An Inspirational Story

All it take is willpower to lose weight and the story following is an example of what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it.

Have you seen the story of this 50 year old woman who was brutally fat shamed in a department store by some rude skinny lady?

For years this woman struggled to lose weight yet NOTHING worked.

P90X, Atkins, Zumba, Beach Body, Gluten Free, Cross Fit… NOTHING worked.

And the last straw was when she was brutally fat shamed in the shopping mall while hoping to find a pair of pants she could fit into.

It was in that moment she began her quest to not just LOSE the weight - but to get HOT.

And one year later…

She dropped an incredible 41 pounds!  And she didn’t just lose weight… instead she got a tight, toned body with that sleek sexy muscular looking stomach.

Get this…

She did this ALL without EVER stepping foot in a gym or without some crazy diet, or using pills or surgery.

Lose weight and keeping it off is about changing your life and becoming a new person. A person who is going to forget everything they know about eating and exercise and do it right this time.  

For more weight loss information check out my new website

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.com

Merry Christmas

To My Loyal Readers

Don't worry about your diet today. Try anything you want, just remember to eat and drink in moderation. You can fix your diet tomorrow. Have a Merry Christmas and be safe.

Ray Edward

Does Rapid Weight Loss Work?

This is a post from MedicineNet and it's important that you read and understand that the whole idea of "rapid weight loss" not only doesn't work but it's dangerous. You might have friends that lost weight with pills they saw advertised on TV or the internet but just because they had no side-effects doesn't mean you won't. Besides the possible side-effects people always seem to put the weight back.

 Why is that? The programs are designed to give you temporary weight loss, that's all. Because they want you to buy more at a later date and keep you as a customer. Anyone selling anything to the public has to sell a product that people will like and continue to buy, so diet pills were never made to give you permanent weight loss. 

So many marketers promise "fast weight loss" it's difficult to sort through them all.

Most rapid weight loss pitches fall into these categories:

Starvation Diets

Beyonce popularized the so-called "master cleanse" diet: water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Variations of these diets have been around since at least the 1950s. They often also promise "detoxification" through colonics or enemas. These diets are very temporary and sap the strength from your body.

Diet Pills and Supplements

Dozens of diet supplements promise to speed weight loss. Generally, they claim either to block absorption of nutrients, increase metabolism, or burn fat. All these methods are dangerous. If you feel you need diet pills ask your doctor for a prescription. 

Very Low-Calorie Diets (VLCDs)

One proven method of rapid weight loss is the medically supervised very low-calorie diet (VLCD). Most of what is known about rapid weight loss comes from studies of people on these diets. You can do a very low calorie diet by going Vegan, but you have to take supplements to get the extra nutrients your not getting from vegetables. Remember, being a Vegan is a full-time lifestyle.

Creams, Devices, and Magic Voodoo Spells

There seems to be no end to the dubious ideas promoted in the name of rapid weight loss. Most promise to replace diet or exercise. None of this work.

Exercise Equipment can help you lose weight but you have to use the equipment, most people stop using the machine after a few weeks. You can't exercise away a bad diet. So if all you have to do is walk to lose weight, why spend money on a machine to walk. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does regulate dietary supplements; however, it treats them like foods rather than medications.

The FDA also does not regulate claims made by over-the-counter weight loss products. Unlike drug manufacturers, the makers of supplements don’t have to show their products are safe or effective before selling them on the market. This means that dietary supplements do not need approval from FDA before they are marketed.

Aside from the very low-calorie diet and weight loss surgery, no other product, pill, or diet has been proven to work for fast weight loss. The prescription drug Orlistat can help, but it works slowly and only with diet and exercise. Orlistat is marketed as Xenical. Labeling for Orlistat notes that it can cause severe liver damage.

In any rapid weight loss program, what really burns fat is not a pill or type of food. It's the drastic reduction of calories, combined with exercise.

Rapid weight loss diets can have ill effects, but so does obesity. For this reason, very low-calorie diets (VLCDs) are considered a reasonable weight loss option for people with obesity (having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30) needing rapid weight loss for a specific purpose such as weight loss surgery .

VLCDs are doctor-supervised diets lasting several weeks. The meals are nutritionally balanced, but expensive -- people can end up spending thousands of dollars over time. VLCDs safely produce a loss of 15% to 25% of body weight in 12 weeks. That's for those who finish the program: 25% to half of people don't complete the program. Weight returns when the diet is stopped and happens rapidly; some experts say its best to take a more sustainable approach to weight loss comparable to that of regular diets.

