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Improving Self Esteem for Weight Loss Success

January 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Improving self esteem is an important part of sticking to a diet for weight loss success. How so? If you keep telling yourself that you are a failure or a loser in life, you probably will have a hard time feeling strong enough inside to stick with your diet. You’ll explain away times that you fall off your diet as “inevitable” and use them as an excuse to go back to unhealthy eating habits that keep on the pounds. Confidence grows as you acknowledge your small successes — those will add up to larger success and eventually to reaching your goals.

If you are interested in self improvement with weight loss but have low self esteem, the first thing you need to do is fix that. Until you do, it is much harder to accurately assess what you need to learn and change in order to achieve your goals. In fact, if you have low self esteem it can be difficult to even see what your goals are.

Imagine yourself as a dart board. Everything and everyone else around you has the potential to become a damaging dart pin, at one point or another. These dart pins will destroy your self esteem and pull you down in ways you may not even be conscious of. It’s important not to let them destroy you, or get the best of you. So what are the dart pins to avoid, and how can you keep them from hurting you?

Dart Pin #1 : Negative Work Environment

Beware of “dog eat dog” theory where everyone else is fighting just to get ahead. This is where non-appreciative people usually thrive. No one will appreciate your contributions even if you miss lunch and dinner, and stay up late. You may find you are working harder and harder for less and less return.

Stay out of this, it will ruin your self esteem. Find ways to manage your work within the normal working day at least 90% of the time. If you have to compete with others, compete on your own terms. Do not be drawn into power games or negative behavior that will make you feel badly about yourself.

Dart Pin #2: Other People’s Behavior

Bulldozers, brown nosers, gossipmongers, whiners, backstabbers, snipers, the walking wounded, controllers, naggers, complainers, exploders, patronizers, sluffers … all these negative behaviors in others will damage your self esteem, as well as to your self development program. But remember, it is not the person that is the problem: it is their behavior.

Dart Pin #3: Changing Environment

You can’t be a green bug on a brown field. Changes challenge our paradigms. They test our flexibility, adaptability and alter the way we think. Changes will make life difficult for a while and often cause stress, but when we look back we will see that change is often the catalyst or cause of self development. Try not to resist it.

Dart Pin #4: Past Experience

It’s okay to cry and say “ouch!” when we experience pain. But don’t let pain transform itself into fear by constantly thinking of the bad things that have happened to you or others in the past. It’s easy to wreck a relationship by bringing with you the issues you had in your last relationship, and expecting your new partner to be like your previous one. It’s easy to quit a diet if you “cheat” once. Treat each failure and mistake as a lesson, and move on. Get back on track.

Dart Pin #5: Negative World View

Look at what you’re looking at. Don’t wrap yourself up with all the negativities of the world. In building self esteem, we must learn how to make the best out of worst situations.

Dart Pin #6: Determination Theory

The way you are and your behavioral traits is said to be a mixed end product of your inherited traits, your upbringing, and your current environment such as your friends, your work situation, the economy and even the climate of the country that you live in.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that your genetics or upbringing will determine how your life goes. You have your own identity. If your father is a failure, it doesn’t mean you have to be a failure too. If all the women in your family were “fat,” take pride in breaking the pattern, in being different — i.e., being a healthy weight. Learn from other people’s experience, so you’ll never have to encounter the same mistakes.

In life, its hard to stay firm, especially when things and people around you seem to keep pulling you down. However, building self esteem will eventually lead to self development if we start to become responsible for who we are, what we have and what we do.

When we develop self esteem, we take control of our lives, mission, values and discipline. Self esteem brings about self improvement, true assessment, and determination. Once you get yourself launched, it is easier and easier to stay the course of your healthy diet for the long haul.

So how do you start putting up the building blocks of self esteem? Be positive. Be contented and happy. Be appreciative of yourself and others. Never miss an opportunity to reward yourself and to compliment others for little things. A positive way of living will help you build self esteem and set you on the path to positive self development. The weight loss is part of the whole package that is the benefit from improving self esteem. And, of course, that will give you even more motivation to keep going with your weight loss program.

