Lifestyle Tips for Healthy Weight Loss

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Don't you wish there was an easy-to-follow practical primer to tell you all the things you should and shouldn't do to help you lose weight? I'm not talking about food choices here – there are dozens of eating plans

available. I'm referring to a simple list of do's and don'ts that you can follow in your everyday life to make it easier to stick to your diet. Here are ten tips that I've found work wonders to help avoid
temptation and keep me on track.

Shopping Tips

1. Shop the outside aisles.

Supermarkets are designed with the four basic food groups around the perimeter. If you stick to the outside aisles, you'll find produce, bakery, dairy and meat – exactly what you should be buying. Avoid going up and down the aisles where processed ‘convenience' foods lurk to tempt you from your good intentions.

2. Don't shop hungry.

It's an old tip, but it works. When you're hungry, everything looks good – especially quick, empty calories. Make it a point to shop on a full stomach and you'll find yourself saving both money and calories.

3. Buy fresh, whole and organic whenever you can.

Processing depletes nutrients and adds calories. If you have a choice, buy fresh vegetables and fruits and whole grain products. Skip the highly processed snack foods and ‘convenience' dinners.

Setting Goals

1. Set reasonable, attainable goals for yourself.
Remember that a healthy, sustainable weight loss is about 1-2 pounds per week. Setting the goal to lose 30 pounds by next month is setting yourself up for failure.

2. Break your goals down if you have to.
The thought of losing 100 pounds can be daunting. Instead, make it your goal to lose 10 pounds this month, or to get through the week without cheating on your diet.

3. Reward yourself!
There's nothing more motivating than promising yourself a special treat when you reach a goal – but don't keep rewards just for big milestones. Make a list of positive reinforcers that you can dip into whenever you avoid temptation or need a little boost.

Measuring and Weighing

1. Measure your progress by dress size instead of pounds. Why? One of the by-products of eating healthy and exercising daily is converting fat to muscle. Muscle is denser, and weighs more than fat – but you're still getting smaller, and your clothing will tell you the truth.

2. Measure your food for the first month. Our concept of portion size has been greatly distorted by restaurants, magazine ads and our own eating habits. Invest a month in learning what a real portion looks like – weigh or measure everything.

3. Measure your day in steps – steps walked, that is. Counting the steps you walk each day and aiming to increase them to 10,000 steps daily is a great way to add exercise to your diet. (Hint: Invest in a
pedometer!)

Attitude

1. Treat yourself well! Losing weight is something you're doing because you love yourself. Remember to reinforce yourself regularly for your
hard work.

2. Focus on your health, not your weight. Eat healthy, exercise sensibly, and put in some ‘me time' every day.

3. If you slip, forgive yourself and start again. Every day is a new day, and every day brings you closer to the new you.

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When You Don’t Feel Like Exercising

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Exercise. It's been endorsed by every major health organization in the country as one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body.

One half hour of moderate physical activity a day is the key to better health, they say. The best diet in the world can only go so far in helping you lose weight. To really see the effects of changing your eating habits (in lost pounds and inches, that is), you need to rev up your body with physical exercise.

So why does the word bring a collective groan to dieters around the world? Maybe it's our mistaken impression that exercise is a chore, and a boring, painful one at that. Here are ten ways to exercise that should get rid of that impression for good, and make exercise something you can look forward to:

1. Take a walk through a favorite place. One half hour of moderately paced walking will burn 450 calories – and make you feel great. Make sure that you're wearing comfortable shoes, and pick a venue you enjoy. Try a walk around the lake, up and down the block or around the mall – your body doesn't know the difference.

2. Go out and play a game of tag with your kids. Making exercise a family activity turns it into fun that you share with them. Besides being good for your body, you're instilling good habits in them, and creating happy memories that will stay with them for life.

3. Go swimming. An annual membership to the local YMCA or YWCA is fairly inexpensive, and many have ‘scholarships' and financial aid
available. Swimming is great exercise – it's aerobic, low stress on your joints, and a lot of fun!

