The Ketogenic Diet Versus Low Fat Diet Plans

Much has been said over the years about the ketogenic diet and with celebrities like Megan Fox, Mick Jagger, and Adriana Lima being fond proponents of the diet, it remains very popular.
What is the real difference between a ketogenic diet and a low fat diet plan? While many may swear about reducing fat intake, studies show low carb plans are actually more effective for both weight loss and reducing high cholesterol.

Ketogenic Diet

There are several low carbohydrate diets, but the ketogenic diet generally limits your carb intake to 20 to 50 grams a day. The ketogenic diet requires you to enter the stage of ketosis, and that generally does not occur unless you are consuming about 20 grams of carbohydrates per day.
A sample menu plan when you’re on a ketogenic diet looks like this:

Breakfast: bacon or sausage, eggs, and coffee with cream and stevia
Snack: 1 ounce of cheese with cucumbers or celery
Lunch: Tuna salad or egg salad wrapped in lettuce or lettuce wrapped burger
Snack: ½ avocado or 10 olives or flaxseed crackers with salsa
Dinner: Cajun chicken with a side of vegetables cooked in butter or steak with vegetables in butter or salad with olive oil and vinegar or grilled salmon with a side of spiral cut zucchini pasta with sauce
Snacks between meals can also include string cheese, a cup of chicken broth, 6 almonds or peanuts, turkey lettuce wraps, hard-boiled eggs, smaller portions of leftover meals, 1 tablespoon of cream and much more.

Low Fat Versus Low Carb

Feeling Satisfied and Avoiding Hunger
The ketogenic diet typically is much more about choices instead of depravation because you are able to eat a wide variety of real, whole, and delicious food with lots of satisfying meats, chicken, seafood, cheese, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats.
It is easier to follow than a low fat diet because low carb eating regulates the appetite, and naturally satisfies you so you eat less, without suffering and starvation. This is because eliminating carbs also eliminates erratic blood sugar spikes that cause out of control cravings and hunger.
Long Term Sustainability

One of the most important considerations in the actual success that any diet plan has or will have is its sustainability over the long term, and the overall success measure of any weight loss plan is the individual’s ability to keep the weight off for the long term.
In regards to the above, low carb wins over low fat because when individuals are satisfied and not white knuckling their way through the day, the probability of long-term success increases exponentially, this is one of the reasons that low carb is a lifestyle and not just a temporary diet.

What The Studies Show

A study by the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina set out to compare the effects of a low fat diet versus a ketogenic diet program.
What they discovered over their 24 week that not only did the low carbohydrate diet retain more of the participants than the low fat group did, but they also lost more weight, and had a bigger decrease in triglyceride levels.

A low fat diet is generally a temporary diet, one that you cannot sustain because there are too many temptations to give in to; the ketogenic diet does not restrict you to the same level so it is easier to maintain on a long-term basis.
That means the weight you lose stays lost, and is the reason that low carb is a lifestyle and not just another fad diet.

More Studies Support Low Carb Diets Over Low Fat

Since 2002, more than 20 randomized controlled trials have been published in respected, peer-reviewed journals that demonstrate the fact that low carb diets are more effective for weight loss and completely safe without a single adverse effect, this cannot be said about many of the fad diets.
Several studies, including Volek et al, Foster GD, et al, Keogh et al, Westman et al, and Gardner et al have shown low carb eating to lead to more weight loss, and especially visceral fat (belly fat), and to improve HDL cholesterol, insulin levels, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure as compared to low fat plans.

The above studies and others support the fact that low carb wins over low fat in weight loss and reducing risks for heart disease. Of course, you should always ask your doctor before starting any diet plan.

5 Best Diets for Low Carb Weight Loss

When you’ve decided to lose weight, you can structure an eating plan on your own or you can find a low carb diet that you can customize to your lifestyle. Having a diet that’s tailored to suit your needs and preferences will make dieting easier.

With all of the numerous diets you hear about, knowing which diet is the best one for you can be tough. But you can compare the 5 best low carb diets to see which one will suit your lifestyle to help you lose weight.

The Atkins Diet

This diet is one of the most popular low carb weight loss plans you’ll find. Numerous studies have detailed multiple cases of long term weight loss success on the Atkins Diet because the focus is on healthy eating of low carbs while centering meals around fatty proteins, good for the body fats and vegetables.

