Sitting is the New Smoking

Now studies show that 8 hours of sitting, which applies mainly to office workers, is just as bad as smoking and to go a step farther, if you're not exercising that also is just as bad for your health as smoking is. And if you're a smoker that doesn't exercise you need to get real friendly with your doctor. He's going to become your new best friend.

When you see someone smoking, you might question “Why would you do that to yourself when you know it could kill you?” Do you react the same way when you know someone doesn’t exercise? You should. Not exercising is a problem that affect everyone in America because we have lost the need to walk. Walking is the exercise that will help all that ails you. It gets your blood pumping and good circulation is key to good health.  Especially in North America people drive everywhere. I'm guilty of driving to the mailbox on occasion. We only walk 4000 or so steps a day. Back in the day when we all lived without a car or only had one car per family we were much healthier just because we walked more and we ate more fresh foods.

Today smoking is not as common place as 50 years ago, but  we had fewer cases of cancer as a percentage of population than we have today. Why, because we were more active and we ate more fresh foods. You wouldn’t dream of smoking (and if you do smoke, you’re likely trying to quit), so why poison yourself with inactivity? But many of us do. Nearly 80% of us don’t get the recommended amount of exercise. Many experts agree the inactivity epidemic is more concerning than the obesity epidemic. Far more people are inactive then obese, but because inactivity doesn't cause cancer then it isn't as important. 

The benefits of exercise are numerous and irrefutable. It helps prevent heart disease, diabetes, breast and colon cancer, dementia, depression, and more. If you exercise, chances are you’ll live a longer, healthier life. Period.

What’s so powerful about exercise? Take heart disease, for example. Heart disease is associated with inflammation in the body. Exercise is a natural inflammation fighter. When you move, your muscles send out anti-inflammatory chemicals.

Also, every time you get up and move, your blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides improve. When you sit down, they get worse. It’s just about moving more. Most of us remember our grandparents and maybe they lived into their 90's, but in their generation, they walked a lot more and did more physical work and probably had a lot less stress. More physical activity and less stress, maybe that's the secret to a long, happy life.

If you’re not active now, I’m sure it sounds overwhelming to start an exercise program. The good news is you can see health benefits with even a small amount of activity. Even taking a daily 5-minute walk around the office will improve your health. Slowly build up from there.

Ultimately, you want your goal to be 30 minutes at least 5 days a week of moderate exercise. We’re talking about a brisk walk– hard enough that you can talk comfortably but not able to sing. But take your time getting there. Throw in resistance exercises a couple of days a week, and you’re on track.

If you’ve tried exercise before and didn’t lose weight, don’t be discouraged. You are still getting health benefits even if you’re not shedding weight. If you’re overweight but active and fit, you can expect to live as long and healthy as someone who is normal weight and fit. Even if you’re obese, being active helps you live a longer, healthier life than a normal weight person who isn’t active. Losing weight is more about diet, so even if your active and fit, you're not going to lose weight until you change your diet. Increasing your physical activity will make you a healthier person and losing weight will even make you healthier. I'm 70 years old and I don't take medications. My Doctor said I'm very healthy for my age, keep it up.

Think you’re too old for it to matter? Hardly. Regardless of your age, getting active has enormous benefits even in your 80s and beyond. We’re not just talking about living longer, but living better with a higher quality of life.

As British-American anthropologist, Ashley Montagu once said, “The idea is to die young as late as possible.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I write about losing weight, how to lose weight, what foods to eat when you're trying to lose weight and exercise that will help you lose weight. I wrote an ebook that will give you all the info in one read. It's a how-to book that also tells you about the mistakes I made and how to avoid them.
My ebook is available at www.amazon.com, www.B&N.com, iBooks (download the app), kobo.com, scribd.com and many more. Price $3.99

How Many Calories Do I Cut To Lose Weight?

How many calories to lose weight is a popular question but, to be honest, it does not come with a straight forward answer. I’m sure a lot of you may have been lost from time to time in the endless calorie calculations or taken a wild guess trying to lose weight. Nevertheless do not despair. Below I have summarised the main things you need to know when trying to calculate how many calories to consume in order to lose weight.

For a start, you will find a bit of theory. You may think it is a lot of blabbing but trust me; it will help you understand the whole calorie calculation and weight loss matter.

