50 WEIGHT LOSS TIPS

50 Weight Loss Tips

I lost 30 pounds in three months. If you wanted to know how I did it, and how I intend on maintaining my current weight, then these 50 weight loss tips are for you. I’m not an expert, but I do speak from experience. If it helps you attain your own weight loss goals, then I’m happy to have helped (if only to serve as a reinforcement of knowledge you already possess). Most of this, I learned on my own or through close friends and family members. Feel free to add your own tips to this list, too!

If you want even more help, I now have an PDF eBook series available, which includes an ebook version of the diet and weight loss tips that follow. Be sure to download my weight loss ebook before you scoot away! Having these tips on your hard drive or your iPhone will serve as a regular reminder of how to maintain your personal health.

1. Dietary control and exercise. It’s true what they say – all you need to do is watch what you eat, and expend more energy than you consume. It’s really that simple. You can quit reading this list now, you now know everything you need to know and didn’t need to fork over $500 for the privilege of me telling you the secret of losing weight. You don’t need to read a 4,000 page book, you don’t have to buy a tape series, you don’t need to stay up late at night to watch infomercials to understand this basic premise. It’s 100% true.
2. Change your lifestyle. If you’re calling this a “diet,” then you’re going to gain all the weight back (and more) within a few months of losing it. Diets do not work. Diets are temporary. When you change your dietary lifestyle, however, you’re changing your habits – and you’re putting yourself on track for long-term / continued success and weight maintenance. Don’t ever tell anybody you’re on a diet – ever. I’m speaking from experience, here – a reformed low-carber. Worked out well for a while, but ultimately failed because my entire lifestyle didn’t change (permanently).
3. Join an online support group. In my case, I created my own – FatBlasters. It’s essential that you not feel alone, and reaching out to friends (new or old) is typically a smart move. I just heard about PeetTrainer, but didn’t know about it when I began down the road to weight loss. You have to know that others are out there for moral support – they know things that you couldn’t possibly know, and they’ve probably been “in your shoes” at some point in the past (or present). Share stories, laughter, tears, successes, and failures – share them. There are thousands of communities out there, so keep looking until you find the one that fits you.
4. Take before and after photos. I know it sucks to see yourself as a chunky monkey (sorry, that’s what I called myself – if only to get myself motivated to meet my weight loss goal). However, there’s no easier way to illustrate your progress. The “after” photos are far more fun to capture and share, admittedly. Find yourself on Flickr! It’s good to see yourself how others see you. Do you like how you look? In many ways, Flickr helped me lose weight.
5. Hire a substitute teacher. Don’t reach for the brands you know and love immediately – or without thinking first. Eggs are “good” for you, but consider using egg substitutes instead (in fact, many restaurants will let you order lower calorie foods). There are countless “lower” alternatives for you to try. If something different doesn’t taste good, by all means – find a better substitute, or eat less of the original. In some cases, the substitute may be worse for you than the regular version of the product. The good news is, healthier choices are silently replacing their “normal” counterparts – and they taste just as nice.
6. Start reading labels. I know it sucks, but you have to do it – and there’s no way to avoid this tip. If you don’t know what you’re putting in your mouth, you’re flying blind. Don’t assume, either – triple-check the ingredients list and serving sizes. You must rely on yourself for this; nobody else is going to be able to lose the weight or do the math for you. It’s not that complicated a task, but it will require effort. If nothing else, just pay attention to the calorie count.
7. What’s so funny about bovines? If you like cheese, you must buy the Laughing Cow brand, and keep several of the suckers in stock at all times. The individually-wrapped wedges make for excellent snacks, and are wonderful when melted over just about anything edible. I’d be careful about straight-up American cheese, though – it’s oil, but not necessarily as good for you as (say) a slice of cheddar would be. I have yet to find something as calorie-light and filling as Laughing Cow (I don’t know how they do it).
8. Tell your family. You’re not going to lose the weight alone, even if you ARE alone in losing the weight. If you’ve got a family at home, talk to them about it – initially, not incessantly. Let them know what you’re going to do, and that you want (and need) their support. If you don’t let them know, you’re running the risk of them inadvertently sabotaging your efforts. You want them to help you get to your goal(s). You want them to share in your happiness when you’ve made it past a certain mark. Who knows? Maybe some of your new habits will rub off on them and they’ll become healthier people, too?
