Healthy Weight Loss

Enjoying food and drink is a natural way of life, but what do you do when weight begins to creep up and attach itself to your body and your once perfect stomach becomes larger? Average height men are advised to stick to an average of 2,500 calories per day and these calories include all drinks.

Metabolism

Metabolism begins to decrease in men around the average age of 40 if they have had a healthy diet. Despite this, any man can naturally and healthily increase his own metabolism with diet and exercise. Eating fresh fish, healthy-cooked chicken and beans or lentils can aid with the metabolism increasing naturally.

Exercise

Pull ups, press ups, light weights and swimming are just a few exercises which can help you to gain the perfect manly stomach you desire. If your not used to exercising, it is always best to begin exercising with stretching before moving on to cardio-type warm ups such as jogging on the spot for a few minutes. When you perform your pull up exercise movements, better physical results can be acheived if you hold each pull up for a few seconds and ensure your breathing correctly.

Diet

A healthy diet does not mean you can't have the occasional treat, but it must benefit your health and fitness levels to the best possible healthy outcome for you. If you love your meats, grill them and try to eat red meat no more than twice a week. Telling yourself you had fish even though it was fried actually can defeat the purpose. Fish can be grilled, steamed and oven-baked with healthy herbs and spices as well as with some fruit to give the taste that will satisfy your pallet. Change your cooking oil and butter to soya, organic or olive oil. This will not only help you to lose excess tummy fat but will benefit your cholesterol levels, blood pressure and overall heart and other organs. Vegetables and fruit must be eaten every day to help provide the vitamin intake your body requires to work efficiently.

Alcohol

By just having a few pints of lager with the guys, you would of already received almost a quarter of your daily suggested calorie intake without eating anything. For a list of alcoholic drinks and their calorie measurements, see Resources.

Relaxation and Detox Treatments

Excessive eating can be related to stress, boredom and comfort. If you take the time to visit a qualified holistic therapist, you can receive massage, acupuncture, reiki and other relaxing therapies which will help to eradicate these influences. Massage and alternative treatments are now quite popular with men worldwide.

While losing weight can transform your life for the better, a large amount of quick weight loss can leave some less than attractive problem areas on your body. Significant and fast weight loss after weight loss surgery can lead to flabby body areas and skin. Fortunately, the skin is a remarkable organ that has the elasticity and ability to tone after fast weight loss; however, this may take time. There are ways to help boost your body's ability to tone after weight loss surgery.

Instructions

1 Make sure to eat healthy to tone after weight loss surgery. Choose healthy fresh foods over processed foods, which contain a lot of sodium. You want food to move quickly through your system, so you will have fat loss and not muscle loss. Choose foods that promote collagen production to tone and tighten skin, like berries and soy.
2 Start a strength training program three to four days a week as soon as possible to tone after weight loss surgery. Start out slowly. Do push-ups against a wall. Use small hand weights for arm curls and extensions. Do squats and lunges. Make sure to consult a professional trainer first to avoid injury.
3 Begin cardio exercises as soon as possible. At first, start out walking. After a while, increase the duration and intensity of walks. Swimming is an excellent way to start toning after weight loss surgery. Starting a cardio exercise program right away will help you lose more fat than muscle.
4 Consider cosmetic surgery to tone after weight loss surgery. As people age, their skin's elasticity weakens. If you have considerable amounts of flabby skin after several months of healthy dieting and regular exercise, consult a cosmetic surgeon.
5 Start using body firming creams. To tone skin after weight loss surgery, buy skin cream products that boost collagen production.
6 Start wearing tight-fitting Spandex clothes and undergarments to tone after weight loss surgery. You will look and feel better. Wearing Spandex will help your skin tone quicker. You should notice results within a few months.
7 Ask your doctor about weight loss surgery support groups. Joining a support group will help you deal with your issues and get tips from others about body image and toning after weight loss surgery.

Losing weight is a huge achievement. It involves a large amount of motivation and perseverance, and depending on how much you lose, it can take years. It's also a very inspiring achievement. People enjoy reading real-life stories about how other people managed to lose weight, what foods they ate, what exercise they did. There is a large segment of the weight-loss market dedicated to printing inspiring weight loss stories, so if your story is good you can profit from your achievement easily.

Instructions

1 Make notes about your weight loss journey. Include statistics, such as your starting weight, your height and the measurements. Write about what made you realize you needed to lose weight: If this was triggered by a photograph, include the photo.
2 Make sample meal and exercise plan, and explain how fast you saw results.
3 Read through your notes and add additional details where necessary. Remember that to sell, your story needs to be exciting enough to read, and inspiring to other people hoping to lose weight. Include additional details, such as whether you tried any 'diets, and how they worked.
4 Produce a short summary of your story to give to editors. This should be a brief outline, which the editor will use to decide whether they want to publish your story. Spend time making sure this reads well, with correct spelling and grammar, as first impressions are important in writing.
5 Submit the stories to online editors. You can use companies such as Talk To The Press, who work as a middle man and distribute your story to certain publications on your behalf, for a small fee -- or you can submit your story yourself. Large publications such as Weight Watchers usually have an online contact form which you can use to contact the editors with your idea.
6 Contact local media. Your local newspaper, any weight loss groups and TV stations. Media in your local area may be running a health campaign, and want to highlight the achievements of a local person.
7 Discuss payment. Some websites will clearly display how much they will pay per article, either as a set figure or as a price per word. If you use an agency, make sure you understand how much the agency will take, and how much you will be left with.
8 Read through important documentation provided by publications. Some publications will want rights to your story, which means you cannot publish it elsewhere, and some may reserve the right to edit the story as they see fit. Make sure you read through all of the terms and understand them, so you know exactly where you stand.

It is motivating to watch the Biggest Loser while on a diet. But when I see a 400 pound guy lose 30 pounds in one week it can make me feel that my 5 pound weight loss is nothing in comparison---especially since 30 pounds is my total weight loss goal. That's why on the Biggest Loser, they calculate the contestants' weight loss percentage and compare contestants by percentage lost, not pounds lost. By following the steps below, you too can calculate your weight loss percentage and see if you are the Biggest Loser.

Instructions

1 First, write down your starting weight so that you don't forget over the next few weeks. Then when you weigh yourself again the next week, calculate your total weight change by subtracting your recent weight from your starting weight. (Hopefully, this will be a Loss and not a gain!)
2 Now that you know your pounds lost for the week, divide it by your starting weight. This will give you a fraction such as .325.
3 Multiply your answer in step 2 by 100 and round to the nearest tenth. Now you know the percentage of your weight loss and compare it with those on the Biggest Loser. A weight loss of 2 to 4% is very good. Happy dieting!

With so many diets available, it's hard to know which one is right for you. Some may fit your lifestyle better, while others might appeal to your personal eating habits. If you're not picky about food, diets that restrict you to certain foods may work. If you know you'll never be able to get over your love for ice cream, choose a diet that focuses on portion control rather than restricting you to certain foods. Stick to the main tenets of any diet -- one that favors healthy food choices and moderation. Structure your own meal strategy using these tips.

Instructions

1 Determine the amount of calories you should consume daily in order to lose weight. If you have an active lifestyle, you'll need more. If you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, you'll need less. According to the Mayo Clinic, you need to burn 3,500 more calories than you take in per week to lose 1 lb. Don't shave off too many calories. According to the National Institute of Health, women shouldn't take in less than 1,200 calories per day and men no less than 1,500.
2 Set an alarm clock to go off every three to four hours. This is how frequently you should be eating to keep your metabolism burning fat and to stave off cravings and binge attacks. Set up an eating schedule and follow it every day. Though you'll be eating more frequently, you'll actually be eating less by trimming down your portion sizes.
3 Make a weekly grocery list and set aside at least one day a week for cooking. Keep low-calorie snacks available, such as fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt and butter-free popcorn. Cook a lot, even if you're only cooking for yourself. Leftovers can be a life-saver when you're running late for work and forgot to pack your lunch the night before.
4 Focus on protein and fruits and vegetables. Pack your breakfast full of protein, including black beans or eggs, and citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges that will rev up your metabolism. It's easy to grab for bread and chips when you're hungry, but try to substitute. Instead of regular french fries, bake your own sweet potato fries. Switch out pasta for brown rice.
5 Keep a food journal and list everything you eat. If you break down and have an ice cream sundae, it's not the end of the world. Make up for it with exercise and keep going. The worst thing you can do is use it as an excuse to eat everything else and start your diet again some other time. Think of a diet as a lifelong commitment, not a crash period of starvation.

