Are Your Thoughts About Your Body Holding You Back From Success

When someone joins my personal coaching program, one of the first things I ask them to do is to describe exactly what their body is going to look like once I help them reach their goal weight. I ask them to do this in writing – not over the phone, and here’s why…

Deeply imbedded negative thoughts are what cause us to have difficulties in any weight loss or health enhancement program – in fact, our past failures can almost always be traced back to negative thoughts that we didn’t even realize we had.

Most of our negative thinking comes out when we write things down on paper (or on the computer). 

I challenge you to write out 10 brief descriptions about how your body will look in 30 days if you were coached by someone like me – someone who knows exactly how to transform the human body no matter what stage of the game you’re currently at.

Go ahead, take a moment and write out what your face would look like, what your arms would look like, what your legs and your butt would look like – would your skin look different, would your muscles be tighter, would you be leaner – detail everything, then come right back.

Did you do it?

Make your list now before reading any further – I want you to walk away with some profound knowledge of yourself when you’re done reading this article.

OK, now that you have your list, let me show you something that you can use to judge whether or not you’ve been causing yourself to fail in your attempts to lose weight and keep it off.

Here are some examples of statements that a good friend of mine used to have before he and I began working together – statements that were literally holding him back from success:

Face-more chiseled features, no double chin, no doughy jowls or puffy cheeks, no bags under the eyes.

Other than improved facial shape, I really have no complaints at all about my face, hair, eyes, nose, ears.

Neck-no double chin or “wattle”

Chest-no gynecomastia (womanly breasts), muscular instead. Look, ma, I can see my ribcage and pectoral muscles instead of a soft mattress of flab.

Arms-hard sinewy curves instead of soft breadsticks. Seeing veins and muscles instead of smooth fat.

Abdomen-are there really abs hiding in there? They’ve never made an appearance in 50 years! It’d be nice to have a tight waist not uncomfortably sliced by too-tight underwear.

Legs-less of a conical shape, more elongated and solid. Although my calves have always been rather large and firm-my best body part, next to my brain.

Buttocks-less sag, more form

Back-could be a lot less hairy, would be nice to see a “V” shape instead of a truncated pyramid.

Can you see why he might have had a few troubles in the past reaching his goal?

But I’ll let you in on a little secret – this guy is in great shape now and enjoying life more than ever, and he’s a pleasure to speak with each week in our coaching calls.

Now here’s a list from a woman who recently completed one of my coaching programs – this list was written out after our first session together – watch how positive every statement is:

WHAT MY BODY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE

Weight Loss Tip 12 How Starving Your Body Can Make You Gain Weight

No, that title is not a typo. 

One of the things that makes people not get the weight loss results that they want is that they may occassionally be starving their bodies. 

There are two basic ways that this can happen. One is for it to be done inadvertently—like when you just get busy and forget to eat. 

Another is when you purpose deprive your body of food to try and “speed up” your results. 

Regardless of how it happens, either scenario in this case is equally damaging. Although you will decrease the calories that you take in which may lead to some short-term weight loss, the kicker here is that you will be slowing down your metabolism. 

What this means is that after the starving is over, your body will hold onto the next meal you eat for dear life, expecting be be starved again. 

If you allow starvation to become a habit, you will actually be contributing to your own weight gain in the future. 

Therefore, make sure that you are keeping your meals no more than 4 hours apart. As long as you do this, you will be supporting the healthy metabolism that you’ll need to lose the kind of weight that you’ve committed to. 

To Your Best Body,

Diet And Exercising For Weight Loss

Obesity is now being called an epidemic in the health community. In fact, it will soon be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, even ahead of cigarette smoking. Obesity leads to type two diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke and even an increased risk of cancer. With all of these health risks, as well as the general improvement in the quality of life that can occur, losing weight is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.

No matter what we would like to believe, there simply isn’t a magic solution to losing weight. The body will shed excess fat when it needs more calories to function through the demands you place on it in a given day than the amount of calories that you feed it. It’s that simple. So, in order to lose weight, you need to decrease the number of calories that you eat as well as increase the amount that you burn.

