The hardest part about dieting is giving up foods that you enjoy eating. If you want to keep the weight off, you know you must make certain changes in your lifestyle that will most likely be permanent. Certain foods must be avoided and others must be monitored carefully. Sometimes even the thought of giving up these comfort foods is more than we can endure, so we give up on our diet before we even get started.

It’s not just giving up the food we love that makes us cringe about starting a new diet and fitness program. Sometimes it’s the commitment to working out that makes us stop in our tracks. This may be because we don’t want to start an exercise program that will interfere with our favorite television show. We are reluctant to make the necessary changes needed to change our lives, yet we are unhappy because we don’t have the courage to make the changes we need to make. Does this sound familiar?

We are forlorn to give some of these habits up because they have become part of who we are and what we do. The brain does not want to have to change its path. It is the driving force that keeps us trapped in our habit. The brain loves a good habit. The good news is that it is actually easy to trick the brain, all you need to do is substitute one behavior or habit for another.

It really is that easy. While it is hard to give up something we enjoy, it is much easier if we replace it with something just as exciting and enjoyable. Say you want to cut back on soft drinks and have decided to replace your lunch beverage with water. Rather than craving that sweet taste, allow yourself a morsel of something sweet at the end of your lunch. Choose something that won’t blow your diet up but something that will satisfy your needs. Then the following week, as your taste buds begin to wake up, try a different substitution that contains less sugar and calories.

Replace the sugary soft drink with a nice walk and enjoy a nice cold bottle of water to quench your thirst. As the weight begins to drop off and the fat melts away, you will have all the motivation you need to keep your brain in check. Just remember all you need to do to train your brain is to feed it the messages you want to live by, not the other way around. Your brain only knows what you tell it and you can train it to be your most powerful ally.

Now that you have decided to lose weight and get in shape, you may be looking for the motivation to keep you inspired. I am here to help you every step of the way whether you are searching the Fitness4Her website or out shopping the town. If you are interested in losing weight and keeping it off, then it’s time to learn to take charge of your life.

Losing weight is so much more than just burning off more calories than you consume. Sure, for those who have never struggled to lose weight, they like to make it sound like a mathematical problem. If it were that easy it wouldn’t be a multi-billion dollar industry. As a matter of fact, no one would have a problem losing weight.

The truth is, losing weight is one of the most difficult things you will accomplish. That is because food is not the enemy. It sustains our life and therefore it is not something we can just abstain from. We have to discipline ourselves in a world of fast food advertisements and pre-packaged conveniences that do little to help us lose weight and many times are the culprits for obesity.

It’s time to take charge. Take charge of your diet, by writing down everything you eat and drink. Take charge by making a plan of action that will include your workout plan, what you want to accomplish and what you actually accomplish at each and every workout. Plan every meal in advance. Don’t let hunger catch you off guard. Take charge of every aspect of your diet and your women’s fitness.

Once you take charge of your life and your diet, your confidence and self-esteem will soar. This is because it is natural for us to take charge of our lives. God did not create us to be a slave to any man or anything. That means we have a responsibility to our bodies and should never fall prisoner to the temptation and ill effects of an unhealthy diet.

Take charge of your body as you take your workout to the next level. No matter what your level of fitness, there is always room for variety and improvement. Keep your workout fun and interesting to burn more calories and blast away the fat. Women’s fitness is vital to a healthy and happy lifestyle and it begins when you are ready, dedicated and committed to take charge.

We all know it’s coming. We can feel it in the air as summer fades and we head straight into fall. Soon the air will be thick with rich holiday smells wafting from the kitchen enticing us to gorge on sweets and goodies that we’ve denied ourselves all year.

It’s a fact that most people will gain their fair share of festive holiday weight during this time of year, but that doesn’t mean you have to set your diet aside completely. It also doesn’t mean that you have to deny yourself a little holiday treat now and then either. The problem most people have is they completely put their diet on hold for a couple of months to enjoy the holidays. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some tips on surviving the upcoming holidays this year with your belt buckle still intact.

1. Don’t deny yourself. For most of us, there are a couple of days in the holiday months where we are presented with delicious food. It’s ok to eat what you want on these days as long as you limit yourself to just a few days! Just because you ate badly one day doesn’t mean you have to give up the next! If you allow yourself a few days to splurge on your diet, it’s not going to ruin your diet. Plus you’ll have something to look forward to that may help you say no to sweets before the big day.

2. Keep up the exercise. Exercising during the holiday months is crucial if you want to splurge on your diet. By keeping up your daily exercise routine, you can maintain your weight and stay trim through the pieces of pumpkin pie and ice cream.

3. Eat smaller portions. Yes, you can eat pie on Thanksgiving, but try just having a small slice instead of the jumbo one you really want. By eating smaller portions, you still get to have the food you want, but you’re not stuffing yourself silly with high calories foods.

4. Keep a healthy balance. OK, so you ate a large portion of cheesy mashed potatoes. Balance out that meal by eating a portion something healthy like steamed broccoli or spinach. If you’re the one cooking the meal, make sure there are an equal amount of healthy options for every indulgence you cook.

5. Consider why you are eating. Before you take that first bite of gingerbread cookie, consider why you are eating. During the holidays people tend to overeat because they are depressed or lonely. Make sure before you put that cookie in your mouth that you are doing it for the right reasons. If you think you may be depressed, a quick call to a close friend can help alleviate some of your depression.

Dieting during the holidays doesn’t have to be a lost cause. If you allow yourself some treats but still keep up with healthy eating and exercise, you’ll make it through the next few months without even one extra inch.

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Have you ever stepped onto the scales and just hated the number that appeared as your weight? Many of us have felt that disappointment. However, for some women, they are so ashamed of their weight that they experience self-loathing or depression.

That number on the scale is not who you are! You are so much more than just the number that is your weight. To all of those around you, it’s who you are, not how much you weigh that defines you to them.

If you’ve got a mind and have the ability to make a commitment, you can change that number on the scale to one that will be more satisfactory to you. All it takes to change that number is the desire, the drive and faith in yourself. You must believe it to achieve it.

Never throw the baby out with the bath water! By this I mean, don’t get discouraged with your weight and become depressed. Rather, make up your mind to do something about it.
No matter how many times you may have tried and failed before, you do have the power to change your life.

Making changes in your life will be necessary if you want to lose weight. You’ll need to make amendments to your diet and your exercise practices. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat foods that taste good, or that you have to succumb to boring exercise routines. There are many tasty treats that are low in calories that make great substitutions to other high fat snacks and fun aerobic activities that help you lose weight in just 30 minutes a day.

If you need help getting started with your women’s fitness program, join Fitness4Her today. You’ll get free access to mouth-watering menus and recipes that you can prepare for yourself or your family. Plus, you can join in the fitness fun with easy to follow exercise routines designed specially for the female body.

It’s who you are, not how much you weigh that makes you special. But if you aren’t happy with your weight, start taking the necessary steps to change it. It’s your life and it’s much too precious to spend any time feeling disappointed in yourself.

Join Fitness4Her and learn to love food, regain the essence of youth and recapture your confidence. Think it, believe it and achieve it!