9. Go public. I didn’t want to admit that I had screwed up, but admitting the problem in public was the first step on the path to eventual success. I was now accountable for my actions, and all my friends knew what I was doing. There was no turning back, otherwise I’d be risk damaging my integrity. I didn’t want to disappoint the people who read me on a regular (or semi-regular) basis. Plus, it’s an easy way to find out which of your friends have gone through the process before – and glean tips from their own experiences. Then, other friends might become inspired to do the same thing you’re doing once they see that you’ve taken the first step.
10. Identify your exercise. No exercise was created equal. You might like running, so run. You might like jogging, so jog. You might like stationary bikes, so bike stationarily. Find the one that works best for you – that isn’t too much of a chore for you to do regularly throughout the week. Don’t pick a routine that you don’t like – or you won’t want to do it, and you certainly won’t stick with it for long. I also wouldn’t recommend buying into that whole “no pain, no gain” mantra. I’ve lost weight without hurting myself, and you probably can, too.
11. Become a Gazelle. You’ve probably seen Tony Little on TV, selling his Gazelle glider – a low impact exercise machine. I can tell you: it works. It’s easy on my legs, and really gives me a workout when I apply myself on it. Some people say it’s awkward to use, but I love mine – and would consider recommending no other home exercise equipment at this point. Then again, I’m a wimpy geek who only wants to burn calories.
12. Zone out. There’s a reason why people exercise to their favorite music – listening to external stimulus takes your mind off of the physical activity. That’s the secret to making “exercise time” fly. If you’re concentrating on what your body is doing, the session is going to drag on for what will seem like days. Buy a portable music player, or situate yourself in front of a television.
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13. Never count on live programming. It’s important to stimulate your mind while your body is exerting itself in other ways. However, never rely on “what’s on TV or the radio” at the time. Instead of zoning out, you’ll find yourself flipping between channels – and that’s going to make the time drag as much as it would if you weren’t keeping your mind busy in the first place. “Live” is a very bad idea. Go with pre-recorded programming or go without.
14. Video games helped me lose weight. I can keep my balance on the Gazelle (which some might find difficult to do). As such, I plugged an Xbox 360 into the TV and started to play it while I was working out. Immediately, I found that I was sweating more than I was when I was only watching TV passively! The reason boils down to a single word: adrenalin. Now, the only way I’m able to work up a sweat is when I play a fast-paced game on the game console. Yes, even game genre is important; avoid any diversions that require long pauses between tasks. Racing games (like Burnout) have worked very well for me. The more mindless the game, the better your burn, the faster the exercise session will go.
15. Set realistic goals. You can lose 50 pounds in a week if you work out 12 hours a day and eat nothing but celery – but not if you’re human. Slow and steady wins the race. Don’t bite off more than you can chew – literally. Make small goals on your way to the bigger goal(s). In the end, you’ll have achieved more (and more frequently, might I add).
16. Avoid trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. I offer this suggestion for a few reasons. First, they’re not good for you anyway. Second, you’ll eliminate a lot of the “bad foods” outright – no questions asked. You’ll have to become more selective in what you eat by avoiding these two nasty ingredients – which are in more foods than you probably care to know.
17. Don’t always listen to your mate. I’ve already suggested that you tell your family – but sometimes members of your family will try to dissuade you from trying to lose weight. It’s simple: they might not want you to succeed where they may have already failed, whether consciously or inadvertently. Your loss is not always their gain. Watch out for statements like: “You’ve lost enough weight.” or “I like you just the way you are.” Fact of the matter is, if YOU don’t like the way that YOU are – then YOU are going to have to do something about it, no matter what anybody says. They still love you, though (in theory).
18. Don’t compare yourself to others. Every body is different. It stands to reason that everybody will lose weight differently. Even if you do the exact same things that I do, you won’t lose weight at the same rate. The key is in finding your triggers. Keep your goal in sight, and do whatever you have to do to meet that goal. When you start looking at someone else’s habits, you’re only going to become discouraged and quit without even realizing that it’s physically impossible to be anybody but yourself.
19. Women aren’t men. It’s been proven that men can lose weight more rapidly than women can, which is likely due to our physiological makeup (women are supposed to have more fat than men, because they’re the birthing gender). This isn’t a sexist statement to make – it’s pretty much the truth. As such, females should expect to set separate goals than males – especially if you’re working on losing weight together, side by side.
20. Take a magic pill. Nonsense! There is no such thing as a magic pill. Don’t fall victim to the hype of the latest fat-burning drug commercial. If you listen or read closely, you’ll see that every single one of these things is effective when combined with proper diet and exercise (which they even state in their advertisements). The side-effects for these drugs are usually worse than your additional weight, anyway.
