4 Weight Loss Myths

Due to the large number of people struggling to lose weight, a lot has been said about the topic. The large amount of information confuses a lot of people thus many can't tell the myths from the facts. To help you out, here are some of the common weight loss myths that you should know about:

Weight loss is a linear process

In as much as you might have read and heard how people have lost weight after starting their exercise regimens and dieting, it's good to note that the weight loss journey wasn't linear. Many people lose a few pounds one week and then gain a few the following week. Experts attribute this to the presence of food and water in the body. The fluctuations are more pronounced in women due to their menstrual cycle.

There are some people that give up on weight loss after they gain a few pounds in a certain week but this shouldn't be you. It is a slow journey with hills and pumps and you should be patient until you reach your target weight.

Starving is the best way to lose weight

Since food is the main cause of the added pounds thus cutting it will result in shedding a few of those pounds, right? You are wrong! Studies show that starvation often results to long-term weight gain instead of weight loss. According to the studies, when you starve, you send your body into starvation mode thus the body protects its fat reserves. You also tend to crave high-fat and sugary foods. In the long run, you end up taking in a lot of unnecessary calories. Cutting the food proportions is recommended but you shouldn't stop taking food.

Spicy foods make you burn calories

There is a huge debate around this topic. While different foods contain different nutrients thus have different health benefits, studies show that all calories are the same regardless of where they are coming from. This means that there are no calories that will help you lose weight. While there are some foods that increase the rate of metabolism, studies show that the rate is insignificant thus doesn't have any effect on weight loss.

The best way of losing weight is building muscle. When you build muscles you increase your calorie demand even when your body is at rest thus little or no fat is deposited. If you don't like exercising, you should take foods with plenty of water and fiber content. These foods stay longer in the body thus you don't keep on eating.

Weight loss diets always work

There are many diets in the market and I would like to report that most of them don't work. According to studies, most of the diets help you lose the water weight and when you stop taking them, you gain the weight back. It's estimated that 85% of people that take diets gain the weight back within a year. To be safe, avoid relying on the diets. The best way of going about it is increasing the levels of activity, eating healthy meals and sleeping better and weight loss will come as a natural side effect.

Weight Loss Mistakes Everyone Seems To Make

When it comes to losing weight, people assume it's complex. The reason why is simple, that's what marketing states on a regular basis. No matter how you look at it, you will find that there are a lot of different ways to attack this notion of weight loss. All it takes is one late night to see how many infomercials are out there discussing this type of issue. If you want to avoid mistakes, then consider the following simple things that you may be doing wrong.

Eating Too Few Calories

The first major problem that you may want to work with is eating less. That's good. Eating less isn't inherently bad, but when you eat too few calories your body starts to retain fat cells. You will put it into "starvation" mode. This is something that is going to cause a serious amount of problems. You'll no doubt end up dealing with a variety of problems here. The biggest of which is just not eating enough, and your body will not lose pounds as a result. There's a balance that you need in your body, and this is not how you go about it on any level.

Not Drinking Enough Water

Do you really want to drop a few pounds? Well, then you will need to drink a lot more water. Water helps flush the body of toxicity, and helps with lubricating joints. It can also help with muscle recovery, hydration during exercise, and of course, keeping you full longer throughout the day. No matter how much weight you're planning on trying to lose, this is going to pay off dividends down the line. Hydration is a critical part of your goals in fitness.

Only Doing Aerobic Exercises

One of the basic elements of exercise is that of aerobics. You want to move around. However, if you just do cardiovascular options, you will not be able to gain the upper hand in the long term. You will find yourself dealing with a variety of problems. These options are going to cause your body to lose water weight, and nothing more. You want to burn fat cells, which means that you will need to lift weights. If you don't lift weights, you will not get that "ripped" effect that you see promoted on fitness magazines.

Give Up Before Results Manifest

Here's the biggest mistake that people make when trying to figure out weight loss, giving up. If you are to address any of the weight loss mistakes mentioned here, you will need to look into this solution. Don't give up if you don't see your goal come through in a week, two weeks, or any shortened span of time. You will find out that this is going to cause a serious problem for your body, and mind. Sometimes, to reach your goals, you have to invest upwards of six months to a year on a nutrition and exercise plan. Only then will you actually see results come through. Just make sure that you stay clear of these mistakes and you should be just fine.

Ways to Speed Up Your Weight Loss

Most people view dieting as an all or nothing. In January, they make their New Year's Resolutions and hit the gym for endless cardio sessions and eat nothing but fish and vegetables for about two weeks, but soon they are eating birthday cake and drinking beer again, ashamed that their diet has failed. Studies show that diets often fail because they are too extreme; people adopt an all-or-nothing philosophy instead of making a few small healthy changes that can actually become permanent and be sustainable. If you are interested in speeding up your weight loss and have been a habitual all-or-nothing dieter, try adding just a couple of these small lifestyle changes to enjoy an expedited weight loss.

#1 Limit Going Out to Eat

We all know that going out to eat increases our calorie count. Most restaurant food is loaded with additional fat and sugar, and it is also usually served in much larger portions. Therefore, eating out less is obviously a great way to lose weight. But, do not completely eliminate eating out, because that is not sustainable. Instead of ruling it out, limit it. If you usually eat out once a week, try and make it once every two weeks. If you usually do it twice a week, try and make it once a week. If you make the change more gradual, it is more likely to stick. Bottom Line: Gradually limiting the frequency with which you go out to eat can help you to lose weight quickly.