Loose skin and drooping is common after people lose weight, and many seek to firm facial muscles. If you have lost a lot of weight, have dry skin or are older, you will more than likely have a problem with loose skin after losing weight. Having loose skin does not affect health, but it can be perceived as unattractive and cause self-esteem issues. Luckily, there are exercises that help firm facial muscles after weight loss. Performing a series of facial exercises and stretches will help you tone your facial muscles.

Instructions

1
Sit down comfortably in a chair. You will be staying in this chair until you complete the facial stretches and exercises. Take a deep breath.
2 Take a second deep breath by inhaling through the nose, then open your mouth wide. Stick out your tongue completely, and imagine you are trying to touch it to your chin. Squeeze your facial muscles tightly. Continue deep breathing, and while you exhale make a "ha" sound. This facial stretch may cause your eyes to water. Repeat this expression three times. Doing this facial exercise will stretch the facial muscles and relieve tension.
3
Keep your face neutral, and smile lightly, not a strained or large smile, but simply raise the corners of your mouth. Repeat this light smile three times to tone your smile lines.
4 Strengthen your forehead muscles by widening your eyes, but keep your forehead straight; you should not crease, crinkle, or show expression from your forehead. Focus your eyes on something far in front of you for at least ten seconds. Repeat this expression four times.
5 Firm your cheeks by puffing out your cheeks. Fill your cheeks with air, then switch the air from cheek to cheek. Continue switching the air from cheek to cheek until you need to breathe. Repeat this three times.
6 Smile lightly, then purse your lips. Suck in your cheeks, so your face looks like a "fish face." Continue sucking in your cheeks then drawing them out five times. This facial stretch will tone your cheeks.
7 Firm your nose and lips area by smiling widely, then use your fingertips to gently hold the area above the crease of your lips and nose. You will press up with your fingertips while lifting up with your facial muscles. This will be repeated at least 30 times.

Weight loss competitions are a good way to motivate people to lose weight. However, going strictly by pounds lost is not fair to all participants. For instance, a 350-pound individual would need to lose more than a 130-pound individual. There would be no way for the lighter person to compete against such participants, since losing comparable weight would be impractical and dangerous. Therefore, measuring the percent lost equalizes the weight differences. Forming competing teams offers support and encouragement from team members, while maintaining the competitive motivation between teams.

Instructions

1 Group members into teams of two to 10 participants. Maintaining even numbers is not as important, since ultimately you will be calculating an average percent loss among team members.
2 Set a time period for the weight loss competition, which would be sufficient to achieve results. As an example, you might state the competition will run 100 days from start to finish.
3 Weigh each individual at the beginning of the competition.
4 Weigh each individual at the end of the competition.
5 Subtract each person's ending weight from their start weight to calculate the number of pounds lost. As an example, if one member started as 180 pounds and weighed 160 pounds at the end of the competition, he or she would have lost 20 pounds.
6 Divide each person's weight loss by their original weight, and then multiply by 100 to calculate the percentage. In the example, the 180-pound member, who lost 20 pounds, would have lost 11.1 percent.
7 Average each team's weight loss percentage by adding the members' percentages and dividing by the number of members. As an example, if one team had members losing 11, 10, 20, 15 and 22 percent, you would total those figures to produce 78, and then divide by five. This results in an average weight loss of 15.6 percent. Repeat this calculation for each team.
8 Compare each team's average weight loss percentage, and declare the team with the highest average percentage the winner.

Want to get paid to lose weight? Have you watched the "Biggest Loser" on TV and wished you could find a weight-loss contest? Grab a few friends or co-workers and start your own contest. It's easy, fun and you can have prize money for a reward!

Instructions

1 Get a group of friends or co-workers to start a weight-loss contest. Find out who is interested in losing weight with you. Ask them how they'd like the contest to be run and what rules would make them join. Make sure they know it'll be a competition and there will be reward money!
2 Once you know how many people will be joining the contest, set an entrance fee. It can be anywhere from $25, $50 or more. This is a one-time fee you will pay to join the contest. Then decide how the winnings will be split up. You can reward the biggest weight loser or participants can get their money back when they lose a certain amount.
3 Pick a weekly weigh-in location and host. If it's at work, a weigh-in office or host can be chosen. If it's in your neighborhood, pick a house to weigh-in at and the host will keep track of the progress of each contestant.
4 Decide if you will measure progress each week by percentage of body weight lost, pounds lost, measurements or another method. You can track each contestants progress on paper or a computer spreadsheet (see Resources below).
5 Finish the contest within 10 to 12 weeks; any longer and too many lose interest or motivation. This is enough time to have significant weight loss. Host a final weigh-in where everyone must attend and a final winner will be announced.

Most folks feel that losing weight is a daunting task and they are unsure of the best way to lose weight. If you need to lose weight fast, all you have to do is keep putting one foot in front of the other and dive into the weight loss process. Within a week or two you'll start feeling better and you will lose fat quickly. Here's the quickest way to lose weight fast - the healthy way:

