5 Realistic Ways to Tackle Weight Loss

1. Don't expect to lose 50 lbs in one month!

Set a realistic goal for yourself, or you will be disappointed. And what could be less motivating than disappointment?

If you are continually searching for the miracle 'quick weight loss diet', you're never going to lose weight. It doesn't exist! Not in a healthy world anyway. Losing around 2 lbs each week is ideal.

Choosing a proper diet and exercise regime is the best solution for weight loss. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

2. Drink water.

I'm not going to list the many reasons why everybody should be drinking a gallon of water each day. I will say however, that drinking enough water can make or break a successful weight loss program.

Drinking more water will leave you less bloated and start getting your body ready for weight loss. Everything in your body will run more efficiently by getting at least 10 8 ounce glasses of water each day.

It is also thought that drinking ice cold water will increase the amount of calories burnt each day due to your body having to heat the water to use it properly.

3. Don't forget that drinks count as calories!

A lot of people count their calories each day when trying to lose weight. But are they counting the sodas and coffees they are drinking with their food? If you drink one can of coca-cola in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening, you've just consumed 750 calories!

And if you're really serious about losing weight, staying away from alcohol is a must. You won't tip the scale if you have one drink now and then, but remember that just one beer can have anywhere from 100 - 175 calories, depending on the brand and amount of alcohol in it.

The best strategy - drink water.

4. Find a 'weight loss buddy'.

Having someone to lose weight with can actually help you reach your weight loss goal. A weight loss buddy will provide support and encouragement, and maybe even a little friendly competition.

Weight loss buddies can be found online, or you can recruit a friend or family member to go for walks or jogs with you. They can also make your weight loss experience much more enjoyable.

5. Stay motivated.

I know what it's like to feel really pumped to start losing weight. For the first few weeks (or in my case a few days) you feel really good and you take your weight loss goal seriously.

Then, something happens and you just don't feel like doing it anymore. The reason for this is lack of motivation.

There are so many sources of motivation, you just have to find one - and keep it. This could be a weight loss buddy as mentioned earlier, a picture of yourself 30 lbs lighter taped to the fridge, or a little black dress hung up in plain view in your bedroom. Use your imagination and come up with something inspiring.

Cassandra Germsheid is the author of RealWeightLossInfo.com where she shares her knowledge about weight loss. You can learn more about healthy lifestyle habits at http://realweightlossinfo.com and don't forget to sign up for her newsletter to receive a free special weight loss report.

The Weight Loss Lottery

This article will be VERY relevant to weight loss so keep reading...

But first... I have to say...

It still amazes me when I see people well into their golden years buying scratch off lottery tickets. Now, don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with lottery tickets. A little gambling for fun every now and then never hurt anybody right? But here's what I see when I look at so many of these people Desperation. Struggle. Despair.

Many of them looked so stressed out. They keep chasing that "elusive ticket." You know... the ticket that will change everything right? Do you know that virtually everyone who wins the lottery is returned to their exact financial state within 5 years? In many cases their worse off. Now if you look carefully, you will see the EXACT same behavior in the weight loss industry. People want to "buy" change, just like they want to buy a lottery ticket. And heck there are plenty of companies who are willing to play along with this game as long as it equals profit for them.

"Minutes a day"

"Eat as much as you want of whatever you want"

"No dieting and no exercise"

I guess we'll all just continue to play pretend. But if you want to know the truth it is this: Health is not something you pursue. It is something you attract by the person you become. Health is a journey not a destination. Now, this doesn't mean weight loss should be hard. It doesn't. But you have to invest the time and energy to learn exactly how to create the results you desire.

Without the knowledge you're only buying lottery tickets.

To learn more visit http://www.LivingLifeLean.com to sign up for a free 10 Day eCourse and learn how you too can live your life in a lean, strong and energetic body.

Why Weight Loss Is A Side Effect Of Cleansing

When you mention cleansing in a group of people, most people immediately think of colon cleansing - where you're in the bathroom all day. The cleansing I am talking about is actually body cleansing. It cleanses the organs, lymph system, and blood.

We are always cleaning or maintaining something in our homes, garages or offices. We wash our bodies, change the filters in our furnaces, cars and vacuum cleaners. If the toilet backs up or the sink clogs we take care of it right away. Imagine what it would be like if you didn't change your vacuum cleaner bag for 40 years. Pretty gross! The fact is, we have filters in our bodies that get clogged, but we never think to clean the inside of our bodies. Or, if you're like me, you didn't know there was a way to do it.