#2 Stop Buying Junk FoodIt

is unrealistic to assume you can just stop eating junk food, particularly if it has been a staple of your life. Therefore, do not even tell yourself that you will fully stop eating junk food. Instead, stop buying it for yourself. You may still eat the cupcake at the office, but if you do not buy it, then you cannot also have the popcorn at home. Making this one small change can have an enormous effect. Bottom Line: Stop buying junk food to limit your eating it at home.

#3 Don't Skip Breakfast

A lot of people feel that skipping breakfast is a great way to lower their overall calorie count, but this is just not true. First, breakfast helps to jumpstart the metabolism, encouraging your body to burn calories. Also, if you give yourself a healthy breakfast at home, you will be less hungry and therefore less likely to eat the leftover birthday cake in the break room. Instead of skipping breakfast, just assume that you will eat a healthy breakfast at home every morning.Bottom Line: Eating breakfast gives you more control over what you eat and helps to jumpstart your metabolism.

#4 Take Garcinia Cambogia

There is no shortcut to weight loss, but there are some natural supplements that can help. Garcinia Cambogia is a tropical plant that has been shown to inhibit the body's ability to make fat and can regulate blood sugar and cholesterol. Adding a Garcinia Cambogia supplement in addition to some of these other recommendations can speed up your attainment of your weight loss goals. Take Home Message: Making small, lasting lifestyle changes is much more effective than the all-or-nothing dieting philosophy. Instead of making extreme restrictions, try adding a few healthy changes to expedite your weight loss goals.

Ways to Lose Weight Before and During the Holidays

Here are 4 tips if you are trying to lose weight before or during the holidays.

When the holidays are approaching, you might be concerned about how much weight you might gain. Perhaps you started a diet during the summer and are doing well, but now the treats and big holiday dinners are causing concern. Or you lost weight in the spring and now all those July 4th and summer barbecues are looming. Don't worry! You can still lose or maintain your weight throughout any holiday season.

Drink Only Water

One of the best ways you can lose weight and continue losing even through the holidays is by drinking more water. The majority of what you drink on a daily basis should be water. We have all heard the 8 cup of water a day rule, right? Another recommendation is to drink half your weight in ounces of water each day. Also try to drink a glass of water before and after any other type of drink. So if you are at a holiday party and want a glass of champagne, drink a full glass of water beforehand. You are not allowed another glass of champagne or wine until you have another glass of water. This helps to limit how much alcohol you end up drinking.

Indulge, But Not Too Much

The problem with wanting to indulge during the holidays is that you feel left out if you can't have treats. If you keep denying yourself too much, you might find yourself on Christmas Eve, (or New Year's Eve, or Labor Day weekend), eating everything in sight because you went without for so long. A good way to remedy this is by letting yourself taste everything, but not over-indulging. If you are at Thanksgiving dinner, have a very small portion of each food item, but not a full portion.

Remove 1/3 of Your Meals Immediately

When you are eating out for the holidays, this is another time when you might indulge a little too much. This can make it really hard to lose weight. If you decide to order something that isn't as light and fit as it could be, separate your meal immediately. Ask for a to-go container when your food is served. Then take 1/3 of the meal and place it in the container. This reduces how much you end up eating. It also lets the meal last longer.

Top Food With Salsa

Instead of putting cheese, sour cream, or guacamole on top of your food, consider adding some salsa. This adds a lot of seasonings and is extremely low in fat and calories. The majority of salsa is just tomatoes, jalapenos and onions, so there isn't much to it.

Unbelievable Ways To Make Stomach Slim And Flat

How can you get results to make your stomach slim and flat?

You know how it is when you have tried everything to get a flat tummy and it still pokes out? This is a very disheartening feeling. It may discourage you into losing hope all together. It seems like the belly is the most stubborn and those last few pounds refuse to go away. This can give you a horrific feeling that things aren't ever going to change.

Even though you may feel devastated, you don't have to be discouraged forever. You have everything you need to reach your goal to make your stomach slim and flat. Decide right now that this is going to be a priority for you. You can gain courage and become victorious with your goals if you triumph through this rough patch.

I too was having trouble trying to flatten my tummy. But, the problem became the best thing that happened because I was so determined to overcome it, I did it. I racked my brain on ideas of what I could change and then I focused on them. Once I focused and remained consistent, I saw changes and results. I am happy to say that my belly is now slim and flat after twenty years of carrying around a pooch. If I can do it, you can too.

4 Ways To Make Stomach Slim And Flat

1. Do This: Cut sugar and grains out of your diet for at least 2 weeks. Also, stay away from fast food, fried food and processed food (food from a box). Focus on eating fruit all morning, veggies all afternoon and for dinner, mix in lean proteins. Only snack on fruits, veggies, eggs, peanuts, and yogurt.

2. Do This: Make water your main drink. Drink it all day everyday. You should be gulping down at least 100 ounces a day. Stay away from other beverages, if you want a flat tummy.

3. Do This: Take a probiotic everyday to combat bloating and water weight. It comes in a vitamin form and helps to breakdown food for digestion.

4. Do This: Exercises for the abs, obliques, and back are great for tightening up those muscles and holding everything in. Do the exercises everyday to build on what you did the day before.