10 Fitness Tips That Make a Difference in losing weight

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.

Lose weight and look good for the party season

The party season is fast approaching. There is always the last minute rush to get the remaining presents, some extra decorations and that outfit you so much wanted for the string of parties to come.

Everybody wants to look good in a party and in the outfit they want.  With only a few weeks away before those parties start here are some tips to look your best.

1. Concentrate on 1 goal.

Well you don’t have a lot of time and the preparation for the festive season can be stressful as it is without weight loss managements. What is it about your weight or body that concerns you the most? Is it tummy fat, firming your bottom, losing a couple of inches from your waist, or a couple of pounds in general? You can’t get everything in a few weeks and you will not jump 5 dress sizes in 4 weeks (unless you use magic) that is a fact.

If you overload yourself with trying to achieve too much in too little time you will most probably setting yourself up to fail and you will be getting stressed. Set 1 goal, for example to lose a couple of inches from your tummy and work on that one thing.

2. Be realistic

Like I mentioned above you don’t have bags of time so be realistic in your goals. Set one final goal and then divide this to smaller goals for each week. Think to yourself is that possible to be achieved with my circumstances? Using the above example you want to lose let’s say 3 inches from your waistline and you have 4 weeks to do it. Then set your goals for each week, i.e. aim to lose 1lb per week which could translate to just under an inch per week.

You may have a week which you lose more or less. Always account for your own personal circumstance. You neighbour or work colleague may have gained a 6 pack in 2 weeks, but you are you and you have your own body and your own personal circumstances and what works for your neighbour may not work for you.

In general it is not recommended to lose more than 1-1.5kg per week. Although the amount of weight which is within a healthy range will depend on personal circumstances characteristics. However, in general terms if you try to lose a lot of weight too fast you could be losing muscle and possibly dehydrating your body.

3. Go strict

To make it clear strict does not mean starvation tactics or radical unsafe diet regimes. Strict means keeping to your regime. Make a plan and set your goals and stick to it. Well we will not prosecute you if you don’t stick to it but the only way to get some results in a limited amount of time is to be strict with what you do.

4. Don’t go too low on calories

This is the usual mistake a lot of people do. They think they don’t have a lot of time so the best way is to starve. First is not healthy. Moreover, if you crash diet for longer than 2 weeks you are likely to slow down your metabolism. This in turn translates into actually burning less calories and therefore losing less weight.

In general it is not recommended for people to drop below 1500-1200 kcal daily intake. The amount of calories your body needs will depend on a number of things, including gender (men tend to need more calories), body size and physical activity. If you exercise for example your body needs extra calories to fuel the exercise.

5. De-stress

Easier said than done but do pay attention to your stress levels. The countdown to Christmas can be a very stressful affair with usually spending more money than you got, winging kids, preparing for the dreaded family gatherings, food shopping, remembering the Xmas cards and dodging the long queues in just about everywhere. Do you feel as if the whole world is sitting on your shoulders? Well then is time to de-stress.

Stress can make you put on weight in many ways. With stress we crave sweet and fatty foods, so watch those cravings they probably not trying to tell you that you need food but rather that you need to relax. There are also a number of metabolic and hormonal processes which take place in the body when we are stressed which make you store fat easier especially in the abdominal area.

If that doesn’t convince you people don’t tend to look good when they are stressed.

6. Cook in bulk

You may be one of the super organised ones who has finished Xmas preparation by August and you just relax and enjoying your time now. However, for the rest of us the closer you get to Christmas the crazier the days get and cooking seems like a distant thought.

When you are cooking meals at home try to cook more than you actually need, then freeze the excess. This way you can have healthy, home cooked food which you can just take out of the freezer and reheat.

It is all too tempting to pick the take away box on your way home when you had a crazy day.

7. Do not pre-sample the Christmas sweets

This time of the year there are sweets everywhere. If you work someone has send a box of sweets as a Xmas thank you, if you go to the shops there is some kind of sweet sampling going on (try our Xmas cookies etc), your partner may be doing a trial Xmas cake cooking session and so on.

It is hard to say no if it is right in front of you all the time and is easy to lose count of how many sweets you have eaten especially if they are little pieces of this and that. Just make a rule about sweets and keep it. Either don’t eat them at all or have a daily allowance of 2-3 per day. Not 2 – 3 boxes or whole cakes, but little portions.

