Why Fiber is so Important in Our Diet?

Posted by Brian on

All this talk about aging and aging well wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t look at the influence of diet in the aging process as well. As you know, having an active lifestyle helps us to age well, and so too does having a healthy, balanced diet.

Part of a balanced diet requires fiber. But why is fiber so important to us?

In this article, I’m going to talk about fiber and why it’s so important to include in our diet because of its many health benefits.

What exactly is fiber?
Fiber is pretty interesting. It is a carbohydrate but it has special properties that allow it to pass through the human digestive system without being broken down through the digestive process.

There are two types of fiber: insoluble fiber which is made of plant cell walls and cannot be dissolved in water and soluble fiber, made up of polysaccharides which can dissolve in water.

Fiber plays a really important role in the digestive process. It:

Makes us chew our food well: And by taking the time to chew, we don’t wolf down food quickly and feel fuller quicker. So it’s a great weapon in the fight against obesity.
It gives us the experience of food being more satisfying: It sits in our tummy for longer and makes us feel full.
It helps our blood sugar levels: That’s because it slows down the digestive process and slows down the absorption rate of glucose or sugar, into our system.
It helps our colon: It is in our colon where fiber is broken down through a bacterial process called fermentation. In this process, organic acids are produced which help in the nourishment of the colon lining.
It helps fuel our body: The acids produced through the fermentation process help to fuel our body.

Fiber plays an important role in our metabolism as well, making it a pretty important part of our diet!

The many health benefits of fiber
If that wasn’t enough, fiber provides us with the following health benefits. It helps to reduce the risk of:

Certain cancers: Colon cancer is one of the cancers a high-fiber diet can help to reduce. Research has suggested it may play a role in helping to reduce breast cancer as well, but this has not yet been confirmed.
Digestive disorders: Insoluble fiber adds to the bulk of stools, so it speeds the process of fecal material passing through the gut. In other words, it helps us to avoid uncomfortable constipation and can reduce the risk of diverticulosis which is caused by straining during bowel movements. For those who already suffer diverticulosis, the symptoms which include constipation and/or diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal pain and blood or mucus in the stool can be alleviated through fiber consumption
Diabetes: This is because soluble fiber slows the absorption of sugar into the blood stream.
Heart disease: A healthy diet with soluble fiber can help to reduce the risk of heart disease, due to the fact that is lowers cholesterol. Studies have also shown that soluble fiber can slow the rate of cholesterol manufacture by the liver.
Heart attack: Several studies in men have found that consuming fiber can reduce the risk of heart attack significantly.
Obesity: Due to the fact that insoluble fiber cannot be digested it will pass through our system without being broken down. Therefore it provides us with few calories. Because it makes us feel full, we don’t tend to overeat when we consume fiber. All of this helps us avoid obesity.

What to eat to get fiber benefits
Make sure you include the following types of food to really reap the benefits of fiber:

Wholegrain breads
Natural cereals
Fruits
Vegetables
Beans
Nuts

Start including fiber in your diet today and you will feel so much better for it. Oh, and don’t forget to mix it with a healthy dose of physical activity. Your body will thank you for it in years to come!

What’s the Big Deal about Flexibility?

Posted by Brian on

The older we get, the less flexible we become. This is especially the case if we don’t make an effort to exercise daily and eat right. For people who don’t exercise as they age and keep working on their flexibility, they will get a lot stiffer and have a great deal of difficulty getting around.

Mobility difficulty results in people not being able to enjoy the independence and will find it increasingly difficult to live on their own and look after themselves. And this is why seniors with mobility problems often end up seeing life out in a nursing home.

Now, the idea of spending my latter days in a nursing home certainly doesn’t appeal to me, and if it doesn’t appeal to you either, it’s in your best interests to work on your flexibility now.

In the last few articles I have written, I have shed light on the importance of strength training, cardio training and ab training. Now we’re going to look specifically at flexibility.

What’s so important about flexibility?
You already know that it will help you with your mobility as you age and help you to live a happy and independent life. By working on your flexibility you will also:

Help yourself to have good lower back health: By stretching regularly and working on your flexibility, you will do a lot to reduce the likelihood of lower back pain becoming a problem for you.
Improve your posture: If you work on your flexibility and stretching exercising regularly, you will improve your posture and balance. Again good for slowing the signs of aging.
Keep your joints healthy: By stretching regularly and in the correct manner, you will decrease the risk of injuring your joints. By moving your joints, you increase the range of motion your joint can perform. By exercising in this way, you also increase the amount of synovial fluid in your joints, which will help you to decrease joint degeneration.
Improve neuromuscular health: This refers to the speed a signal is sent to the brain and back. The speed is increased when you work on stretching and flexibility.