Calories and energy

Calories are used to measure the body’s energy. This energy comes from food we consume and our body uses it to carry out its processes. Think of the body as a factory. It produces things like movement, repairs tissues, removes waste, thinks and thousands more. To do all that it needs energy.

What we eat has an energy value that is why you see its calorific value in the package. Any extra energy which comes in and is not needed gets stored in the tissues for later use. The body stores this energy in the form of sugar (glycogen), some protein and fat. The body is limited on how much glycogen it will store and protein storage is a bit complicated to even try to explain here. So the majority goes into fat.

If there is a lot of extra energy coming in constantly then the storage becomes bigger and bigger as you may have noticed.

Weight Loss

What is complicated in terms of weight loss is the fact that the body is a complicated factory. There are a number of factors which affect both the storage and use of the calories.

In simple mathematics it goes like this:

Weight = calories in + calories out ± other body factors

Calories in: It is all the food and drinks we consume.

Calories out:

• It is all the calories we use to stay alive (basal metabolic rate),
• All the calories we use to carry out all physical activities (walk, exercise, movement, think, talk etc).
• Other (break down food, fight an illness, thermoregulation, hormones etc)

Other body factors: This is all the rest. Genetics, stress and so on.

In simple words in order to lose weight ‘calories out’ must be more than ‘calories in’. So the big question is "How many calories do I burn?" Believe me, that's the million dollar question. No one really knows how many calories you burn because everybody is different. All the statistics are based on averages. The take numbers from thousands of people and average them out and they try to lump you in or compare you to the average person who is probably nothing like you. 

How many calories should I eat per day to lose weight?

Scientists have worked out that in general there is a daily calorie range requirement. This is:

1500 to 2000 kcal for women and

2000 – 2500 kcal for men

As I already mentioned there are a number of factors which will influence this number but this can be used as a starting point.  The only way to find out your individual and exact calorie requirements is by direct calorimetry but this is not something you get with your everyday shopping.

For an estimated average you can use our BMR tables below or our calorie calculator. The number you will get is as good. All this number will give you is an average of how many calories you use per day. 

Now you know your daily calorie requirements. Keep that number.

Calorie calculation for weight loss or how many calories to lose weight

1. Your body does not just burn only fat; especially during the 1^st week of weight loss. You do lose water, glycogen, and some protein along with fat.

2. When you cut down on your calories your body will try to adapt and often it will lower your metabolic rate. In simply words it will decrease the amount of calories it uses every day. 

Now these are important things to know. The above don’t mean that you have to cut down your calorie consumption even more, but it is more like be realistic.

Also:

1. It is recommended that you do not consume less than 1000 – 1100 kcal per day and

2. Don’t aim to lose more than 1 – 1.5 kg per week.

Health comes first!

How many calories should I eat a day in order to lose weight, a real example

To put all the above in practice, how does it all work? Below is an example.

Daily calorie requirements	1900 kcal
Cut down per day	500 kcal
Total calories per day	1400 kcal

 ! Be aware that the calorie requirement is how many calories your body needs to exist and carry out your daily activities, NOT how many calories you usually eat! You could be eating 3000 kcal per day but still your daily requirements may be 1900 kcal. Calculate according to your requirements not your usual consumption.

Given that you need 1900 kcal per day, if you consume 1400 kcal per day you will approximately lose 1lb per week. Although in reality it doesn’t work as perfect as that it is an average. I am sure you may have read elsewhere about calculating how many calories to consume to lose ‘x’ amount of weight. I can’t stress enough that losing weight is not just a calorie matter. Calorie cutting down is one of the weight loss elements.

However let’s say I need to lose 10 pounds in 2 months. If you do the maths it comes to:

• 1lb = 3500 kcal therefore 4.41 lbs x 3500 kcal = 15435 kcal.
• 15435 kcal in the space of 2 months so it is about 7717 kcal per month. This is the amount of calories you need to cut down. 7717 kcal / 4 weeks in a month = 1929 kcal per week and 1229 kcal / 7 days in a week = 276 kcal per day.
• This was the long way around but what it tells you is that you need to cut down by 276 kcal per day.

That amount doesn’t sound too much and it seems quite feasible. If anything you can follow practical ways to lose weight without even feeling like dieting at all.

