Weight Loss Articles

Eating 101: Beat the Belly Bulge

Have you been battling the belly bulge for way too long and are ready to finally fight it off?  Well then you need to start by ditching these food and lifestyle choices and say goodbye to your belly once and for all!

Fight belly fat

• Eating out too often.  If you are eating out too often then you are eating too many food items that are battered, breaded, fried and generally unhealthy for you.  You are also more than likely using far too much of condiments than you would if you were eating at home.
• Drinking diet drinks.  It may be calorie-free, but studies show that people who drink diet sodas intake more calories in a day than those who don't indulge in diet drinks.
• Stress eating sugar.  Stress increases cortisol levels in the body, causing sugary and fatty cravings.
• Smoking.  Smokers have a larger waist circumference than non-smokers. Plus, smoking is all-around bad for you!

Fitness for All: Lose Weight a Work

You are there at least 8 hours a day (if not more) so why not try and do everything you can to change your diet and fitness routine while you are there? Here are some simple ways to lose weight at work.

Lose weight at work

• Don't miss breakfast.  We have heard it all before, but in order to lose weight make sure you are packing a powerful protein for that first meal of the day.
• Pack your lunch.  When you pack your lunch, you are in complete control of portion sizes, if you go out to lunch you are more than likely to overeat and have unnecessary calories.
• Walk on your lunch break : or at least half of it.  Instead of taking your entire lunch hour eating, take a half an hour to eat and a half an hour to get out and exercise.  Try a brisk walk to help you lose weight and burn stress, too.
• Keep a food journal.  That way you are determining how many calories you are taking in during the day.  Many people fail to realize how many calories they are ingesting in a single day until they actually start writing it down and logging it.
• If possible, leave your car at home.  People who walk or bike to work have a lower risk of being obese.  If you take a bus to work, get off a few stops before your stop and walk the rest of the way.  If you must take a car, park at a parking lot away from your building and get some extra cardio in before your work day even starts.
• Wear a pedometer.  During the day, shoot for 10,000 steps or approximately 5 miles.  Use the stairs instead of the elevator a few days a week or walk to a coworker's desk instead of sending them an email.
• Walk around during the day.  While your boss may frown on you doing this many times during the day, if you get up a few extra times a day you will burn more calories than staying sedentary for your full eight-hour shift.
• Get a headset and pace in your office when you are on the phone.  Many people who work in an office don't realize how many hours they spend on the phone, utilize this time by burning some calories while on the phone.

Strange Reasons You Might Be Gaining Weight

So you have been working out and eating right, but you still can't get that scale to move in the right direction? Well, there may be a “strange” reason why you are gaining weight instead of losing weight.

Here are some strange factors that could cause you to be gaining weight, even though you are doing everything you can to lose weight.

• If you are depressed and taking medication for it, you can expect to see about a 5 to 15-pound weight gain, with accumulated weight gain the longer you are on medication. Even if you are not taking medication, if you are depressed you can still be causing unnecessary weight gain because people that are depressed typically turn to “comfort” foods like foods high in fat and calories or they may cut back on physical activity.
• If you have digestive issues, like having slow bowel movements, you may be gaining weight from that.  Ideally, you should eat and then in an hour or two, have a bowel movement.  To be considered “regular” you should have one to two bowel movements per day.  Staying hydrated is important to become regular and having a diet rich in fiber is also important.
• If your body is low on vitamin D, magnesium or iron, then your body's immune system can be comprised, your energy levels may be decreased, or your metabolism may be altered in a way that makes it much harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  You can increase your red meat and spinach intake to help improve your iron levels and improve your magnesium levels by eating more almonds or Brazilian nuts.  Add a supplement of vitamin D to get that all-important vitamin.

Heart Health 101: Obesity and Heart Disease

It's a well-known fact that being overweight increases your chance of being at risk of many chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.  But research shows that even a small amount of weight loss can lessen your risk of falling victim to these deadly diseases.

Research also shows that, unfortunately, eating just 100 more calories a day than you should, can cause your body weight to be in the obese category and not just the overweight category.

To determine whether you are overweight or obese, use a BMI Calculator.  A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight; a BMI between 30 and 39.9 is considered obese.  If your BMI is greater than 25 and you are older than 30 years old, you should strongly consider losing weight to reduce your risk of heart disease and other life-threatening conditions.

Roadblocks to a Thinner You

You've gone the whole nine yards and yet you're still seeing little or no results on your weight loss program. While losing weight seems to be a breeze for some, others find it to be a constant uphill battle they just can't win.

Medications

Medicines have a direct effect on our body's many processes including our body weight. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs (aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen), corticosteroids and high blood pressure medication causes fluid retention. Female hormone pills for example hinder weight loss and could actually contribute to weight gain.

If you're currently under medication, the best thing to do is to discuss this with your physician. Try asking for alternative medications which doesn't have this side effect. If this is not possible, switch to a low fat diet and a more aggressive exercise program to offset weight gain. But of course this should first be consulted with your doctor to avoid complications.

You've reached your normal weight

A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 25 is considered normal. Losing weight after reaching your ideal weight could be difficult since this could face opposition from your body. BMI is computed by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in meters).

If you still believe that your are “fat” even if you've reached your normal weight, then this could be a  symptom of a psychological or eating disorder. People suffering from Anorexia nervosa for example, go into extreme diets and exercise programs just to have a thinner figure.

Hormonal Changes

There are many factors that cause hormonal changes in our body. Any change in the level of hormones has a direct effect on our body's normal processes including weight gain. Aging, medication, medical conditions, menopause and menstrual periods are just some of the factors affecting hormone levels.

This is a condition that affects women more than men. Female hormone pills, menstrual periods and menopause for example are just some of the conditions that affect the levels of hormones in the body. The best way to lose weight is to tailor your weight loss program accordingly. Consulting a dietician could help you develop a personalized program could make dieting healthier and more effective.

Extreme diets

If your weight loss program requires extreme dieting then this could actually cause your body to store more fats or reduce the amount of fats being burned. Undergoing prolonged periods of “starvation” causes your body to turn into its own defense mechanisms in an attempt to compensate for such extreme measures. It reaches a point where human nature takes over and you are mentally unable to resist eating. Rather than losing weight in a gradual and healthy pace, suddenly depriving your body of its basic needs could lead to sickness. Our body requires its share of daily supply of nutrients. And that includes fats to power our daily activities.

Stress and Anxiety

Major stumbling blocks to any diet program or any life changing decision is a person's mental condition. Stress, anxiety and unrealistic expectations leads to self doubt undermining any weight loss program. Any changes to your normal daily routine and eating habits can be very stressing. Having a positive disposition, getting the right support (friends and family) and having realistic goals is your best defense when things are not going your way.