 

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What Is A Low Carb Diet?

January 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

What is a low carb diet? Low carb dieting has become fashionable in recent years especially after the original publication of the Atkins diet.Low carb diets involve restricting the total number of grams of carbohydrates (carbs) that you eat each day. You also have proteins and fats to work with for nutrition. Some diets emphasize the high protein part of diet plan, and others emphasize eliminating or sharply reducing fats. The research evidence suggests that getting more of the high protein from vegetable sources like beans is healthier for you in the long run than loading up on sausages or deli meats as a way to get your high protein foods.

Losing weight is a goal for so many people and everybody is looking for the quick and easy way to lose weight. Some people do not need to lose weight at all but still get stressed over a couple of pounds. Others need to lose for medical reasons and may have one hundred pounds or more that they want to shed.

There are many different diets out there including low carbohydrate diets and the truth is that most of them will achieve weight loss if they are followed correctly. This does not mean always doing what the diet says every moment of every day. What is more important is how you deal with the inevitable occasion when you eat too much or feast on foods that are not on the plan. If you can write this off and return to the plan without giving yourself a hard time, you are likely to succeed. Everybody has those days – the important thing is to let them go and accept them as just another step on the road to permanent weight loss.

It is also important to find a diet that you can easily follow. Low carb diets suit many people because the rules are quite simple. As the name suggests, the diet consists of avoiding or limiting foods that are high in carbohydrates. These include bread, pasta, potatoes, rice and other grains. Sugar is also a carbohydrate that contributes to weight gain and bad health.

Once you understand what these foods are, it is a simple matter to choose dishes that avoid them. The next step is to learn about glycemic index and glycemic load so that you can pick and choose from among the better and worse carbs for you and your diet plan.

 

Most criticism of low carbohydrate dieting is based on the fact that the dieters will get most of their daily calories from meat, dairy and other high fat products. This can lead to high cholesterol and other problems related to a high intake of saturated fats. Medical advice is advised before starting this type of diet. Sometimes weight loss is good in the early stages but people cannot handle the restrictions in the longer term and start to deviate from the diet.

One of the problems that many people have with low carb dieting is the elimination of bread and pasta. No more toast, spaghetti or pizza! Many of the foods that are quickest to prepare are based around carbohydrates – burgers in their buns, fries, sandwiches, pasta and sauce. Beer and other alcoholic drinks are high in carbs too. It is true that alcohol is generally restricted on any diet, because it is high in calories and very low in nutritional value, but low carb diets put particular emphasis on this.

What to eat on a low carb diet? For some carbs, berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries have many health promoting nutrients in them, but they are less likely to hit your system hard with carbs (they are lower on the glycemic index).

Still there are many foods that can be enjoyed on a low carb diet. If you are fond of meat you will relish the opportunity to consume beef, chicken and other animal products. The popularity of these diets is clear from the length of time that they stay on the bestseller lists. It is just a matter of what suits you. Low carb dieting works for many people.

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Weight Loss Tips from Dr Dolittle’s Friends

January 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dr. Dolittle is a childhood hero, a professor/naturalist who loved animals and communicated — talked — with them. There is a great children’s book called “The Story of Doctor Dolittle.” If he were now on the lecture circuit sharing lessons he had gleaned from the animals, here are some weight loss tips he might mention.

There’s no doubt that humans are a lot more intelligent than most of the animals out there. Nevertheless, we can learn a lot from animals when it comes to food and our relationship to food and eating.

Did you ever see a wild animal that was obese? I doubt it. Even if there is plenty of food in their environment, they will stop eating when they have had enough.

Just about the only time that animals get fat is when they are fed by humans. This includes pets and some wild birds living on our scraps, like pigeons or ducks.

Pets can get fat if they are fed on the wrong foods. It’s important not to feed them on leftovers from the dinner table or give them a lot of treats.

