EATING OUT

If you're like most people, you're eating out more than ever. With a little effort, however, you can have almost as much control over what you eat when you dine out as you do at home. The following tips give you the tools you need to win at the restaurant game.

1. Get a Little Something on the Side. Salad dressing is not the only topping that can be served on the side. You can make the same request with sour cream, sauces and most seasonings. Unless the dish is premade, such as frozen lasagna, having the kitchen omit a sauce or serve a topping separately is perfectly acceptable.

2. Ask Until You're Satisfied. Perhaps the most effective method of getting what you want in a restaurant is to ask questions. Whether your question is about ingredients, preparation methods, price, portion size or substitutions, don't settle for a half-baked answer. If your server seems unsure of the answer to your question, have him or her ask a manager.

3. Know When to Go. If you have special instructions for the kitchen, you may want to eat out during nonpeak hours. Between 7:00 and 8:30 pm, most good restaurants get very busy, and your special order may take a little longer or--if you end up having to send it back--a lot longer. Try going before the dinner rush.

4. Fib a Little. What's the best way to be sure the oil is left out of your pasta primavera? Tell your waiter you are allergic to an ingredient in the oil, or you have a dangerous reaction to oil because of a medication you're taking.

5. Use Threats. Politely ask your server to tell the kitchen you will send your food back if it's not prepared to your specifications. This ensures the kitchen will make it right the first time. Remember, it's usually the fault of the cook, not the server, if your food is not prepared properly.

6. Try to Be a Kid Again. Many restaurants have a special children's section on the menu that you may be able to order from. If not, ask the waiter--or the manager, if necessary--if you may have a half order of something. Managers are usually eager to please.

7. Don't Be a Softie. When the dessert cart comes around, don't feel bad about saying, "No, thanks," even if a waiter pressures you. The same goes for unwanted appetizers, drinks or "extra" side dishes. You will not hurt the waiter's feelings by saying no.

8. Stop Eating When You Are Full. Ask someone--your waiter, a busboy, a manager or another waiter--to take your plate when you have had enough. If you can see as soon as you get your plate that the portion is too large (as it will be in some restaurants), immediately divide the food in half. Put one part in a to-go box or just place it to the side.

9. Be a Regular. If you go to the same place often and get to know the staff by name, your requests and questions are more likely to be taken seriously. Who knows, maybe you'll even have a dish named after you!

10.Tip Generously. Like it or not, the restaurant business is a service industry where you are the boss. If you take care of your waiter or waitress, he or she will take care of you.*

By: Tamatha J. Brown

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Posted in: Diet

Reducing Fat

By now you know that too much fat--especially saturated fat--is not good for you. Your body can easily store excess calories from fat as body fat. Plus, saturated fats from animal products, such as meats and dairy foods, can clog your arteries and contribute to heart disease.

But be careful. Although reducing dietary fat is important, eliminating all fat from your diet is not at all healthy. Fat is an essential nutrient that produces energy for daily activities and supplies the body with vitamins A, D and E, which are needed for healthy skin and optimal growth. The body cannot produce fat on its own; it must be provided through dietary intake. For these reasons you should enjoy some fats in your diet, especially monounsaturated fats like olive oil. The key is moderation--not elimination.

Fat Facts

Dietary fat is found in both animal and plant foods. There are three basic classifications of fat: (1) monounsaturated, (2) polyunsaturated and (3) saturated. Unsaturated fats--especially monounsaturated fats--are considered the "healthier" ones. Sources of unsaturated fats include nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and soft margarine products.

Research indicates that an excessive intake of saturated fats tends to raise blood cholesterol levels, thereby increasing risk for heart disease. Animal products--such as beef, butter, dairy products and lard--typically contain more saturated fat than do vegetable products. But some vegetable oils, such as coconut and palm oil (also known as tropical oils), contain large amounts of saturated fat.

There's also an unclassified newcomer in the fat realm--trans fatty acid. Trans fatty acids are the end products of a process called hydrogenation, in which vegetable oils are hardened. The implications that trans fatty acids may play a negative role on health is currently being reviewed, but many nutrition professionals are already advising a limited intake.

The Bottom Line

Health authorities recommend that Americans consume 30 percent or less of their total daily calories from fat, with 10 percent or less of those calories from saturated fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels to help determine how much fat is in food. The following chart can help guide your fat intake. Determine how many calories are in your diet and use the chart to discover how many grams of fat are in 30 percent and 10 percent of your calorie intake. Remember, the recommended percentages refer to your total fat intake over time, not the fat in single foods or meals.

Calories per Day	Total Fat per Day (grams)	Total Saturated Fat per Day (grams)
1,200	40 or less	13 or less
1,600	53 or less	18 or less
2,000	67 or less	22 or less
2,200	73 or less	24 or less
2,500	83 or less	27 or less

10 Tips to Reduce Fat

To help cut down on your fat intake, use the following tips when preparing foods:

1. Use evaporated skim milk instead of cream when preparing sauces or desserts.

2. Create your own nonfat salad dressing by mixing balsamic vinegar, mustard and herbs. If you really prefer an oil-based dressing, try using three parts vinegar to one part oil.

3. Drain nonfat yogurt through a sieve or cheesecloth overnight in the refrigerator, and use in recipes that call for cream.

4. Saute foods in chicken broth, vegetable stock, tomato juice or wine instead of frying them in oil or butter.

5. Keep olive oil in a spray bottle to a lightly coat sauté pans.

6. You can make your own taco shells. Hang soft corn tortillas directly over the oven rack (with the sides of the tortilla hanging down) and bake at 400 degrees until they're crisp. (Taco shells sold in supermarkets are usually fried.)

7. Whip up your own french fries. Place _-inch-thick potato slices on a nonstick baking pan and coat with a light spray of oil. Sprinkle with paprika or salt, and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Turn once during baking. (For a different flavor, try this recipe with sweet potatoes.)

8. To maximize flavor, toast nuts before baking with them. That way, you'll be able to use less. Or sprinkle nuts on top of a home-baked dessert instead of mixing them into the batter.

9. Substitute six egg whites plus one whole egg for every three eggs in your favorite recipes.

10. Substitute an equal amount of applesauce or any baby-food fruits for up to half of the total oil in your favorite dessert recipes. Strained prunes actually enhance the chocolate flavor in brownies!

By: Sandy Markiewicz, RD, MBA

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Posted in: Burn Fat,Fitness

Why Eating Excessive Amounts of Fat Makes us Fat

While most of us know that consuming excessive amounts of fat will make us fat, we don't all understand exactly why this is true. To implement a successful weight management program, you need a good understanding of fat and why this nutrient makes us fat.

The amount of energy a particular food has depends on the quantity of fat, carbohydrates, and protein it contains. Food energy, both in its consumption and expenditure, is measured in terms of calories. Foods are either made up of fats, protein, carbohydrates, or a combination. A food that contains mostly fat will contain more than twice the calories than a food containing mostly carbohydrates and/or protein. For example, compare a serving of low-fat yogurt to a serving of nonfat yogurt--the low-fat yogurt has quite a few more calories than the nonfat variety because every gram of fat has more than twice the calories of a gram of protein or carbohydrate. Fat contains 9 calories per gram; protein and carbohydrates yield only four calories per gram. Therefore, it is important that you move towards replacing foods high in fat with foods higher in protein and complex carbohydrates.