Most people seeking rapid weight loss, though, usually do it on their own. Frequently, it's to achieve a short-term goal, such as fitting into a dress, or looking good at the beach.

Starving yourself is certainly not a good idea. But if you're otherwise healthy, a brief period of extreme calorie restriction isn't likely to hurt you. You should tell your doctor what you're doing, and be sure to include protein in your diet (70 to 100 grams per day). Take a multivitamin, and eat potassium-rich foods (tomatoes, oranges, and bananas).

Also, remember that crash diets rarely help you achieve a sustained, healthy weight. Most people put the pounds right back on.

For more weight loss advice see my NEW website:

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.com

More people want to get healthy

I was watching the news this morning and sports wear, the clothes you exercise with, is taking over the casual clothing market. We all know that exercising has been shoved down our throats for the last couple decades but it hasn't been until recently that more people of all ages are actually taking exercise seriously. You can go to the "Y" or any health club and you can see people of all ages. So why is being thin gotten so popular?

We know people are working longer now, and the competition for jobs is getting much harder. It's no secret that today the slim and trim people are doing better in the job interviews. They just look like their a more serious applicant. They look like their a harder worker. Your perception is a big part of a job interview and if you give the perception that you're a harder working employee than you might have the advantage.

We still have a majority  of overweight adults  but this might be the last generation. I think in twenty years you will see a big change in what we eat and how we take care of ourselves. Young people are adopting this new lifestyle and some of the over 40 group are all in. It's not that fast food is on the way out, but all food will be changing. I thing that finely all of us realize that we need more from the food you're eating. A new trend has started with younger adults and instead of looking for comfort food they're looking for healthy food. I'm not saying that comfort food is on the way out, but I thing in years to come we will see less of it.

When we get comfort food and other fried foods out of the schools and replace it with healthy food and healthy snacks that's when you'll see a difference in the way young people look at food in general. That's where we have to start making a change in eating habits. The government had a good idea when they wanted to change the food in schools but they didn't know how to implement it. Those changes have to be done on the local level. Parents have to get involved and demand change and then you'll see results. We also need to teach physical education again. Elementary School in particle stopped physical education due to budget cuts, so parents are finding outside activities for their kids and it's expensive and time consuming and most kids can't join in. Most of the schools in the suburbs have gym classes and other after school sports but inner city school have often been forced to cut out those programs.

Learning good health like diet and exercise has to be taught in schools from the earliest age if you want to create healthy habits that the child will care with them for life.

Losing Weight Might be Easier than You Think

If you want to know how to lose weight, there is no need to go searching the internet for diets fads and trendy weight loss programs. The truth is that all successful weight loss plans use essentially the same method. Of course, each diet guru and celebrity trainer puts a creative spin on it - which is why you see so many books and programs on the market. But the bottom line is that weight loss is determined by energy balance. And if you can change your energy balance you can lose weight.

How to Lose Weight with Energy Balance
Experts in the medical field, registered dietitians and health coaches agree that there is one way to lose weight. Don't waste any more time than you need to. Master the principle of energy balance to slim down once and for all.

Most people don’t think of their weight loss journey as a math problem. But in many ways, it is. There is a simple equation behind every successful diet, every successful weight loss program and every get-slim-quick plan. It’s called your energy balance. And if you can get your numbers to tilt in the right direction, you’ll lose weight and get the body you want.

What is Energy Balance?

Energy balance is simply the relationship between your energy input and your energy output.

The equation looks like this:

Energy Balance = Energy input – energy output

Sounds reasonable, right? To figure out your energy balance you need to gather a few numbers.

How Do I Input Energy?

We input energy in the form of kilocalories, or "calories." Calories are simply a unit of energy or heat. The food we eat and the drinks we consume provide different levels of energy, or calories. Protein and carbohydrate each provide 4 calories per gram, and fat provides 9 calories per gram.

One of the best ways to start a weight loss program is to determine your current level of energy input or caloric intake so that you can make adjustments to your energy balance. A typical woman may consume anywhere from 1200 to 2500 calories per day depending on her size, activity level and lifestyle factors.

What is My Energy Output?

Energy output happens when your body uses energy. We often refer to this as "burning” calories. Even when you’re sleeping, your body uses energy to perform basic functions like breathing and circulating blood.