21. Vitamins are good for you. If you’re going to take any pills, let them be natural supplements (like Essential Fatty Acids or multivitamins). Be careful about overdoing it, though – especially with herbal remedies. Too much of anything is a bad thing. You can consult a nutritionist, but always buy on your own – and keep these supplements to a minimum. Remember, too, that specific vitamins are no good without specific minerals.
22. Deck your desktop. In the beginning, some of my friends sent me complicated spreadsheets to help chart progress. Uh, no – not for me; I’m the kind of guy who likes taking the easy route. As such, I scoured the Web for the best desktop tool and remembered CalorieKing. You won’t find anything easier to use. Trust me, this is the one; I can keep track of everything I eat and expend (without hassle). While the statistic-addicts will love CalorieKing for its thoroughness, the utility was truly designed with non-geeks in mind. The CalorieKing Web site and service are fine on their own, but the downloadable client is what you really want to get. Pay the registration fee, man – how much is your health worth to you?
23. Identify your ideal weight. If you’re 5’5″ with a certain build, there’s an ideal weight that matches your body type. Find it – and make that your goal. And if you don’t know what that might be, try searching the Web for a calculator (though results and calculations will vary by a small margin). Now you have a weight goal to shoot for.
24. Consider the source. I’m going to make a gross generalization here, but… why would I trust an overweight doctor or nutritionist to give me proper advice on weight loss? “Do as I say and not as I do” is not a maxim I’m willing to accept from anybody who would be qualified to tell me how to do something. Talk to people who are doing it, or who have done it and been successful. You don’t have to mirror their regimen, but at least you’re getting help from someone who’s really been there. Or, as they said in the Christmas episode of “Two and a Half Men,” people who live in fat asses shouldn’t throw waffles.
25. Ignore Ronald McDonald. You don’t have to eliminate fast food completely, but you should avoid it at all costs. Most of it is nasty, bad stuff anyway – if you’d even go as far as to call it food. If you’re looking for convenience, find a more convenient meal source. Besides, most of what they serve would be considered “food product,” not food. There’s a gigantic difference as far as your body is concerned. Your bloodstream does not have taste buds, need I remind you?
26. Scale up. If your measurement tool sucks, upgrade it. If it’s analog, dump it. I’ve talked to many geeks about their choice in scales, and most of them (myself included) recommend something in the Tanitafamily. They’re high-quality, rugged, accurate devices. Make sure you set your scale on a hard surface, too (as carpet foundations do not make for accurate weight measurements).
27. Watch your weight. Some people say that you shouldn’t weigh yourself more than once a week. I’ve been much happier charting my progress every day. No matter what, you need to weigh in at the same time, every time. For me, that’s 10am every morning (or somewhere thereabout). If you decide to weigh yourself every single day, understand that your weight will fluctuate by one or two pounds – and that you should only keep a serious eye on the lengthier trends.
28. One pound a week. If you’re not losing at least one pound a week on your chosen weight loss regimen, you’re (a) stalled, or (b) finished. You might need to push yourself even harder, or (in some cases) let up a little bit while your body plays catch-up. If you lose more than one pound a week, then you’re doing better than average. Expecting to lose five pounds a week just isn’t realistic, though.
29. Maintain your priorities. Sure, your sandwich would taste amazing with an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise… but do you really need it? Rather, is it more important for you to reach your weight loss goal quicker – or have this sandwich taste marginally better? What’ll happen the next time you’re faced with this decision – will you cave again? It’s a slippery slope; don’t lose sight of what’s most important to you.
30. All weight is not equal. Muscle weighs more than fat, but the last thing you want to lose is muscle! For this reason alone, it’s important to have a regular exercise routine somewhere in your schedule. Without exercise, your body is going to burn through muscle first – and you’ll wind up more imbalanced than you were to begin with. You want your body to burn fat, not muscle. You want to lose weight, but you want to lose “fat” weight – not muscle mass.
31. Counteract the “Rainy Day” principle. If you decrease your calorie count without necessarily increasing your physical activity level, your body is going to crash. It’s going to say to itself: “Holy sh*t! I better store these calories as fat, because I’m not getting enough of them – and I don’t want to die.” When you exercise, you set your body’s process to “burn” instead of “save.”
32. Don’t overdo it. If you change something in your lifestyle, you’re probably going to see results – but there’s a law of diminishing returns at play. You can exercise for an extra hour a day for a week and still lose the same amount as you had when you were only exercising half as much. Give your body time to adjust – don’t push yourself too hard or you’re just going to spend your energy on something that’s not necessarily going to give you immediate and direct benefit. This, of course, only applies to those of you wanting to lose fat – not for those who are training for a triathlon.