So now you know just how important flexibility really is…

…What can you do today to increase flexibility?
Before I share with you a few great exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home to increase your flexibility, here are three important rules you must keep in mind when it comes to stretching:

Pain is not good: You should only stretch until you feel tension, and then hold your position for 10 seconds before a workout and 20-30 seconds after a workout. Doing this exercise, you will see improvements in flexibility.

Do not stretch cold muscles: This is why you should only lightly stretch before a workout and save the good stretch after your workout when your muscles are warm and your blood is pumping. By stretching warm muscles, you reduce your risk of an injury like a pulled muscle and discomfort.

Split your body into major muscle groups: Do this for all over body improvement. Stretch your arms, legs, chest, back and core. Stretch each of these to improve your flexibility overall.

So there you have it! A great overview on flexibility and how you can improve it – starting today! I encourage you to get started because the benefits will last a lifetime – if you keep at it!

Posture and Ab Training: The Benefits and What to Do

Posted by Brian on

Posture is another one of those things that can really suffer as we age. I’ve lost count of the numbers of older people I have seen who are stooped over with seriously hunched backs. Sometimes, the reasons for this maybe due to a medical condition such as osteoporosis and other times, it is just a lack of physical exercise.

As you know, physical exercise can help us to increase bone growth and add to the strength of our bones, and that’s why it can help us ward off diseases like osteoporosis. In this article though, I’m going to focus on one area of exercise that can work wonders for our posture.

I’m referring of course to ab training.

Ab training?! Isn’t that for Ken and Barbie lookalikes?!
You mean gym rats?
Don’t I have to eat like a rabbit for abs?

No! Ab training can help ordinary people – even seniors – to develop good posture. Sure, it will also help you achieve a flat tummy, which so many people these days strive for, but even if you already have a flat tummy, you will still benefit when it comes to posture.

And posture can make you look a lot younger as well.

So let’s take a more careful look at ab training and why it’s so good for posture.

Posture is of critical importance because it is from that particular position, we do everything. If we suffer from bad posture, we actually put unnecessary and preventable stress on the other joints of our bodies. By having strong abdominals, we are doing something to improve the overall strength of the core muscles which help us to stand upright and move well on two feet. So, by strengthening our abdominal muscles, we will do a lot to improve our posture.

What to start doing today!
It’s time to get your abs to work today – and it doesn’t matter if you’ve never trained the abdominal region before. The correct approach when you’re starting out is to start out steady and slowly. Gradually increase the intensity of your exercises to feel and see the benefits.

Here are some great exercises you can start doing today in the comfort of your own home to strengthen your abs and improve your posture:

Crunches: These are awesome abdominal exercises because you can do them anywhere without the need for special equipment. To get started simply lie on the floor with your knees bent and your hands straight behind your head. When you exhale, curl your body forward enough so you lift your shoulder blades off the floor. Hold for one second and slowly return back to the floor. I recommend you do anywhere from 8-25 repetitions at a time. Do the exercises slowly so you won’t injure yourself.

Bicycle Crunches: Another really great abdominal workout is the bicycle crunch. Lie on your back with your hips bent at 90 degrees and your hands behind your head. Curl your body forward as you did in the crunch exercise before, and bring your right knee toward your left elbow. Extend your leg out 45 degrees. Do this while keeping your shoulders off the floor. Continue alternating from the left to the right by bringing your opposite knees and elbows together. If you keep both of your shoulders off the floor, you increase the tension on your abs and work them harder. You can vary the tempo and the repetitions for this exercise. If you go for slower tempo and fewer reps – around 15 per side – you are focusing more on the firming. If you work with a faster tempo and more reps – about 50 per side – you are helping yourself more with fat burning.

Get into the habit of strengthening your abdominal muscles and improving your posture today.

For more great tips on how you can exercise your abdominals and core muscles for posture improvement stay tuned or leave your questions below:)

The Anti-Aging Benefits of Cardio Training

Posted by Brian on

As we get older, we realize that good health isn’t something we can just take for granted anymore. It is a state we have to continuously work hard to maintain, and one way we can do this is by exercising. Physical exercise has such a positive impact on the aging process, because it helps us to age better.

We’ll look better and we’ll feel better if we put the effort in.