Instructions

1 Don't eat products that contain white flour. The most important thing to do first is realize how many products you eat contain white flour. White flour is now your weight loss enemy and you must replace all white flour products with vegetables (preferably green leafy vegetables). Broccoli has protein and many health benefits so you can start with that, but don't forget the hundreds of other green leafy vegetables that are out on the market as well. Doing just this one step is the quickest way to lose weight fast - the healthy way. But wait, there's more!
2 Stop eating sugar and sugar products. Simple sugars are also your weight loss enemy. Chocolate, candies, cookies, etc are super fun while you're eating them, but they completely sabotage any healthy diet and make you fat quick. Sugar also makes you tired. If you eliminate all simple sugars from your diet, you'll soon be amazed at how much energy and sleep you'll get.
3 Be sure to eat five small meals a day. This takes some getting used to, but trust me, it's one of the best ways to lose weight. When you replace white flour products with vegetables and stop eating simple sugars, you will want that small healthy meal every 3-4 hours. If you need to lose weight fast, be sure to eat a source of protein at EVERY meal (eggs, meats, nuts, etc) since protein is the one thing that will keep you full until the next meal. If you think of your plate in thirds, one third will be protein, one third vegetables and one third complex carbohydrates (sweet potato, whole grain wild rice, etc). Eat things that look like they just came from the farm or field - the more natural it is, the healthier it is for you and the faster you will lose the weight. If you can afford organic foods, great, but it's not necessary. If you get a sweet tooth, put some blueberries/strawberries/other fruit in yogurt and sprinkle some toasted almonds on top. It will get you through the moment until your next healthy meal.
4 Drink a lot of water to help speed up your weight loss. You should drink at least 3 tall glasses of water a day. Those sugar drinks, coffees and sodas are going to get you NOWHERE - you will not lose weight fast while consuming those products. They sabotage your healthy diet just like cookies, cakes and candies. Eliminate the sugar drinks and drink water, milk and not from concentrate orange juice instead. V8's are great too if you can stand the salt.
5 Find an "exercise" you like to do if you need to lose weight fast. "Exercise" is merely a way to get the body moving. So if you hate the thought of "exercise", think of it as moving your body instead. You can still lose weight fast if you watch your favorite TV show, march in place and raise your hands up in the air repeatedly for the duration of the show (and commercials too, no cheating!). Sure, it's really exercise, but by the time your show is over, you'll feel better about yourself, you don't have to mentally endure 60 minutes without entertainment and you'll help yourself lose weight faster. If you prefer to go to a gym and do aerobics or cardiovascular equipment - GREAT! Just keep in mind that you can "move your body" anywhere at anytime and every bit of movement helps with your weight loss. Typically you should "move your body" for 30-60 minutes, 3-5 times a week for best weight loss results.
6 Don't give up when you go through the sugar and carbohydrate withdrawals. The first week is not easy I must say. You'll constantly be thinking about the white flour products and simple sugars you've given up. If you get to the point where you're going to indulge, put your walking shoes on and go walk around the block for 15 minutes. If it's raining or cold out (there is no excuse!!), turn on the tv and march for 15 minutes. While you are walking or marching, remind yourself that these cravings are the thing that got you where you are now (unhealthy and/or overweight). Also remind yourself that you deserve to be healthy and getting through the moment of 'deprivation' is key to your long-term weight loss success.
7 Allow your self some type of indulgence once a week. This doesn't mean you can go back and eat that bag of chips or cookies (ie, white flour products) - you definitely will not lose fat quickly that way. What it means is that you can have a healthier snack to keep your weight loss on track. My favorite is yogurt raisins (as an example). Don't eat the whole bag for goodness sakes. I usually have 10-15 in the morning and the same in the evening on my "off day". On this one day during the week, it's very important to indulge on something you like (it's your reward for the week!), but make sure you don't overdo it. If you need a snack with some 'junk food' substance, check out my White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie recipe listed below under "Resources". Try not to have more than 2 or three of those on your day off, then share the rest with your friends. You may want to enlist a friend or family member to keep you accountable on your 'day off' so you lose weight faster.
8 If all of the above fails because you can't do it on your own, you might want to hire a personal trainer if you need to lose weight fast. It might just be the next best way to lose weight if you find your self-motivation is limited. In this economy the trainers are actively looking for business, so I'm sure you could even find one to come to your house if you absolutely abhor the gym scene. You can sign on for 2-3 times a week if you can afford it, or if you can handle some work on your own at home, hire them for a once a week session. They can also help keep you accountable by phone when you get to the point where you're getting ready to open the bag of whatever white flour/sugar product is in your face. Determination and consistency are crucial to losing weight fast - the healthy way.
9 Be sure to check out the Resource links below for more information on exercising and staying healthy.

When weight loss occurs in an HIV-positive person, you must take care to ensure it does not develop into HIV wasting syndrome. Wasting syndrome can result in significant loss of weight and muscle mass in a short period of time, making the infected individual much weaker and unable to fight off potential infections. While weight loss associated with HIV infection can be difficult to stop, it is possible and can even be reversed if recognized and treated.

Instructions

1 Consult your doctor soon after the weight loss is noticed. Fluctuations in weight are common in HIV patients and can be caused by opportunistic infections or the loss of appetite often associated with antiretroviral treatment, so the doctor will likely want to monitor the weight loss to see if it continues.
2 Weigh yourself daily once weight loss has been noticed. This will enable you to keep track so your doctor can see whether there has been any further loss or fluctuations. If possible, take weight measurements in the early morning after using the bathroom but before eating so food in your digestive system doesn't cause incorrect measurements.
3 Modify your caloric intake to compensate for the additional energy your body uses to combat your HIV infection and the health problems that are associated with it. Instead of attempting to maintain a 2,000-calorie diet, try to consume between 17 and 20 calories per pound of body weight that you have. Should weight loss continue, increase this to 25 calories per pound.
4 Use the BRAT diet system if you begin to experience nausea and vomiting as a result of antiretroviral treatment or infection. The BRAT diet consists of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast, four foods that are relatively mild to the digestive system but that offer sufficient carbohydrates and vitamins to help combat weight loss.
5 Tell your doctor immediately if weight loss begins to accelerate or if nausea and vomiting begin to worsen as a result of your antiretroviral therapy. If you are having problems keeping medication down or are experiencing severe weight loss or wasting syndrome, your doctor may wish to alter your treatment regimen to help you combat it.
6 Discuss steroid therapy with your doctor if you are unable to maintain your weight through diet, exercise and regulation of your antiretroviral medications. Your doctor may offer one of several steroid therapy options such as human growth hormone or anabolic steroids in order to stimulate the production of muscle mass and combat wasting syndrome.

A Body in Motion

Zumba is a very good cardiovascular activity. The body is always shifting, stepping and dancing in rhythmic cadence. This causes a high caloric expenditure which leads to weight loss. Factor in the fact that there is little recovery time and the body has no choice but to burn a lot of calories.

Bring in the Weigthts

Part of the Zumba workout involves the addition of weights. This is twofold. It increases the energy expenditure while simultaneously toning and strengthening the muscles. Muscle is very metabolically active, so this will cause more overall calorie expenditure.

Speed Down

Zumba is done in an interval fashion. This means that there are slow and fast rhythms being incorporated. The slower rhythms are the rest periods. This type of training has been known to burn more calories and also raise the body's metabolism for hours after the event.

Fun Before It's Done

A lot of times conventional exercise can be boring. This more often than not can lead to burnout and cause people to stop altogether. That is where Zumba differs. Being that it is "out of the box" and so different than the average step aerobics classes, people are generally left thirsting for more. When something is fun and interesting, adherence rates go up and weight goes down.

Disciplinary Action

Zumba can also help aid weight loss because it creates discipline. When an exercise routine becomes habitual and people enjoy it, this will bleed into other aspects of their lives that can further increase weight loss, such as diet. It is like a built in accountability factor that is going to make them stay on top of their eating habits and make only one trip to the buffet table instead of three.

Maybe you just had a baby or you've been trying to lose stomach weight for years. Whatever the case, it takes will power and determination to lose weight fast, especially in the stomach area. Here's how to lose stomach weight fast:

Instructions

1 Eliminate all white flour products from your diet and eat vegetables instead (preferably green leafy vegetables). Broccoli has protein and many health benefits so you can start with that, but don't forget the hundreds of other green leafy vegetables that are out on the market as well. Doing just the one step will help you lose stomach weight fast.
2 Eliminate sugar from your eating plan. Chocolate, candies, cookies, etc are super fun while you're eating them, but they completely sabotage any healthy diet and make your stomach fat. Sugar also makes you tired. If you eliminate all simple sugars from your diet, you'll soon be amazed at how much stomach weight you'll lose.
3 Be sure to eat five small meals a day. This takes some getting used to, but trust me, when you replace white flour products with vegetables and stop eating simple sugars, you will want that small healthy meal every 3-4 hours. Be sure to eat a source of protein at EVERY meal (eggs, meats, nuts, etc) since protein is the one thing that will keep you full until the next meal. If you think of your plate in thirds, one third will be protein, one third vegetables and one third complex carbohydrates (sweet potato, whole grain wild rice, etc). Eat things that look like they just came from the farm or field - the more natural it is, the healthier it is for you and the faster you will lose the stomach weight fast.
4 Drink a lot of water to help increase your stomach fat weight loss. You should drink at least 3 tall glasses of water a day. Those sugar drinks, coffees and sodas are going to get you NOWHERE - you will not lose weight fast while consuming those products. They sabotage your healthy diet just like cookies, cakes and candies. Eliminate the sugar drinks and drink water, milk and not from concentrate orange juice instead. V8's are great too if you can stand the salt.
5 Start exercising if you haven't already. Do cardio 4-5 times a week for 30-60 minute intervals. Do abdominal exercises too, but you need to realize that losing stomach weight fast has more to do with your diet than doing hundreds of crunches in the gym (and if you're doing hundreds of crunches, you're doing them wrong! - you should be exhausted at 12 reps per set). Weight training will help you burn fat fast too, so don't be afraid to pick up the weights.
6 Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. The more rested you are, the better your body performs.

