Around the world, millions of people start diets every year.  Many people start diets a few times a year, and for some people it may seem as if they are constantly on a diet or enduring an endless cycle of starting a diet and falling of the band wagon.  The majority of people who start a diet cannot maintain it for the long term, meaning that even if they reach their goal weight, they are likely to gain the weight back, often with a little extra when they stop the diet and go back to their original eating habits.

The truth is that to lose weight and keep it off in the long term you can never really stop your diet.

This may sound like a lifelong prison sentence of tasteless, uninspiring food and deprivation, but statistics show that most people who lose weight on a diet regain it when they stop.  The reason for this is that their diet is simply too restrictive to be maintained. Many fad diets eliminate food groups such as carbs or fat or only allow you to eat specific foods at certain times of the day.  This may well help you to reach your goal weight, but you cannot go all your life drinking only meal replacement shakes or eating only high protein, low fat salads.  It’s simply not sustainable and can completely destroy your social life.  Nobody wants to go out for a meal with someone who only picks at a green salad throughout the night.

What is the answer to this? Avoid diets that are unsustainable and do not fit in with your everyday life and instead focus on small, healthy, long-term changes to your diet.  Your weight loss may not be fast, but if you persevere you will be able to maintain a healthy weight for life, rather than being back at square one and making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight all over again the next year.

Do not think about going on a diet, but instead about changing your eating habits for life.

Diets with Maintenance Phases

Many popular diets involve a maintenance phase that is designed to help you maintain your weight loss once you have reached your goal weight.  This is usually a more relaxed version of the original diet, with a greater number of foods allowed.  The Dukkan Diet for example, ends in a stabilization phase which states you can eat pretty much anything you want as long as one day a week you return to the original diet plan of only lean protein.  Whilst these maintenance phases may assist with keeping weight off in the longer term, it still means that you are tied to an eating plan or regime which you are expected to follow for the rest of your life.  If the diet is one which fits your eating patterns and is easy to follow and varied, this may be fine, however if it relies on expensive supplements, or eliminating food groups this is still a lot to take on.

Reasons people stop dieting and why they gain the weight back.

There are numerous reasons why people stop dieting.  If you do choose to follow a diet that is not sustainable in the long term, it is essential that when you stop the diet for whatever reason, you do not go back to your original habits.  You need to adopt a new healthy lifestyle to keep that weight off.

The target weight is achieved

When a person reaches their goal weight, they often stop their diet.  Unfortunately many people don’t continue with a healthy food intake, but instead celebrate the end of their restrictive diet by eating all the things they have deprived themselves of for the last few months.

This is likely to lead to regain of the lost weight, but also add extra kilos to your frame.  As you have less body mass than you had before your diet, your calorie requirements for weight maintenance will have decreased.  Therefore if you start to eat the same as you were before your diet, you will quickly gain back the weight and then some.

The important thing to remember when you reach your target weight is that although you cannot ‘stop’ your diet you can relax it and add in more of the foods you enjoy or have been avoiding, just don’t go overboard.

Weight loss plateaus

In the first few weeks of a weight loss diet the drop in pounds is usually satisfyingly obvious with each weigh in.  This pattern is not sustainable however, and as you continue on your diet, your weight loss is likely to drop off, resulting in a weight plateau.  This can be very disheartening and can cause many people to give up on their diet under the belief that it just isn’t working anymore, so what’s the point.

A plateau will often occur because your new less voluminous body requires less and less calories to maintain weight as your lose weight.  Therefore to keep up steady weight loss, you may need to reduce calories further as you lose weight or increase your exercise to burn more.  Exercise is the ideal option as this will also increase your muscle mass, leading to a faster metabolic rate and more calories being burnt when the body is at rest.

The diet is too restrictive

This is the most common reason people stop a diet.  A large proportion of the diets out there is unrealistic and cannot be maintained for a long period of time.  Food is a huge part of our lives, and to be in a constant state of deprivation can be depressing, anti-social and lead to a poor quality of life.  Whilst celebrities may following a limiting diet look easy, an eating plan that does not fit in with your life or your eating preferences is unlikely to be sustainable and few of us have personal chefs, nutritionists and trainers on call to make a restrictive diet easier for us.  This is why it is important to look for realistic long term changes rather than short term fixes.

Why a healthy diet is for life

In order to avoid an ongoing cycle of yo-yo dieting it is essential to develop a long term healthy diet that is easy to maintain.  You cannot give up your healthy eating regime, and hope to stay the same weight, so it is essential to make your diet as simple to stick to as possible.  Focus on a low saturated fat, high fibre diet, and rich in fruit, vegetables and lean protein sources, rather than eliminating foods.  Remember a diet is not just about weight loss, but also about having a healthy body.  A good diet is the best way to protect yourself from lifestyle diseases and feel great.

How to achieve long term weight loss (and not feel like you’re on a diet)

1.       Make gradual changes that don’t make a big impact on your life

Start small, maybe replace your full fat dairy products with skim, or switch to wholegrain bread.  As you get used to one change, add in another.  Make sure these changes are achievable.  There is no point trying to eat eight small meals a day if your job only allows you a half hour lunch break.  Even the smallest changes like reducing the sugar in your coffee can lead to weight loss over time.


2.      Explore and enjoy new healthy foods and cooking

A healthy diet does not need to be boring.  Look for different ways of cooking vegetables and low fat dishes.  Using fresh, healthy produce can produce some incredibly tasty dishes and inspiration from international foods can increase variety.  Making healthy food delicious is a great way to avoid cravings for unhealthy alternatives.


3.      Reduce portion sizes

Even if we eat a healthy diet, if we eat more calories than our body needs we will still gain weight.  Try using a child sized plate for your food.  Studies have shown that using a smaller dish makes us eat less, as the plate appears fuller with less food.  Another good technique is to serve yourself a small portion of what you want to eat, and put the rest away.  You’ll be less likely to keep eating when it’s no in front of you.


4.      Don’t beat yourself up over the occasional treat

A couple of squares of chocolate and the odd ice cream aren’t the end of the world.  Just make sure that you keep these treats are occasional foods and choose your absolute favourites to make the calories worth it.  Don’t waste precious calories on something you could take or leave. See also 10 healthy alternatives to chocolate.


5.      Make you calories count

Rather than thinking about the calories a food is contributing to your diet, think about the nutrition.  Many nutritious foods are low in calories and fat, and even if they are not if they provide a substantial hit of vitamins and good fats they are probably worth the calories from a health perspective.  Don’t waste calories on foods that give no nutritional value.


6.      Exercise

There is no getting around the fact that a healthy diet is not usually enough to maintain a healthy weight in the long term.  Some form of exercise is vital in your life, be it as simple as taking the dog for a walk or as vigorous as a spin class.  As you get older, it is essential to do exercise to keep your metabolism firing as well as to strengthen muscles and bones.


