Month: April 2013

In the age of information, many of the principles of health and fitness have become all but common knowledge. Nevertheless, there still is a very clear divide between those people who become successful at losing weight and/or staying fit and those who do not.

Why is that?  And what can you do to improve your chances of being in the successful minority as opposed to the unsuccessful majority? When it comes to the world of weight loss and being fit, there are generally two areas that help to determine what you can expect for your efforts.

1. Genetic Factors
2. Psychological Factors

Most of the information out there is geared around the Genetic factors and how to compensate for any natural shortcomings with a certain amount of physical activity and dieting. One of the most popular topics along the lines of genetics is that of Body Type.

Anatomical body type is generally broken down into 3 basic groups: Ectomorphic, Mesomorphic, and Endomorphic.

Ectomorphic types are characterized as people with thin, up and down body frames who have the easiest time keeping their weight under control. Basketball players and runway models will often fit into this category.

Mesomorphic body types are characterized as people with athletic frames and generally muscular, well-proportioned bodies. Bodybuilders and dancers will often fit in here.

Endomorphic body types tend to be generally round figures and will often have the most trouble in keeping unwanted weight off of their bodies.

Most of us are combinations of two or more of these types with one being more dominant than the others.

One important note about these anatomical types is that while they may give some insight to how you look on the outside, they can deceive us as to how healthy you are internally. Many people who may be “thin” are literally decaying inside due to bad habits (poor diet, smoking, lack of exercise).

By contrast, there are many people who are not stereotypically thin, but are pictures of healthy due to healthy lifestyles (proper nutrition, physical activity).

The general role of knowing your body type is to get an explanation of how your body will tend to respond to your diet and lifestyle in terms of how easy or challenging it may be for you to “hold it together” in certain areas. Another way of classifying your body is by which of your hormone-producing glands dominates the way you process nutrients in the food you eat.

These Glandular (“metabolic”) types will fall into one of 4 categories: Adrenal, Thyroidal, Pituitary, or Gonadal.  The explanation of each is very similar to that of the anatomical body types above. The adrenal type tends to correspond with the mesomorphic anatomical type. The thyroidal is similar to the ectomorphic, and the pituitary to the endomorphic.

The gonadal type is a women-only classification that is a hybrid of being slender on the top but somewhat larger below the waist with a greater amount of body fat. The gonadal body type among women is more commonly referred to as being “pear shaped”.

This brings me to a major point of clarity in this article:

As valuable as all of the body type information may be to learning your body, it is not the “end all” that it is often marketed to be.

You are neither “guaranteed” to look and feel great nor “doomed” to be overweight and unhealthy simply based on your genetics and body classification. Body types should only be used to give you insight on what advantages or challenges that you may have in your quest for life-long fitness—not a life or death sentence that limits what you can achieve.

In reality, the Psychological factors related to how you look and feel are really where the rubber meets the road in weight loss and staying healthy and fit.

It is here that you will find the tools to overcome whatever physical challenges that you are faced with. Therefore, it is here where you absolutely focus the MAJORITY of your energy if you are become and stay successful with your health and fitness goals. One thing that many people do not consider is how the knowledge of their “body type” and what that means affects their psychological outlook in the first place.

Many “fit” people who look great because they eat right and exercise do so because they already believe that they’ve “got something” that is valuable and maintained. Therefore, their healthy lifestyle is just a matter of course. The importance of the effect that your outlook on your results cannot be ignored. To put it plainly, your outLOOK directly affects your outPUT.

If you don’t happen to be one of those people who seem to “naturally” have it together when it comes to your body (or you have been before but have since lost the “magic”), then what you will need to do is simply tap into the strength of your own psyche to push you toward success. Tune in next week to learn 5 keys to keep you going.

It’s calorie-free, inexpensive and easily obtained. Most people drink when they are thirsty, but usually not enough and certainly not when trying to lose weight.