33. Patterns are good. Once you’ve found your workout groove, do your best to stick with it. Exercise no less than three times a week for 40 – 60 minutes each time, but don’t feel the “need” to do it more than five times over a seven day period. Your body will likely appreciate a burn-off in the morning more, but if you need to relieve stress in the evening – don’t be afraid to adjust your workout schedule accordingly. Schedule making and keeping are important for other areas of your life as well.
34. Sleep it off. To be an efficient fat-burning machine, your body requires at least eight hours of sleep a night. If you think that you’re doing yourself a favor by sleeping less, you’re mistaken. Give your body time to rest itself, both mentally and physically. Sleep is very, very important (if only for mental alertness for the following day). If you feel tired, that’s likely your body’s way of saying: “Shut your eyes, stupid!”
35. Remember that the fork is not a shovel. I eat fast (I swear I can’t help it). Even if I’m not hungry, I want to shovel everything into my mouth in less than a minute. But my brain doesn’t know that my stomach is full until twenty minutes after it actually is. As such, I could stuff myself silly before realizing I didn’t need to consume as much as I did. Try eating half of what’s on your plate, wait ten minutes, then continue to eat if you’re still hungry. You never want to feel full – ever. That’s when you know you’ve eaten too much. If you want a real hunger-stopper, try an Omega 3 and Omega 6 supplement (EFAs) twenty minutes before a meal.
36. Become your own snack fairy. It’s okay to snack between meals, really. Small meals throughout the day are enough to keep you satisfied, as (much like the sensation of being full) you never want to feel hungry. Let your body know it’s going to get a regular regimen of calories. Plus, if you starve yourself for the regular meals, you’re probably going to eat more before your brain tells your mouth to stop. Think about it: breakfast, lunch, and dinner are social constructs at their very core.
37. Love the oil companies. Just like your car needs high-quality oil, so too does your body. Not all oils were created equal, though it’s hotly contested which ones are better for you than others. Personally, I love a good olive oil – it’s 100% natural and is rich with Omega 9 fatty acids. Enova is another one that we’ve found to work quite well in our lifestyle at home. Choose your oil wisely, though – your weight loss goal should be more than simply cosmetic. It’s a good rule of thumb when it comes to food: the more natural something is, the better it is for you.
38. Fat is where it’s at. If you think you can lose weight and keep it off by avoiding all fats, you’re sadly mistaken. In fact, if you think that low fat eating is the only way to go, you might as well just quit now. Your body (and your brain) needs fat to survive! This is why the scientists call “them” essential fatty acids – Omegas 3, 6, and 9. These fats have been stripped from many supermarket shelf items, and it’s your responsibility to put fat back into your dietary plan. Don’t avoid eating fat, embrace it – equally.
39. Bring balance to the force. If you eat the same foods over and over again, you’re going to get bored – unless they’re foods you really, really like. Feel free to change it up – keep your tongue happy. Balance carbs with proteins with fats, though. If you have more of one nutrient for one meal, try more of another nutrient for the next. And for heaven’s sake, don’t just shop in the “diet” section of the store. You can still (likely) eat the same things you’ve always eaten, just not so much of them at any one time.
40. Know your daily calorie limit. When I was in the process of losing weight, it was suggested that I stay under 1700 calories a day. Knowing that number was half the battle. I could eat anything I wanted throughout the day, so long as I would stay at or beneath that number. While I couldn’t track 100% of the items I ate, I was able to make intake estimates – and adjust my schedule and ration my remaining calories accordingly. In this sense, you’re given extreme freedom – so long as you stay at or beneath that suggested calorie level for your plan. If you don’t know how much you’re supposed to take in, how are you supposed to know how much you’re supposed to take in?! Sounds redundant, but it’s a situation that many “dieters” are in (which is why they fail)!
41. Fiber good. When you start to lose fat, you’re probably going to get constipated. Yeah, it happens more frequently than we care to admit (or share). You should have a good amount of fiber every day, anyway. Fiber is very important to your health (and your weight loss goals). Try the Metamucil snack wafers for a quick fiber infusion. Then, magnesium citrate for those… “stuck” moments, in which you’ll find yourself from time to time. Stick a bottle or two of that in your fridge for safe keeping, and don’t plan on going anywhere for 24 hours after taking a dose (trust me, trust me, trust me).