However some common weight loss mistakes people make are:

• Most people usually expect to lose a lot more weight in small periods of time. Such calculations could indicate that you need to starve yourself in order to lose weight. 
• The body tends to take approximately 2 weeks to make long term adaptations. You may lose a few pounds the first week but it is unlikely to be a significantly measurable amount of fat. Think water.
• Metabolism tends to slow down as part of the body adapting to receiving less food therefore weight loss slows down.
• When weight loss slows down, people tend to think that they need to cut down calories even more in order to match the decline of calorie burning (slowing down of metabolism).

Apart from cutting down calories think increasing calorie burning. There are many ways you can do that. If we bring the above example back, as we calculated you need to lose 10 pounds in 2 months. This equals to 276 kcal per day. Now what about taking light exercise 3 times a week. This could be as simple as going for 30min brisk walk in the park or as much as going to the gym 3 times a week. Such activities could increase the amount of calories you use in the week and can also boost your metabolism in more than 1 ways.

Therefore you:

1. Increase the amount of calories you use and

2. Increase your calorie requirements.

In addition, some studies suggest ‘cycling’ the calories you consume each day. What that means is that in a week consume variable amounts of calories.

For example:

1.  Your calorie requirements are 1900 kcal and you cut down your calories by 276 kcal per day which equals to consuming 1624 kcal per day.

2. Don’t religiously consume 1624 kcal per day. Maybe some days consume more and some days consume less and keep it being variable through the weeks.

This is meant to keep your metabolism from slowing down as it’s meant to ‘confuse’ the body. Although there is not a lot of strong scientific evidence that this does happen there is also no evidence to say that there is much harm to it as long as you don’t yo-yo from binge eating days to starvation days. What’s good about it is that it provides some flexibility and possible your metabolism does not slow down as much making a lot easier to follow a weight loss regime.

Finally, things like what we eat, when we eat it, genetics, general health and mental state, environment, body shape, obesity, medications and so on, are all factors which can influence weight loss.

My tip is use calorie calculations as a guide and in combination with other things such as a, healthy balanced diet, exercise and general lifestyle changes.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I write about losing weight, how to lose weight, what foods to eat when you're trying to lose weight and exercise that will help you lose weight. I wrote an ebook that will give you all the info in one read. It's a how-to book that also tells you about the mistakes I made and how to avoid them.

My ebook is available at www.amazon.com, www.B&N.com, iBooks (download the app), kobo.com, scribd.com and many more. Price $3.99

Best Workouts for Overweight Exercisers

Everyone needs to exercise no matter what kind of work you do. No matter how physical your job is, you generally use the same muscles over and over and if you're not doing regular exercise you can get muscle cramps, muscle strain, and possibly a pulled muscle. Pulled muscle can cause time off work and loss of wages. Exercise will keep you limber and help you avoid injuries.

Starting a new workout routine is hard for everyone, but it can be especially hard if you are overweight or obese. The health club environment can be intimidating and putting together a program on your own can be both uncomfortable and confusing.

But if you are heavy, exercise is important. Workouts will help you to lose weight, can help you to change the way you feel about yourself, boost your mood, improve your health, and make daily activities more comfortable.
So how do you get started? First, make sure that you are healthy enough for physical activity. Visit your health care provider and ask key questions about limitations or modifications that may apply to you. Then choose a workout that you enjoy enough to stick to. These five programs are particularly well suited for larger exercisers. See what interests you, and then use the tips to get started on a path to a leaner, fitter you.

5 Best Workouts for Overweight Exercisers

1. Walking
   This seems like an obvious choice, but there is a reason that walking tops the list of the best exercise for just about everyone. Walking requires very little equipment and it can be done almost everywhere. Walking is low impact, improves strength and mobility in the lower body, and can be easy, moderate or vigorous depending on your specific plan.
   Get equipped for walking by investing in a good pair of shoes. Visit a locally owned shoe store where a walking or shoe expert will recommend several brands and let you take a few out for a test drive.
   • Tips to start a walking program. If you are absolutely new to exercise, start by walking for just 10 or 15 minutes each day. Gradually add time so that you work towards one full 30-minute session. Don't worry about speed or pace in the beginning. Make consistency your goal.
     As your fitness level increases, see if you can begin to increase the speed and intensity of your workout. Researchers have found that a moderate intensity can be achieved by reaching a 100 step per minute pace, or 3000 steps in 30 minutes. You may choose to invest in an activity monitor, but an inexpensive pedometer will count steps for you too.

