If you have spent any decent amount of time searching the internet for fitness advice, you have probably come to realize, the one thing the industry does not lack is “Tips”, but something it does lack is useful tips.   These days, it is far too easy to just claim expertise in a subject, and start giving out advice. You would not believe some of the “advice” I have heard other people give out after personally being involved in fitness over the years.

I have heard everything from: 

“If you do 1000 crunches every day you will have rock solid abs in 2 weeks no matter what you eat” to “You can eat as much as you want before 6pm and you will still lose weight.” 

I hope that if you have read some of my other articles you can see the major flaw in both of these tips, but a lot of people fall for this kind of advice everyday. The only reason I can think of that people would fall for such bad advice is out of pure desperation, people are more desperate than ever to find “short cuts” to their goals, and getting healthy through fitness is no different.

To give you a break from a seemingly endless stampede of incorrect or just bad advice, I have included 10 of my own fitness tips that will really make a difference in your life.

Calculate Your RDA of Calories

If you are really trying to lose fat or gain muscle and not getting any results, you should find out your recommended daily amount of calories. Why finding out this number is so important is that if you know how much calories your body burns naturally per day, you can eat below that number each day to be in a calorie deficit and lose weight. Alternatively, you could eat slightly above that number, along with weight training to build muscle.

Be active for at least 30 minutes a Day

The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of some sort of physical activity per day to best help promote weight loss and a generally healthy lifestyle.

Don’t Neglect Stretching

One of the first parts of their program people will drop from their daily routine is stretching; this can be a big mistake for your overall health as light daily stretching can be very beneficial for you.   Regular stretching if done correctly will improve your joint flexibility, increase blood circulation throughout your body, and even improve your posture.

Keep a Fitness Journal

One of the biggest motivators to stay on track for a lot of people is a fitness journal.  You can log anything from your workout regimen to your daily diet in a journal and look back on it anytime to see what worked for you.

Snack Smart

For many people snacking choices can either make or break their diet, but if you snack smart, you can make snacking a real asset to your weight loss goals.  The key is to pre package healthy snacks for you to eat throughout the day while you are in town, at work or at home.  Pick out a few healthy snacks you like such as fruits, vegetables, 100 calorie snack packs or pretzels (Watch for large amounts of sodium though).

Stay Consistent

Remaining consistent in a fitness program is what I consider the key thing to remember. Whether you are trying to improve for a sport, lose weight, or build muscle. If you are constantly missing workouts or cheating on your diet then you will not get the results you deserve and you will likely give up altogether.

Strive For Progression

In every form of exercise you do constantly strive for progression. If you jogged 2 miles last week, this week do 2.1.  If you benched 165 5 sets of 12 last week, go for 170 5 sets of 12 this week. Progression is what keeps the body working to improve; your body will have no choice but to progressively get stronger and leaner to keep up with your increased workload. Of course do not try to progress too soon, as this can lead to injury, just always look for ways to progress when you feel ready.

Get Others Involved

Like almost anything in life, you will likely see better results in your fitness training if you get your friends, family, or even co-workers involved.  It will give you other people to talk to about your own goals and to motivate you.  If your whole family knows you are trying to lose 10 pounds for example, they will be quicker to help you from slacking on your diet or workouts. Moreover, they will be there to cheer you on when you succeed.

Don’t Be Afraid To Change It Up

One of the most common reasons people stop a program is they simply get bored of it. If you are doing the exact same routine of squats, lunges, leg extensions and curls for months who can blame you for getting bored?  The key is keeping your workouts changing and dynamic to keep your intensity up , this can be done by simply changing the order of exercises or  picking up a new program altogether.  This is also beneficial for your progress physiologically as your body will not be able to adapt to your routine and you can continue pushing it.

Take Time Off

This will probably be the easiest tip for a lot of people to follow as it just requires taking a break from your workouts.  If you continue working out day after day, week in and week out, it can be very taxing on not just your muscular system but your central nervous system as well.  This is why it is beneficial in the long run for you take a SCHEDULED week or so off every 3-6 months.  When you return to your normal routine or maybe a new one like tip 9 recommends, you will feel more refreshed then ever. Who knows you may even break a few new personal records.

The amount of weight each person should lose is partly a personal choice. So in some ways aim to lose the weight you want to lose. For some people it may be a matter of losing a couple of pounds for others it may be a lot more. If you do not have a personal goal and are unsure how much weight loss to aim for, there are ways to work it out.

Below we have summarised some of the methods, most commonly used to classify people according to their weight and body measurements. These methods can help you determine if you are overweight, obese or even within a healthy weight range. These classifications are only a guide and they do come with their flaws so do use them as they intended; as a guide.

How to set your personal weight loss goals 

1. Do not attempt to lose more than 1-1.5 kg per week

Regardless of how much weight you want to lose don’t aim in losing more than 1-1.5 kg per week. When it comes to weight loss ‘too much too fast’ is not recommended for health reasons. It may sound like a dieter’s heaven but trust me it is usually not good. (See also: how many calories to lose weight)

2. Do not fall on the underweight classification.

You may be on your ideal weight or even slightly underweight but you know that there is a bit of a tummy, or an annoying big bottom etc. Well maybe it is not weight loss what you should be looking for. Maybe just eating the right foods, or adding some exercise to firm the areas which bother you could be the answer. On the other hand it could just be the shape of your body, and learning to love what you got is even better.

3. The 2 most important things about weight are your health and being happy.

You may need to lose 200 lbs in order to reach your ideal weight but you don’t particularly want to be America’s next top model. Have the weight you feel comfortable with and happy with even if slightly over the line, as long as this does not affect your health. The truth is thin does not always mean healthy.

4. Don’t get obsessed with numbers such as your weight, your body mass index (see below), calories etc.

Firstly being obsessed may not be a good place to be, secondly all these numbers are guides and not a setting stone. You may find that you don’t lose pounds but inches and fat. How is that possible? Well weight loss can be more complicated than just losing weight; your body’s composition can change, as well as other factors.

Body measurements and classifications

Here we have summarized the following, body mass index (BMI) measurement, waist-to-hip ratio and waist circumference. You can use them as a guide to help you find your ideal range of weight. It is always best to use a combination of them for a better picture of your body’s weight.

For example, you may be within your ideal weight range but you may have a high waist circumference which could indicate a high risk to specific health conditions. In simple words you could be carrying a high amount of fat in your belly and this is linked to developing some diseases/conditions. Or on the other hand you could be exercising and carrying a lot of muscle which can lead to a high BMI (i.e. very common with athletes). This doesn’t mean you are overweight.

Ideally you can have direct body composition measurements, such as bioelectrical impedance, which can determine the percentage of fat, lean mass, and water in the body. However, this can be costly and sometimes hard to get.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a simple way to classify individuals within ranges according to their weight and height.

BMI does not actually measure or show the amount of fat and non-fat mass in the body.

You can calculate BMI as follows:

BMI = (Mass (kg))/(Height (m))^2

BMI = weight divided by (height x height)

For example: If your weight is 60kg and your height is 1.70m then:

60 ÷ (1.70 x 1.70) → 60 ÷ 2.89 = 20.76

Your BMI is 20.76.

Once you have calculated your current BMI then you can look on the table below to see at which category you are. You can also look at table 2 to see height and weight recommended ranges.

Waist –To – Hip Ratio (WHR)

WHR is often used to determine the overall health risk. Increased abdominal fat has been linked with increased risk of developing some conditions. WHR is another simple way of categorising individuals’ health risk according to the circumference of their waist and hip.

It is calculated as:

WHR =Divide the circumference of the waist with the circumference of the hips.

Place the tape around the waist and hips to the areas shown on the picture. The point at which the tape measure meets is the reading of the circumference.

Once you have calculated your WHR you can look at the table below to see if you are within a range which increases risk of developing health conditions. As mentioned it can be used in combination with the BMI.

For example if you are on a normal range BMI but have a high WHR you could be looking at losing weight from your abdominal area (belly). This could be easily achieved with a healthy diet and some exercise. Therefore your weight loss goal could only be a few pounds and even less than a stone but your concentration would be more in what foods you eat and how you can improve the condition of your belly. 

Waist to Hip Ratio Chart

 
Waist circumference is a simplified way of the WHR measurement. Just measure the circumference of your waist as above. Waist Circumference it is often used to determine overall health risks in relation to the circumference of a person‘s waist. Waist circumference can be recommended for those people who may be classified within a healthy range with using BMI measurements but may have excess fat on their abdomen. The table below shows the classifications of waist circumference in relation to the health risk. As mentioned earlier in the case where you need to lose abdominal fat, a healthy balance diet may be most adequate. In addition you may not be measuring weight loss in terms of pound/kilos weight in general but in inches.

How much weight should you lose? 10 tips to help you decide

1. There is not one fits them all answer when it comes to translating measurement (i.e. BMI) with pounds to lose. There are a number of changes that your body will make during a day, a month and even more during a weight loss regime. There are different body types, genetics, ages, and 100s of other factors which are all pointing to one thing: Everybody is an individual with different needs and circumstances. Even 2 people who appear to have the same height do not necessarily mean that they would have the same weight. Moreover, no one has a stable weight through all their day let along their whole life.  

2. Use the calculations and measurements above to find in what range and category you are in. Are you overweight, in a risk of having a lot of abdominal fat, within normal weight range? But don’t forget they are a guide not a setting stone.

3. Once you have an idea of your body measurements you can start planning on what you need to concentrate on. This could be just losing a couple of pounds to feel more comfortable in yourself, or losing some inches of your tummy or losing more weight to get within a normal range of weight.

4. Don’t obsess over numbers. Above all is your health and satisfaction. Lowering the risk of developing health conditions and being at the weight you feel satisfied is a good place to start. If you are however borderline underweight or your goals bring you to an underweight range do reconsider. Your health is important and skinny does not translate to healthy. Start thinking that maybe you should start loving your own body.

5. It is important to think what is it you want to achieve. Regardless of what measurements say what is your own goal? Do you just want to go down a couple of dress sizes even if you are still in an overweight range? How much do you weigh then? For example if you are a dress size 18 and want to just go down to a size 16 your goal could be losing 1-2 stones. This is only an example as each person’s body is different. The point is, do think where you want to be. Set your goal and review your progress.

6. Losing weight versus losing fat. Yes you don’t always have to see it on the scales. There is such a thing as losing fat mass but not necessarily translating to pounds but more in inches or sometimes it is not as clear at all. You could be putting lean mass on. Keeping a record of your measurements sometimes can give you a guide of what is going on. But don’t over obsess.

7. This brings us to the point of don’t just look at finding an exact weight goal from day one. Keep in mind that you did not put on the weight in one day so it is unlikely that you will lose it in one day.

If you have quite a lot of weight to lose set a 2 week goals to start from. It takes about 2 weeks for your body to make long term changes and adapt (this can vary depending on each individual).

Monitor your diet and weight loss and body changes (i.e. lost inches, lost pounds, to hard diet to follow etc.). After that, set your weekly goals and monthly goals. For example you want to lose 10lbs in one month, so you will aim for approximately 2lbs per week. It may be that one week you lose 1lb and one week you lose 3lbs but overall you have reached your monthly goal. Over the time you will know at which point you are happy with what you have achieved.

8. Do it healthy. I think I have already said that a few times. Well here it goes once again. Being healthy is more important than being thin and thin does not always mean healthy. Aiming for a healthy body state, a change towards a healthier diet and lifestyle rather than stressing about how many pounds you should be is probably a better thing to do.

9. If your weight loss is for mainly health reasons then it is also advisable to consult an appropriate medical professional. A medical professional should provide you with the guidance you need regarding your health and weight. I know that sometimes physician may tell you that you must lose weight for your health but often don’t tell you how or how much. Insist in guidance. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and more information. It is your health and this is their job.

10. In that matter it is always recommended to advise a medical professional before taking any exercise or diet regime, especially if you there are pre-existing health complaints.

Another year has come to a closure and a lot of people will be filling their resolution lists. Losing weight tends to make it in that list whether being that you eaten a little bit more during the party season or whether your weight has always troubled you. Losing weight is not necessary hard; you need motivation and a good weight loss plan. In this post we outline 7 practical ways to start losing weight today.

1. Spring clean the cupboards

I am sure that through the festive season your cupboards managed to get full of everything eatable. This includes sweets, cakes, snacks, crisps, dried mixed nuts, fizzy drinks, alcohol and you name it is there, or what’s left of it. It usually takes ages to go through all that food and by Easter you may still find a box of chocolates hidden at the back.

With so many temptations hanging around at eye level it is almost impossible to keep to a diet. As they tend to say ‘out of sight out of mind’, so start by emptying your cupboards from all those foods which will not do any favours to your health or your weight. (see also: 5 foods to avoid while dieting)

2. Keep a diary

Keeping a ‘diet’ diary before and while you are on a weight loss regime will help you in many ways. First it will give you an insight to what you tend to eat and when. Recording your feelings also helps to find any emotional eating patterns which may later hinder your efforts. In addition, keeping a record of what you eat while on a weight loss regime can help you keep on track and you can always go back and compare, find little calorie disasters you may not known were there, or just simply find what works for you and what doesn’t.

3. Take measurements

Take all your vital statistics before you start your weight loss regime and then every couple of weeks. Setting a day in which you will be measuring your vitals may be helpful as it can create a solid program for you.

Now what do you need to measure: Your weight will be one but don’t depend only on it for your dear life. Weight can fluctuate especially for women who go through their menstrual cycle. Apart from that you may be losing fat but this may not reflect at the beginning on your weight as there may be a number of changes that take place on your body.

In addition to your weight, try to record your waist and hip circumference. To measure waist circumference use a tape measure.  Find your upper hip bone and place the tape measure flat around your abdomen (tummy) and measure around your waist. In the same manner measure the circumference of your hips at the widest point with your legs kept close together.

The important thing is not to find the exact correct point but to measure every time at the same point. This way you will be keeping an accurate record of any changes in your body. If every time you measure a different point naturally it would be misleading.