42. Walk the walk. You burn calories when you walk, did you know that? Certainly, you don’t expend as much energy as you do when you run, but you burn it nonetheless. Consider picking up a good pedometer, if only to gauge how many steps you take in the average day. According to others, the Omron HJ112 Premium Pedometer is the one to beat. If nothing else, knowing how many steps you take on the average day will give you a better idea as to your regular activity level – around the home and/or the office. Plus, you can count those steps as calorie deficits in certain programs (like CalorieKing).
43. Train wrecks will happen. One of these nights, you’re going to go out with friends and eat your weight in steak (likely blowing any kind of progress you had made for that day). Instead of repeating the overindulgence, just put yourself back on track the next day. You’re allowed to “mess up” every now and again, so long as you don’t make a habit out of consuming an excessive amount of food. Right the dining injustice immediately. You’ll be okay. You’ll be fine. Just don’t do it again. And again. And again. And again.
44. Satisfy cravings with extreme prejudice. If you’re hungry for something, eat it. Don’t deny yourself the simple pleasures. If it’s possible, eat only half of what you want. Is your craving satisfied, or are you addicted to the flavor? Losing weight shouldn’t be torture for anybody. You have to ask yourself: Is it more important for me to eat this entire case of fudgesicles, or to look good for my brother’s wedding? Only you have the answer to that question, and if you ignore logic, you’re going to hurt yourself in the long-run. Just take a nibble or two – I won’t tell a soul.
45. Water you waiting for? If you’re not drinking enough water, your body will let you know. Thirst is an amazing sensation – quench it. If you’re not hydrated, your body won’t be working at peak levels. Most of your body happens to be water, by the way. If you’re worried about “water weight,” remember that you’re likely to retain more water when you’re not giving your body enough of it in the first place. Besides, that’s what those workout sessions are supposed to help with every other morning. I’m not going to dictate how many glasses you should drink, though – as that’s going to vary from person to person.
46. Join the soda club. Like most people, I love carbonated beverages. However, unlike most people, I love unflavored carbonated beverages – and if your tongue is attune to sugary-sweet drinks, you’re also the kind of person who believes that club soda tastes salty (even when it contains no sodium). Make the move to an unflavored drink sooner rather than later. If you need help along the way, lemons and limes can be your best friends. If you’re going to drink something more than water, at least make sure it’s not going to hinder your progress. If you’re a sugary-soda drinker, dropping it from your daily routine altogether will help you drop ~5 or more pounds in a single week (WITHOUT doing anything else).
47. Sugar is evil that tastes good. You probably don’t want to hear this, but sugar is a bad thing. The more refined it comes, the more your body is going to react negatively to it. Sugar, sugar, sugar is in everything, everything, everything. If it’s sweet, it’s got sugar in it. There are all sorts of sugars out there, and all of them are ultimately metabolized by the body. It’s a good bet that the sugars in an apple are better for you than the sugars in a candy bar, though. If you’re addicted to sugar, this is going to be a horrible hurdle to overcome.
48. Sugar substitutes are just as evil as sugar itself. Do you really think your body knows how to handle something that was man-made? Seriously. These chemically-adjusted products do not occur in the wild; there are no Splenda trees in warmer climates, nor are there NutraSweet plants in the Arctic. In some instances, taking in sugar substitutes may actually increase your levels of hunger! Let’s not forget about all the health issues that might arise from these unnatural substances. If you’re given a choice, it’s almost better to go with something your body knows how to deal with (real, unprocessed sugar). No, it’s much safer (and healthier) to stay away from blue, pink, and yellow packets entirely. Do a Web search for “Artificial Sweeteners May Damage Diet Efforts.” Then sit there and tell me they’re okay? No way.
49. White bread can’t jump. Did you know that white bread isn’t good for you? Oh, it’s true – just ask any diabetic. Research has shown that people who eat more refined products (like white bread) are more likely to have belly fat. Why? It’s simple: your body isn’t getting what it needs. The food industry isn’t the health industry, okay? You can’t trust that they’ve got your best interests at heart (despite all their marketing efforts). If you want the flavor of white bread, please eat the whole grain white bread instead? Sara lee makes a wonderful loaf, as I can personally attest (even though I like rye more than white or wheat). Repeat after me: whole grain white bread, whole grain white bread.
50. Hasta la pasta, baby. Much like its cousin, white bread, refined pasta can damage your health and pinch your weight loss plans. I’m not saying you should quit pasta altogether, but I will suggest that you change your pasta pusher to Barilla. They have a new wheat pasta that’s a dead ringer for the ol’ crappy white stuff you used to eat. “Barilla PLUS” is absolutely fantastic, as well as a good source of fiber and protein. You’re usually going to be better off with a “wheat” option, although traditional wheat pasta has a texture that you might not like (even though I find it perfectly acceptable to my palate).