Drinking fluids, particularly, water, during exercise reduces cardiovascular stress and improves performance. After a strenuous workout, you have to replace the fluids you have lost. Otherwise, you will suffer chronic dehydration. Drink water before, during and after exercising, and remember that water reduces body temperature thus making the whole exercise process safer. It can help you exercise longer and more efficiently and this alone would be enough to help you lose weight but water does more – much more.

The Liver

The function of your kidneys is to filter your blood (which is mostly water). And one of the functions of your liver is to metabolize fat. If you don’t consume enough water, your kidneys can’t function properly, so your liver starts to help perform kidney functions. So, if your liver is busy helping your ailing kidneys, you can’t burn as much fat. Let me repeat that: No matter how much you exercise, if you don’t drink enough water, your liver will not metabolize fat for you, because it is trying to help your kidneys.

Too Much Water?

Being hyper-hydrated (consuming too much water) is not in any way harmful , and actually helps your body metabolize fat. The greatest ill effect of excess water consumption is that you will visit the washroom more often. Consider it a chance to fit in a little more exercise into your daily routine.
There have been a few cases of long distance runners who have died from drinking water to toxic levels, but this is extremely rare, and their situation is very unique, so it is nothing for a normal person to worry about.

Retaining Water

You may have a medical condition that causes you to retain water, probably because of excess salt (sodium) in your system. The solution is simple: drink more water. Your body retains water for the same reason it retains fat: your body thinks that it’s hard to come by. If you teach your body that food is abundant, it will stop storing it. If you teach your body that water is abundant by drinking more of it, your body will stop storing it.

Other Benefits

The more water you drink the healthier your skin becomes, because it has to be moisturized from the inside and out It also contributes to joint lubrication, reducing the risk of injury in any activity Water is the best cure for constipation, and should be your first choice, even before increasing fiber or taking laxatives.

When you are active, you should drink even more water, especially on hot days, to replace what you lose in sweat. Do not wait until you’re thirsty, because that is your body telling you that it is already under-hydrated. Try to keep yourself over-hydrated for best health.

Do Water Alternatives Work?

Juice will fill you up, and contains sugar which you should try to minimize in your diet. So, it’s really not a substitute for simple, clear water. And even though coffee is made with mostly water, it does not count since it is a diuretic and actually strips water from your system. Colas are also full of that diuretic caffeine, besides their ultra-high sugar content, so soft drinks should be the first item to stop consuming if you’re trying to lose weight. Replace those “alternatives” with a glass of water, and you’ll feel better and start losing pounds and inches.

Who should drink water?

All of us of course, but pregnant women, nursing mothers, people wanting to lose weight and athletes should be especially careful to drink a sufficient amount. When it is hot or humid, upping water intake is also wise.

Water can be especially helpful for people with a history of kidney stones because it dissolves calcium in the urine, reducing the risk of stone formation. Among physicians, urologists are probably most likely to extol the virtues of water. And it has been documented that drinking water mostly before 6 P.M. can reduce the likelihood of nocturnal bathroom visits.

It is interesting to note also that water helps prevent urinary tract infections, both for men and for women. Dark-colored urine often suggests you are not drinking enough water.

Here’s how to start drinking more water every day. Get into the habit by starting with a glass of water with every meal, preferably with a glass during your meal and then add a glass between meals.

It’s that time again. Yep, it’s measure time! Grab that tape measure and see how many inches have disappeared.

If this is your first time measuring your progress in inches lost, then please check out our previous article on How to Measure. It is important to be consistent with how and where we measure to get accurate results. Record your progress and note the changes you see.

When you are done, take a moment to reflect on the progress you have made and share with us!

It is a common misconception that aerobic exercise tones and firms muscles. Actually it accomplishes very little toning and firming. Resistance exercise (weight training) is where real toning and firming of muscles occurs.

Doing both aerobics and weight training is the optimal way to lose more fat and gain more muscle. If you are trying to lose weight, studies show that weight loss increases by 56 percent with aerobic and strength exercises combined.

