When you take control of your life, you free yourself from inner conflicts, weight problems, and many health problems. You must be willing to accept responsibility for your life in order to gain confidence. In everything you do, you must take ownership of the choices that you make. But the wonderful thing about life is that it is a constant process and you have the ability to make changes to that process. You can take control of your life, you can take control of your weight when you and only you make the decision to do so.

If you want to lose weight, you must be willing to be uncomfortable at times. You have to be willing to use self-control and abstain from eating too much of the wrong kinds of foods. You have got to be willing to eat a variety of healthy foods to change the way that your body craves unhealthy foods. If you want to change the way you look, if you want to change the way you feel, you have got to take control of your choices.

Take control when you shop for your food. Make a list of the foods that you will buy, starting with a menu to get you through the week. Stick to the list and avoid buying foods that are unhealthy. Remember that processed foods generally contain large amounts of sodium and sugar. Choose fresh products whenever possible, buying locally grown foods will usually save you money. Try to be prepared at every meal to have a healthy food available to eat. This will ensure you stick to your diet and not fall to the temptation of a quick but unhealthy meal.

Women feel exhilarated when they are successful at losing weight. That is because they are in complete control over what they eat and their fitness program. They have made targeted plans to lose weight and their efforts have resulted in success. They feel confident because they are in control.

Taking control over your life will affect all other aspects, too. You will notice changes in how you think about your career, your financial outlook and your social relationships with family, friends and coworkers. When you seize control, you will no longer worry about others having control over you. Your confidence will begin to show through in everything you do.

As you gain control over your life, others may feel threatened and may try to put you back in your place. Refuse to let anyone push you around, whether it be physically or mentally, when you let others intimidate you, you are giving them control over your life.
Your new behavior may seem odd at first, but with time, others will begin to respect you for having the courage to make your own choices and to stand by those choices.

Take control today and gain the confidence to live your life. You will be happier, healthier and more satisfied.

Losing weight is not an easy accomplishment. If it were, we would all be walking around at the perfect weight for our size. But losing weight is not impossible, either. As a matter of fact, the answer to permanent weight loss is in the food that we eat. The simple truth is that your diet is responsible for about 80 percent of your weight loss.

Exercise helps to burn fat and calories and is excellent for body shape and function. But actually losing weight requires a change in the amount and type of food that you eat. This doesn’t mean that you have to eat an overly restricted diet. But, taking the time to plan your meals in advance will ensure you always have a healthy meal or snack and won’t be tempted to eat foods not on your diet.

Losing weight is a totally different experience for women than it is for men. Men can cut back on the foods they eat or stop drinking beer and instantly drop 20 pounds. For women, it is never that easy. The seemingly unfair differences in women and men’s weight loss accomplishments comes down to body composition and hormones. Hormones are much to blame, with cravings and appetites increasing during the menstrual cycle. With less muscle mass on our bodies, women don’t burn fat as quickly as men do either. Another good reason why women should seek a diet and fitness program that is designed for the female body.

Women, usually require fewer calories than men. We can eat smaller meals and be completely satisfied. Many times, women gain weight after starting a relationship because we find we are eating the same amount as our partners. If you find this to be a problem, there are some easy ways to avoid overeating, even when dining out.

When dining out, portion your food into two sections of what you know you will eat, and what food you want to bring back home. Some restaurants offer smaller or demi sized meals so you can eat a smaller portion of the same great tasting meal. The important factor to keep in mind is that you do not have to eat every morsel of food on your plate. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite of food. Food is not the problem; food is the answer to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.

Portion control is even easier when you are eating at home. Scoop small portions at a time onto your plate so you won’t feel mentally obligated to clean your plate. Eat a wide variety of leafy vegetables and fruits and be sure to include a healthy serving of protein at every meal. Protein is the building block for every cell in your body and will keep your appetite satisfied between meals.

Keep a fitness journal to record everything you eat and drink and all of the exercise that you do. It will inspire you to find new foods to try, challenge you to meet or exceed your own expectations and remind you how much you have achieved. You will quickly see in your own handwriting that food is the answer to losing weight.

Clothes don’t make a woman, but they can certainly accent her beauty. New fashions signal the coming of the next season and are great inspirations for revamping your wardrobe, especially when you’ve dropped a few pounds. Trying on clothes can be unpleasant, or it can be a source to inspire you. If you notice your clothes fitting tighter, it may be time to ramp up your workout and re-examine your diet.

If you have been losing weight, your clothes are the first to let you know. Even before it shows on the scale, the way your clothes fit is a sure sign that your body is changing. The same is true when the opposite occurs. When you start putting on a few pounds, your clothes start to fit tighter, and you start to look for looser clothes in your closet. If you don’t address the issue quickly, you’ll be trying on larger sizes just to have some clothes to wear.

Your weight is important but just don’t measure your self worth by your clothes size or a number on the scale. Eat to live, eat to be healthy, but avoid unhealthy practices, like overeating. A constant habit of eating more than you are hungry for, will result in weight gain. Your body sends a signal to the brain that it is satisfied, but sometimes the signal gets a little muffled, and by the time the brain agrees, your stomach feels overly full, which can lead to a bloated feeling. A constant habit of overeating will lead to weight gain and increase the chance of diseases associated with obesity.

Maintaining a healthy weight is mostly contingent on your diet that should consist of lean meats, leafy vegetable, fresh fruit, whole grains and at least one serving of protein at every meal. Remember, plant protein is just as healthy as protein from meat, but plant protein has less saturated fat than meat. Keep calories in check by sticking to a portion controlled diet. It has been proven that eating several smaller meals helps you to eat less without getting too hungry between meals. That is because each meal is scheduled within 3 hours of the last meal. It’s easy to consume fewer calories when your body gets used to eating less but more often.

Dieting can be a lot less difficult when you truly love your body. Although a pretty outfit can be an inspiration for losing weight, the true inspiration comes from self-love. When you love the body that you have been blessed with, and really think of it as a gift, you realize the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Your body is your temple and should be treated with respect to celebrate the life you have been given.

Buying something that fits you fabulously, is another way to celebrate your life and love the body you live in. A well-dressed woman looks good because she is confident in her appearance and feels good about who she is. Clothes don’t make a woman but a good looking woman can certainly make clothes look good.