7.      Don’t obsess about your weight

If you gain weight one week, it is not the end of the world.  Look at the long term picture.  It is normal for weight to fluctuate due to many factors including water retention and bowel moments, so it is better to look at weight over a longer time period.  If you are seeing a ongoing increase over time, there is reason to be concerned, but if your weight has gone up a couple of pounds one week, don’t stress.  It is also important to remember if you start to exercise more you will gain muscle, which in fact weighs more than fat.  So while you may be gaining weight, this is likely to be healthy metabolically active muscle.  Never weigh yourself daily, this is just setting yourself up for disappointment, once a week is plenty.

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From my experience a lot of people hesitate to even try and lose weight because they don’t know from where to start. They know that they should go on a diet and exercise regime but the lack of measurable goals creates uncertainty and this leads to failure before to even begin! To bypass this problem and have clear goals on what you want to achieve, you can start your weight loss process by doing some simple calorie calculations. By calculating how many calories you should be eating per day and how many calories you should be burning per day, you can have a better picture about your daily calorie needs and a rough estimate as to when you will be able to reach your ideal weight.

Before getting into the mathematical part let me explain some basic weight loss concepts that will help you understand what these numbers mean. You do not have to keep a pen and paper because our daily calorie calculator will do the hard part.


When do you lose weight?

There are many factors that affect how much weight you can lose (and when) but in its simplest form weight loss will occur when the calories you burn are more than the calories you consume.  Food and drinks (think diet) are the only sources for calories you consume while exercise, physical activity and other body factors affect the rate you burn calories. So if you manage to control these 2 sources and create a calorie deficit you will eventually start losing weight.


How many calories are in a pound?

Let’s add one more parameter to our equation which is 1 pound of fat = 3500 calories aprx. This means that if you consume 3500 more calories than what you burn in a period of time you will gain one pound but if you manage to burn 3500 more calories than you consume you will lose 1 pound.


What is my daily calorie requirement?

Many studies have found that in general women need 1500-2000 kcal to maintain their current weight and for men the range goes to 2000-2500 Kcal. This number is also known as the Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR). In essence this figure gives you the number of calories your body needs on a daily basis in order to function properly.

Note: This is not how many calories you consume per day but how many calories your body needs to function.

How many calories to eat if you want to lose weight?

Before getting into a real example of how to calculate the calories you should be eating per day for weight loss let me say that this is only an estimate and it is not guaranteed that by following this number you will lose or gain weight. There are many other factors involved in losing weight and the number of calories you consume is just one of the elements and since it is easy to calculate you can use it as your starting point.

Let’s assume that you need to lose 5lb in 2 months, this is how you calculate the amounts of calories to eat per day:

Step 1: Calculate your BMR and daily calorie needs

After using our BMR and daily calorie calculator you found that: BMR is 1800 calories and daily calorie needs are 2000 kcal.

Step 2: Calculate the calories you want to lose

You want to lose 5lb which is aprx 17500 calories (1lb of fat is 3500 calories)

Step 3: Calculate how many calories you need to save per day

Your goal is not lose 5lb in 2 months. Doing some basic calculations you can find out that 17500 calories in 2 months is about 8750 calories per month or 2187 per week or 313 kcal per day. So in theory, if you manage to save 313 calories per day you will lose 5lb in 2 months

Step 4: Subtract the number of calories you need to save per day (Step 3 above) from your daily calorie needs (step 1 above)

Daily Calorie needs – Calorie savings per day = 2000 – 313 = 1687 kcal per day. This is the number of calories you need to eat per day if you want to lose 5lb in 2 months!

How many calories to burn per day if you want to lose weight?

Since you know the number of calories you should be eating per day, you can use a calorie counter to calculate the amount of calories you actually eat (or drink) on a daily basis and find out the amount of calories you need to burn via exercise if you want to lose weight.

For example if you are consuming  1800 calories per day and in order to lose weight you need to consume only 1687 calories per day (as calculated above) then this means that you should burn 113 kcal per day by doing exercise.

What you should know when doing your calculations

1. When you start a diet or weight loss program you will not only lose fat. Especially at the beginning you will lose water weight and in some cases you may also lose muscle. So the results in the first few weeks may be misleading.

2. When you make sudden or drastic changes to your diet the body will try to adapt by lowering the metabolic rate. In other words it enters a protective mode by reducing the number of calories it needs per day. 

3. The absolute minimum amount of calories you can consume per day is 1000-1100 kcal. It is not recommended to go beyond this number for any reason.

4. The recommended weight to lose per week is between 1 – 1.5 pounds. Anything above that can have other implications to your health and normal body functioning.

5. Do not forget that drinks also carry calories so make sure that you include drinks in your daily calorie calculations. You can read our article on the 5 best healthy weight loss drinks that work to find out which drinks are ‘weight loss friendly’.

6. You can use a technique called “calorie cycling” to make the process easier to follow. This means that once you calculate your daily calorie needs you can go above and below this range on different days of the week. If for example you daily kcal needs are 1700 you can choose to go above this number on Monday and Wednesday and below this number the rest days of the week but try to avoid exaggerations. You can also read about carb cycling to access if this is something you want to try for your diet.

7. Make sure that you give correct measurements for your weight and height when calculating your BMR.

8. Do not lie about your activity level but try to be as accurate as possible.

9. Do not decrease your daily calorie intake by more than 500 kcal per day. Better expand the time period. 

Reducing your intake by 500 kcal is a lot and very difficult to follow for a long time.

10. Always consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet or exercise routine.

As explained above you can use these calculations to give you an idea where you stand and how much effort you need to make until you meet your goals and target weight. Weight loss depends on a lot more factors and calculating the calories you need per day is just your starting point.

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I often get asked “What can I do to stay motivated” and being a good trainer that really wants to help change peoples lives for the better, the answer is never easy.

What is real motivation?

To get great results in this field, whether your goal is to start a diet, losing weight off your stomach, gaining muscle or benching 300lbs the answer is always the same.  You need to understand there has to be more to it than running a mile, curling a dumbbell or doing pushups.  There has to be a certain level of love and dedication for what you are doing.  Sure, a song or picture can motivate you to get through one workout, but that is not real motivation. Real long lasting motivation has to come from your soul; a great speaker once said if you do not believe in yourself 100%, who else will?

You need to find your own motivation to improve that one thing that will drive you forward no matter how hard it gets. Throughout my training career my motivation has always been the same, to inspire people to make their life better and show them that nothing is impossible.

My story

I have always believed everything happens for a reason, and my sickness for 7 years while seemingly hopeless and unfair to me at the time was no different. What left me at 120 pounds soaking wet began my journey to who I am today.

I know what it is like to feel weak, sick, and tired. To feel like your goal is impossible and no matter what you do, you do not seem to get any closer.  I have spent weeks at a time in hospitals and had many surgeries and medication changes along the way.  However, I also know what it feels like to overcome a struggle like that, to get up from falling and keep moving on. Remember even if you fall down 7 times, it is fine, just make sure you get up on the 8th.

And that truly is a great feeling, to overcome something you previously thought impossible. Always remember, no matter what you are going through, there will always be a way to get through it and prevail.  I do not know every one of your goals outside of weight loss, however I can tell you this, if you find the true motivation you need to succeed, you will reach those goals. I may not know every struggle you are facing but if you find that motivation to not give up no matter how hard it gets, you will succeed.