No more than 25 percent of your total calories should come from fat, fewer than 10 percent from saturated fat, the most damaging form. A recent study of 23 lean men and 23 obese men found little difference in the total number of calories each group consumed. But the obese men consumed, on average, more than 33 percent of their total calories from fat, compared with 29 percent for the lean men. Because the body converts dietary fat into body fat more easily than it converts protein and carbohydrates into body fat, the obese men were storing more fat even though both groups consumed the same total number of calories.

During the process of converting protein and carbohydrates to fat, your body uses them as energy and burns more than a quarter of their calories; it takes more energy (calories "burned") to convert carbohydrates and protein into body fat than it does to convert dietary fat into body fat. Thus, more carbohydrate and protein calories are used and fewer are stored as fat. Dietary fat, on the other hand, goes straight into storage, with very few calories being used. For example, John consumes 2,000 calories a day of which 40 percent come from fat. If John replaces half of the fat calories (20 percent of total calories) with calories coming from complex carbohydrates, less food will be converted to body fat even though the total number of calories consumed has not changed.

It is important to note that when that 20 percent of the 2,000 calories from fat now comes from carbohydrates (or protein), you consume a lot more food, since each gram of carbohydrate or protein contains less than half as many calories per gram. Therefore, when you begin to decrease the amount of fat in your diet and replace it with carbohydrates and protein, even if you still consume the same amount of food as before, you will be consuming a lot fewer calories.

If dietary fat were easy to control, most "diets" would probably succeed. Even with the recent explosion of low-fat and nonfat products, people generally still eat too much fat. The reason is simple: We have grown up loving fat, and we are accustomed to its taste and texture. Although most people do not usually crave fat as they do sugar or salty foods, we do have a strong taste preference for fat. Fat is responsible for the flavor and texture of many of our favorite foods: meats, cheese, dressings, sauces, creams, desserts, etc.

Because a high-fat diet increases fat storage and yields more than twice the amount of calories, the most effective way to reduce body fat is to concentrate on reducing your daily fat intake. Even if you do not consciously lower your total caloric intake, making the switch to a low-fat diet will most likely result in fat loss. However, attempts to suddenly restrict high-fat foods when you still have a strong preference for them causes feelings of deprivation which may, in turn, cause a higher intake of fat than normal. Deprivation is part of the "diet" process, and one of the main reasons it is doomed to fail. It is very important to make gradual, healthier changes to the foods you enjoy. Drastic changes backfire. When people base their food choices on the number of calories consumed and a "foods allowed/not allowed" list, the focus is on numbers rather than satiety and enjoyment of the foods' taste and texture. This often negates any positive effect the original focus on choosing low-fat foods may have had. Simply counting calories and grams of fat does not make for a permanent healthy lifestyle change. If tastes do not shift to enjoying foods lower in fat, this quickly becomes too restrictive and normal eating habits resume.

I'm not saying that you should avoid counting grams of fat altogether. The way to lower fat in your diet is to become a fat-conscious eater--and this requires that you know the amount of fat in each food. However, instead of counting fat grams and deciding if it is a "good food" or a "bad food," try to balance the foods you are eating so that you average 25 percent or less of your total calories from fat each day. It's okay to have a piece or two of high-fat pizza (pizza can be low-fat) if you are truly hungry and craving it, as long as you balance that out with low-fat foods at other meals soon after. What's crucial is to learn how to make small healthier changes. Consume fat in moderation by balancing higher fat foods with lower fat foods.

You should now have a better understanding of fat and why excess consumption of this nutrient makes us fat. Your greatest challenge, however, is not learning new low-fat shopping or cooking techniques. Nor is it remembering how to calculate fat percentages or what to say to the waiter to reduce the fat in your restaurant meal. The greatest challenge facing you at this moment is deciding whether you are willing to make a change--to make small, gradual changes to the foods you love.

Sure, there is plenty of work to be done, but it really doesn't matter how long this new process takes. If you allow changes to take place over several years, your body will adjust comfortably, and you will be more likely to maintain the healthy lifestyle permanently. When you begin achieving improvements in energy and physical and psychological performance, the fun and excitement you experience will make the change well worth the effort. Action creates motivation! Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.

By: Chad Tackett, president of GHF
www.Global-Fitness.com

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Posted in: Diet

Holiday Eating

Do you want to avoid the pitfalls of weight gain this holiday season? Eating lighter foods doesn't mean taking the joy out of celebrating. It only means skimming off the fat, cutting back a little and learning to modify traditional recipes. Try the following pointers.

• Pay attention to portion sizes. Instead of eating twice what you usually do, set down your fork when you start feeling full.
• If you're cooking turkey for a small group, instead of wrestling with a 20-pound bird, why not buy just a part of the turkey, like the breast? Then you won't have a platter of leftovers to tempt you. Prepare the stuffing outside the bird, so it doesn't absorb the fat.
• Use skim milk instead of whole milk in the mashed potatoes.
• Make sugar cookies with a third less sugar--they're still delicious! And for a lower-calorie frosting, you can't beat light cream cheese mixed with a little honey.
• Try the Holiday Recipe Makeover Guide to make recipes lower in fat, cholesterol, calories and sodium (but still maintain the taste):

Traditional Holiday Meal	Makeover Holiday Meal
1. White and dark meat (6 oz): 289 calories 8 g fat 130 mg cholesterol 120 mg sodium	1. White meat only (6 oz): 178 calories 3 g fat 78 mg cholesterol 71 mg sodium
2. Turkey gravy (1/4 c): 76 calories 7 g fat 7 mg cholesterol 250 mg sodium	2. Skim fat from juices: 14 calories 0 g fat 0 mg cholesterol 0 mg sodium
3. Stuffing (2/3 c) 290 calories 17 g fat 43 mg cholesterol 713 mg sodium	3. Replace 1/3 bread w/ vegetables 160 calories 4 g fat 2 mg cholesterol 0 mg sodium
4. Yams (3/4 c) "Candied." 250 calories 6 g fat 16 mg cholesterol 9 mg sodium	4. W/ pineapple, apple juice omit margarine. 105 calories 0 g fat 0 mg cholesterol 1 mg sodium
5. Cranberry sauce (1/2 c) 210 calories 0 g fat 0 mg cholesterol 40 mg sodium.	5. Grind cranberries w/ oranges and apples 90 calories 0 g fat 0 mg cholesterol 1 mg sodium
6. Pumpkin pie (1/8 pie). With whipped cream 450 calories 33 g fat 66 mg cholesterol 299 mg sodium.	6. Pumpkin filling w/evaporated skim milk 1/3 less sugar. 142 calories 2 g fat 0 mg cholesterol 115 mg sodium

By: Ruth Lahmayer, MS, RD

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Posted in: Diet

20 GET MOVING MOTIVATORS

Studies have shown that carrying groceries, doing yardwork, and cleaning your house counts as physical activity. So, while you're not exercising per se, you're at least giving your body some physical benefits.