4. Join an exercise class. You can turn exercise into a social activity by becoming part of a class. Besides making friends, you're more likely
to exercise if you're paying for it.

5. Get an exercise buddy. It's partly the same principle as joining a class – turn exercise into a social activity. In addition to that, making a commitment to a friend for a daily exercise date will make it far more likely that you'll stick to it.

6. Play ball! Seriously. If your company has a sports team (softball, anyone?), join up. Or join a bowling league, volleyball team or other sports group that practices and plays regularly.

7. Get a trampoline. Mini-trampolines are easy to set up, store in small spaces and provide a stress-free surface on which to bounce, dance and have a lot of fun.

8. Go for a bike ride. Even leisurely bike-riding burns calories and exercises muscles that don't get used in regular walking. No need for an exercise ‘routine' – just ride your bike to the store, or back and forth to work each day.

9. Take up a new active hobby. Would you believe that gardening is exercise? Bending and stretching and digging and weeding – half an hour of energetic work in your garden burns more calories than a brisk walk.

10. Challenge yourself. If you're the kind of person who thrives on competition, challenge yourself to meet a new goal each week. Walk one more block. Do six more sit-ups. Take the stairs each day instead of the elevator. Goal-setting to meet challenges is a great way to commit to exercise.

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Strategic Weight Loss

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One of the first things that you'll do when you decide to lose weight is to set a goal weight. For most, that goal will be their ‘ideal weight', but for many, that ‘ideal weight' may be exactly the wrong weight for them to be aiming for.

Years of dieting or being overweight have the physiological effect of moving the body's concept of the ‘ideal weight' from what is truly considered ideal. The ‘set point' is the weight at which your body naturally feels most comfortable. If you've been overweight for a very long time, or if you've consistently ‘yo-yoed', your body may respond to your initial weight loss by lowering its metabolism because it believes that you are starving to death. This slowing leads to discouraging plateaus that often knock people off their diets entirely, and lead to regaining all or part of the lost weight.

Instead of aiming for an ‘ideal weight' that calls for you to lose weight steadily for months or even years, many experts recommend aiming for shorter-term attainable goals. Since the bulk of diet research shows that most dieters lose weight steadily for about 12 weeks, then hit a plateau, that's the number that they suggest you aim for. The strategy that many have found works best for them is one of alternating periods of weight loss and maintenance, each lasting 8-12 weeks.

Choose a realistic amount of weight that you can lose in 8-12 weeks. Figuring that the most reasonable and healthiest weight loss rate is 1-2 pounds per week, 30 pounds in three months is not unreasonable. Diet until you reach that goal, or for 12 weeks, whichever comes first, and then switch to a maintenance diet.

Why switch to a maintenance diet at that point? In part, you're giving yourself a ‘breather', a break from more restrictive eating. The other part, though, is that you're re-educating your body and letting it establish a new ‘set point'. Once you've maintained your new weight for 8-12 weeks, set another weight loss goal, and move back into weight loss mode. By giving your body a break from ‘starvation', you'll have overcome its resistance to losing more weight, and be back to dieting for ‘the first two weeks' – the weeks that most people lose weight more rapidly.

You'll also be giving yourself a chance to ‘practice' maintaining your new, healthier weight. Researchers have found that more than half of the dieters who take off significant amounts of weight do not maintain that weight loss once they go ‘off' their diet. By practicing weight maintenance in stages, you'll be proving to yourself that you CAN do it, and removing a powerful negative psychological block.

This will work with any long-term weight loss diet, no matter the focus. You'll find it much easier to do if you choose a diet that has concrete ‘phases', like the South Beach or the Atkins, since the weight loss and maintenance phases are clearly laid out for you to follow. Regardless of the diet you choose, though, by alternating between weight loss phases and maintenance phases, you'll teach yourself and your body how to maintain a healthy weight.

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Paleo Weight Loss

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Are you ready to get started on the Paleo diet and are wondering if you can actually lose weight? You have read about it, seen it advertised and want to jump on the bandwagon like all those celebrities and everyone else. You hear the stories and it makes you want to start losing weight–today.