You also expend energy during activities of daily living, like washing dishes or shopping, and of course, through physical exercise. These activities make up about 15-30% of your total calorie burn each day. The last 5-10% of calories are burned through the thermic effect of food, when you eat and digest meals and snacks.

There are different ways to calculate the number of calories you burn each day. Many people use one or two methods to determine the most accurate number.

Tip the Scales to Lose Weight

If your energy input and your energy output are perfectly balanced, you won’t lose weight. A perfect energy balance creates a stable weight. To change your weight you need to tip the scales so that they are no longer balanced.

A positive energy balance occurs when your energy input is greater than your energy output. That is, you eat more calories than your body needs. Your body stores excess energy or calories as fat. This results in weight gain.

Weight gain = energy input > energy output

Weight loss occurs when you create a negative energy balance. That is, you burn more calories than you consume. When this imbalance occurs, your body burns stored energy in order to function and you lose weight.

Weight loss = energy input < energy output

When you evaluate your own energy balance, it's best to get the numbers as accurate as possible. Small differences in energy input and energy output can make a big difference in your weight.

Calculate Your Own Energy Balance

Are you ready to calculate your own energy balance? Here are two sample equations to use as a guide.

Dieter #1: Megan

Calories consumed each day: 2000

Calories burned each day: 1750

2000 (energy input) - 1750 (energy output) = 250 calories

Megan has a positive energy balance of 250 calories per day. That doesn't sound like much. But over the course of a week, her estimated balance would be 1750 calories or enough to gain a half pound of weight.

Dieter #2: Carol

Calories consumed each day: 1800

Calories burned each day: 2050

1800 (energy input) - 2050 (energy output) = -250 calories

Carol has a negative energy balance of 250 calories. Over the course of a week, her body will need to burn 1750 calories of stored fat to meet its needs and she will lose roughly one half pound of weight.

If the Math is Simple, Why is Weight Loss So Hard?

So if weight loss is just a simple equation, then why is it so difficult to lose weight? Because there are many factors that affect both your energy input and your energy output. Things like your medical status, your age and your mood affect your energy balance equation every day. Weight loss is a simple equation, but finding the right balance requires a little bit more work.

If you are at the beginning of your weight loss journey, or if you are questioning your current diet and exercise plan, the energy balance equation is a perfect place to start. You don't need to buy fancy tools or invest in an expensive weight loss program. Try to make some changes on your own. Evaluate the factors that affect your caloric intake and caloric output. You have control over some factors (like activity level) and no control over others (age, gender). Simply change what you can to tilt the scales of your energy balance equation and reach your weight loss goals.

Most people gain over a long period of time and this is how we differ from our ancient ancestors; they would eat as they needed energy and only as much as they needed to go on. Before there was money and jobs, people only worried about survival. Humans were part of the food chain and were being hunted by large animals like we hunt animals today. They were constantly on the move burning energy and eating mostly roots and fruit during the day also hunting for small game that they could eat at night. Man was eating by instinct like wild animals do. If you have ever noticed, animals in the wild always maintain a perfect body weight. But domestic animals that live with us will gain too much weight and end-up with all the diseases that man has; cancer, obesity, joint problems and other illnesses. Animals in the wild will stay healthy except for injuries.

What are we doing wrong, what happened? Thin people like a marathon runner will burn his energy first and then eat something to replace that energy. He will use up all he has before he eats to replace it. We are eating before we need the energy or calories and then we try to burn all those calories we ate. We are working backward and that's why we can't win. When you eat the calories first you will probably never burn all the calories you ate. And you never burn the body fat because your first burning the new calories you just ate. I hope that makes sense to you.

Losing weight for me works best if I have an energy shake in the morning, first thing, then workout, then eat a high-protein breakfast after the workout. I prefer ham and eggs or Greek yogurt and fruit. High-protein breakfast cuts my cravings and I don't even think about food until lunch.

Think about your diet this way. If you're hungry two hours after you eat then you didn't eat the right food. Cravings are the way your body tells you that it needs nutrition, but you have to decide what kind. If you decide wrong you will have more cravings and this will continue on until your body get what it needs or you're totally stuffed.  Meanwhile, you're adding pounds. Be smart about what you eat and you'll eat less and spend less money.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.
gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of website looking for the material you want.My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.
My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the smashwords' promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.

