Exercise is one of the most important pieces of the weight loss puzzle, but many people find that they have a hard time fitting it in. These days, most people have a hectic schedule and it seems that there simply isn't enough time to stick to a good work routine, especially if you are juggling work, family, and personal time.

Doctors recommend getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. This can be something as simple as a walk around the block. It's also a good idea to try to fit in some strength building exercises, since muscle burns more calories and helps you to look slimmer. While this may seem like a lot, there are a few ways that you can work on squeezing in some exercise, even when you think that you don't have any time.

Have you watched in horror as your backside began to spread to a size that rivaled your couch cushions? Being a couch potato can wreak havoc on your health, but if TV is an addiction for you, you can easily remedy the situation by trying out these 10 ways to exercise while watching TV. I know, I know -- if I were a good weight loss website owner, I'd tell you to turn the TV off and never turn it on again! (And if you watch a lot of TV, you should whittle it down.) But, as someone who was called Miss TV Guide as a pre-teen, I know it's not that easy. I'm looking forward to a few season premieres these next few weeks myself (House, Survivor, The Office, Big Bang Theory -- to name a few). I don't watch The Biggest Loser often because it usually conflicts with some show I like whose name escapes me, at the moment. But I know a lot of people do like watching The Biggest Loser -- it can be inspirational; just remember they're being supervised! You need to work the weight off more slowly... (If you're a Biggest Loser fan, I've got a weight loss percentage calculator that calculates the percentage lost as they do on the show.) So, bearing in mind that I'm covering my butt by telling you to turn the TV off, if you're not going to listen, at least don't just sit there...

When you're trying to lose weight, what's the first round of advice you usually receive? Lower your calorie intake. Great idea, right? It depends on how you do it. Lowering your calorie intake and eating all of the foods we consider diet fare, such as lettuce, carrots, and celery (sometimes referred to as rabbit food) can actually bite you back if you get hungry.

By not getting enough fiber or protein in your meals, you can sabotage your own weight loss endeavors. Sure, that salad is good for you, but is it enough to keep the hunger pangs on a leash?

Sometimes we encounter barriers to our weight loss. Stop for a moment: when you read that first sentence, you probably thought of the biggies like temptations for food cravings that you have to overcome. But not everything is so blatantly obvious. There are many obstacles that prevent you from succeeding that are easily fixable if you know how to recognize them.

You need to spot the things in your life that stop you from losing weight. What makes it hard on you? Do you not have time to work out? Is eating healthy more of a pain than a pleasure? Think about it before you read on.

Sometimes it feels like you have to work hard to lose weight. And don't get me wrong -- I know that fat loss takes effort. But sometimes we make it more complicated than necessary, don't you think? If you've got bad food habits, you can shed 10 pounds easily just by making small changes in your daily diet regimen. Make some of these small changes and watch the weight peel off.

Change #1: When cooking, quit using fatty oils to flavor up and moisten your dish. Instead, steam your food or use a pressure cooker. Cook it in broth and you'll still get the flavor without all of the calories. Oil can house 39 calories teaspoon. Steam or pressure-cook your food and you save 273 calories a week (and this is if you only use one tsp, which most people actually use much more)!

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QUESTION:
What are the best lower ab exercises?
-Angie from Alexandria, VA

ANSWER:

This is a very common question since the abs are one of the most frustrating sections of the body to develop. The truth is that good abdominal definition usually isn't an issue of muscular development at all, it's more of an issue of body fat levels. The lower abs seem to be a 'holding cell' for that last bit of stubborn body fat that just won't come off easily. You see, if you have body fat covering your lower abs, it doesn't matter how well defined they are from exercise - you just won't see them underneath the layer of fat.

It is never a surprise to find yourself craving for the next meal or snack. Many people do have very healthy appetites all throughout the day. But, do you ever find yourself craving for food that is particularly sweet? Like, chocolate, candies, caramels and the like? Ah yes, a good number of people do enjoy a special appetite for sweets. Now, don’t feel guilty. For most people, the association of sweets as a reward for a good day’s work has its roots to childhood rearing. Do you remember when your doctor offers you a lollipop in exchange for a well-behaved check-up with him? Or, do you recall your mom giving you an extra slice of cake after you’ve helped her tidy up the house? These little efforts of reward have slowly but steadily laid the foundation of your appetite for sweets during your adult years. Nevertheless, just like almost everything in the world, there is a scientific explanation to this appetite for sweets. It was discovered by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, constant stress inflicted on lab rats initiated a natural desire to seek pleasing activities like eating sugary foods. To relate this to humans, sweet cravings may be triggered by tensions that consequently result in your body’s release of hormones called epinephrine and cortisol. These hormones create energy in the form of blood sugar. As a result, your body reacts to stress by increasing your appetite for sweets. Although there is really nothing wrong with an occasional sweet treat, a significant increase in its desire and indulgence will result to unhealthy consequences to your body --- like upsurges in blood sugar level that leads to unwelcome mood swings and, more excessively, to type 2 diabetes. Here are a few suggestions on how to curb that appetite for sweets:

• Eat five to 6 times a day to keep your blood sugar level. Eating smaller meals, more frequently will not only help keep cravings at bay but will help you lose weight, too.
• Enjoy healthy servings of carefully selected fruits. Some fruits help keep blood sugar steady like berries, apples and pears. Stay away from excessive intake of pineapple and watermelon.
• Take a hike. When you are hit with the next sweet craving, distract yourself by taking a stroll until the craving passes.
• Lastly, if your appetite for sweets has taken over your will power, ask for help. Behavioral therapy can help.

What's the Difference Between Hunger And Appetite?

Smart marketing for a product isn't just about advertising. It's about creating services or goods that people can't live without -- or that they crave on a continual basis. This is exactly what food manufacturers consider when they create a product for you to eat. Their goal is for you enjoy it and overeat your normal consumption because that's more money in their pocket.

Fat and sugar and salt are the three main culprits that stimulate your brain to make you eat more. While you think you're just answering your hunger cues, in reality, your body is being over-stimulated to eat more than your body needs.

You think you're being good, adhering to a seemingly healthy diet plan. You've exercised, stuck with what you consider healthy food -- but the scale's not budging. What's going wrong? Calories could be sneaking into your diet without you even paying attention.

Even a simple sandwich with chips and a soda can turn frighteningly dangerous to your diet if you;re not careful about exact measurements. Most people think just because they're eating whole wheat bread, sliced turkey and putting some vegetables on it that they're sticking to their diet.

But exactly how are you making that sandwich? Did you measure the mayonnaise? How many slices of turkey on the sandwich? What kind of cheese did you use? If you tally it up and add in a single can of soda and a handful of chips, you could be facing over 1,000 calories -- for one meal!

One of the drawbacks of our evolution from hunter-gatherers to a civilized society is that our work tools morphed from the use of spears to computers, causing our waists and backsides to expand from the lack of energy we've had to expend on our survival. Your desk doesn't have to cause the demise of your diet - I'm going to show you how to get fit while at your desk day or night!