1. Aqua Jogging
   Water activities are particularly well suited for people who have painful joints or difficulty moving. But lap swimming is too intense for many people and water aerobics classes are not always available. A good alternative is aqua jogging.
   Aqua jogging is simply running in the water with the help of a buoyancy belt. You get all of the benefits of running or walking without the impact. Compare prices online to find a buoyancy belt that meets your needs. Then find a deep pool and begin jogging!
   • Tips to start an aqua jogging program. Your feet shouldn't touch the bottom of the pool when you aqua jog. This may seem counter-intuitive, but you move forward in your lap lane only by moving your legs against the water. It takes more effort than you might imagine, so start slowly and increase the duration of your workout as you begin to feel more fit.
2. Group Exercise Classes
   One of the best ways to stick to an exercise program is to develop a social support system. Group exercise classes are a perfect place to find friends. But you'll want to be sure you find a class that meets your needs.
   Before you invest any money, preview the class by watching it first. Remember that it takes an overweight exerciser more time to move through certain movements so watch to see if the pace of the class is too fast. Also, watch how the instructor cues the choreography. A good teacher will give plenty of advance warning for movement or direction changes.
   • Tips to start an exercise class. Greet the instructor on your first visit. Introduce yourself and explain that you are starting a new workout program. By connecting with her, you send a message that you are open to feedback and encouragement. The instructor should provide extra guidance and modifications to make sure you are comfortable during class.
3. Strength Training
   There are many good reasons to start a strength training program. But for an overweight exerciser, there are special benefits. Strength training can correct postural issues that may arise from carrying extra weight.  Strength training can also increase the range of motion in all of your joints. Finally, when you build muscle, you boost your metabolism when your body is at rest.
   You can start lifting weights at home, but this is one instance where joining a gym or hiring a trainer may be particularly beneficial. You can use a single session with a personal trainer to learn simple exercises to get you started and show you technique cues that will help you to keep your form in good shape.
   • Tips to start a strength training program. If you join a gym, you might find that some strength training machines are not made to accommodate a larger body. Even if you don't hire a trainer, the gym staff should be able to show you how to adjust equipment or use alternate exercises to work each muscle group.
     Remember to start slowly and don't do too much too soon. Consistency is the most important element of your new workout program, so the worst thing you can do is to overdo it on your first day so that you have to take a week off.
4. Tai Chi
   Mind-body exercise has become more accessible to the general public. Yoga, moving meditation and Qigong classes are easier to find. But sometimes they are difficult for overweight exercisers. Many balance-oriented yoga postures , for example, are difficult for people who are obese because they have a different center of gravity.
   Tai Chi uses a series of flowing movements to increase range of motion in the joints and incorporate some (usually standing) balance postures. Tai Chi also incorporates meditational elements that help to decrease stress and improve your sleep to lose weight.
   • Tips for Starting Tai Chi. As with any group exercise class, you should preview the program before you invest money. Ask the instructor if previous experience is necessary and what accommodations can be made for a new exerciser. Also, ask about the location. Some Tai Chi classes take place in outdoor parks or nature preserves. You'll want to be sure you are comfortable exercising in a public setting before you invest.

Remember that the type of exercise you choose is less important than the fact that you are doing it. Don't be afraid to try everything on the list! Keep a journal to track your progress and be sure to check in with your physician if you are having difficulty maintaining the activity or if other symptoms arise.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I write about losing weight, how to lose weight, what foods to eat when you're trying to lose weight and exercise that will help you lose weight. I wrote an ebook that will give you all the info in one read. It's a how-to book that also tells you about the mistakes I made and how to avoid them.