4. Find your type

By this I don’t mean your body type or blood type or any other types you may have read about weight loss dieting. What I mean is find your own diet type. Use your diary to get more information. So what do you like to eat? Are you always on the go? Do you need guidance, a strict regime or a flexible one? Are you good with taking specific foods out of your everyday diet or just cutting down on portions?

Picking up from the shelve any diet it will not necessarily do it for you. Yes ‘x’ diet may have worked with your best friend or family member or girl at work but does it suit you individually? Think of your lifestyle, your food preferences and how feasible something is to follow.

Yes there are good and bad diets in terms of health risks and by all means don’t ingest a tape worm just because it seems the most suitable for you. Do make sure the weight loss regimes you are looking at are safe and are based on scientific evidence.

5. Don’t despair

You done it all, got organised, and been following a diet regime for ‘x’ amount of time but nothing is happening. You have been there a few times and you are frustrated and just attack the next plate of chips and greasy food. Now hold your horses, and don’t despair. Go back to base and think what it that you are doing is. Ask yourself if the regime you are following is the right for you, are you realistic about what you are expecting and most of all are you actually doing it right. Last but not least are there other reasons which may be stopping you from losing weight.

It is important to check that there aren’t any medical reasons involved and I would actually suggest consulting a medical professional before you even start on a diet regime especially if obese. Making sure you are not putting your health in unnecessary risks is very important. In addition, some types of medication may hinder weight loss and even cause you to put on weight. Having appropriate advice is equally important.

Now when you are trying to lose weight keep in mind the following:

1. Depending on the diet regime you are on you may find that your weight loss may take time to kick in. In addition, you may find that there times in which weight loss reaches a plateau. There are ways to overcome these.

2. The diet regime you have chosen may be just another fad diet so it simply doesn’t do anything. Try something different, read what other people may have said about it or look if there is anything else.

3. If you are simply DIYing your weight loss regime, are you actually consuming the amount of calories you need to lose weight? You may have cut down on calories and portions but you may be simply on a calorie balance which means that you just staying the same.

4. Keep in mind that your body takes about 2 weeks to adapt to any diet changes. Usually during the first week any weight lost does not include a significant measurable amount of fat.

5. Have you been realistic in your expectations or plans? Someone may have claimed that on that regime they lost 10lbs in the first week however, is this something realistic or is it just claims?

6. If you are keeping a diary go back and look what you are actually eating. Are you recording everything? The extra biscuit in the office, or picking a chip from the kids’ plate, or a spoonful of this and a pinch of that which you just tried earlier are still calories and food which you have consumed. You will be surprised what you may find.

6. Set realistic goals

Setting short term goals can help you keep in track with your weight loss. If you say I need to lose 100lbs sounds daunting and hard work. Moreover, losing a large amount of weight could take a long time possibly a few months. During that time you may have plateau times, ups and downs and so on, it is so easy to lose scope of what you are doing.

Set short term goals such as every 2 weeks. Keep your expectations and goals realistic. If you set your goals too high and to points which are physically impossible to reach then you will just be setting yourself to fail. There is nothing worse psychologically than having worked hard for 2 weeks and battled all temptations and then climb on the scale and be miles away from your goal. But then was that goal realistic?

7. Recognise every achievement

As mentioned above through a weight loss period you are likely to get ups and downs. As I already have said do not despair and also look at the bigger picture. If you lost 10lbs in ‘x’ amount of time and maybe gained 2lbs back or if you lost 2lbs instead of 5lbs don’t just punish yourself. Pat yourself in the back and say well done. Every little achievement you make is as good. See the positive things you concurred and build on them. Maybe you lost 1lb but managed to stop eating chips. Well done! Build on that and move for the next thing you can achieve. See also: Why I am not losing weight

Losing weight is not all about calories and weight.

According to research more than 50% of New Year’s resolutions are related to weight loss and fitness. If you are reading this you are probably in this category and either you have already setup a personal goal to lose weight in 2012 or you are thinking how to formulate your plan. The purpose of this guide is to give you all the information you need to make a solid and effective weight loss plan or help you decide which is the best path to follow in order to make 2012 YOUR year.

Step 1: Do you have a SMART goal?

Just saying “I want to lose weight in 2012” is not enough. You need to make up your mind and be specific on how much weight you want to lose, how you plan to make this happen and when. A great way to accomplish this is setting up a SMART goal i.e. a goal that is Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Specific. Here are some examples of SMART weight loss goals:

“I want to lose 5 pounds by the end of February 2012”.

“I will follow an 1800 calorie diet and will lose 4 pounds per month. My goal is to lose 12 pounds in the next 3 months”

Step 2: Get to know the basics

The weight loss industry is very competitive and this makes things more complicated than they are in reality. Marketers in their effort to promote their weight loss products make exaggerations by promising super-fast results with their ‘miraculous’ programs or pills. This is not the case though. Weight loss is a process that takes time, effort and patience. The individual characteristics of each person are different and so is the approach to losing weight. Some people find it easier to lose weight due to their metabolism while others lose weight slower. What you should do to avoid this trap and fail before you even begin is to ensure that you understand the terminology, basic weight loss concepts and learn how to identify fad diets and products. It may sound complicated but once you have this clear in your mind everything else will be easier and you chances of losing weight are increased.  To shed some light into the arena and make it simpler for you go ahead and read the following articles:

How to lose weight if you have a slow metabolism – Metabolism is a famous term and this article will help you understand what is metabolism and the factors that affect your metabolic rate.

How many calories to lose weight – This article explains the math and logic behind weight loss. A must read for everyone who wants to take this seriously.

How to lose water weight – People often confuse “fat loss” with loss of water weight. This article will put things in the correct perspective.

Step 3: Prepare your plan

Now that you are familiar with the weight loss principles, the next step is to decide how you want to lose weight and make your own plan. Are you going to use a commercial diet program or will you create your own diet and exercise schedule? This is a very important decision since you need to choose (or create) a program that will fit in your lifestyle and at the same time generate positive results. Over the years we have prepared several guides that explain this process step-by-step.

How to lose weight fast but healthy – This is a huge but one of the most complete and comprehensive guides you can find on the Internet about fast weight loss. It covers everything you need to do including preparation guidelines, a diet to follow and exercise routine.

Calories 4 Weight loss – “Calories 4 Weight loss” is our own weight loss program. It includes a diet plan (Combination diet for abdominal fat), an online calorie counter and personal support.

Best Weight Loss Diets – If you decide to go for a commercial diet program this article will give you the pros and cons of the most popular and effective programs.

How to lose weight in 2 weeks – If you think you can achieve your goals in 2 weeks then this guide is for you

Step 4: Actually do it!

Do not just stay on the theoretic part of weight loss. It’s good to know the theory but to see the pounds go away you need to take action! While dieting you may find useful the following:

What are crash diets? – Do crash diets work and should you follow one?

5 Foods to avoid while dieting – Some foods can do more harm than others, better avoid them.

5 Weight loss mistakes  - Do you make these weight loss mistakes?

Step 5: Do not be afraid to seek support

You may have a great plan and willingness to lose weight but for many reasons you just can’t get the results you want. This is the time that many people quit and believe that they will never lose weight. If you end up in this situation then what you should do is get professional support. Professionals can analyze your situation, the things you have done and the things you haven’t done and recommend ways to correct the problem. You can find a dietician or nutritionist to discuss your problem or you can even get online weight loss support for a lower fee and faster response. You can also find more information in this guide:

Why I am not losing weight

That pretty much covers everything you need to know on how to lose weight in 2012. Do not delay it any longer; the sooner you take action the faster you will be the results.

How to do you lose weight fast? Search no more, find all the information you need in one place. The guide includes step-by-step instructions, a diet, lifestyle tips, exercise advice and everything you need to learn how to lose weight fast but healthy.

Losing weight fast is not something bad provided that you do it healthy. There are many ways to lose weight quickly but most of them generate short term results. The requirement in this case is not just to lose the pounds fast and gain them back as soon as you terminate your efforts but to lose them and keep them off. The only way to achieve fast but permanent weight loss is the healthy way; healthy does not mean that it cannot be fast, it simply means that you are not going to engage into any fad diets or products that are not safe.

Our comprehensive guide is divided into four sections with each section representing a crucial stage in weight loss. In particular: the preparation, implementation, post-implementation and maintenance stage.

The preparation stage is about the principles of how to lose weight fast and how to get your body and mind ready for this task, the implementation is the stage that explains what to do to actually save calories and accelerate weight loss. The post-implementation stage explains the lifestyle changes you need to make to ensure that you will not get the weight back and the maintenance stage will help you stay on your new weight forever.

How to lose weight fast – The 4 basic principles
15 Tips to lose weight fast and healthy
Lose weight fast – The Diet
How to lose weight fast and keep it off
How to lose weight with exercise

How to lose weight fast – The 4 basic principles

Step 1: Set your SMART weight loss goals

Define in your mind what you mean by “I want to lose weight fast”. Do you want to lose 10 pounds in a week, 20 pounds in a month? What is your real goal? Write it down on a piece of paper and then make sure that it is a SMART goal, for example:

Specific: I want to lose the weight by the end of this year

Measurable: I want to lose 20 pounds

Attainable: Is it possible to lose 20 pounds by the end of this year provided that the maximum amount of weight you can safely lose in a week is 2-3 pounds?

Realistic: Are you willing to make the effort? Losing weight fast is not the easiest thing to do and will require a lot of sacrifices. Are you ready to change your lifestyle, habits, eating pattern, exercise habits and get into the lane of rapid weight loss?

Timely:  If you weigh 200 pounds and you want to lose 50 pounds in a month because you have a wedding or a special event to attend then this is not possible. Make your goal achievable and reasonable.

Step 2: Decide on the approach to follow in order to lose weight

Decide how you will approach the whole weight loss process. Are you going to follow a commercial diet and exercise program or you are going to make a plan and define your milestones? We are not against commercial diets or weight loss programs that are based on healthy principles but these days such programs are hard to find. It is important that you choose a program and stick to it for a reasonable period of time (say 2-3 weeks) rather than switching from one diet to the other. To help you identify which programs are good or not read weight loss with crash diets. Is it possible?

Step 3: Find on average how many calories you consume per day

To lose weight fast you need to know how many calories to consume per day in order to lose the weight in the time period you specified. It is important that you analyze your current eating habits and calculate on average how many calories you already consume. So, before staring a diet keep a diary (food journal) for a week and calculate the amount of calories you consume. Also start an activities diary to record how many calories you burn through exercise and activity.

Step 4: Calculate how many calories you need to consume in order to lose weight fast

When you have worked an average for how many calories are coming in and how many calories are going out it is easier to calculate how many calories to lose weight. In simple words weight loss means to use more calories than you eat. This can take place by either decreasing the amount of calories coming in or increasing the calories going out (i.e. with exercise) or both together.

In simple terms 1 pound of fat is equal to 3500kcal. So in order to lose 1lb of fat per week you need to eat 500kcal less per day than what actually need (3500kcal / 7 days = 500kcal per day). In general it is recommended not to lose more than 2-2.5kg per week and not to go below the range of 1000kcal per day.

IMPORTANT: When you lose weight fast you don’t just lose pure fat. You will lose some water, some glycogen (stored sugar) and some protein along with fat.

So let’s demonstrate with a real example:

1. Assume that you consume around 3000 kcal per day and your energy needs are 2000 kcal you have a 1000 kcal excess which leads to you putting on weight.
2. What you should do as a starting point is to go to at least to 2000 kcal dietary intake in order to have energy balance and not put on weight.
3. If you want to lose weight fast you need to consume less than 2000 calories per day (this is your energy needs)
4. Work out your diet to fall in the calorie range of 1500 kcal per day and you will be losing an average of 1 lb of fat per week (as mentioned above be aware that in reality you will not be losing just pure fat).
5. If you want to lose weight faster (i.e. more than 1 lb per week) then reduce your daily calorie intake but make sure that you do not go beyond 1000 calories per day since this is NOT healthy.

So far we have seen how to set your weight loss goals, how to access your current situation and how to calculate the amount of calories you need to eat daily in order to lose weight. Our next section is the Implementation stage where you will learn how to save on calories and lose weight.

