Creating realistic weight loss goals is one of the most important tasks you must complete when starting a new weight loss or diet program. If you do not make a conscious effort to create realistic goals for weight loss you will, most likely, create unrealistic goals. The consequence is you will not have a clear idea how to attack your weight loss and dieting and you will flounder and fail. Two examples of unrealistic weight loss goals would be, “I am going to lose a lot of weight fast!” OK, that is a goal but it is unrealistic because losing a lot of weight fast requires extreme discipline and the goal doesn’t explain how you will accomplish the weight loss. Another example of an unrealistic goal would be, “I will lose all the weight I want by just cutting back a little on my meals.” Again, that is one approach to weight loss but how much will you cut back, how will you monitor the portions you eat and how long will you continue to cut back? Goals like these are not specific and are difficult to assess and monitor. The end result is that you will slide back into comfortable habits and then you will become frustrated. From there it is just an impulse or two away from complete failure. To be successful you must set realistic goals for weight loss and when you do you will find that success will come faster and you will achieve your goals easily.

When setting goals for weight loss make sure that you establish easily attainable short-term realistic weight loss goals. By short-term goals I am talking about a goal you can achieve in the next week. Once you have made the list of short-term goals write down what actions you need to take to make sure you achieve these goals. When you are making this list be as specific as possible. The clearer you can define your goal the easier it will be for you to achieve the goal. Planning how you attack the dieting process is crucial and setting realistic weight loss goals is fundamental to your success so make your goals detail rich, powerfully positive and very clear. Every time you sit down to create another realistic weight loss goal always think of the goal as a piece of the most important “roadmap” you will every use. A “roadmap” is only useful if it contains all the information, all the details, all the steps to get you from your starting point to your destination. Your short-term realistic weight loss goals are exactly that, your “roadmap” from where you are now to your final destination. So when you set weight loss goals remember to create clearly defined, detail rich, and very specific goals. Once you have mastered this step all you have to do is follow through and watch your success grow with every week.

Planning leads to success in any endeavor and weight loss is no exception. For you to be success with weight loss you must plan your attack every day. What goals do you need to achieve that day? When you set goals for weight loss each goal must be powerful and expressed using very positive language.  As an example look at this goal, “In the next few days I will change how I eat to see if I can lose some weight.”  Getting to the point of realizing you need to lose weight is good but this goal will lead to failure. Why? The goal is non-specific. How are you going to change how you eat? How much weight do you want to lose? How many days is a “few days”?  A goal that would be achievable would be phrased, “In the next 7 days I will lose 2 pounds. I will achieve this by ……” This goal has a definite start and finish and a plan. This goal is positive, clear and specific. When you create goals that have a definite starting point and endpoint, when your goals are detailed and realistic you will begin to build momentum and success will begin to come easier and faster.

I’m sure some people would see the goal of losing two pounds in a week as an insignificant goal however consider this, two pounds doesn’t sound like very much but to lose two pounds you must also make fundamental changes in your life. These fundamental changes will be centered on how, when and what you eat. These changes affect very basic life patterns and are not that easy to change. The long-term goal is to lose weight, consistently through the achievement of short-term realistic weight loss goals.  Always be aware that you are making significant changes in your life and the more time you spend creating and detailing realistic weight loss goals the easier you will find the process and the quicker you will experience success.

Since creating the short-term realistic weight loss goals is so crucial to your success it is important that you only create these goals when you can devote 100% of your attention to the process. These goals are critical to your success and finding a quiet place where you can focus completely on creating the goals is very important. After you have created your goals read them out loud. Do they sound realistic? Can you achieve each goal in seven days? Through the process of writing a list of realistic weight loss goals the path for your success will be very clear to you. Always remember that the clearer your goals, the more detailed your goals the more easily you will find success.

Since you want to lose weight you must also want to keep the weight off. Your success with long term sustainable weight loss will be determined by the amount of thought, planning, patience and follow through you give your short-term realistic weight loss goals. Although long-term weight loss is not the subject of this article you need to begin thinking about it. A very powerful tool to use is visualization. Visualize who you want to become. Feel the emotions after successfully losing weight after one year! Create a detailed picture in your mind of the clothes are you wearing, what you are feeling, and of course how you look. If you follow these few simple steps everything is within your reach. Your success will spring from your short-term realistic weight loss goals. Take the time to create these goals and they will launch you into a new future. Remove all doubt from your mind; it is all here just waiting for you to grab it. Make up your mind that you will be successful and begin your success by achieving all your short-term realistic weight loss goals.

