It may sound simple (and it really is) but the joys one gets out of regular walking will amaze you.

Walking can help in:

• Lowering your blood pressure
• Lowering your bad cholesterol (LDL or low density lipoprotein)
• Increasing your good cholesterol (HDL or high density lipoprotein)
• Reducing the risk of or managing Type 2 Diabetes
• Improving your mood
• Helping you stay strong and fit

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Walking and Weight Loss

Walking is something most of us commonly perform on a daily basis. The problem is, in our busy schedules and high-tech lives we don’t get enough of it. So if you truly want to lose weight then let walking be your fitness motivation. You don’t need to shell out any money nor do you need to learn a new exercise routine. All you have to do is do what you are already doing on a daily basis – but do it a little bit more often.

Here’s how:

• Walking to school, work, or to shops instead of taking your car.
• If you really need your car, park in a far corner so you would still have to walk a good number of steps to reach your destination. (Just make sure the place is well lighted and safe of course!)
• At work, use the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Get off the bus a few blocks away from your home and walk the rest of the way.
• When you get a call on your mobile phone, stand up and walk while talking.
• Lunch break is a good time to get a bit of an exercise, walk for 30 minutes and eat for another 30.

These small steps may sound simple but you will surely get surprising and quick results in no time. Enjoy walking and keep those extra inches off!

On average, a person should be getting around 8 hours of sleep every day. When sleep deprived, there are a number of behavioral and physiological changes in your body that could mean unsuccessful diets and weight gain.

Fighting Off the Need to Sleep

When you are sleep deprived, you are more likely to fight off being sleepy by snacking. And it is more likely for you to snack unhealthily by eating handy treats like chips and cookies. Not a good thing if you’re trying to lose weight!

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Less Sleep = Less Energy

Sleep deprivation further complicates your weight loss plan by causing low energy. People with low energy will be less likely to move around, leaving more unburned fat. Aside from this, when you have a low amount of energy, you will also have  decreased motivation to exercise.

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Eating When Bored or Tired

When you are sleeping less, this could only mean more time to be awake. Usually this extra time of  being awake would give extra time to do nothing  but feel boredom. And when you’re bored, you are more likely to eat. On the other hand, having extra time could also mean being over worked and tired  — these can also cause you to grab more food than you should.

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In conclusion, not having enough sleep could bring havoc to your diet. So if you want your motivation to go up, try to get enough sleep and wake up to a healthier, leaner you!

MARGARINE

Packed with empty calories and loaded with trans fats, margarine is one of the worst foods for a diet. Trans fats are terrible for health because it raises the body’s bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and lowers good cholesterol (HDL). Margarine increases the risk of several diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

WHITE BREAD

Believe it or not, eating white bread is bad for you! White bread is made from white flour containing unhealthy ingredients. Ingredients are bleached and refined, an unhealthy process in itself which also eliminates the nutritional content of grain and fiber. This type of bread is also addictive making you feel hungry easily because your body becomes nutritionally starved. It also acts to elevate insulin levels, resulting in higher fat storage.

FRENCH FRIES

Just like margarine, french fries are packed with trans fats that are detrimental to one’s health. It is also loaded with cancer-promoting agents. Because french fries are deep fried in oil and fat, it makes diets go down the drain when eaten even just occasionally.

PROCESSED CHEESE

Not having any nutritional value, processed cheese is rich in salt, fat, and empty calories.

BACON AND SAUSAGES

A single slice of bacon has nearly 100 calories, and most of those calories are in the form of fat. These two foods are filled with nitrates which are metabolized into carcinogens or cancer-influencing materials.

Keep these foods in mind when looking into your diet motivation. Although they may taste good, these foods are doing your body more harm than you might know.

Weight loss motivation is an important factor to successfully finish this adventure. It would be hard to stay motivated but with a bit of work and a lot of determination – everything is possible. To help you on your way, I offer you a secret weapon to keep your motivation up and about.

A Journal.

A journal will be your best friend in this adventure. Keep a log of the different hurdles and successes you experience along the way. Write down your weight loss goal/s, look at them often for inspiration. Make sure to write in your journal daily, whether it be at the end of the day or at the course of each day.