Physical exercise has so many benefits: it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, keeping nasty diseases like heart disease at bay. It also lowers blood sugar levels, making it great for diabetics. Regular exercise can also reduce the risk of diseases like cancer.

Older people who exercise can also enjoy the benefits of improved sleep and stress reduction. It can even stimulate bone growth, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

But as we age, we tend to slow down
We tend to stop being as active because we think we just can’t do it anymore. The thing is though, if we keep exercising and keep our bodies active, we actually slow down those things that make us age.

Our overall health and wellbeing improves when we stay active, and that’s why as we age, we need to keep active – and make it a priority.

Already you know the benefits of muscle training to slow the aging process, but what about cardio training? Well, it’s incredibly important as well, for the reasons mentioned above.

Cardio exercise has amazing benefits for our overall health and wellbeing. And it will help you to increase your flexibility and balance – and that will help to keep you younger as well!

What can we do now to improve our cardio fitness?
Again, I need to emphasize here that anybody – even if you have never exercised before – can start cardio training and reap the health and anti-aging benefits of it.

I recommend, in the interests of flexibility, that you stretch before and after your workouts or try and include some yoga in your cardio routine. I also recommend you introduce balance exercises into your day.

With increased flexibility and balance, you are less likely to suffer injury and you will hold onto your independence for much longer. Often people end up in nursing homes, because they are unable to live independently. This more often than not is due to the fact that people don’t have the flexibility and balance to go about their daily lives. By exercising and building your flexibility and balance, you are doing yourself huge favors.

When it comes to your cardio workout though, I recommend – as does the National Institute on Aging – that older people do 30 minutes of cardio exercise each day.

Be sure though to check with your doctor before you start doing this. Your doctor will tell you how to do your exercise safely, which is important if you have medical conditions.

For your 30 minutes of exercise, do something you enjoy doing. It might be walking or swimming. Maybe a bike ride or golf? You may like to get out in the garden or play tennis. It is totally up to you. Just make sure you enjoy it, because that will help your wellbeing too.

If you haven’t exercised for a long time, start by doing 5-10 minutes of cardio three times per week. Your body needs to get used to it. Gradually add more time to your workout, until you can move for 30 minutes without stopping.

Medium intensity is all you need to do – you should be able to still talk while you are exercising. No need to work yourself into a big sweat at all!

I also recommend you warm up with 5 or so minutes of light activity before you start your workout. And when you finish working out, stretch!

If you would like help with your workouts, you can enlist the help of a professional fitness training like myself or check out your local gym for activities for seniors.

So get moving today and reap the rewards!

The Anti-Aging Benefits of Muscle Strength Training

Posted by Brian on

If you thought muscle-strength training was the stuff of Arnie-like muscle men and the gym junkies, think again. No matter who you are, you can benefit from muscle-strength training.

And when it comes to aging, muscle-strength training actually provides us with great anti-aging benefits.

Forget reaching for your credit card and paying big money for expensive cosmetic treatments and anti-aging creams and potions. There are things you can do right now to build your muscle strength and slow aging!

So to explain why muscle strength training is so good in fighting aging…

…We need to know what happens as we age
As we age our bodies begin to lose flexibility, along with muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness.

And as that happens, our balance decreases, along with our stamina and coordination. Our bones also become less dense, making them brittle and more prone to breaking.

We also become more prone to conditions like heart disease, arthritis, high blood pressure. And if that wasn’t bad enough, we also become more prone to obesity!

Nutrition and exercise play a huge role in determining how well we will age, and the good thing about nutrition and exercise is that we are in total control of those.

The loss of muscle as we age is called sarcopenia and alarmingly, it affects approximately 45% of the US population. When people lose significant muscle, they are more prone to falling and experience difficulty doing those day-to-day activities. Unfortunately these people are more likely to be placed into a nursing home.

What we can do now to build muscle strength
The thing to note here is that muscle training will not completely prevent the onset of sarcopenia. What it will do though is greatly slow down the rate of muscle loss you may experience.

Now I’m guessing you’re probably worried that muscle strength training is going to require countless hours in the gym – not to mention pain! The good news is that it won’t require hours in the gym, it won’t require you to lift heavy weights and anybody can start building muscle through strength training – even if they have never done any physical training before.

All it takes is a few minutes a day, three times each week and you will enjoy the anti-aging benefits of muscle training.

Studies have found that just a few minutes of strength building exercise per day, three days each week will result in significant increases in strength after just one month. Older individuals who do this sort of exercise as well will also increase their walking speed and improve their balance significantly.

Pretty amazing just how much of a positive effect strength training can have for older people!

