Monday, December 20, 2010

Weight Loss - Easy Tips

Obesity and overweight are the most commonly found complaints of people. Weight Loss programs, crash diets and other methods are available on the internet. Many of these are useless and once done the rebound effect is chronic. Realistic, good and sensible strategies need to be followed for healthy loss of weight. To begin on a weight loss program first find the BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) in order to determine the total number of calories to be lost. The formula for calculating BMR is BMR [kcal] = Body Weight [lb] x 15 + (moderate activity [mins/day] x 3.5). Once the BMR is calculated the target weight can be obtained as BMR - 500 calories.

The second thing to do is eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. These contain fibres and anti oxidants and fill up the stomach faster with lower calories. The third thing that is essential for weight loss is exercise. Exercise is imperative for long term weight loss. A minimum of 5 sessions a week for at least 30 minutes is required. There are lots of power workouts prescribed for working people. These are simple and can be done in less time but yet yield good results.

The fourth tip is to rope in a friend. Research has proved that if there is a partner helping out and following the program, then people stick to the regime and also lose weight faster. The fifth tip is to reduce the size of the meal portion. Eating smaller meal portions slowly combined with a lot of fluids can do the trick for easy weight loss. The sixth rule is to never skip any meal. The trick is to eat smaller but more frequent meals during the day. Instead of eating three big meals, 5-6 smaller meals can help in losing weight.

The seventh tip is to eat as much fresh food as possible. Packaged foods and fast foods generally contain a higher sodium and fat content than fresh foods. Hence it is advisable to avoid them. The eighth rule is to not abstain too much. If a person completely abstains from chocolates and sweets, his craving for the same will increase ten-fold. Hence a little bit of indulgence is required but the quantity and frequency should be monitored strictly.

The ninth rule is to abstain from sugary drinks and aerated ones. Juice, coffee, soda or tea all add up in sugar and cream content. Hence these drinks can be replaced by a glass of water. At least 8 glasses of water need to be consumed in a day. The tenth and final tip is to maintain a diet diary and to consult a dietitian. It helps in identifying diet patterns and modifying the same.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_F_Myers 

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Healthy Weight Loss and Eating Out - How Can I Combine Them?

So you're on a healthy weight loss diet. That's good but what about your social life? How can you go out with your friends to your favorite restaurants and fast food places if you are on a diet?

There's no need to stop eating out with your friends if you are on a weight loss regimen. Eating out can be healthy as long as you either choose healthy food items or control the portions of what you eat.

If you know where you will be going beforehand, check the restaurant's online menu. They probably have healthy food such as salads, soups, lean meat or vegetable dishes. Look for food that is steamed, boiled, baked, broiled, grilled, broiled or poached. Stay away from fried food or fatty food that is smothered in cream, cheese, butter or gravies and sauces.

Drink water with your meal and not soda. A large glass of soda can contain as much as 450 calories and that would take a big bite out of your daily calorie limit.

Extras can add many unwanted calories. Bread with butter, side servings of French fries, creamy toppings and other superfluous food elements can be ignored.

In many places you can order off-menu or in other words request special dishes that are healthier than their regular menu dishes. When ordering your meal, don't be scared to ask if the dish can be slightly altered. For example, you ask for the chicken to be served skinless or the sauce to be served in a separate pot. Some restaurants also offer diet-friendly versions of their dishes if you ask for it.

There's also no need to order many courses. You might be satisfied with just the main course or perhaps the soup and salad only.

Now about some fishes that are popular. Fried chicken is generally better to avoid than order. This is true for most food that is fried. Surprisingly, steak can be fine if it is lean grilled meat. A delicious lean steak and salad, without any fattening side dishes such as chips or fries can be as little as 500 calories.

However, the dieter who is concerned with a healthy weight loss plan must take care to eat only small portions. Even a lean grilled steak can bee too much if it's a huge piece as big as a baby's head.

Pasta is not bad provided it does not come with creamy sauces. Go for tomato sauces with your pasta.

Vegetables are a good choice but they often come with fattening sauces or dressings. Chose balsamic vinegar rather than salad dressing.

Desserts can be your Waterloo if you cannot resist those sweet cakes and pies. Try to go for fruit salads or sorbets. If you cannot help but yield to temptation, go ahead and eat some of those sweet desserts but at least don't eat a large portion.

It cannot be emphasized too much that portion control is important. Learn what a proper portion size is and stick to it.

A good tip is to eat properly during the day before you go out for dinner. If you starve yourself to "save up" calories, you might arrive at the restaurant too famished too care about your diet.

Regarding binge eating, stay away from buffets entirely! Those are far too tempting because they have such a wide array of dishes to choose from. Even the strongest-willed person who has stuck to their weight loss plan can get overwhelmed by a good buffet. Since buffets are also expensive, there is the additional enticement of eating more to get the most out of your money.

Lastly, look around and explore more restaurant options. Remember that a healthy weight loss plan is forever, so change your dining habits so that you patronize good restaurants that offer healthy food.