Every conscious thought creates a physical reaction inside the body all the way down to the cellular level. As you go through your day think about fast weight loss and visualize yourself at the weight you want to be. Train your mind to believe each day that you are getting better and better.
It’s your desire to lose your excess weight so that you can look and feel your very best. You can control how much you weigh and how much you eat. Fast weight loss is your goal and it’s your choice to become a slender fit individual.
You know that you deserve the very best. Program your mind for fast weight loss success. Your weight loss begins in you mind, not in your stomach. Make a commitment to stick to a new and appropriate style of eating.
You are use to receiving instant gratification from food, especially when you are under stress. This caused you to gain weight. Trade in instant gratification for the long-term gratification that will cause you to have fast weight loss. Become excited about having a new body and a new life. Visualize yourself shopping for new, smaller, more attractive clothes.
Begin to take complete control of your weight. You are responsible for how much you weigh. Do whatever it takes to motivate yourself to lose your excess weight: dream about it, talk about it and visualize it. Continue with your fast weight loss program until you reach your desired goal.
Consume no more food than is required to keep you healthy and mentally alert. Eat only when your body is hungry and you stop eating the very second your body feels satisfied. As you do this your desire for healthy foods will become more apparent to you every day. Salads, fruits and vegetables will become an important part of your fast weight loss routine.
Your body no longer craves starches, fats or sugars. You may get that full, bloated uncomfortable feeling in your stomach whenever you even look at those foods. As time goes on you will find that you are eating healthier foods. As you continue in your fast weight loss routine, you will discover that all desire for white, greasy, or salty food is gone. You will be on your way to a slimmer, healthier you.
Develop a whole new style of eating. Eat like a gourmet. Take a small bite of food, put your fork or spoon down between each bite, chew your food thoroughly and you will get more satisfaction from less food. You will find that you are fully satisfied and there is no need for second helpings.
Make water, your beverage of choice. Drink it with your meals and in between your meals. Drink eight to ten glasses of water each day to enhance your fast weight loss routine. Drink 12 ounces of water, wait 15 minutes and then sit down to eat. Using this exercise before each meal or snack will cause you to eat less. The secret to lasting success is the mind over the stomach and as you follow these suggestions you will reach your desired weight.

Are you approaching your health and weight loss program with a postive attitude? Are you a positive person?

If your not, your task is going to be more difficult. Your weight loss is directly influenced by the way you think and feel. The more you can remain positive and motivated, the more success you’re likely to have. Here are three great ways to stay focused on your success:

1. Form a support circle.
This includes your family, friends, coworkers and your doctor. It’s pretty safe to assume that these people want to help, but they might not really know how. So, be patient while they learn the ways that are most helpful to you. One key element of getting the support you need is to be specific…and ask for the help you decide you really need. Think it over. Focus on the behavior that you want the person to exhibit—or to change—rather than asking for kindness,
understanding or sensitivity. Make your communication clear, and you’re much more likely to get the help you need.

2. Keep track of your progress.
Weigh yourself periodically. And each day write down a day’s complete eating and any physical activity you’ve done. This is both a great way to feel proud of your accomplishments and a helpful means of spotting any potential problems with your weight-loss
program, should they arise. Any time you visit your doctor, bring along your daily notes to share with him or her.

3. Reward yourself early and often.
Changing your lifestyle takes motivation, and although feeling better about yourself is the biggest reward of all, sometimes you might need a little something extra to motivate you. So make sure you reward yourself once you reach a goal, whether it be
completing a 10-minute walk or losing 10 pounds. Some of the rewards you need are psychological—give yourself a “pat on the back” for a job well done, even if your new lifestyle becomes “second nature” over time. But don’t feel shy about rewarding yourself with new clothes or other personal pamperings, either—you’ve earned it! Part of staying positive is dealing with the negative.

A positive attitude and good motivation will get you started, but it’s easy to fall into unrealistic expectations that could derail your efforts. Here a few more tips to stay out of the “can’t win” thought patterns to look out for and avoid:

4. It’s all or nothing.
This attitude tempts you to think that foods are either good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. Just one slipup, and you could view yourself as a failure. Instead, expect mistakes as part of weight control. It’s better to have them and recover quickly than to have no plan for dealing with them when they occur.