Here are some things you may want to take note of:

Exercise:

• Write down how your exercise is making you feel each day.
• Chart down your progress in regard to your specific goals.
• Write down how your exercise has been affecting your energy level, mood, weight, quality of sleep, etc.
• Write down how various exercises are affecting your adventure.

Food and Beverage:

• Write down the food and drinks you are eating.
• Write down the exact portion if you can. Portion sizes are important so you can accurately record the calories you are consuming.
• Write down the time you start eating and the time you end. Eating too fast or too slowly may indicate certain things. You will also be able to see if you are eating too often or the other way around.
• Writing down where you eat and with who may indicate factors influencing how you eat.

Emotions:

• It is important to write down your feelings as the days progress and your adventure goes on its way.
• Take note if certain emotions cause you to eat more and what you can do about it.

A journal will definitely be your secret weapon in this adventure. Keep on and be able to track down your progress, keeping you motivated until the end of this wonderful adventure!

Here are a few steps you should take to keep your motivation up!

1. Change your outlook – thinking like an athlete will help you achieve your goals. It may sound hard to do but it isn’t as big of a leap as you would think. Just think of it this way, everybody has a busy life – so stop making your busy life an excuse not to exercise. Make exercise as a way to be an example to others – be it your kids, your friends, or your family. Look at your odd hour workouts as blessings rather than sacrifices. It is all a matter of outlook.
2. Set a realistic goal – whatever goal it is you have, make sure it is attainable. Be specific and know exactly what you want to gain, like wearing that black dress to a reunion at the end of the month or being fit enough to run a 5K marathon in 3 months time. Write it down, look at it daily, and get inspiration from your goal/s.
3. Follow a schedule – take out your calendar, create and follow a daily exercise schedule. Look at your free time, either before everybody else wakes up or when everybody has taken a nap or sleep. Don’t compromise. Anything that comes up during your 1hour daily exercise time, should take a back seat.
4. Change it up, mix things up – variety is an important factor in keeping your motivation to exercise going. Look into exercise routines and activities that you enjoy doing. Whether your exercise includes running, look into a change in scenery once in a while; or a sport you may want to incorporate in your exercise routine; or doing various types of dance classes to liven things up.
5. Partner up – look into having someone to go on the journey with you. A jogging or a dance partner – someone to nudge your shoulder when you feel like slacking. Look into your friends, family, or even co-workers to help you in your journey.

Take these steps into consideration and make that exercise journey as fun, easy, and rewarding as it can be!

So here are some healthy cooking methods you should master for better diet motivation:

STEAMING

Place food in a basket and place on top of simmering water. You may use ordinary pots, a rice cooker, or a bamboo steamer. This type of cooking is best suited for vegetables to help retain their nutrients and natural taste. You may add seasoning to the boiling water to help flavor food as it cooks.

GRILLING

Adding a smoky flavor to foods such as meat, fish, vegetables, and even fruits, this method of cooking allows you to prepare low fat and healthy meals. Take additional care in not overcooking  grilled food since charring has been linked to some cancers.

STIR-FRYING

Needing just a small amount of oil, this method of cooking food such as vegetables very quickly, they retain their nutrients, texture, flavor, and color.

ROASTING AND BAKING

Good for meat, seafood, vegetables, and poultry, roasting is similar to baking but it is done in higher temperatures. In roasting you may brush food with a coating of oil, allow to drip after wards. Baking on the other hand uses parchment paper instead of  butter to make foods healthier.

POACHING

A good cooking technique for fish, chicken, eggs, and other food types you may overcook by boiling. Poaching is done by adding water and food to a pan and cook in low heat.

Learn these healthy cooking techniques and enjoy the full benefits of your food!

It is recommended for each individual to eat five pieces of fruit per day in order to achieve the full health benefits of eating fruits. Fruit consumption helps fill stomachs easily, allowing weight loss. Fruits also have low sodium content, reducing chances of gaining water weight. Fruits are also low in calories, so eating as much fruit will still allow you to control your weight more effectively.