One reason that weight loss is a side effect of cleansing is that cleansing gets to the root of the problem. When the filters in our bodies are not working properly, they don't work at optimal capacity and start storing impurities. Fat cells collect around those impurities and hold on to them because there is no place for them to go. When the filters get cleaned out and the body does what it is designed to do, weight is released. The liver is your key fat burning organ. If it is not working properly then fat will be stored instead of burned.

Another reason that weight loss is a side effect of cleansing is that cleansing reduces cravings and helps you desire good foods. Cleansing floods your body with nutrients that it needs so it can be satisfied. The body can then even cleanse itself because it has the enzymes and minerals that it needs to do the job.

Want to know more about weight loss and cleansing? Get a free copy of the book "How to Lose Weight When Nothing Else has Worked" click http://www.hjresources.com/loseit - Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Healthy Weight Loss - Eat More & Burn More, Not Starve

If I tell you that very low calories diets cannot work long term, would you believe that "trash"? But if the truth be told, low calories diets are actually quick fixes that eventually lead to weight regain. The first secret to permanent fat loss is to "burn the fat" and "starve the fat". Some exercise physiologists today, call this concept "energy flux." A very subtle way of saying, "Eat more, burn more," (instead of "eat less, exercise less"), and this is what the Burn the Fat philosophy is all about.

The laws of energy balance and thermodynamics state that you have to consume fewer calories than you burn. But this is not any thing near starvation diet. Starvation diet may work in the beginning, because there's a HUGE calorie deficit at first, but then, the body response puts an end to weight reduction. The body has an inbuilt defensive mechanism.

When the body is malnourished, as is the case with weight loses through starvation program or dieting, the metabolic rate slows down in order to protect the body. This is called "the starvation response." This puts paid to any further weight lose but where success is recorded, belong long, you notice weight regain because some persons quit dieting.

Starvation or dieting programs for weight lose has the following consequences:

The body releases fewer fat-releasing and fat-burning enzymes such as hormone sensitive lipase and lipoprotein lipase.

The fat cells release less of the hormone leptin, which is the signal that tells your brain you are well fed and not starving (it's the "anti-starvation" hormone) Fat burning hormones crash, including your levels of T3 which is the active form of thyroid hormone, the important "metabolism-regulating hormone". Lose of muscle. Muscle is metabolically-active tissue. This means that the muscle takes a lot of energy for keep. "Starving," means you're in an "energy crisis", so muscle becomes nonessential, making your body cannibalize your own lean tissue.

Appetite hormones rage out of control: when you starve, a part of your brain called the hypothalamus switches into high gear and flips the appetite switch, sometimes to the point where you become ravenous and cannot fight these physiological cravings with willpower.

Fact:

It's hormonally, metabolically and physiologically impossible to achieve permanent fat loss by starving yourself. And, it is pretty unhealthy thus. In the long run, very low calorie diets can actually make you fatter. This is so because they eventually lead to binge eating and weight re-gain. And then, you end up with less muscle and a slower metabolism than when you started. But this is the gladdening truth. You DON'T have to starve yourself to get a perfect bikini shape body. In fact, you can eat more and burn more fat.

To learn more, visit http://healthyweight-lose.blogspot.com - you can also visit http://mysecretrecipecookbook.blogspot.com for amazing "fat fighting recipes"

Lose 5 Pounds In A Week - Lose Weight Fast By Shifting Calories

Struggling to lose weight and keep it off? You are no different then millions of people. If you take action you can experience results. But not just any action; you need to take the right action.

What is the right action? Find a system that has worked for lots of other people, which has been around and proved that it works. Then all you have to do is follow the system like many other people. If you follow the system, you will get results.

This all seems simple enough and it is. Yet so many of us keep looking for the magic formula that will make the fat disappear while we do nothing. Yet you know deep inside that this will not happen.

Until you change what you are doing, you will continue to get the same results. If you are not looking for results, then quit reading this. If you want results, then all you have to do it take the right action.

A great method that will help you lose 5 pounds in a week is calorie shifting. When you shift your calories around you are able to keep your body guessing so that you keep the fat coming off.

What typically happens on a diet is that you reduce calories and it works for a little while then everything slows down. You prevent this by shifting your calories so that your body does not settle into a routine. You keep your body guessing and this keep the metabolism (fat burning ability) high. This will help you lose weight fast.

Take one simple action that will let you shed the pounds fast and get the body you long for. Take the right action and Lose 5 Pounds In A Week Now!