It is no secret that this is one of the hottest diets going right now. Lots of people are saying how much healthier they are, how they have more energy, more mental clarity and love the way they look and feel. The one thing that people love most about this diet is the few changes you have to make to your present eating habits and how you really don't have to kill yourself at the gym.

Are you tired of trying the same old treadmill of products and lifestyle changes other diets ask you to make? With the Paleo diet you can change a few of your eating habits, exercise a little more and not be burnt out by the end of the first week.

Any time you are asked to make a multitude of changes at the same to time, your diet and exercise routine are a recipe for disaster. This is why people get fed up and quit so quickly. You are asked to eat food that tastes like cardboard and work out until you drop. Did you know that 90% of dieters fail and drop off their new routine; or most likely New Year's resolution.

So why is this diet so different? First, the Paleo diet is easy to stick with. The weight loss you will see is much different. The Paleo diet addresses different key areas that other diets don't take into consideration.

The Paleo diet helps you to build up protein in your body. Your body needs protein. Period. Protein helps you to feel fuller for longer periods of time. Why is this important? It is really quite simple. The hungrier you are the more tempted you are to head for the junk food cupboard, vending machine or nearest fast-food restaurant. You can't get there fast enough and you end up eating something unhealthy.

Another reason the Paleo diet works is that protein helps your body to burn stored fat cells. From the moment you stuff those french-fries into your mouth, your body is thinking about how it needs to break down all the components of that fry. When you are eating a lot of protein, the body does not break it down so easily so it will start to break down those fat cells instead which are caused by those fries.
To further enhance your Paleo diet, add an exercise routine. Before you start thinking, “absolutely not” think about this. All you have to do is go for a nice walk or jog. An hour walk equals about three miles. Easy! Your body is already burning fat with the changes you have made with your protein intake. Why not add a little exercise to pump up the cardio?

Just like anything else in life, it is how you look at this as to how successful you will be. Now, get out there and start your Paleo lifestyle today!

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Paleo Foods

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The Paleo diet food list can be your best friend. In order to be successful on the diet you need to stick to the foods that are suggested in order to optimally lose weight. The Paleo diet suggests foods that are high in protein and “natural” foods. As suggested by the name, “Paleo” it literally means eat like a caveman who survived in the Paleolithic era.

There are minor changes that you need to make in your diet which will assist you in “going Paleo.” As with any diet, you need to eat foods in moderation. This diet is no different except that you will find eating much healthier and shedding pounds much faster because of the food you are allowed to eat versus starving yourself.
Eating Paleo does not mean going hungry. You will be satisfied with the foods that you are allowed to consume. The key is the type of food and changing it up a bit. The Paleo diet is based on eating a lot of protein. By eating lots of Protein, you will not only look better but you will feel better. Eating protein gives you the feeling of being full and it has the best effect ever: breaking down all of those fat cells that you have accumulated over the years.

In the morning, don't eat an Egg McMuffin type sandwich, just eat an egg. If you are a coffee drinker, try drinking it black. The flavorful creams that they entice you with at the store contain a LOT of sugar. And, dairy is not your friend anyway. If you like to eat a sandwich for lunch with cheese, skip the cheese and just go for the meat.

If you are going to succeed on the Paleo diet you will have to eliminate processed foods…period. This diet will only work if you follow the suggested food list. No sugars. No junk food. If something is not in its natural form, you are not allowed to eat it. Eating processed foods does not give you the nutrition that your body needs to stay strong and healthy.

What can you eat? Nuts and seeds. Organic fruits and vegetables. Lean Meat to name a few. There are a variety of foods to choose from in each of these groups.
Nuts and seeds are great, healthy snacks. Whether you are at work, at home or on the road, taking along a pack of seeds or nuts is an approved Paleo food that is good for you. It is hard to stay away from that junk food on such occasions but if you keep a pack or two of nuts or seeds with you at all time, you won't be tempted by those vending machines full of unhealthy foods.