You will have the 2 weeks of Christmas to fill in the chocolate and sweets.

8. Make a New Year’s resolution

The story usually goes like this:

Xmas approaching and you want to shed the extra weight so you can look good for the parties or just to make room for the festive binge. You spend about 3 weeks (start Xmas early, finish late) eating and drinking anything and everything. Then you start from January in the gym and dieting to get a new you. That’s it you will do it this year! You give up by March only come May – June you start panicking about the holiday season. So you diet and exercise to get a flat tummy etc. Post holiday cocktails or just the blues you give up on that wicked top and the Baywatch body. Come November Xmas is approaching.

Do you spend all your life in a circle dieting- eating dieting what you’ve eaten – eat what you lost – then diet ….and so on…

If you feel tired and confused reading it imagine how your body feels doing it. Don’t just lose weight for a party but make a decision to have a better lifestyle, maybe be more active, eat healthy and keep those pounds off. Make a plan for life and you will look good and feel good not just for Christmas.

11 ways on how to lose water weight

Have you ever heard someone say I am having a fat day today? Well apart from the psychological aspect of a ‘fat day’ there are other reasons which can influence how we fit in our clothes and how our body feels. So if one day you fit just right in your jeans and the next they feel claustrophobic it could be that you have water retention.

What is water weight?

Water retention (water weight) or fluid retention is when your body will retain excess fluid in the tissues and/or the cavities of the body beyond the normal standards. There are a number of different reasons why your body will retain water. Water retention can be visible such as oedema which is associated with the retention of fluids beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body and it usually causes swelling.

As there are a number of different reasons why your body will accumulate excess fluids there are different ways to lose the excess fluids and water weight.

1. Fast very low calorie diets

Not a recommended way to lose water weight. People on fast low calorie diets which usually last one week tend to lose mostly water. However, that is not a recommended way to go about losing water weight. If you haven’t really got water retention and you just need to look good in that dress for one night you may just achieve that with following a fast diet. However, you will have most probably dehydrated your body and as soon as you start eating normally it will all come back on.

This is without saying that you will most probably be stressing out your body and could have health risks. In addition a weight loss diet is not always what your body needs. Water retention can be cause due to malnutrition and very low calorie intake (especially if consuming less than 1200 kcal). In other words you could be just exacerbating the problem. Most of all water retention could be the symptom of an underlying health condition and it may need medical attention.

2. Consult a medical professional

As mentioned above water retention could be a symptom of a health condition so it is very important that you consult a medical professional first before you look at any option. Some of the medical reasons which can lead to water retention include:

·            Diabetes

·            Kidney disease

·            Cardiovascular disease

·            Thyroid dysfunction

·            Hormonal imbalances

·            Pre-menstrual Syndrome

There are a number of other health reasons why your body may retain water and it is most important to follow a correct medical investigation. It is always highly recommended not to try to home remedy or follow box standard diets designed for losing water if are suffering or have concerns that you may be suffering from any health conditions as it could have detrimental effects for health.

3. Drink plenty of water

You wouldn’t think of it but dehydration itself can lead to water retention. Your body is designed for survival and if you deprive it from what it needs it will hold on for dear life in what it’s got. Drinking plenty of water will also help circulation and clearance of fluids from the body.

It is a misconception to think that since your body holds on to water is better to avoid water.

4. Low salt diets

Eating too much salt can lead or exacerbate water retention. Although it is suggested that excess consumption of salt is unlikely to cause a massive amount of water retention, it definitely will not help with the problem and it is also not recommended for health. It could also exacerbate other health conditions responsible for water retention such as kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases.

Sodium, which is a component of salt, tends to regulate water balance in the body. Sodium is necessary for a number of functions in the body, but as with everything else when in excess can lead to dysfunctions.

A large amount of salt consumed from the diet does not necessarily come from the salt shaker. Processed foods, takeaways, tin food and junk food in general contain large amounts of sodium and salt. Cutting down on such foods, or reading the labels on foods and making healthier choices will decrease your salt intake by a lot more than just not adding salt in your food.

5. High protein diets

Water retention can be a symptom indicating that the body lacks of protein. Usually very low calorie diets followed for long period of times and vegetarian or vegan diets inadequate in good quality protein can lead to protein deficiencies.