Now, once you’ve achieved your weight loss goals, what are you going to do to keep the fat at bay? The worst thing you can do is something I’ve done countless times over: get lazy. I’ve conveniently forgotten about all of the aforementioned rules a few times, and it’s put me back in the same situation I don’t want to be in – ever again. While I don’t have to be as careful as I was during the weight loss period, I’m still measuring myself and recording my daily activities. This may turn into a weekly weigh-in soon enough, as it’s easier to correct yourself at 5lbs than it is at 50lbs. Good luck!

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The 20 Best Fat Loss Rules

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1. More protein. Why does it work? Increased protein intake increases levels of peptide YY, a hormone produced by the gut cells that tells the brain to decrease hunger and increase satiety.
2. Don’t fear carbs. Carbohydrates aren’t the reason why you have a gut. You have a gut because you consumed way too many calories for way too long. You can lose weight with carbohydrates, you just need to choose the right one.
3. Choose slower digesting carbohydrates. Whole wheat breads and pasta, oatmeal, rice. These carbohydrates should be the staple of a "Strip That Fat Program". They’ll stabilize blood sugar while providing sufficient energy for you train hard enough. 
4. Load up on almonds. Loma Linda University found that subjects that consumed the majority of their fat from almonds lost more fat around their stomach then did subjects who did consume almonds.
5. Choose grass fed. Grass fed meat contains higher levels of CLA and omega-3′s, fats that help our body to burn stomach fat and increase lean muscle.
6. Avocados rock. Filled with monounsaturated fats, avocados contain mannoheptulose, a sugar that actually reduces insulin.
7. Green tea is still a bad ass. Containing high amounts of EGCG keeps the hormone Norepinephrine elevated as well as helping your body waste excessive calories. A recent Journal of Nutrition study showed that subjects who drank green tea lost more stomach fat than those who did not.
8. Don’t sleep on black tea. Black tea is actually less processed than green tea so it has all the benefits of green tea and more. The University of London released a research study showing that those of consumed black tea had lower cortisol levels than those who did not drink black tea. That’s good news since cortisol brings nasty lower stomach fat.
9. Walk this why: Whey protein  has the exclusive ability (over casein and soy sources) to blunt various hunger hormones. When you’re dieting, you want to blunt hunger, so drink your whey.
10. Drink soy? Sadly yes. The University of Alabama at Birmingham showed that subjects who consumed 20 grams of soy protein per day lost significantly more stomach fat over three months. Now don’t worry, those of us who consume whey protein shakes do get a small amount of soy, as it is a caking agent. That’s enough for us.
11. Use less water in your protein shakes. A Purdue University study showed that subjects who used less water in their shakes had decreased hunger and increased satisfaction feelings from their meals.
12. Back off the artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners may have a way of messing with your head and they may actually increase your desire for calories.
13. Use a fat burner. While I’m not the biggest fan of them, a fat burner containing caffeine and other stimulants can raise  your caloric burn by 30%.
14. Push more fat out. L-carnitine is critical for helping the body carry fat from where it’s stored to where it can be burned. Aim for 1-2 grams per day.
15. Lift heavy. Research has shown that lifting heavier weight and lower reps can significantly increase your post exercise oxygen consumption and increase your caloric burn when at rest.
16. Rest for 30 seconds between sets. The College of New Jersey  discovered that subjects who rested 30 seconds between sets of the bench press burned 50% more calories.
17. Lift faster. Research from Ball State University shows that lifting faster burns more calories. This is due to fast twitch muscle fibers being activated to a greater extent with fast reps.
18. Pump it up. Listening to music can help you get more reps every workout. Research presented at the National Strength and Conditioning annual meeting showed that subjects who listened to their preferred music were able to lift more weight for more reps.
19. Take a picture. Taking a before picture can help to motivate you. It’s even better when you share it with friends and family. This puts you on the line to get it done.
20. Go to sleep. Trying to get to sleep earlier then normal is a great way to normalize your hormone levels and encourage your body to recover from the days stress.