But still you know that this kind of activity isn't going to guarantee a flatter stomach, greater strength, and a longevity boost. So how do find time and energy reach your fitness goals? Here are every-day tips for your exercise inspiration....

1. Take a picture of yourself and have it "morphed" at a photo shop. Wanna see how you look 10, 20, 30 pounds lighter? Have the picture people edit the picture in the image you like, then take home copies of it and hang them everywhere you can see it. Harness the power of visualization.

2. Keep a stack of your favorite magazines that you promise yourself you can read only at the gym. If the issues start piling up, you know it's time to schedule a workout.

3. Did you know that NOT exercising AT ALL is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes A DAY? (Fear is a good motivator for some.)

4. Your dog. If you want your pooch to enjoy a longer, healthier life, s/he needs to get moving, too. You'll find as both of you get fit, s/he is more enthusiastic, and will give you a challenging workout. If not, YOU give him/her a challenging workout.

5. Work out with your spouse/life partner. Not only does it get both of you healthy and strong, but can also spice up your romantic life.

6. Erase YEARS off your body. Chronologically you may be 40, but with regular, vigorous exercise and healthy nutrition, people are going to do a double-take and think you're in your mid-30's. Imagine how awesome you'll feel, when you not only feel younger, but to OTHER people you look younger. Act younger, too.

7. Begin an accomplishments journal. At the end of each day, write down what you've accomplished that day to move you closer toward your fitness and/or life goals. DO NOT WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED. That doesn't matter. What matters is what you ARE doing; we all need a long-overdue, well-deserved pat on the back on a regular basis.

8. Use the TV. Here's the catch: work out only when your favorite show is on. Or, record your favorite show and work out during that (but don't fast forward through commercials - unless you have consecutive episodes taped). Can help time to fly by faster.

9. Hire a personal trainer or coach. If you're having extreme difficulty with motivation, hire a professional to get you to reorganize your life to make taking care of yourself a top priority (which it should be). A good coach or trainer will teach you how to help YOURSELF, without you having to hold someone else's hand, and help you realize that YOU have the power and ability to do this on your own.

10. Split your workouts. Some recent studies are showing that a split workout can burn more calories than one full workout. So if time's an issue (gee, there's a thought) try getting up 30 minutes earlier in the morning for a short-burst 15 minute workout, then steal another 15-20 minutes at lunch or in the evening.

11. Use your daily planner. You have important commitments scheduled into your planner, right? Volunteer work, doctor appointments, children's activities, etc. Where's EXERCISE??? It's as important a commitment (if not more) than your other activities. Quick tip: mark "EXERCISE" in your planner with a bright colored marker, so it stands out as a reminder to get your butt in gear.

12. Listen to audio books while you exercise. Self-improvement and motivation books are GREAT here. You'll feel twice as productive, and highly energized, and the time will fly.

13. Reward yourself. It never ceases to amaze me how hard we are on ourselves when we don't accomplish, and how hard we are on ourselves when we DO accomplish. Whenever you reach a milestone, have something in mind, like a trip to the day spa, new shoes or clothes (as long as it's NON-EDIBLE).

14. Have kids? Look at their pictures to remind you that you want to be around to share life with them, with plenty of energy. You don't want your 10-year old to be throwing you around the house, do you?

15. Want to keep fitting into your favorite jeans? You know, the ones that fit you nicely several years ago? Keep them. Keep trying them on to keep yourself in check to keep eating right and exercising.

16. Keep a journal of how you feel after exercise. Especially the great workouts. On the days you just don't feel like exercising, look back on the good workout days for some inspiration.

17. See exercise as a stress-releaser. A simple shift in attitude can do wonders for your stress levels. If you've had a long, hard day at work, exercise is something to LOOK FORWARD TO to relieve your stress and revive yourself.

18. Check out the e-mail, chat, or discussion groups on the Internet that deal with fitness, weight loss, diet, exercise, etc.

19. Have young kids? Use the day care at the gym - so there's no excuse about who's going to watch the kids. Or, have a family member(s) or a friend watch them. So there REALLY is no excuse for not working out.

20. Look in the mirror. Sometimes that is all you need to trigger you into the lean, fit, and energized mode.

By Garrett J. Braunreiter, CSCS, The Energy Coach

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Posted in: Fitness

Healthy Resolutions For The Whole Year

'Tis the season to make New Year's resolutions, so let's take a look at yours! Check the following list to see if you have done all you can to set yourself up for success in sticking to your plans for a more healthy lifestyle.

Be Specific
Specific behavior-change plans are easier to stick to than vague resolutions like "I will lose ten pounds." If your resolution is vague, then add a specific plan of action that will guide you toward your goal. Rather than "I will exercise more," how about "I will go to the afternoon aerobics class on Tuesday and Thursday, and work out in the weight room on Monday and Friday."

Change For The Right Reasons
When Socrates said, "To thine own self be true," he might have been talking about making behavior-change plans. Research has shown that negative feelings are a frequent cause of relapse in behavior-change programs, and resolutions that feel like punishment cause negative feelings. Resolutions must be perceived as changes that will help you progress toward a higher level of optimal well-being in all spheres of your life. Don't decide to change a behavior just to please others or because you think people will like you more if you change. Your decision to change a habit must be perceived as something you are doing to take better care of yourself and something that will eventually help you get more out of life.

Be Creative
Maybe the behavior you wish to change can dovetail with other goals. Do you need to exercise and spend more time with your family? How about a trip to the park where your children bike while you walk briskly? Do you want to meet some new friends? Take a class that reinforces your goals and helps you to meet new people.

Believe In Yourself
Before you attempt to change a behavior, you must first have a change of heart. Reinforce your belief in yourself by finding realistic role models, people like yourself who are doing what you want to do. If they can do it, so can you!

Be Realistic
Be sure your action plan is a realistic one that can fit into your lifestyle. Will you really have the energy to go out for that evening exercise class? Make changes as easy and convenient as possible.

Anticipate Roadblocks
What could prevent you from sticking to your resolutions? Cold weather? Illness? Fatigue? Lack of time? Make a plan for coping with the inevitable obstacles of life. Most of all, don't let a few days of relapse turn into a year of unfulfilled resolutions. Life is a compromise; do the best you can to get back on track as soon as possible.

Have Fun And Get Involved
It's easier to stick to your plans when you feel good. Replace the rewards of your old pattern (if there were any) with something else. Trying to eat less fat? Be sure your food is still delicious and enjoy your meals. Make your life as pleasant as possible during this period of behavior change. Get involved in activities that help you feel happy and fulfilled.

Build A Support System
Get the support of family, friends and co-workers. If your resolution involves quitting a serious addiction like smoking, drinking or compulsive eating, get professional help and join a support group if possible.

By: ACE

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Posted in: Fitness

Weight-loss Plateaus and Pitfalls

It's kind of like running into a wall - that feeling you get when, after a few months on a weight-loss program, you suddenly stop seeing results. This is called hitting a plateau and it is not uncommon. In fact, unless you continually update your program to reflect the changes your body has already experienced, you can almost be guaranteed to plateau at some point along your journey toward reaching your goal weight.