Beginning and then committing to a weight loss program can be a real challenge. Hosting a weight loss contest with friends, family or co-workers is a fun way to bring together people and create a positive, motivating environment for your weight loss endeavors. Not only does the contest create a support group for individuals seeking motivation, it helps you track your progress throughout the duration of the contest.

Instructions

1 Create a weight loss chart with corresponding rows and columns for the names of all the participants and dates for weekly weigh-ins.
2 Schedule a time, date and location for the first weigh-in. Send out invitations and notices to all participants via email, social networking sites, in person, by phone or by mail. Include the prizes and incentives for the contest on your invitation flyer.
3 Conduct your first meeting and weigh-in. During the meeting, explain the rules and time frame of the contest and make sure everyone is comfortable with displaying their weight on the chart. If you wish, you can take a "before" picture of each participant and have everyone introduce themselves and their goals as an icebreaker. Also during the meeting, schedule future weigh-in times at approximately the same times each week.
4 Continue weigh-ins for the duration of the contest. If you wish, you can arrange weekly prizes for the "biggest loser" of the week. Smaller, weekly incentives for a long weight loss contest can boost motivation and make each weekly weigh-in more interesting. Prizes may include gift cards to healthy restaurants, merchants or services.
5 Calculate the total weight loss for each person at the end of the contest. To be fair, the best way to determine the winner is by percentage weight loss. To do this, subtract the final weight from the starting weight. Divide the difference by the starting weight to calculate the percentage weight loss. For example, if a participant starts out at 160 lbs and her final weight is 150 lbs, her total weight loss is 10 pounds (160 - 150 = 10). Divide the starting weight of 160 by total weight loss of 10 to receive the percentage weight loss, which is 16% (160 / 10 = 16).
6 Award the "biggest loser" with the grand prize and give incentives to the other participants. If you wish, take an "after" picture to compare the results. You can also send everyone a thank you note for participating and attach their personalized "before" and "after" photographs in the note.

Introduction to Metabolism

Your metabolism is the rate at which your body needs to burn calories in able to keep going. Metabolism can vary from person to person and can also vary depending on the time of day and the activity being performed. Your body's metabolism is constantly going, whether you are awake or sleeping, burning a continuous amount of calories to provide energy for the many systems of your body.

Differences in Metabolism

Metabolism is largely based on your body composition. Your body composition has to do with the percentage of muscle in your body versus the percentage of fat in your body. Muscles require a greater amount of calories than fat to stay working. This means that the greater percentage of muscle you have in your body, the higher your metabolism will be.

Metabolism and Weight Loss

Metabolism affects how fast you are able to burn calories. For every 3,500 you burn beyond what your body needs to operate, you can lose one pound of fat. The faster your metabolism is, the faster you are able to burn those 3,500 calories. This is why those with faster metabolisms tend to be slimmer, and also tend to be able to lose weight quicker than those with slower metabolisms.

Ways to Increase your Metabolism

The best way to increase your metabolism is to stop dramatic dieting and start working out. Though dieting is an important part of a weight loss program, cutting your calories too much can cause your body to believe it's starving. If your body feels it's starving, it will slow your metabolism down to conserve calories. The next step is increasing your muscle mass. As stated before, muscle requires a greater amount of calories to function. As you build up your muscle, your body will in turn increase its metabolism to insure that your new muscles work at their optimal level. The rest of your body benefits, because your body will target fat first to gain the calories needed to give energy to your muscles. The extra burned calories translates to lost fat, which then translates to greater, more successful weight loss.

Many people are anxious to lose weight as quickly as possible, for obvious reasons. This article discusses the steps to determining a safe, effective, and realistic weight loss goal for each week.

Instructions

1 First, note that according to the latest research, the prevailing consensus among weight loss specialists is that overweight individuals should strive to lose 1% of their body weight each week. Certainly discuss the matter with your doctor, but for most people, this percent will be safe and realistic. Understand that you will read and hear a great deal of advice that is contrary to this suggestion. If you are not comfortable with this advice, or do not agree with it, do whatever you and your doctor feel is best.
2 Next, understand that for the first two weeks of any diet and exercise program you will likely lose a great deal of water weight. If you lose this weight, it shows that you are on the right track. However, don't mistake this drop in scale weight as a loss of actual fat. Also, don't expect your weight loss to continue at this rate. In fact it would be unsafe to do so.
3 To compute 1%, take your current weight, and move the decimal point two places to the left. Then round to the nearest quarter pound. For example, a 329-pound person should aim to lose about 3.25 pounds per week. A 193-pound person should aim to lose about 2 pounds per week. A person who is only slightly overweight, and only needs to lose 10 pounds may need 6 to 10 weeks to safely and effectively accomplish this, even though they would probably prefer to lose it in 2 or 3 weeks.
4 Weigh in every week under the same conditions (same time of day, same day of the week, etc.), but don't make yourself crazy. You may have a week where you overeat, and yet still lose weight. You might have a week where you were really good, and yet actually gain weight. Compare your weight month to month to look for overall trends, just like you might do with your stock portfolio.
5 Recalculate your weekly weight loss goal once per month. Keep in mind that if you are quite heavy, you might start out by losing 3-4 pounds per week, but as you lose weight, that figure will drop to 1-2 pounds per week.
6 Understand that the most important part of weight loss is keeping the weight off. The slower you lose weight, the less likely it will be that you will put it back on. An analogy might be that the slower and more systematically you study for a test, the less likely you will be to forget the material.
7 Try to think of the bigger picture. If you average 2 pounds of weight loss per week, that's 100 pounds in a year. Think about how you will look in a bathing suit this July, compared to 100 pounds less next July. Also keep in mind that it's not like you are in jail for that year. You are still living your life, systematically working toward your goal. If you stay focused on your goal, you will certainly lose the weight that you need to. It may take a bit more time than you'd like it to, but you will reach your goal. I speak with firsthand experience.

You have probably heard of sassy water - the flavored water that is supposed to help you lose weight. On cold days, a hot cup of tea is what you crave. Why not indulge in a cup of spicy tea that can help you win the battle against belly fat. This tea uses several ingredients that are known to promote weight loss. Cinnamon helps to control insulin levels, and prevent spikes that can trigger the body to start storing fat. Oranges, and other citrus fruits, are useful in flushing fats from the body. Green tea is believed to help with weight loss. This weight loss tea is so good, you'll love it hot or cold, all year long.

Instructions

1 Brew a pot of green tea. To the teapot, add 1 orange, thinly sliced, 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger and 2 cinnamon sticks. Allow the tea to steep for 30 minutes. For a darker, richer tea use a combination of green tea and black or orange pekoe tea. This will still provide all of the benefits of green tea, only with a deeper flavor.
2 Remove the cinnamon sticks, ginger and orange slices from the teapot and discard. You may need to pour the tea through a sieve or filter to remove all of the pieces of grated ginger.
3 Serve the tea hot with a cinnamon stick for garnish, or pour it over ice for a refreshing drink on a hot day. If desired, you may sweeten the tea to taste with a no calorie sweetener or just a bit of all natural honey.
4 Store the unused tea in the refrigerator, and reheat individual cups in the microwave.

Have you hit the dreaded weight loss plateau?

Are you frustrated because the weight loss has just stopped?

Here are 4 simple ways to break through a weight loss plateau.

