successful weight loss

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Successful Weight Loss
Ingredients for Success
By Paige Waehner, About.com


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You already know how to lose weight...At it's simplest, you need to burn more calories than you eat, right? And exercising and eating healthy is the healthiest way to do that, right? But, successful weight loss doesn't start with your body--it starts with your mind.
As we've all discovered, the mind is a powerful thing--it can take you to success or failure, depending on your attitude. What you think about yourself can make the difference between reaching your goals and quitting before you even get close. So how do you get your mind right to make exercise and healthy eating a part of your life? Below are some key ingredients you can rely on to reach your goals.

Commitment

You already know you have to commit to being healthy, but what does that actually involve? It's more than just shouting from the roof tops "I'M COMMITTED TO BEING HEALTHY!" Being committed means you have to wake up every day and decide you're going to make healthy choices. Being committed is a choice and something you have to reinforce each day. So how do you do that? Use these tips to help you commit to your goals:

Plan and Prepare. The night before, plan your workout for the next day and get all your stuff (gym bag, clothes, etc.) ready to go. Decide what and when you'll eat and get your meals ready. Make it as easy as possible to follow through with your plans.
Motivate Yourself. Remind yourself throughout the day of your workout plans--send yourself a reminder or have a friend call and ask about your workout, so it's always in the front of your mind.
Hold Yourself Accountable. What will happen if you skip that workout? You need to have consequences so that missing your workout isn't an option--maybe you can't watch your favorite TV show until you exercise. On the other side, you can also reward yourself for working out--just make sure you don't reward yourself with food.
Remember Your Goals. As you're getting ready for the day, remember what your goals are. Weight loss? More energy? Whatever it is, that workout is an important step in reaching it. Remind yourself of the big picture--what you do today counts!
Discipline

Such an ugly word, I know, but discipline is a part of successful weight loss and just another way of saying self-control. Think of how you practice self-control in the other parts of your life. Each day you fulfill your obligations to work and family, even when you'd rather just lie in bed and sleep late. That takes discipline. The same can be true of exercise. Of course, it's easy to make yourself go to work because there are consequences if you don't--you won't make as much money or you could lose your job. But if you don't workout, the consequences aren't as immediate, are they? Try these ideas to get more disciplined with exercise:

Make Exercise a Habit. Part of being disciplined is creating a habit. You may not want to brush your teeth every night, but you do it anyway because you always do it right before bed...it's a habit. You can do the same thing with exercise by keeping your workouts on specific days and times each week (if you can). Knowing that every Monday at 6 a.m. will find you at the gym will make it that much easier to show up for your workouts.
Know the Consequences. You already know what happens if you don't brush your teeth--cavities, gum disease, painful dental experiences, etc. But what are the consequences of not exercising? Make a list of all the things that could happen to your body and mind without exercise such as weight gain, increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, to name a few.
Get Some Help. One sure way to show up for your workout is to have someone waiting for you. One option is a personal trainer--someone who will hold you accountable for your workouts while educating you all at the same time. Another option is to get a workout buddy and have consquences if you don't show up. Having that support will make exercise more enjoyable AND keep you on track.
Make a Deal With Yourself. Don't feel like working out? Promise yourself you'll just do a warm up. If after 10 minutes you still don't want to workout, you can quit and go home. The majority of the time, you'll keep going...trust me

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The 7 Deadly Sins of Dieting

Nubella News

You’re completely committed to losing weight. You’re even counting calories and eliminating fast food. But no matter how hard you try, you won’t reach your goals if you fall victim to certain dieting blunders. Read on to uncover the seven deadly sins of dieting—and to ensure weight-loss success.

1. Choosing a fad diet. Although some of these plans may seem to work initially, any pounds you shed on them tend to come back quickly and in greater numbers. What’s more, fad diets can pose serious health risks. The same goes for most diet pills. According to experts, you should plan to lose a maximum of two pounds a week; any plan or product professing to help you lose more than that should be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism.

2. Leaving exercise out. Many people make the mistake of thinking that cutting calories is all it takes to shed pounds. Although watching what you eat is surely part of the puzzle, it doesn’t tell the whole story. The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) found that 94 percent of people who successfully lost weight increased their frequency of exercise. So be sure to make physical activity a part of your dieting regimen.

3. Going it alone. Losing weight is hard, but without a support system, it’s even harder. With nobody to tell you put that doughnut down or remind you about your 6 A.M. aerobics class, your chances for success are going to be lower. If you recruit a buddy, it will make you feel more accountable for your successes and setbacks—and help you to lose more weight, according to a Brown Medical School Study.

4. Being a yo-yo dieter. The constant ups and downs may not only be hurting your waistline; they could also be harming your health. In addition to the discouragement that may accompany rapid weight cycling, yo-yo dieting has been linked to long-lasting negative impacts on metabolism, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). As if that’s not enough, yo-yo dieters may experience physical problems, such as a decrease in muscular strength and endurance, thinning hair, loss of coordination, fainting, weakness, and slowed heart rates.

5. Piling on the extras. You may think you’re doing your body good by eating that salad, but if you’re just loading it up with creamy dressing and full-fat cheese, there’s nothing diet-friendly about it. Instead, substitute high-calorie condiments for lower-calorie alternatives. If you usually opt for ranch or blue cheese dressing, switch to vinaigrette (if you’re dining out, always ask for it on the side). And if you generally use mayonnaise, swap it for mustard—you’ll save nearly 40 calories per tablespoon.

6. Depriving yourself. This behavior can only last for so long. At some point, you’re going to break, say Harvard researchers, who found that diets that are too restrictive will most likely lead to bouts of overeating or binge eating. Try eating smaller meals and snacks throughout the day, which will help to jump-start your metabolism and stop you from feeling famished by day’s end.

7. Giving up too soon. It takes a great deal of dedication to shed pounds, and results don’t just happen overnight. The key, according to experts, is resisting the urge to throw in the towel, no matter how many setbacks you may face. Remember, the road to weight loss is a journey with many twists and turns—but when you reach your goals, there are many rewards to be had.

[FIRELADY]

I have successful weight loss. 21# lost as of today Wohoo !!!!
I was kind of bummed cuz I got stuck in a rut for what seemed forever (really wasn't that long) and changed up my routine at the gym and lost some more.

There is hope I will be in last years summer clothes