Weight-loss Woes

The first thing you should do upon hitting a plateau is try to determine the cause. Could you be eating more calories than you think? Research shows that most people underreport the number of calories they eat - it's not that they're lying, they just don't know how to make an accurate assessment of how much they're eating. And even if you're eating less calories than before you lost the weight, you could be eating just enough to maintain your current weight at your current activity level. It is important to keep in mind that as you lose weight, your metabolism slows down because there is less of you to fuel, both at rest and during activity. So, while a diet of 1,800 calories per day helped you lose a certain amount of weight, if you've hit a plateau, it could be that 1,800 calories is the exact amount you need to stay at your current weight.

Exercise Your Options

This leaves you with two options: Lower your caloric intake further or increase the amount of time you spend being physically active. The first option is less desirable because you may not be able to get sufficient nutrients from a diet that is very low in calories, and it is difficult to stick to it for very long. It is much better to moderately reduce calories to a level that you can sustain when you reach your goal weight. The same is true for exercise. Trying to exercise for several hours per day to burn more calories is a good way to set yourself up for failure. Not only does this type of regimen require an enormous time commitment, it is hard on the body, making you more susceptible to injury and overuse syndromes. To help balance the intake with the expenditure, a good rule of thumb is to multiply your goal weight by 10 calories per pound, and add more calories according to how active you are. Again, be realistic. Don't attempt too much in an effort to burn more calories. Instead, aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity most of the days of the week and, as you become more fit, gradually increase the intensity and duration of your exercise sessions. Choose activities that you find enjoyable, whether that be in-line skating, step classes or even mall walking. Another means for getting you off the plateau is strength training, which has been shown to be very effective in helping people manage their weight because the added muscle helps to offset the metabolism-lowering effect of dieting and losing weight. Muscle is much more metabolically active than fat; therefore, the more muscle you can add, the higher your metabolism will be.

Get Off The Plateau

If you've stopped losing weight, the key to getting off the plateau is to vary your program. The human body is an amazing piece of machinery, capable of adapting to just about any circumstance or stimulus. By shaking things up a bit and varying your program by introducing some new elements, you'll likely find yourself off the plateau and back on the road to progress in no time

By: ACE

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Posted in: Weight loss

How Do I Build Muscle? Essential Techniques Revealed

Firstly, training. I'm afraid there is no escaping it! You must train with weights if you want to gain muscle on your body, and by weights I mean free weights. Barbells, dumbbells and power racks are your friends here! Find a good gym that has this equipment and that is really all you need. All those fancy machines in the gym may look appealing but they are nowhere near was effective for adding muscle to your frame as free weights are. Focus on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, chins and dips.

Nutrition is your next concern. Ditch the pizza and hamburgers and eat some good, clean food. Protein builds muscle so aim to eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Try not to rely on powdered protein drinks and instead have lean chicken, beef, fish etc - protein that comes from whole food is more beneficial for muscle building than powder.

Next up is carbohydrates, if you don't eat enough carbs the protein you have eaten won't be used effectively. The amount of carbs you eat is a tricky one as some people are more carb sensitve than others (resulting in fat gain). As an example, if you are 12 stone aim for 5 meals of carbs at 40 grams each (with protein and fat thrown in) - this will give you 200 grams per day however you may need more on a workout day. Don't forget fat, not all fats are bad and some are very good for you. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are amazingly good for your health and will help you build muscle. EFAs are found in foods such as oily fish, nuts, seeds and avocados among others.

So we have covered training and diet, the final component is rest. You must rest to allow your body to recuperate and grow. When you train your muscles the fibers are actually being broken down, when you rest your body will use the food you have eaten to rebuild the muscle fibers. Rest is very important to aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night.

If someone asks you "how do I build muscle?". You know the three components are nutrition, training and rest - all you have to do is stick with it and the muscle will come! If you want to discover how to put this together in the most effective way possible and make sure your success is guaranteed

Author: Edword Hickfort

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Posted in: Muscle Building

Losing Weight The Safe And Natural Way

Losing weight is probably one of the hardest tasks a person can face, but it doesn't have to be. It is a simple formula of eating healthy, getting some exercise, and drinking plenty of water. That's it!

I know, I can hear all the moaning from here, but that really is the formula for losing weight. By the way, I am not some skinny person who found this information in some book, and decided to pass it on.

I struggled with a weight problem my whole life, and one day while looking in the mirror after a shower, I joined a weight loss clinic.

All they did was give me some photo copied menu's to follow, told me to exercise, drink water, gave me a dietary supplement, and had me come in every week to get weighed. No it wasn't weight watchers.

I was upset to say the least when I left their office because I paid a fairly large sum of money (up front), and this was it. Where are the specialist, the doctors?

When I got home I read their menus. They wanted me to eat chicken, CHICKEN, I don't eat chicken, I eat pizza. They wanted me to drink water. WATER, I don't drink water, I drink soda. This is not good!

But then reality set in, and I realized that eating pizza and drinking soda is what got me where I was, and it wasn't a good place, so I knew I had to do it. The foods were basically what we should all be eating anyway. Lean meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

The enemies are flour, sugar, and salt. If you can keep most of your meals to the foods above, and stay away from the enemies, you have a very good beginning for losing weight.

A good idea is to buy a cookbook that has recipes for losing weight and eating healthy. Try to stay away from store bought foods that are already prepared. They are usually not a good choice.

If you need to buy store bought, learn to check ingredient labels, because they can be very deceiving. See how many serving they say are in the package.

That's a favorite trick of food packagers, to say there are 4 or 5 servings in a package, that anyone can see is for one or two people.

Now when you read the label, and it says 25 grams of carbs, you say, gee, that's not too bad. But that's 25 grams per serving, and your package has 5 servings. Ut O. That's how they get you.

The bottom line is if you make a commitment to follow this weight loss plan, it will work! Just slowly work your way into it. Don't decide to start losing weight Monday, or next Tuesday, or the first of the year, or whatever, start today.

But start slowly, this is not a diet, this is a life style change. Get the word diet out of your head. You are going to lose weight by changing your eating habits forever.

To finish my story, I followed the plan that the weight loss center put me on to the letter, and started losing weight quickly. I was losing two to three pounds a week, eating three meals a day.

After six months the weight loss place I was going to wanted me to renew my membership, but because of the price they charged I dropped out.

I knew the plan, and could do it on my own. The only problem was they would not give me the weight loss supplement any more, and that really slowed down my results, to about a pound or less a week.

It's hard to find a good safe supplement, and that took me some time, but I finally did and got back on track. When I started this program I was 305 pounds, and I got down to 188 pounds and still holding. Looking back, it was all worth it because I feel so much better, and I know I am much healthier.

My mother always had two sayings that I would run through my head whenever I was having a weak moment, "A minute on the lips, forever on the hips" and " Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels".

She was right. The few minutes of enjoyment aren't worth the long term consequences. Try this natural way of losing weight. It may be the best thing you ever do for you!

Author: Glenn Downer

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Posted in: Weight loss

How to Be a Bodybuilder Instead of a Gym Rat

There must be some reason why certain people build more muscle and lose more fat than others.