Lean meat means eating grass fed meat (if at all possible). Grass fed meats (or natural meats) means that the animals are not fed artificial food additives such as those that plump them up for greater meat quality/quantity. By eating grass fed meats you get all the benefits of the essential nutrients the animal has taken in.
Organic fruits and vegetables are also essential Paleo diet foods which are filled with nutrients and hydration. Almost all of these types of vegetables are packed with enhanced flavors since they are organic.

Try starting your Paleo diet with these three food groups or start with one at a time. The idea is to just get started!

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Paleo Diet Results

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Before beginning the Paleo diet, you will most likely ask yourself the following question: when will I see the Paleo diet results?

As with anything else, it depends. It depends on where you are right now as far as weight, height, eating habits, exercise habits, etc. In order to see Paleo diet results, it will depend on how soon you start the diet and how long you follow it. Some more important factors are your age, your metabolism and your genetics.

You may or may not see results as fast as your relatives or friends. You may see quicker results than expected depending on how seriously you take the Paleo diet and how closely you follow the guidelines. Don't go ballistic when you don't see yourself shedding the pounds immediately because with this type of diet you are going to feel much better before you look in the mirror and see the fantastic results.

When you change over to the Paleo diet and way of thinking you will be getting more protein which will cause you to drop the weight faster. You will find that your eating habits are going to change along with your overall body fat count.
A lot of people report on the fact the once they are on the Paleo diet they feel less hungry. They also report losing weight more rapid than any other diet they have tried. You will also start seeing the difference when you look in the mirror. You will notice that parts of your body are toning up where you never thought it possible before.

Another big benefit is that you will also realize you are not killing yourself on the Paleo diet by having to work out so hard at the gym and that you don't feel exhausted. You will look start looking firmer and toned and that is what everyone strives for when starting a diet.

How are you going to start feeling this way? The Paleo diet asks you to eat a lot of protein. By eating a lot of protein your body feels full for a longer period of time. You will notice that you hardly ever feel hungry. The key is to take this into consideration and not go ahead and eat for the sake of eating. You will definitely not feel like you are starving so there is no need to binge on sweets or junk food.

Protein not only help you feel full, you start to see the results by that lean, mean fat-burning machine that you have become. You will start to see muscle and look much more tone than before. Protein takes longer to break down so it stays with your body longer. What that does in turn is send your body looking for the fat reserves. To put it another way: your body loves protein and keeps it, your body doesn't like fat and the protein goes after it.

If you decide to try the Paleo diet, give it a chance to work before you decide to drop it like the last 15 diets you have tried. You can achieve amazing Paleo diet results if you stick with it long enough.

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What is the Paleo Diet?

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If you have not heard of the Paleo diet, you need to stand up and take notice. The Paleo diet is one of the better diets to come along in a great while. There is no starvation but only asks you to change the types of foods you eat. The Paleo diet is full of protein.

Because the Paleo diet is full of protein and helps to eliminate fat cells, you will not only look amazing and feel great, you will also have an enormous boost in your energy. You will wonder why you did not try living this lifestyle sooner.
You ask: Is the Paleo diet for me? Before starting any new diet it is suggested that you consult your physician.

Basically, the “Paleo” diet is just as it suggests. You will be eating like a caveman. No, you won't be scavenging around for meat, fruits or vegetables in the forest. What it means is that you will be eating all natural foods. You are not allowed to eat processed foods. You will be eating anything that eats or grows off of the land naturally or organically.

Cavemen relied on their skills and knowledge of anything that would be suitable to eat. They had to hunt it, bring it home and prepare it. There was definitely not a Mickey D's drive-thru in that era to go get a fast-food fix! When they hunted and gathered food, they had to be mindful of their food stock and protect it against predators and/or other hungry animals. The caveman needed to perform at his optimal best at all times.

Cavemen knew that eating meat alone was not satisfying. Because fruits and vegetables were plentiful they would also gather these types of foods to supplement their meals. By eating foods fueled with nutrition it allowed the caveman to be at his best mentally and physically at all times. He basically couldn't have it any other way or he would not survive.