There is a wide range of options to choose from when looking for a weight loss program. All of them often spend a lot of time explaining what to eat, in what amounts and even at what times or in what combinations. But few of them emphasize the importance of exercise – not just for losing weight, but for your general health and wellbeing. Exercise is vital when trying to lose weight for several reasons:

First, as you start to eat less, your metabolism will slow down somewhat. Exercising helps to elevate your metabolism back to an efficient level.Second, as mentioned, exercise burns more calories so that you can lose weight faster and stay motivated in your efforts.Third, exercise actually releases endorphins, chemicals that keep your mood elevated.

Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym or straining through exhausting workouts. In fact, in order for you to stick with it on the long run, exercising should be something that you enjoy. Start by increasing your activity level in an overall way. Take the stairs when you can. Park further from the mall door when you go shopping. Go for a walk in the park or through a neighborhood you love and bring a dog or a friend along for company. Take dance or martial arts lessons.

Once you become more active in general, you’ll find it easier and more natural to move into regular exercise. Which you’ll need to do eventually in order to get regular, noticeable health benefits. You need to raise your heart rate to a fat burning level and keep it there for at least 20 minutes, 3 times or more a week. However, if you don’t want to go to a gym, there are other options. Videos and DVDs are now available in all kinds of exercise types. That way you can change your routine whenever you want so that you don’t get bored with what you’re doing. Try a range of aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, or pretty much any activity you want right in the comfort of your own home.

If you have physical limitations that would keep you off from exercising, you can still find a way to increase your activity level. Water aerobics is a wonderful option for those who have joint problems or limited mobility because it relieves the pressure on your body that your weight provides. But you still get the resistance to challenge your muscles from the water. There are even classes and videos available that let you exercise in a seated position.

Whatever kind of exercise you choose, it’s important to stay motivated and keep it fun. Try gathering a group together to make it a social event. Or get a pedometer, a device that tracks how far you walk, and see how many miles you can walk a week. Make a competition amongst your friends or family members and treat the winner with something special (not food related!). Make the experience of exercising something that you look forward to, and it will soon become a regular part of your healthier lifestyle.

Top 10 Weight Loss Tips For Moms - Tip 6 Get More Sleep

Lose weight while you sleep. It sounds too good to be true right? I don't know about you, but if I am up really late, I get hungry and eat. And if I'm up really early and my day is longer, which means I eat way more on those days than I do on days where I get a solid 7-8 hours of sleep. And, as a mother to 5 children, I know all about broken sleep, and the affects it can have on your body.

Sleep affects our weight in a few ways: 1) It gives us more energy. 2) It helps us to eat less. 3) It helps keep fat genes suppressed, and my favourite, 4) It helps keep belly fat off!

1) It give us more energy: I know when I've had sleepless night from crying, hungry babies, that the next day my energy levels are so low. When your energy is low is it hard to even do the basics, which makes getting your workout in sometimes impossible. And when you need more energy, you turn to more food to get that energy. Adjust your sleeping so that you are getting 7-9 hours so that you can get your workout in. And exercise helps establish good sleeping patterns, so they go hand-in-hand.

2) It helps us to eat less: When we don't get enough sleep our leptin levels lowers, which in turn raises our levels of ghrelin. So, what does this mean in terms of weight gain? Leptin help our bodies realize that they are full, and ghrelin stimulates our appetite. Therefore, when we are sleep deprived we are more likely to overeat. The first 3 months of all my children's lives I felt this big time. There were days I just couldn't seem to eat enough to feel full. As soon as my sleeping pattern returned to normal, this problem was went away.

3) It helps keep fat genes suppressed: Research has shown that women who slept 7-9 hours a night had much lower body fat percent than those who slept less than 7 hours. And, interestingly, those who slept longer than 9 hours were prone to obesity. Just like my mom says, "Moderation. Too much of anything isn't good for you either."

4) It helps keep belly fat off: If you read my Weight Loss Tip #5 where I explained how stress affects your waistline this one goes hand-in-hand. Sleepless nights can cause stress and anxiety, which puts weight on your waist.

Make sure you are getting at least 7 hours of "good" fairly uninterrupted sleep. There are still 4 more tips, so don't go to sleep just yet!

Quick Weight Loss Solutions - What Goes on When You Take in Diet Pills and Supplements

You might get too excited with the idea of 'instant' weight reduction. These diet supplements promise 'safe' weight reduction and may even surpass natural diet regimens. But how sure are you that these quick weight loss solutions are effective? What do these wonder supplements do to keep your scale from tipping? The answers might be troublesome.