Maybe you are trying to lose 10,20,30,50, or 200 pounds.

Maybe you are trying to quit an unhealthy habit such as smoking.

Maybe you are trying to improve your overall health, so one day you can run and play with your grandchildren.

Maybe you are trying to get in better shape to join the local police department or the military.

Maybe you are trying to improve for a sport or build muscle.

Maybe you are just trying to find the motivation to study for your career.

Or perhaps you are trying to overcome a sickness like I did.

If you believe that you can do it, you will do it

I am here to tell you, that you can do it.  Just find that motivation you need to press on, to keep on going no matter what happens, and you will succeed. But there is something else you need to realize as well, the whole time you are working towards your goal, there always be people telling you that you can’t to do it. People told me I would never reach 200lbs lean bodyweight after being sick so long, they told me I would never bench 300 lbs, but I did.  Take all the negativity people point towards you and use it as extra fuel, every time they say you cannot accomplish your goal no matter what it may be, see it as an extra incentive to accomplish it.

When I was benching 125lbs and  I told someone I  would bench 300lbs one day , they told me no I wouldn’t, I could never do that. That moment is when I knew my goal was high enough, for someone to be in total disbelief I will ever accomplish it. In addition, when I did accomplish it, it felt even better.

Remember you can do anything you set your mind to, and losing fat is not as hard as companies trying to sell you products present it.  I am sure you have accomplished much harder tasks in life; all you need to do now is find your own personal motivation and press on.

Now that you know the primary form of motivation you will need to rely on to truly succeed long term, it is also important to note there is nothing wrong with short-term motivation boosters.  I have included a list of tips below that will also help you raise your motivation and keep you on track.

5 Motivation Tips for success

Keep a Fitness Journal

Nothing will keep you motivated on a day to day basis like being able to look back at last months workout and see how much you have improved.  Or to look back at last months measurements and see how many total inches you have lost. 

Get Others Involved

Losing weight, like most ventures in life is best done with others, whether they are co-workers, friends, or your family.

Announce Your Goals

Informing your friends and family about your goals will help you push more to achieve them than keeping all your goals to yourself. As I mentioned in the last tip, getting others involved is always a positive thing in the end, however this way they do not have to join in, just tell them your goals and dates you should achieve them.

Avoid Negativity

As I said before, there will always be people who tell you that you cannot do something or that it is impossible.  Either avoid these people or tell them you do not have time for their negativity and hopefully they will stop. Would you want a business partner who constantly talked about how your career will fail?

Listen to Uplifting Music and Read Positive Quotes

This may sound corny but listening to music and reading positive quotes has been shown in many studies to help individuals perform and stay on track better.  You need to use every advantage you can to make sure you achieve your final goal and music always helps me get in the mood to do another hard workout.

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The age-old debate of running or walking on a treadmill versus outdoors has been going on ever since treadmills were first invented. However, which method is actually more efficient for weight loss? The answer is surprisingly not in black and white, neither approach is 100% better than the other; it all depends on your personal preferences.  Which means I cannot give you definitive answer which one is better for you, however I can go over the Pros and Cons of each method so you can decide for yourself.

One thing I do recommend is to not always walk on a treadmill, use of treadmills for long periods have been shown to cause knee issues years down the road. A treadmill is mechanically different from walking on normal ground and in most individual’s works the quadriceps slightly more than your Glutes or Hamstrings; this will eventually cause a muscle imbalance, which can lead to injury if not corrected.

Running on the treadmill VS outdoors 

Terrain- On a treadmill you are always on the same terrain, however outside you may encounter soft sand, concrete, grass, gravel or anything in between.  As you encounter these subtle differences in terrain, your body is working even more, as it is constantly challenging your nervous system to make split second decisions to keep your body stable and moving in the right direction. 

Wind Resistance- There are a lot of critics who I feel give too much power to the difference lack of wind resistance impacts treadmill workouts. Basic studies have shown the lack of wind resistance only contributes to a 1-10% difference in difficulty. 

Running Form-   While on a treadmill, runners are a lot more likely to use improper running form. Your running technique SHOULD be identical in both forms of training; unfortunately, the moving belt of the treadmill can really throw your running mechanics off sync. On a treadmill, you can move more “bouncy” than normal, which is actually a common trick people use to make higher speeds easier. You are on the treadmills belt for less time therefore it is easier to keep up. 

Environmental Challenges- Another unique aspect of running outside is the constantly changing environment, if you are in an urban area you will have to stop and go at street crossings, dodge bystanders and make sharp turns. 

Downhill- One aspect treadmills cannot safely accomplish is downhill running, many athletes run downhill to build speed as it helps improve their stride rate.  Remember Stride Length x Stride Rate determines your overall running speed. 

Mental Effects- There are also many mental effects either form of training could have on you , as with any form of exercise it is always better to do something you enjoy doing then something that you get bored of easily or seems like a chore. Sure, everyone can use a little fresh air and sunshine in their day-to-day life, but maybe you want to watch a fun TV show while you walk or run. 

Constant Feedback- Surprisingly, many treadmills these days have very accurate heart rate and total calories burnt calculators built right in. A good one will ask you for many details such as your age and weight. 

Safety- Treadmills also offer constant safety, when running outside you need to be constantly alert to your surrounding environment.  I cannot say I have heard of a mugger chasing down a runner for his wallet, but dogs and other animals are always a concern. This is why I recommend the first few times you run a route keep your headphones out, you do not want to run into an aggressive dog and never hear it coming. 

Weather- Of course, treadmills also offer the benefit of never being “rained out “. I personally find running in a light drizzle relaxing, but there will always be days when people do not want to drive outside, much less walk or run.

Fewer Excuses- Another large benefit treadmills offer is you cannot find excuses to avoid them easily.  As long as you have electricity, you can run indoors on the treadmill.  Many outside runners “wait until its warmer out” and end up missing their run completely.

Calories Burnt-  As always, the actual amount of calorie you burn will rely solely on the intensity and pace of the workout; therefore, there is no clear answer to which burns more calories.  Nevertheless, keep in mind on a treadmill you can run at faster speeds, as you are running straight forward you do not need to stop and go, make turns, or watch out for other people. That along with fewer distractions has actually leaned many trial studies to show people burnt more calories on a treadmill versus running outside in the same period of time.

Conclusion

 As you can see, each style of training offers its own unique benefits and neither one completely outshines the other. I recommend you keep a healthy change of pace in your workouts so you keep from getting bored, do not forget other forms of cardio either, such as riding a bike or swimming.

For you quick reference I have also included below a table of the calories an average man and woman can expect to burn running.

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It seems like we just can’t learn to leave carbs alone.  There is a constant flood of diets plastering the media, many of which seem intent on advising us just how to eliminate, reduce or choose the carbohydrates in our diets.  Carb cycling, as the name suggests is no exception, being a diet that bases its weight loss principles on the amount of carbohydrates you eat and when you eat them.  Unlike some other carb controlling diets however, carb cycling does advocate a number of general healthy eating principles as well as moderating carbohydrate intake.