Being protein deficient does not necessarily mean that someone will be underweight as protein deficiency does not always reflect body weight but quality of everyday diet. Someone who is obese could be protein deficient if the everyday diet they follow is high on carbohydrates and sugars and very low on protein.

6. Low GL diets

As mentioned earlier water retention can be a reflection of the quality of the diet someone follows. Diets high in carbohydrates and Glycemic Load have been associated with increased risk of inflammation, obesity and high risk of development of conditions such as metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.

Such conditions can lead in water retention and oedema. On the other hand diets low in carbohydrates, sugars and glycemic load have in general been associated with promoting positive health outcomes. In particular Mediterranean dietary patterns have been suggested by a number of studies as providing a healthy balanced dietary style and decreasing the risk of developing such health conditions as mentioned above, and/or helping to improve health outcomes. Mediterranean style diets constitute of ample fruit and veg, moderate protein intake and fats such as olive oil and fish oils. Such components are rich in antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and omega fats.

7. Ample of fruit and vegetables

As mentioned above, fruit and vegetables contain a number of antioxidant components, minerals and vitamins which help to improve the body’s functions and promote health. They also contain a large amount of water which will further help in keeping hydrated.

Inflammation and obesity largely constitute in water retention. Aiming for weight loss with a healthy balanced diet can make miracles for your body.

8. Monitor your diet for food intolerances and allergies

Do you feel bloated after you have eaten certain foods? The problem may simply come from an intolerance or allergy to specific foods. Intolerances and/or allergies do not necessarily lead to big allergic reactions but it could be subtle symptoms such as bloating, feeling sick or water retention amongst others.

Allergies and intolerances if unnoticed can lead into chronic inflammations and high amounts of histamine in the body. Apart from the fact that it is not good for your health and can lead to other serious problems, it could lead to water retention. Avoid the foods which irritate your digestive system, make you bloat or just don’t agree with you. If unsure and you have concerns consult a medical professional who can properly assess you for food intolerances and allergies or other metabolic functions.

9. Exercise

Lack of movement will affect blood circulation amongst others and can lead in water retention and oedema. Exercise will improve blood circulation and aid with lymphatic function which in result can help in reducing water retention.

You don’t have to rush and join the gym, but you can take a walk, pilates, or use the stairs, cycle or swim. In simple words start moving around.

10. Elevate your legs

If you spend a lot of time standing up (in your job for example) or after a long flight you may noticed that your legs feels swollen. Elevating your legs preferably above the heart can help to alleviate the swelling and oedema. Just put your feet up after a long day and place your legs on a stool when you are sitting down.

This may also be helpful for people who suffer with bad circulation. Think of gravity.

11. Medication

Medication can have a dual effect. There are certain types of medication which encourage water excretion such as anti-diuretic tablets. These are usually prescribed by a medical professional as part of treatment for certain health conditions. It is not advised to source the internet to try to find them in the black market in order to help you lose water weight. As with every medication they carry risks and they can have serious complications if taken inappropriately.

On the other hand there are some types of medications which could lead to water retention. Your medical professional should be the one to advise you regarding medications and how to deal with side effects. Always read the leaflets provided with the tablets for side effects or other information provided and if you have any further concerns advise your doctor.

9 Tips for maintaining weight loss

You have spent considerable amount of time trying really hard to lose those extra pounds. You climb on the scales and the moment of truth has come; to your relief and joy you did it. You reached your weight loss goal. What a great moment. But how long does it last?

Often the weight lost doesn’t stay away for too long and it slowly creeps back. Another diet cycle follows, or you convince yourself that the only way is to be on a diet for eternity, or just give up.

If only you knew that maintaining weight loss is not that hard after all. Well for most of the cases. Read on to find out how and why.

Which diet?

Weight maintenance will depend on which diet did you follow to begin with and how much weight did you lose? To put it blandly if you did a 7 day radical – starvation regime and you lost a couple of pounds it is likely that you will put the weight back on. How to maintain the weight? Choose a better diet next time.

Any weight loss resulting from fast (a few days – 1 week), radical, very low calorie diets is mainly water, glycogen and some not significantly measurable fat. The minute you go back to your usual dietary patterns the weight will go back on as water, glycogen and some fat. You can also read how to lose weight fast but healthy for a step-by-step guide on how to lose weight and never get it back.

