Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts

Saturday, January 30, 2021

How To Lose And Maintain Your Weight Successfully

 

 Are you satisfied with your current weight? If not, which measures have you taken to achieve a healthy weight? Obesity is a major cause of various health issues. Therefore, weight maintenance is an essential health aspect that every person should pay close attention to. I'm not talking about what I like to call the "Vanity Pounds", a 10-20 lb. discrepancy between what the charts say and your own weight. I'm talking about the unhealthy kind of weight that endangers organs, heart, ligaments and glucose levels.

Basically, for individuals struggling with obesity, a unique solution to achieve a permanent solution does not exist. Human bodies respond differently to various food and weight loss remedies. Hence, what works effectively in one person may not yield a similar result to another.

To discover a weight loss strategy that is likely to work effectively, you need patience, determination, and experiments based on different diets and food. The following are some of the ways you can apply and lose and maintain your weight successfully.


 

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1.      Reduce Calories, Carbohydrates, and Fats

Obesity can cause serious health issues, both physically and mentally. At times, due to size changes, it can negatively influence your choice of fashion. Discounted clothing may be your only option since your previous clothes may no longer fit you. Your choice of diet can have a significant impact on your weight and physical appearance.

According to experts, when you cut calories, your weight may reduce in the first few weeks. Therefore, to achieve a constant weight loss, you should continue reducing calories. Calories also have different impacts on the body based on the type of food. 

Some people eat food as a way of relieving their stress. This may slow any weight loss plans. The role of the hormone insulin is also another essential process linked to the weight of an individual. Consumption of carbohydrates triggers the body to produce the hormone.

Insulin prevents fat cells from discharging fats to be burned as fuel by the body. The hormone also creates extra cells for storing fats that cannot be burned by the body. As a result, you will gain extra weight. Consequently, the body needs more fats to burn. Hence your eating habits increase automatically. 

Reducing the number of carbohydrates can help in breaking this cycle. The reduction of fats that you consume can also have a significant effect on your weight. Avoid diets that comprise a lot of fats. Try as much as possible to include fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet. 

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Monday, January 25, 2021

Yesterday's Tomorrow + #MyPostMonday Linky The Week's Best Original Content

 My husband and I are having some difficulty keeping even a semblance of the good eating habits and body transformations we thought would be in store for us at the start of a new year.  I know, same old trite story, make the resolution--break the resolution. My husband has been saying each month for the past year that this will be the month he'll reach his goals. And each month has fallen flat. I don't know why January 1st would be any different than any of those other months, which is why January 1st really holds no significance for me. I've just been trying to maintain my 5-lb typical winter weight gain and not let it get out of control. It's been tough and I'm at a rough patch because I'm up 7 lbs. from my low this past summer. 

Every day, my husband says to himself, "today I'm going to have a great eating day. I'm going to eat everything correctly, balance my carbs, proteins and fats, and drink plenty of fluids, along with an amazing exercise session which consists of a 1.5 hour weight-lifting session, a 30 mile bike ride, or a 10 mile hike. 

Every single morning he starts out with a bowl of oatmeal, a yogurt bowl, eggs and tortillas, or some variation of a healthy breakfast. He takes his supplements, and downs a morning elixir designed to de-toxify the body. Then lunch comes around and he can't seem to cope with the extreme stress of the morning, which I'm not sure what it consists of because I'm at work, dealing with my own stress. So he caves and he buys take-out and also gets dessert. Then comes the evening, when he absolutely hates himself for what he did at lunch, so he says "I've already blown it, I'll just eat what I want and start again tomorrow." And so along with the dinner that he eats, it will be also be accompanied by a bag of Doritos, a large bag of M & M's, or a Haggen Dazs ice cream. If it's really bad, he'll eat all 3. But somehow, in the doing, he thinks of me. He invariably comes home with a "present" for me, which is, you guessed it, some kind of junk food. And he knows what my weaknesses are. He'll get the exact thing that I can't seem to resist after my own stressful day at work. And you'd think I'd be able to resist and say, no thanks. But I don't. I take the treat and I usually eat it, leaving nothing remaining.

