally would then get another plate from the cupboard. Now, remove half of the food from the first plate and put it on the second plate, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Save it for your next meal. Then sit down at the table, with the TV off, and enjoy the food that is left on the first plate. Get a big glass of water to wash it all down with.

Yes, I said with the TV off. It has been proven time and time again that if you eat your meals in front of the TV you will subconsciously eat more than you think you do because you are not paying attention to what you are doing. So, start a new practice, clean off the table and before every meal, set the table with a plate, silverware and napkin for everyone in the household. Serve and eat your meal at the table. Have a conversation with your family and chew your food well. Instant weight loss, please…

Tags: Biggest Loser, Calories, Clue, Couch, Exercise, food;, Instant Rice, Instant Weight Loss, Lazy Butt, Life Expectancy, Lose Weight, Losing Weight, Loss Weight, Moving, Osmosis, Pair Of Shoes, Pulling Punches, Recliner, Rest Of Your Life, Rocket Science, Suggestion, The Biggest Loser —

Weight Training For Fat Loss – How To Burn Calories Quickly

There are many methods of weight training for fat loss. By adding weight training to your exercise program, you can increase the fat loss you achieve. Weight training helps you to burn calories, boosts your metabolism, and helps your body burn fat more efficiently throughout the day. Weight training can be a great way to step up your workout, build muscle, and increase fat loss.

Weight training burns calories as you exercise. The physical exertion and strain on your muscles is a great way to burn calories that would otherwise be stored as fat. Excess calories can be burned quickly and efficiently as you lift weights, leading to increased fitness, strength, and loss of excess body fat.

Weight training for fat loss boosts your metabolism, as well. Muscle is more efficient than fat. Adding muscle to your body increases the amount of calories you burn while resting – your resting metabolic rate is raised. Adding muscle through weight training is a great way to ensure that you burn more fat, even while youre sleeping or watching TV. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Weight training continues to burn fat after your workout is over. For several hours, even an entire day, after your workout, your body is breaking down and rebuilding muscle. This takes energy to do, and increases your metabolism. Building muscle mass leads to more efficient energy use, and a higher metabolism in general. Adding muscle helps you to burn excess calories more efficiently throughout your day. If you truly wan to burn fat while you rest, then weight training is for you.

Multiple repetitions of weight lifting exercises can tone and strengthen your muscles. Your body will be stronger, and you’ll burn calories efficiently. Your posture, self esteem, and body image will improve as you continue to lift weights. Weight training for fat loss is a great way to mix up your workout, while improving your body image. The exercises are relatively simple to learn, and can be added to your daily routine with little effort.

Weight training is a great method to burn fat. Add weight lifting to your exercise program today, and enjoy the many benefits. Weight training burns calories as you exercise, and boosts your metabolism for continued efficiency. Weight training even burns fat after you’re finished working out! Add some weight training to your exercise routine today – you will be amazed at the results!

This article is not 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. Better safe than sorry.

Tags: Building Muscle Mass, burn, Calories Burned, Calories Exercise, Efficient Energy, Energy Use, energy;, Excess Body, Excess Calories, Exercise Program, Fat Calories, Fat Metabolism, Fitness Strength, Healthy Diet, How To Burn Calories, Losing Weight, Loss Weight, Personal Physician, Physical Exertion, Repetitions, Resting Metabolic Rate, Self Esteem And Body Image, Watching Tv, Weight Lifting Exercises, Weight Training —