Think ahead

Plan for the after-the-weight-loss period before you even start a diet. For whatever reason you chose to lose weight and follow a weight loss diet, don’t just treat it as a blip moment in your life which now is over and thank god for that. Treat your weight loss as a time in which you will make lifestyle changes.

Is always best to choose a healthy balanced weight loss diet which will allow you to lose the weight you want and also teach you how to eat healthy and balanced post diet. These little habits which you will pick up on the way are the ones which will help you to keep the weight off.

A lot of the diet regimes these days do contain sections of how to go about it post-weight loss. Take the time to look into them. They may have valuable advice on what to do next.

Find your weight gain nightmares

Well what does make you put on weight? The simple answer for majority of people would be too many calories, the wrong foods and too little physical activity. Look into more specific reasons such as ‘which foods do you tend to eat more’? Is it too many takeaways, too much sugar, big portions and so on? For each person may be a different combination.

The principle however, is one. Whatever made you put on weight to start off is what will make you put on weight again if you don’t change it.

Keep a foods and drinks diary for a week

A foods and drinks diary is usually the best way to find those little weight gain nightmares mentioned above. It will provide you with the information of what do you eat, when and how much and you may find patterns which you didn’t know were there.

It is also helpful to include your emotion as well. For example how were you feeling –sad, happy, stressed etc- and what did you eat. You don’t have to be an emotional eater but you may choose specific foods based on your emotions. For example, you have those biscuits in the office every time you are stressed or you have that extra cake every time you meet your friends and are having fun chats.

Don’t deprive yourself

Changes your dietary habits or your lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean deprive yourself from specific foods forever. Do have a takeaway day, or a chocolate moment or a cocktails night. Well maybe not have a ‘day’ everyday. For example have a takeaway day once a week or once every 2 weeks or keep those threats for when you go out. Allow yourself a piece of chocolate or an ice cream, biscuit etc once every so often.

You can still enjoy the things you like, only in moderation.

Keep a plan

Following from above, set your own plan on when you will be having a takeaway for example. This will help you keep more control on the foods you eat. Be flexible about it, your plan doesn’t have to be setting stone. For example if Friday is a takeaway night doesn’t mean that you can’t have it on a Tuesday instead or that Friday you may choose to eat something else.

The point is more like saying Tuesday was a takeaway night and Friday I fancied a pizza and Saturday we visited some friends and they ordered some food…..Well you either end up losing count and control or when you do want a pizza to feel as if you depriving yourself when you have to say no.

Don’t make food special

Food is food and is a fundamental need for life and that all it is. Some foods can have harmful effects to health or affect your weight, some foods taste better (depending on peoples taste) some foods have health benefits and so on. However, don’t start putting food in terms of treats or special or any other category. Foods are not rewards, or treats. A takeaway or cake or whatever else you like is a food item which you enjoy and you occasionally include in your diet. Connecting food with emotions can create emotional cycles and can make food items more important than they are.

A lot of people may say I achieved something today or this week so I earn a takeaway or I will treat myself to a piece of chocolate. If you want to treat yourself choose something else you enjoy such a pampering session, or a dress or fishing trip if you are man or a ticket to a game. There are loads of different things you can do and you can find ideas which they will not necessarily break the bank.

Keep an eye on your portions

Apart from what kinds of foods we eat what is also important is how much we eat. Use a smaller plate and avoid layering the food. If you are still hungry is best to have a little bit more once you finished what you have in your plate. We often pile the food in our plates and eat more than we actually need or past the point of satiety. Also a half empty big plate can make us feel as if there is not enough food but a full smaller plate may not even if the two plates have the same amount of food. See also: how many calories to lose weight

Think of the speed of your hands

A friend recently said to me that how much we eat does not depend only on how fast our mouth processes it but also how fast our hand puts it in our mouth. This is actually a very valid point. It is easy to lose control on how much you have eaten when your fork goes with 100miles per hour and you pile the food into your mouth. Take your time and put your fork down every so often between takes. Give your brain a chance to realise how much food you eat.

How to lose weight fast but healthy

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

10 tips for those who are desperate to lose weight fast

Are you desperate to lose weight quickly but you do not know where to start? Every time you climb on the scales or look in the mirror you think I need to lose weight. Time goes on and you still need to go on a diet but to be quite honest you don’t know where to start. It’s not laziness, it’s not that you are avoiding the matter is simply you just don’t know how.

