Tuesday, March 12, 2013

My Weight Loss Plans Are Not Working By Karen Li

Are you one of those who can't seem to lose weight? Well, this means that whatever you are doing is not the best way for you. It is time for an alternative weight loss plan.

So, what could have gone wrong? Why are you not losing weight?

One of the likely reasons could be due to medical reasons. If you are suffering from hypothyroidism problem (thyroid gland not secreting enough of the hormones that control metabolism), insulin resistance or adrenal exhaustion, then it will affect your weight loss. Checking with your personal physician before you start your diet or physical exercise routine will ensure that you are not suffering from any illness that can affect your desire to lose weight.

If indeed that is the reason, then addressing your medical problem might just result in losing weight without much effort on your part.

Another common reason is lack of sleep. When you are continuously getting inadequate sleep, your body produces more of the hormone that stimulates appetite and less of the hormone that controls metabolism. You are constantly searching for food to satisfy your hunger cravings

Another common reason is emotional eating. It was reported that emotional eating affects as much as 75% of overeating. That is pretty high! Stress, depressed, anxiety; all can lead to emotional eating problem. If you can just control your emotions or refrain from eating every time you have your ups and downs, then, bingo, your pounds might just start to drop.

Maybe you can satisfy your emotional needs using other more beneficial methods other than eating. Maybe you can try listening to some soothing music or perhaps going out for a walk. Getting your hands involve in some activities may well just get your mind off food. Medical care might be needed for those suffering from extreme anxiety disorders.

You could also be following the wrong weight loss plan. Are you emphasizing on diet with minimum physical workouts or is it the other way round? Then just switch plans. Where previously you were focusing on dieting, now do more exercises. Make it cardiovascular exercises to benefit your heart and lungs. You can take up walking, running, elliptical training, aerobics and swimming to name but a few. No time to attend exercise classes? Then buy a home treadmill or other fitness equipment and do your workouts from home whenever you are free.

However, do not stop the diet plans. They are essential too. You can't just exercise and then eat whatever you like. Exercise and diet complements each other to help you reach your ideal weight.

Different people react differently to certain plans. Find out which give you better results and stick to your plans. Most important is not to give up and you will eventually get the body shape you desire. You will also be much healthier.

Recommended exercise routine done at home include running on a treadmill or low impact exercise by doing elliptical workouts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Li

Tips For Lasting Weight Loss

Losing weight seems to be on almost everyone's to-do-list these days. Who doesn't have a few extra pounds to lose? Diet alone without proper physical exercise will not give you the desired results.

Changing unhealthy habits and at the same time incorporating physical workouts into your already hectic and most probably stressful lifestyle can be daunting. Dieting without exercising will make weight loss harder to achieve. However, it might actually be not as difficult as you think.

First of all, set realistic goals. Do not expect to see fantastic results in a very short period of time. Aim for smaller goals, say, per week, than to aim for a higher weight loss per month.

Do not be tempted to skip meals or try to starve yourself. This will only result in a drop in your metabolic rate. This can cause weight gain instead and may even adversely affect your health. It is better to break your meals into smaller portions and taken with more frequency instead of 3 big main meals. The last meal is best taken before 8pm. This helps to minimize food cravings too. No more unhealthy junk food!

Remember, eating less is not the answer. Focus on healthy food instead. Even when you snack, choose healthy snacks such as carrot or celery sticks instead of the fat-laden fries. Salad greens can be tasty and healthy at the same time.

Stay hydrated by drinking more water. This has the added advantage of making you feel fuller and thus cut down on snacks in between meals.

Having a session of brisk walking about half an hour before mealtime, prepares your body for digestion. Walking helps in setting a higher metabolic rate and this result in more calories burned from your meal later.
On top of that, your appetite also diminishes. In fact, walking is known to decrease food cravings.

Get every opportunity to walk. Walk the stairs instead of taking the lift, walk to the bus-stop or station, walk to the nearby shops, walk back from work if possible, walk the dog, every little bit helps in the long term.

It is best to include both cardiovascular activity and strength training as part of your workout plans. Joining a gym means you get professional advice on the best training method suited for you. It is important that you work on all your muscle groups. If you find a gym membership too expensive, then how about joining your local community service workout groups?

For the busy mom with no spare time to exercise outdoors, there is always the home treadmill or elliptical trainer to take care of your exercise needs. With their professionally designed workout programs to guide you along, you can still get fantastic results.

You might be surprised to learn that your weight gain may be due to your constant lack of beauty sleep. Scientific studies have proven that people who are sleep deprived tends to have a tendency to over-eat. This is due to a decrease in the hormone regulating intake of food, metabolism and fat burning. You have an urge to eat even though you might not actually be hungry. Higher food intake with reduced metabolic rate and fat burning equals weight gain. So make sure you sleep at least 7 hours each night.

Exercising regularly not only results in a healthy weight but also benefits your health. It helps to maintain your blood pressure, cholesterol and ward off diseases.

So, stop procrastinating and get on with your fitness goals. NOW is the best time to start.
If you are looking for the best elliptical trainer to buy, then this site should be able to help you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Li