Muscle may weigh more, but when you increase your muscle composition, the body is able to burn more fat, even when you are resting, because your metabolism is higher. A pound of muscle will use 350 to 500 calories per week to survive, while a pound of fat only needs about 14 calories per week. New studies have shown that building muscle helps your body fight disease better, too.

Strength training benefits everyone, no matter what age or sex, and is becoming recognized as an important component of fitness. Research is indicating that the muscle loss found in elderly people doesn’t come from age, but lack of activity. Even a young person who doesn’t get enough exercise can lose muscle mass and strength. Strength training, such as lifting weights or performing weight-resistance exercises, as little as twice a week can help maintain or increase muscle mass.

Strength training involving several sets of multiple repetitions using moderate weights will not result in huge muscles. Instead it builds bone mass and increases the metabolism, as well as toning and firming the muscles, giving a leaner look.

It is very important to do both aerobics and strength exercises. The aerobic exercises help your heart and lungs get stronger and help your body utilize oxygen more efficiently, which in turn helps with strength training and overall fitness. The strength exercise helps develop muscle, reduce body fat and maintain bone mass.

Aerobic Exercise is a type of exercise that elevates the heart rate and breathing for a continuous sustained period. This overloads the heart and lungs and causes them to work harder than at rest.

There are many options to choose from today. Bicycling, aerobic dance, swimming, walking, and stepping are all examples of aerobic exercise. Which ones to chose depends on your physical condition, your history, your interests and your goals. Many experts believe it is better to alternate between 2 or more types, to get a better workout.

There are two main types of aerobics- high impact and low impact. It is better to alternate between high impact aerobics (which are harder on the body and may cause more damage) and low impact aerobics, such as walking and swimming. This is called cross-training, and helps reduce the chance or injury and overuse of certain muscles.

You will want to perform aerobic exercises at least 20 minutes a day for at least 3 to 4 days a week. If you are trying to lose body fat, or your physical condition is very good, then you may want to work longer at it. Try exercising up to 40 to 60 minutes 5 to 6 days a week.

Remember there is no real need to go overboard. Moderate intensity is almost always better, and is more enjoyable. Low to moderate intensity is an especially good idea when starting out after a layoff or recovery from illness or injury, or if you are significantly overweight.

Warm-up and cool down is important to reduce discomfort and the chance of injury. Warm up by starting slow and gradually build up to your top speed. Then slow down again at the end of your workout.

The whole idea behind aerobic exercise is to get up and get moving! Find something you enjoy doing that keeps your heart rate elevated for a continuous time period and get moving to a healthier life.

Everyone agrees on the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables, but not enough people are following this important advice. Dietary experts recommend that every person should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables is one of the easiest changes you can make to increase your level of health, lose weight and gain fitness.

The latest food guidelines recommend that adults eat from five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  While that may seem like a lot, it is an important goal to strive for, and a very reachable one.

A serving of a fruit or vegetable is equal to:

1. 1 medium sized vegetable or fruit (such as an apple, orange or banana)
2. 2 small fruits (such as kiwi fruit or plums)
3. ½ cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruits or vegetables
4. ½ cup of 100% fruit juice
5. ¼ cup of dried fruit
6. 1 cup of green salad

Study after study has shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and other chronic diseases and conditions. One reason for the recommendation that everyone increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables is that many of these foods have been shown to have strong antioxidant qualities.

Many fruits and vegetables have high amounts of many antioxidant vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C. In addition to their importance as source of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also provide essential dietary fiber.

Many people do not realize, that in addition to vitamin C, oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits also contain significant amounts of fiber. Fiber plays an important role in digestion, and it is thought to have protective qualities against heart disease and some forms of cancer.  In addition, fiber is thought to have the ability to lower high levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Another great feature of fruits and vegetables, especially to those watching their weight, is the high nutrition, low fat, and low calorie nature of these foods.  Fruits and vegetables contain very low levels of fats, and a diet low in fat can be quite effective for long-term weight loss. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol, and they are lower in calories than many other types of foods.

