Three Weight Loss Tips

According to the FDA, over 70% of Americans are either overweight or obese and this, despite the fact that at no other time in history as information on health and nutrition been so readily available. It is obvious that this is a growing epidemic that has long term implications.

Fortunately, for some, the time has come to “do” something about their health and this means loosing weight and getting fitter, but what kind of weight loss workout works best? There are a few guidelines that you should keep in mind when choosing your program.

First, remember that in order to loose weight and keep it off, you must combine a low fat, healthy eating plan with a tailor made exercise workout plan. While it might be tempting to simply say “I will eat less”, studies have shown that in order to truly be fit, you need to combine the two.

One of the most important aspects, when creating your weight loss workout, is to get in touch with your “true” self. This means sorting through all the visions you have of yourself running a marathon in 1 week and bringing them back down to your reality. Are you a busy parent with a full time job and kids that need to be driven to ballet class and baseball practice? Are you a morning person or a night person? Do you HATE aerobics but love yoga. Are you one of those people who usually tackle too many things at once and then gets overwhelmed? You are the only person who can honestly answer these questions! So make sure that you factor in your time constraints, your preferences and your overall personality type when you are considering what workout is best for you. Please note that this is NOT carte blanche to say “I don’t have enough time” it is simply an exercise in helping you find the best suited workout for you.

Secondly, don’t forget that not all exercises are created equally. It is a good idea to research some of the basics of calorie output –vs- exercise. For example, a yoga session, while excellent, will not burn as many calories as a vigorous step class. A good rule of thumb is to incorporate at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular/aerobic activity each day into your workout and supplement it with classes that will challenge your strength and your mind – such as yoga or pilates.

If you don’t enjoy “group” classes, consider spinning which is a high impact, high endurance workout session that will leave you breathless and elated (not to mention sweaty!).
Thirdly, sticking to your food plan is crucial. For many, eating starches or sugar can trigger a food binge – so, again, stay in tune with your body and if you know that eating one chocolate bar will lead to eating three more – then stay away from that first one.