My ebook is available at www.amazon.com, www.B&N.com, iBooks (download the app), kobo.com, scribd.com and many more. Price $3.99

2 Sample Menus for a 1,200 Calorie Diet

These examples should answer a lot of questions. Every time I write about eating clean, and only eating fresh food, I get email about what foods are you referring to? So today I found this post that gives you ideas about what to eat and the nutritional value in the foods. What I tell my readers is that the quality of the food is more important than the portions. That doesn't mean that it's okay to eat twice the portion because it's not. Do I measure all my portions? No, I might measure something one time to see how much is in the portion but that it, one time.
Something else, I make my meals from a pre-written meal. I wrote all my meals for two weeks all at one time and calculated the calories. And then I shop for 3 days of food. If I buy too much at one time, I tempted to overeat. I don't get exact about measuring because if you're eating fresh foods and your not adding extra salt or sugar, the amount of calories won't be very different.

Example #1

Are you in a hurry to lose some extra pounds? It's possible to lose weight quickly by following a low-calorie diet, as this 1,200 calories per day diet, but you have to do it right to be sure you're getting all of the essential nutrients you need.

Following a low-calorie diet isn't difficult if you include lots of nutrient-dense foods. In fact, it's a necessity because there's no room for foods that aren't totally nutritious.

So what do you do? Choose plenty of low-calorie, high fiber fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat protein sources.  Here are two 1,200 calorie-per-day menus to get you started:

1,215 Calorie Menu With No Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

Breakfast

• One cup oatmeal
• One-half cup non-fat milk
• One tablespoon honey

• One-half cup blueberries
• One cup plain coffee or tea as a beverage

Lunch

• Two slices 100-percent whole grain bread, deli sliced turkey breast, tomato slice, lettuce and one tablespoon mustard
• One-half cup sliced carrots
• Water as a beverage

Dinner

• Three ounces baked salmon
• One cup green beans
• Salad with one cup raw spinach, five cherry tomatoes and one-half cup broccoli florets with lemon juice as a dressing
• Water with a slice of lemon as a beverage

Snacks

• One apple with 12 almonds
• Several glasses of water
• One cup non-fat milk
• One-half cup plain yogurt with one tablespoon honey
• One cup strawberries.

Nutrition Information

• Total Calories - 1,215
• Total Fat - 17.7 percent (25 grams)
• Total Protein - 23 percent (72 grams)

• Total Carbohydrates - 59.3 percent (185 grams)
• Sodium - 1,402 milligrams
• Sugar - 107 grams
• Cholesterol - 94 milligrams
• Saturated Fat - 5.0 grams
• Fiber - 28 grams

Example #2

1,218 Calorie Menu With Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

Breakfast

• One cup whole-grain corn cereal
• One packet Sucralose
• One-half cup non-fat milk
• One cup 100-percent orange juice as a beverage

Lunch

• Salad made with two cups field greens, two ounces albacore tuna (packed in water), one-half cup cherry tomatoes with two tablespoons balsamic vinegar as a dressing.
• Diet soda as a beverage

Dinner

• One three-ounce pork chop
• One baked sweet potato
• One cup steamed asparagus
• One tablespoon olive oil
• One small glass of white wine

Snacks

• One small pita bread with two tablespoons hummus
• One pear
• One serving low-fat, sugar-free fruit-flavored yogurt
• One cup blueberries
• Two-thirds cup baby carrots with one ounce fat-free vegetable dip
• Several glasses of water with slices of lemon or lime

Nutrition Information

• Total Calories - 1,218
• Total Fat - 14.6 percent (20 grams)
• Total Protein - 22.6 percent (70 grams)
• Total Carbohydrates - 56.8 percent (176 grams)
• Sodium - 1,615 milligrams
• Sugar - 86 grams
• Cholesterol - 116 milligrams
• Saturated Fat - 5.0 grams
• Fiber - 24 grams

Portion and serving sizes are key to dieting success, so you'll need a good set of measuring cups and measuring spoons, plus a kitchen scale until you get used to estimating your serving sizes.

I created these menus by using Calorie Count, where you can track your calories, find friendship and support with other dieters and even analyze your own recipes. I also have menus for 1,500 calorie per day and 1,700 calorie per day diets.

Please note: before starting a low-calorie diet, you should see your doctor. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I write about losing weight, how to lose weight, what foods to eat when you're trying to lose weight and exercise that will help you lose weight. I wrote an ebook that will give you all the info in one read. It's a how-to book that also tells you about the mistakes I made and how to avoid them.
My ebook is available at www.amazon.com, www.B&N.com, iBooks (download the app), kobo.com, scribd.com and many more. Price $3.99

Running Part 2

After you're comfortable with a two-mile walk and you can do the walk at a pretty fast pace your ready to jog a little. First of all, a pretty fast pace would be two miles in 45 or 50 minutes. The first day I started jogging I was only jogging about 100 yards at one time and then walk again until I catch my breath and then I jogged again another 100 yards and so on.