People assume losing weight or going on a diet is a simple straight forward affair. We very well know that this is not the case. Whether being breaking the habits, or choosing the best diet for yourself, or what is a good diet or not, it is not as easy as it sounds.

In this article, I have summarised some steps and tips to help you start on the weight loss mission.

Step 1 - Consult a medical professional

Before you even think about any diet, if you suffer from any medical/health condition or have any health concerns consult the appropriate medical professional. Even if you know that losing weight is necessary due to a specific medical condition, do not just follow any diet, ask if the diet you are thinking of is appropriate or just ask for general guidance.

Not all weight loss regimes are appropriate for everybody and for some people changes in the diet may have detrimental effects to their health. Do not let the fact that you are desperate to lose weight take on your logic and force you into desperate measures. Your health is very important.

Step 2 - Find how much weight you want to lose.

It may sound not important but knowing how much weight you want to lose can help you decide on the type of diet regime you can follow. So do you want to just lose a couple of extra pounds, a few more or half of your current body?

Obviously the more weight you want to lose the longer it is going to take. Therefore, you should be looking at diet regimes that are designed for long term rather than shorter versions and vice versa. This does not mean that you cannot follow a long-term diet for a couple of months; the aim is to be realistic about your goals and stay away from desperate weight loss measures.

Step 3 - Be realistic about what your weight loss goals.

When choosing a weight loss regime be realistic in what you can expect from it. Yes there are hundreds of diets or methods which do promise the world and amazing weight loss results in less than 2 weeks etc. There may be exceptions (see also: How to lose weight in 2 weeks) and there may be some people whose body may work in extraordinary ways but in general do not expect to lose 10 lbs. in a week. If you have a lot of weight to lose, be prepared that it will take some time and there may be weeks which are slow, weeks which are fast or weeks where nothing is happening.

Each individual is different and each and every one will progress in a different way.

Step 4 - Keep a foods and drinks diary for a week

Record what you drink and eat for a week and you will learn a lot from it. You may already know that you eat too much or the wrong things but sometimes if you see it in writing and in detail you can find things which you never thought mattered. Keep it as detailed as possible as it is the small little things, such as the 2 sugars with coffee, or the sneaky biscuit in the office, which add up.

I remember a work colleague once who used to say to me that her big problem is picking. She would make the kids school lunch and have a packet of crisps or steal a couple of chips from the dinner plate and a piece of this and a piece of that….when she added them all up it was a big calorie surprise. You can keep such a diary by using Calories4 Weight loss our online food and fitness journal.

Once you have the foods and drinks diary find how many calories you need to eat to lose weight.

Step 5 – Find out your own diet style.

Let’s be clear here. No matter how good or healthy or successful a diet regime or method is, if it does not suit your needs it will not work. You may discipline yourself and follow it for a while but you will soon get fed up and hate the whole thing and eventually give up.

Losing weight can be hard to do for some people, so imagine if you are doing it in a way which is wrong for you. By all means even if you are desperate to lose weight, I would never recommend following a regime which may be harmful to your health just because it suits your style, so don’t go swallowing any tape warms in a hurry.

Ask yourself the questions: ‘What foods do I like to eat?’ ‘Do I have a busy schedule and eat out a lot?’ ‘Do I hate cooking and depend on ready meals?’ ‘Do I like a strict specific diet or do I prefer something more flexible?’

Ask as many questions you can think which will help you determine which way is the best way to go about losing weight. If you feel you can’t do it without support then maybe you should consider a diet club such as ‘weight watchers’ or ‘slimming world’ and so on.

Step 6 - Research about diet regimes

There are hundreds of weight loss programs out there and there are some ‘Diet reviews’ as well. Read what each diet has to offer, how does it work and what scientific evidence is there for it. Once you know all the above, like how much weight you need to lose and what style of diet suits you then look what diets are out there.

It may sound long winded but there are some important points here:

1. You are actually following something you like,

2. To the best of your ability you have found something which is safe and does not have massive health risks.

3. You are not wasting your money or energy in the process.

Step 7 - Plan

Ok, you worked out most of the above and you have found a nice little regime for you self or maybe you want something simple healthy and flexible. Before you start getting confused or lost in the process, plan.

When are you starting the diet? Usually at the beginning of the week is best but if for other reasons it doesn’t suit you set a day. Be realistic however, don’t start a diet the week you have that dinner party, or wedding or holiday trip etc but don’t use it as an excuse either. If you have more reasons not to start the diet constantly well maybe you should go back to square 0 and find if you really want to lose weight.