15 Tips to lose weight fast and healthy

1. Have a Delayed breakfast.  I always recommend this tip so you may have seen it before. Delay having your breakfast in the morning but do not skip it all together. Our body tends to burn fat as a fuel in the morning when blood sugar is at its lowest. If you delay having food for 30min then you burn the fat more efficiently
2. Have a protein breakfast. Protein will make you feel full for longer and can keep your blood sugar more stable. Apart from the health benefits you will be less likely to feel hungry half way through the morning and have fewer snacks.
3.  Healthy cooking practice. You can have all nice fresh and healthy ingredients but the minute you throw them in the deep fryer or drown them in ketchup, mayonnaise or butter there is nothing healthy about them. Not to mention the calorie count. Foods can still taste as good if you grill instead of frying or if you use olive oil instead of mayonnaise. A simple meal like chicken and salad can become a health and calorie hazard in no time. Try roasting with herbs, or garlic, or a touch of lemon and mustard and you will see that it may even be tastier.
4. Use oil spray. An easy way to control how much oil you use when cooking is to use an oil spray. When I refer to oil spray I mean olive oil. Unfortunately a lot of the oil or cooking sprays are vegetable oils which can contain a lot of trans fats or increase their trans fat content when cooked. Yes they may be hugely advertised as being very healthy as they can be low in saturated fats however they do forget to mention the trans fat issue and in comparison the trans fats may be worse for your health than the saturated fats.
5. Remove the skin from the chicken and the fat from meat. Some chefs will argue that cooking meat with the skin or the fat will add taste. Fair enough but that does not mean that you have to eat it after. Apart from the calorific value of fat and chicken skin, it is also not very good for your health.
6. Prepare your lunch box the night before. We all know that juggling work, family, social life, pets etc can be hard work. But even if you don’t have all the added pressures not many people like to wake up an hour early in the morning just to get the lunch box ready. Lunch boxes are usually full of sandwiches, crisps or you just limit yourself in the canteen which hardly has any healthy options or the corner shop. Why not cook an extra portion of the meal you having for dinner. Take that extra portion and put it ready in your lunch box for the day after. Your lunch box will be a lot more interesting than sandwich every day and you don’t have to spend a lot of time on it.
7. Tackle the size of your portion. This does not mean stay hungry or skipping meals. Instead use smaller size dinner plates and fill them once without going for multiple layers. Did your mum tell you to eat all your food when you were little and to this day you can’t help but empty your plate even if you are stuffed? Go for a small portion and if you do finish and want more then have some more. However, don’t fall in the trap of eating a little bit and then a little bit more and then a little bit more…until you managed to eat a whole cow for lunch.
8. Beware of emotionally eating. If you are an emotional eater it could be that your emotions are dictating your hunger. With emotional eating it is not always that you are actually hungry but you do tend to crave specific foods which reflect your emotional state. For example you feel sad you want something to comfort you. There are a number of techniques which can help you to determine if you are emotional eating and/or can help you break the emotional eating cycle.
9. Cut down on sugary drinks. You will be surprised but ‘sugary drinks’ does refer to a large number of drinks. Hot drinks such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate etc. They may not seem as a lot of sugar however, if you do add a spoonful of sugar every time you have a drink by the end of the day you may have just consumed the whole jar. Do you have 3 – 4 cups of hot drinks through the day? In addition, drinks such as squash, ice tea, coke, lemonade, soda, milkshakes etc do contain a lot of sugar. Some fizzy drinks do come in sugar free versions however, there has been a lot of debate regarding the use of sweeteners and to be on the safe side is best to drink them in moderation. Fruit juices seem innocent but they as well do contain a lot of sugars. The 0.5g of sugar in a fruit juice will not tip the scales but when added to all the drinks and sugars you have consumed all day then it does make a difference. See also 5 foods to avoid while dieting.
10. Have a packet of nuts in your bag. Dried fruits and nuts can contain quite a lot of calories. However, they are very nutritious and can make you feel full. Have a packet in your bag, and if you are stack in the tube or traffic, or in the office and you are hungry or just bored have a small handful. They are great in satisfying that sweet or hunger craving and save you from the crisp and biscuit danger.
11. Sleep well. The body needs sleep to re-fresh and re-organise itself. Chronic lack of sleep can lead to hormone dysregulation and imbalances which can lead to weight gain. In addition, when tired people tend to crave sweet and high in calorie foods. It is called beauty sleep for a reason but also there are health aspects in having a good night’s sleep. Aim for both quantity and quality of sleep. Broken, restless sleep can be as bad as not sleeping. Try to follow some of the relaxation and de-stress techniques / ideas to help you enjoy a good night’s sleep.
12. Get a weight loss buddy. Studies suggest that the success of weight loss clubs is not necessarily due to the diet regimes they use but because of the support they receive. In addition, studies suggest that people tend to have more success with weight loss goals if they receive support from their family circle. A weight loss buddy may help you motivate when you need it, you can have someone to talk to about your plans, progress, problems etc; not everybody wants to hear for the 10th time that you lost 4lbs and how or how much you are struggling to say no to a biscuit. For others it may create a bit of competition which may be the element that keeps them want to continue. However, just don’t let it over consume you.
13. Eat the last meal of the day at least 2 hours before going to bed. Eat your last dinner at least 2 hours before going to bed. If possible have a 10 minute walk after dinner as this will aid digestion and leave your body with less work during your sleep time.
14. Drink plenty of water. In general it is recommended to consume an average of 2 litres of water per day. I prefer to say make sure you are well hydrated especially if you are exercising and/or you are in hot weather.
15. Say no to fast food restaurants. During the period of your diet try to minimize the consumption of fast food. They may advertise it as healthy and ‘diet friendly’ but in reality fast food is processed food which contains a lot of calories, fats and sugars.

Lose weight fast Diet

The following meal plan is part of our own diet that guarantees fast but healthy weight loss. The combination diet is a balanced diet, based on Mediterranean diet principles, and it is a perfect diet to follow if you want to lose weight fast. It is not restrictive and this makes it easy to follow by anybody who cannot stand crash diets and starving weight loss programs.  The week plan below is in the range of 1000-1300 calories per day but you can adjust it for your own needs and requirements.

As a first step follow our guidelines as explained in the Preparation stage and then start our diet for at least 2 weeks and evaluate your results. You can always contact us if you have difficulties or if you cannot get the results you want and our weight loss experts (the authors of the Combination diet) will give you personalized advice and support.

Click here to download the diet in PDF format for easy printing

How to lose weight fast and keep it off

So you have managed to lose the weight, now what? It is time to enter the post-implementation and maintenance stages to ensure that you will not gain the weight back. The best way to achieve this is by changing your lifestyle.

As with every weight loss regime I will say that if you don’t change your lifestyle and diet, those things which make you put on weight then you will put the weight back on post diet. This may sound like a glooming prospect; however, weight loss diets should not be seen as the ‘magic pill’ in a vicious cycle. You put on weight and when you want or need to you go on a ‘magic pill’ then you lose the weight so you can go back on putting on weight and pick a ‘magic pill’ when you want or need to….and so on…and on. I am sure some of you may have gone down that street a few times and you may feel fed up with it already.

Tips for a Transition to a Healthier Lifestyle

Tip 1. Look at the food and drinks diary you have kept in the week prior to starting your weight loss attempts. This can provide a valuable education and insight in respect to what you eat and drink every day. Find the things which you could change, remove or replace with a healthier option.

Tip 2. Treat the dieting period as the beginning of a healthier lifestyle and weight rather than a 2 week prison sentence you have to do in order to fit in that dress. If you set yourself up to not enjoy it you will not enjoy it.

Tip 3. Write a list of all the reasons why YOU want to lose weight or have a healthier lifestyle. All the people of the world may tell you about the benefits however, it is your life and it is your body. If you do not want to make those changes for yourself and for your own reasons you will not really be getting anywhere.

Tip 4. Keep the list with your reasons for losing weight and making lifestyle changes in your bag. Use it to motivate yourself and/or remind yourself when you want to give in to temptation.

Tip 5. Keep in mind that once you have managed to lose weight fast, your body will have adapted to eating less junk food, less sugars etc. You will not crave high sugary and calorific foods as much and once you have a high sugary and calorific food your body will let you know that it doesn’t like it.

Tip 6. If you struggling to keep variety in your diet invest in a recipe food which provides healthy eating ideas. Once you get the hang of it use your imagination and you can make food as interesting or as plain as you like.

Tip 7. Make a list of foods which you want to replace with healthier options. Your list can include olive dressing instead of salad cream, olive oil instead of margarine, mixed fruit and nuts instead of a biscuit and so on. This however does not mean that you cannot enjoy all foods. The occasional takeaway or having chips once every week or 2 weeks with a bit of mayonnaise will not kill you. It is the everyday practice which makes a difference.

Tip 8. Make sure that your cupboards are not full of snacks and junk food. If it is there looking at you day in day out you will just go for it. On a lazy day you may think “do I make 2 boiled eggs or just grab a packet of crisps from the cupboard?” Well I know what I am more likely to do…

Tip 9. Introduce physical activity whether it is exercise or just taking the stairs instead of the lift. It can do miracles for your health and weight.

How to lose weight fast with exercise

Why exercise? Yes, you can lose weight with a diet alone but adding exercise to any weight loss regime can help to achieve your goals faster and easier. It is also the best way to ensure that you will not get the weight back. Some people may argue that exercising is not exactly ‘easy’. I must admit that if you have never exercised before the first few days will be hard, but do not despair if anybody else can do it so do you.

Going back to exercising, in order to lose weight fast, exercise can increase the calories you burn daily. This takes place while you exercise and when you rest. You do need to use calories to fuel any physical activity, and the amount of calories you use will depend on the kind of exercise and intensity. Moreover, your body will be using some extra calories after you have finished exercising as it will need to recover and build the muscles you just used. On top of all this as you increase the muscles you have in time, your metabolic rate increases which means that in general you burn more calories.

Apart from the weight loss benefits exercise can have added health benefits. By exercising may improve your immune, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, mood and general wellbeing not to mention that you will look good. I couldn’t praise exercise enough and I am sure a lot of you have heard over and over again how important it is to exercise.

Is it hard to exercise? My answer will be yes and no. If you hardly ever used your muscles or if you are obese then even a small walk around the corner may feel like climbing a mountain. If you are relatively active then walking around the corner could feel easy. It is true that in order to have fitness gains you will need to work above the level you are however this does not have to translate to undertaking an army style boot camp regime. I am sure that a number of ‘weight loss’ related television programs do have their participants taking an exercise regime of that sort. However that is television.

My suggestion is to start from your own level. If you have never walked further than going to the car, then take a walk around the block not around the city. This is as good enough a challenge for your muscles and you don’t have to suffer for it. Start slowly and build up on what you have. Exercising should be enjoyable and not a torture if you want to stick to it (unless a torture is what you like which again would be enjoyable in that case). If you suffer and hate it you will not do it or you will give up eventually. Same as with a diet I always recommend to choose the type of exercise you like and work to the level you feel most comfortable with. This way it will feel not as hard and all the ‘after-pain’ should be a lot less.

Do you have to join the gym or follow a set exercise program? No you don’t. For some people it works to go to the gym for but others it doesn’t. Similarly some people find it easier to follow a fitness DVD at home or an exercise class or even have a personal trainer. The choice of exercise is a personal matter and you should opt for what suits your preferences and lifestyle.

Moreover, exercising doesn’t have to be a set program as any physical activity, even playing in the park with the kids is as good. Walking the dog, cycling to work or in the park, swimming, taking the stairs instead of the lift and a game of football with kids are all some of the numerous examples you can exercise without having to put additional time on the side. You can also read: how to lose weight with pilates

To sum up, learning how to lose weight fast is not as difficult as you may have imagined. In this comprehensive guide you have all the information you need in one place. We gave you the basic principles of fast weight loss, tips to lose weight fast, a healthy diet that works and advice to switch your lifestyle to healthy living. Now it’s your turn, set your goals, find your motivation sources and get started today!

References

1. Ascherio, A. Willet, W.C. (1997) Health effects of trans fatty acids. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 66 (suppl):1006S-lOS.
2. Aspden, W. Caple, F. Reed, Rob. Jones, A. Weyers, J. (2011) Practical Skills in Food Science, Nutrition and Diatetics. Pearson
3. Brill, J. B. (2009) The Mediterranean Diet and Your Health. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 44 – 56
4. Blackman, M.C. Kvaska, C.A. (2011) Nutrition Psychology. Improving Dietary Adherence. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
5. Clark, C. Clark, M. (2007) The New High Protein Diet. Vermilion.
6. Truby, H. Baic, S. deLooy, A. Fox, K. R. M. Livingstone, B. E. Logan, C.M. Macdonald, I. A Morgan, L. M. Taylor, M. A. Millward D. J. (2006) Randomised controlled trial of four commercial weight loss programmes in the UK: initial findings from the BBC “diet trials”. British Medical Journal. BMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.38833.411204.80

In today’s guide we are going to talk about the benefits of using a calorie counter to lose weight. Losing weight is considered by many very difficult, mainly because they do not know how to approach it correctly. There are many weight loss tools available today that can facilitate the whole process and help you lose weight without spending endless hours in a gym and without getting into the path of crash dieting. One such tool is the calorie counter and in this post we are going to explain in detail how you can use a calorie counter to lose weight.

What is a calorie counter and how does it relate to weight loss?

A calorie counter is simply a piece of software that gives you the ability to count how many calories there are in the foods and drinks you consume. It can give you detail nutritional information about each item and can sum up the total number of calories of the foods and drinks you eat in one day/week/month. Having this information is important in your weight loss journey as we are going to see below. Besides that, a calorie counter application may include details about the calories you burn through the various types of activities (resting, sleeping, driving etc) and exercise (walking, running, playing tennis etc).

Using a calorie counter to lose weight – a Step by Step Guide

You need to understand that weight loss is based on one very simple equation:

Weight loss = Calories Burn – Calories Consumed

If you manage to consistently consume less calories than what you burn you will eventually lose weight. As you can see there are some calculations involved with the above formula and this is where the calorie counter comes into place.

For the purpose of this guide we are going to use an actual example using our own calorie counter application, Calories4WeightLoss, and demonstrate how easy and efficient is the use of a calorie counter for losing weight.

Step 1 – The importance of finding how many calories you consume per day

Before getting your hands dirty it is necessary to understand the importance of counting the calories you consume in a day. Eating (and drinking) is the only source of energy to the body and giving more energy than the body needs to carry out its physical functions (breathing, digesting food etc.) and other activities (walking, working etc) will result in the accumulation of extra energy (either as fat reserves) and weight gain will occur. By recording the different items in a calorie counter you can take control of the calories IN VS calories OUT. Your goal is to achieve a daily calorie deficit (i.e. burn more than what you consume) and once this number reaches 3500 calories you lose one pound.

Step 2 – Every calorie counts

Ask yourself the following question: “What did I eat yesterday?” Can you accurately remember everything you consumed (either foods or drinks)?  Try to make up a list of items and then revisit the list and add those intermediate snacks, the afternoon coffee, the chocolate bar you eat after dinner, the salad dressing, the cheese on the plain spaghetti and those cookies that a colleague brought from home. The point to make here is that we often tend to eat items that contribute to our weight gain without understanding (or remembering it). These items are usually full of calories and fat and even though we are careful on what we eat during our main meals we still gain weight and wondering why. So, every calorie counts and a calorie counter will help you track down those items and be more selective on what to eat.

Step 3 – Plan your meals in advance VS Record what you eat

There are two methods to use to keep a record of what you eat, either you will use the calorie counter to plan your meals in advance and see how many calories you will consume or you can create your journal entries after you have consumed the different items. With the first approach you are being proactive and you have more control on what you are going to consume while with the second approach will give you a more accurate picture about your diet and it will be easier to pinpoint your mistakes and take corrective actions. Of course you can always combine the two methods and gain advantage of their benefits. What is important is to follow a method that works for you and is easy to adopt. At the end of the day what is required is that you know exactly your calorie sources and which items can be replaced or removed from your diet in order to create a calorie deficit that will lead to weight loss.