Today, I can jog about a 1/4 mile then walk a 1/4 mile and so on. My goal would be to jog 10K and eventually to run a 10K race. I have to start with the 5 K which is 3.1 miles and build up. I know it's going to take some time. It doesn't make any difference if I actually run a 5 K or not. All that time I'm working out for the run, I'm losing body fat little by little and becoming a healthier person and that's the real goal, but I have to have the other goal to stay motivated.

I believe that humans don't age by calendar years. What we think of aging is really the result of us gaining weight and slowing down, eating the wrong foods and not taking care of the body we have.
The problems humans have is that we don't really know how to take proper care of our bodies. We don't know what humans are capable of, what our minds are capable of, and how long a human could live. We have no idea, science bases everything they know on past experiences. All they really know is that each generation will probably live a little longer than the present generation because that's the way it's always been.

We need to listen to our bodies and do a better job of staying healthy. It's not something that happens automatically. There 's plenty of free information on good websites that will give you all you need. If you're a young adult, still in school, it will be much easier to get in good shape.

Running to lose weight has been proven to work but don't forget your diet. You won't be starving, you'll be eating clean, fresh food. The Dash Diet is a good example. The Mediterranean Diet is my favorite. You have many more choices. If you don't cheat, if you stick to the running and walking routine and do it every day and stay with a diet of clean, fresh foods you will lose fat and become a healthier person. If you're under doctor's care now you'll want to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I write about losing weight, how to lose weight, what foods to eat when you're trying to lose weight and exercise that will help you lose weight. I wrote an ebook that will give you all the info in one read. It's a how-to book that also tells you about the mistakes I made and how to avoid them.

My ebook is available at www.amazon.com, www.B&N.com, iBooks (download the app), kobo.com, scribd.com and many more. Price $3.99

Running To Lose Weight

I want to tell you about this guy I saw on the news last week. This man about 40 give or take a couple of years weighed over 400 pounds when he decided to lose weight. He found a trainer that put him on a diet and started him on a walking routine to get exercise. After a few weeks the trainer changed the walking to jogging. So this man started slow but was jogging everyday. Because he had a job would only run less than one hour during the week, but on weekend when he had more time he runs 31 miles on this long days. I thought that was incredible for someone that big to be able to run distance.

He lost 200 pounds in 10 months. He now weighs 240 pounds and woulds to lose 40 more pounds. I know he can do it, anyone how runs 31 miles can lose as much as he wants.

I don't want you to get turned off because you think there's no way you could ever do this. I subscribe to many newsletter and I get one from "Runner's World". Yes, I started running again and most people would think I'm just an old man. Even my relatives think I'm crazy for running again after 50 some years of not running. Back in the early 1970's, I was hit by a car and my left leg had severe damage. I had stopped running long before that but after the accident, I never thought I'd run again.

Just recently I read an article on "running for beginners" and how you can use a walk and run routine to interval train and even if you have knee pain, this type of exercise will strengthen the knee and reduce the knee pain. I've had knee pain for years and I even had a repair job on the left knee about 5 years ago, so I was "all in" if this can reduce knee pain and help me control my weight, I'm for it.

I started running a few months ago. I do the walk, run routine I read about and you really can lose fat.  Most of the fat loss will be in the belly, hips, butt, and thighs. But don't think the fat will just falls off,   You have to change the way you eat. That part was pretty easy for me, I already changed my diet and lost most of my body fat, but if you want to "Run To Lose", I suggest you look at the Runner's World website and consider investing in their new book "Run To Lose". It's not expensive, check it out.

Or you could read my blog and over the next few day's, I'll tell you what I did and how it worked for me and reading my blog is free. Or if you like to hold paper in your hand when you read, You can download my ebook from Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or iBook, it's $3.99 and then you can print it.

