Your Body by The Numbers – A Weight Loss Cheat Sheet
There are so many numbers being thrown at you when it comes to losing weight, getting fit and eating healthy, it’s no wonder people just focus on the number on the scale.
But that number on the scale doesn’t tell you everything. Focusing only on a weight loss goal can sometimes be unmotivating (if you don’t see the scale drop fast enough). It can also be misleading (if you’re gaining muscle, for example).
And let’s face it, while we’d all love to look like fitness models, it’s just not realistic to set that as a goal. Not even fitness models look like fitness models all the time.
I’m not saying it’s impossible. It’s just that the goal is always to be healthy.
Here’s a cheat sheet you can use on a regular basis to make sure you’re working your way towards healthy fat loss and fitness goals.
Trouble Losing? Try This Crazy Strategy
Dropping those unwanted pounds can be a frustrating when you’re not seeing any progress.
When you don’t see a change when you step on the scale or a change in body fat percentage, or even a change in how your clothes fit, it’s enough to make you want to give up completely.
You feel discouraged. You’re no longer motivated and start thinking, “Why bother?” Then you go back to the old habits that caused the weight gain in the first place, feeling like an utter failure.
If this is how you’re feeling, there’s a crazy, counter-intuitive strategy I want you to consider trying:
No Progress? Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone
Top 5 Most Fattening Foods -- Is Your Favorite on the List?
Top 13 Tips to Avoid Vacation Weight Gain
Soup's On! How to Make Vegetable Stock
Add a lean source of protein to the soup and you've got yourself a low calorie meal. It's a great way to cut down on calories in a healthy way.
When you start with a basic vegetable stock, you can add in any number of vegetables, beans, legumes and spices to create spectacular soups. The only limit is your imagination.
Who says healthy eating has to taste bad?
If you don't have the time, store-bought vegetable stock will do in a pinch. But I recommend making a homemade vegetable broth. The taste is so much better than a canned broth -- and you can control the sodium. And when you make healthy meals taste good, you'll be more likely to eat them. I make soup on Sunday afternoons, so that I have soup handy throughout the week.
Here's my favorite homemade vegetable stock recipe:
Weight Loss 101: How Do I Lose Weight?
For everyone who's ever asked, "Where do I start?", I've put together this Weight Loss 101 guide taking you through the six basic steps you need to take to lose weight in a safe and healthy way.
While the guide is great for beginners, if you're a yo-yo dieter or if you've been on a lot of "diets", this guide is a great starting point for you as well. You'll never go on another "diet" again.
So, here's my six-step answer to the age-old question: "How do I lose weight?" The first step may surprise you!
Top 3 Worst Weight Loss Shortcuts That Will Take You Off Course
Yet there's a little part inside of us that wants the weight gone NOW. No, not even NOW. We want it gone YESTERDAY.
And then that's when we resort to desperate measures and try to find shortcuts. But shortcuts will have you going round in circles, not knowing which way to turn.
Here are the top three worst weight loss shortcuts. Doing one of these is bad enough. But all three? That's a recipe for disaster.
5 Simple Things to Do to Lose Body Fat Faster
But sometimes you just want to speed up the process a little bit. Or maybe you find the fat is coming off a little more slowly than usual
You're doing everything 'right' but you just want to add a little more fuel to the fat burning fire.
Here are five simple things you can do to lose body fat faster in a safe and healthy way:
Can You Trust Dr. Oz?
Not necessarily.
I used to watch Dr. Oz's show when it first came out. I had to stop. The show was too over the top, for me. I tried to watch one of the shows last year, but it seemed ever worse. More "Take this supplement and it will solve all your problems." Unfortunately, it's too easy for people to get caught up in the hype.
Julia Belluz and Stephen J. Hoffman wrote an excellent piece on Slate.com called, Dr. Oz' Miraculous Medical Advice. In it, the writers look at the research that Dr. Oz is basing his claims on. The expose will shock you if you're a fan of Dr. Oz.
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