Step 4 – Using a calorie counter to lose weight by counting the calories you burn

Besides giving you nutritional information for foods and drinks, a calorie counter can help you lose weight by counting the calories you burn through exercise and activity. Every activity we do in our daily lives requires energy; some activities require less (e.g. sleeping) while others require more (e.g. working out). By keeping an activity and exercise journal you can find out how many calories you burn and you can ensure that this number is less than the calories you consume. In other words your goal is to create a calorie deficit that will help you lose pounds.

Step 5 – Losing weight with a calorie counter a real example

Enough theory – now let’s get into practice. A typical calorie counter application will have a dashboard showing your current status (i.e. current weight, number of calories consumed and number of calories burned), a place to search for foods and assign them to your meals (we call this a FOOD DIARY) and a place to record your activities and exercise (we call this an EXERCISE DIARY). Other functions may include a Weight History (to track down your weight changes) and a DIET CALENDAR that shows whether your daily history in terms of calorie surplus or calorie deficit. Screenshot 1 shows the home page of Calories4WeightLoss.

Calories4WeightLoss Home Page

Let us assume that a male, age 40 consumes the following items in a typical day:

Breakfast: black coffee and a cup of corn flakes with milk

Lunch: 1 big mac (McDonalds) with chips and a coke

Dinner: 1 medium steak (boneless) with rice

Intermediate Snacks: 1 piece chocolate cake, 1 banana, 1 cappuccino, 2 chocolate cookies

At a glance the above diet looks balanced but if you analyze it using a calorie counter (see screenshot below) you will see that those items give a total of 2698 calories which is above the suggested 2000 calorie diet for men. Of course what is important for weight loss is that number to be less than calories burn though exercise and activity. Also by just looking at the analysis you can easily spot which items carry the most calories and fats and these are the first things to remove or replace from your diet.

Food Analysis using a calorie counter

The same person is utilizing a 24 hour day as follows:

Resting: 8 hours

Sleeping: 8 hours

Desk Work: 7 hours

Housework : 1 hour

As you can see exercise is not part of his activities, very typical for the average person.

By performing those activities he spends about 2665 calories (see screenshot below for the analysis).

Exercise and activity analysis

The DIET CALENDAR shows that for that day he is actually consuming more calories than burn. The difference is not a lot of calories but this is just an example to demonstrate the accuracy of a calorie counter.

Diet Calendar

You can also view the short video below (1 minute and 8 seconds) that shows how easy is to search for foods items and activities and record this information in your diet calendar.

Summary

In summary you can use a calorie counter to lose weight by:

• Counting the calories in the foods and drinks
• Recording how many calories you spend in activities and exercise
• Analyzing your results and take corrective actions (i.e. eat less and exercise more)
• By tracking down your weight and identifying your progress or not
• Search for foods and activities and reading their nutritional information or the amount of calories you need for the particular activity
• By taking full control of what you eat and how you make use of your body energy.

It is certainly one of the healthiest ways to lose weight and it is a recommended weight loss method by professionals and all those who believe in natural slimming methods.

In this article I am going to present 5 foods to avoid while dieting or at least reduce their consumption to a minimum in order to succeed in your weight lost and reach an optimum health. I am sure you are familiar with several foods which are detrimental for your health and I may cover some of them, but I hope I will introduce something new for you. All the following foods can have some harmful effects, so try to avoid all of them and start eating healthier today.

1.         Unfermented soy products

Many people who are committed to having a healthy life style have been convinced in believing that processed unfermented soy products are good for health. Soy is seen as miracle healthy food of 21st century.  The soy industry is a huge business and its popularity and success was the result of a massive investment in marketing.

So what’s wrong with soy and why it’s unfermented products havoc health?

Soy contains natural toxins (anti-nutrients) which interfere with enzymes needed for protein digestion. Soy also contains several substances which interfere with normal body functioning. Just to name few:

•           Hemagglutinin – causes red blood cells clot together, therefore disturb absorption and distribution of oxygen to tissues

•           Phytates – can prevent absorption of several minerals

•           Gointrogens – can interfere with thyroid function

Moreover, majority of soy on US market is genetically modified (GMO) (European soy should be “GMO  clean”, but there is no guarantee due to contamination through natural pollination). This form of soy is resistant to toxic herbicides Roundup; therefore it is loaded with this toxic pesticide. It also contains genes from bacteria that produce a protein which has never been part of the human food supply.

2.         Fructose

A few years back fructose was the healthy solution in place of sugar. Whether it was for weight loss purposes or health purposes (i.e. diabetes) it was used in plethora. These days fructose has fallen a little bit out of favour.

So why should include fructose in your foods to avoid while dieting shopping list?

Scientific theories suggest that in nature foods would not normally contain large amounts of fructose. Therefore the body is not accustomed in consuming too much of it.

One theory of how this happens suggests that fructose has a greater potential in turning into fat in the liver in comparison to glucose (ordinary sugar). In other words when you consume fructose it is more likely to be turned into fat and stored than if you were consuming ordinary sugar.

A second theory supports that fructose is linked with appetite deregulation in the brain. Some fructose based sweeteners used in foods derive from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Moreover, some scientists have implicated HFCS as a possible contributor in excess energy consumption (eating too many calories).

However, let’s make it clear: don’t stop eating fruit. The amount of fructose contained in fruit does not really translate in high amounts unless your diet consists of just fruit.

3.        Trans-fats

Everybody needs some fat in their diet, however, the chemical structure of fat plays an important role in the way is processed in the body and the health implications it can have. Often people connect saturated fats with health risks and conditions, but if there is one fat to really watch is the trans-fat.

Why should you remove foods containing trans fats from your diet?

Well trans fats have been connected with a number of health risks. They are believed to increase the risk for coronary heart disease and components of the metabolic syndrome. In addition, studies suggest that trans fats may exacerbate diabetes as they can increase insulin resistance (in simple words the cells resist the effects of insulin and respond slower or not at all). These are some of the health risks, as the list goes on.

In brief it is suggested by studies that trans fats can cause more health problems than saturated fats. When it comes to trying to avoid trans fats it can be a mind field as most food labels do not list the amount of trans fats they contain. In general is best to try and avoid processed food, fast food, margarines, and deep fried food.

4.         Sugar

I think, these days, just about everybody is aware about the harmful effects of sugar in both the waistline and health. It does make me sad to say that sugar has to go as I do love cakes, chocolate, sweets, cheesecakes…the list goes on.

However, sugar does contain a lot of calories. If your aim is weight loss then sugar is your number 1 enemy and it is definitely one of the foods to avoid while dieting.

In addition, to the high calorific properties of sugar it can also increase health risks such as development of insulin resistance and diabetes. In simple words when sugar enters the system, your body produces a hormone called insulin which one of its roles is to signal to the cells to absorb sugar. Too much sugar and all the time can lead into producing too much insulin all the time. When the cells are chronically stimulated by insulin they can become kind of insensitive to it which can then lead to what is called insulin resistance and diabetes.

In addition sugar can make insulin to rise in the body sharply and fall sharply which amongst others it can make you feel hungry, irritable, and tired.

One point to remember, when we refer to sugar is not just the one you add to your coffee. Starchy foods such pasta, bread, cereal and pastries are mainly sugars. It is quite hard to remove all sugars, however not impossible. When it comes to bread, pasta and rice an alternative can be to opt for wholemeal. Moreover, you can replace the morning cereal with a protein based breakfast which can make you feel full for longer and can provide a better insulin response.

If you are experiencing any issues or health complaints with any of the above mentioned is always recommended to consult a health professional before making any changes to your diet.

5.         Farmed salmon

A quite high amount of salmon which is consumed in USA and Europe is farmed. A few studies have looked into the level of contaminants contained in farmed salmon and the health risks these can impose. The studies are more or less in agreement that the level of contaminants is higher in farmed salmon than in wild salmon; the question however is what does that mean in terms of health?

Some of the contaminants studies refer to are concentrations of dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB),3 polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and some pesticides. These names may not make much sense for a lot of people; however, the main argument about all these contaminants is mainly that they increase the risk of cancer amongst some other health issues.

Some studies have argued that the level of contaminants in farmed salmon depend on the region it has been raised. For example Chilean and South American farmed raised salmon is believed to contain less contaminant than European farmed raised salmon. A lot of these points, as well as the argument of whether the benefits of consuming salmon outweigh the risk, have not been fully explored and answered.

A solution to the issue could be to aim for either wild salmon or chose farmed salmon which could be less contaminated. In addition, why not try other oily fish which can taste as good and still contain all the necessary nutrients beneficial for health?

In summary the 5 foods to avoid while dieting are: unfermented soy products, fructose, trans-fats, sugar and farmed salmon.

People will often say ‘I tried everything but nothing works and I can’t lose weight’. There are a few exemptions in which weight loss is hindered due to physiological reasons such as specific medical conditions. For the rest, to put it simply, weight loss should happen. However, in reality it is the majority of people who find it almost impossible to achieve their weight goals.

In previous articles we have looked at some of the factors which influence the success of a weight loss program. In this article we will look at simple mistakes which people may make when pursuing their weight loss goals. Avoid these and you could be a step closer in succeeding to shed those pounds and possibly making life slightly easier.

Mistake 1: Losing weight for the wrong reasons.

The reasons why we choose to do something can influence the final outcome. Before you start on your weight loss quest, ask yourself the question ‘why do I want to lose weight’. If you are doing it for someone else or because you think you should be, or even because Angelina Jolie has, then you may not be on a good start.

Have your own clear reasons which will keep you motivated and focused in what you want to achieve. Weight loss can be hard at times and it may take months to get to your ideal weight; in order to stick to it you will need a good reason why.

Mistake 2: Choosing an inappropriate weight loss program.

There are hundreds of diets available in the market and can be a mind field to decide which one to follow. Often people will follow the latest trend and even more often a quick fix. A common result is to think that again you failed to lose weight. Well maybe is the diet that failed you and you who have failed the diet. It would be great to believe that there is a magic wand which will make you slim but to my knowledge there isn’t. A quick fix fashionable diet may be like the magic wand; just a fairy tale. (see also Crash diets)

Pick a regime which is supported by science and evidence, is safe and provides a balanced and healthy program and most of all suits your lifestyle and your preferences. Make your choice realistic as well. A diet which promises 20lbs in a week may belong in the magic wand category. A regime which has worked for Angelina Jolie may not necessarily work for you.

Mistake 3: Unaccounted calories and double eating.

Have you ever thought how many calories are in a packet of mints? Well it can vary slightly for each brand, but I know that the ones I keep in my bag contain 155 kcal per packet. I also know that through a working day I can easily go through the whole packet. 155 kcal will not tip the scales but a packet of throat sweets or mints is only one example of calories you may be consuming through the day which are unaccounted for. A green tea with a spoonful of sugar, a packet of crisps or an energy drink can all be examples which if added all together may give you a calorie overload.

It is easy to control and calories count the big meals, however, it is the little things which can go unnoticed and can make a difference. Another example is finishing off leftovers (especially if you have children) or nicking food of someone else’s plate. In your mind you may think ‘I hardly had anything to eat for lunch’ but in reality you could be having an extra meal with all the unplanned calories. They still do count. (see also How many calories to lose weight)

Mistake 4: Classifying food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

Foods are often classified as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and in many diets people are advised to avoid some ‘bad’ foods like the plague or eat unlimited of the ‘good’ foods. Undoubtedly there are some foods which can be potentially damaging to health especially if consumed in large quantities. However, these classifications can have a number of drawbacks in terms of weight loss.

• Psychologically when classifying foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ it makes the ‘bad’ foods feel as a sin and it can make you feel as you are depriving yourself. If you feel that you are being deprived the diet can feel like a prison service; well I don’t know many people who do actually enjoy or want to stick to a prison service. Needless to say that weight loss will feel a lot harder and will not be sustainable, making it more likely to indulge to every ‘bad’ food you can get once the diet is over.

• Moreover, you may follow a diet of fruit and salads, all classified as ‘good’ foods and you can lose weight on it but in the long term it will neither be healthy or sustainable. Think food in balance and variety. As I have already mentioned in previous articles ‘replace’ don’t ‘avoid’ and eat in moderation. For example if you do like having chips you could replace the deep fried-take away ones with homemade cooked in the oven with a little bit of olive oil and have them once a week.

• To add to the above you could also over eat in ‘good’ foods. Foods such as mixed nuts, avocado’s and oils may be very ‘good’ for your health but they do also contain quite a lot of calories.

Mistake 5: Forgetting about the rest of your lifestyle

You have the diet and the plan – check!

You are correctly calorie counting and have dealt with all of the above – check!

You are still struggling – check!

What could possibly go wrong?

Well what about the rest of your lifestyle?

Factors such as not drinking enough water, lack of sleep and stress can all influence weight loss. Check your lifestyle as well and try to make those little changes which could make a big difference. The benefits will stretch beyond to just losing weight.

I will be boring and I will finish off with saying, exercise. If you are going to make a change in your lifestyle make it to be more physically active.

We got the following question from a reader: How to lose weight if you have PCOS. I have POCS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and I need to lose 15 pounds in 6 months. It is so hard to lose weight with this condition. What diet should I use and what else can I do?

Answer (by Hara Hagikalfa, reviewed by Dr Adrian Slee.)

I assume that by saying you have PCOS you mean polycystic ovary syndrome. I am sure that your doctor will have filled you in about details of the condition. It has some genetic basis but research is unsure to what extent women are born with it. Overweight and obesity have been related with developing the condition as well as family history of type 2 diabetes. Studies support that there is a relationship between developing symptoms of PCOS and insulin resistance.

In very simple terms insulin resistance means that the hormone insulin is less effective in stimulating the body cells. Insulin is involved in the metabolism of sugar in the body, by stimulating the cells to take sugar from the blood and use it for energy or store it among other things. Due to the high risk and the links to diabetes it is quite important to try and keep your blood sugars to a low level and stable (within normal ranges).