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Thursday, July 6, 2017

5 Easy Tricks To Lose 10 Pounds Before The End Of Summer

It feels like summer is half over, even though it just started! Some of us are looking at school right between the eyes! If you didn't quite make your weight loss goals yet, add these 5 tricks to help you achieve that 10 lb. weight loss goal before summer's end! I'm right there with you! I'm doing it too!
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1. Remember that slow and steady helps to win the race.
When you lose too quickly the body is tricked into thinking there is a crisis and will go into crisis mode until you start eating "normally", or at least how the body perceives is normal for you. The body will strive hard to get you back to that "normal" weight. Basically that is why it is so dang hard to keep the weight off once you get to your target weight. 

Friday, January 8, 2016

Weight Loss Incentives After The Holidays

Everyone wants to get back down to that optimal weight now that the holidays are over, and the diet and weight loss companies know that. They are offering great deals right now to encourage you to try their weight loss plans! With that in mind, try checking out the companies that are most appealing to you for New Year's deals and steals! Here are 2 great deals from reputable weight loss companies to help you get to the weight you're hoping for!

Nutrisystem - Made popular by spokesperson, Marie Osmond, where they guarantee that you can lose 10 lbs. & 5 inches overall in your first month! Sign up to get a free shaker bottle and free tips and weight loss info. For a limited time, get 40% off every order + free shipping! Get the details here!



Daily Burn - An online resource full of diet tips, recipes, and workouts. Try it for 30 days free. I'd personally get it just for the workouts! Choose from yoga, Inferno, Move dance, and much more!
 
With these two programs, you could find yourself in a very good position to head into spring in better shape than you've been in awhile! Good luck! I know I will be looking into some of these great companies and making some strategies! 

This site accepts product samples and/or compensation. Affiliate links may be used to help support this site. All text and opinions are my own and are not swayed by any sponsor affiliation. 

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Extra Nutrition For Maximum Efficiency #youtheory



I have believed strongly for some years now that nutrition is one of the main factors that drives your health, energy and well-being.  After I had my daughter at 31 and then lost her, I had some real difficulty in recovering.  We lost her a few hours after birth and it was definitely unexpected and so hard. My health and well-being were floundering. Even a year after, I had no energy, and was napping all the time and would get sick regularly.  I just couldn’t get a handle on my health.  Then I was introduced to a company that had great nutritional products. And even though I wasn’t eating badly in the first place, the added nutrition was exactly what I needed to pull myself out of the funk I had gotten myself into. I found that my energy increased, my weight dropped, and my positive state of mind returned right along with it! Because of that experience I feel that even though wholesome, healthy food is definitely a must, there is even more out there to give yourself the extra boost that you need. You just need to find what works for you.  I found one company that has some amazing products and has been given some  prestigious awards because of it. I was lucky and was given 3 of their most popular products to try. 

YouTheory, a nutritional company, is all about helping women and men age beautifully. Whether you are 35, 45, 55, or 65, there are certain things that your body needs that it can’t easily obtain-- even with adequate amounts of nutritious foods. Among these health sustaining elements are collagen, and inflammation reducing anti-oxidants called Curcuminoids, major fighters of that complex thing called aging!

Collagen types  1,2 & 3 Collagen is the body’s key structural protein. Your nails, hair, tendons, bones and muscle all depend heavily on it. It is critical to the formation and on-going health of the skin, cartilage, ligaments and other bodily tissues and structures. Hydrolyzed Collagen is a highly digestible protein. Oral ingestion has shown beneficial effects on join and bone health, skin health, weight management and sports performance!
TurmericTurmeric contains one of nature’s best kept secrets – Curcuminoids, a specialized group of antioxidants known to support healthy inflammation response.  Youtheory’s Turmeric is carefully sourced with the highest level of curcumin available and enhanced with a patented black pepper extract that substantially increases the bio-availability of Curcuminoids.

