Weight Management

I am always being asked about weight loss. I prefer to call it "weight management". Things we lose we tend to eventually find, that includes those unwanted pounds. Most diets and dieting are fads and more often just temporary. Weight management is more of a lifestyle choice, fueled by regular exercise, and healthy eating and cooking.

Where to Start ?

Change your focus to becoming healthy and fit

Weight-loss goals promote the “I will believe and try anything mentality,” and this typically leads to fad-dieting, prepackaged foods, appetite suppression via drugs or herbal products and other gimmickry. The end result is muscle mass and water loss.

Losing muscle results in general weakness, metabolism slow down, immune system suppression and bone thinning. Building muscle can actually help you manage your weight. One pound of muscle burns 50 calories a day at rest. So if you added 10 pounds of lean muscle, you would burn an extra 3500 calories a week, at rest! Remember, 3500 calories equals one pound of fat. If you just had an A-ha moment you are on your way to leaner stronger you.

Lose body fat slowly – it is physiologically impossible to lose more than 1 pound of fat per week, so think long term rather than quick results - think in terms of reducing 500 calories per day either through dietary adjustments or increased physical activity (exercise).

Change your surroundings.

Associate with groups and people that are healthy and active.

More likely if you are a smoker you associate with smokers.

Think of your children, lead by example.

Join a fitness club, sports team, or group run. (There is something for every level of fitness, do not get discouraged)

* Find a partner, who can help you stay on track and commit.

Cut back on the Carbs!

If you are trying to lose a few unwanted pounds, cut back on your intake of carbohydrates. The basic bad carbs list includes:

All candies, jelly and jams,

Sodas, fruit juices, fruit drinks,

Pudding, custards and other sweets,

Processed refined grains, like white rice,

Bread and pasta made with any refined flour,

Cakes, cookies and other sweet bakery products
This will force your body to get its energy from stored body fat. Get your carbohydrates from good food sources such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.

Decide to give up sugar or cut way back. This includes sugary breakfast foods, cokes/ carbonated drinks, fruit juice, sweet tea. Avoid canned fruit in heavy syrup they have too much sugar. This is the quickest way to speed up your weight loss. This is the most important and easy weight management tip.

Become a label reader

Be aware of what you are eating. Pay attention to fat content and calories. Avoid hydrogenated fats- bad fats- that are harmful to the body. This includes corn oil , palm oil and margarines. You can have olive oil and canola oil and pure butter occasionally. But fat should only be 25%- 35% of your diet.

To begin a weight management program a good start is to burn more calories than you are consuming. Below are some estimated Calorie requirements for men and women with regards to lifestyles. To be clear, if you are sitting on your ass all day in an office, and rush home to get on the couch and watch TV, this is a sedentary lifestyle!
Take a look here for more weight management and Weight Loss Tips.

Female Estimated Daily Calorie requirements

Male Estimated Daily Calorie requirements

O K, so lets get started. First if you are looking for a quick fix pill or drink to instantly lose weight you are in the wrong place. This is the place for a lifestyle change using diet and fitness to stay healthy.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you are consuming more calories than you are burning you are going to see an increase in body weight. For some athletes this is the goal. But for most the extra calories come in the form of carbs and fat. This fat acts like the mother in-law during the holidays, "it never leaves"!. Being conscious of your body's needs as far as fuel or food goes, is the beginning to a good weight management program.

First check your ideal body weight to get an idea where you stand. Everyone is different so please consult with your doctor or dietitian for advice. Next visit my nutrition page to get started on the right path to healthy eating.

Like to run? Use my running calculator to get an idea of how many calories you have burned during a run.

Next, find an exercise or exercise program that you enjoy. This is important. If you don't enjoy the type of activity that you are doing you are more likely to give it up. Learn how to set fitness and health goals. Click on my "home exercises link" for some exercise ideas and don't forget the cardio workouts!

Just do it!

Make a commitment to start your way to a healthy active life right now. Tomorrow is too late and it never comes. You don't have to run a full marathon in a week, so start off slow and your weight management system will change your "body composition", the way you feel and look. And most importantly you will see an improvement in your overall health.

If I can help you in anyway, drop me an email via my contact link. Good luck and congratulations to getting started on your way to a healthy fit lifestyle!

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