Here are a few really useful muscle strength exercises you can start doing today, in the comfort of your own home:

Bodyweight Squats, Push-ups, Lunges, Dumbbell Rows, Barbell Curls, Lying Dumbbell Extentions

Start working on your muscle strength today and you won’t be able to thank yourself enough tomorrow!

Memory and Age: What Happens and What to Do

Posted by Brian on

Ever had those days where no matter what you do and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to remember things? It’s like the older you get, the harder it can be to remember things and the easier it gets to forget stuff.

Can you relate to that?

Well the fact of the matter is we do become more forgetful as we get older, because our memories change. Now many people are aware of Alzheimer’s disease and the memory loss associated with that. The key to remember is that there is normal memory loss typically associated with aging and there is the more severe memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Today we’re going to focus on the normal memory changes we experience as we get older.

What happens to our memories as we age?
We store different pieces of information in various parts of our memory. In the part of our brain that stores recent memories, we have information relating to what we did half an hour ago, what we had for lunch yesterday and the name of a person we were talking to a short time ago. Information stored in short-term memory includes things such as what we did two days ago, what happened this time last week, etc. And when it comes to our long-term and remote memories, that part of our brain contains information such as detail from childhood.

In our 20’s we start to slowly lose brain cells. It sounds scary, but it’s just a few brain cells at a time. Our bodies also start producing fewer chemicals that our brains need to function to their potential.

And the older we get, the greater those effects will have on our memories.

As we age, our short-term and remote memories aren’t affected normally, however our recent memory can be. So it is normal to forget the name of somebody we spoke to earlier in the day or where we left our keys, etc.

All of this is normal for us to experience as we age.

What we can do to help us to remember things
It may sound depressing hearing about how memory changes as we age, but there are things we can start doing right now to slow the process and help our memory function.

The really important thing to do is keep your mind and body busy. That means reading, doing puzzles that stimulate your mind and of course, having a healthy, active lifestyle. The really spritely senior citizens are the ones who have a healthy mind and body – and they achieve that by working their mind and body daily. So engage in some physical exercise each day and keep your mind stimulated.
Here are some other things you can do to help your memory:

Get into the habit of keeping a list of “to-do” tasks
Follow a routine
Keep a diary
Make a habit of leaving your keys and other important items in the same place
Repeat the name of a person you meet, when you talk to them in conversation
Get 30 Mins of daily activity
Start doing these things today and your memory will thank you for it!

If you experience worsening memory loss and you begin to forget how to do things you do daily, it may be something more serious. In these cases, book an appointment to see your doctor.

USA Health Care Crisis and Preventative Health Care

Posted by Brian on

America is currently in the middle of a health care crisis! It is quite alarming to realize that the amount being spent on USA’s health care is rising at a rate that is quicker than inflation with an excess of 2.3 trillion dollars being spent on health care a year!

Barack Obama’s controversial health care package is unfortunately very likely to make things a whole lot worse. One essential area that was left out of this reform was preventative health care. It appears that the president did not look further into this essential form of health care, which will have number negative outcomes.

Let me explain why

This issue of this has a lot to do with the significant number of the aging baby boomer population. Baby boomers are those who were born between 1946 and 1964. This number makes up around a quarter of the population of the United States of America, which is a significant percentage. The problem starts to unfold when you realize that an estimated 78 million people are set to reach the age of 65 in 2011. This number will continue to rise over the next 18 years with 3 or 4 million people reaching the age of 65 a year.

Outcomes

As soon as this large population number turns this significant age, they will automatically become eligible to receive government health care benefits. Medicare is currently setting taxpayers back more than 230 billion dollars a year and this will only get worse and drive up health care costs to phenomenal figures!

Within this aging population of baby boomers, comes the increased appearance of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases which all happen to be preventable illnesses! Around 20% of patients in the United States suffer from diseases that can, in most cases, be successfully prevented. This 20% of people also happen to contribute around 80% of the health care costs! It is also interesting to note that most of the top 10 health problems that are experienced in the country are able to be prevented.

What is Preventative Health Care?