Said another way, if two equally gifted individuals start working out ... why does one make significant progress and the other looks like they don't even belong to a gym?

Is it simply a random occurrence - the proverbial, "your genetics determine your physique"?

Is it simply whoever trained harder on that particular day? Is it simply that one person had a greater desire to challenge themselves than the other?

To be sure things like genetics, opportunity and desire contribute to the outcome of most bodybuilders, but there is another factor - often unseen - that plays a huge role in determining who gets to show off the six pack when summer rolls around.

And that factor is "gym strategy."

That is -

More...In a high percentage of instances between two equally-gifted bodybuilders, the one who plays "smarter" will accomplish the goals they set.

In fact, by playing "smarter" not only will you make more progress against equally-gifted people, you'll eventually surpass people who are "genetically better" than you! (I.E. Skinny Guys can be bigger than Naturally Muscular people.)

One thing that I've been guilty of over the years and a trap I've seen almost every bodybuilder I know fall into as well is devoting time, energy and money to improving technically, but not strategically.

In other words: too many lifters try to improve our weight used without improving our use of them.

I'll give you a perfect example:

Tony has been working out at the local gym for 5 years. He's improved his lifts in almost all areas. He's stronger and he's bigger than when he started. But his physique doesn't change too much. Tony looks the same this year as he did the last 3 years. There's one guy at the gym who's body shape changes a lot, to the point he's been accused (silently) of taking something.

Why? This guy comes into the gym with a solid plan (usually pre-printed). He is immediately focused on doing the workout he planned quickly and efficiently. His stopwatch won't allow him to have those 2-3 hour workouts. He'll be in and out of the gym in 60 minutes for sure. If something is taken, he's immediately got another exercise in mind and is doing it. He doesn't seem to do the same routine forever.

So, that's what we're going to talk about during the remainder of this report. I'm going to quickly share the mental strategy that I've developed after 17+ years of bodybuilding and watching what goes on in the gym.

I call it the "How to B.E.A.T Any Bodybuilder At Your Level system. I use the acronym B.E.A.T. to illustrate the four critical steps of this winning system. Each letter B, E, A and T to represent one of the four steps...

B: BE systematic in your workouts.

In other words, come to the gym with a game plan. Have a basic idea of what exercises you want to perform - both sets and reps. Mentally prepare to do the workout. Many people will visually go thru an entire leg routine before ever doing it. Go the gym full well knowing what it is you want to do. Track your progress in a journal. Know what works for you and what doesn't. Keep the things that work, ditch the things that don't.

E: ESTABLISH control of your focus.

Concentrate and focus on getting in the gym and out of the gym. Save the chatter for later. The more you can establish control of your focus (concentrate) the better your workouts will be and the less frazzled you'll become. You'll be able to concentrate on the areas that need the most attention and less on those that don't. Better focus leads to less time spend standing around.

A: ATTACK your weakness.

Every person has a weak or lagging body part. Your job is to determine what your weakness is and improve the area it as often as possible. Do you have weak calves? Train calves with determination and not as an after thought when leaving the gym. If your chest is your weak point, then focus on it. Bring up your lagging body parts and make them a priority. If your arms
are already huge, skip arm workouts and focus on your weakest body part.

T: TRANSITION as needed.

Workout routines are great to have - and oftentimes they work like a charm. But, what happens when they don't? You go to Plan B, of course! Prepare in advance what to do if certain things are happening. I have a list that includes such entries as, "If the incline bench is taken, I'll move to the Swiss ball and do dumbbell press on them followed by push-ups."

The important thing to learn is this: if you outsmart your typical gym-goers, you'll usually surpass them. Especially if they're at an equal skill level. And even if they're genetically better than you in many cases.

Head to the gym today, but don't just take your gym bag with you. Take your strategy as well. That's your real secret weapon.

Author: Marc David

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Posted in: Body Builder

A Walk A Day . . .

The popularity of walking as a fitness activity is growing by leaps and bounds. Low risk and easy to start, walking has proved its health benefits in numerous studies. An eight-year study of 13,000 people found that those who walked 30 minutes a day had a significantly lower risk of premature death than those who rarely exercised.

A regular walking program can help:

• Reduce blood cholesterol
• Lower blood pressure
• Increase cardiovascular endurance
• Boost bone strength
• Burn calories and keep weight down

Get Ready
A walking program is simple to start. All you need are comfortable clothes and shoes. Layer loose clothing, keeping in mind that exercise elevates the body's temperature. Shoes specifically designed for walking are best.

Every workout should begin with a brief warm-up and a few simple stretches. Walk around the house or in place for a few minutes to get the blood flowing to the muscles before you attempt to stretch them. Although walking primarily works the major muscles of the legs, don't forget to stretch your back, shoulders and arms. This will help to loosen up any tension you may be carrying and make your walk more enjoyable as well as more effective.

Get Moving
Beginning walkers can make their workouts less strenuous by limiting how fast and far they walk. Keep in mind the following:

1. Walk short distances. Begin with a five-minute stroll and gradually increase your distance.

2. Forget about speed. Walk at a comfortable pace. Focus on good posture, keeping your head lifted and shoulders relaxed.

3. Swing your arms naturally, and breathe deeply. If you can't catch your breath, slow down or avoid hills.

4. Be sure you can talk while walking. If you can't converse, you are walking too fast.

Get Fit!
Walking is one fitness activity that allows you numerous options. Once you have reached a point where you can walk a few miles with relative ease, you can start to vary the intensity. Walking hills, in addition to increasing your cardiovascular endurance, is a great way to tone the legs. Concentrate on lengthening your stride or increasing your speed. And don't forget to reward yourself after each workout with a few minutes of relaxing stretches to help prevent sore muscles.

Listening to lively music while you walk is also a great way to energize your workout. But if you wear headphones, keep the volume down and watch out for traffic that you may not hear.

Keep track of your progress. Many experts recommend that you walk a minimum of 20 minutes a day. But there are no hard and fast rules. Fit walking into your schedule whenever you can. That may mean two 10-minute walks each day, or even hour-long walks two to three times a week. The best schedule is one that keeps you walking and keeps you fit!

Source: ACE

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Posted in: Fitness

Three Things Every Exercise Program Should Have

1. What your should know to design a safe & effective exercise program

A complete fitness program must include aerobic exercise, muscular strength and endurance conditioning, and flexibility exercise. Aerobic exercise does good things for your cardiovascular system and is an important part of weight management. Muscular conditioning can improve strength and posture, reduce the risk of lower back injury, and is also an important component of a weight management program. Flexibility exercise is needed to maintain joint range of motion and reduce the risk of injury and muscle soreness.

2. Aerobic exercise can be as simple as walking
Walking is a weight-bearing aerobic exercise. So are jogging, rope skipping and dance-exercise. Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups in a continuous, rhythmic fashion for sustained periods of time. There are also non-weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as bicycling, stationary cycling, swimming and rowing.

Keep the pace comfortable.
A very important aspect of your exercise program is the intensity. You should exercise at a comfortable pace. You can measure your exercise heart rate to check the intensity of your exercising, or you can take the 'talk test.'