Make a list of the foods / menus / your diet plan and pin it in the kitchen & keep a copy in your bag. Whether it is a set diet plan or a flexible one or a DIY one have it pinned in the kitchen. You can refer to it any time you need. Keep it in your bag so if you are out you can have an idea about what your diet plan suggests etc.

Write your shopping list and do your shopping. What ingredients do you need for your meals for the week? Make sure you have them all as not having what you want on the day can make you get frustrated or deviate from your diet.

Step 8 - Exercise

Exercise can help you lose weight and also benefit your health and if that doesn’t really matter to you eventually you do look good. Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean join the gym. As with a diet regime choose the type which suits you best. Find what you like, and if you are unsure about it try different things. A lot of gyms do free day passes for trial or you may be able to buy one or two passes individually.

Other ideas include trying a sport such as football, basketball, tennis etc. Alternatively you can try exercise classes, dancing classes, cycling clubs. There are all sorts of options and activities on offer to choose from.

If money is an issue you can sill exercise for free. Try going running or even just walking, use the stairs instead of the elevator, go cycling in the park.

Points to remember:

1. Consult a medical professional. Similarly with dieting, if you suffer from any health conditions/complaints or have any concerns consult a medical professional.
2. Do you need to diet? For some people exercise alone may be enough to help them lose weight and/or sustain their current weight. If your issue is a couple of pounds and in general you follow a balanced healthy diet exercise may just balance that extra biscuit now and then.
3. Exercise alone is not the answer for everybody and for all your problems. Well just because you started exercising or do exercise doesn’t mean that you can get away with a nutritional murder. At the end of the day if you do consume more calories than you use, you will put on weight (unless there are underlying health issues or the gifted few who never put on weight).

In addition, if you are desperate to lose weight and have more than a couple of pounds to lose exercise alone may be a slow process or may not be enough.    

Step 9 - Which is the best way to go?

You worked everything out but still you are not sure which one is the best way to go? The healthy way is a balanced healthy diet however, for many people it doesn’t really explain anything and is general and confusing.

In general a healthy balanced diet is one which includes all nutrients and from a variety of sources. In simple words it has a little bit of everything. Opt for fresh ingredients and avoid takeaways, fast food, deep fried foods, processed foods etc. 

Step 10 - Lifestyle approach

A weight loss regime, no matter how good it is, will only achieve what is meant to achieve, weight loss. But this is what you wanted, yes? Well whatever the reason was making you put on weight in the first place will still the same unless you remove that reason. Is it too much food to blame, or the wrong kind of food, or sedentary lifestyle or all of the above?

Looking at weight loss as a way to change your lifestyle towards a healthier way rather than a magic temporary pill will probably have a lot more long term benefits. When making decisions and choices is always best to look at the long term goals.

I exercise daily but cannot lose weight

I am a 42yr woman that is having the most difficult time losing weight.  I am in need of major help.  I joined a gym on 03-12-11.  It is now 05-22-11 and I have only lost 5lbs.  I currently weigh 210.  I am going to the gym every day after work.  I am on the elliptical or treadmill for 45-60 min, then I do the weights (every muscle group) for at least 30-45 minutes.  I am consuming around 1300 calories a day, and I am trying to drink at least a gallon of water a day.

I would like to know what I am doing wrong, or what I need to change.  Is there anything you can suggest? I really want to lose weight.

Thanks for listening.

Thank you for your question. First, is hard to calculate your BMI and if you are overweight as I do not have your height. From reading your email I wonder if you actually doing too much. Too much exercise can have the opposite effect, as it can place a lot of stress and strain to your body. I can make the following suggestions:

First of all it may be a good idea to consult your doctor and have a hormone check such as thyroid hormones. It may be good to check your hormones for possible pre-menopausal issues. Such issues could be slowing down your weight loss. Pre-menopause could start as early as 10 years before the actual menopause and it also be influencing body weight. Sometimes the changes could be minimal and may not be detected or you may not have any other menopausal symptoms.