The current health care system is focused on treating diseases and illnesses after they have progressed to severe levels. Preventative Health Care is the execution and education of measures that assist in deterring or eliminating illness before they occur. Preventative Health Care also includes the treatment of problems as soon as they appear instead of waiting until the later stages. This often allows the condition to be treated quicker and with a reduced amount of discomfort to the patient. This type of health care is the best method of avoiding serious sickness and disease! For this type of health care to be successful healthy habits must be maintained on a daily basis. These include:

A healthy and balanced diet
Regular exercise and physical activity
Avoid alcohol
Do not smoke
Reduce salt and sugar intake
Adequate sleep
Regular medical checkups

Due to these findings it is obvious that excluding Preventative Health Care from the Health Care Package was a serious mistake that will have detrimental consequences. However, by adopting the key preventative principles you will be still be able to benefit! If you stick to these essential health measures, you will encounter a reduced frequency and duration of illnesses. It will also enable you to feel fit and healthy year after year!

Aging and Changes in Functional Ability

Posted by Brian on

Have you noticed that your body isn’t as co-operative as it used to be in years gone by? Are you finding it more difficult to carry out tasks such as cooking dinner, driving the car, brushing your teeth or answering the phone?

Ok ok ok…Just kidding on the brushing your teeth and answering the phone bit, and doesn’t it feel like it on somedays?

These are just some of the activities that many of us perform every day. For young people, these tasks are easy and mundane back, but as we age, they can become increasingly difficult and require much more care and attention.

The standard to which we carry out important daily tasks is referred to our functional ability. The two main types of functional ability incorporate personal care and mobility. Our functional ability allows us to clean ourselves, prepare food, use the toilet, socialize with others and be employed to earn a living! Our functional ability allows us to live and survive independently.

During the natural progression of aging, our bodies begin to change, which can directly impact our level of functional ability. These changes often lead to limitations in daily tasks but there are a range options available to make daily living easier and more enjoyable.

These are the most common areas that are affected by decreased functional ability:

Personal Care

Showering
Toileting
Cooking and preparing meals
Taking medication
Managing money

Mobility

Driving or using public transport
Using a telephone
Grocery shopping
Laundry
Housework

Can Functional Ability be Improved?

Yes! Although some reduction of functional ability with aging is inevitable, the extent and speed of it occurring can be slowed by adopting the following lifestyle principles:

Balanced Nutrition

It has been discovered that many elderly citizens are receiving inadequate nutrition! This can often be attributed to loss of taste and changes of the digestive system. A simple change of diet may be all that’s required to boost functional ability! Studies have shown that changing to a balanced and healthy diet provides amazing results in functional ability!

Regular Exercise

Regular physical activity is vital to maintain optimum functional ability! Did you know that a lack of physical activity can actually accelerate the reduction of functional ability? Exercise and stretches assist and improve our muscles capability of performing essential tasks for independence. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the requirement for corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory and other medication! It also improves depression and anxiety. Any type of activity that raises your heart rate is beneficial, so get moving!

Products and Medication

It this world of advancing technology it is good to know that we are surrounded with range of devices that are specifically designed to improve the lives of anyone with functional disabilities.

Medication

There are countless varieties of medications that are available, as a last resort, for those experiencing functional difficulties. Such medications can be costly and add up to a large amount per year. For some, there may be no other option than to take medication, but for most there are other ways! Consider opting for gentler alternatives and preventative measures before proceeding down the path of medications. It may save you a considerable amount of money and also be so much better for your health!

Talk to you local doctor or specialist about what may be suitable for you, so you can start to enjoy the full potential of your body and make the most of every single day!

Skin, Hair, Teeth and Aging

Posted by Brian on

The process of aging is one that brings with it: wisdom and knowledge. A significant product of this process is also one that many aren’t overly enthusiastic about. It is the effect on the body’s skin, hair and teeth. Noticed a few extra wrinkles or changes in your hair and teeth lately? Well continue reading to discover the best actions to deal with and possibly slow this progression.

As we age the skin, teeth and hair are among the first parts of our body to display changes. The time when this occurs will differ between individuals according to genetics, exposure to the elements and your current health.

As we age you may already be noticing or can expect to experience the following:

Skin

As the years pass the skin becomes more delicate and fragile which leaves it more prone to bruising. Age spots may make an appearance and skin tone and elasticity is reduced. Increased dryness is often experienced as a result of less natural oils being produced to hydrate the skin. This is a major factor in the creation of those dreaded wrinkles.

Hair

The most dramatic effects on the hair, is that it may change to a shade of grey. The body’s hair color is affected by the pigment, melanin. As time passes, the hair follicles produce less of this pigment resulting in loss of color. Hair loss and thinning can also occur amongst both men and women as we age.

Teeth

How your teeth stand the test of time, is largely reflected in how you have looked after them in the past. Even with perfect dental care, the mouth becomes noticeably drier as less saliva is produced than before. This can sometimes lead to an increased risk of tooth decay. The teeth may also darken, change shape, become thinner and more brittle.