5. Nothing but negative.
It’s easy to make a mountain out of a molehill. Miss one opportunity for increased physical activity, and the thought could pop up that you’re “right back where you started,” ignoring all the work you’ve already done. Focus on the good work you have done, and look ahead to more of it.

6. Don’t worry, be happy.
These thinkers have the opposite reaction from the ones above: they’re always going to do better next week. This may be optimistic, positive thinking, but it often lacks a plan for making it happen. Plans beat platitudes, every day.

7. This is it.
Sometimes you may feel like you have found the “right” program, the “right” doctor, or that this is exactly the “right” time for success. Unfortunately, weight control isn’t a one-shot effort. Think long-term: seeing your doctor regularly, making physical activity a part of your life, and, rather than just dieting, changing your eating habits for life.

Weight-loss pitfalls can be discouraging, but if you deal with them rather then give up, you’ll be
a stronger and happier person for it!

There was this lady who heard on the television about how it was possible to think yourself slim and thought it to be a load of rubbish regarding weight loss. So Is Weight Loss Merely A Mind Game? She wondered. And she thought of it as just rubbish and quickly dispensed with the thought.

But then out of the blue, someone she knew called her and told her that she had lost three stone and she said she owed it all to a book that she read about Goal Mapping and visualizing yourself being smaller. She was even featured in a couple of fast weight loss magazines because of it.

It is that said that weight loss is 50% physical and 50% mental. And that a person can eat a healthy diet and exercise rigorously, but beyond that…it’s all in the mind.

Good weight loss tips…You need to have the right mindset because this is what can spell the big difference between success and failure.  It is true, of course that some of that is hormonal, and some of that is just believing in yourself.

So would that be  something like if you are a size 16, but you want to be a size 12, you have to start thinking of yourself as a size 12 – and that includes eating the kind of portions that a size 12 would eat?

Possible? Why not?  Point being, if you apply your mind to something, your mind can do anything. They key factor here lies in knowing that you really want do it. And make sure you will ensure that you keep doing it, even through the hard times….The times when you don’t believe that you can accomplish what you set out to do. That’s the important part here. Never falter on your goal here.

Why it is even believed that drinking oil from the skin of certain reptiles can also help a person lose weight.  Fact, rumor or natural weight loss?

But let’s get back to that book on Goal Mapping. Some pretty interesting stuff there.  Like for instance, about how what we think triggers a process in our subconscious mind which then results in us taking that action. Which would thereby imply that, if we are always thinking “mustn’t eat chocolate”, we send our subconscious a thought of us “eating chocolate” and we end up craving chocolate and then… then eating it!!!!

Perhaps the real key here lies in Visualization. Visualization is a useful technique and it is believed that practically all highly successful sprinters (Olympic-level athletes) visualize crossing the goal line first. While most of us fantasize about winning a race, the sprinters are absolutely convinced they will win. And one of them is usually right.

The point being: if you can imagine it and visualize it perhaps your goal will become a reality.

Visualizing a healthy weight loss perhaps?

Many of you have given up on weight loss. I’ve been there and it feels like you are at wits end. You don’t know what to do. You’ve tried it all. Now you believe it’s impossible for them to lose weight.
I quit!
Take heart, it is not that bad. I’m happy to tell you that after decades of struggle I’ve taken and kept off 45 pounds. More importantly, my weight is stable, health superb and physical shape great.
I tell you this simply to illustrate the fact that you don’t have to give up on weight loss. YOU can lose weight with a little guidance and faith in yourself.
First of all, relax. There is no fast, quick way to weight loss. Realizing this means any small change will take effect over time. Time is on your side.
If we look at people who have been successful at weight loss and maintaining that loss, a couple of things are very apparent. These two factors are present in the lives of most of them:
1. They do some form of aerobic exercise 5 to 7 days per week. It’s as simple as talking a walk each evening. Do it minimally 5 times a week for 30 to 45 minutes at a time.
2. They have developed more healthy eating habits. Healthy eating habits are also very important. More fruit or vegetables instead of candy cake and pie on 5 days out out 7 make the difference.
I’ve had many clients tell me that their daily exercise puts them in a “healthy” frame of mind and helps them to make better food choices. Bottom line, when you are exercising consistently, youreating habits are better.
I firmly believe that a major factor in most peoples frustration with weight loss is that they haven’t been told the truth about exercise. You see, twenty minutes, three days per week isn’t going to cut it for weight loss. If you’re serious about weight loss, then you have to get serious about exercise.
I’ve seen this work for many people who had given up on weight loss. It worked for me. It can work for you.