Fruits and vegetables have a lot of advantages besides just their nutritional importance.  For one thing, they taste great and add a great deal of variety to everyday meals.  Fruits and vegetables come in such a wide variety of colors, textures and flavors that they can be used in virtually every meal.  Those seeking to maximize their consumption of fruits and vegetables should get into the habit of using fruits in salads, as toppings and as garnishes.

No matter what your reason for following a healthy diet, we believe you will find that eating more fruits and vegetables is a delicious, as well as a nutritious, way to get the vitamins and minerals you need every day. In fact, try making fruits and vegetables 1/2 of our plate at every meal. This way, you will get in your servings and have a balanced diet!

America is now in the middle of a health crisis of tremendous proportions.  Millions of Americans are now overweight and a very significant number had already been classified as obese. Obesity is now a major health concern in America, which has already become a fast food nation.

The saturated fat intake from processed meat and packaged foods has caused major health problems that include  diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and cancer. Other negative effects brought about by obesity and being overweight include low-self esteem, depression, and discomfort in being in middle of situations where there is a need for social interaction.

Needless to say, losing weight must be seriously considered by millions of Americans if they still want to maintain their health and avoid the various illnesses associated with weight problems.   Perhaps, one way to convince overweight and obese people to lose those extra pounds is to emphasize the following remarkable benefits of losing weight:

• Weight loss helps lower blood pressure in overweight persons.
• Weight loss helps lower elevated blood glucose levels in obese persons with type 2 diabetes.
• Weight loss helps lower the individual’s chances for developing diseases such as stroke among others.
• Weight loss helps decrease inflammation in the body.

Now that the benefits of weight loss have been identified, the next question is: “How do I lose weight?

One of the very basic things to do to lose weight is to engage in regular physical activities that will help you burn fat. Physical exercise that lasts for 30 to 45 minutes a day, done three to five times a week is sufficient.  Having a sensible eating plan that consists of low-fat, low calorie meals is a must.

Getting help from health professionals is also highly recommended.  With the help of a wellness coach,  you can get your body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference measured.  The weight and waistline are two of the priority measurements to determine a person’s physical fitness level.

But since most weight watchers have problems with keeping themselves in the program, it may be useful to take note of the following recommendations that would help you to effectively manage your weight:

1. Write it down – Keep a diet diary, write your progress. Take note of every meal that you eat.
2. Exercise –  Exercise burn calories and fat.  Focus on exercises that target the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks — which are body parts that are most prone to fat accumulation.
3. Schedule your workouts – Set aside time for an exercise program and stick to it. Once you have a routine, it’ll be hard to kick the habit.
4. Watch what you eat -Don’t eat too fast and don’t think that all “non-fat” food is good for you.  Aside from making sure that your meal is non-fat, it is also recommended that you make sure that the caloric content of the meal is within your limit.
5. Stick to mini-meals – Instead of eating three big meals a day, choose to take small but frequent meals.  Small, frequent meals help normalize your blood sugar level.
6.  Drink lots of water –  Drink at least eight glasses of water a day which is important for keeping your body hydrated.  Water also helps in flushing out the body’s toxins and impurities.
7. Take the stairs – As much as possible, use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Climbing the stairs is good workout for your heart.
8. Make a commitment – It is important to be committed to do regular exercise and follow a low-fat, low-calorie eating plan.  Lack of discipline is almost always at the root of weight problems and other health concerns.
9. Keep your emotions at bay – Most of us tend to eat a lot when we have emotional problems.  Maintaining a positive attitude and avoiding food binges as a means of coping with anxiety.
10. Eat low-calorie alternatives –  When making a food choice, it is important to check for the caloric content and other ingredients that may pose adverse effects on your weight loss plan.  Avoid the temptation of buying food just because they “taste good.”  As a weight watcher, you should consider the health benefits that can be derived from the food you eat.