What can be done?

In today’s society, we are often bombarded with idealistic views of perfection, anti-aging and products that must purchased in order to achieve it. However, this can often be misleading and commonly only leads to disappointment. Purchasing so-called anti-aging products are not necessary if you simply follow some basic steps. These will assist in maintaining a healthy hair, teeth and skin to ensure that the aging process is a smooth and slow one.

For Healthy Skin:

Avoid direct exposure to the sun for long periods
Wear a hat, sunscreen and cover the skin as much as possible when outdoors
Drink plenty of water to ensure optimum hydration. This will not only keep you feeling great but does wonders for the skin!
Eliminate smoking
Steer away from oily or fatty foods
Opt for gentle skin products such as soap or moisturizers that are suitable for sensitive skin.
Increase intake of Vitamin C. Did you know that Vitamin C makes a natural collagen? This assists in improving elasticity and is wonderful for boosting the immunity!
Introduce Omega 3 oil into your diet. This oil is highly beneficial to the skin and leaves it feeling supple and smooth. Fish oil, avocados, walnuts, seeds other nuts are abundant in Omega 3.

For Healthy Teeth:

Maintain excellent dental hygiene. Brush and floss after every main meal.
Include an antiseptic mouth wash into your dental care routine to fight bacteria and mouth infections.
Schedule regular visits with your dentist for checkups and cleanings.
To reduce teeth stains; reduce red wine, coffee, black tea and smoking.

For Healthy Hair:

Choose gentle shampoos and conditioners to reduce hair damage
Massage the scalp to stimulate blood circulation and encourage increased hair growth.
Exercise, meditate or participate in a relaxing activity as stress can initiate increased hair loss.
If you experience a dramatic increase or sudden hair loss, check with your doctor.

In it for the long haul!

Posted by Brian on with 1 Comment

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Just recently I read a really inspirational story about an ordinary lady by the name of Linda Pottinger.  Linda’s story featured on the USA Today website, and like you, she too is in the process of dropping weight.

Already she has gone from 178 pounds down to 158 pounds – and her approach has been simple.  She has made lifestyle changes, and she is dedicated to sticking to it.

In the past, like many people, Linda found that she just wasn’t getting anywhere in her mission to lose weight.  That’s because she expected immediate results.

Immediate results to drop the pounds is what the diet industry has promised decade after decade.  All of these promises of losing weight without having to make changes to diet and fitness is what the diet industry has churned out, in an effort to suck people in!  Everybody wants a quick fix without too much effort – and that’s why the diet industry makes such outrageous promises!

As a personal trainer, I know just how crazy this belief is.  There just isn’t a magic pill to losing weight loss and there never will be.  You have to put the effort in and change your lifestyle.  There’s just no other way to do it.

So how do you actually do it?

Linda does what I recommend my clients do, and this is all there is to it:

  • Create a calorie deficit:  You need to ensure that you burn more calories than you consume.  For weight loss, experts typically say 1500 calories per day is fine.  By exercising 30-45 minutes per day, doing exercise that gets you sweating will help you to drop about 0.5-1 pound per week.
  • Keep a food log:  Keep track of how many calories you consume per day by creating a food log.  Record what you eat and how many calories you consume in one day.
  • Keep active:  Do at least 30-45 minutes of moderate physical activity each day, to burn calories and create that calorie deficit.
  • Have a real purpose for weight loss:  Ask yourself why you want to lose weight and what it will mean for you to lose the weight.  Focus on the reasons first thing in the morning and the last thing you do before going to bed.  Keep your purposes fresh in your mind and remind yourself of them when you feel lacking in motivation.
  • Ensure you stick to your healthy schedule even when you’re away:  Linda travels a lot with her work, but she always ensures she fills her days with plenty of extra exercise walking around the airport and eating fresh fruit and vegetables as snacks.  It’s really not that hard to stick to this once you make the decision to lose the weight.

Remember, once you make the decision to lose weight you must stick to it.  There is no other way around it.  Make it fun and see the healthy diet and exercise as something to enjoy – not something to struggle and endure.  It’s all about lifestyle change and making the most of your downsizing experience.

As soon as you really understand and accept the fact that there is no quick fix to weight loss, you will set out to make changes to your lifestyle.  All it takes is 30 days for you to replace bad habits with healthy ones – and that goes for diet and exercise.

So if you get started today, in about one month’s time you should be well on track to achieving a healthy lifestyle for life!