You would benefit from reducing your calorie intake, and increase exercise to achieve weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity and sugar metabolism. I would very much suggest following a lower carbohydrate – higher protein –lower fat diet. Below are some of my suggestions:

1. Decrease your calorie intake. If you find it easier to follow a specific structured diet I would recommend choosing one which is a higher protein – lower carbohydrate diet. Such diets are the zone diet (or 30-40-30), the new Atkins diet and the Dukan diet. I am sure that you will find a plethora of other high protein diets available, however, avoid the ones which tend to cycle calories or carbs (i.e. one day high carbs – one day low carbs or one day high calories – one day low calories cycling). Your aim is to achieve stable and low blood sugar levels which ‘cycling’ or fluctuating calories/carbs diets don’t particularly do.

I find the ‘New high protein diet’ book by Dr Charles Clark and Maureen Clark quite good. It has a number of recipes and lists of foods for meals which you can choose from. If you are not a person to follow an organised diet to the letter the book can be quite useful. This is a suggestion, as there are a number of high protein recipe books which you can pick up from anywhere if you need meal ideas.

2. Avoid the so-called crash diets. In a general manner whether you do it yourself or follow a specific style diet, what you are aiming for is to have meals which contain protein, small amount of fat and small amount of carbohydrates. Examples of protein are: red meat, chicken, fish, dairy products such as cheese, and eggs. Examples of carbohydrates are: bread, pasta, potatoes, cakes, sugar and pastries. Choose complex carbohydrates instead of refined carbs i.e. whole meal instead of white bread and pasta. If you look at food labels aim for those with low Gl or GI (glycemic load and glycemic index respectively). If you can try avoid large amounts of bread, pasta etc all together. Opt for legumes which have a lower amount of carbs and for vegetables, salad and fruit instead. If you can’t live without bread etc. as I said opt for wholemeal and have only one slice per meal.

In terms of fat intake, try to lower the amount of fat as well. Best avoid trans fats all together which are found in processed foods, hydrogenated oils such as vegetable oils, crisps, margarine, fried foods etc. Well in general do avoid takeaways, fried foods, fast food and junk food sweets and snacks. I would not suggest going for low fat versions such as low fat version of a cheese. Opt for cheeses which are lower in fat anyway such as cottage cheese or if you have full fat cheese have a smaller portion. Also avoid fruit yogurts as they may have more sugar, but if you are going to choose between a cake and a fruit yogurt the later is better or add some fruit to plain yogurt and half a spoon of honey even better. Find those combinations that work better for yourself. Do opt for healthier fats such as those found in avocados, oily fish, nuts, olive oils etc. They are beneficial for health.

3. Lower your calorie intake. Keep a diary of what you eat and drink for a week. This will help you see which foods/drinks you can avoid in your diet and also find calories you are consuming which didn’t think were there. Things such as fizzy drinks and sugary milky coffees and hot drinks contain quite a lot of calories and sugar. Have no sugar in your coffee if you can help it, or have a green tea instead and only one coffee a day. See how many calories you are consuming at the moment. In average females need 1500 – 2000 Kcal per day. The amount of calories will depend on amount of physical activity and exercise, fitness, build, age etc. In general terms 1200 – 1500 kcal is a safe range for dieting. Don’t go hungry though and don’t over decrease your calorie intake to start off. I understand that it may be difficult to lose weight with PCOS. Try with a moderate calorie reduction and if you see that it is not working then consult your doctor for the option of going on a very low calorie diet. In some cases a very low calorie diet may be recommended especially if health risks due to weight are present. However, it should be your last option as it can be very hard to follow and can place a lot of stress to your body as well as it may carry some health risks.

4. Be realistic in your weight loss expectations. You will lose some fat in the first 2 weeks but majority of the weight loss is water, glycogen (stored sugar) and some protein. It does take 2 weeks approximately for the body to adapt to diet and metabolic changes so don’t give up if you don’t see massive results at first. Allow 2-3 weeks and then evaluate your diet. How much weight have you lost, how do you feel and how difficult is it. If you are used to having a high carbohydrate diet you may experience some craving and mood changes in the first 1-2 weeks. Your body is used to having carbs and it will miss it. Be prepared for it. Find things you can do to distract yourself like a hobby or go for a walk.

Set realistic weight loss goals for each week/month. There is not point setting your weight loss for a stone per month as if you are not going to reach it you will be very disappointed and you may lose your diet momentum. Set it low and if you do lose more, then it is a bonus and you can reward yourself. An average of 0.5 – 1kg per week is within a healthy range for weight loss. However, it does depend on each individual, and also you may find that you may get some good results at first and maybe reach a plateau or straggle at the beginning and then gain momentum. Each person is different.

5. Our bodies burn mainly fat first thing in the morning after an overnight fast, when blood sugar levels are low. If you can delay having breakfast even for 30min you extend the time by which your body burns fat. Also if you have a protein breakfast it will make you feel full for longer and you will avoid having sugar craving between meals.

6. If you can avoid snacks is the best thing. However, if you find yourself feeling peckish between meals opt for healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetable sticks or a handful of dried fruit and nut. Dried fruit and nuts are very nutritious but can contain a lot of calories so do keep it to just a handful.

7. Exercise. It will improve your blood sugar levels, health and increase weight loss. Choose an exercise workout which will suit you. An all over body work out is always better. If you do go to a gym you can get advice from one of the trainers and they should be able to show you an easy and appropriate workout. It doesn’t have to be for hours upon end. As little as 30min a day, 4 times a week should be enough to yield some results. If you can do more exercise the better. If you cannot go to the gym you can try walking, running, cycling, swimming. You can get some small weight to use at home and do some upper body exercises and some leg, bum and tummy exercises. Is always best to consult an exercise professional to show how to perform exercises correctly as incorrect technique can lead to injuries. A professional can also tell you what your level is as he/she can assess your fitness level.

In terms of increasing fat burning is best to do resistance exercise first (i.e. weights) and aerobic after. An example of a very simple workout can be: 5min warm up mobilising all joints upper and lower body. You could even worm up by hovering the house or tidying up. Start with low weights (i.e. 1kg) do 5x bicep curls for each arm, 30 sec rest, 10 arm circles (no weights) in each direction, 5x each leg prone swimming (from Pilates) and 10 crunches. Then go for a 15min brisk walk; that could be to the shops or around the block. Alternatively if you have stairs go up and down the stairs a couple of times.

This is just an example of a 30min workout. Is always best to consult an exercise professional who can assess your fitness level and ability and also health status (i.e. health questionnaire); this will ensure that the appropriate exercises and at correct level and technique are provided.

Before you follow a diet or exercise regime consult a medical professional especially if there are pre-existing health complaints.

8. Try to increase your sleep. 6 hours is ok but it may not be sufficient to provide rest. Lack of sleep can lead to weight gain or hinder weight loss.

Hope this is off help and if you would like more explanation for any of the points please do contact me.

It is common for women to store fat around the tummy, thighs and hips. Various studies have linked it to sex hormones such as estrogen. Also with pregnancy women tend to store some extra fat as by nature your body will want to ensure that you have enough energy to for the pregnancy and lactation. Read the answer from our expert (Hara Hagikalfa) on how to lose weight in your tummy, thighs and hips.

Question:

i have 2 c-section and now my tummy,thighs and hips gain weight

Answer:

Thank you for your question,

I assume that your question relates with losing weight from the tummy, hips and thighs. Well first of all it is common for women to store fat around those areas and studies have linked it to sex hormones such as estrogen. Also with pregnancy women tend to store some extra fat as by nature your body will want to ensure that you have enough energy to for the pregnancy and lactation. I don’t know how long ago you had your last c-section and if not too long ago you could still be carrying the pregnancy weight. From calculating your BMI (use or BMI Calculator)you are within the healthy range and it is best not to go below your 60kg target as any less and you could be borderline underweight.

Also if it hasn’t been very long since you had a baby it may be wise to allow a bit of time for your body to rest and recuperate before starting dieting. If you pressure yourself to lose weight you may put your body in unnecessary strain and it could have negative effects for your health.

Bellow I have put together some tips for you:

1. I always advise to have a delayed and protein breakfast. When we wake up in the morning after an overnight fast, our body burns more fat. By delaying your breakfast by 30min or an hour you increase the fat you burn. But do have a breakfast as if you are going without food for hours your metabolism could slow down to reserve energy. If you can do some physical activities before breakfast will also help in burning some extra fat and increase metabolism. That could be getting the kids ready, or doing some cleaning. If your morning is too busy anyway looking after your children then is best to avoid adding any more stress trying to do extra activities. Always try to plan things according to your life’s demands.

Protein makes you feel full for longer so you shouldn’t get the mid day craving for sugar and food.

2. Have a handful of mixed nuts or a fruit for midday snack if you feel hungry. Some studies do suggest that nuts can make you feel full and also they are very nutritious. However, they do contain quite a lot of calories so do eat them in moderation.

3. By just following a healthy balanced diet and decreasing your calories slightly you should be able to lose your target weight. The average recommended calories women use is 1500 – 2000 per day.  If you decrease your calories to 1200 – 1500 would be within a healthy range. However, do account for any physical activities you do. If you are quite physically active or exercise you should make an allowance for this in your calorie intake. A suggestion for a healthy balance diet is: Increase your protein intake (example, meat, cheese, fish, eggs) and reduce your carbohydrate intake (example bread, pasta, potatoes) and eat loads of vegetables and salads. It is helpful to keep a diary all the foods and drinks you consume as it can give you an idea of what extra things you may be eating which could be adding to your calorie intake such as fizzy drinks, throat sweets, snacks, crisps, sugary drinks etc.

When you lose weight, you do lose weight from your tummy, thighs and hips as well as other parts of your body.

4. With having 2 pregnancies and 2 –c sections it could be the case that some of the muscles on your tummy may have been stretched or de-conditioned. You can do some exercises which can help tone the areas which you are most concerned. It is always best to have an all over work out but if time is limited then just do some exercises for 20 – 30min per day. Pilates exercises can provide a good workout. Example exercises are the bridge, side leg kick, and the 100 and possibly add a few. Pilates also include some pelvic floor exercises and conditioning the deep abdominal muscles. You will not burn a large amount of calories with Pilates exercises but it helps with toning the muscles in the abdominal, waist, and upper leg areas. I would recommend following a class, at the beginning at least, to make sure you are performing exercises correctly and to your own level, but if is not possible do make sure you are comfortable with any exercises you perform and you do follow within your own abilities; maybe consult an exercise professional to show you how to do them. As I said earlier if you have the time do an all over body work out. You could just do simple things such as walk to the shops/school instead of driving or taking a bus, or go for a run, vigorously clean the house, take the kids swimming/ cycling or do some gardening.

If you had the c-section less than 3 months it may not be safe to do any vigorous exercises. Best consult your doctor or a medical professional first. In any case it is always recommended to consult a medical professional before you take on any exercise or diet, especially if you have pre-existing medical complaints, diseases or disorders. Moreover, do keep in mind that sometimes with pregnancy and c-sections there may be damage to the muscles or they may overstretch. In result it may be very difficult to condition the muscles or they may not return back to their original state giving the impression that you have a bit of a tummy. If you find that there are no results with diet and exercise then may be check with your doctor.

Hope the tips are helpful and answer your question. If you have any further questions or need more explanation for any of the points please do contact me.

I have been able to lose 13.5 pounds. I am having trouble going below 200 pounds. I have been eating 1,000-1,100 calories daily and walking 2 to 2 1/2 miles per day. I do not understand why I am not losing weight. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you so much!!

Thank you for your question. In theory with what you are doing you should be losing weight, however, there could be a couple of reasons for weight loss to have slowed down. I have listed a few things for you in order to answer your question.

1^st I would advise to check with your doctor for any hormonal problems such as thyroid dysfunction and possible underlying diabetes. Excess weight can be connected with hormonal imbalances or possible first stages of type 2 diabetes. If you haven’t had all these checked I would highly recommend it. Such issues can slow down weight loss or they could be the reason you cannot lose any more weight. In such case your doctor will be able to advise you in terms of treatment and appropriate diet.

2^nd Make a diary of the foods and drinks you eat for about a week. It could be little things which you may not have accounted for such as fizzy drinks (coke, lemonade), sugary milky coffees, alcohol etc. which can carry a lot of extra calories. From your diary you can see if indeed there are things which were adding to your calorie intake and you can adjust your diet accordingly.

3^rd You have lost quite a lot of weight so far. Was that done over a long period of time or quite quick? Sometimes the heavier we are (especially passed the overweight range) the more difficult it is to lose that little bit of extra weight. It could be that your body reached a plateau and is straggling to gain the momentum it needs. Some research has shown that for some people with a lot of excess weight is best to follow a very low calorie diet. But before you consider following a radical diet have a check with your doctor (1^st point as well as if it would be safe for yourself). Very low calorie diets can be hard to follow and can put considerable strain to the body. In addition, if you do follow a very low calorie diet, make sure that:

• Consult your doctor and make sure is safe, appropriate and that there are no underlying medical issues.
• You have a varied nutrient intake. Aim for a diet that has a higher protein intake and lower carbohydrate intake. Keep some carbs for your walking.
• Don’t follow it for very long period. Use a very low calorie diet to help your body gain momentum in losing weight and not as a very long term prospective.
• Account that you are doing some walking and should have an appropriate calorie intake for it.
• If you do lose some more weight increase your physical activity/exercise and slightly increase your calories to have enough energy for exercise.
• If you do opt for as low as 500 kcal a day best not to do any high intensity exercise.

4^th Make sure you do not skip meals. I understand that you do consume an average of 1000kcal per day, however, if you have breakfast and nothing else all day for 10 hrs until the night you could be slowing down your metabolism. You would still use some of your own reserves for fuel but your body will try to hang on to as much as it can as it feels that is starving through the day. It is best to have all 3 meals through the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). You can try to delay breakfast in the morning to increase fat burning but do have it. Also have a protein based breakfast which helps in felling full for longer. Moreover, you could add green tea to your diet which has been linked with increasing metabolism and aiding weight loss. However, don’t expect that you will lose loads of weight with just drinking green tea. It just helps in combination with everything else to increase weight loss.