What is Carb Cycling?

Carb Cycling diets, also known as carb rotation diets, were made popular by books such as Jay Robb’s The Fat Burning Diet and The Carb Rotation Diet by Jayson Hunter.  However, carb cycling is nothing new, having been used in the body building world as a method for burning fat and building muscle for some time.

Essentially carb cycling involves a cycle (as the name suggests), of low or no carb days with days when you are allowed to eat carbs.  The idea is you get some of the benefits of a low carb diet, but avoid the flat lethargic feelings or carb cravings that can occur if the body is deprived of carbs for too long.

There are many different approaches to carb cycling, with the length of the cycle being the main variant.  Some choose to follow a low carb eating plan for five days a week and then have two high carb days (this plans fits in nicely with the weekend!), although the high carb days do not need to be consecutive.  Others follow a shorter rotation, with two low/ no carb days followed by one high carb.  Carb intake on the no/low carb days varies, but in his Carb Rotation Diet, registered dietician Jayson Hunter recommends using a low carb approach rather than eliminating all carbs in order to make the diet easier to stick to.

In general on high carb days you should obtain about 50% or less of your daily calories from carbs, whilst on lower carb days this should be reduced to zero to 50 grams per day.  Overall calorie intake on low calorie days should also be lower.  When starting the diet, you need to calculate your required daily calorie intake and work out how much carbohydrate you should be eating.  If you are aiming for a healthy weight loss of one to two pounds per week, make sure that your calorie intake on low carb days is low enough to achieve this.

Aside from varying carb intake, most carb cycling or rotation diets also promote a diet of healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, low GI, high fibre carbohydrates, low saturated fats and a moderate intake of healthy unsaturated fats.  Many also recommend avoiding any form of sugar (with the exception of that in fruit) and refined carbohydrates.

Carb Cycling claims

The theory behind carb cycling diets rests on the idea that we can ‘trick’ our body into maintaining muscle mass and dropping fat when we vary the amount of carbs we eat day to day.  Promoters of these diets have suggested that methods designed originally for heavy lifters can also be beneficial for the rest of us, who far from wanting to look like pumped up gorillas would just like to lose a little flab from our hips.  In The Fat Burning Diet, Jay Robb says that when we eat carbs this stimulates the release of insulin, a hormone required to help cells utilize blood sugars for energy.  This is a sound principle, acknowledged by scientists around the world.   If we don’t burn this energy, it is stored as fat.  Robb goes on to suggest that if we keep our body guessing, by mixing up carb intake, this will stop it from storing the extra energy as fat.

This theory is based on controlling glycogen levels.  Glycogen is the form in which we store broken down carbohydrates in our muscles and liver for energy.  These stores are used up as we exercise, or simply go about our normal day to day lives, and need to be replenished.  By only eating carbs every few days, the idea is that the stores of glycogen are replenished when needed, but not saturated.  If you consume more carbohydrate than can be stored as glycogen, it will be stored as fat.  In theory this means we are only refuelling those stores when we need to, in order to maintain energy levels.

What are the benefits of Carb Cycling?

Weight Loss

Many followers report significant weight loss on this type of diet, and a lot of low carb dieters claim to have used it successfully to break through weight loss plateaus.  Carb cycling is likely to lower your calorie intake to a level that promotes weight loss

Healthy Diet

Many carb cycling diets offer meal plans which promote healthy diets rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and unsaturated fats, which aside from contributing to weight loss will make you feel better and may offer some protection from lifestyle diseases.  Make sure you choose a diet that promotes a healthy balanced diet, or run it past a dietician to check you will be meeting nutrient requirements. The Carb Rotation Diet was created by a registered dietician, and the recommended meal plans reflect this.

It’s easier than low carb!

As this diet is essentially a more relaxed version of a low carb diet, it should be easier to follow.  The diet is less restrictive as you are allowed to eat carb based foods every few days, meaning you are less likely to fall of the band wagon.

What are the drawbacks?

Limited scientific evidence

Whilst the theory behind the diet is based on the known biochemistry of the body, there is little actual evidence to suggest that it will promote weight loss.  There is a definite lack of scientific controlled studies done in this area to support the theory and draw attention to possible side effects.

Carb cravings

There is also a possibility that as you are eating carbs every few days, this may make it harder for your body to function without them on the low carb days.  Some followers report increased cravings for carbs with a cycling diet than with a traditional low carb, when the body is more accustomed to the lack of carbohydrate.

Carb Binging

Whilst carbs are allowed on given days, it is essential that you don’t go overboard.  Having carb free days may make you crave them which in turn may lead to a binge on high carb days.  It is still important to control your calories and stick to recommended carb amounts on these days or you will undo all the hard work from the previous low carb days.

It’s complicated

Maybe body builders dedicating their lives to finding the exact combination of nutrients that will build muscle and eliminate fat, with professional help, can afford to spend time calculating the exact requirements for calories and carbs on low and high carb days.  For most of us this is a lot of hassle and may be enough to make us give up on the diet all together.  Calorie and carb intake also needs to be adjusted for exercise and a good knowledge of the carb content of just about everything you intend to eat is needed.  Unless you have professional support, this can be a daunting task and may require a significant number of extra hours shopping, researching and calculating each week.

The Verdict – Does Carb Cycling work?

Carb cycling is definitely not the worst diet out there.  It is likely to be easier to stick to than traditional low carb diets and in general promotes healthy eating.  The speed of weight loss will be dependent on your calorie intake, and also your exercise levels, so it may not be any faster than other methods and ideally will fall in the healthy recommended range.

But does weight loss really need to be so complicated?  It is completely possible to lose weight with carbs in your diet.  As long as your calorie intake is less than your output (i.e. the calories you burn), you will lose weight.  Therefore, if carbs are a big part of your life, this is probably not the diet for you, and there is no need to follow such as complicated method for weight loss.  By choosing the right types of carbohydrates and other foods, in combination with reducing portion sizes and exercising you are likely to lose just as much weight.

No diet is suitable for everyone, so if carb cycling seems like a good fit for you, the only way to find out is to try it.  As with any diet, it is advisable to consult with a health professional before undertaking the diet to ensure nutrient requirements are met, and your calorie intake is optimum for weight loss.  In a carb cycling diet it is also important to consider your exercise regime and factor this into your carb requirements.

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You may have heard a lot about GI or glycemic index recently.  Many well known food products use ‘low GI’ as a marketing message, promising ‘long lasting energy’.   Other products simply boast the small GI symbol on their packaging.  There is a GI diet, and many recipe books and magazines feature recipes that are low GI.  But what exactly is GI and is a diet based on low GI foods beneficial for our health?

What is GI?

GI or glycemic index is a rating system from 0 to 100, based on the effect that a food has on blood sugar levels when it is eaten. Only foods containing carbohydrates can have a GI rating, as carbohydrates are broken during digestion to their simplest form, sugars.   High GI foods with ratings of 70 or more are those which are digested and absorbed quickly, causing a rapid increase in blood sugar, usually followed by a substantial drop in levels.  Low GI foods, with a rating less than 55 on the other hand, are absorbed and digested more slowly and therefore cause a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels that is maintained over a longer time frame.

