Saturday, February 28, 2009

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To diet and be healthy isn’t a lifestyle reserved only for people who are overweight. A matter a fact anyone (either you are 100lbs or 500lbs) can reap the benefits of a controlled diet and exercise routine that can last for the rest of your life. These benefits include an increased mental and physical energy, reduced risk of disease, more happiness and MORE SEX! The following 5 tips will provide you ways of how you can diet and be healthy.

1.You are what you Eat (well....kind of).
When choosing a meal or snack, you really need to ask yourself "should I be eating this?". Is there any gain (other than weight) that I will be getting out of this? Sure it will taste good, but is it worth 1 hour more on the treadmill to burn the calories you just ate? Think about that when you are in a coffee shop and drooling over the donuts. If you are determined to lose weight, you need to count your calories and keep it under 1500, eat natural foods, keep the meat's to a minimum and stay away from processed foods. The amount of times you should eat (healthy food of course) is every three hours, ideally at 7 A.M., 10 A.M., 1 P.M., 4 P.M., and 7 P.M. This will prevent you from cravings and binging and will keep your metabolism burning like a furnace. To help with your cravings, create a cheat day(yes, only 1 day) of the week to eat whatever you want. You want that bacon? Eat it! You like KFC? Eat it! Ice Cream? Eat it! I think you get my drift. But only eat what you truly desire on that ONE day and DO NOT OVER EAT. It is also better to eat your desired foods for 1 or 2 meals (during your cheat day) and continue to eat healthy snacks between meals(to keep your metabolism burning). For an example, if you are going to have bacon in the morning, have 1 or 2 slices. Do not eat the whole pack to make up for the whole week. Most people typically choose a cheat day that is considered a recreational day such as a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Whichever day works for you.


2.The Mystery of the "Magic"Diet Pill.
If you ever used diet pills, I bet the results were quite disappointed with the results along with the hundreds of dollars you wasted on them. If you did however lose any pounds, it was short term, then gained the weight back, right?. Some diet pills also claim that it will shed pounds off without any exercise and as with many people who have tried, they were quite disappointed with the results. Most people will take a pill (like CLA, Orovo, Nuphedragen and Trimspa as an example), eat junk food 30 min later and then wonder why they are not losing weight. Many diet pills are also associated with symptoms such as headaches, jitters, dry mouth, fever, excessive sweating, nauseousness, blurred vision, dizziness, hair loss and death. Is the magic pill really worth it?


3. Exercise = Results
Since our daily lives have been consumed with fast food, 9 to 5 jobs in a cubicle, elevators and automobiles, we tend to not get the right amount of exercise each day. Just like how we eat, there must be a balance. Now I'm not telling you to walk to work when your job is 2 hours away by car, but instead of using the elevator, try taking the stairs. That's a start. As for you daily exercises, nothing beats getting a good workout from running, walking, swimming or using an elliptical. If you have a favorite sport, grab a friend and join a league. There are also many exercise plans available that will assist with your exercise training that require only a few weights and a bench that can be easily purchased from your local fitness store or the local classifieds.


4. Create a Journal / Food Diary
By creating a journal, blog, or a blackberry text entry(if you own a PDA), you can track of what you consume and how you burnt it. Studies have shown that a person who updates a journal every day is likely to commit to their diet plan than to a person who does not. You will also be able to keep track of how you felt that day and if you were "tempted" to eat that donut or cheeseburger as you drove by the fast food restaurant. Each time you make an entry into your journal, you will reflect of how you felt the previous day and therefore motivate you of how you will tackle down those sudden urges. A good suggestion is to also write it down before you eat. It will make you think twice before eating it. Perhaps you will decide you don’t need the apple pie and eat jello instead.

5. Choose a Diet Plan that works.
If you have ever heard of the old saying "If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail", it is quite true in many aspects. Like anybody's first day in the gym, they have no idea of where to start. How many repetitions should I do for my back, arms or legs? What exercises are most effective? How many times should I go to the gym? How long should I stay in the gym? These are just a few questions that are on our minds when we commit to losing weight. Without a plan, you are more than likely to fall off the band wagon. There are many diet plans out there anywhere from Atkins, South Beach and Weight Watchers as an example, but proven diet fads that concentrate too much on one area of weight loss. As a trainer for many years, I've only recommended one diet plan that offers a balance in effective exercises, a diet plan with recipe book and software to track your weight and calories. A good plan is needed to deliver success and have seen results within days - not weeks. To take advantage of this diet/exercise plan, and to learn more - click here.


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