Joint Collagen - This collagen is specifically for joints and gives an extra boost of type 2 collagen. It encourages cartilage repair, aids in reducing muscle and joint stiffness, promotes joint flexibility and elasticity and helps to reduce joint inflammation. This would be very good for runners!


 I am a wholehearted believer in these compounds to help keep our bodies as youthful and healthy as possible! It’s not cheating if you stave off the aging process by putting wholesome and healthy things into your body, right?  (But I’m not adverse to a tiny bit of cheating either.)

The question is, are these supplements absorbed by the body? A good way to test that is to put the supplement in question into a cup of water and wait for 24 hours. Make sure you weigh it on a kitchen scale first and record the weight.  Has the supplement broken down? How much is left in the water? Take a fine piece of cheesecloth and strain the water through it. Whatever is left in the cheesecloth is what has not been absorbed into the bloodstream.  Weigh whatever is left and you can then deduce exactly what percentage of the supplement is actually absorbed each time you take a pill. 

I did put the Collagen pill to the test and I'm happy to report that it dissolved in less than 6 hours, leaving only a cloud in the water. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't come close to weighing what the pill weighed before it was put into the water! 

I've been taking these supplements now for about 2 weeks and I'm happy with them, other than the size. They are a bit large and I actually break them in two to swallow them. Fortunately they are very easy to break. I feel a small difference in my joint health at this early stage, which is a good indication of things to come!

You can find youtheory in over 50,000 retailers and health stores nationwide, including Amazon, and their website! Follow them on Facebook and Twitter

Monday, May 11, 2015

The World Of Figure Competition - One Mom's Journey Part I

I met Lei 14 years ago, when I had just moved into the area. She was a friendly, out-going gal and had definite ideas about what she wanted, in all situations! She and I did a few things together, like hiking up to a waterfall, going on a bike ride, doing a Hawaiian dance class together, and going out to lunch. She was born in Hawaii and is very proud of her ancestry. Every Sunday she brought the most beautiful bouquets of flowers to set on the podium at church. It was a really special touch. 

I knew her to be very active-- into physical fitness, running and weight training specifically. We were members of the same gym at one time. We worked out at different times but each of us pretty regularly.  Those were the days when I was fairly hard-core (for me!), doing yoga, dance, weights and cycling. Time has passed, and now I am doing great when I walk my dog a couple of miles and do some of my exercise CD's!

Lei, on the other hand, took physical fitness to a whole different level after I moved out of her neighborhood a few years back. Before I left, I remember her stating that she wanted to do something cool before she turned 50. She is now right around 50 and yeah boy, she is showing what 50 looks like!

Lei just competed in her first body-building show and
walked away with a 5th place trophy in True Novice Figure A. She also placed 8th in both Masters A and Figure A! That is crazy good for the first time!
Here is her story and proof that it's possible to do anything you want and age doesn't have to be a factor!

In 1987 Lei became interested in body-building. She felt especially weak one day, as she tried to move the bed in her dorm room, making a hole in the dry wall in the process. She wanted to get stronger, and thus weight lifting was what she was drawn to. Back in the 80's Cory Everson was very popular.
"I looked up to her, even though I never aspired to become a bodybuilder at that time.  I just wanted to become stronger and toned.  I continued to lift weights and run from that time forward.  Back in the `80's it was thought that a woman should not lift while pregnant because the blood would be diverted to the muscles instead of the baby.  We know better now. So I would take time off  of lifting when I was pregnant with my first two.  Later, I lifted and ran when I was pregnant with the last two."
Lei with two of her 4 children

Lei continued lifting weights, but never went heavy. She always felt that running was the gold standard for getting fit and toned. She continued with that routine for years--lifting light and running for miles daily. She was a member of a local gym and her girlfriend was her trainer. She noticed miner changes to her body, but nothing major. But, she says, "Deep in my soul I did want to become more muscular, but never quite knew how to pursue it. I love muscles on individuals, especially on women. I wanted defined muscles and to look like a bodybuilder."