Eat 5 Meals a Day

I understand the concept: Five small meals a day takes the edge off your appetite, evens out blood sugar levels, and keeps your energy steady. But I confess: Who has time to eat this way?

Although my fitness trainer encourages me to eat healthy food every few hours, my meals usually look like this: coffee, a bit more coffee, lunch at 3 p.m., dinner at 9 p.m. I start over again the next morning.

When I decided to change this habit, and the routine of eating the way you eat is just a habit that you can change, I found that doing these five things helped:

1. Plan ahead. Five meals a day equals breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks. To do this right, you need to plan what you’ll eat every day for each “meal.” And you need to schedule eating every 2 to 3 hours.The trick is to even out the calories so you eat 300 calories each time your eat. All five meals should be the same size. Larger meals will elevate your blood sugars or glucose level and cause food cravings later. So whether it's a meal or a snack it needs to be the same size, the same amount of calories. 
2. Stock up. Face it: You’re going to grab whatever food is closest. So stock up on veggies, fruit, healthy carbs like whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese.
3. Go for taste. Choose snack foods that will sustain you and taste good. Remember, healthy food can be satisfying. Mixed nuts are my favorite but for a morning snack fruit or greek yogurt is better.
4. Whip up a smoothie. Blend fruit, milk, yogurt, powdered protein and a little honey for a sweet taste. It's a filling snack packed with vitamins, fiber, protein, and calcium. It  might sound crazy but I put peanut butter in and I don't use fruit, I use vegetables like spinach leaves and if I don't want milk, I'll put water. There's dozens of ways to make a protein shake, you can find recipes on the internet.
5. Combine carbs and protein to stay full longer. Try whole wheat toast with peanut butter or a hard-boiled egg; whole-grain pasta with olive oil and cheese; or oatmeal with fruit, milk, and honey. Or make yourself a big pot of soup that includes pasta, beans and chicken to heat up for lunches or snacks.

If your someone who starts the day very early you might want to do 6 meals a day. Make that first meal the first hour your up and finish eating 3 hours before bed. If you have to push the meals closer together, remember to cut the calories a little like 250 each instead of 300.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

Gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com

idropped40pounds.wordpress.com

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.

Your Diet is the Secret to Weight Loss

You've heard about the French and that the French have a diet that would put weight on any American, but they're thin. The men and women of all ages in France are thinner than Americans. When we first looked at their diet we thought that the red wine they drank was the answer. These people eat out as much as we do, they don't even know what low-cal means. So how do they do it? Well, first they walk more. City people don't use cars that much, They walk everywhere. Also, bike riding is more popular, gasoline has always been expensive in Europe and the people have learned to conserve. 

Conserving on food is something that France has done since World War II when food was scarce. Also today food prices in Europe are higher than in the U.S. so their meal portions are smaller than ours and combine this with the increased amount of walking the French do and it's much easier for them to control their weight.

Now how does that help you? Well, there are studies going on today that is discovering that our meal portions maybe double of what we need. So how much food do you need? First of all, I think we all know that Americans eat too much and that we are a nation of overweight people. Studies have also been done in the far east. Thailand, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to see why those people have much less Cancer than North Americans. They found that the people there are very healthy. They don't have the weight problems we do and they are more physically fit. So are we the only country that is habitually overindulging? Well no, Canadians and the English are just starting to change with this new generation of young people. A lot of the Central European and Eastern European countries had the same problems.

So what's the answer? Besides the quantity of food consumed also the quality of the food makes a difference. In France for instance,  they eat smaller meals but they also eat better than we do. In fact, most of Western Europe eats better than we do. And I don't mean more. I mean a better quality of food. Food is made with fresh ingredients and made from scratch every day. 
After World War II Europe was pretty much in ruins. By the early 50's tourism was once again a major industry. But the rural parts of the different countries took much longer to recover. So farming communities didn't have electricity for many years.

Europe is really only one generation away from the Big War. It's this new generation today that don't remember the War and the recovery. So what does this have to do with you?

North Americans and some other parts of the western world consume about 3600 calories a day. That's twice the normal about of calories needed to maintain your weight. 267 million people in the U.S. are overweight. That's 2/3's of our adult population. The reason I wrote about France was their overweight population is a much smaller percentage. They have learned how to control their weight and our overweight population can learn something from other countries. Our diets are killing us and we need to wake-up before we lose the next generation. 

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of website looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords' promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.