A caveman needed enormous strength for all the tasks he was required to accomplish in a day. Not only did he have to hunt, he had to configure and make the weapons he used for hunting. A caveman had to protect himself and his family from the elements. But, most of all, he had to keep his body fueled up in order to be able to fight off anything that presented itself in that day and age.
There are a lot of people who highly recommend this diet such as movie stars and celebrities because they enjoy the benefits looking and feeling healthy. Many others swear by this new way of looking at and eating food.

If you are going to reap the benefits of the Paleo diet, you will probably experience a rise in your energy level, lose dramatic amounts of weight and feel less sick all the time. The reason you are going to feel this way is because you are going to be building up your health, strength and body fuel instead of destroying.

What are you waiting for? It is really not that hard and once you start you will wonder how you ever lived the other way by eating all that unhealthy processed food.

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Paleo Diet Controversy

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If you turn on the TV, surf the internet or are not living under a rock, you have most likely heard about the diet everyone is talking about: the Paleo diet. There are a lot of books, DVD's and other materials out there about this diet. It has been endorsed by celebrities and others who have now become “experts” in the field of Paleo.

But, that being said, there are also the naysayers. As with any diet, there are those who do not see the benefits and will gladly speak their mind on all of their negative thoughts about the diet. This diet is garnishing a lot of attention and whenever something becomes really popular so fast there is almost always going to be controversy surrounding it.

A lot of people are calling the Paleo diet just another fad diet that will come and go just like so many of the other diets out there. In fact, this could not be further from the truth. There are so many people that have tried this diet that it is hard to say too many negative things about it. People can't get enough of living “Paleo.”

People are swearing by the Paleo diet because it is so much different than all the other diets out there today. People are feeling healthy, healing from illnesses and it is basically changing their lives. It almost seems too good to be true so forget about, and put away, all those negative thoughts. This is one diet that is true to its word.

Here is one way to start thinking about this diet. Are you really going to be changing your lifestyle that drastically if you are already buying food organically? Do you shop at Whole Foods or check the labels before you purchase your food at the supermarket? You are probably already eating Paleo without even knowing it.

Paleo means eating foods that can be found in nature or are organic in nature. It also means avoiding foods that are processed. Some people would call this eating like a vegetarian or vegan (current fad). The big difference with eating Paleo is that you will be consuming lean meat which is actually good for you. Meat is actually good for you and provides the protein your body needs contrary to what some believe.

If you are wondering how this diet will fit in with your household, especially if you have children, have no fear. Think about the children who lived in the Paleo era. What did they eat? They ate what their parents ate. And, no, there was no pizza delivery or fast-food restaurant nearby. The children were forced to eat what was put before them. None of this Paleo for the adults and hot dogs and mac/cheese for the kids. If you eat this way in your house, your children will follow along.

Some people don't believe in forcing their children to eat healthy foods. But, keep in mind the obesity problem that is rampant these days. If you start your family eating healthy fruits and vegetables along with lean meat as suggested by the Paleo diet, they will thank you when they get older.

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Don’t Make These Common Excuses Not To Exercise

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It's old news that exercising is the single best way to spark up your weight loss efforts. The activity perks up your metabolism, and eats up more calories. In addition, the more you exercise, the better the effect.

Exercising builds muscle mass, which is denser and more compact than fat. That means your body has to expend more effort to pump blood through it, and it requires more nutrients to keep it healthy. The end result? Even at rest, your body naturally burns more calories.

Unfortunately, the prospect of exercising tends to elicit groans from most people. There's all the logistics to work out – the time, equipment, expense and the sheer, utter boringness of it all. Negative thinking about exercise can sabotage all your good intentions. Here's a list of answers for some of the most commonly used excuses not to exercise.

I don't have time to exercise!