Here are some ways on how you can successfully start incorporating fruit into your diet:

• Breakfast – add dried fruits to cereals
• Fruit Salads – if you don’t have a lot of time to prepare daily, prepare a fruit salad that may last for a few days
• Drinks – drink more fruit juices instead of sodas
• Freezer – freeze various fruits sealed in containers and eat them as snacks or dessert
• Doggie Bag – always have a piece of apple in your bag, eat it when you feel hungry
• TV – make it a habit to have a bowl of fruits near the TV
• Choices – buy more fruits instead of chips when you go to the grocery

So if you want to lose weight easily and naturally, incorporate fruits into your diet and you’re sure to succeed!

APPLES – available in red, green, and yellow skin – apple contains a lot of vitamins A, C, E and folate. Eating apples regularly reduces the risk of heart disease and the risk of getting certain cancers such as colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. Apples are also good with weight loss and cholesterol because one medium-sized apple only contains around 80 calories and 21 grams of carbohydrates.

MELONS – this fruit is refreshing to drink as juice or to eat when ripe. It has a lot of vitamins, minerals, low sugar, and with great amounts of fiber and iron. Eating melons are a good way for you to start your digestive system going, thus melons are often given as appetizers. A cup of honeydew melon balls contain only about 16 grams of carbohydrate.

STRAWBERRIES – this fruit is one of the richest sources of both vitamin C and fiber, it also has a high content of sodium and iron. Rich in antioxidants, you can eat strawberries raw, make it into a smoothie, combine it with yogurt, or even dip it in dark chocolate. Sliced strawberries only contain about 13 grams of carbohydrates. Strawberries are also used to relieve rheumatism.

Of course there are other “good fruits” when on a diet. You don’t have to sacrifice nutrition when trying to lose weight. On the contrary, you look for nutritious food to replace junk and fattening foods. Take the first step and eat more fruits and less of the junk!

FORMULA

BMI = [Weight in pounds ÷ Height in inches] × 703  (703 is constant)

Example:  A 6-foot man weighing 210 pounds

[210 pounds ÷ 72 inches] × 703 = 28.5

CATEGORIES

Classification and Body Mass Index

Underweight…………………………..Up to 18.5

Normal Weight……………………..…18.5 to 24.9

Overweight………………………..…..25 to 29.9

Class one Obesity……………………..30 to 34.9

Class a few of Obesity….……………35 to 39.9

Class 3 Obesity…………………………Over 40

BENEFITS

• It is easy to use and fairly accurate
• Knowing your BMI will allow you to monitor your health
• Knowing your BMI will allow you to monitor your risk levels
• Can be considered as a warning of risks to your health
• Knowing your BMI can literally save your life

Work toward a healthier BMI to ensure good health. Do this by eating healthy, exercising, consulting with your doctor, and sticking to your plans. Let your BMI stand as your diet motivation tool. Don’t wait until it’s too late, get your BMI today and know where your stand.

Yes, you read right. Chewing actually contributes to weight loss. How? Here are some known facts of why chewing your food well can help you take off inches in no time:

1. When people think about digestion, they most often think about intestines and internal systems and organs. But actually, digestion begins in the mouth and the process of chewing is a very important component of the digestive process. When you chew, you break down big pieces into smaller ones helping your body digest more easily. Aside from this, the more you chew, the more you allow your food to be exposed to saliva. Saliva, aside from lubricating food particles allowing for easy passage in the esophagus, contains important enzymes that aid in the chemical process of digestion.
2. Chewing thoroughly allows you to slow down and pay more attention. When you are eating slower, you give your brain more time to tell your body that you are already full, causing you to eat less, prevent weight gain, and aid in weight loss.
3. Chewing your food slowly will let your body better absorb nutrients and vitamins found in food. You might be eating a well-balanced diet, nutritious, and healthy – but if you fly by eating and neglect to chew thoroughly, you will not get the full amount of vitamins and nutrients. You need to extract these nutrients and vitamins out of the food and you can do this through chewing.

In this day and age where time is of the essence, take time to chew your food – because good health is also of the essence. Everything else becomes meaningless when you are unhealthy, so chew your food properly, relax, keep up that motivation to lose weight, and slowly enjoy your daily meals!