5^th Try splitting your ‘walking’ into 2 sessions instead of one. Some studies suggest that by having 2 sessions of exercise can increase metabolism. It may be helpful to add some resistance exercises as well. Don’t have to go to the gym just adding a couple of exercises for 10 min such as bicep curls could help. I would not recommend lifting heavy weights or doing squats as it can put extra strain to your knees and back and lead to injury. Light weights, and to your ability. In general just try to keep physically active through the day with things such as cleaning the house, walk to the shops instead of taking the bus etc. However, if you do follow a very low calorie diet do not increase your exercise.

I hope these few steps help to put you in the right direction. If you have any further questions please do contact me again.

Answer provided by Hara Hagikalfa. You can ASK YOUR QUESTION and get your personalized anwer.

Is weight loss with crash diets the same as looking for gold at the end of a rainbow? Wouldn’t be great if we could eat whatever we liked and when we did need to lose weight, we could pick up a miracle diet follow it for a week and get results in our doorstep. Wouldn’t be great if there was a bucket of gold at the end of the rainbow as well? Well for a lot of the available crash diets that’s more or less the case. I am holding my breath for the one diet that I might have missed.

Crash diets explained

There are actually hundreds of different crash diets in the market and it is beyond the scope of this article to look into each and every one of them. Crash diets are usually of restricted calorie intake and aim in achieving radical weight loss in a small period of time. Such diets are usually fasting diets sometimes combined with exercise and are often accompanied by supplements, diet pills or laxatives. It is very common for crash diets to be based on a fruit or vegetable which is meant to have unique weight loss powers. Examples of such diets are the cabbage, grapefruit and the acai berry diets. In general a lot of the crash diets are based in extreme eating habits such as drinking only juice (juice diet), or ingesting a tape worm (the tape worm diet, yes it is real).

Although crash diets are predominately short in duration (usually 3- 10 days) some may advocate that they can be followed for longer or follow a cyclical pattern such as one week on one week off (see also 17 Day diet review). Crash diets have in general been criticised as being unrealistic, unhealthy and that there isn’t such thing as quick weight loss. However, there are testimonies from people who swear they lost the weight and it is the best thing on earth. So what is the truth, and do crash diets actually work?

Crash diets: the theories answered

Each crash diet has its own theory behind it. In this part I will look at some of these theories and provide an answer for each.

Theory 1: In some simple terms one theory is that if you radically reduce calorie intake you will lose weight.

Well that is partly true. By reducing calorie intake the body will mobilise its stores to use for the energy it requires. In order to lose weight there will have to be a negative energy balance, which means that the calorie intake should be less than the calories used by the body. It must be note that in real terms this is a little bit more complicated than that and there are a number of factors that can influence the metabolic processes of the body such as medical conditions, and stress. But we will accept for the purposes of this article that this is in part true for the average healthy person who sleeps well and is stress free.

However, what is important to remember is the process in which the body will start using its energy reserves. Even if complete starvation takes place the first thing the body will start using is its glycogen stores (sugar stores) from the liver and the muscles. It will then start mobilising some fat and protein and within all the process it will lose a lot of water as well. The body does use some fat throughout the day anyway, but to it does need more time to adjust in burning solely fat once glycogen has started finishing. Protein is the most important thing so it will try to save it as much as it can. It will use some protein in the process but it will indeed try to spare it for as long as possible. What does all that mean in terms of weight loss? In the first phase (about 1 week) of fast like dieting what you lose is glycogen loads of water and some fat. In general the amount of fat lost is not measurably significant.

So yes you will lose pounds but is mostly glycogen and water with a small amount of fat. In addition, metabolism will start to slow down quite quickly so by the end of a week you will be burning even less energy.

Theory 2: The fruit/vegetable/supplement has unique properties and causes the body to lose weight very fast.

Whether is acai berry, or cabbage, or grapefruit or a juice from Mars there are not sufficient scientific evidence to show that either of these induces weight loss. Some studies which may be available are of poor quality and results are highly questionable. Some of the fruit may have different nutritional properties such as acai berry is an antioxidant and is no doubt that they may have positive effects in health. However, this is a different matter and not always related to weight loss.

To my knowledge these which have shown results in some scientific studies in aiding weight loss are green tea catechin and dietary calcium on its own or in combination with vitamin D (basically from food and not as a supplement). However, do not expect to drop dress sizes with just drinking loads of green tea. A healthy and appropriate weight loss program will be needed in combination.

Theory 3: The diet plan will change the body’s metabolism achieving weight loss and it will be all from fat.

Well there are ways to alter the metabolic processes and increase the metabolic rate (rate by which we burn calories). However, for any long term adjustments to take place (example retraining your body to burn fat more efficiently) do take around 2 weeks. Each person may react differently and may take slightly longer or slightly quicker in making such biological adaptations but at average 2 weeks is the time required (see also: lose weight in 2 weeks). A 3 day crash diet is unlikely to induce such long term changes.

It is true that your body will start adapting to extreme conditions almost immediately. The word is start and in extreme conditions it will adapt for survival. For instance in starvation or fasting style diets the body will start to make metabolic changes in the 1^st 8 – 10 hours after the last meal. If no food is being ingested as the day goes on changes will continue to be made with survival in mind.

In addition, the body can learn/adapt to burn more fat as fuel however, there is no such thing as burning only fat. We use a combination of fuels all the time. We can use one kind of fuel more or less according to the activities we carry out and our diet among other factors.

Theory 4: Fast weight loss with crash diets is healthier and safe.

There is not a yes or no answer for this. It is true that some studies have shown that obese people who achieve fast weight loss had better long term results in sustaining the weight loss and in terms of health. It is also true that a number of studies suggest that crash diets can lead to weight fluctuations related to yo yo dieting and have been associated with a number of health complaints and risks.

What is important to consider is what kind of diet is used and if someone is obese or not. There are major differences from biological to general health between obese/morbidly obese and just overweight people. It is often the case in obesity that health risks deriving from obesity outweigh the health risks of a fast weight loss. However, in either case I would not recommend to follow a crash diet just because you read somewhere that research says is better. Always consult a medical professional especially if there are any other medical conditions and complaints present. It could well be that the strain put on your body trying to deal with food deprivation is high and risky.

I would definitely argue that a crash diet such as the tape warm diet is not healthy or safe for anybody regardless of body size, age, or any other factor in the world. This is just an example to actually say that some diets are far from healthy or safe. Some very low calorie diets may be recommended for some situations, but it is usually advised to try and include a variety of foods and nutrients.

Also some of these diets are only meant to be followed for a very small period of time. They are not designed for longer as they may not be healthy or safe. If you are not getting results from a 1 week diet does not mean that you need to do it longer but that it is actually not working. Maybe it is true that you will not lose 1 dress size in a week. Moreover, restrictive and very low calorie diets have been associated with musculoskeletal complaints, and can lead to suppression of the immune system leading to high risks of contracting illnesses and infection.     

Theory 5: The diet is cleansing, detoxifying, as nature intended, healing, will aid digestion.

There are not actually sufficient scientific evidence to support that detoxing or cleansing the body has any health benefits. The body has its own mechanisms to filter and remove toxins. In addition, some of the theories in which foods are ‘toxins’ for the body and which are ‘healing’ foods are not based on scientific evidence.

Diets which are very restrictive in what kind of foods they allow such as just juice diets could lead in nutrient deficiencies. Very restrictive diets which are recommended for long periods have been connected with vitamin A, vitamin C and amino acid deficiencies. All nutrients are vital for the body, including fat. Nutrient deficiencies are far from ‘healing’ or ‘healthy’ for the body.

In addition some of these fasting/only liquids diets can lead to gastrointestinal complaints. Suffering from diarrhoea is not a form of detoxifying or aiding digestion or ‘the way nature intended’.

In simple words the benefits gained from a crash diet are not usually sufficient enough. Any weight lost will be mostly water and it will be gained back very quickly. If someone wants to use a crash diet to lose that inch to fit in that dress/trousers etc yes it is possible as long as you are aware that is not actually loads of fat what you are losing.

Article by Hara Hagikalfa.

Ask your weight loss questions and get answers from our experts

People often refer to as having a slow or a fast metabolism. This categorisation has also been used some times to explain why some people may put on weight easier or slower and /or why they can fail losing weight. Is there such a thing as slow metabolism and if so what can someone do in order to lose weight? This article will look into some basic metabolic principles and how does energy expenditure (calorie burning) work so as to understand better how to lose weight if you have a slow metabolism.

Article was written by Hara Hagikalfa and reviewed by Dr Adrian Slee

What is the metabolic rate?

In order to understand what ‘slow’ or ‘fast’ metabolism is and how it affects weight gain, we will first explain some basic metabolic principles. Firstly metabolism is the combination of processes that take place in the body in order to function and maintain life. The means in which we take in nutrients and deliver energy as required is called metabolic regulation. The rate in which the cells break food into energy (or simplified the rate in which we burn calories) is the metabolic rate. So when people usually refer to a ‘slow’ or ‘fast’ metabolism they usually refer to the metabolic rate.    

Each person’s metabolic rate depends on genetics, hereditary factors and amount of lean body mass (i.e. body mass minus fat such as in adipose tissue). However, it must be noted that in the general healthy population these differences are very small and metabolic rate on its own will not necessarily lead to measurable weight changes.

How does the metabolic rate work or measured?

The diagram bellow is a simplified way of explaining how the metabolic rate works.

An important thing to understand here is that regulation of energy metabolism and body weight takes place by highly complex systems and is not as simple as ‘slow’ and ‘fast’ metabolism.

What affects metabolic rate?

A second step is to look into which factors can cause substantial changes in the metabolic regulation and affect the metabolic rate and what makes some people to burn calories slower or faster. Some of these can affect directly the metabolic rate and others can affect hormones or organs which are involved in metabolic regulation and result in dysfunctional metabolism.

Some of the factors are summarised in table1 below; for the purposes of this article we will concentrate only at the aspects which can cause the metabolism to slow down.

How to increase your metabolism?

1. Consult a medical professional: In cases where metabolic changes and weight gain are due to medical conditions/disorders or you have any concerns, the best way forward is to consult the appropriate medical professional. It is important to receive the appropriate medical treatment for any medical conditions, as these could have serious implications to health if not treated properly. In addition, for some medical conditions it is important to follow the appropriate and recommended diets. You could try every trick on the book for metabolism or weight loss but if not appropriate you could actually be harming yourself and worsening a condition.

2. Increase your muscle mass: Probably one of the most important ways of increasing the metabolic rate. With exercise is not just a matter of burning calories while we exercise. The more muscle mass we have in our body the higher the metabolic rate at rest. In the average healthy person what makes the difference in having a ‘lower’ or ‘faster’ metabolism is muscle mass (more specifically what is called lean body mass which is the muscle mass and organs). Any form of physical activity will increase the rate in which we burn calories so you don’t necessarily have to join the gym, simple things such as going for a walk, taking the kids swimming, or cleaning the house can help.

3. Avoid very low calorie diets: As mentioned above very low calorie diets can decrease the metabolic rate (see table 1). In order to lose weight decreasing the calorie intake may be necessary and metabolic rate may show some decrease in order for the body to adapt. The recommended calorie intake is 1500-2000 kcal per day for women and 2000-2500 kcal for men. These are just guidelines and calorie intake does depend on individual factors such as levels of physical activity, age and body build. For a sedentary person who consumes 3000 calories a day is safe to aim reducing the calories within the recommended ranges. For a sedentary person whose calorie intake is within the upper recommended limits then a small decrease up to 500 calories should be sufficient and safe. There are healthy ways of decreasing calories or increasing energy expenditure instead for losing weight without having to resolve into very low calorie diets.

4. Do not skip meals: Delaying having breakfast will actually help in burning more fat as fuel. However, skipping meals does not help your metabolism. Some scientist will argue that the body needs both periods of fasting and periods of feeding. This could help in improving metabolic flexibility which is the ability of the body to adapt easily in utilising carbohydrates (sugar) and fats as a fuel and transition between them. In very simple terms the systems becomes more efficient. In other words avoid loads of small meals and snacks (healthy or not) but aim to have all the meals in a day (i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner).

5. Increase protein intake: Some studies have shown that protein does help in increasing the metabolic rate. However, you do need to include carbohydrates as well as very low carbohydrate intake can have negative effects in thyroid hormone production.

6. Caffeine: Caffeine is considered to increase the metabolic rate and the use of fat as fuel. However, caffeine is a stimulant and can induce a stress response among other negative effects. Therefore, it would not be recommended to have large amount of caffeine especially if you are experiencing other day to day stresses.

7. Sleep well: As mentioned earlier sleep deprivation can affect the body’s metabolic processes. Sleep is important for the body and it does allow it to reset itself. A good night’s sleep can make miracles for your body in every aspect.

8. De-stress: As with sleep, stress can have negative effects, not only for your metabolism. If you are actually one of those people who lose weight when under stress you may be tempted to think that is not a bad thing. Chronic stress can have number of implications to health and could actually result in chronic conditions.

9. Cold: Cold does increase metabolic rate as the body works harder in order to sustain its body temperature. Some people have gone as far to create the ‘cold diets’ in which they recommend to drink iced water and turn the heating off in the winter. Although in cold weather we do burn more calories, chronic exposure to cold can actually lead into weakening of the immune system and being ill. So torturing yourselves with a T-shirt in the snow or with iced baths is definitely not recommended. Dress appropriately at all times and just simple appreciate that in the winter you will be using more calories.    

Have you ever wondered how many calories can you burn in 30 minutes? You have read many times that you should exercise for at least 30 minutes per day but which is the most efficient exercise to burn more calories during your 30 minute session? Not all exercises are equal when it comes to weight loss. There are exercises and activities that burn more calories than others but they are more difficult to perform and require a lot of effort. The reason as to why they burn more calories is simple: they are more intense and this accelerates your heart beat rate and in turn the calorie burning process. So, if you want to exercise less but lose more have a look at the top burning exercises below. Have in mind that the figures are based on 30 minutes sessions for persons weighting about 155 lbs (or 70 kg).