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10 Easy Ways to Lose Weight

10 Easy Ways to Lose Weight

Hi everyone, It's that time of the year again where we all want to get fit for

the warmer season. Today, I'm going to share 10 easy but effective ways to help you shed those extra pounds. I'm pleasantly surprised people are already noticing my weight loss. A lot of you have been requesting me to share how I'm shedding my pounds so the video will pretty much reveal everything I'm doing. You would be surprised how the little changes in your lifestyle could make that much of a difference. I can understand healthy eating can be tricky when you've got a busy lifestyle. Perhaps you've got yourself in a habit where you're used to eating out constantly. Processed foods just seem to be the convenient choice. How many of you complain about your body constantly yet you snack on numerous amounts of unhealthy fatty sugary foods? I've gotten myself into a habit of taking time to prepare my meals in advance. Instead of always feeling sluggish and bloated, I feel great!!! My friend Cassey (Blogilates) tells me that your body is 80% diet, 10% exercise and 10% genetics. What you consume into your body plays a MASSIVE role to how you look and feel. Exercise is very important too. Not just to tone the body but also for a healthy heart and mind.

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Top 6 Worst Breakfast Foods & Healthy Alternatives for Nutrition & Weight Loss

Top 6 Worst Breakfast Foods & Healthy Alternatives for Nutrition & Weight Loss

I found this video very informative about what we shouldn’t eat at breakfast.  After all breakfast is the most important meal in our day.

Enjoy!

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How to Lose Weight as Fast as Possible With Zero Hunger

There are many ways to lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time.

However, most of them require you to be very hungry or starve yourself.

If you don’t have iron willpower then hunger will cause you to give up on these plans quickly.

The method I’m about do describe will:

• Kill your appetite.
• Make you lose weight fast without being hungry.
• Improve your health at the same time.

Rule No. 1 – Eliminate Sugars and Starches

The most important part is to remove sugars and starches (carbs) from your diet.

These are the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the most. If you didn’t know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body.

When insulin goes down, fat has an easier time getting out of the fat stores and the body starts burning fats instead of carbs.

Another benefit of lowering insulin is that your kidneys shed excess sodium and water out of your body, which reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight (1, 2).

It is not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds in the first week of eating this way, both body fat and water weight.

This is a graph from a study comparing low-carb and low-fat diets in overweight/obese women (3).

The low-carb group is eating until fullness, while the low-fat group is calorie restricted and hungry.

Cut the carbs, lower your insulin and you will start to eat less calories automatically and without hunger (4).

Put simply, lowering your insulin puts fat loss on “autopilot.”

Bottom Line: Removing sugars and starches (carbs) from your diet will lower your insulin levels, kill your appetite and make you lose weight without hunger.

Rule No. 2 – Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables

Each one of your meals should contain a protein source, a fat source and low-carb vegetables. Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20-30 grams per day.

Protein Sources:

• Meat – Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, bacon, etc.
• Fish and Seafood – Salmon, trout, shrimps, lobsters, etc.
• Eggs – Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.

Protein is the macronutrient that contributes most to fullness and eating adequate protein can raise your metabolism (5).

Low-Carb Vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Kale
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Cellery
• Full list here.
  
  
  Don’t be afraid to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables. You can eat massive amounts of them without going over 20-30 net carbs per day.
  The vegetables and the meat contain all the fiber, vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. There is no physiological need for grains in the diet.
  Fat Sources:
  
  • Coconut Oil
  • Butter
  • Olive Oil
  • Lard
  • Tallow
  Eat 2-3 meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a 4th meal.
  Don’t be afraid of eating fat, trying to do both low-carb AND low-fat at the same time is a recipe for failure. It will make you feel miserable and abandon the plan.
  The best cooking fat to use is coconut oil. It is rich in fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). These fats are more fulfilling than others and can boost metabolism slightly (6, 7).
  There is no reason to fear these natural fats, new studies show that saturated fatdoesn’t raise your heart disease risk at all (8, 9).
  To see how you can assemble your meals, check out this low carb meal plan.

  Bottom Line: Assemble each meal out of a protein source, a fat source and a low-carb vegetable. This will put you into the 20-30 gram carb range and drastically lower your insulin levels.

  Rule No. 3 – Exercise 3-4 Times Per Week

  
  You don’t need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it is recommended.
  The best option is to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. Do a warm up, lift weights, then stretch.
  If you’re new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice.
  By lifting weights, you will burn a few calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight (10, 11).
  Studies on low-carb diets show that you can even gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat (12).
  If lifting weights is not an option for you, then doing some easier cardio workouts like running, jogging, swimming or walking will suffice.

  Bottom Line: It is best to do some sort of resistance training like weight lifting. If that is not an option, cardio workouts work too.