Great Tasting Foods For Weight Loss Success

My mentor Robert Ferguson would have a picture of a grilled chicken breast and steamed broccoli. Along side the chicken he would put a very yummy picture of succulent ribs, tasty tacos, and delicious deserts. He asks a question to the crowd, "Which one would you rather eat?" There is no need to know which one the crowd would prefer. He would say that diet food is food that you won't eat for the rest of your life.

The point is this: you need to eat food that you like that will cause you to lose weight. You will not be successful with weight loss with foods that you don't enjoy eating. If it came to me, I would rather eat my mom's tacos vs. grilled chicken and steamed broccoli. Is it that simple? Yes. You need to be able to eat the foods you enjoy eating to be able to use those foods to lose weight. Any other method will probably cause you to gain the weight back.

Conventional methods of weight loss have you eating 'diet-foods' and performing extensive long periods of exercise. Now I'm not saying that exercise is not important. I don't know any other form to lose calories fast and plenty of them then through exercise. What I am saying is that weight loss has to be an enjoyable process. You have to do exercise that you enjoy and can continue to do regularly. The same goes for food. You have to be able to use the foods you already enjoy so that you can lose weight. In order for weight loss to take place there are several small factors to consider such as combining your favorite foods with others that cause your body to burn fat instead of storing fat.

The principle of weight loss is the same then as it is now as will be in the future. It's about burning more calories than what you consume. That's why it's important to be able to time your meals throughout the day in smaller portions. If say a person loves steak and mashed potatoes, how helpful for weight loss is a plateful of 1lb of steak and a heaping mound of buttered mash potatoes? Yet, there are plenty of restaurants that serve these tremendous disproportionate plates of food. Yet, an easier, smaller portion of food is easier to digest and will cause you to burn fat instead of storing it while enjoying the savory flavors of steak and potatoes.

The foods you enjoy are the same foods you have to use to lose weight. People are resistant to change. People don't like change. The foods you enjoy to eat don't have to change in order for you to lose weight and keep it off. Just take in consideration other factors so that your body is burning fat instead of storing fat.

Cap

"Cap" Josue Cano B.A. C.S.C.S., is a specialized strength trainer and author of the book: "Don't wait get in S.H.A.P.E.: drop body fat fast and get fit quick". He is also an entertaining, funny health and fitness speaker who speaks to college students about college weight gain and has a program called Tackle the Freshman 15. He can be reached at his website: http://www.dontwaitgetinshape.com or by phone: (805) 415-0497 E-mail: cap@dontwaitgetinshape.com.

How To Lose Weight Quickly - 5 Common Weight Loss Myths Exposed

You might have tried to lose weight numerous times before, only to give up when you don't see immediate results. There are numerous myths around diets, and hopefully, we'll dispel them now!

The first myth folks surrender to is that you'll be able to reduce weight quickly by getting rid of as many calories as possible from your diet or by fasting. This is a very harmful means to do it since your body enters starvation mode, instantly halting fat loss. A lot of folks simply would like to slim down quickly for an outfit they want to fit into for a special social function coming up soon. Do not hold back till the eleventh hour to begin dieting.

A different myth we come across in our pursuit of a slenderer waist is the one that says to exclusively consume a single type of food all day, day-after-day. Grapefruit, pepper-laden water, and even hotdog dieting crazes have led to several bouts of overeating in the past. Embarking on reckless diet crazes means your system isn't obtaining the requisite nutrition it demands to combat sicknesses and remain in good health.

You might have likewise heard that you will be never be able to deviate from your diet plan. Whenever you do, you will be forced to work out for a long time in order to compensate for it. This is not correct. It is all right to eat that dessert occasionally. You simply must correct your calorie consumption for that day. There is actually no need for hours of working out simply to correct for one tiny dessert.

One myth you might have picked up is the one that alleges you can not snack prior to going to sleep, because you will get fat in your sleep. This one is not correct since a diet plan simply signifies that you are eating healthy and keeping an eye on your caloric intake for the day. Consuming a light snack prior to bed Is not going to make a big difference unless it is a full meal or a whole chocolate cake.

How about the one that alleges you can not snack between meals? It is more beneficial to eat snacks. Eat littler meals during the day in order to keep your hunger satisfied. By doing away with snacks between meals, you are simply going to make yourself hungrier at meal times, which makes you to eat a great deal more than you actually must simply to fulfill your craving.

Try not to fall victim to the countless dieting myths circling the internet. A levelheaded balance of correct eating (almost all of the time) and working out can skyrocket your dieting success!

Need a diet to lose weight quickly? Visit http://my-healthy-diet.com for lots more information.