Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Skipping Meals Will Not Help You Lose Weight

By

We all know that in order to lose weight, we must reduce the number of calories that we consume. But does that mean we should eliminate breakfast or lunch in order to cut out the most calories? This is a mistake that dieters often make, but forgoing just one meal a week for a year can do major damage, including messing with your metabolism and not in a good way.

When you deprive yourself of regular meals, the levels of the feel good serotonin get thrown out of kilter, leaving you feeling cranky and craving carbohydrates. Your metabolism slows down, as your body struggles to conserve energy. When your metabolism slows down it makes it necessary to exercise more in order to burn the same amount of calories. You must keep your body fueled with food in order for it to work efficiently and keep it burning calories.

Let me repeat that last sentence. In order for your body to work efficiently and burn the most calories, you must keep it fueled with food. So be sure to enjoy your meals, because people who eat regularly are more likely to keep off unnecessary pounds. Don’t ever feel guilty about eating.

Negative thoughts like guilt, produce negative results and reactions. Your diet is your way of life. You must make changes that you can live with and that will help you live better. Try not to restrict your diet to the point that you aren’t happy. But on the other hand, don’t binge on foods that aren’t good for you and that will lead to you feeling tired, anxious or unhappy with yourself.

Lessen the temptation to eat foods that you are trying to refrain from by always planning ahead to your next meal. This way you can try to keep a healthy snack ready to eat. You will be less likely to skip a meal or leave yourself open to calorie laden temptations.

I like to prepare healthy snacks and meals the night before. When I awake in the morning, I can grab the snack or take out some cut fruit and blend a tasty smoothie before I go out for a jog. Staying proactive in your diet will assure you get plenty to eat, while maintaining a low calorie, healthy meal plan.

Most importantly, don’t skip meals. You may lose a little weight in the beginning but those results won’t last long. In order to keep the weight off and maintain a healthy lifestyle that gives you the energy to have lots of fun, you must make most every meal you eat, a healthy one.

Lose Weight and Never Miss a Meal

By

The best way to lose weight is to eat nutritious food, in sensible portions, several times a day. Eating frequent, small meals will help to keep you from overeating at any meal and from making unhealthy food choices.

Going for long periods of time without eating causes your metabolism to sort of shut down to conserve fat and energy. A slower metabolism burns less calories. When you eat three large meals per day, you will often eat more food at each meal to satisfy your hunger. If you have a slow metabolism, it will be more difficult to burn off those calories.

Large meals can make you feel tired and sleepy after eating, as your body works to digest the big meal. The idea is to keep your body satisfied with food, but not overindulge yourself which leads to weight gain.

If you are active, five meals will not only satisfy your hunger but will sustain energy longer, keeping sugar levels from falling and rising which may cause you to become hungry, tired and irritable.

A sample meal schedule might look something like this: 7 am: breakfast. 10 am: snack. 1 pm: lunch. 4 pm: snack. 7pm: dinner.

Below are some sample meals for two days. As you will see, the portion sizes are adequate and with the frequency of five meals per day —you should never feel hungry.

Breakfast:
Fresh fruit salad sprinkled with wheat germ or 1 tablespoon flaxseed

Morning Snack:
½ whole wheat pita
2 egg whites
¼ avocado
1 thin slice tomato

Lunch:
5 oz grilled salmon
½ long-grain brown rice
1 cup spinach and garlic

Afternoon Snack:
½ whole wheat pita
1 scoop humus
1 cup raw carrots

Dinner:
Italian-style turkey meatballs (small portion, baked)
Whole grain pasta with tomato sauce (small portion)
Tossed salad with balsamic vinegar

Day Two

Breakfast:
½ cup of cooked oatmeal
½ cup of blueberries or strawberries
Add flaxseed, wheat germ or bee pollen

Morning Snack:
½ cup low fat, plain yogurt
½ cup fresh fruit
1 teaspoon granola with nuts and raisins

Lunch:
Black bean burrito
1 small apple

Afternoon Snack:
Grilled chicken or turkey breast
Whole wheat wrap
Add some veggies like carrots, cucumber or tomatoes

Dinner:
Grilled or baked halibut or other small white fish filets
such as red snapper, tilapia, sea bass, or cod.
1 small sweet potato (seasoned with cinnamon)
1 cup steamed broccoli

How To Stick To Your Diet

By

Dieting doesn’t have to be hard. It’s actually pretty simple when you think about it. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. The ideal way to manage your weight is to gradually make changes in your diet and your physical activities.

Diet is a must if you want to lose weight. A good fitness plan is a combination of diet and exercise, but if you want to lose weight, you will have to make changes to the foods that you eat. Not only the types of foods, but the ways that you prepare them, too. That doesn’t mean you have to give up all the foods you love and replace them with bland tasting foods that you hate, either. Successful dieting is about weight management and that means finding the best ways to enjoy the foods you love in a healthier way.

Dieting is all about making healthy changes in your diet. Eating healthy isn’t just a great way to lose weight, it’s a great way to stay fit and healthy and feel good about yourself. Your body depends on a nutritious diet and making a few changes can ensure you eat healthy and lose weight, too.

