By Robert Kokoska
The biggest reason why most people can't lose weight is because their bodies have adapted to a certain amount of calories, and when this process happens it causes your metabolism to slow down significantly and weight loss is almost impossible. This is the problem with most of the available weight loss programs.
It is for this reason that people who go on starvation based diets only lose pounds for the first couple weeks, and then they get to a point known as a "plateau" which is a where their body adapts to the severely low amount of calories and all the weight loss comes to a complete stop. The other big problem with this type of dieting is that your metabolism will be alot slower after dieting and you will gain all the weight back eventually.
To lose weight permanently you mustn't allow your body to adapt to a specific level of calories daily, otherwise your metabolism will begin to slow down and you will cease losing weight. This also applies to eating a certain amount calories at the same time each day, so in order to avoid this problem you must never consume the exact same size breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
To better understand this idea of dieting, you should always keep your body off-balance by doing these two simple things:
1. Always eat a different total amount of calories daily. As an example, one day you might consume 2000 calories, then the next day you will only consume 1800 calories. The third day you would consume 1600 calories. On the fourth day you would consume 1400 calories and on the fifth day you would consume 2000 calories again.
2. You also need to change the total amount of calories consumed at each meal (This is so that your body won't get used to eating the same size breakfast, lunch and dinner).
For example, one day you might decide to eat a large breakfast and then a medium sized lunch followed by a small dinner. Then, the day after you might decide to eat a small breakfast, a large lunch followed by a medium sized dinner.
As you can now see, your body won't be allowed to adapt to eating a certain number of calories at any one meal, as well as not allowing your body to adapt to any one amount of total calories each day.
To further illustrate this important part of any successful weight loss plan, we have drawn up a sample of how you might eat for the next one week period:
Monday: 2000 Calories Total - Breakfast = 700, Lunch = 650, Dinner = 650
Tuesday: 1800 Calories Total - Breakfast = 600, Lunch = 700, Dinner = 500
Wednesday: 1600 Calories Total - Breakfast = 700, Lunch = 500, Dinner = 600
Thursday: 1400 Calories Total - Breakfast = 450, Lunch = 450, Dinner = 500
Friday: 2000 Calories Total - Breakfast = 700, Lunch = 650, Dinner = 650
Fat Loss 4 Idiots is the #1 weight loss diet available online that enables you to lose up to 9 pounds every 11 days, plus you are provided with additional tools to help you succeed including an online diet generator. To Learn more about the Fat Loss 4 Idiots program visit: http://www.fatloss4idiats.com
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Sunday, April 27, 2008
Calorie Shifting for Maximum Weight Loss
Friday, April 25, 2008
10 Easy Ways to Fire Up Your Metabolism
By Kim Archer
Have you been trying to lose weight, and suddenly find yourself stuck on a dieting plateau? If the scale isn't budging despite your best efforts, a sluggish metabolism may be the cause.
Metabolism is a complex process that converts the calories in the foods you eat into energy to ensure the proper functioning of your body. If you have a high metabolism, you'll burn fat and lose weight more easily than someone with a low metabolism, even at the same level of energy intake and expenditure.
Generally speaking, if you're stuck with a low metabolism, you'll never be able to eat as much as your skinny friend with a high metabolism without gaining weight. That being said, there are things you can do to speed up your metabolic rate and get you over the hump towards continued weight loss.
Here are 10 ways you can rev up your metabolism:
1. Exercise. This is the single most effective way to raise your metabolism. The more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you'll burn during everyday activities. Work out with weights at least twice a week, and fit in 30 minutes daily of cardiovascular exercise. Go for a brisk walk, run on the treadmill or cross train at the gym. Fit fitness into your day by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car further from the building, or doing some energetic housecleaning.
2. Have mini meals. Eating four to six small meals throughout the day rather than three big ones will keep your metabolism revved up constantly.
3. Don't skip meals. If you think skipping meals means you'll lose weight, you're wrong. If you don't feed your body when it expects to be fed, your metabolism grinds to a halt, thinking that you're in starvation mode. See tip number 2.
4. Eat more whole, unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. These foods help to keep your metabolism on an even keel.
5. Spice it up. Spicy foods such as hot peppers have been shown to boost your metabolism.
6. Cut back on sugar. High blood sugar levels cause you to store more food as fat.
7. Drink more water. When your body burns fat, it produces toxins. If you don't take in enough fluids to flush them out, your metabolism slows down.
8. Drink green tea. Studies have shown that green tea can speed up your metabolism. It also has numerous other health benefits that make it a worthwhile addition to your diet.
9. Get some sleep. Studies have shown a correlation between not getting enough sleep and weight gain.
10. Lose your stress. Emotional and physical stress can prompt the release of cortisol, a steroid hormone that lowers your metabolism. Plus, you're likely to eat more when you're stressed out.
So don't be discouraged and give up if the scale isn't budging. Try these tips to give your metabolism an edge, and you should be burning calories again in no time. Remember, healthy eating and fitness are a way of life, not just a quick fix to drop some pounds.
Kim Archer is publisher of women's wellness site The Internet Spa at http://www.internet-spa.com,where you'll find the information you need to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.
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