Friday, March 1, 2013

Losing Weight with a Friend

As Featured On EzineArticles



It's not simple to lose weight, but when you do it with a friend, you'll find that it becomes a little easier. The tips below will guide you through how losing weight alone is less effective than losing it with the help of others. Read on to figure out how to do this in your own life.

A support group is a great place to seek help with your weight loss. They will share their failures and triumphs with you, allowing you to learn from the group's experience. You, too, can share your struggles with them and find the advice you need to succeed.

There are many situations where having a friend around will help. For example, when you struggle, you can call them for motivation. They can push you as you exercise, or even compete with you. When you have the drive of another aiding you, you'll find your weight drops off more quickly.

If your friend gives up, you don't have permission to give up, too! First, push them to stick to it - that's what you're there to do! If all else fails, find someone else and continue on the path to slimming down. If they see that you didn't give up, they may get back at it.

Even if you don't have the same schedule as a friend who is also losing weight, you can be each other's motivation. Talk on Skype or by text about your accomplishments, or ask each other for advice. Share recipes, favorite running shoes or exercises you tried and loved. While you can't physically connect, you can keep each other in the loop electronically.

If your friend doesn't lose weight as quickly as you, or vice versa, no one should be disappointed. The person who is in the lead should share their secrets, allowing the other partner to use them as well. There is likely to be a see-saw of who is in the lead for weight loss at any given time, as the person out in front first will often hit a plateau, allowing the other to catch up. This isn't a competition! It is mutual motivation, so there should be no jealousy.

Some exercises require two people to complete, so working out with a partner is always a good idea. They can spot you as you lift weights, or time you when you run sprints. One partner can guard the goal while the other attempts to shoot a soccer ball inside. You can play one-on-one basketball, a game of tennis or racquetball. You can race each other on treadmills or out-climb each other on elliptical machines. The power of two is very strong when it comes to exercise, so think about all the things you can do together and give them all a try.

When you're alone, you'll find the battle is always up hill. When you have a friend to help, they'll ensure you make it to the top. Stay strong for your partner and they will remain strong for you, and you'll both find your goals are reached in no time.

Weight Loss Tips That You Can Really Benefit From

As Featured On EzineArticles



If the words weight loss strikes a chord of fear and panic in you, don't worry because you are not alone. No one minds putting on the weight because after all, that is the fun part. Taking all those extra pounds off is not quite as fun, but it does not have to be something that you dread. If you have been putting off losing weight for too long now, it is time to take action! The following article will give you some great tips to help you with your weight loss efforts.

Take a good look at what you are drinking throughout the course of the day. Many people are dehydrated and not even aware of it, because they are constantly drinking soda and sugary drinks. These types of drinks provide no nutritional value and do nothing but inflate your waist. Trade in all of these drinks for water and you will see a dramatic change in your waistline rather quickly. Drinking water throughout the day will also help you to feel less hungry, causing you to eat less often.

Are you in the habit of skipping breakfast? If so, then it is time to break the habit and begin starting the day right with a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because it gives your body the fuel it needs to get through the day. If time is the reason you skip breakfast, there are many healthy foods that you can eat on the go. Keeping fresh ready to eat fruit in a bowl on the counter makes it easy to grab something healthy on the way out the door. You can also prepare foods like hard boiled eggs the night before to give you the protein your body needs.

The average person eats much larger portions than the recommended serving sizes, which can lead to weight gain over time. It is unrealistic and too time consuming to exactly measure out your food, so an easier way to achieve this is to cut back your portions. Whenever you eat a meal, leave a quarter of the food on your plate. Doing this for every meal will significantly reduce the amount of calories you consume in a week's time. This will naturally help promote weight loss, without you having to alter your eating habits too drastically. As you begin to shed the pounds, you will naturally start to make healthier food choices.

Hopefully you now understand that making a weight loss commitment does not have to leave you with a sense of dread. Making little changes in your life, can lead to you naturally making smarter and healthier choices without thinking twice about it. If you have been struggling with ideas of ways that you can lose weight, hopefully this article has given you the confidence that you need. Apply the tips from this article and you will be on your way to having the body you have always wanted.

Avoid Excessive Weight Gain While Enjoying Your Vacation

As Featured On EzineArticles


Your vacation is a time for fun, relaxation and enjoyment, but if you're trying to manage your weight, it can also sabotage all your efforts! Make sure you include weight control on your daily itinerary, no matter where you're going or how tempting the native dishes may be. The following tips can help you plan a wonderful vacation that won't turn into a dieting disaster.