At this point, it is vital to emphasize that the most effective weight loss program is the one that is ingrained in one’s brain.  The mind plays a major role in getting rid of negative thoughts that affect your health, including the self-defeating messages that somehow make you feel that you’ll never succeed in following your diet and exercise plan.

Like everything else in life, losing weight takes a lot of effort and commitment.  Indeed, we can never wish away those extra pounds.  It takes exercise, diet, and if necessary, the use of weight loss pills in order to get back on the road to health and fitness.

Sure you do, but what KIND of liquid.  I won’t even talk about sodas, coffee, or tea sweetened with sugar.  I’m going to assume that you already know that sugar is not the way to go if you want to lose weight, but what about the artificially sweetened drinks?

Did you know…

Artificial Sweeteners Can Make You GAIN Weight?

Some studies have shown that using artificial sweeteners can contribute to weight gain in at least two ways:

First, there is the confusion factor.  When you use artificial sweeteners, you, and your brain, become confused about the calorie content of the food you eat.  You may actually find yourself eating more in an effort to satisfy an internal urge or interpretation, and this urge may be related to the assumed “fact” that the sweet soda you just drank didn’t have that many calories, so neither does this cinnamon roll.  Actually, before artificial sweeteners, our bodies and brains were pretty good at relating calorie content to food based on the sweetness.

A Word For Parents!

Our bodies’ understanding of “sweetness” and the development of the internal calorie estimating apparatus mentioned above apparently occurs in childhood.  Early use of artificial sweeteners could cause the grown-up years later to ingest more of sweet foods than they should.

The second way in which artificial sweeteners may contribute to weight gain is what could be called…

The Sugar Trap!

Your body is a complicated device which has developed a huge number of inter-related, synergistic, stimulus sensing and automatic response mechanisms.  It has learned to begin things happening inside when something sweet is detected.  The digestive system is prepared to receive a certain type of fuel…which it welcomes!  When you ingest food or drink which has been artificially sweetened, all your little hormones, glands, cells, and systems begin asking, “What’s going on?”  Like prisoners in an old movie, they start rattling their tin cups and yelling out, “FEED ME!”  Oh yeah, that was the plant in “Little Shop Of Horrors”, wasn’t it?

Anyway, your internal messengers are now not very happy, nor will they be until you send down some calories for them to munch on.  See the trap?  It reminds me of when I managed a restaurant when people would order a salad and diet drink and then smother the salad in high-calorie, high-fat dressing and have ice cream for dessert.  Get the picture.

Wait!  It Might Even be Worse!

Artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than ordinary sugar, and that’s why you can sweeten a cup of coffee with one little white pill.  However, there are some studies which indicate that artificial sweeteners become somewhat addictive.  If that isn’t bad enough, this brings us to one of the most popular drugs in America…

Caffeine

Even though a lot of people who want to lose weight are drinking artificially sweetened drinks, a lot of these drinks – coffee, tea, sodas – contain caffeine.  Caffeine is a diuretic.  It dehydrates you, causing your body to lose water.  Remember, water = good.  When you are dehydrated, low on internal liquid, your metabolism slows down.  This means your body gets by on fewer calories and stores the rest as fat.  Think it through:  You get dehydrated, you get thirsty.  You just drank a cup of tea, coffee, or soda, so you can’t be thirsty, can you?  Since your brain can’t really tell the difference between hunger and thirst signals, it tells you to eat something when all that’s really going on is that you need a drink of water.

So What Can You Do?

1.  Substitute water for most of the other stuff you’re drinking.

2.  “Buy” your artificially sweetened drinks.  My wife came up with this idea, but I have seen it used in other contexts as well.  If you drink an artificially sweetened drink and/or one with caffeine, buy it back with at least an equivalent sized drink of water.  Eight ounces of coffee?  Follow it with eight ounces of water.

3.  Is water boring for you?  Then try flavoring your water with lemon or something else.  Use herbal teas that have their own flavor and might not even need to be sweetened.

