When we discover that we are heavier than we want to be, we have a natural inclination to eat less food. We may skip lunch or eat only a tiny amount of our dinner in the hope that if we eat less our body will burn off some of its fat. But that is not necessarily true. Eating less actually makes it more difficult to lose weight.
Keep in mind that the human body took shape millions of years ago, and at that time there were diets. The only low-calorie event in people's lives was starvation. Those who could cope with a temporary lack of food were the ones who survived. Our bodies, therefore, have developed this built-in mechanism to help us survive in the face of low food intake.
When researchers compare overweight and thin people, they find that they are roughly the same number of calories. What makes overweight people different is the amount of fat that they eat. Thin people tend to eat less fat and more complex carbohydrates.
Being seriously overweight and particularly obesity can develop into a number of diseases and serious health problems, and it is now a known fact that when caloric intake is excessive, some of the excess frequently is saturated fat.
The myth is that people get heavy by eating too many calories. Calories are a consideration it's true, but overall they are not the cause of obesity in America today. Americans actually take in fewer calories each day than they did at the beginning of the century. If calories alone were the reason we become overweight, we should all be thin. But we are not. Collectively, we are heavier than ever. Partly, it is because we are more sedentary now. But equally, as important is the fact that the fat content of the American diet has changed dramatically.
People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. Although your weight may initially drop while dieting, such weight loss consists mostly of water and muscle. When the weight returns, it comes back as fat. To avoid getting fatter over time, increase your metabolism by exercising regularly.
Select an exercise routine that you are comfortable with and remember that walking is one of the best and easiest exercises for strengthening your bones, controlling your weight and toning your muscles.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
20 Benefits of Exercise
Here are 20 benefits of exercising. Some of them may be obvious, but I guarantee that some of them are new and will help you in your goal to lose weight fast.
1. Elevates your metabolism so that you burn more calories everyday.
2. Increases your aerobic capacity (fitness level). This gives you the ability to go through your day with less relative energy expenditure. This enables a "fit" person to have more energy at the end of the day and to get more accomplished during the day with less fatigue.
3. Maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscle. Exercise also increases your muscular endurance.
4. Decreases your blood pressure.
5. Increases the oxidation (breakdown and use) of fat.
6. Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.
7. Makes the heart a more efficient pump by increasing stroke volume.
8. Increases hemoglobin concentration in your blood. Hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
9. Decreases the tendency of the blood to clot in the blood vessels. This is important because small clots traveling in the blood are often the cause of heart attacks and strokes.
10. Increases the strength of the bones.
11. Causes the development of new blood vessels in the heart and other muscles.
12. Enlarges the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
13. Decreases blood levels of triglycerides (fat).
14. Improves control of blood sugar.
15. Improves sleep patterns.
16. Increases the efficiency of the digestive system which may reduce the incidence of colon cancer.
17. Increases the thickness of cartilage in joints which has a protective effect on the joints.
18. Decreases a woman's risk of developing endometriosis by 50%.
19. Increases the amount of blood that flows to the skin making it look and feel healthier.
20. Exercise, in addition to all the physiological and anatomical benefits, just makes you feel GREAT!
1. Elevates your metabolism so that you burn more calories everyday.
2. Increases your aerobic capacity (fitness level). This gives you the ability to go through your day with less relative energy expenditure. This enables a "fit" person to have more energy at the end of the day and to get more accomplished during the day with less fatigue.
3. Maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscle. Exercise also increases your muscular endurance.
4. Decreases your blood pressure.
5. Increases the oxidation (breakdown and use) of fat.
6. Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.
7. Makes the heart a more efficient pump by increasing stroke volume.
8. Increases hemoglobin concentration in your blood. Hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
9. Decreases the tendency of the blood to clot in the blood vessels. This is important because small clots traveling in the blood are often the cause of heart attacks and strokes.
10. Increases the strength of the bones.
11. Causes the development of new blood vessels in the heart and other muscles.
12. Enlarges the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
13. Decreases blood levels of triglycerides (fat).
14. Improves control of blood sugar.
15. Improves sleep patterns.
16. Increases the efficiency of the digestive system which may reduce the incidence of colon cancer.
17. Increases the thickness of cartilage in joints which has a protective effect on the joints.
18. Decreases a woman's risk of developing endometriosis by 50%.
19. Increases the amount of blood that flows to the skin making it look and feel healthier.
20. Exercise, in addition to all the physiological and anatomical benefits, just makes you feel GREAT!
Healthy Mindset
Before we focus on the actual techniques and tips to lose weight fast and get healthy, we must first attack the mindset that you have to have when trying to begin this next chapter in your life. In order to take advantage of losing weight and being successful, you must be prepared--that means " paying your dues."
Nothing is more frustrating than to see that you are gaining weight again.
Be in a position to benefit from your failure. It pays to be prepared, and that comes down to plain, hard work. It's not usually glamorous. It's not always exciting. It's not always fun. It is, however, always necessary.
By being prepared, you have to create a game plan to get back on track right away without beating yourself up and devastating your self-esteem. My game plan is taking it a bite at a time. What's your's? Maybe it's taking it a day at a time, going back to your diet tomorrow. Maybe it's getting angry and becoming more determined then ever to succeed.
Have you ever been at a Weight Watchers or TOPS meeting and noticed several people there who are slim and trim? What about those Jenny Craig and Nutri/System ad's with their before and after pictures? They make losing weight look so effortless, but remember, in reality, these people have been dieting for years.
Without effort and action, you will not succeed. You can't wish your weight away. You have to work at it and be prepared for those times when you slip, so you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on...
Losing weight demands preparation, effort and commitment to come to fruition.
Nothing is more frustrating than to see that you are gaining weight again.
Be in a position to benefit from your failure. It pays to be prepared, and that comes down to plain, hard work. It's not usually glamorous. It's not always exciting. It's not always fun. It is, however, always necessary.
By being prepared, you have to create a game plan to get back on track right away without beating yourself up and devastating your self-esteem. My game plan is taking it a bite at a time. What's your's? Maybe it's taking it a day at a time, going back to your diet tomorrow. Maybe it's getting angry and becoming more determined then ever to succeed.
Have you ever been at a Weight Watchers or TOPS meeting and noticed several people there who are slim and trim? What about those Jenny Craig and Nutri/System ad's with their before and after pictures? They make losing weight look so effortless, but remember, in reality, these people have been dieting for years.
Without effort and action, you will not succeed. You can't wish your weight away. You have to work at it and be prepared for those times when you slip, so you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on...
Losing weight demands preparation, effort and commitment to come to fruition.
Welcome!
Ladies and gents, welcome to EZ Weight Loss. My name is Jack and I'll be your guide and companion on our goal to a healthier lifestyle and weight-loss success. This blog will detail diet tips, exercise tips, and just general cool stuff as well. This should be fun and rewarding for all of us. Again, thanks for reading, and welcome to EZ Weight Loss.
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