Top 5 fat burning exercises for 30 minute sessions

1. Running (5.5 min per mile) – 633.5
2. Cross country skiing – 580.5
3. Cycling (at speed greater than 20 mph – 563
4. Running up the stairs – 528
5. Speed skating on ice – 528

Running, the simplest form of exercise is the top fat burning exercise. When running for about 5.5 minutes / mile you can burn upto 633 calories in just 30 minutes. Cross country skiing, cycling, running up the stairs and ice skating follow with 500+ calories every 30 minutes. Do not forget that you need to burn 3500 calories to lose one pound so by performing any of the above exercises for 4 times per week (30 minute sessions) you can burn upto 2000 calories. Doing this consistently for a month (4 weeks) and help you lose 2 pounds!

Top 5 exercises to burn more than 400 calories in 30 minutes

1. Stationary cycling, very vigorous – 440
2. Rowing machine – 422
3. Boxing – 422
4. Handball – 422
5. Jumping rope -422

Exercises usually performed in a gym are also among the most effective exercises for losing weight. Cycling, jumping rope and rowing machine can generate the best results and if you want to go outside the gym then a boxing match, a game of handball can do the trick. All of these activities will release from your body more than 400 calories in 30 minute sessions.

Top 10 Sports that burn the most calories

1. Handball – 422
2. Squash – 422
3. Running (on a track) – 353
4. Paddleball- 352
5. Racquetball – 352
6. Rugby – 352
7. Soccer – competitive 352
8. Water polo – 352
9. Kick Boxing, karate -352
10.Football – 316

If you do not want to exercise alone but you are in the mood of doing multiplayer sports then squash, racquetball, soccer, water polo and football are among the best choices. These sports can help you get rid between 300 – 420 calories for just 30 minutes. They are very intensive sports and one has to be in good condition before attempting to practice them. Always you need to consult your doctor before engaging into intense activities especially if you haven’t exercise for a long time.

Other activities that can help you burn more than 300 calories in 30 minutes

1. Roller blading, in-line skating 422
2. Canoeing – 422
3. Rowing – 422
4. Rock climbing ascending rock – 387
5. Swimming (butterfly) – 387
6. Swimming laps (freestyle) – 352
7. Stair machine – 316
8. Climbing hills – 316
9. Ice skating – 316
10. Cross country skiing – 316

Burn Calories

For faster weight loss results you should try to get the most of your exercise. If you only have 30 minutes to exercise per day then better use your time efficiently and engage into activities that produce better results. Swimming is a great way to get fit and lose weight and is also a good way to burn more than 300 calories in just 30 minutes. If for various reasons this is not possible you can always use the rowing machine, stair machine of your local gym and get equal results. You can also use or free calorie calculator to find out your daily caloric requirements.

What is Pilates?

By Hara Hagikalfa certified pilates instructor

The Pilates technique was introduced by Joseph Pilates as a form of exercise in America (1926) and ever since they have grown into popularity and are now accepted in their use. Through the years they have evolved into different techniques (i.e. STOT Pilates, modified Pilates APPI technique, contemporary Pilates and so on) using apparatus such as the reformer, with books written about them, and DVDs for people to take home and practice. The supporters and developers of different Pilates techniques claim a number of benefits to their name from improving posture and balance to losing weight, and those who use them will vouch that miracles do happen.

Different Pilates methods

Although the different Pilates methods developed can vary in their technique, they are all based in the ‘classic’ technique created by Joseph Pilates. In its essence the ‘Pilates method’ is a series of exercises which use the body’s own weight and resistance. In theory, it teaches the body how to use its own mechanisms to recruit the ‘core’ muscles throughout the body. Pilates exercises can be practiced as mat based and/or machine exercises and cover multiple levels of ability, with difficulty and intensity of exercises increasing as the level of ability progresses.
The Pilates method is based in 6 core principles: 1. Breathing, 2.Centering, 3.Precision, 4.Control, 5.Concentration, and 6.Flow.

Pilates for weight loss: the science

Research in Pilates in general tends to be of poor quality and has been a controversial subject. One of the main reasons is because there are actually so many different techniques/methods and variety of exercises it makes hard to test all of them in a study. Research is limited into specific exercises and/or exercises routines making it difficult for clear cut conclusions to be made.

There is very little research which has looked into Pilates in weight loss and is not of high quality. The little research that has been carried out does suggest that Pilates exercises can help to lower the Body Mass Index (BMI) and achieve weight loss. However, due to the limited amount of good quality studies available there is no strong scientific evidence to support a statement such as ‘Pilates will lead to weight loss’.

In theory it is a form of physical activity, and as with any kind of physical activity some energy expenditure and some fitness gains will be achieved.

How to lose weight with Pilates?

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to lose weight with pilates and generally what you need to have in mind when choosing Pilates for weight loss.

Pilates is not the appropriate exercise choice if you are looking to increase calorie expenditure radically or you need to achieve large improvements in aerobic and strength components. Pilates exercises, especially those for beginners, are a more ‘gentle’ form of exercise and will not result in burning huge amounts of calories. For those who are in general inactive and do not exercise at all Pilates will provide a challenge to the muscles and could result in higher energy expenditure (in very simple terms calorie burning).

Energy expenditure can increase in more advanced levels and/or with the use of apparatus such as the Reformer, and the Cadillac. The apparatus provide resistance, and increase the difficulty of the exercise and in result the effort made to carry out the exercise. Some mat-based techniques tend to use apparatus such as gym balls and thera-bands (resistance elastic bands) which can similarly increase resistance and muscular effort.

5 Steps on how to lose weight with pilates

1. Always start at an appropriate level. At a beginners levels exercises may not appear as they provide any muscular benefits or may seem very easy. It is easy to want to jump to a higher level which could provide you with more challenge, more calorie burning, and faster. However, one of the principles in which Pilates exercises are based on is precision and this is for a reason.

• For exercises to provide the muscular and fitness benefits they are aiming to provide.
• To avoid injuries. If any exercise is not performed properly and to the appropriate difficulty level, it can lead to back injuries, muscle strains, joint and ligament injuries etc.

2. Choose a technique/method/class which most suits you individually. There is not one technique proven to yield better results than another. When choosing a class is good to know what certifications the teacher has. Prefer teachers which have completed full courses from reputable colleges/institutes or have combination of qualifications such as fitness instructors, physiotherapist etc. Regulations on Pilates certifications are not strict or very clear cut and a number of instructors may have just completed a weekend course which in some cases does not provide them with the appropriate skills.

3. Avoid fanatic schools that tend to preach extreme practices. For example that the only way is contracting the abdominal muscles 24/7. You can practice some elements of Pilates when sitting in your office, in the car, or watching TV, however, it is not natural to have any muscle contracted constantly.

4. Avoid home exercises. Unless you are an experienced fitness instructor is best to avoid DIY exercises at home. Not trying to undermine the home exercise regimes, however, in the case of Pilates exercises precision and control is vital. Not only for the wanted fitness gains to occur but also to avoid injuries. Carrying out exercises, at the beginning at least, supervised by a certified professional will have the benefit of carrying exercises in the correct technique, keeping safe and working on the appropriate level and routine of exercises.

5. Health first. As with every form with exercise if you have any medical conditions consult a medical professional before starting. A medical professional will be the most appropriate person to advise you in terms of weight loss and exercise which will most suit any medical needs.

Benefits of pilates for weight loss

1. Pilates can in some terms provide a full body workout (i.e. a number of muscles work to stabilise the body while mobilising a joint). However, effects are more region specific. Pilates exercises concentrate on the deep and superficial muscles of the abdomen (tummy), back and gluts (hips). They tend to give a flat tummy effect by conditioning the abdominal muscles and improving posture. They could also help with reducing fat deposition in the abdominal and waist area (what some people can refer to as ‘love handles’) and the hips. If a muscle becomes more conditioned and works more efficiently it will in return burn fat more efficiently. A six pack may take quite a lot of time and effort to achieve though.

2. Results of Pilates on weight loss may be more prominent in terms of losing ‘inces’ in and around the areas conditioned (see previous point) rather than in kilos lost.

3. It could be more suitable for people who to start off can’t sustain heavy or intense exercise or prefer classes rather than gym sessions. Additionally, it may be more suitable for those who just want a light firming form of exercise to top up their weight loss or just sustain a firm body shape.

4. For more radical results in achieving weight loss is best combined with other forms of exercise and physical activity.

5. As with every exercise, for muscular effects to take place it can take approximately 4 weeks. Moreover, any gains will depend on the intensity, duration and frequency of the exercise i.e. how long, how many times per week, how challenging for the muscles etc. These are the laws of physiology and apply to all kinds of exercise not just Pilates. If you overload the muscles will not necessarily achieve better results faster. Muscles need an appropriate amount of challenge for fitness gains, and a good fitness professional should be able to provide you with the correct level, program and routine for your individual needs.

To lose one pound of fat you need to take a number of factors into account. First you need to understand the role of fat in the body, what it takes to lose fat and why fat is the cause of a number of diseases. There are many ways to do that and in this article we discuss the 5 most effective ways to lose one pound of fat.

What is fat?

Fat is unused energy stored in the body. This is a very simple explanation of fat but is enough to understand that fat is the result of excess energy (calories) consumed through food that is not burned in the body and as a result gets accumulated in the muscles and body organs. When we consume food our body processes it and takes the energy needed to carry out the normal body functions as well as give us energy to cope with our physical activities. When the calories we consume through food are too many and not used by the body as energy they are stored in the fat reserves.

Fat is not necessarily bad, on the contrary it is vital for the normal functioning of the body as it is used for building up cells, producing hormones and keeping the temperature of the body at normal levels. What is not needed is excess fat that is the cause of a number of cardiovascular diseases and the major cause of obesity.

How to lose fat?

How to lose one pound

In mathematical terms one pound of fat is about 3500 calories. In other words when you consume more calories than your body burns and this number is above 3500 you gain one pound, on the other hand when you consume 3500 calories more than you consume you lose one pound. It is a straightforward calculation and to lose one pound of fat you need to ensure that the number of calories burned are constantly more than you consume. For example if you can manage to create a 500 calorie deficit per day then in one week you will lose one pound. If your target is to lose 10 pounds in 2 months then you need to burn 580 calories more per day (10 pounds x 3500 calories = 35000 / 60 days). Have in mind that the minimum number of calories your body needs per day is about 1800-2000 so it is not recommended to go beyond this number. (see also calories to lose weight). Here are 5 of the best ways to lose one pound of fat.

1. Avoid full fat foods

Since the only source of energy is the foods and drinks we consume, by minimizing the calories we eat and drink we increase our chances of losing weight and fat. So, try to avoid full fat foods, processed foods or foods that contain sugars and artificial substances. Instead prefer low-fat foods, sugar free drinks and lots of fruits instead of snacks and sweets. Read carefully the food label of each food you consume and ensure that it is low in fats, calories and sugars. Organic and natural foods are by definition healthier and have less calories and fat than non-organic food items.

2. Prefer fat burning foods

Although there is no such thing as fat burning foods, you can give preference to foods that are fat friendly. For example low fat milk and low fat dairy products, almonds, fish, oats, whole grain, lean meat and green tea are foods that have minimum amount of fats and they are recommended for a healthy diet. Some of these can even help you burn more calories by eating them than the calories they contain and they usually called negative calorie foods.

3. Fiber, fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals; Fiber has the special characteristic of keeping you full for longer periods and is also wasted from the body without adding to the fat reserves. This is the reason that all diets and weight loss programs suggest that you eat 5-6 servings of fruits daily. With fruits you keep your stomach full and away from other full fat foods.

4. Cardio and fat burning exercises

Dieting is the best way to protect your body from consuming fat but the best way to lose the accumulated body fat is through exercise. Exercise is the only way to accelerate the fat burning process and burn more calories. Not all exercises are equal when it comes to fat loss since exercises that accelerate the heart beat rate generate better results. The most common form is cardio exercises (walking, running, aerobics, cycling, swimming, tennis, squash, climbing etc.). For even better results you can combine strength training exercises with cardio. Remember your goal is to increase your fat burning process so what is needed is less but more intense repetitions of the exercises (with minimum breaks) and not long repetitions with long breaks. Your goal is to push yourself to the limits so that the body will utilize the fat reserves for energy. This action is needed to actually lose more calories and in turn fat from the body. Exercising does not only make you weigh less but also look better.

5. Consistency is the key for fat loss

We mentioned above that in order to lose fat you need to constantly generate a calorie deficit between the amount of calories consumed and the amount of calories burned (remember 1 pounds = 3500 calories). The key for long term success is not to do that only once or a couple of days per week but to constantly keep the calories burned more than the calories consumed. So you need to create a diet and exercise plan and stick to that plan for some time (at least a couple of months). Make sure that you exercise 4-5 times per week for at least 45 minutes per session. Combine your cardio exercises with weight lifting and strength training exercises and ensure that you follow a healthy balanced diet with moderate consumption of fats and carbohydrates. If you do that consistently for a number of weeks you will notice results both when you weigh in and in your appearance.

How to lose weight permanently is a double challenge. At first you need to find ways to lose weight and then you need to find ways to keep the weight off permanently. It does not sound like an easy task but there is a little secreat that can make both things happen. This secret has been around for ages and although it is known for many people, only few gain advantage.

It is a fact that the rate of weight gain compared to weight loss is not at all the same. The number of people with issues regarding their size and weight is considerably larger than people with a normal or slim body. Some even enjoy their slim body throughout their lives as age doesn’t really matter. What is the secret that allows them to maintain such good looking bodies? Perhaps they have amazing metabolic functions or maybe they are following some really strenuous workout plan? The answer is not that simple. We have to look further into the matter before getting into a precise answer.