4.  Include soups and juices in your diet.  These are high liquid content.  Just be aware that while nutritionally better for you than diet drinks or drinks with caffeine, they DO contain calories.

5.  Can’t do without sweetened drinks?  Try stevia.  This is a natural food additive available online and at most health food stores.  While it has a sweetening effect, the FDA does not allow it to be called or marketed as a sweetener.  Due to its chemical makeup, it does not seem to produce the cravings for more food as do other non-sugar sweeteners.  I read that in a book, but I tried Stevia and that’s how it worked for me.  I was drinking four to eight cups of coffee sweetened with artificial sweeteners a day, and munching tons of snacks as I drank the coffee!  I started using stevia, and the desire for constant snacking went away.  I will warn you, while technically VERY sweet, it does have an acquired taste.  I figure if I could get used to it, anybody could.  It’s the only sweetener in our house now.

Copyright. Donovan Baldwin

So you made the commitment, you are ready to get fit, lose weight. The gym closest to your home might seem like the best option, but do some research before you buy that membership.

What seems like the best buy may not be a good deal at all. Check to see how well the equipment is maintained. Seeing torn upholstery, treadmills out of order or only a handful of patrons is sign that gym is in trouble.

When a gym is in trouble, it is likely to change hands or go out of business. If this happens, you may well find yourself to be the proud owner of gym membership with no gym to go to. This could cost you hundreds of dollars and leave you feeling frustrated and angry.

I have had such an experience. A gym I was attending switched hands and myself, along with many others were left high and dry when the new owner decided that it was not in their best interest to honor the contracts that had previously been sold.

If you find a gym that seems to be the perfect fit and there are no noticeable red flags, I would still have to recommend to never prepay for more than 3 months at a time. This way, if something does happen, your damage is minimized and in the end, you can help ensure that you get your monies worth while you get in shape.

Everybody knows that calories are the enemy, and that more calories equals more weight gained. Therefore, most people believe that losing weight is as simple as cutting way back on calories.

It’s just simple mathematics, right?

After all, if you’re eating 3,000 calories per day and you cut back to 1,000 calories per day, then those extra 2,000 calories have to be burned from your body, right?

It’s as simple as 2 + 2 equals 4, right? Well, this is not exactly true.

First, let’s talk about the average person who begins a diet. The scenario usually goes something like this…

One day you look in the mirror and you finally get fed up with the way your body looks (or the way that your clothes fit) – and on this day you get “angry” with yourself, and you begin cutting way back on calories in an attempt to starve yourself thinner.

So you officially begin your “starvation diet.”

On the first day you skip breakfast altogether (after all, you’re so filled with anger and motivation that it’s easy to skip breakfast).

Then, a few hours later your motivation quickly gives way to severe hunger – since your body is not accustomed to being without calories for so long.

Finally, by lunchtime you’re so hungry that you feel weak and miserable, but yet you tell yourself that you can make it through this tough hunger (after all, you don’t want to look like a quitter to your friends and family who know that you’re dieting).

So you have a small piece of fruit for lunch perhaps, bravely trying to stick to your plan of starving yourself thin.

Then, hours later when dinnertime arrives you’re so hungry and weak that you have a big migraine headache – and you’re beginning to realize that starving yourself might not be such a good idea after all.

However, you hold out for another day or two on this miserable diet – since nobody likes to feel like a quitter, making yourself miserable in the meantime. There are even some brave dieters who may hold out for a week or so, possibly even 2 weeks for the bravest of the brave.

However, regardless of how long you hold out — the result is still the same.

You see, even after 2 weeks of starving you won’t have made any noticeable difference to your body when you look in the mirror.

Why?

Simple, because the weight lost during a starvation diet is largely water weight, not real weight loss. This water weight will be gained back immediately when you stop dieting and begin eating normally again. Also, when you starve yourself your body begins burning fewer calories each day — so even though you’re eating fewer calories each day you must remember that your body is also burning fewer calories.