To measure your heart rate, take your pulse as soon as you stop exercising. Count your heartbeat for 10 seconds, then multiply that by six to convert it to a one-minute heart rate. If you keep your exercise heart rate within a range of 55 percent to 80 percent of an estimated maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), you're doing well.

The talk test is easier to accomplish. Just exercise at a pace that allows you to carry on a conversation while you're exercising.

How often should you exercise?
Three to four days of aerobic activity is fine for general health maintenance. If you're trying to lose weight, aim for four or more days a week, being sure you take off at least one day a week.

How long should you exercise?
Work up to 20 or more minutes per session for general health maintenance. For weight loss, gradually work up to 45 minutes or longer at low to moderate intensities in a low- or no-impact activity.

3. Strength conditioning gives your a choice
Pick calisthenics, free weights or machines. Just be sure that your strength training includes exercises for every major muscle group, including the muscles of the arms, chest, back, stomach, hips and legs.

Start with a weight that's comfortable to handle and keep it up for eight repetitions. Gradually add more repetitions until you can complete 12 repetitions. For greater strength conditioning, add more weight and/or more repetitions, in sets of eight to 12, when the exercise becomes easy.

Stretch for flexibility
Proper stretching involves holding a mild stretch of 10 to 30 seconds while you breathe normally. Always warm up before you stretch. Like strength conditioning, flexibility exercises should include stretching for all the major muscle groups.

One last thing to remember . . .
Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially if you're over 40, or have cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of heart disease.

Source: ACE FitnessMatters

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Posted in: Exercise

What to Look for in a Fitness Home Trainer

Working out is the best way to stay healthy and keep in shape. It helps to improve your overall health and well-being in many ways. In fact, it can help reduce your risks of having serious and life threatening diseases such as high blood pressure and heart conditions. Having a fitness home trainer is a great way to help get your body in shape in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Using a trainer can provide you with many benefits that would be hard to get from anyplace else. For one thing, the trainer will be able to design a routine for you personally. This will help you to receive the most results for your efforts.

They will help you keep up with your progress and make sure that you are reaching your goals over a period of time that is healthy for you. In other words, you will be able to work at your own pace and speed. When you are searching for a fitness home trainer you should consider how much you will be paying them for the type of training they will be providing plus their availability. They need to be able to come to your home when you have the time to workout. The whole point of hiring a fitness home trainer is for the special attention they can give and if they are not available when you need them it defeats the purpose.

Before you hire a fitness home trainer it is important to check their credentials and make sure they have a good reputation. After all, this person will be coming into your home on a regular basis so you need to know that you can trust them. It is also important to find out in advance what they have to offer you. For example, if they don’t have a good creative view on exercises and updated equipment they will not be able to create a routine that you will be happy with. If you get bored you will begin to lose interest and not get the full benefits from your training.

It would be a good idea to hire a trainer that is certified in CPR and first aid. They should have the documents to prove they have this training. If you have any medical condition that limits your abilities then having a fitness home trainer is the best way to get the exercise you need. They will be able to design a routine that will provide you with the most benefits without complicating your condition. Taking measures to get in shape and stay that way can greatly improve your overall health while improving the quality of your life.

Author: Chelsea Aubin

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Posted in: Fitness

Weight Loss and You

What are Some Simple Ways to Lose Weight?

Sometimes complicated diet plans aren’t the way to go; you can use simple dieting techniques and lose just as much or even more weight. One easy technique is eating 6 small meals a day this helps regulate your insulin levels. This also helps you to not over eat a certain meal. Also, calorie counting is very important. By monitoring the amount of certain calories you intake, you can easily lose weight. Men (who want to lose weight) need to intake about 1,600-1,800 calories a day and women should intake 1,400-1,600 to lose weight. You can adjust these calories to speed up or slow down the weight loss. Exercising is another important step in losing weight. Simple exercises such as jogging or doing squats can make a very large difference in gaining muscle and losing fat.

Starting out slow and building up to larger workouts is better than trying to run a solid hour your first day. This can cause health problems, so don’t over-do it. Other people try hypnosis for weight loss. Quite a few people have actually reported great success with this technique, and there are hardly ever any side effects to hypnosis. There are also available surgeries, but these can cause painful and sometimes life-threatening side effects. Surgeries such as liposuction and stomach stapling can be potentially harmful, even though they are effective.

What about diet pills?

Some people report having great outcomes when taking diet pills, others not so much. Its true diet pills can be effective but not by themselves. Some people have trouble with weight loss pills working for a few months, and then the body would quickly adjust to the pills and the effect would wear off. There is a difference between prescription weight loss pills and over-the-counter weight loss pills.

The prescription pills are mainly used to treat obesity; the over-the-counter pills are used to treat "cosmetic" weight loss. The prescription pills, such as Xenical, are very effective and should only be taken in extreme cases. Although diet pills can have some side effects, all-in-all, as long as they are taken correctly and not abused, they can be an effective way to lose weight.

Author: Brian Welsch

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Posted in: Weight loss

How You Can Grow Physically, Mentally and Spiritually - Daily

What do you want to be first thing in the morning? Energetic Fresh. Vibrantly alive. You can be all these and more - because the key to them lies, in your hands! What you need to do is start your body's energy cycle that lasts for the entire day. And how do you rev up this energy cycle which means, you create- use-up-create energy constantly? By two simple ways - exercise, and eat (when you must) the right food.

The best breakfast you can treat yourself to is exercising. Walking or jogging or cycling or swimming or inchstepping, for 20 to 42 minutes awakens you like nothing else does. It stimulates your insides by working on your muscle tissues, relaxes your digestive tract, rids your body of wastes, gives you more punch than the caffeine you get from your morning cuppa.

Eating in the morning does not really help your energy cycle. You will know why later in this chapter. But, if you must eat, go for fresh fruits and sugar-free fruit juices. Your body can digest them with ease. Thus, the energy cycle generated by exercising does not get used up for digestion and you are free to use it for more important jobs.

Aha! you might say, these guys promised us that we have to make little changes to make big differences. Do they call these little changes? Why, I've never exercised in the morning! And as for drinking fruit juice instead of coffee... forget it! Wait! Don't tune off. We are talking of an ideal situation here. If you can switch to this state without feeling any pangs, you'd be into your energy cycle almost with a snap of your fingers!

But what if you are used to eating a hearty breakfast? What if the thought of eating fruit in the morning makes you squirm? What if you don't feel ready to face the day without your morning cuppa? Here is where that tiny change waltzes in, Have your morning cuppa without sugar. If you cannot cultivate a taste for your unsweetened beverage, use a sugar-free sweetener, but try to wean yourself out of this habit gradually.

If you feel unfinished without sinking your teeth into your toast, continue to do so. Just substitute the butter with a delicious herbal spread, You can pile onions, coriander leaves, ginger, garlic, salt, lemon juice into your mixer and churn out this mouth-watering chutney. Spread it over your slice and crunch away! If you are into dosas or parathas prepare them without oil or ghee. And you can use the same fat-free chutney as an accompaniment. Coconut as a base for your herbal spread is avoidable since it increases your cholestrol. It is far healthier to use onions.