Most of the time, the hardest thing about dieting is actually finding the right time to start. So what’s stopping you from starting?

Each day that you put off dieting makes it more difficult to get started. Excuses won’t burn calories and they won’t change the fact that you need to lose weight. The only thing that excuses do is make you feel guilty for not getting started. Guilt is unproductive and causes a great deal of stress. As often as possible push guilt away and replace those feelings with positive words of encouragement that empower you rather than cause you defeat. Daily affirmations will transform a negative attitude into a positive one. I like to say my affirmations first thing every morning to set my mind, body and soul on the right path.

Make short and long term goals when you begin your diet. Reward yourself along the way with little gifts such as workout gear, new clothes, a trip to the spa or even a tool for the yard. Refrain from food or alcohol rewards when you reach your goals. These little acts of appreciation work just as good on yourself as they do when you reward others for their exceptional work. Just stick to your diet and you will be able to enjoy the rewards of your labor for the rest of your life.

Help Yourself to Healthy Snacks

By

Every healthy, nutritional diet plan should include snacks. Snacking helps to lower blood sugar levels and can help you lose weight. It’s more about what you eat and how much you eat that makes the difference in whether your snacking habits are a positive or negative component of your overall nutritional consumption.

Healthy snacking doesn’t just mean nibbling on carrot sticks between meals. Although carrots are a delicious in-between meal choice, there are a great variety of healthy foods that can be prepared quickly to satisfy any hunger. You can also split your regular entrée into two servings, eating half at the appointed meal and saving the other half for a mid-meal snack.

One of the latest trends in meals is to have a second breakfast or second lunch. These seemingly new ideas stem from having 5 small meals a day rather than the traditional 3 meal a day plan. The caveat is that the meals must be reduced in size in order to manage your consumption and your weight.

Eating healthy takes planning and the same can be said for preparing healthy snacks. Whether you are on the go, having friends over or just snacking in front of the television, there are a variety of good-tasting, healthy snacks to choose from.

Apple slices with almond nut butter is an excellent choice that can be packaged for an on-the-go snack or dressed up on a platter for sharing. Toss in some nuts for a quick source of protein.
Sliced red bell pepper and guacamole is a delicious indulgence that is packed full of vitamins, nutrients and good sources of fiber. The healthy fat from the guacamole is good for you and still under 200 calories.

Celery sticks with cream cheese looks so elegant when served on a platter. It’s a classic low-carb snack that is great for enjoying alone or with a group.
Hard boiled eggs are excellent sources of protein and low in calories. High in vitamins K2 and B12, boiled eggs will keep your hunger satisfied. It’s an easy, on-the-go snack that’s protein-packed and completely portable.

Turkey or chicken breast slices are great choices for lean protein. Using thin slices, spread with cream cheese, top with a few strips of cucumber or pickle slices and then roll up. Fasten with a toothpick before serving. It’s a yummy snack that will ward off hunger between meals.

Dark chocolate and almonds are a decadent treat that is a great on-the-go snack. Full of antioxidants and flavanols, both are also high in magnesium and taste great. So go ahead, have a couple of snacks, every day.

Love Food Lose Weight

By

Lose weight and manage your weight for the rest of your life when you learn to love food and give it the respect it deserves. Food sustains us and keeps us healthy. It comforts us and instills memories that time cannot erase. Food is life.

Food is not the enemy when it comes to losing weight. One the contrary, food is the answer to losing weight. As a matter of fact, eating 5 times a day may help you to lose more weight than the traditional 3 meal a day spread. Of course, the portions will be smaller, but if you give yourself a few minutes for your stomach and brain to get in-sync, you may find that you are satisfied without the desire to go back for seconds. When food tastes delicious we naturally want to eat more, but that extra helping can be the difference between feeling well satisfied and bloated. When you overeat, you cause your body to spend time trying to digest and adjust to all the extra gas produced by the digestion process. Eating less gives the body the nutrients it needs and allows it to easily digest the meals you eat, thereby ridding the body quickly of waste and excess calories. Smaller meals and shorter waits between mealtimes means there is less chance of your body storing extra fat and calories.

Every meal you eat should be enjoyable and satisfying. Never feel guilty about eating. If you happen to overeat or succumb to temptation of some sweet confection, don’t let feelings of disappointment cause you to feel guilty. Instead, take time to enjoy what you are eating. More often than not, your craving of that particular treat will be diminished once you have given in, eaten it, and enjoyed it, thereby conquering the nagging feeling that you have somehow deprived yourself.

Dress up your meals with seasonings and herbs, colorful fruits and vegetables and garnishes. Use pretty plates and place settings so your meals never feel rushed. Avoid watching television or reading when you eat. These distractions can mask how much and how fast you are eating. Slow down and chew your food, especially meat and vegetables so that they have a better chance of digesting completely.

As often as possible, promote family gatherings and share your meals together. Although you shouldn’t have to be reminded to get together with family and friends, dining with loved ones creates a pleasant surrounding that makes mealtime enjoyable. Eating with others helps you to slow down, chew your food and really enjoy the flavors of a finely cooked meal.