Portion control is one of the most important factors of successful weight loss. It is no surprise that the size of your meal determines the amount of calories you consume. That is why if you suffer from uncontrollable weight gain, reducing your meal sizes can cut your calorie intake in half. So what can we do in order to control our food intake with ease?

You can control the amount of food you consume by reducing portion sizes. When you eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day your metabolism is able to quickly and effectively break down the food. When you eat two large meals, your metabolism has to work twice as hard to break down the food, which eventually leads to a sluggish performance and more calories stored. It is always wise to pay close attention to serving sizes. Everyone who is serious about weight loss pays close attention to the calorie content of each product; however, not too many of us pay close attention to calorie amount per serving. It is wise to pay attention to serving sizes because you may think you are consuming 400 calories but you are in fact consuming 800 calories when you double your meal portion. Even some of the best diet pills won’t help you lose weight if you don’t learn to control your food intake.

Another important factor when reducing your calorie intake is never feeling obligated to clean your plate. Everyone knows that we are visual eaters (meaning that we will consume everything that is on our plate). This is not a good thing. It is just as important to stop eating when you are full as it is to eat smaller portions.  So remember to eat slowly and step away from the table when you feel like you have satisfied your hunger.

Sculpt n Cleanse by Health Direct is an all-natural herbal colon cleanse formula. This time tested safe and gentle colon cleanser is made to help break down and eliminate the toxic build up in the intestine and colon. This product is great in helping flatten the waistline, stimulate the metabolism and enhance any weight management or diet program.

(more…)

For the most part, many people choose to focus only on cardio when it comes to trying to shed those unwanted pounds when in fact the key to a successful weight loss program is to combine strength training exercises with cardio.
Light cardio is the perfect way to begin an exercise program because it helps raise your heart rate and burn calories at a faster rate. After about 10-20minutes of cardio you will be ready to begin your strength training and muscle building exercises to begin burning that excess fat.
It is important to clear up some common misconceptions right now regarding strength and muscle training. Many women believe that muscle toning and strength training is something to avoid because it will make them big and bulky, this is not true.
Women do not have the physical capacity to become big and bulky unless performance enhancing drugs are used. Also, it is important to note that working to build muscle is the most efficient way to increase your metabolism all day, every day, thus enabling you to burn fat 24 hours per day.
Whereas the fat burning effects of light to moderate cardio are apparent while the exercise is being performed, the fat burning effects of weight lifting and anaerobic type exercises can last 24-72 hours after your workout!
Choosing and creating your own muscle building training regime can be difficult in the beginning; it can be hard to know where to start. First, it is important to know that when it comes to building muscle you have to give your body sufficient rest in between workouts; nothing more can be accomplished by wearing out your muscles and working out each and everyday. This resting period can be anywhere from 24-48 hours after an intense workout and will vary based upon your exercise intensity.
With that being said, many fitness professionals choose to work out a different muscle group each time they visit the gym. By setting up a strict schedule you can cover each and every muscle group in turn and repeat this cycle each week. A more efficient approach however is to use total body movements such as squats, deadlifts, pull-ups/pull-downs, and various presses.
These exercises are proven to be the key body transforming movements and work your body in ways to accomplish more than just athletic prowess. These movements will actually increase your bodies capacity to burn fat even when you are not exercising!
No matter what you think your problem areas are, you still want to cover your entire body and every muscle group. Whether you choose to start with your legs or arms or glutes does not matter as long as everything gets covered during a week of working out. Let’s start with your abs.
When it comes to achieving great abs, consistency is very important. You will be amazed just how much ground you can lose by skipping your abdominal routine for only a week. With that being said, your abs should be worked on at least 2-3 times a week.
Whether you choose to do crunches, sit-ups or hanging abdominal exercises the best way to start for beginners is to do 1-3 sets of 12 repetitions and then work your way up from there. Many people prefer to use the stability ball when it comes to abdominal workouts to put less pressure on their backs, this is your choice, and the results are arguably the same. Essentially, if you are a beginner, any exercise will do the trick!
Your arms and back can be done together or on a different workout day. For many people their backs can be quite sensitive and even problematic and by working out the back muscles you can lessen the occurrences of back pain. Your goal should be to both lengthen and strengthen the muscle groups in both the upper and lower back.
You will find your gym facility will have back related weight training machines but if you are working out from home you can choose to conduct bodyweight exercises such as leg lifts and back extension type exercises.
Your butt, hips and thighs can be grouped together and there are many different exercises for these muscles groups which allow you to constantly switch up your routine if you begin to become bored with it. Squats and lunges are perhaps the best exercises that work the major muscle groups of the legs.
You can choose to use extra weights for more resistance but this is not necessary for beginners. Simply conduct 2-3 sets of 12-25 repetitions and feel free to escalate as your body progresses. If you do have a gym membership you can consider adding weights to your squat and lunge movements to make them more difficult.
Starting off slow is always the best way to go and be sure to add some type of progression to increase the intensity of your workouts as you become stronger. Remember, consistency is the key. Just visualize yourself adding more calorie burning muscle mass to your body and you will be on your way to using this powerful concept of muscle building to elevate your weight loss to an entirely new level!

