Archive for the ‘Weight Problems’ Category

4 Keys to Weight Loss

July 25th 2007

First off, let me start by saying this list is by no means exhaustive. However, if you can manage these 4 important components of a weight loss program, you will be on your way to a slimmer body.

Build the Foundation

Many people begin a weight loss program with their basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses in a resting state, in the gutter. The key then is to increase your BMR so that you are burning more calories throughout the day, every day. Increase the amount of calories you burn, increase the amount of fat you lose. Makes sense, yes? The best way to increase your BMR is through adding muscle tissue. Females often shudder at the idea of adding muscle due to their fear of becoming “bulky.” Relax babe! It’s a little harder to add that kind of muscle mass than you think. Besides, a little muscle mass goes a long way toward achieving a leaner body. And this is what you want, right?

Specificity of Program

Not just any exercise program will do for weight loss. Simply burning calories is not good enough. The program must be designed to elicit specific hormonal responses that are conducive to weight loss. I’ll give you a hint…hours and hours of cardio is NOT the answer!

Consistency

This one pretty much speaks for itself. Have you ever achieved anything great with an inconsistent effort? Unless you consider failure a great achievement, you probably haven’t. You must exercise consistently to get the results you want! It amazes me how many people put so little effort into their exercise program and complain about not seeing results. Even the most well designed programs are useless if they are not adhered to on a consistent basis.

Diet

Again, this one goes without saying. You can’t expect to achieve a leaner body by continuing your unhealthy eating habits. This isn’t to say that you should drop everything in your diet immediately and exchange it for “healthy” food. You would end up miserable and revert back to your old habits within a month. Instead, practice moderation and don’t overindulge. Also, phase certain unhealthy foods out of your diet while introducing healthier foods. The transition will be easier to make and a lot easier to maintain.

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How Did I Get So Fat?

July 21st 2007

“I never saw it coming, how did I get so fat” is what people all over the world are thinking. Lets do a little math to see how we all got fat.

3500 is the magic number. If we take in 3500 more calories than our body needs, we will put on one pound of fat. How easy is this to do? Unfortunately it is very, very, easy. Lets say you currently are drinking only one soda a day and you have stayed the same weight for years. Then you discover a new better tasting soda and you want two sodas a day. That soda may have 100 calories in it. This means you just added an additional 100 calories to your diet than your body needs.

Remember 3500 is the magic number and every time you add up to 3500 you just added a pound of fat. This means you will gain one pound of fat every 35 days just by adding 100 additional calories to your diet. That adds up to around 10 pounds a year!

Now think about what happens if you suddenly started drinking two additional sodas a day. What about those big gulps that are the size of your head? I am not just picking on sodas. It could be one additional doughnut, cookie, or piece candy. Those little thinks add up.

The good news is that that 3500 number also works the other way. Lets say you are drinking three sodas a day and you weight is stable. If you cut back to two sodas a day, assuming that is 100 calories, every 35 days you would lose one pound. That means you could possible lose 10 pounds a year, just by cutting back a little.

Remember this the next time you that one extra cookie.

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