Afternoon: If you haven't had time for exercising, here is your opportunity to do so. Your lunch hour is your own. You could go for a 42-minute walk. Or swim if you have a pool handy. If your office has a gym, use the walker or stationary cycle. If you have your own cabin, you can inchstep. Keep jogging shoes, socks and a mat permanently in your cabin.

Once again, the ideal lunch would be a soup and a nice luscious salad or a medley of vegetables with a fat-free masala - eaten with oil-less rotis or bread. Wash it down with fresh buttermilk or chaas.

If you cannot do without your thali, have hot steamed rice (without ghee) and a fat free sambhar or dal with your sabzi cooked in an oil-less masala. A void pickles and papads. Most of them have excess oil and salt. For dessert, sink your sweet tooth into a nice juicy fruit. If you eat out regularly, try and inculcate these hints into the chief's menu. We are sure a good restauranteur would want to please his regular customer.

Tea-time: Your tea should be sugar-free, and if you enjoy a snack with your evening cuppa have idlis or cream crackers. The humble idli is an ideal health food. You can even put sprouts into its mix before steaming. And, of course, the accompaniment should be the oil-less sambhar or the herbal chutney we've already mentioned.

TV-time: In the evening, while watching television, you can inchstep or pedal on your stationary cycle. If you like snacking, crunch on cucumber fingers. Instead of eating fried farsan or peanuts (they contain high cholestrol), you could make your own TV snack. For example, mix vegetables with sprouts and a few roasted channas, sprinkle them with chaat masala and squeeze a fresh lemon. Or spread chutney on a cream cracker, place a sliced tomato over it, sprinkle with sprouts and chaat masala, and place a tiny sprig of coriander or mint leaves as a garnish. Salted biscuits are not recommended for obvious reasons.

Dinner. Your night thali can be similar to your afternoon one - steamed rice, fat-free dal, a sabzi cooked in an oil-less masala, a chutney and fruit. If you enjoy onion bhajiyas, dip them in their batter and grill or bake them, Don't fry them. Pre-dinner appetiser. Perhaps you are used to imbibing alcohol before dinner. The healthiest way would be to give it up. Relax with a glass of buttermilk. Or fresh fruit juice. If that is not possible, don't exceed two small pegs of your favourite. Beyond that, it's just not worth risking your health.

Initially, preparing such meals may appear an onerous task. But that is only because you are not used to it. In time to come, you will realise that oil-less cooking is far simpler and quicker than the oily way. It involves churning out the masala in your mixer and cooking your vegetables in it, or boiling the dal with the seasoning such as mustard seeds, curry pata, etc. By following such a fatless and sugar-free lifestyle daily, you can splurge once in a way when you are out at a friend's place or at a restaurant.

On such occasions, you will be surprised how full you feel on food cooked in oil-for by then, your system will be tuned to healthy eating. By adopting the simple principles mentioned above, you will be aiding your body's energy cycle. You will enjoy your meals even as you continue to lose weight.

Your exercising ensures excess fat-burning, while you are not putting fat or sugar into your body. You can compare this fitness lifestyle of exercising and healthy eating to blinking. Blinking comes naturally to you. Only by putting weight on your eyelid, will you make it difficult for yourself to blink. Similarly, by not exercising and overeating, or eating the wrong food, you put pressure on your body system. By getting into the fitness lifestyle, you are leaving your body free to 'blink' away in its natural energy cycle.

Author: Mike Hussey

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Fight Your Fat Genes - Deny Your Family Destiny

Just have a careful look around you at your nearest and dearest. Are your family fat, by any chance? Are your grandparents, parents and children all rather rotund? Maybe your spouse and his/her family have also been targeted by the curse of the fat fairy. Well there's a good reason for your predicament, it's because of your genes. You can't lose weight because by nature you were meant to be fat. It's OK to be fat, don't fight it!

Right. As if. If you are fat, it is because you eat too much for the amount of physical effort you make. You consume much more energy than you need - that is the whole truth of it. Blaming your genes is a handy excuse if your whole family is fat, but it really will not get you trim and fit and feeling good about yourself to throw your plump little fists in the air and exclaim to the world that it's all Auntie Maud's fault that you have a huge bum.

You have to think about what you want - what you really want enough to work hard for. If you want to whinge and moan about the unfairness of your scientifically proven fat genes, speaking with your mouth full as you tip the contents of the fridge down your gullet - again - what the hell are you trying to prove?

You either can't stand being fat and are prepared to do some hard work to fix your problem or you hate being fat and are going to complain about it till the crack of doom. Your family fat destiny has not a lot to do with your genes. Your family fat destiny has everything to do with habits picked up over a lifetime. Fat families are people who have made habits of poor food choices and little or no exercise. This behavior is condoned by all members of the group, so that being fat and unfit is "normal".

You have to break out from your inherited eating habits if you want to achieve a fit and healthy lifestyle through a weight control diet and regular exercise program. It will be very hard for you to change not only the habits of your lifetime, but the habits ingrained in your podgy pores by the family that surrounds you. But you have to make this effort if you are going to achieve the results you crave.

Be warned (take the word of someone who knows); you will find that not every one of your nearest and dearest will be thrilled to bits by your newfound zest to
live life as fully and well as you can. You may be lucky to find even one weight loss supporter among them. They may (no, they WILL) make disparaging remarks about exercise, salad, slim people ... anything really that challenges their roly poly comfort zone. Honestly, just do yourself the biggest favor of your life - look after yourself. Have the passion and commitment you need to make wonderful changes in your body shape and in your fitness. You are not obliged to follow the wide path that has been laid down for you to tread with flapping calves and thundering thighs.

You may even find that eventually your weight loss and fitness will inspire members of your cuddly clan to make their own life changing decision to lose weight, but don't push it - everyone is on their own journey and will make their own decisions. Just inspire by example, rather than be a fat loss evangelist. You don't want any doors slammed in your face. But you do need to deny your family destiny. Fight your fat genes. You will win, but only if you really truly want to.

Author: Rosie Peters

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Posted in: Burn Fat,Fitness

The 5 Most Common Diet and Exercise Mistakes

Can't lose weight? Tried absolutely everything, but still frustrated by fat that won't shift or worse, more weight packing onto your tummy, hips and butt despite your best efforts? Frustrated, fragile and reaching stealthily into the larder for a bit of comforting chocolate? Stop right there. Have the strength to put that calming little treat back where you found it and read this - with an open mind.

With a willingness to accept your mistakes. Because you can lose weight and keep it off for life. What's more you can be fit and healthy while you are doing it. You have the key; you just haven't worked out how to use it. Stop bashing your head against the wall and find the door!

If you can admit that the buck stops with you, accept responsibility for your diet and exercise mistakes and move on, then you are on the road to success. These are 5 of the most common diet and exercise mistakes. At the moment you are probably making more than one of them, but don't realize it, or don't have the guts to admit it or don't have the tenacity to get over it. Time to change your attitude. If you want to lose weight and be fit for your lifetime you have to admit your mistakes and move forward.

Diet and exercise mistake #1

Expect weight loss and fitness results immediately. This afternoon, straight after you've skipped your hamburger and large fries lunch and replaced it with an apple and low fat yogurt that you walked all the way to the deli to pick up yourself. If you don't lose a kilogram or so in the first 3 days, give up. No one can say you didn't try.