  Optional – Do a “Carb Re-feed” Once Per Week

  
  You can take one day “off” per week where you eat more carbs. Many people prefer Saturday.
  It is important to try to stick to healthier carb sources like oats, rice, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruits, etc.
  But only this one higher carb day, if you start doing it more often than once per week then you’re not going to see much success on this plan.
  If you must have a cheat meal and eat something unhealthy, then do it on this day.
  Be aware that cheat meals or carb refeeds are NOT necessary, but they can up-regulate some fat burning hormones like leptin and thyroid hormones (12, 13).
  You will gain some weight during your re-feed day, but most of it will be water weight and you will lose it again in the next 1-2 days.

  Bottom Line: Having one day of the week where you eat more carbs is perfectly acceptable, although not necessary.

  What About Calories and Portion Control?

  
  It is NOT necessary to count calories as long as you keep the carbs very low and stick to protein, fat and low-carb vegetables.
  However, if you really want to, then use this calculator (opens in new window).
  Enter your details, then pick the number from either the “Fat Loss” or the “Extreme Fat Loss” section – depending on how fast you want to lose.
  There are many calorie counters you can use to track the amount of calories you are eating. I like Cron-O-Meter (my favorite), but Fitday and MyFitnessPal are also good.
  The main goal is to keep carbs under 20-30 grams per day and get the rest of your calories from protein and fat.

  Bottom Line: It is not necessary to count calories to lose weight on this plan. It is most important to strictly keep your carbs in the 20-30 gram range.

  Other Weight Loss Tips to Make Things Easier (and Faster)

  Pretty much all you have to do is to stick to the three rules:
  
  1. Eliminate Sugars and Starches.
  2. Eat Protein, Fat and Veggies.
  3. Exercise 3-4 times per week.
  However, there are a few other tips that you may find useful if you want to speed things up even further.
  None of these are old wives’ tales, they all have scientific evidence to back them up.
  Drink Water, Coffee or Tea: Satisfy your thirst with water. If you’re a coffee or a tea drinker, then by all means drink as much as you want as both can raise yourmetabolism slightly (14, 15).
  Avoid Artificial Sweeteners: Despite having calories in them, the sweet taste may play tricks with the mind and increase hunger and cravings. Artificial sweetener use is associated with weight gain (16).
  Use Smaller Plates: Studies show that people automatically eat less when they use smaller plates. Strange, but it works (18).
  Sleep Like a Baby: Poor sleep is associated with weight gain and obesity, taking care of your sleep is important (19).
  Reduce Stress: Being stressed can elevate the stress hormone cortisol, which can cause fat accumulation in the belly (20).

  Bottom Line: It is most important to stick to the three rules, but there are a few other things you can do to speed things up.

  You Will Become a “Fat Burning Beast”

  You can expect to lose 3-10 pounds of weight (sometimes more) in the first week, then consistent weight loss after that.
  I can personally lose 3-4 lbs per week for a few weeks when I do this strictly.
  If you’re new to dieting, then things will probably happen quickly. The more weight you have to lose, the faster you will lose it.
  For the first few days, you might feel a bit strange. Your body has been burning carbs for all these years, it can take time for it to get used to burning fat instead.
  It is called the “low carb flu” and is usually over within a few days. For me it takes 3. Adding some sodium to your diet can help with this, such as dissolving a bouillon cube in a cup of hot water and drinking it.
  After that, most people report feeling very good, positive and energetic. At this point you will officially have become a “fat burning beast.”
  Despite the decades of anti-fat hysteria, the low-carb diet also improves your health in many other ways:
  • Blood Sugar tends to go way down on low-carb diets (21, 22).
  • Triglycerides tend to go down (23, 24).
  • Small, dense LDL (the bad) Cholesterol goes down (25, 26).
  • HDL (the good) cholesterol goes up (27).
  • Blood pressure improves significantly (28, 29).
  • To top it all of, low-carb diets appear to be easier to follow than low-fat diets.

  Bottom Line: You can expect to lose a lot of weight, but it depends on the person how quickly it will happen. Low-carb diets also improve your health in many other ways.

  Take Home Message

  If you have a medical condition (especially if you’re diabetic) then talk to your doctor before making any changes because this plan can drastically reduce your need for medication.
  By restricting carbohydrates, you change the hormonal environment in your body to make your body and brain “want” to lose weight. This is proven to make you lose more fat, faster, than typical low-fat calorie restricted diets (30, 31, 32).
  This way, you avoid the main side effect of dieting, the one that causes most people to fail… hunger.
  I don’t know about you, but I hate being hungry. If I get hungry, I eat.
  So if there’s a method out there that helps me lose weight without hunger, then that sure as hell is the one I will go with.
  Do you have any suggestions of your own? Feel free to contribute in the comments!

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