Exercise could be one of the most important things you'll do for your health today. MAKE time to exercise. If you're doing traditional workouts – move those weights and mats right out into the family room and make use of your television time. Instead of flopping down in a chair while you watch the news or your favorite show, be active. Run in place, do leg lifts or heft weights. Use time in your car to tighten and tone muscles with isometric tummy tighteners. Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Exercise doesn't have to be a solid hour at the gym. Anything that revs up your motors is great for your body.

I don't have the right equipment at home.

You don't need equipment to exercise. A brisk walk around the block is good for you – and burns over 200 calories. Vacuuming your carpets can burn nearly as much. Flip on your radio or pop in your favorite high-energy CD and dance. Don't fool yourself into thinking that your ‘exercise' has to be a carefully planned workout to work all the right muscles in the right order with the right tension. Exercise means being active. Just do it.

I can't afford a membership to the gym.

If you'd rather exercise at the gym (and have access to their fitness machines, whirlpools, swimming pool and trainers), there are a lot of ways to make it more affordable. Check with your health insurance company to see if they offer incentives. Most of the major health insurance companies, including Blue Cross, cover part or all of fitness club memberships as part of your benefits. If yours doesn't, or if you don't have health insurance, call your local YMCA or YWCA. Most offer ‘scholarships' or sliding fee scales for memberships to their facilities.

But exercise is such a chore! 

Says who? Make getting your daily exercise fun. Play a game. Go dancing. Grab a few friends for a weekend hike in the state park. Exercise doesn't have to be routine. Stop thinking of it as a chore and start thinking of it as recreation. You'll be amazed what a difference it makes.

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More Healthy Weight Loss Tips

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Are you tired of getting the same old advice when it comes to dieting? Are you looking for some quick tips to help motivate yourself during a diet? Why not follow along below to learn about some quick healthy weight loss tips?

Tip # 1: Take off five pounds quickly before a big event!

If you're generally in good shape, but you want to pare off a few
pounds to look your best before a big event like a class reunion, one of the best ways to do it is to cleanse your system. For the week before, skip the breads and pastas, eat lots of raw vegetables and salads, and drink at least eight ounce glasses of water a day. You'll not only end up slimmer, you'll feel 100% more energetic and healthy.

Tip # 2: Lose weight without dieting!

It's a lot easier than you think. The key is exercise. Just one half hour of moderate exercise per day will burn calories – and better yet, kick your metabolism into high gear so that you continue burning calories at a higher rate. Bonuses: you'll be doing your health a favor, too. The latest research shows that adding moderate exercise to your daily routine can help lower cholesterol, slow the progression of type-2 diabetes and improve your circulation. What's moderate exercise? A brisk one mile walk, half an hour of dancing, or chasing the kids around in a game of tag will do it.

Tip # 3: Start your day off right!

Don't skip breakfast when you're dieting, and don't go for the convenience of a ‘nutrition bar'. Give your body the pick-me-up of fresh fruit in either juice or raw form, and the staying power of a whole grain. One of the best breakfasts you can have is a bowl of whole-grain cereal with fresh berries, melon or peaches. You get
the sugar your body craves, the carbs it needs to run on, and the added
benefit of antioxidant vitamins to help it stay on track and balanced.

Tip # 4: Take a high quality multivitamin every day.

There's no substitute for a diet that has a healthy balance of all foods, but it's far too easy to skimp on the essentials when you're dieting. Make sure that your body doesn't miss out on the nutrients it needs just because you're cutting calories. A good multivitamin should contain, at a minimum, the minimum recommended daily allowances of vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E and K. While you're at it, get out in the sun for at least ten minutes a day to help your body manufacture the vitamin D that it needs.

Tip # 5: Eat your veggies – especially your lettuce.

But don't confine yourself to iceberg lettuce or to salads. Darker greens have about the same number of calories and carbs, but pack a lot more punch in the vitamins and other nutrient categories. By substituting radicchio, watercress, escarole or spinach for the iceberg lettuce, you add vitamin C, riboflavin’s, manganese and other essential vitamins that aren't present in lettuce. Try them braised, steamed or grilled for something a little different from the usual salad.

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