Most of us don’t know much about pet food and our choices depend more on the marketing skills of the producer than what is good for our pets. It’s worth taking the time to research what is the most nutritious food for your pet.

Pets, like humans, will also tend to overeat if they are bored. Often times, living in a house or an apartment can be quite boring for them, so they get fat.

In fact, this is also true of us. Watching TV all day with little or no interaction with other people is a surefire recipe for obesity, alcoholism and other disorders.

If you want to keep your pet healthy, there are three other things that are just as important as food. Those are:

1. plenty of contact with other people and animals,

2. plenty of exercise, and

3. plenty of new experiences or challenges in your pet’s life (and yours – variety will help you stick to your diet).

Does your own life include all of those factors? If not, you have some steps (literally) to take to use these weight loss tips and get on with your healthier life and lifestyle.

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Multivitamins for Women On A Weight Loss Diet

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The best multivitamins for women on a weight loss diet make sure that you cover the essentials and support your body’s metabolism in a healthy way. Taking just the minimum daily recommended requirement is probably not going to be enough to cover your unique metabolic needs, limitations of the diet you are on for weight loss, and proper health promotion. You want to go beyond just avoiding a vitamin deficiency disease, which is all that the minimum daily requirement actually gives you.

An excellent daily multivitamin supplement not only develops your general bodily functions but also improves your mental and physical condition and well being. Occasionally specification is needed in appropriately supplementing nutrients to deal with any individual needs. For example, if you are a heart disease patient, you would benefit from CoQ10 to offset the loss of coenyzme Q10 that the statin drugs cause as a common side effect (with muscle weakness, etc. as a result). Alzheimer’s disease may be slowed by a regular combination of Vitamin C and E intake, along with other more powerful antioxidants and natural remedies.

Multivitamin supplements necessarily include all the vitamins and nutrients essential for recommended daily dosage. Multivitamin supplements may also be formulated to meet the needs of individual conditions like pregnancy and specific age brackets. It is a well settled fact that multivitamins in liquid form are more efficient than the ordinary pill forms. This is due to the fact that the body can easily absorb liquid nutrients five times more than ordinary multivitamins in tablet or capsule form. And a capsule that dissolves easily, is probably better for someone with digestion problems or an older woman, as lack of stomach acid from health problems, age, or the common antacid drugs on the market, can make it harder to dissolve tablets.

Basically, the body needs 13 essential vitamins to function properly. In regulating the crucial performance of the body, it has to have vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, B12, and the 7 B-complex vitamins. Majority of these vitamins are obtained by our body through the food that we eat, but not always in sufficient amounts. This is where vitamin supplementation comes in. It counteracts the illness caused by such deficiency.

As previously mentioned, the clear benefit of daily intake of multivitamins it to prevent vitamin/nutrient deficiency. Some personal circumstances may increase dietary needs. Pregnant women, during their first trimester, are recommended by their doctors to take multivitamins. This does not only provide the mothers with sufficient nutrition but also proper vitamins to benefit the unborn child inside their womb. Taking multivitamins everyday reduces the risk of transmitting malnutrition from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby. Other conditions such as old age, alcoholism, smoking, and exposure to excessive pollution have long-term detrimental effects to the body system which can be successfully counteracted by multivitamins.

Stress is also one risk factor which needs serious supplementation that multivitamins can provide. Especially with people who have so much to do and have a hard time in keeping up with their health needs, multivitamins are a must to keep them always on the go without any health complications in the long run. Stress formulations benefit both your mental ability and daily endurance. Aside from the mentioned benefits, daily multivitamins also minimize the risk of cancer or any cardiovascular disease.

Many women testify to have a feeling of improved energy and sense of well being  in regularly taking in multivitamins. This is due to the synergistic or combined effects of the supplemental ingredients found in multivitamins. A fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin, like the Vitamin E, works to neutralize probable harmful free agents in the body. This vitamin also maintains healthy skin through protection of cell membranes, blood circulation, heart, nerves, red blood cells, and muscles. Another antioxidant is the Vitamin C which effectively fights blood cell infection and is vital in collagen formation, wound healing, and formation of bone structures, capillaries, and teeth. Vitamin C is also helpful in the iron absorption from plant sources. Vitamins A, D, K and other supplemental nutrients found in multivitamins have specific functions that benefit the bodily functions.