The real secret of permanent weight loss

First you have to understand that ‘the secret’ has been there for ages and if you are still thinking that these people who manage to maintain their ideal weight have some sort of special power or skills then you are wrong. The secret is mainly associated with a simple “add-on” on your diet, and this is no other than ‘fruits and vegetables’. Yes by regularly eating fruits and vegetables you increase your chances of staying on your normal weight. Most of you think you know that but how many of you actually follow this guideline? How many of you eat fruits and vegetables daily? Ask these questions yourself and be your own judge.

Why fruits and vegetables are so important?

Before getting into the importance of having fruits and vegetables daily you should first analyse your currect eating plan. In other words you will have to consider what you currently eat right now. What kind of foods do you usually prepare? Or do you even prepare your own food or just rely mostly on processed or fast foods? Knowing your eating pattern and style will help you understand the value of the “secret add- on”.

Now for the next question, how much serving of fruits and vegetables do you have daily? It’s already known that five or more servings a day would give you low calories and high volume of nutrients. This gives you a feeling of satiety and fullness that lasts longer and other benefits which will be explained below.

How can fruits and vegetables help you lose weight?

Fruits and vegetables are definitely nutrient packed. The two are definitely a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber, antioxidants, and a good source of natural protein. All of these help reduce the risk of certain diseases. What’s good about nutritious food items like fruits and vegetables is that they give your body proper response to the satiety and hunger mechanism. Your body automatically signals the brain that it lacks food when you don’t have anything in the stomach. Now if you add foods without nutrients, your body would continue to signal the brain that it is still hungry. Basically our body looks for nutrients behind every calories and fruits and vegetables are definitely good options.

Fiber is one of the prime components that can give you a feeling of fullness that lasts longer, since they are not digested naturally. Fiber may come out from the body with the same form as it were when you have eaten it. It can even help you burn more calories than what they actually offer, which makes it such a wonder.

Fruits and vegetables are never boring and there are actually different colors to signify their importance and differences. Green fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, purple colored known to fight cancer due to antioxidants, white colored have diverse benefits ranging from energy and vitamins, oranges for beta carotene, browns for good proteins, and reds for lycopene rich vegetables and fruits.

Those mentioned above are no doubt the secret to permanent weight loss. The analysis of the data has revealed that this behavior of constantly eating fruits and vegetables makes up to 50% of those people who permanently maintain their weight without actually doing much of exercise or special activities.

In America people tend to eat around 9 to 10 percent only of fruits and vegetables and all of the rest is added to the processed or poor nutrient foods. An increase of fruits and vegetables would help you develop a proper food response mechanism in the body, and also promote more to your weight loss.

Thinking of it, it takes guts to follow them and it is true to say that not all are chosen, even though a lot of us wanted it. But please don’t let this make you feel down, for to say it frankly, this secret can really be realized with a bit of hard work and smart choices which anyone is capable of doing, especially when they really want it. And come on, we all have our favorite fruits and vegetables, why not add some more? Try it out.

Many people have the misconception that losing weight is impossible but this is not necessarily the case. If you follow our simple guide on how to lose weight below you can understand that it is possible, effective and healthy.

Step 1: Set your weight loss goals

This is the first step of the process. You need to set clear and realistic weight loss goals. How many pounds you want to lose and when? What is your desire target weight? Your goals should provide answers for all these questions. Remember that you have to be realistic. Your goals should not be very easy to achieve but should not be too hard either.  Having these numbers in mind will help you create a plan you can actually follow. You can also read: I want to lose weight, where do I start.

Step 2: Find out how many calories you need to consume in order to lose weight

Based on the goals you have set above the next step is to calculate how many calories you need to deduct from your daily diet in order to lose weight. In real terms to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in. There are basically 2 ways to do this. The first is to limit your calorie intake and the second is to burn more calories through exercise. If you want to lose weight fast then you need to consistently burn more calories than consumed. You can calculate how many calories you currently consume and how many calories you burn though exercise and activity. Based on the number of pounds you want to lose you can adjust your calorie intake. You can find out more here: how many calories to lose weight.

Step 3: Eat Healthy

Healthy eating does not only promote good health but is also the safest way to lose weight fast. By eating healthy we mean giving preference to food items that are natural, low in calories, fat and sugars. There are many alternatives in the market you just have to do a bit of research before going to the groceries.  You can also do clever food substitutions that can play a big difference in your weight. For example choose fish instead of meat, water instead of soft drinks, avoid alcohol, sweets and full fat dairy products.

Step 4: Plan your meals

If you want to successfully learn how to lose weight fast then you need to take this step very seriously. Planning your meals is a very crucial step. People are always busy and they tend to buy fast food because it is easier, faster and cheaper. By doing so, you literally destroy your efforts to lose weight. Instead you should plan your meals in advance and if possible prepare them at home using healthy ingredients. Do some rough calculations and find out how many calories your meals contain and make the necessary adjustments so that this is in accordance with your weight loss targets. You can also read How to lose weight in a week to get more ideas on how to better plan your meals.

Step 5: Create an exercise schedule

Many people say that the fastest way to lose weight is through intensive exercise and they are correct. Diet alone cannot give you fast results. For quick weight loss you need to exercise and in general be active. Do not just concentrate on which exercise schedule to follow but see this as a great opportunity to change your lifestyle. Include in your weekly schedule 3-4 sessions for cardio exercises (aerobics, walking, and running) and 1-2 days for weight lifting exercises. In general try to be active by moving, engaging into sports and outdoor activities.

Step 6: Stay Motivated

Motivation is perhaps the secret key for losing weight fast. If you are not motivated enough and if you do not believe in yourself then you are not going to succeed no matter what diet or exercise plan you follow. Before starting your weight loss journey try to think of the reasons you want to lose weight and have these in your mind until the end. Write them down, visualize them and make sure that every time you face difficulties or when you are not getting the results you want, you find comfort and courage to continue.

Step 7: Lose weight and keep it off

So you have finally made it! After weeks of hard work you managed to reach your target weight. The last thing you want now is to start gaining the weight back. In order to avoid this undesirable situation you need to ensure that you continue to exercise regularly and that you continue to follow a balanced diet. Do not return to your ‘old’ eating habits and not resort to any other fast track methods like taking weight loss pills or other supplements.

These 7 steps can give you a good idea on how to approach the whole process of ‘How to lose weight fast’. You can browse through our weight loss articles and guides and get more detail information for each step and also learn other ways to lose weight healthy.

Have you considered losing weight in a month and don’t have much of an idea how to do it? Don’t worry, most people do and feel the same way as you. Weight issues are common but the solutions are becoming abundant but in a bad way. It takes time to really find out reliable ways to lose weight and you can get confused in the ramble. You don’t have to worry though because you can actually get your way through it. Planning to lose weight in a month is an achievable goal. Check out some useful tips below.

A good plan

First you need a good plan. No matter how you start or no matter what diet you use, you need to have a clear and solid plan. The plan doesn’t have to be perfect right from the beginning but should indicate clearly your goals, milestones and timeframe. You don’t have to worry too much about the details at this stage since the plan will be dynamic and you can adjust it as you go along. What is important is to try and follow the plan and meet your deadlines.

Follow your intuition in choosing healthy foods

When you think about food what comes to your mind? Studies have shown that when you eat foods without substantial nutritional value, there is a tendency to eat more. The main reason is that you don’t really target the real needs of the body, which are the nutrients, mineral, and vitamins. You may already have observed this when you eat processed or fast food. Instead of feeling active and full of energy, you feel weak and even resort to sleeping after such heavy meals. The combination of ‘high calorie – low nutrients’ for some foods will only increase your appetite and worsen your weight problems.

So better start by adding healthy food items to your diet, but don’t worry about their type. Instead, you should follow your intuition in choosing healthy foods. Before you buy or eat anything you should think if such the particular item benefits your weight loss or not. Practice this and you’ll see great improvement in your food choices.

Healthy eating pattern

If you are used to skipping breakfast, don’t. You will only ruin your metabolic flow at the start of the day and not to mention your morning for feeling hungry. Always start the day with a simple meal of fruits or vegetables or cereals, taking coffee alone may not be enough. You don’t have to make it a large breakfast as this will make you feel lazy early in the morning. Having frequent small meals instead of three major meals for the day will boost your metabolic rate and also provide less occurrence of hunger pangs.

Exercise

Never be afraid to do exercise. The truth is that people want to lose weight in a month, but are afraid of exercising. Exercise is not something you should fear from but something to gain benefit. You don’t have to do intense workouts to lose weight. Strength training and all those weight lifting exercises are not the same with fat burning activities. To lose weight in a month you will have to give more preference to fat burning exercises. Better focus more on your regular jogs, brisk walks, swims, and those activities that can be done outside the gym. Consistency and quality is a must, so dedicate 40 minutes or more for cardio exercises and make sure you do it properly. It should definitely make you sweat, and that means a lot!

Sleep well

With a good night sleep you can improve the hormonal balance of the body which promotes weight loss. Lack of sleep has been proven to alter cravings and satiety balance, allowing you to eat more and feeling hungry more often. So rest well and sleep well. Don’t overdo anything and make sure you manage your time efficiently and allow for proper sleep.

Get rid of stress

How to get rid of stress? Simply by doing more physical activities and being positive! Slumping down will only mean more stress. We might not know it but stress can increase your weight, because it affects your digestion and also your way of eating. Stress and anxiety may either make you skip meals or eat large amount of foods.

The above tips maybe simple but they can be of great help. What’s good about them is that they are definitely doable. So what are you waiting for? Start your weight loss journey today.

Learning how to lose 20 pounds in a month is indeed very challenging. A month is a long period of time, but in terms of weight loss one month is quite short. Though the goal is not actually impossible, in fact a lot of people have been successful with losing 20 pounds in a month. What you need is willpower and a good plan. You don’t have to spend endless hours in a gym or spend your money on any new supplements or crash diets to look great and slim. Rather what you need to do is to focus on how to promote and accelerate weight loss. Remember that failure is minimized once you commit to yourself and to your plan. Let’s leave it to the thought that there is no best plan without commitment.

Step 1: Understand what we mean by losing 20 pounds in a month

To get started you first need to understand that basic concepts behind weight loss. The ratio between pounds and calories is 1 pound = 3500 calories, in other words it takes about 3,500 calories to get a pound. Doing the math you will need to burn 70000 calories (20 pounds X 3500 calories per pound), which is the calories equivalent to 20 pounds. It may seem a huge amount, and indeed it is, but you can still try it out and see how many pounds you can lose in month.

Caution: You need to consult your doctor first before attempting to lose 20 pounds in a month. The recommended amount of weight to lose per month is 6-8 pounds and anything above that should be after the approval of your doctor.

Take note that your body burns calories daily in order for it to function. The number of calories burn depends on your BMR or basal metabolic rate. Basically BMR is based on your current weight, height and also the level of activity. The usual range is 1,600 to 1,800 calories for men and 1,300 to 1,500 calories for women. You can use our BMR Calculator to find out your BMR. The bottom line is that you need to focus on a plan that can help you burn more calories and increase your resting metabolic rate. These are the key factors that consistently help you deduct from the stored calories and lose weight.

Since we know what to focus on, it’s time to get into action and discuss the approach you can follow in order to learn how to lose 20 pounds in a month which basically has to do with diet and exercise.

Step 2: Adjust your diet

Eating small but frequent meals

This is not like any sort of fasting or restricting, you will only have to eat minute meals composed of varieties of food, preferably with low calories, and take them in small intervals. This maintains an increased metabolic rate since the body takes the signal that your stomach is having food so the digestion process continues. Even though you only eat in small amounts, you will less likely starve because you eat frequently enough to keep your satiety.

Don’t resort to eating just anywhere

Sometimes thinking about what to eat helps you get to your ideal weight. Most people work on hectic schedules resorting to fast food diets and other easy access processed foods to sustain them. Unplanned meals may either get you in trouble or may take a lot of your bucks. The best way to handle this is to plan ahead or even prepare food ahead. It is better to have a healthy meal in the middle of the work day when you most need it. It can be a healthy fruit snack, a wheat sandwich or packed vegetable salad for main meals.

Make it half or go small

If you can’t really let go of your high calorie fast food items like your regular hamburgers, then one technique that may work is cutting food into half or going for small sized meals. If you are able to resist the temptation and go over small size, then that will be good enough, but if you can’t then cut it into half, make sure you spare the other half for later. Sometimes it is even good to tag a friend with you when eating; you may share the other half to him or her and that will leave you with fewer calories.

Water and fiber

Water and fiber rich foods are the safest food items to take. Both will help you cleanse your body and get you closer to your ideal weight. Fiber may help increase your resting metabolic rate as well and it makes you feel full for longer period of time. Water definitely clears clogs and helps metabolism in cellular level.

Step 3: Exercise more

Every minute counts

This means that you can spread the time you spend on your weight loss exercises throughout the day. This may consist of cardio exercise to target calories or weight lifting exercises to build more muscles.  A good start gives you motivation to finish it. So starting the day with just a simple brisk walk will be enough and it may even improve your morning. Finishing one simple task is rewarding. Make sure you complete your 40 minutes of daily cardio, though you may increase it to an hour if you only do brisk walks.

Do some variations

You don’t have to stick to one cardio exercise; do some other variations that you can easily enjoy without bothering you. There are a lot of activities that may include sports, hiking, trekking, walking, dancing and many more.

Build muscles and increase basal metabolism

It has been proven that the bigger muscle mass you have the greater is the increase in the metabolic rate. More muscle means more need for calories for it to function. So it is a good plan to have at least 3 times a week to practice some strength training and weight lifts. You may start with the basics like targeting the core muscles and with the help of a trainer move onto more difficult and effective exercises.

Give yourself a rest and a treat

Always have days of rest for your muscles to grow and to replenish. Weight lifts are strenuous and you should focus on alternating days, say two days in between workouts or at least a day.

As we said at the beginning, learning how to lose 20 pounds in a month is not easy and actually going through such a process is challenging. Following these simple tips won’t guarantee that you will lose 20 pounds in month but it is a step towards the right direction. All you have to do is to focus and continue doing it until you meet your targets. It may take more than a month but at least the tips suggested above are both safe and effective.

What is your take? Did you ever tried to lose weight fast in a period of a month?