1. Know what will be on the menu. Conduct a little investigation into the local cuisine of your destination so that you can pre-plan healthy choices. Particularly if the foods are foreign, you need to know what's going into them and what impact they will have on your weight. Also, learn a few phrases in the local language like "diet" and "healthy" if applicable.

2. Buy your own healthy snacks. Shopping at a grocery store while on vacation may seem counter intuitive to vacationing, but it will help to keep you from gaining a lot of weight and save you a bundle as well. Stop at a local market every other day and buy the freshest fruits and vegetables for all of your snacking needs. Look for things exotic too, in order to enhance the experience of being in a foreign place. 

3. Don't over-restrict yourself. Putting too much pressure on yourself while vacationing may back-fire, this could cause you to throw the towel in completely. Allow a few exceptions to your weight loss efforts that will give you enough pleasure to hold you back the rest of the time and not interfere with your enjoyment of the vacation.

4. Walk to attractions and shops. If you're heading off to the beach for the day, skip the taxi and walk instead. It's fun to meander around leisurely when you're on holiday and you won't even realize you're burning off so many calories. This can be a very effective means of counteracting the consumption of fancy and exotic dishes with unknown amounts of calories and will also help you sleep better in a strange bed!

5. Fill your days with fun and fitness. Take advantage of things like water sports, indoor pools, hotel gyms and sporting events offered by your travel package and accommodations. You can have a ball while working off calories and working toward your weight loss goals and also try some things you've been meaning to experience, like wind-surfing over the ocean or hiking up a trail with waterfalls!

6. Choose vegetarian options when dining out. If all else fails and your choices on the menu are all too stuffed with fat and calories, ask for a vegetarian dish. This is a universal diet and should be available wherever you travel too. Don't forget to make a meal out of the salad bar or mix and match healthy, low-cal appetizers to fill you up without filling you out!

Weight loss isn't easy and if you run off on vacation without thinking about stepping on the scales once you return home, you are setting yourself up for some serious disappointment! Avoid disastrous weight gain while on holiday by using the tips mentioned in this article and using your head!

Overcoming the Weight Loss Goal

As Featured On EzineArticles


Many people are deterred from setting losing weight as their goal because they see it as an insurmountable task. However, with the right pieces of knowledge, it does not have to be. This article will provide you with tips and tricks that will make it easier for you to meet your weight loss goals.
One of the main parts of weight loss is diet. Evaluate what you're eating and identify places that you can make healthier replacements. If you find yourself snacking throughout the day, for example, try to find a snack that is more filling and nutritious, like unsalted nuts. Including more fruits and vegetables in your meals and snacks is another easy way to make your diet healthier without too much effort.
Portion sizes can also help you to lose weight. Many Americans overestimate a portion. Psychological research has also shown that people tend to eat more if their plates are full. If you have trouble limiting yourself to appropriate portions because you have a tendency to pile food on your plate, the solution is rather simple: use a smaller plate. There are also resources easily accessible online that provide examples of portion sizes and proportions for your meals that you can follow to help you with this aspect of weight loss.
Breaking up your meals into smaller, but more frequent, meals can also help. This helps you maintain energy throughout the day and prevents you from overeating at any single time. It is suggested that instead of three large meals you try five smaller meals and space them evenly throughout your day. This can also help you to reduce snacking, as you are going less time between each meal.
If you find yourself snacking because you are bored, this is one area that you can cut out to help you lose weight. Instead, keep activities available that will help you to become entertained. Also, try not to snack when you're watching television, because studies have shown that this increases the amount of food and calories that you intake. This is because you're focused on the television while the snacking becomes automatic, and you almost eat without realizing.
Try to incorporate exercise into your everyday schedule. It is recommended that you get at least 1 hour of exercise each day to help you lose weight. However, with busy schedules, this can be difficult. If your schedule does not allow you to set time aside each day for just exercise, try to multitask. Park further away from the buildings you are entering so that you can walk more and always choose the stairs instead of an escalator or elevator. If you're able, try riding a bicycle to work instead of taking a car.
Sleep is equally important in helping you to lose weight. This is because when you sleep, your body is actively burning the calories. You will also be able to get more from your exercise if your body is fully rested. Sleep also helps you to cut down on stress, and being able to manage your stress will also help you to better take advantage of your weight loss efforts.
With some simple changes, you will be able to conquer your weight loss goals.