Instructions

1 The first thing you need to do is make sure that you are following your diet program. We frequently lie to ourselves in order to justify cheating on our diets. If you haven't been fully following your diet plan then you need to start there before reading on.
2 Before we move on to the steps to break a weight loss plateau, we must understand why it happens. Your body desires to be in a state of homeostasis, it does not like change. When change occurs it has to work harder. That's why changing your routine is so important in order to continue your weight loss.
3 Tip 1 - Increase your calories. The first tip to break a plateau is by increasing your calorie consumption by 500 calories per day for 7-10 days. That doesn't mean go off your diet. You just need to give your body a little nudge to get it going in the right direction.
Increase your carbohydrate intake to give your body a break from carb restrictions. After the 7-10 days cut your calories back to where they were. This will help give your body a nice little shock that can you get back on track.
4 Tip 2 - Your intensity level. When trying to drop those last few pounds it is often an issue of intensity that is causing your weight loss plateau. In these situations you need to crank up the dieting and exercising for a few weeks to help you blast through it.
Exercising a little harder or being a little stricter on your diet can give you that extra little boost that you need.
5 Tip 3 - Change your exercise routine. The way you exercise can play a vital role in how you burn fat. Doing the same routine for too long allows your body to adapt and work more efficiently. If you have been using the same workout routine for more than 4-6 weeks it's time for a change.
A Simple solution to this problem is to change how you workout. For example, add weight training to your program or increase your sets and reps or change how many days a week you workout. Do this every 4-6 weeks to keep your body from adapting.
6 Tip 4 - Reduce your carbohydrates. Yes this is the opposite from the first tip but it can work really well to help you break through your weight loss plateau. By lowering your carb intake down to a ketogenic level it forces your body into a fat burning mode. This works best if you aren't already on a low carb diet (less than 100g/day).
Try lowering your carb intake to 20-40g/day for 2 weeks whenever you hit a plateau. This is the most difficult of all of the tips but also the most shocking to your body.
7 As frustrating as weight loss plateaus are, they are a normal physiological occurrence. That's why it is always important to change up your routine in order to keep your body from adapting. By using one of the strategies listed above you will be able to break through your plateaus and continue to lose weight.
8 While you are here please take a moment to check out the resources area below for more tips and information. For other how to tips don't forget to check my profile and to take a look at other articles on ehow.

Weight loss journals are a helpful aide for anyone trying slim down. Not only do weight loss journals keep you honest, they help articulate why you cant lose weight. If you use a journal properly, it can help speed up your journey towards a smaller body. Heres how to use a weight loss journal.

Instructions

1 Pick up a weight loss journal. It can be a formal one that you get from a group, such as Weight Watchers, or it can be a three-ring paper binder. In other words, your journal needs to be something that you can write in. Nothing more.
2 Keep your weight loss journal in an area that you can access easily. This way, you wont forget to write in it.
3 Write in your weight loss journal daily. What you write should be a daily list of what you ate and how much you exercised. You should list times and how you were feeling prior to, during and after you ate. Do the same for your exercise; it will help you see the importance of it.
4 Evaluate your weight loss journal on a weekly basis. You can do this during a reflective time or you can do it in a group. Either way, reviewing your journal entries and deciding what is impacting your weight will help you. Are you an emotional eater? Do you overeat out of habit? Maybe you are eating healthier and exercising, but your weight gain is associated with an illness. These are the things you should be looking for in your weight loss journal. Be honest as you work through this step. If you lie to yourself, you wont lose weight.
5 Change your habits based on what you discover in your weight loss journal. If you eat out of emotion, you may want to seek help to gain emotional stability. If you overeat because of habit, you will want to form a new habit. Use your weight loss journal as a guide.
6 Use your weight loss journal as a safety barometer after you lose the weight. Keep using your weight loss journal as a way to stay on track. It will show you if you are falling back into old, harmful eating patterns.

You can use apple cider vinegar to help lose weight naturally. Apple cider vinegar purchased at a health food store can aid with weight loss. Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apples and also possibly has other health benefits besides contributing to weight loss. It isn't known exactly how vinegar helps with weight loss but many people have used it successfully as part of their weight loss program. It is best if you buy organic apple cider vinegar from a health food store. You want to buy apple cider vinegar that is not pasteurized or distilled so that it doesn't contain a lot of chemicals.

Instructions

1 Buy organic apple cider vinegar from a health food store. Make sure you do not buy the distilled or pasteurized vinegar. You want the vinegar to contain the natural vitamins and minerals from the apples but not the chemicals from processing.
2 Mix 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with 8 ounces of water. You can add a little honey to the water to make the drink a little sweeter. Stir the water and vinegar thoroughly.
3 Drink the apple cider vinegar and water mixture at least 15 minutes before every meal to help with weight loss. Make sure you always mix the cider vinegar with water. The apple cider vinegar is very acidic.

A recent study in "Clinical Biochemistry" indicated that coconut oil may help increase your metabolism and help you burn calories and fat faster. Taking virgin coconut oil regularly (regular coconut oil contains hydrogenated fats, which are bad for you), and eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly can help you lose weight. It is also believed that taking virgin coconut oil regularly will ward off food cravings, which can be detrimental to a diet.

Instructions

1 Purchase a jar of virgin coconut oil from a local grocery or health food store. It can be virgin or extra virgin, just not regular coconut oil.
2 Drink a mixture of 8 ounces warm water and 1 tbsp. of virgin coconut oil once a day. You can also add it to protein shakes if desired.
3 Take 1 tbsp. of virgin coconut oil for the first 2 weeks of your diet in addition to eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. Avoid fatty and processed foods as much as possible.
4 Increase your intake of coconut oil to 2 to 3 tbsp. of virgin coconut oil a day.
5 Continue taking coconut oil until you reach your desired weight, and if possible continue taking at least 1 tbsp. a day to maintain your new healthy lifestyle.

If you are diabetic or are at high risk of diabetes, you can use prescription metformin weight loss. Metformin is a popular prescription drug used in the treatment of diabetes that often results in weight loss as well. Consult with your doctor before using prescription metformin weight loss or diabetes.

Instructions

1 Get a prescription for metformin from your doctor. If you're diabetic, this step is easy. Otherwise, determine if you're pre-diabetic and ask your doctor if could benefit from metformin for weight loss. Try to stay away from the extended release version, which takes much longer to deliver metformin's weight loss.
2 Take prescription metformin as directed by your doctor. If you eat low carbohydrate meals, metformin weight loss will be much more effective. For diabetics and some pre-diabetics, it does not take too much carbohydrates for metformin weight loss to completely fail.
3 Exercise (light to moderate) for 30 minutes. Metformin weight loss is more effective with exercise since there is less fat gaining sugar in your blood.

If you're trying to lose weight, you've no doubt been told over and over again to find a weight loss partner to help you stick with it. But if you work great in bigger groups, or if you have a competitive bent, you may want to try forming your own weight loss team. Weight loss teams can provide support and encouragement, as well as a social outlet. Learn how to start your own weight loss team and start shedding pounds together.

Instructions

Form Your Own Weight Loss Team

1 Find team members. There are two ways to go about finding weight loss team members: online and in person. Plenty of online forums, like PEERtrainer, exist and have teams already formed that you can join. Even better, you can form a team where you live, through your workplace, your gym, or other social places. Remember to be tactful when looking for new team members. Instead of telling a friend or acquaintance they should join because "they could stand to lose a few," mention you're starting a team and let them ask you about joining in. Better yet, try hanging fliers or sending a group email around to get interested folks on board.
2 Create a forum. You need some way to let people communicate to each other. If you've joined an online group, they likely already have a forum to post to. Otherwise, try creating your own Google or Yahoo! group. (The bonus is that groups help eliminate mass email clutter.) For a more personal group, hold regular meetings where you talk about your goals and successes, which is a great option for people who aren't so Web-savvy.
3 Set goals. One of the major benefits to a weight loss group is that members motivate each other to stay on track and meet their goals. You can set goals individually, as a group or both. Remember that goals should not be limited to pounds or inches lost, but should include lifestyle changes, like eating enough fruits and vegetables in a week. Also remember that not everyone will want to subject themselves to public weigh-ins, nor will they want to publicize how much they weigh, no matter how much they've lost. Don't make them. Let people report in anonymously, or get creative and do a group weigh-in on a really big scale (ever see that episode of The Office?).
4 Up the ante. Have fun and motivate members by giving out prizes from time to time. (Just not food!) And if your group thrives on competing and cash, look for group weight loss competitions either online or with other area groups.
5 Schedule social events. The great thing about starting a weight loss group is that it offers a social outlet for people with a common goal. Make friends and keep people motivated in your group by going out to special events that get people active or otherwise reinforce healthy habits. You could try a new vegetarian restaurant together, or play a game of touch football. This is also a great opportunity to invite experts, like a dietician, in to teach group members new strategies and tips and make sure people are approaching their weight loss in a healthy manner.
6 Issue additional challenges. Weight loss teams may start out that way, but they don't have to always concentrate on weight loss. Use your group to get more involved with your community. One weight loss team in Yuma,Arizona, challenged its members to donate one food item or $1 for every pound lost to a local food bank. Be creative to keep people motivated and feeling good about their weight loss.