Reality: It took a long time to pile on your excess weight. It's going to take a long time and a lot of committed discipline to reverse this. Don't struggle - accept this cold hard fact and get on with losing that unwanted weight. The time will pass and the weight will drop off.

Diet and exercise mistake #2

Embrace a fad diet out of the latest popular magazine. Something endorsed by someone very famous; they wouldn't lie to you. Look, it works for Posh Spice - a diet of lettuce and fresh air will work for you too. And it's so severe you won't have to keep at it for too long.

Reality:
Posh Spice, on fairly close inspection, seems to have some surgical aid and personal trainer type involvement to embellish the lettuce and air combination. Her body is part of her business enterprise and she has the money to spend on it. Chances are you are going to have to use your tenacity and dedication rather than your gold plated credit card and impeccable connections in "the industry" to lose weight and keep it off. Stop dreaming; commit yourself to a proven diet and exercise program that you can stick to for life and your erstwhile dream will come true.

Diet and exercise mistake #3

Develop diet and exercise amnesia. When you record your calorie intake and output for the day, underestimate the food you have eaten - both in what you actually ate and in the portion sizes. Skip your exercise today cause you went hard at it yesterday, or was it last Sunday? Never mind you can always exercise more and eat less tomorrow (or eat less and skip the dreaded exercise again).

Reality:
Unless you keep a food and exercise diary and record accurate portions and calories, you are lying to yourself about your diet. If you don't make exercise a daily habit, you have sabotaged your weight loss and fitness program before you even really start. Any diet that tells you not to worry about calories, fat and exercise doesn't really seem to be a diet by definition when you take a minute to think about it.

Diet and exercise mistake #4

Lose some weight, feel good about it, maybe even buy some new slimline clothes, then go back to eating what made you fat in the first place. Get your exercise locating the TV remote and shuffling off to the kitchen for sustenance.

Reality:
If you don't change what you eat and the way you eat it and your exercise regime or lack of it for the term of your natural life, you will be doomed, doomed I tell you (insert manic laughter here). Look, you don't like being fat and unhealthy. In order to turn this around, you have to be willing and able to make permanent changes to your habits that will be disturbing and difficult at first. Over time, your faithful, long suffering body will reward you for your excellent decisions by performing at a much-improved level, with a much better physical and mental outlook. Your cunning brain will begin to crave good food if you give it the time to get used to the idea. It's up to you to take responsibility for permanent change in your life and wait patiently for the rewards.

Diet and exercise mistake #5

Pay no heed to reality. Try to convince yourself that you are OK at this weight, at this level of (non) fitness. Unflattering photos have been taken from a bad angle. Boutiques are stocking only ungenerous brand sizes, not meant for real people. You medical adviser is over-reacting to your cuddly shape with creepy conversations about type 2 diabetes.

Reality:
You can't be Cleopatra (Queen of Denial) forever. Telling yourself you are OK at this weight and that you don't really need a change of diet or exercise is just plain lazy and dodging the issue. You want to lose weight or you would not be reading this. You have to want it enough to be honest with yourself about your current weight and fitness levels and what your goals are.

You have to make a plan for weight loss and exercise and have the determination to stay with it - it is simple. Don't make the mistake of thinking it should be easy. It cannot be easy. Nothing worth doing is easy. But it is very much worth the effort.

Author: Rossie Peters

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The Three Little Bowls of Fitness

Even if your immediate goal is to lose weight, you should also have a long term one - to be forever fit and healthy. This way, you can always maintain your weight loss. Otherwise, you could go the way of a plump young friend of ours - in her early twenties - who suddenly decided she needed to lose weight.

Armed with a Jane Fonda video, she launched into aerobics. Simultaneously, she stopped eating - well, almost. At the end of a few months, the puppy fat disappeared and a sleeker, streamlined figure silhouetted itself through her loose salwar-kameez. Some weeks flew by and, suddenly, she was once again filling up her clothes.

What had happened to her is the story of most people's fitness lives. Everybody starts off with the best of intentions - to attain physical fitness by whittling away the fat. But the time and effort demanded by an average exercise programme - be it sweating through a series of callisthenics or the lonely and oppressive prospect of running miles only to sit down to a heap of tasteless boiled vegetables, cuts not into the fat, but into the intentions one started with. Many people give up with the proverbial grumble of "I was happier when I was fat" So, what went wrong?

Basically, most of us unwittingly wear time-bound blinkers when we decide to lose weight. We swing to the extreme side of the fitness pendulum by exercising with fierce concentration and starving ourselves into oblivion. Obviously, since this state of existence is unnatural and tiring, the natural element within us rebels. We realise we can't stick to this torturous path we have set for ourselves and jump off at the first opportunity. We may have achieved the desired weight loss, we may be appearing more attractive, but now, the terrible prospect of maintaining ourselves at that level-looms ahead. The picture is so bleak that we throw our hands up in desperation and return to our original plump selves resignedly. How does one overcome this I'm-running-to-a-standstill feeling? The hors d'oeuvres of fitness come in three little bowls. Before you embark on this new voyage, dip into each bowl for a few wise nibbles:

Such extreme steps, both in exercising and dieting, are unnecessary. Gradual weight-loss is healthier because your body and mind learn to adjust to your new lifestyle. What you need is a combination of moderate but extremely efficient physical activity and comfortable, sensible eating.

Once you digest these three simple facts, you will realise that fitness is just round the corner. If you think back, you will see that nature gave you a good start. You were a wriggly, vociferous, individualistic infant who, lying on your back, did your own little callisthenics. You rushed through your active or inactive school-life with unthinking, high-spirited, chocolate­coated adolescence. It's possible that you graduated with a degree in your chosen subject as also in snacking at the canteen. By the time you are seriously installed behind your desk in responsible adulthood, all you are aware of is your next promotion and raise that need to be toasted and banquetted.

You are lucky because your tolerant, forgiving body has been keeping pace with you with its obliging metabolism. But as you whizz up your career ladder, there could be faint signs of wheezing in your breath. Yessir, your long-suffering body is giving out definite signals. 'Do something,' it's warning you, 'Or else...' So, you act like a blend of a steroid-injected, galvanized acrobat and an Ethiopian refugee and finally find yourself back to where you began.

But, look at the flab situation calmly. Your body has taken years to accumulate all that weight. Now, it's your turn to be patient with it. Tune it with the right kind of exercise - at a moderate pace. Feed it lovingly with the right kind of food so that it's comfortable with itself. It may take a year or two to actually lose that weight, but you would have been doing it at your own pace and gradually inducting yourself into a fitness lifestyle that not only makes for a slimmer, but also, healthier you. And since it has become part of your living, you will be able to maintain that level without batting an eyelid. You will be surprised how eating a piece of chocolate ­which in any case you haven't deprived yourself of completely in that year - doesn't, any more, hold that special appeal.

This approach is sounder, more effective and lasting than the most seductive quick-weight-loss programmes which operate on the crash ­principle. All you have to give your body is the opportunity and time.

Author: Mike Hussey

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