Several supplements have shown hazardous effects in the system, particularly the brain. Over-the-counter medications may contain double or triple the dose of heart medications, which produced a high number of heart attack and stroke cases among young adults. What are the effects of these quick weight loss solutions that made it more dangerous -- than helpful? Here's a list of common weight loss supplements available in the market to date:

a.) Alli: This over-the-counter version of Orlistat promises body fat loss through reduction of fat absorption. It's efficient in promoting body fat reduction, especially among obese clients who have difficulty 'sweating' off the fat. However, the FDA is still undergoing investigation of liver injury associated with this drug.

Reducing fat absorption might be good in promoting weight reduction, but it may also reduce absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E and K are essential for calcium absorption, skin protection and blood clotting. It's highly suggested that you talk with your doctor first before taking any regimens under this type.

b.) Bitter Orange/ Ma Huang/ Ephedra: For years, this drug (or supplement) has been circulating in the market. This traditional Chinese regimen is said to decrease appetite and increase metabolism to improve weight reduction. Through extensive studies and consumer evidences, these quick weight loss solutions don't come with a price.

Ma Huang is under the 'possibly unsafe' category in the FDA's list of dietary supplements. Hospital records showed dieters taking this supplement experienced intense side effects like chest pains, insomnia, addiction, stroke and even death. Further studies showed that there are insufficient weight reduction results for it to be considered effective.

c.) Chromium: Natural quick weight loss solutions, such as Chromium, are some of the popular weight reduction regimens today. This drug is said to increase calorie burn, decrease the appetite and increase muscle bulk. Individuals who are into bodybuilding might find this product useful in improving the results of their workout.

Good sources of Chromium are broccoli, orange juice, grape juice, potatoes, apple, bananas and turkey breast. Further studies are needed to identify the true efficiency of this supplement in inducing weight reduction.

These three supplements and drugs are some of the modern body fat loss regimen. Although the potential for fat reduction results may be overwhelming, you need to consider the following factors in finding quality fat reduction supplement and drug: research and substantial scientific results.

It's tempting to think that you could lose body fat in as lest time as possible. Do a background check on these supplements before you start taking any. A lot of quick weight loss solutions are disguised in small pills that can potentially destroy your overall health. Always consult your healthcare professional in making safe and natural weight reduction plans.

http://women.vishare.net/

Weight Loss Benefits of Massage

There is no question that having a massage makes you feel great. Even having a deep-tissue, sports massage makes you feel wonderful afterwards. Massage can relieve stress, help you recover from hard physical activity or injury and even reduce anxiety, but can it help you to achieve your weight loss goals?Research shows that massage can have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness levels, which in turn increases your capacity to control or loose weight.Healthy strong muscles burn calories and give you the freedom to participate in all sorts of sports and activities that can help you burn excess calories and improve your overall fitness and wellbeing.Massage has the following benefits that can directly influence your ability to control or loose weight:1. Massage has been shown to improve circulation and the supply of nutrition to the muscles. Massage increases the interchange of vital substances between the blood and tissue cells, which increases tissue metabolism. After muscles are exercised, vital nutrients must be supplied to them so that they can recover and rebuild themselves. Massage maximizes the supply of these nutrients and oxygen though increased blood flow, which helps the muscles to grow and burn more calories as a result.2. Massage improves your muscles' range of motion and their flexibility. This allows them to maintain maximum power and performance while active, and burn the maximum number of calories in the process.Improved range of motion and flexibility also reduces muscle soreness during periods of recovery and muscle repair.Having a wide range of motion and maximum muscle flexibility also reduces the danger of experiencing injuries during exercise which can severely limit activity, exercise and weight loss progress.3. Massage helps to shorten the recovery time needed between your workouts. Waste products such as lactic and carbonic acid build up in muscles during and after exercise. Increased circulation to these muscles helps to eliminate toxic debris buildup caused by these waste products and in doing so shorten recovery time.Shortened recovery time means you can safely have more workouts over a given period of time, which in turn means that you have the opportunity to burn more total calories in your effort to achieve your individual weight loss goals.4. Massage can also help reduce the chance of you over-training. Massage has a relaxing effect on the muscles and a sedative effect on the nervous system. By helping you to rest, which is a very important element of any exercise program, massage can reduce the likelihood of you experiencing over-training syndrome, which is known to limit your ability to build strong healthy muscles and therefore loose weight with maximum efficiency.5. In addition to all of the above, massage may directly aid in fat loss. According to some research studies, massage is thought to be able to burst the fat capsule in subcutaneous tissue so that the fat exudes and becomes absorbed. In this way, combined with proper nutrition and exercise, massage may actually help in weight loss.6. As we have already touched upon, massage helps prevent and heal injuries. By stretching connective tissue, massage improves circulation to help prevent or break down adhesions and scar tissue that result from muscle tears and other common muscle injuries. Massage also influences the excretion of certain fluids (nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur) that aid in tissue repair. Fast and effective recovery from injuries means that you can begin exercising sooner after suffering an injury and getting your weight loss progress back on track.So there you have it. Massage has a lot of benefits that can indirectly and possibly even directly aid you in achieving your weight loss goals.Regular massage is just as important a component as regular workouts and correct nutrition in any comprehensive fitness and weight loss program, which is great news for those of us who thought that exercising and losing weight was all hard work! Remember, weight loss is all about leading a balanced lifestyle and massage is an essential part of any balanced lifestyle.If you haven't had a massage lately, what are you waiting for? Get on the phone and make yourself a booking. If you haven't had a massage before, just remember to have your massage done by a qualified massage therapist.If you are unsure about a massage practitioners qualifications and experience, ask for referrals, professional training information, and make sure they are certified by reputable agency or institution.And remember, have fun!