For example, let’s say that you normally eat 2,500 calories per day (before you begin dieting). Then, you suddenly try to starve yourself by eating only 1,000 calories per day.

Guess what?

Even though you’re eating 1,500 fewer calories per day your body will begin burning 1,500 fewer calories per day – so your weight will remain the same even though you’re starving yourself.

When your body begins burning fewer calories it’s called a weight loss “plateau.” This is why virtually all starvation dieters cannot make the scale go down after about 2 weeks of dieting.

This is why even the most determined of “starvation dieters” always fail after just a couple of weeks. The truth is that “noticeable” weight loss simply cannot be achieved by starvation, and it’s pointless to even try that type of diet.

True weight loss can only be achieved by giving your body the right types of calories at the right times each day. Your body is like a big engine, and the truth is that it needs all 3 types of calories (protein, carbs, and fat) to some degree and lots of good nutrients in the form of vitamins and minerals.

The best way to lose weight is to effectively manage these 3 types of calories, so that your body receives the proper amount of protein, the proper amount of carbs – and also the proper amount of fat each day. If you are really looking to lose weight fast, the WAVES Take Shape program is the best! It allows participants to lose 2-5 lbs. per week by sticking to a 5 & 1 plan. That is 5 meal replacements a day and 1 lean and green meal. I have personally lost several pounds on this diet and I have no reservations about recommending it. Not to mention, you get a dedicated personal wellness coach to help you every step of the way.

Another great program for steady, safe weight loss is My Herbal Plan. This program also gives you the expert advise of a personal weight loss coach and a set program to go on. This plan is a little more flexible than the other program, but still produces results. Not to mention, the coaches at WAVES are there to help you determine which program will work best for you! You are never alone on this journey which helps ensure your success for a LIFETIME!

Tell me, what is considered the average weight loss?

Jennifer, a middle-aged single mother with one six-year-old daughter, has been skipping sweets for a few weeks now.  She’s also become a stickler for portion control.  She feels as if she’s eating less than ever, and she’s been diligently exercising for an hour at a time at least four days a week.  Yet, she hasn’t lost a single pound.  The question is, “Why?”

This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over.  They think they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing seems to be happening.  In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut and they don’t know how to free themselves.  As a result, they become frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.

One of the problems with diets is that they are often standardized.  As a result, they don’t take into consideration your individual physiology and metabolism.  They provide a cookie-cutter approach to weight loss—an approach which may not work in your individual case.  As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to personal wellness coaches to formulate a person weight loss strategy for them.  This process has been made easier through the Internet, where you can correspond with coach any time of the day or night via e-mail.  The coach can also help you through your dieting dilemmas.

Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is because of a lack of support.  You may have family members who can eat whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound.  As a result, they may fill your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation.  Also, you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss your weight problems.  In order to solve this problem, many individuals again look to a personal coach to help them with their food-related issues.

Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories.  You may literally be consuming calories and not even realize it.  For instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with calories—as many as 600 in a single serving!  You may also be indulging in sugary sodas—another source of extra calories.  By taking a few simple steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks from your diet and substituting skim milk for whole milk, you may be able to eliminate the hidden calories that are denying you dieting success. Your coach can help you pin point your problem areas and give you strategies to overcome them!

Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer.  You might go on a diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable progress.  It’s only natural to want to see quick results.  The problem is that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of pounds a week.  That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months before you see appreciable weight loss.  Discouraging?  It can be, but if you keep a positive attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.

You may also be more successful in your dieting if you consider it to be a lifestyle change.  Therefore, your diet becomes a meal plan for life.  This means that you must change the way you look at food.  It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more.  As a result, you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with a sense of comfort.  A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul.  If you feel as if you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, perhaps it’s time to consider a different diet.   Your aim ultimately should be not simply to lose weight, but to become healthier.  A fad diet will not allow you to reach that milestone.   Therefore, you must choose your diet carefully, talk to your wellness coach and seek their guidance in all of these areas to help ensure your success.