Keeping a record of your weight loss is an efficient way to stay on track when you are trying to lose weight. Doing so may be the single most important tool to manage long-term weight loss, according to the Medical University of South Carolina. There is no other way to be sure you are progressing in a timely and appropriate manner. Instead of obsessing over what could be wrong when the scale does not budge for a week, you can simply refer back to your weight loss records over the last months and look at the big picture.

Instructions

1 Find a website that offers tools for you to manage your weight. There are several available online. Skinnyr.com is a good one (see resources), where you can register for free and use its services. For example, you can keep a chart of your weight using their free graph software.
2 Decide whether you want to use the graph on your computer or if you prefer a printed version. It may be a good idea to print it out and tape it up someplace where you will not be able to miss it, as consistency is key for your weight tracking to be accurate.
3 Find a scale that you know for sure is accurate. According to the Medical University of South Carolina, all you need to do is to "get on and off it at least three times to see that it gives a consistent reading."
4 Weigh yourself in a consistent manner, be it daily or weekly. This is entirely up to you. If you are looking to lose weight slowly, weekly is probably the best option. Once you have picked one approach, stick with it.
5 Enter your weight in the space made for that particular day or week. Make a dot above each number. When you have entered at least five dots, draw a line in between each dot so that they are connected. You will now be able to get a good idea of how you are doing.

Weight loss pills are a product that many people shy away from because they don't know how they work and think they are just a gimmick. Well, the fact is weight loss pills can work, and can be an integral part of your weight loss plan and turn your diet, into a fast diet.

Instructions

1 Ok, first off, there are NO magic weight loss pills that you can take to melt off 20 pounds of fat a month. There are however weight loss pills that will increase your weight loss if you are already following a weight loss plan, that is diet and exercise. With this said continue below for the most effective diet pill for you.
2 First we're going to talk about the types of weight loss pills and who they are designed to help.
1) Thermogenics: These diet pills are designed to simply increase your metabolism and body temperature, thereby burning more calories. These are general weight loss pills that most anyone can use. Common ingredients in these are Caffeine, yohimba and Synephrine HCL (A stimulant that causes the release of adrenaline). There are some thermogenic products available that are stimulant free.
2) Next are Carb Blockers: Since we crave carb heavy foods when we diet these are great if that's what's holding back your weight loss plan. Simply put, these block the enzyme responsible for digesting carbs so they pass right through you, less calories in, more weight loss.
3) Appetite suppressor: If you are constantly hungry when you diet, this type of diet pill is for you. They usually have hoodia which is an African herb proven to suppress the appetite.
4) Thyroid regulators: These are similar to the thermogenic type of weight loss pills. The difference is these seek to regulate the thyroid gland to keep ones metabolism up. If you feel tired and unalert while dieting you might want to try this type of diet pill first.
5) Fat blockers: These are similar to the carb blocker but block fat instead. A common ingredient is Chitosan, which is a natural fiber. Alli is a popular fat blocker on the market today to turn your slow diet into a fast diet.
6) And finally there is the cortisol blocker: Cortisol is responsible for the accumulation of fat on the body, especially in the mid section. If you consume lots of sugars or get little sleep this may help you as those factors increase the bodies production of cortisol.
3 Now that you know the different types of weight loss pills decide on which one is best for you. Sit down and think how you eat and how you feel when trying to lose weight. With this knowledge you should be able to pick out the right weight loss pill for your weight loss plan.
4 Start using the diet pills slowly at first. Always read the label and follow it to the letter, consult a physician before using any diet pill.
5 When you're ready to buy weight loss pills consider an online resource, they will have a greater selection and you can read the ingredients and make an informed decision. You'll find some great links to resources right on this page to help you buy the best diet pills at the best price!

Unexplained weight loss is often a sign of underlying illness. Never take it lightly. Many people are so busy with their daily schedules they do not even realize there is a problem until a more serious symptom arises. When you spot weight fluctuations, you need to understand what makes it a potential problem and when not to worry.

Identification

Weigh yourself daily. As long as you are maintaining your weight, it is safe to consider small fluctuations of a pound or two either way as acceptable. If you notice a steady change in either direction, it is time to take action. Obesity is easier to avoid when checking regularly, but the main benefit to regular weigh-ins is catching troubling weight loss that might otherwise go unnoticed. In people of normal weight, a loss of even 10 pounds (or more than 5 percent of your total body weight) is a signal something is up unless there is another explanation.

Examine Your Routine

First, check your daily habits and activities for possible reasons for the weight loss. Planned calisthenics, work-related exertion or other activities can cause weight loss you might not expect. Track your diet for several days. Write down everything you eat to see if you are unintentionally skipping meals or eating fewer calories than needed for daily activities. If you do not find any underlying reasons, consult your physician in order to avert serious complications from delayed diagnosis.

Possible Solutions

Before becoming alarmed, examine other potential trouble spots. Denture wearers with ill-fitting plates often eat less without thinking about it in order to avoid the pain of problem dentures. Depression or anxiety may cause a change in eating habits. If the problem is temporary, it will correct itself. If it is ongoing, it is important to seek medical intervention. Unexplained weight loss also is a sign of uncontrolled alcohol or drug abuse. If you notice a loved one losing weight and you expect they have a substance abuse problem, confront them or seek help to deal with the situation before it becomes more serious.

Potential Problems

Cancer, undiagnosed infections, digestive disorders, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and endocrine malfunctions all cause weight loss. All of the potential problems associated with unexplained weight loss are serious and some are deadly. If discovered early enough, however, many of them are controllable. Weight fluctuations often are the first sign of these problems, so watching your weight is important for your overall health, not just to avoid obesity.

Medical Treatment

Physical health problems that trigger unexplained weight loss have differing courses of treatment. Your physician will set up a course of medical care that will address the problems and help control your weight. Psychological problems are likely to include counseling and/or intervention for those unwilling to address the problem themselves. In order to control your weight loss and the underlying problems that cause it, follow all of your physician's advice and report any side effects or continued weight loss to your doctor immediately.

Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are often prescribed stimulant medications. While these medications can be very effective in treating ADHD, they also often have side effects that can be worrisome for parents, including appetite suppression and resultant weight loss. Stimulant medications that are used to treat ADHD include Adderall, Concerta, Dexedrin, Focalin, Methylin, Ritalin, Vyvanse and Desoxyn. If your child is on one of these medications, you will need to monitor her weight regularly and be proactive in diet planning.