Why is GI important?

The GI of the food you eat is important for everyone.  Quick rises in blood glucose levels, such as those produced by high GI foods, can cause us to feel hungry again soon after eating.  This is due to the rapid drop of the blood sugar after the initial peak.  Low GI foods however, can keep you full for longer, as your blood sugar is maintained at a constant level over an extended period of time.

Maintaining blood sugar levels at a constant level is particularly important for people with Diabetes.  Type 2 Diabetics do not respond to insulin, a hormone in the body that regulates blood sugar levels by allowing the uptake of sugar into the cells for energy.  If people with diabetes experience large increases in blood sugar levels, over time, this can do extensive damage to the body.

GI is also important when doing sport.  Athletes need to eat the correct foods for training and competing to ensure their blood sugar levels stay constant.  Exercise increases insulin production, so if a person does a lot of exercise their blood sugar levels can drop very low.  An athlete may need to eat high GI foods before competing or during a race to boost depleted levels of blood sugar quickly.

What are the benefits of a low GI diet?

A low GI diet has proven benefits for health. A diet based on low GI foods can be beneficial for weight control, due to delayed hunger and appetite control produced by stabilized blood sugar levels.  This means that you eat less overall, contributing to weight loss or control, and are less likely to crave high sugar and calorie foods.

Insulin resistance is also reduced with a low GI diet.  When the body is constantly producing insulin to facilitate the uptake of glucose into the cells of the body and reduce the blood glucose levels, eventually the body can become resistant to this insulin.  This means that blood sugar levels stay high, which can do damage to blood vessels and organs in the body.  This is how type 2 Diabetes usually develops.

The Harvard School of Public Health has performed studies that suggest that the risk of lifestyle diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease are related to the overall GI of a person’s diet, and that a lower GI diet reduces risk of these conditions.  The World Health Organisation (WHO), recommends that people living in industrialised countries should follow a low GI diet to reduce risk of these common diseases.

What are some low GI food options?

So we know a low GI diet can have health benefits, but what foods should we actually be eating?  Choosing healthy low GI options can be more difficult that it seems.  Whilst fresh foods are easy to identify as low or high GI, composite foods made up of multiple ingredients can be more difficult.  Unfortunately, foods with a high fat content usually have a low GI.  This is because fat slows gastric emptying and therefore increases digestion time.  Ice cream and chocolate are both relatively low GI foods, but are obviously not healthy choices and are likely to contribute to weight gain.

Combinations of foods in a meal can also affect blood sugar levels.  If a high GI and low GI food are eaten together for example, the effect will be a moderate rise in blood sugar levels.  An example of this is eating a potato with baked beans, the potato is high GI, but the beans are low, so the effect on blood sugars is moderated.

For optimum results it is best to eat low GI foods the majority of the time, however, if the occasion arises where this is not possible, try to at least combine high GI choices with lower GI options to reduce the effect on your blood sugars.

Easy low GI food swaps

Cereals

Swap puffed rice cereals (GI 82), cornflakes  (GI 80)and puffed wheat  (GI 80) for porridge (GI 58), natural muesli  (GI 40)or All-Bran (GI 50)

Bread

Swap white bread (GI 71), baguettes (GI 98) and bagels (GI 72) for wholewheat(GI 49), soya and linseed  (GI 36)or sourdough (GI 54).

Swap taco shells (GI 68) for wheat tortilla (GI 30)

Fruit

Swap dates (GI 103) for prunes (GI 30)

Swap watermelon (GI 80) for apples (GI 34)

Vegetables

Swap potatoes (GI 60) for sweet potatoes (GI 48)

Swap pumpkin (GI 75) for carrots (GI 41)

Most vegetables are quite low in carbohydrates and have a low GI

Snack foods

Swap pretzels (GI 83) for nuts (GI 13-25)

Swap water crackers (GI 78) and rice cakes  (GI 87)for oatmeal crackers (GI 55)

Swap maple flavoured syrup (GI 68) for  jam (GI 51) or Nutella(GI 33)

Swap scones (GI 92) and donuts  (GI 76) for a nut and seed muesli bar (GI 49).

Pasta and rice

Swap short grain rice (GI 83) for long grain (GI 50) or brown rice (GI 50)

Swap rice noodles for wheat pasta (GI 54) or instant noodles (GI 47)

Dairy

All dairy products are low GI with the exception of ice cream which is classified as medium (GI 62)

Legumes

All legumes are low GI.

read more →

Over the last 6 years I have read and written a number of weight loss tips. These kind of articles are very popular and every weight loss, fitness web site has a ‘Tips’ article or category. When I decided to write this article I have set one goal: to gather the best and most important tips that can actually help you lose weight and understand all aspects of the weight loss process from dieting to exercise and fitness, lifestyle and motivation. 

The end result is this rather big article which includes everything you need to know (50 Tips) in one place. To make it easier to navigate, the article is broken down into the following sections:

 

Weight loss tips – basic weight loss principles and advice on what is important to do first

 

Dieting Tips – What to do and what not to do while on a diet

 

Fitness Tips – Fitness is not only going to the gym but there are many other ways to exercise for weight loss

 

Motivation Tips – Without motivation you cannot lose weight, let’s get motivated!

 

Lifestyle Tips – Weight loss it’s not about exercise and diet but it’s all about lifestyle.

 

 

 

Weight loss Tips

 

1.       First things first – The weight loss equation

 

The simplest way to explain when you will lose weight is: Weight loss will occur when you consume less calories than what you burn, in other words Weight loss = Calories in – Calories out. Of course there many other factors that matter but having this simple formula in mind is useful in many situations. In addition, one pound of fat is approx. 3500 calories so when your calorie deficit gets to 3500 you will lose one pound.

 

 

2.       Monitor your daily calorie intake

 

Getting obsessed with calorie counting is not a good practice but having a clear picture about the number of calories you consume on a daily basis is necessary. There are many ways to calculate how many calories you should eat per day and this number can be used as a guide to help you create your meal plan and exercise schedule.

 

 

3.       Eat at predefined hours

 

Try to eat at the same time each day. Studies have shown that this helps digestion since our biological clock is synchronized with our brain and stomach.  It may sound weird but from experience I noticed that when I am not eating at my regular times I feel bloated and digestion takes longer. So, try to eat at predefined times and at least 2-3 hours before going to bed. This will give enough time to the body to digest the food before entering sleep mode.

 

 

4.       The importance of Water

 

How many of you drink at least 6 glasses of water per day? If you’re answer is NO, do not worry you are not alone. Many people, including me, make this critical mistake. If you think about it our body is 70% water and it is needed for the normal functioning of body organs. Lack of water intake can lead to dehydration, tiredness and dryness of the skin. In terms of weight loss water can assist detoxification and the removal of unnecessary toxins from the body and skin. At the same time aids digestion and keeps the stomach full thus reducing hunger and unnecessary calorie consumption. The recommended intake of water per day is 2.7 liters for women and 3.7 liters for men. Some handy tips for drinking more water per day:

 

Start your day with a glass of fresh cold water. This may be hard at the beginning but getting used to this habit will help many body organs ‘wake up’ and function better.