Reduce your exercise. You need to allow some time for your body to recover from the exercise and also to rebuild its self. Also over-exercising can lower your immune system, decrease your muscle fitness and make you feel fatigued and run down. Moreover, it could increase the stress in your body which could be leading in hindering your weight loss. Decrease your gym days to 5 days a week and have two days for rest. You can still be active during those two days just avoid the gym. In addition, is best to do the weights first and aerobic exercise after your weight session. Your body uses glycogen to fuel the weight session and then having been depleted (or low reserves left) it uses fat to fuel aerobic exercise. You may feel a bit tired to start off but after a couple of sessions your body should adjust to burning more fat.

I would not recommend that you reduce your calorie intake any more as you are exercising and you do need the energy. However, you can make a few adjustments such as: 1. Have a delayed protein based breakfast. Increase your protein intake such as meat, fish and lower your carbohydrate intake such as bread, and pasta. Have carbs after you exercise. You need some carbs for your exercise; however, if you have carbs just before you go to the gym you could be burning those carbs. Well you do burn fat as well but you increase your fat burning. It may be also helpful to keep a diary of foods and drinks for a weeks as there could be things that you may not realize and add to your calorie intake (i.e. fizzy drinks, throat sweets).

Another thing to consider is that with exercise you would have increased your muscle which can be heavier than fat. It could be that you have lost some fat from your body but it does not show up as total body weight loss due to the increased muscle weight. After 2 months in the gym some muscle adaptations should have started taking place.

With the information provided these are the things I can suggest so far. There are a number of factors that can influence weight loss such as the amount of excess weight we carry. The more weight the harder weight loss can be, or things like lack of sleep can increase weight gain. I hope the suggestions are of help, and if you have any further questions do contact me again.

Download our free diet and fitness Journal

Keeping a diet and fitness journal is the first step towards a healthy weight loss. By having a clear picture of how many calories you consume daily and how many calories you burn through exercise and activity you can easily set your weight loss targets. If you take into account that 1 pound = 3500 calories and that an average woman needs about 1500-2000 calories per day for normal work activities and an average man needs 2000-2500 calories per day, you can make your calculations and find out how many calories you should consume daily in order to lose weight. A diet and fitness journal is a great way to monitor your progress until you reach your target weight.

Download our diet and fitness journal. It is free and no registration is required.

The benefits of having a weight loss journal

1. You can record the actual number of calories consumed and not the number of calories you think you consume. Many studies show that for many people the number of calories actually consumed was different from the number of calories they thought they consume. By not counting each and every food/drink you put in your mouth you cannot have a precise picture on the calories you consume. By keeping a diet journal for a couple of weeks you will be able to calculate the average number of calories consumed daily and the average number of calories burn daily through exercise and activity.

2. A diet journal can help you identify which food items to remove or replace from your diet. By analyzing your daily diet journals you can easily identify the food items that carry a lot of calories and remove them or replace them with low calorie items.

3. A fitness journal can expose the lack of exercise and activity. If after analysing your journal you notice that the time/calories burn through exercise and activity are minimum or zero then you have just discovered the most important reason as to why you are overweight! Many people believe that they exercise but seeing the results on paper can help you view the ‘real’ picture about your activity levels.

4. Sleep, Water, Work and rest. Our diet and fitness journal allows you to record the number of hours you sleep per day, the number of water glasses you drink, the time you spend resting and watching TV and the time spend working. These numbers are very important when it comes to losing weight. A successful weigth loss is not only about dieting and exercise but is also about finding the right balance between rest, activity and work. The information you record in our journal will be valuable if you decide to get expert advice and assistance.

Tips of using a weight loss journal effectively

1. Print 14 copies of the journal to cover at least 2 weeks. During this period try to record anything that you eat and drink as well as any exercise and activity. Do not forget to fill the hours you sleep, work, rest and the number of water glasses.

2. Position the journal somewhere you can see it every day. The fridge, your office, your car are suggested places.

3. Do not lie. The purpose of the journal is to help you access your current situation so do not lie when filling up the numbers. Try to write correctly the items you eat and the activities you do.

4. Do not rush into conclusions Fill up the diet and fitness journal for at least 2 weeks and then sit down and analyse the results. Calculate your average daily calorie consumption and your average daily calorie burning. Identify areas you need to improve and re-assess your situation after 2 weeks.

You can also read:

How to lose weight if you have a slow metabolism
How many calories to lose weight
How many calories can you burn in 30 minutes?

Finally, do not forget that you can contact us with your questions or queries and one of our dedicated weight loss/fitness experts will reply to your concern.

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