Instructions

1 See your doctor to establish a starting weight. Follow up with the doctor once a month so he can monitor weight loss and make medication adjustments. Weigh your child regularly at home, and report a loss of several pounds to your doctor.
2 Make breakfast the biggest meal of the day. "Appetite suppression (particularly at lunch) can be handled by 'frontloading' the child with a large breakfast," says Dr. Martin L. Kutscher in a 2010 interview with "Consumer Reports."
Because the medication is taken in the morning with breakfast, the appetite-suppression effect will not have kicked in yet. Your child's healthy breakfast should include more calories than usual to make up for for what will likely be a light lunch.
In addition to providing extra calories, a healthy breakfast fuels your child's brain for focus and concentration during the day. Ensure that the breakfast includes whole grains, protein and a fruit or vegetable.
3 Provide healthy snacks. This is especially important for the child with ADHD because he is unlikely to eat much during the noon meal. Healthy snacks include fruit and energy bars, nuts, fruit with peanut butter, sandwiches, cheese, fruit smoothies and yogurt. Dr. Larry Silver suggests supplement drinks in an "ADDitute" magazine article. "Another way to make sure your child is getting adequate nutrition is to offer a food supplement drink instead of nutritionally empty snacks--or in place of a meal that is likely to go uneaten. These tasty beverages, such as Pediasure and Ensure, come in different flavors. They can be made into milk shakes or frozen to make pops."
4 Consider non-stimulant medication if weight loss continues to be a problem.
According to WebMD, stimulants are the primary drug for treating ADHD, but they don't work for everyone. If the appetite-suppression is intolerable and your child is losing too much weight, talk to your doctor about trying a non-stimulant.
As of 2010, two non-stimulants have been approved by the FDA. These are Strattera and Intuniv. Your doctor can help you determine if a non-stimulant is best for your child.

Weight loss has a positive effect on diabetes, but what effect does diabetes have on weight loss? There are many misconceptions and false information about diabetic weight loss. As a diabetic, you must consult with the experts and allow them to formulate a plan for weight loss that is custom made for your condition. Losing weight slowly is the best way for a diabetic.

Considerations

Not all calories are equal in the body of a diabetic. A calorie is a unit of energy. The law of thermodynamics leads us to believe that to lose weight you must eat fewer calories than you burn. Not always true because another rule of thermodynamics is that there are exceptions to the first rule. Some will not metabolize a calorie of carbohydrates the same as a calorie of protein. If all calories were metabolized equally then everyone would lose weight at the same pace.
Diets are usually low in fat, but high in carbohydrates. Carbs increase insulin secretion and insulin causes you to gain weight. People who start taking insulin usually gain weight because of this fact. The best way for diabetics to lose weight is to eat a low-glycemic diet. Fish, chicken and other high quality protein does not raise insulin levels. Combined with high-fiber, non-starch vegetables you will moderate your blood sugar and lose weight.

Expert Insight

According to the experts at the American Dietetic Association, losing 5 percent to 10 percent of your current weight can improve your chances of staying off insulin and other medications. It is essential that you spend some time with your diabetic nutritionist recommended by your doctor. Keep your diabetes education appointment and let the experts construct a diet plan based on your medications and progress in the disease. Diabetic nutrition experts recommend diabetics follow this healthy balance:
* 50 percent to 55 percent carbohydrates
* 30 percent fat
* 10 percent to 15 percent protein

Solutions

Carbohydrates need to be managed for effective weight loss. Know your carbs and how to count them. Complex carbs (whole grains and vegetables) are good because they absorb slowly into the blood of a diabetic cutting blood glucose spikes. Cutting carbs completely is dangerous; your body needs them, but in the right level. Balance and moderation are always best.
Exercise can lower blood sugar but in different ways. Aerobic exercise has an immediate affect on blood sugar levels. Strength training lowers the blood sugar hours after your workout.

Misconceptions

Diabetics live by their own rules. The same diet rules that apply to others do not apply to diabetics. Carbs are important, but they have to be managed. Bedtime snacks are essential for overnight blood sugar management, not a dieting taboo. Use the resources provided by your doctor and get a diabetic professional consult. Do not let everyone tell you what to eat and when. Instead, follow the advice of your diabetic professional.

Success

Success in weight loss is not always measured on the scales. Lower A1C levels, cholesterol and blood pressure are more important than a number on a scale. Losing weight is a struggle for anyone, but especially a diabetic. Find encouragement in the simple fact that you are taking baby steps to a healthier you.
Successful diabetic dieters named similar things that helped them lose and maintain their weight. They suggest keeping a food and exercise diary, following a low cal/fat diet and walking at least four miles per week.

The number of pounds you lose is important in determining the effectiveness of you exercise or diet program. The best number for determining effectiveness, however, is the weight loss percentage. The weight loss percentage is more important because it's much easier for a heavier person to lose a large number of pounds than in is for a lighter person. You can calculate your weight loss percentage yourself, with either a paper and pen or a calculator.

Instructions

1 Determine your starting weight. Weight loss percentage is calculated based on your original weight.
2 Determine your current weight. Subtract your current weight from your starting weight to determine your total weight loss, or total pounds lost.
3 Divide your total weight loss (total pounds lost) by your starting weight. Your result will come out as a decimal; multiply the result by 100 to determine your weight loss percentage.

Maintaining a weight loss plan takes strategy, discipline, and continuous motivation. This is especially true when your goal seems distant. When your enthusiasm begins to wane, try one of these tips and psychological tricks to keep yourself on track. These suggestions are effective because they break up the monotony of routine, keep you focused, and help you to celebrate the smaller victories on the way to your ultimate destination. Treat yourself well and you will feel better about yourself. When you feel better about yourself, you will want to look your best and do more to safeguard your health.

Instructions

1 Enlist the support of a fitness buddy. When you have the support of like-minded individuals, you are more likely to succeed. Be sure to mark your victories with a weekly non-food treat.
2 Invest in your new lifestyle. Treat yourself to a new outfit to exercise in or a new yoga mat. Sometimes having new gear can add excitement.
3 Resist boredom. Keep your daily menus healthy, but varied and new. Instead of denying yourself a favorite food, allow yourself to enjoy smaller amounts less often. If your exercise routine seems too routine, change it slightly. One way to do this is to switch your regular treadmill or elliptical workout for a run outdoors or a long walk in the fresh air. If you do yoga indoors, do it out by the pool for a change. Do you normally swim for exercise? Try playing ball with your kids for an hour instead.
4 Think well of yourself. Change negative self-talk to positive self-encouragement. Give yourself the same consideration you would give a cherished friend. Learn to become your own cheering section instead of your own worst critic. When you're struggling to complete a long run, tell yourself that you will make it and remind yourself of when you couldn't run well at all.
5 Have a restaurant strategy. Most restaurants serve massive portions. Either fill up on salad as your first course and take half of your entre home, or order two smaller appetizers as your meal. If you indulge in dessert, cut back slightly the next day to allow for the previous evening's indulgence.

Setting realistic goals - including weight, exercise, food and psychological goals - before you begin a weight loss plan is essential to a successful program.

Instructions

1 Begin by setting some small daily goals. Your weight goal might be to lose 1 pound per week. If you hardly exercised in the past, you might want to walk around your neighborhood for 20 minutes every day. (If you like, split it into a 10-minute walk in the morning and another in the evening.) Your nutritional goal may be to reduce your fat intake. Your psychological goal may be to write in a journal every day.
2 Establish intermediate goals that are a little more ambitious than your original goals. For instance, two weeks after you begin to meet your daily 20-minute walk goal, extend your goal to a daily 1-hour walk; start eating smaller portions at every meal; and seek counseling for any self-esteem issues you might have.
3 Determine big-picture goals; this includes the total amount of weight you'd like to lose by the end of your program. Make a commitment to jog or run every day to maintain your weight and health; learn how you can shop, cook and eat as nutritiously as possible; and take up an activity that you think you have a knack for - this can keep up your self-esteem.
4 Set time frames for your daily, intermediate and big-picture goals. As you progress from one to the next, reward yourself. Go shopping, get a facial, take a weekend trip. You deserve it!

There are dozens of websites that promise to help you lose weight in exchange for your dollars. How can you evaluate a site's plan to see if it's the right one for you? Follow a few tips when searching online weight loss sites.