Then in 2012 she saw an ad for a 90-day challenge.  Both she and her husband signed up as a couple.  Unfortunately the trainer did not know how to train individuals that already had a pretty good knowledge of weight training.  She did well with clients that were new to weight training.  Lei knew she needed to get to the next level  Her girlfriend referred her to a trainer that was an MMA fighter.  She started training with him and noticed a huge difference right away.  He was very knowledgeable and made her work hard.  She progressed under his tutelage, dropping body fat and weight. Her goal was to lose body fat, but she did not want to just become skinny or thin.
 "I didn't want to be a skinny fat.  I wanted muscles.  My trainer knew what I wanted and did things to help me achieve my goals.  When I grew enough that I could train on my own, I found that I plateaued. I stayed at this weight and body fat for about a year. It was a good weight, but I wanted more. I started subscribing to Hers Muscle & Fitness magazine.  I would follow their workouts and nutritional guidance.  I found some success."
But mainly her success was through having a personal trainer and nutritional coach. This was news to me because I really thought one could go the distance on their own, if they had the discipline and knowledge. Obviously, you need an expert to help you if you want to pursue the course of building lots of lean muscle. And that is what Lei found out. She says that even trainers have trainers because it's all about accountability and support.


 She chose someone she knew at a local gym, who had actually competed before in the Masters Division and placed. She felt like she would be a great fit with her objectives and personality. They met weekly and she gave her an individualized nutritional plan, tweaking it every week to help her meet her goals.  She was the one who said Lei should compete.  "When someone believes in you, it is hard to resist", she said. Truthfully, she DID want to compete.  That is why she chose her in the first place. So to have her say she should compete was motivating and what she wanted to hear.  
Her initial twelve weeks went from 26.3% body fat and 130.3 lbs. to 19.1% bf and 119.0 lbs. Of course she was dedicated to the nutritional plan and never deviated.  "I continued following my nutritional program even though I stopped meeting with Maria.  I knew the NPC (National Physique Committee) was having a show in March 2015; I had attended the show in Oct 2014 per Maria, just to see what goes on at competition.  I really liked the show.  I also knew that I needed 12 weeks to prep for a show, so I contacted Maria in December and told her I wanted to compete. "








 









Lei started her transformation Dec 18th.  "I was happy that I maintained my body fat and weight at 119 lb. and 19% Body Fat. This made it easier to train, because I was already pretty lean, muscular, and conditioned. I got down to 111.1 lbs and 12.1% bf.  This is important to record because in the future, we will know where I need to get to to be competition ready.  My biggest inspiration is IFBB Pro, Erin Stern.  I love her philosophy and she is so down-to-earth.  Besides, she works hard and I love her physique." 

Not all Lei's family was supportive at first.  Her oldest son was from the start.  Then her youngest son quickly became supportive. Her daughter struggled a little, then got on board.  Her husband had issues through the training, all the way to the competition.  "I don't believe he really was fully invested until the night of competition.  But when I started getting praise and congratulations from people, he changed his mind!"  

Since this was her first time competing, Lei and her trainer didn't know what body fat % she could get down to and be lean, but not too lean.  So Maria, her trainer, wanted to see how close to 8 or 10% she could get.  During peak week, the last week she got down to 12.1%  So that is now her base line.  They felt that if she got any leaner, she would look skeletal.  Everyone is so different, and someone can get to 8% and be good.  "My body was good at 12%  So in the future that is my goal."  The BMI is really just a calculation based on a persons height and weight.  It is not a measurement.  One focuses on body fat.  The weight will come off and is not as important as the % of fat.  "I gained 2.69 lbs of lean mass (muscle) and lost a total of 18.1 lbs.  I lost a total of 14.2% bf and 17.5 inches off my body.  I am so pleased with my results!!! I could not believe the numbers.  Every week I would drop.  Sometimes I gained, but it was oz. not lbs. and less than 1%! Then the next week, I would drop what I gained and more.  I would often forget what the numbers really were.  I was so stoked. "

Some people would be amazed at just seeing themselves transform into a lean, athletic speciman. But that wasn't enough for Lei. She had come this far and now it was time to compete! 

Check Part II of Lei's personal journey into the world of Figure Modeling Competition!