Carry a bottle of water with you at work and aim to drink it before lunch time. After lunch refill it until the end of your working day.

Drink a glass of water 15-20 minutes before your main meals. This will slow down your appetite for food.

Whenever you feel hungry and want to snack try to drink a glass of water. In many cases this is enough to take away your desire to eat something.

Lastly, water has zero calories so drink as much as you want without worrying about gaining weight.

 

 

5.       Do not rush into getting super-fast results

 

If you follow slow and steady steps you will be able to lose weight and keep it off. On the other hand, if you lose weight fast by adopting a crash diet you find on the Internet you will end up with more weight than before starting the diet. Healthy weight loss takes time especially if you need to lose a lot of pounds. It is much better to make slow and steady progress and be sure that the weight is gone forever rather than losing too much weight too soon.

 

 

6.       Learn how to lose weight the safe way

 

If you are new to dieting and weight loss then most probably you are confused from where to start and what should be your first step etc. This is very common and one of the most popular questions we get from our readers the last 6 years. In my opinion before even starting a diet or weight loss program you should do some reading and familiarize yourself with the basic weight loss concepts. I am not suggesting spending days learning the theory, after all losing weight is a practical matter, but learning a few important concepts in advance can prove very helpful in the long run. The guide you are reading now is a good starting point as it covers all aspects of weight loss, fitness and dieting; you can continue reading our other articles as well since we have planned to gather all the information you need in one place. For beginners I suggest you jump to: How to diet for long term weight loss and Glycemic Index after finishing up with this guide.

 

 

7.       Keep a food and emotions journal

 

For many people emotions and feelings are associated with the quantities of food consumed.  When you are stressed or depressed you turn to food (and especially fatty food) for comfort. This is may be happening to you as well and you know that this is bad and can destroy all your hopes for losing weight. You cannot easily control this but one handy tip to try is keeping a food and emotions journal. This is basically a piece of paper (or an online food journal) where you record what you eat per day and your emotional state. If you do this for a couple of weeks and go back and have a look at the results you may identify some patterns and take some precaution measures. For example you can remove sweets and snacks from your cupboards and replace them with healthy alternatives. By doing so when you are feeling stress and turn to food for relief you will not end up eating a tone of calories but food items that are at least healthier.

 

 

8.       No need to measure your weight on a daily basis

 

As I mentioned above weight loss takes time and by getting on the scale on a daily basis will not make the process faster but most probably will add more stress and frustration. Instead try to weigh yourself once per week and write the result in your food journal.

 

 

9.      Do not follow more than one diet or weight loss program at the same time

 

If you choose to follow a commercial diet or weight loss program then concentrate on one program at a time. Good weight loss programs have different phases, each phase having a clear start and finish goal. Follow the program guidelines correctly for the time required and evaluate your results at the end. Mixing different programs together or not following their instructions will not generate any good results.

 

 

10.   Don’t be afraid to ask for help

 

Don’t be afraid to seek professional help if you are not getting any results. The Internet is a great way to learn how to lose weight but sometimes other factors such as diseases, functional disorders may hold you back. A professional (your doctor or nutritionist) will be able to identify these and suggest ways to overcome them.

 

 

 

Dieting Tips

 

11.   Select your foods wisely

 

Even if you are not following a ‘formal’ diet, being selective on the type of foods you eat can make a difference in your weight. Try to eat well balanced meals containing items from all foods groups including healthy fats.  Excluding certain food groups or following very restrictive diets is not recommended. Have in mind that 1 gram of Fat has 9 calories compared to 4 calories in a gram of protein or carbohydrates. Read about the best weight loss foods to understand what is a healthy food.

 

 

12.   Fruits and vegetables are necessary for a healthy weight loss

 

I am sure you all know that fruits and vegetables are needed for a healthy body but in terms of weight loss fruits and veggies have a lot more to offer. They are full in fiber which contributes in maintaining the feeling of fullness for longer periods. They are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals and they aid digestion. The dietary guidelines for the Americans (and all healthy diets like the DASH diet or Mediterranean diet) suggest a minimum of 5 servings of vegetables per day.  There are so many choices available for every need or taste. Have fruits as breakfast companions or as snacks and vegetables as a side dish with your main meals.

 

 

13.   Diet Friendly Drinks

 

Drinks such as soft drinks, cream coffees, beer and other alcoholic drinks carry a considerable amount of calories. To give you an idea, a pint of lager (beer) has around 193 calories, a glass of wine 134 kcal, a shot of whiskey 55 kcal while a regular cola type soft drink around 90 kcal. The point is that drinks add calories to your daily diet and should not be forgotten when calculating you calorie intake. There are many alternatives like water, green tea, light soft drinks etc. you can drink without adding to your weight. See also 5 best healthy drinks for weight loss.

 

 

14.   Snack with caution

 

I am sure that you all agree that snacking is a factor that may lead to diet success or failure. Snacks are usually food items that carry a large number of calories and taking one or two a day outside our meal plan can negatively impact our diet. What can you do about it? For starters you should not completely abandon snacks from your diet because this makes them more desirable. Instead you should revise your snacking options and choose more wisely. For example instead of eating a chocolate bar which may carry 150 kcals go for an apple which has 70 calories. There are many options to choose from you just have to plan in advance and do a bit of research. Some healthy snacks ideas (some are less than 100 calories) to help you out: Fruits (apple, banana, pear, orange), low fat yogurt, smoothies, berries, rye crackers, dried nuts, black chocolate, raisins, air popped corn, dried mango, rice crispy and many more.

 

 

15.   Start your day with a good breakfast

 

I have talked in the past about the importance of a good breakfast for weight loss but for the purpose of this article, I will summarize the most important points here:

 

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day since your body needs energy after the night sleep.

A good breakfast will wake up your digestive system

Digestion in the morning is faster

Eating a good breakfast can give you enough energy until lunch time and reduce your hunger

A good protein breakfast (eggs, ham, cheese and yogurt, fresh juice and black coffee or tea) is ideal to get the energy you need to kick start your day!

 

 

16.   Size of your food portions does matter

 

Think about it this way, if you eat a large portion of food aren’t you consuming more calories than when eating a smaller portion? Even if what you are eating is low fat and low calorie, if you eat large quantities you are consuming more calories. Some studies suggest that you should eat meat the size of your palm or potatoes the size of a tennis ball etc. I do not agree with this approach. Your goal is not to get obsessed with what you eat and start counting calories and taking a tape to measure the size of your meat but to learn how to eat sensibly and avoid exaggerations. If you really want to lose weight then you know in advance that you need to eat less than what you are used to. When filling your plate ask you self if the food you have chosen is accordance with your diet or not, is your plate full up? Is it well balanced?  Just think for a bit and take into account the tips provided in this article and you will soon realize the ideal portion size for you.