Instructions

1 Evaluate yourself before you begin to evaluate the various offerings of weight loss sites. Decide if you need specific menu plans, supplied food, exercise plans, community support forums, individual counseling or individualized diet plans. Then it will be easier to decide if a site offers what you need.
2 Determine how each website handles food plans. Does it offer tools and resources such as meal trackers, recipes and custom meal plans? Do you need guides to eating out? Do you need tips as to which foods are best for you? Does the site do more than just try to sell you food?
3 Consider how each website deals with the need for exercise? Are there tools to that provide information about physical fitness and promote regular exercise? Can you get a customized workout or exercise program based on your life, weight and goals? Can you use the site to track your exercise? Some sites offer workout and training videos-do you need this type of information?
4 Evaluate each website's online community. Can you develop a community relationship with other dieters through forums? Can you interact with other dieters by sharing tips and stories? What about a relationship with an online counselor or dietitian who will work with you individually? Are there community based incentives, challenges or rewards for success? Some sites have a real world community that meets regularly. Would that help you?
5 Look at the tools that each website offers. Sites may have calorie counters, carb counters, protein counters or shopping lists. Which of these would be most helpful to you? Would an online diary or journal where you could record your progress be helpful? Do you want an online store where you can order food?
6 Check out the information offered on each site. How much information do you want? Are there informative articles at the site? Do you want to receive news and information by email from the site?
7 Decide if you need customer service support. Can you get help or support by phone or email if you have problems with the website or any of the tools provided?
8 Look at cost. Don't choose on this factor alone, but the membership costs cover a wide range. Find the site that provides what you know you need for yourself and don't pay for a lot of services you won't use.
9 Search extensively. A list of online weight loss websites is provided in the Resources. Use it as a starting point for your research into finding the perfect site for you.

Before deciding to lose weight, it is helpful to have a plan to keep track of your weight loss efforts and use as a reference when necessary. When you plan a weight loss program, you are probably much more likely to be successful in your efforts. Here is how to make a weight loss plan.

Instructions

1 Determine the weight loss program or diet foods that you are going to eat. Make a list of all the foods that are acceptable on your diet. Create a table using a computer software program or just draw one, and add all your acceptable foods into the table.
2 List meats, vegetables, fruits, drinks, breads, pasta and other foods in sub-lists within your table. You also might want to list food based on proteins, fats and carbohydrates, especially if you are doing a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet.
3 Create a menu of foods that you can look at when you make meals. Have a list of breakfasts, lunches and dinners planned ahead so you will not be tempted to veer off your diet when hunger strikes. Have snacks listed and planned as well. Be sure to include water and beverages into your weight loss plan.
4 Set a schedule for mealtimes if possible. Schedule meals so you eat throughout the day to boost metabolism. Try to maintain the schedule so your body adjusts and hunger occurs at appropriate intervals.
5 Plan for cravings. Have foods on hand that you know you might want and determine how you will deal with cravings as they occur. For instance, if you know you will want sweets, have sugar-free jello or pudding on hand. Buy in individual containers to avoid overeating.
6 Purchase all your food ahead of time. In addition, remove tempting and fatty foods from your home. The more prepared you are, the less likely you will be to stray from your plan.
7 Make time for exercise. This should be worked into your weight loss plan as well. Create an additional table with activities you enjoy doing. Be sure to allow yourself at least 30 minutes per day to perform moderate to high-intensity aerobics, stretching or weight-training exercises.
8 Keep a journal to record your successes and failures. By keeping track, you will become more aware of your eating habits and your triggers to overeat.
9 Ask friends or family to join you. Make sure you have friends you can call when you experience cravings. In addition, try to find people who will join you in your weight-loss efforts. Friends or family can help motivate each other through tough times in a weight-loss program.

So you are looking to lose weight, and you know that in order to do that you need to eat right and exercise. The latter part of the equation isn’t that hard to learn because after all, we have the internet nowadays and finding exercise routines is easier than taking candy from a baby. However, when it comes to nutrition things get much trickier; you need to know what to eat, when to eat, how much of it to eat, and how often you should eat it. In other words, you need to be have considerable knowledge at your disposal in terms of nutrition, and unless you are a professional nutritionist, chances are you won’t have it. However, all hope is not lost as many self-proclaimed fitness experts, nutritionists and gurus have released their own version of what they believe to be the best weight loss diet.

So how precisely is one to make a choice amongst all those diets? After all, we all have a limited time to make this weight loss thing work, and it is really only possible to correctly follow one diet at a time. Your choice needs to be made as carefully as possible, and what follows are a few pieces of advice which should help you do just that.

Flexibility

This is may very well be the most important part of the diet: how well it can be adapted to you. As you are probably aware, everyone has a different body type, and what’s more, a different genetic code. In other words, the same foods and supplements affect different people in a variety of ways; some will respond well to a diet while others won’t notice any progress at all. In order for a weight loss diet to truly be worth trying it needs to have some level of flexibility, meaning that it can be adjusted in order to fit your age, gender, body type, genetic profile, capabilities and goals. There aren’t too many diets which follow this profile out there, but you can rest assured they do exist.

Compliance with Recommended Daily Intakes

The point of a diet isn’t just to make you lose weight fast, but it is also to improve your overall health, and that can only be done when the body is provided with the proper amount of nutrients it requires. If the diet you are looking to follow recommends cutting out a type of food or nutrient from your meals, then you should stay away from it; it may help you lose weight, but you are going to be left in a weakened state. Every country has a medical board which sets the standards for recommended daily intakes, and you would do well to verify that your diet matches with them.

Maintenance Plan

Finally, the way you need to eat while in the process of losing weight differs noticeably for how you need to feed yourself for maintenance purposes. A weight loss diet can only be considered as truly complete once it features plans which you can use when you are satisfied with your weight and would like to remain the way you are. The need for this type of plan becomes most apparent when it is absent from the equation; without one, you will be likely to revert to your old eating habits, starting the cycle of weight gain all over again.

If you have recently taken the time to search for weight loss plans online, then chances are that you know just how many different systems and programs there are to choose from. As a matter of fact, there are so many of them that most people simply don’t know which systems to choose, what works and what doesn’t. Fortunately, the situation has been as such for a little while now, and it is actually quite easy to determine which systems are ineffective fads and gimmicks, and which ones are truly reliable and worth a shot.

Detecting Unreliable Weight Loss Plans

The first telltale sign of a fad diet are unrealistic results. If you are looking to go through the weight loss process in a healthy way, then you should keep in mind that the human body can only lose 2 to 3 pounds per week safely. If the program promises extraordinary results, such as a loss of twenty pounds in two weeks, then there are two possibilities: either the method is quite extreme and difficult to go through with, either it’s just a lie.

If a weight loss system requires you to buy special supplements and products, then you can safely chalk it off as being an ineffective gimmick. In a nutshell, these types of systems are just made to cash in on the hopes of people who are looking for ways to lose weight as fast as possible. However, if the system’s author simply recommends certain supplements without claiming that they are necessary for the system to work, then you can trust him or her, at least in that respect.

Finally, if the plan itself is rigid and doesn’t leave room for any modifications on your part, it follows a very outdated model which has been proven to be ineffective. A weight loss plan should take into account your personal preferences and capabilities; everyone has a different body which responds in its own way to different diets, supplements and exercises, and thus every person requires a unique approach to lose weight efficiently.

Finding the Good Weight Loss Plans

First and foremost you need to make sure that the information provided in the plan has been taken from reliable scientific sources. In other words, the exercises and diets it has you follow should ideally be based on large-scale scientific studies conducted by professional researchers.

Another factor which contributes to a plan’s legitimacy is how much attention it pays to exercising and nutrition as they are the main two factors which lead to a safe, healthy and natural weight loss. The plan should contain several workout routines as well as several nutrition guides for different people with different objectives.

Finally, a good plan should always include a maintenance guide. While it may be the most underrated aspect of weight loss plans, knowing how to maintain your body once you have lost the weight is the most important part of the process; after all, what is the point of losing your weight and becoming fit if you are going to stop and return to square one in the end?