For women, vitamin K and D help offset the risk of developing osteoporosis after menopause, as they support bone health. Vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 are probably the better forms to look for in your multivitamin.

Look for a complete multivitamin in a delivery form (liquid, chewable, capsule, powder) that fits with your particular health issues, ability to swallow large pills (go for liquids, small capsules, or powders you can dissolve in juice or water), and preferences. Some vitamins like B vitamins, can make you a bit queasy when taken on an empty stomach, so make sure to eat something before you take the multivitamin.

Using a multivitamin is another way to help yourself stick to your diet. Making sure you get all the nutritional support you need is one of several weight loss tips that can make a big difference in the success or failure of your diet. Here are some good multivitamin options  for women — click here

Want chewables that are fun?  Check these out…

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Hypnosis for Weight Loss

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Hypnosis for weight loss can make all the difference if you have tried to lose weight and fallen off your diet again and again. Hypnosis can give you that extra boost to re-program your own mind and get the power over your food cravings and emotional eating binges. Hypnosis is just an altered state of consciousness that we go in and out of every day on our own (self-hypnosis) — watching TV or videos, driving (not so good), or reading a good book. Hypnosis is also a great tool for losing weight, stopping smoking, or just reducing stress. And stress is a big reason why people can’t stick to a diet.

The stress levels of people now are much higher compared with the “easier life” a century ago. This is one of the reasons why more and more people are finding safer ways to manage stress without drugs — so as to avoid addictions and even more problems. One of the best ways that people—especially those that have super stressful jobs—prefer is self hypnosis. This is because the practice can help them relieve and manage stress the most natural means possible. It gives you back control and makes it easier for you to avoid stress eating binges.

Why use self hypnosis?

When the word “hypnosis” is mentioned, many people are hesitant to try it because of the common misconception that it can manipulate one to do things beyond his or her wishes. Not many of them realize that this is not always the case. If truth to be told, hypnosis—through self hypnosis—can be one of the best therapeutic tools that a person can use. This is because people can use this in overcoming their fears. It will also be able to help them in withstanding pain and manage varying levels of stress that they experience in their lives.

Nowadays, the horror of hypnosis is being changed because of the rise in awareness in its seemingly endless possibilities by using it in a therapeutic way. In fact, more and more establishments now are quite open to give hypnosis services to people. This is to prove that hypnosis can be a good thing if it is practiced or conducted by a licensed or a professional hypnotist. It is good to take note the are various types of hypnotists. In the industry of hypnosis, types of hypnotists include showroom hypnotists that usually work in bars and clubs and whose subjects are those people whose idea of good time by joining hundreds of people in places where alcohol is used as a social lubricant and clinical hypnotists, on the other hand, are those who deal with people that have problems and those who consider hypnotherapy as a means of relieving pain and overcoming addiction, fear and confusion.

But, if you still don’t have enough trust to other people in hypnotizing you because they might cause you to do something without your consent or proper awareness, it is best to conduct self hypnosis. This is because you are quite sure that nobody would try to hurt you or make fun of you since you will be conducting it yourself. Aside from ensuring that you are safe, you will also be able to save lots of time and some money since you won’t have to travel all the way to a certain clinic and pay for the services of the hypnotist. All you have to do is do some research and you will learn how to use your own voice during the process.

Self hypnosis as a stress buster

Many people are finding it best to use self hypnosis as a stress buster because it does not really require so much time, money or effort. In fact, many people would agree that self hypnosis can be one of the easiest means of relieving stress by means of being in a relaxed state where you can directly address the tensions that you feel and somehow trigger your body’s response to relaxation. This is helpful to be able to avoid chronic stress that may lead to many health problems. It can also help you achieve a healthier life because it can lead you to develop good habits that can veer you away from activities that have harmful effects not only to your physical body but to your emotional state as well.