Enough about books, I was a real skeptic when I first started to run. But I followed my tried and true methods for any exercise and I started slow. At the Park near my house, there's a 2-mile jogging track; when I jog at night I go to the High School and use the track. I start by walking 1/4 mile or one lap around the track just to warm up, then I start jogging for about 100 yards and then go back to walking slow, after I catch my breath I start jogging again and keep that up for 2 miles. At the High School, that's about 8 laps. I have a personal goal to run a 10K in the city marathon. I'm sure by January I'll be ready.

What you want to realize before you start any exercise program is that the pace I set for myself can be more than you can do and that's understandable. I workout more and I'm in very good physical condition for my age. Depending on your health and you can't be comparing yourself to other overweight, out-of-shape people you might know. Compare yourself to the way you were in High School. The age of your body has very little to do with time. Sure, we calculate age by calendar years, but your real age has very little to do with the calendar.

When you first start a walk, run routine you want to do mostly walking. Your body has to get use to exercise all over again and depending on the amount of weight you gained over the years, this may take you a few weeks. You want to do just plain walking for a few weeks, don't push it. If you're in middle age and are overweight, it's possible to do damage to your heart by intense exercise. If you get out-of-breath easily, talk to your doctor about exercise. There is a safe heart rate to achieve when exercising, and to exercise at a heart rate more than that can be dangerous.  Building up your endurance for a heavier workout is called "conditioning". This is important if you want to achieve your goal. Running is by far the best way to condition your body, lose body fat and become a healthier person.

I write about losing weight, how to lose weight, what foods to eat when you're trying to lose weight and exercise that will help you lose weight. I wrote ebooks that will give you all the info in one read. They are how-to books that also tells you about the mistakes I made and how to avoid them.

My ebooks are available at www.amazon.com, www.B&N.com, iBooks (download the app), kobo.com, scribd.com and many more. Price $3.99

How Does Weight Loss Happen?

So you’re finally ready to lose weight. Now the question is: How?

The standard advice -- to eat less and move more -- isn’t so helpful when it comes to the “how.” You probably know you need to cut calories, but how many? Are you better off getting those calories from low-fat or low-carb foods? And what’s going on with your metabolism, your personal energy-burning furnace? Is it programmed to keep you overweight? Is there any way to fan the flames so you can dream of one day eating a piece of pie without gaining a pound?

Even science is still stumped on many of the basic questions of weight loss.

“Amazingly, in this era of obesity, there are still many things that we really don’t know,” says Robin Callister, PhD, professor of human physiology at the University of Newcastle in Australia.

Here’s what we do know about some of the most persistent mysteries of weight loss.

There are new calculators, like the Body Weight Planner available from the NIH and the Weight Loss Predictor from Pennington. Give them a few key details, like your sex, age, weight, height, activity level, and the date you want to hit your goal, and they’ll give you a more realistic daily calorie goal to get you there.

Once you know how many calories you need to eat every day, where should they come from? Is it better to cut carbs or cut fat? How much protein do you need each day? Will having a drink torpedo all your hard work?

Let’s start with the alcohol.

“There’s a big debate on whether alcohol calories are even useable, whether you can even turn them into fat. It’s not easy,” says Ken Fujioka, MD, a weight loss expert at Scripps Health in San Diego, CA. “When you look at various studies you actually get mixed results. Some studies say it’s not a problem, don’t worry about it, others say it’s associated with weight gain. So it’s a real open mess.”

Fujioka counsels his patients to pay attention to how alcohol affects their eating.

“Some folks, when they drink alcohol, feel like they have license to eat whatever they want to, and they get into problems.” If a glass of wine weakens your will to resist that plate of cheese and crackers, it’s not doing your waistline any favors.But if booze doesn’t affect your eating, then one or two drinks is probably OK, he says.As for calories from fat, carbohydrates, and protein, this is where one size, or one eating plan, really doesn’t fit all. 

There is good science to show that people who have high blood sugar levels -- associated with conditions like type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and fatty liver disease -- benefit from diets that are lower in refined carbohydrates and higher in healthy fats and lean proteins. Examples of this kind of diet are South Beach, the Zone diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the low GI diet.

If insulin levels aren’t a concern, there’s little difference in the amount of weight people lose if they cut their calories from fat or from carbs, says Kevin Hall, PhD, a senior investigator and expert in metabolism at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, MD. But he says protein calories are a different story.