 

 

17.   Read the food label and understand what do the different numbers mean

 

You should learn how to read a food label correctly since the information in the label can help you decide whether the particular item should be included in your diet or not. Foods that are low in fat and calories are welcomed while food items classified as bad or junk (empty calorie foods – high in calories with no nutritional value) must be avoided.

 

 

18.   Stay away from rapid, fast or crash diets

 

Try searching for “how to lose weight” on the Internet, you will find hundreds of diets promising that you will lose weight without effort in a very short amount of time. These are known as ‘fast weight loss diets’, ‘crash diets’ or ‘fad diets’. In their majority they are cleverly presented by a celebrity or a model and there are trying to convince you that you can get a fit body by following their plan. In reality this is not the case. If you are overweight then this means that you are doing something wrong for a number of months or years and you cannot just reverse the situation without really trying. So stay away from any plan or program that looks too good to be true and concentrate on how to deal with your problem using well-know and healthy techniques.

 

 

19.   Do not skip meals and especially breakfast

 

I have explained the importance of a good breakfast for weight loss above but it is equally important not to skip any meals. Start your day with a good breakfast and then try to eat at predefined intervals without skipping meals. Eating every 2-3 hours can boost your metabolism and help you spread calorie consumption evenly throughout the day which is very important if you are trying to lose weight. Plan your meals in advance to ensure that you know what to eat at each meal and not fall into the traps of choosing the easy solution (fast foods or junk food).

 

 

20.   A balanced diet is the best weight loss diet

 

I have left the most important diet tip for the end. The best weight loss diet is a balanced diet; this is proven and tested for a number of years and this is what all studies and weight loss experts suggest. Very low calorie diets (VLCD), very low fat diets, high protein diets, liquid diets, detox diets and anything else you may find on the Internet, work only for the short term and are not suitable for everyone. A balanced diet (such as the Mediterranean diet or Dash Diet) is the best way to lose weight and is suitable for everyone. There are diet techniques you can use like carb cycling or calorie shifting to get better results but as a general guideline stay away from diets that are restrictive and not balanced.

 

 

 

Fitness Tips

 

21.   Metabolism boosters

 

Metabolism is a term used to describe the rate which our body burns calories. A good way to improve metabolism is by eating frequent meals throughout the day (as explained above). Other ways to boost metabolism have to do with fitness and in particular regular exercise. By exercising 2-3 times per week you can increase your metabolism provided that you gradually increase the effort you put on a workout. What this means is that if you exercise with the same pace over and over again sooner or later your body will get used to this pattern and the benefit in terms of weight loss will be minimized. If on the other hand you increase you repetitions, difficulty level and time of exercise your heart rate is increased and metabolism is raised.

 

 

22.   Walking is easy and efficient

 

Walking is the easiest form of exercise and can be performed by anyone, anywhere. There is absolutely no excuse for not walking at least 20-30 minutes per day. You can wake up 15 minutes earlier in the morning and walk for 10 minutes; you can do another 10 minutes after lunch and 10 minutes at night. If the weather does not allow going outdoors you can always use a treadmill and still enjoy the benefits.  The average person can burn around 100 calories for a 30 minute walk; pace and weight can play a difference but on average this is the number you can assume.

 

 

23.   Be active throughout the day

 

You don’t have to spend endless hours in the gym to be an active person. There are many activities you can do in a day and burn calories without realizing it. For example instead of using the lift try to walk up the stairs (where applicable), don’t park your car to the nearest parking slot when going to work but take the opportunity to walk as much as you can. These activities are not enough if you want to lose a lot of weight but they are great ways to keep your body and muscles moving. Every activity helps even if it’s not significant and it is certainly better than sitting on the couch all afternoon and watching TV.

 

 

24.   Find a sport or a hobby

 

Many people do not like (or want) to go to the gym or join a formal fitness class but they still need to lose weight. This is where sports come to the rescue. Doing a sport such as football, basketball, racquetball (to name a few) is a great way to burn calories by doing something that you like and enjoy. This is also true for hobbies. Having a hobby that requires movement like rock climbing, swimming, cycling etc. can have the same benefits as going to the gym or doing regular exercise.

 

 

25.   Don’t do these exercise mistakes

 

People who exercise for weight loss do a very critical mistake and are not getting the most out of their workout sessions. When you do the same exercises over and over again, at the same pace and duration, you are not getting any weight loss benefits. In order to burn calories while exercising your heart beat rate has to be at high levels and the only way to achieve this is by increasing both the duration and pace of your exercises. You need to constantly push yourself to do more and exercise harder if you want to burn more calories.

 

 

26.   Try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

 

High Intensity Interval training is a great technique to increase calorie burning. You can apply HIIT to both cardio and weight lifting routines by following one simple rule:  alternate between high to low training periods in a single workout. For example have a look at the following 15 minute routine of how HIIT works:

 

Warm up session (2 minutes)

 

Walk for 40 seconds and jog for 20 seconds. Repeat 10 times

 

Finish up with 3 minutes stretching

 

HIIT is a very good way to get faster results and it is recommended by fitness experts and personal trainers.

 

 

27.   Best time to lose fat is the morning – best time to build muscle is the afternoon

 

Many studies have shown that morning exercise can generate better fat burning results while exercising in the afternoon is better for performance. So if you want rapid results you can do some cardio exercises in the morning to accelerate fat burning and weight lifting exercises in the afternoon to build more muscles. See also: Best time of the day to exercise for weight loss

 

 

28.   Combine both cardio and resistance training exercises in your weekly routine

 

Elaborating more on the previous tip, for a complete weight loss fitness program you need to include both cardio and resistance training exercises in your schedule. If you’re plan is to exercise 3 times per week you can include resistance training (such as a weight lifting session) between your cardio workouts. For example you can do cardio on Monday, weight lifting on Wed and Cardio again on Friday. Resistance training exercises can help you build more muscle mass which in turn will increase your Resting Metabolic Rate (the rate which your body burns calories even at rest).

 

 

29.   Find a fitness buddy

 

Having someone to share your weight loss goals is important. A fitness or weight loss buddy can help you stay focus on your goals. Find someone who has the same goals and agree on the fitness plan to follow. Maybe there are days you are not in the mood for exercising or do not want to go to the gym; this is where your fitness buddy can give you courage and motivation. Setup your mini contests and prices (who can run faster on the treadmill or who can lift more weights) and make your exercise sessions more enjoyable.

 

 

30.   Experiment with different fitness programs until you find the one that works for you

 

There are many fitness programs you can use, for example: you can try yoga (for weight loss), Pilates, Zumba fitness, pole dancing, PX90, beachboy, weight watchers, bootcamb and spinning (to name a few). How do you know that a program is suitable for you? You just have to try them out and find out! What is important is to find something that you like and can do for long periods of time. Do not select a program because it is trendy or because your friends are doing it but choose a program that can work for your needs and lifestyle.

 

 

 

Motivation Tips

 

31.   Figure out why you want to lose weight

 

Motivation is about believe and self-confidence. To get motivated to do something you first have to believe in what you want to do. When it comes to losing weight the first thing you need to clear out in your mind is why you want to lose weight. Is it because of health reasons?  Is it because you want to look better? Is it because you are tired of having those extra pounds for so many years?  Find out your reasons and believe in yourself. If others can lose weight, there is no reason why you cannot do it.