To get started, you can get hypnosis downloads here that cover the whole gamut of problems for which you may want a simple, drug-free solution. Learn more about self hypnosis and weight loss downloads by clicking here.

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Weight Loss Motivation Tip — Use Biofeedback

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A great weight loss motivation tip is to make sure that you get biofeedback on your progress. Yes, that means weighing yourself daily at the same time of day without your shoes or heavy clothes on. Daily weights are one way to keep you on track and aware of your progress. People need motivation to keep going. Even if you have setbacks, at least you know where you stand and can start anew that day. But weighing yourself daily is only one strategy for using biofeedback effectively. Research has shown that people who get involved in monitoring and recording what goes on with their body stick with their program better than people who don’t. Simple as that.

Another tip for losing weight is to keep track of your activity levels with a simple pedometer. It will count the number of steps (or miles) or walk every day. Experts tell you that the average American probably takes around 2,000 steps per day. Get a pedometer and find out what you are doing. You can gradually expand the steps you take by parking a little farther away from the store or office in the parking lot and taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator when you are going up and down a flight or two. Take a good look at your dog – is he or she getting fat and lazy? Get out there and take Max or Fido or Rover on a good walk every day or two, even if you already have a backyard where they can go to do their thing. This is important exercise — simple walking — that will help improve your overall health and fitness.

Walking requires no special equipment and it can really help. The pedometer will urge you on to beat yourself gradually, day by day.

Then, to push yourself up an electronic notch, check out a more sophisticated, but easy to use personal-trainer-in-your-pocket. This slick device, the Striiv, is a cool advance over the plain pedometer.

Here’s a review from “Lori” that tells you a lot — “Striiv really has something from everyone. If you need motivation to get up and exercise, this is for you. If you like to play computer games, this is for you. If you just want to keep track of how many steps you walk, miles you walk/run or calories you burn, this is for you…” She goes on to talk about the ability to monitor your energy utilization (and support a charity as a great side benefit!). You can learn more about the Striiv device by clicking here.

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Weight Loss Tips on a Budget

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Weight loss tips on a budget are important these days, as so many people are strapped for cash to pay for essentials. It may seem like buying cheap fast food and starches is an inexpensive way to feed yourself and your family, but there are costs — financial as well as health — for making those choices. You can lose weight even if your funds are limited. You just have to put a little more thought and effort into the process. Having insufficient funds can make it seem hard to stick to a diet, but it really isn’t. Consider these ideas:

Weight Loss on a Budget- Your Practical Way to a Healthier You

Do you want to lose weight but can’t afford the weight loss programs offered by experts? Do you want to shed off those excess fats fast by undergoing surgery like liposuction but can’t afford one? If yes, then you should consider undergoing weight on a budget.

Not all dieters have enough money to spend on weight loss pills, supplements, gym membership, or working out with a specialized trainer. But your lack of financial resources shouldn’t keep you from obtaining that healthy and sexier body. Anybody can lose weight as long as you come up with a weight loss regimen you can stick to that doesn’t require too much money.

One of the most important facts about weight loss is that not everybody loses weight by eating the same diet recipes. Our bodies are different from each other which is why diet regimens vary. If you really want to lose weight, you should consider coming up with your own diet.

For starters you can start by eating vegetables or fruits which you already have in your garden. If you grow spinach, tomatoes, apples, berries, and even herbs and spices at home you can use them in preparing healthy meals. Aside from saving money, you are also more confident about eating them since they’re organic in nature.

Do-it-yourself weight loss exercises

Exercise is also an excellent way to shed off those extra pounds. Many dieters would often hit the gym and seek help from professional trainers in doing exercises that can help them lose weight. But why spend a lot of money on a trainer when you can exercise and lose weight all by yourself?