In the lab, researchers have shown that higher-protein diets tend to increase the number of calories a person burns, Hall says. “So in that sense, a protein calorie is not equivalent to a carbohydrate or a fat calorie,” he says.

Protein helps you burn more calories during the day and helps preserve muscle. When people lose weight, they don’t just lose fat -- they also lose muscle. The more muscle you lose on a diet, the more your metabolism slows. That can make it tough to keep the weight off down the road. Protein also helps you feel satisfied for longer after your eat.

But people can eat only so much protein without changing their kidney function. U.S. dietary guidelines recommend that adults keep their protein in a range of 10% to 35% of total calories each day. Most diets fall into that range. Atkins, for example, one of the highest protein diets around, supplies 35% of daily calories from protein. 

“The potential to gain weight and become obese is in everybody. But for some people, the potential is clearly genetically much, much higher,” he says.

So far, more than 30 genes have been flagged as being linked to body mass index. The one most strongly tied to obesity is called the FTO gene. Researchers recently reported that people who get a faulty copy of that gene are more likely to store calories as fat instead of burn them for energy. The discovery, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, should pave the way for better weight loss treatments.

Though FTO is the most powerful single gene found to date, it doesn’t explain all obesity. Fujioka says obesity is probably the sum of many genes working together.“The more genetic flaws you get that lead you to obesity, you’re more like a loaded gun. The environment will pull the trigger and you’ll just get heavy.” Whereas people who don’t inherit those risk genes will be protected, to some extent, from weight gain, no matter how badly they eat.

Men vs. Women

If losing weight with your mate has you discouraged, ladies, take heart.

Yes, it’s true -- pound for pound, a man on a diet will drop 10 pounds faster than you can say “please pass the celery.” And researchers think that’s probably more of a size problem than a sex difference. Men are bigger than women and naturally carry more muscle, the tissue that burns the greatest number of calories. So they do have an easier time losing weight.

But here’s the thing about men: They start strong, but they often can’t sustain the effort.

“At 3 months, men are ahead -- definitely ahead on absolute weight loss,” says Callister, who recently conducted a study of studies, or meta-analysis, to look at the big picture of sex differences in weight loss. “But by 6 months, there’s no difference,” she says.

But do men really lose a bigger percent of their overall weight when they diet than women do?

Surprisingly, few studies have looked at that question. Callister says we still don’t know the answer.

One interesting study, though, compared the weight loss between men and women who had gastric bypass weight-loss surgery. The study found that after 24 months, there was no significant difference in the percent of weight lost by men or women after bariatric surgery. On average, men had lost about 66% of their excess weight, while women had lost about 73% of their extra pounds.

And here’s more heartening news: While women may take a little longer to shed the same weight as men, Callister says they seem to do a better job keeping it off, perhaps because they lost it more gradually in the first place.

What’s the Best Exercise for Weight Loss?

When it comes to dropping pounds, there’s no substitute for pushing back from your plate. But what about exercise?

While it’s important for overall health and mental well-being, it’s probably not going to help you dramatically shrink your size.

“It has dozens and dozens of benefits, but when it comes to producing clinically meaningful weight loss -- weight loss of 5% to 10% or more -- you really want to focus on dieting,” Martin says.

Exercising when you’re trying to lose weight is tricky. It does help burn calories, but not nearly as many as not eating those calories in the first place. And exercise increases appetite, so if you’re working out intensely, it’s really easy to eat back all the calories you just burned.

Martin recommends that people who are trying to lose weight focus on moderate-intensity physical activities, like brisk walking or gardening.

The National Weight Control Registry, which tracks people who’ve successfully lost 30 pounds and kept it off for a year or longer, reports that 94% of members have increased their physical activity in some way. The most frequently reported form of exercise is walking.

Where exercise becomes critically important is for weight maintenance. Martin says most people who successfully lose weight and keep it off exercise a lot -- nearly an hour a day.

Losing body fat should be your goal. Read up on weight loss and losing body fat. It doesn’t cost money to lose weight. The internet is full of free information. But the quickest way and cheapest way is to buy an ebook online and get everything you need in one short read. I have two ebooks on Amazon:

How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight

Getting To A Healthy Weight

Check out one of them, I think you can find all the info you need and plenty of tips on how I lost my body fat. 

Look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find these e-books. These books give you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my books at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.