5 Tips for Rapid Weight Loss

There are no magic pills, it's about smart choices. No one is perfect. Simply move in the direction to get better each day.Think of your diet as a lifestyle for longevity. Eat a wide variety of natural whole foods based on what you just did and what you're about to do.Enjoy what you love without the guilt, but eat healthy most of the time.Have earned meals, not cheat meals. When you eat the correct foods most of the time you earn the ability to eat whatever you want. How often depends on your individual goals. Cheating brings up a negative image. Don't be negative about something you've earned.Don't stress. Stressing out over your diet is counterproductive because stress is directly linked to weight gain.5 Tips for Rapid Weight Loss1- Drink Water. Ditch any liquid high in calories but drink lots of fluids, mostly water.A lack of water affects your kidneys and liver. This hinders fat burning. When dehydrated, your body also holds on to the little water it has, causing you to feel bloated.Drinking enough water brings everything back to equilibrium. Water can also enhance metabolism. Your body works more efficiently when hydrated which speeds up weight loss.2- Cut back on Salt. Salt isn't bad, but too much of it can cause problems.Salt does not cause your body to gain or lose fat. But, high consumptions of salt cause your body to retain water. Reducing the salt in your diet causes your body to shed water weight. Some salt is necessary for health so don't cut it out completely.Diets high in salt are also associated with weight gain. This is because high levels of salt are commonly found in unhealthy calorie dense processed foods.3- Dump Highly Processed Foods. Highly processed foods often lack essential nutrients and are high in bad fats, sugar, and artificial chemicals.Your body processes whole foods very differently than it does highly processed foods. Some highly processed foods overstimulate the pleasure neurotransmitter, dopamine, which can lead to cravings.Processed foods also cause a temptation to eat in excess which can lead to other health problems. Stick with natural whole foods.4- Double Dark Leafy Greens. Leafy greens are nutritious and come in a wide variety.Vegetables like kale, spinach, collard greens, cabbage, broccoli and others are some of the most nutrient dense foods on a calorie per calorie basis.They are rich in fiber that keeps you feeling full. Fiber can also lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and moderate blood-sugar swings by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates after meals. Leafy greens also contain a lot of water, which helps to keep you hydrated.5- Prioritize Sleep. Skipping sleep packs on the pounds.It can also hinder the effectiveness of your diet. People who get less sleep are more likely to be overweight or obese.Don't be temped by junk foods. Research from Harvard shows that missing a few hours of sleep may also make you more susceptible to junk foods. The prefrontal cortex is highly sensitive to a lack of sleep and it is the part of the brain responsible for self-control.