For starters, you can try brisk walking at least 30 minutes per day. It can speed up metabolism and eliminate stored fat as well. Strength training and cardio workouts are also beneficial in weight loss. Instead of paying for individualized instruction with a trainer, you can rent or buy videos of such workouts. You can watch them daily and perform the exercises featured in the videos. This beats paying for a trainer and gym membership fees. However, you need to seek the advice of your doctor first before doing any of them.

Weight loss on a budget is not only effective but very practical as well. In addition, it promotes natural weight loss which is considered the best form of losing those extra pounds. Making your own weight loss diet recipes and performing exercises by yourself are just some of the cheapest ways to lose weight.

Shop for food after you have eaten

Never go to the grocery store when you are hungry. You will pick up impulse buys all over the store that look appealing when you are starving. So, eat a meal or snack, and then go food shopping. It will save you money.

Take advantage of grocery coupons and weight loss and gym program discounts

This is an obvious thing to do, but it is an essential part of saving money while you lose weight. Grocery coupons are harder to find for healthier foods, but not impossible. Some coupons will give you a break on the costs of staples like eggs or milk. Others give you a chance to buy whole grain breads or even organic versions of foods to “try” them out in your diet plan.

With all of the online and local newspaper ads you can find for introductory discounts, especially at the start of a new year, look around for a great deal on a local weight loss program or a nearby gym for exercise. You may be surprised that you can get yourself well down the path toward losing some pounds with the cut rates you can get from these businesses.

In short, you can lose weight on a budget. As with all budget items, plan it in, and be creative in the solutions you find. Then, in turn, you will find that this strategy will help you stick to your diet, since money will not get in the way of your weight loss plan.

 

 

 

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Top 5 Weight Loss Motivation Tips — How To Stick To A Diet

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here are 5 weight loss motivation tips to get you started on your health promotion plan for the year. Losing weight is not so hard but why do many people still fail in achieving their desired weight and built? That’s because they lack the right weight loss motivation tips that will help them overcome the obstacles in their attempts at losing those extra pounds. What happens is they immediately give up or fail to stick religiously to their diet plan.

Motivation plays an important role in weight loss. You may go on a strict diet and exercise regularly but once you’re not properly motivated to do these things it won’t be long before you quit or lose interest in what you’re doing. So if you want to succeed, bear these weight loss motivation tips in mind:

  1. Visualize

Never underestimate the power of visualization. Many athletes visualize themselves winning the game and this gives them the strength and inspiration they need to really win it. You too can do the same when you want to see results in your weight loss attempt. Visualize yourself wearing that size 6 pair of jeans or skimpy bikini you see in the mall. Once you paint pictures in your head of what you want to look like, you’ll be intrinsically motivated to lose weight.

 

  1. Use positive affirmations

Be your own personal life coach. Make use of positive affirmations which you can constantly dictate to yourself. Say things like “I can lose 10 pounds”, “I’m sexier today”, or “I can do 50 sit-ups”. These positive affirmations will keep you going especially during your hardest times when you feel like giving up or giving in to your cravings.

 

  1. Stay positive

Nobody’s perfect so even if there are times when you cheat in your diet by eating that pint of ice cream or failed to do your regular exercises, don’t blame yourself. It’s understandable especially if you’re just starting to lose weight that you need to take a break from your diet regimen. However, don’t turn this into a habit. You have to make some sacrifices but being optimistic about the whole thing can help you reap success.

 

  1. Find an exercise buddy

Exercising regularly can turn into quite a bore especially if you’re doing them alone. Finding someone who can exercise with you regularly proves to be one of the most effective weight loss motivation tips around. You can ask your special someone, sibling, or a close friend to exercise with you. This makes exercising fun and in case you feel like giving up, your exercise buddy is there to encourage you to keep going.

 

  1. Seek support

You need to inform everybody that you’re serious about your plans of losing weight. Sharing them with your family will make them aware of some changes in your daily routine and diet. Instead of teasing or discouraging you about it, they will also render their support and encouragement in helping you achieve a healthier and sexier body.

Remember that diet and exercise won’t work without the right motivation. Bear these weight loss motivation tips in mind and you’re on your way to having that body you dreamed of.

 

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