In the United States approximately 196 million adults are overweight and studies have also shown that over 34% of adolescents are overweight as well! Why are there so many people who are overweight? Well, most of this problem has a lot to do with motivation, or the lack of motivation weight loss. Did you know that the main reason that prevents people from getting out there and losing weight is procrastination? It’s that little voice inside you that says “no, I can postpone that exercise, I’ll just put it off for a rainy day.” Does that rainy day ever come, tell me, when will you really get around to it?

In actuality, procrastination isn’t hard to cure and now is the best time to just do it! Obesity being one of the top preventable causes of death should be enough reason for one to change habits and make the extra effort to lose weight. Think of how impressed and amazed your friends and family will be once they see the new trim and fit body you’ll have after just exerting a little bit of effort into making that change. They say that 80% of change begins simply by showing up, will you show up and confront your challenge? It will be much easier than you think!

Here’s a quick challenge for you. Grab a calendar and circle eleven days from today and picture yourself on that date nine pounds slimmer. Now really visualize it as if it has already happened. How do you look? How do you feel? I think you will feel absolutely incredible and that will be just the beginning! Those nine pounds will provide you with the confidence and motivation weight loss you need to continue burning fat until you reach your goal.

Shedding extra pounds and maintaining a healthy weight is not that difficult. It all comes down to healthy eating habits. More importantly, it’s a committment to make a change in your life. Here are some helpful tips that can help you in your weight loss and new health efforts.

Make a commitment to change.
Saying it and doing it are two different things. That’s why the majority of people don’t follow their new diets, because the solid commitment to make a difference is not there. Say it to yourself daily, write it down, live it and believe it. Only this way can your commitment to lose weight and becoming healthier be as solid and as serious as you want it to be.

Make sure your goals are realistic.
Set goals you must work for but ones that are reachable. Understand you are looking for long term results. Break down your main goal into smaller ones. Go after each small one, one at a time. It’s much more effective to go about losing a few pounds a month, then to go about thinking of losing all the weight you want at once.

Adjust your meal size.
Most of the time, people eat way more than they actually should. Most restaurants serve plates for one person that could literally feed two people. If you want to lose weight, eat less. You need to eat to calm your hunger, nothing more. This over time, you will get used to the smaller portions and your stomach will as well.

Make fruits and vegetables a larger part of your diet.
Drop the roll and butter, fried cheese or chips. Add raw vegetables and low fat ranch dressing as a snack. Forget french fries and have a fresh salad with lunch. Add a serving at dinner. Use fresh fruit cut up for desserts. Not only are these healthier for you but used as simple substitutions, they will help you drop more weight in one year than you can imagine.

Savor your food.
When you eat do it slowly. Relax, take you time, savor the flavors and enjoy each bite. It takes a
certain amount of time for your brain to become aware that your stomach is full. Therefore, if you take your time, you will end up eating less, another important point to losing weight.

Despite the ideas from the media that losing weight is hard and a life-long challenge, the reality is, it does not have to be that way. Follow these simple ideas and see how much you lose a year from now.