 

 

32.   Set both short terms and long term goals

 

Starting a weight loss process is like starting a big project. It is important that you set measurable goals for the short and long term. Just saying “I want to lose weight” is not enough, you need to be more specific as to the how and when. For example you can say “I want to lose 15 pounds in 3 months and I will do that by losing 1 pound per week”. This is a goal with both short term (1 pound per week) and long term targets (15 pounds in 3 months). You do not have to make complicated goals or calculations but having a clear set of objectives with deadlines will help you get there faster.

 

 

33.   Visualize your success

 

This is a trick that many successful people use. When you set up a target or dream you need to start visualizing that you have achieve it. Think how good would you feel and how your life could change if you finally manage to lose weight. Visualize your success and look forward for the day that this will become a reality and not a dream. After all do not forget that nothing is impossible if you really want it.

 

 

34.   Reward your self

 

I have said above that you need to set short term and long term goals; it is also a good idea to set rewards when you meet your targets. Rewards can be anything from a day off from work, to buying something that you want or from going out to a restaurant to eat what you like without thinking about calories and diet.

 

 

35.   Get motivated from weight loss success stories

 

Another good way to get motivated is to read the stories of other people who have managed to lose weight successfully. Search the web and find inspiring stories, read about their problems and solutions and learn from their mistakes. While reading them imagine that one day you will be writing your own success story and this day is not very long to come.

 

 

36.   Don’t be afraid (or shy) to talk about your goals

 

People who want to lose weight are sometimes afraid or shy to talk about their goals with friends or family. There are many reasons why this is happening but the most important is because you do not truly believe that you can do it or because you are afraid to fail and disappoint everyone who knew about it. If you think about it for a while this is just silly. Instead of being pessimistic and shy try to open up and talk about your goals with your close friends and family. See this as an opportunity to try harder and succeed and use their encouragement and advice as a motivation source.

 

 

37.   Opportunity to learn something new

 

Dieting and weight loss are not something bad or a torture. It is a great opportunity to learn something new and reveal the secrets of healthy living. It is an investment for health and life and you should be happy that you are actively trying to improve your quality of life. Consider your experience as a step towards a better and more enjoyable life rather than a burden you have to deal with.

 

 

38.   Beat your habits and beat the scale

 

Have your ever thought why you are overweight? Is it because of your genes or is it because of your habits? Both reasons can be true but in the majority of cases our unhealthy habits are to blame.  Unfortunately the modern way of life and hectic lifestyles are the major causes of obesity and it takes a lot of effort to make the switch to a healthier way of living. If you can manage to beat your unhealthy habits then be sure that you can beat the scale as well.

 

 

39.   Learn from your mistakes

 

During the process you will make mistakes that’s for sure. What is important is not to get discouraged and quit but to learn from your mistakes and continue until the end. Mistakes can teach us a lot of thinks and learning from our mistakes makes us stronger and willing to do more.

 

 

40.   Put excuses away

 

This is my favorite tip. When you say to someone that they need to start a diet or exercise they can find 1000 excuses why they cannot. They can think all sorts of reasons to convince themselves that they cannot do it, either because they don’t have the time or because it is too difficult or because… There are no excuses! You are probably still reading this guide because you want to actually lose weight so stop thinking about excuses and start thinking about your first step.

 

 

 

Lifestyle Tips

 

41.   Change your lifestyle and not diet

 

So far all the weight loss tips, dieting tips, fitness tips, motivation tips explained above had one purpose: to teach you how to change your lifestyle. This is the single most important secret about dieting and weight loss. If you can manage to change your eating and living habits then everything else becomes easier. It’s all in the lifestyle and this should always be in the back of your head. Follow the tips in this guide and try to incorporate them in your daily life and start watching the pounds go away and never come back.

 

 

42.   Learn more about the Mediterranean diet

 

When I talk about a healthy lifestyle the Mediterranean diet comes to my mind. If you are not familiar with Med diet do a bit research and learn more about the Mediterranean dietary pattern. Basically the Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle approach and not a commercial diet but its principles can help you lose weight and enjoy a healthier life. I follow the Mediterranean diet principles for years and it’s not only the best way to lose weight but it’s also a great approach to living.

 

 

43.   Close your ears and eyes to advertising

 

For the next couple of days count the number of advertisements you can find on the Net, newspapers, TV and magazines that are related to weight loss / diet / fitness. I am sure you will be shocked with the result. The weight loss industry is considered by many as the million dollar industry and companies try to take advantage of people who want to lose weight end especially those who want to lose weight fast. Different products, services and fitness equipment are promoted without passing basic health controls and without the approval of official bodies, the result? You are wasting your money and time and risking your health on marketing chimp sticks. Stay away from fad diets and products and do not listen to their false promises, there is only one way to lose weight and this is the healthy way.

 

 

44.   Take all opportunities you have to move

 

The more you move the more calories you can burn. Take every opportunity to move either at home or at work. Walk, do the garden, wash your car or dog, clean the windows, paint the house, build a tree house for your kids and in general do anything possible to stay away from the couch. Sitting on the couch all day cannot do any good, on the contrary it makes it difficult to stand up and exercise.

 

 

45.   Watch TV only at night

 

One of the causes of obesity (especially for young children) is TV. Watching TV all day has nothing to offer to anyone. Set up a rule to watch TV only at night and spend the rest of you day doing something creative and interactive.

 

 

46.   Stress, rest and sleep

 

Experts suggest that you should sleep at least 8 hours at night. This is also beneficial for your weight loss efforts and is our way (as humans) to relax, clean our minds and rest our muscles. Stress on the other hand is bad for your health and weight. I am not going to go in detail how to handle stress but if you can manage to control stress in your life the benefits are endless.

 

 

47.   Have fun

 

You cannot be stressed and busy all day and expect to follow up your diet or fitness program. You may be able to do it for a couple of weeks but you will soon get tired and quit. Try to do fun activities at least once or twice per week and refill your batteries with energy to do the rest of your activities.

 

 

48.   Buy a fitness magazine

 

Once in a while it’s not a bad idea to go and buy a lifestyle or fitness magazine. It can be relaxing and motivating to see how other people are handling diet and fitness.

 

 

49.   Register for our newsletter

 

We will remind you of your goals by sending you our new articles. Register now for our newsletter or download our android app to stay connected so that we go through this process together.

 

 

50.   Make the first step now

 

Before doing anything else drop as a comment below and state your goals. This is your first step towards a healthier and happier life. Do remember to come back and let us know that you have achieved your goals!

 

 

Way forward

 

If you have gone this far it’s a sign that you are serious about losing weight. The next step is moving from theory to practice. As a last advice I would say that better take it slow and succeed rather than moving fast and fail. Try to follow one tip at a time and give yourself enough time to get used to the changes.  Now it’s your turn and remember: start now, not tomorrow, not end of month, not on Monday but today, good luck!

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