I am now approaching a milestone birthday-my 50th. By this time, I have been on more diets than I care to even mention. I have tried the pre-packaged foods to the magic diet pill to the liquid diets. The moral of the story is that the only way to accomplish sustainable and permanent weight loss is by diet and exercise. By diet, I am not referring to carrots and celery-what I mean is a healthy meal plan complete with fruits, vegetables, proteins and lean meats. The best weight loss programs for women, are the ones that incorporate proper nutrition with exercise. What good is it if you lose the weight, and you look and feel terrible, so staving yourself is definitely not an option. The effectiveness of any weight loss program is to ensure sustainability-so what this entails is a lifestyle makeover, whereby proper nutrition and exercise are part of your daily life. It is all about permanent and healthy choices.
Exercise: Exercise is imperative for fitness and aids in rapid weight loss. Best forms of exercise to lose weight are to incorporate weight training and cardio. There is really no need to join a gym. Any form of cardiovascular activity, alternating with strength training at least 5 times per week for 50-60 minutes is the optimal formula for weight loss. I suggest purchasing a few exercise DVD’s along with a kettle bell and few sets of dumb bells. Now there is no reason to make an excuse why you cannot workout! You must set aside the time each day-either morning or evening or whatever time your schedule permits to exercise. You owe this time to yourself! You will feel better and it will allow you to handle your daily stresses better and before you know it you will look great! Your mind and body will thank you for it.
No Fad Diets: In order to achieve healthy weight you must stay away from fad diets. They do nothing for you but give you the illusion that you are losing weight when actually you are endangering your health. What fad diets do is that they rob your body of the necessary nutrients. This is best seen when you come off the diet and the pounds come back on and sometimes even more weight. The reason is this happens is because you have deprived your body if the essential fats, nutrients and calories it needs to function properly. So if you are on a fad diet stop immediately!
Plan Your Food Intake: Breakfast: The key element, start your day with a piece if fruit. Fruit will jump start your metabolism and the sooner you eat it the quicker the calories are burned. The natural sugar in the fruit gets absorbed as good sugar and will not to harm the body, unlike any other time. Wait half an hour after having the fruit and eat a breakfast that has cabs in it. Lunch: Include a balanced diet that has all the nutrients-proteins, fat, lean meats, soy coupled with many colorful vegetables. Each color has a different nutrient. Our bodies need each and everyday day for good health. Don’t deprive yourself. Dinner: Make your dinner the smallest portion of the day. Perhaps grilled fish, chicken and a salad. Avoid eating dinner too late. Try to have eaten at least 2 hours before bedtime. Get a good nights sleep. Sleep is a vital component to healthy weight loss.