When you decide to choose this diet, you’ll go through it using their four steps referred to as phases. In the first phase, which is called the Induction, people who want to lose weight eating low carb have to make sure that they keep their carb intake at less than 20 grams.

The focus is on consuming foods that are loaded with protein found in meats like beef, chicken, pork and other meats. Though some of the meats in the Atkins Diet are high fat, this is not an oversight.

Eating high fat during the Atkins Diet will not have an impact on your cholesterol level. In the Induction phase, dieters are to consume low carb vegetables and stay away from the high carb ones.

As long as the vegetables are low carb, preferably dark and leafy green, and the meat high protein, you can have foods like this at this stage. The reason the carbs are less than 20 grams for the first 14 days of the diet is because it causes your metabolism to kick into high gear and you’ll see noticeable weight loss during this time.

The first stage is when you’re streamlining your diet. The next stage is where you’ll include additional foods. In this second phase, called the Balancing, dieters should add items like fruit, more vegetables and nuts such as almonds and walnuts.

Because of the low carb foods in the first and second phase, you’ll lose weight rather quickly. Once you get within sight of your target weight, you’ll increase your carb intake in the third phase, which is also called the Fine Tuning phase.

Increasing the amount of carbs that you eat during this phase will cause the weight loss to decrease slightly. It’s during this phase that you should reach the weight loss goals you set for yourself on a slower pace.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll be ready for the Maintenance stage or the fourth phase. During this step, you can have the amount of good carbs that you want as long as you don’t gain weight during this phase.

You should stay away from sugar, trans fats and things like wheat, but you have the green light on eating foods such as eggs, dairy and even dark chocolate. You’ll need to track your carbs to see where your levels should be, since everyone’s body acts a bit differently on this plan.

The Dukan Diet

Another popular diet – known as the Dukan Diet – also consists of four phases. The first one is called The Attack Phase. This beginning phase causes fast weight loss in order to help motivate you to keep on going.

The key to this stage is that how long it needs to last is going to depend on what your weight loss goal is. If you plan to lose less than 10 pounds, then the Attack Phase should only last one to two days.

If you have between 15 to 30 pounds to take off, then the first phase should last between 3 to 5 days. Any amount of weight that’s over 40, then the Attack Phase will last about a week.

During this first phase, you will eat lean protein. These protein choices are going to come from a list of 68 pure proteins that are okay to eat for the diet. You can eat as much of this protein as you like, but during this stage, you have to consume the recommended 6 to 8 glasses of water each day in order to keep your system flushed.

Exercising at this point is also encouraged. The second stage is known as the Cruise Phase. Along with your proteins that you were introduced to in the first stage, this step will have you adding vegetables to your meals.

You’ll get 100 foods that you can choose to eat in unlimited quantities. This ratio is made up of the 68 proteins and 32 vegetables. This stage also encourages alternating protein days with vegetable ones.

One day, you eat protein and low carb vegetables. The next day, you would only eat protein. You can do this on a sliding plan. Such as 1/1 – meaning protein along with the veggies and then just the protein. You can alternate this eating plan up to 5/5.

The third stage in the Dukan Diet is the Consolidation Phase. At this stage, eating the low carbs for weight loss has accomplished the goals that you set for yourself.

It’s at this point that you can now eat additional foods that are starchier than the ones you were allowed to have in the other phases. This stage is important because at this point, the foundation is set for long term success in keeping the weight off.

How long the stage lasts will differ from person to person according to what you lost. You would multiply 5 times the number of pounds you succeeded in losing to figure out how long you need to remain at this phase. So if you lost 20 pounds, you would need to remain at this stage for 100 days.

The final phase is the Stabilization Phase. During this phase, you can eat what you want to have as long as you eat in moderation. You’ll find the right combination of carbs, proteins and fats to keep your weight at the level you want it to be.

The Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet is a way of eating that dates back to the time when cavemen were around. By eating the way that they did, you’ll lose weight and studies have shown that the risks of developing certain health conditions do decrease.

The gist of this diet is that it’s based on eating a lot of fiber and plenty of protein. It’s not as calorie strict as many diets are, but does focus on choosing foods that are low in carbs.

So that means that your meals will consist of things like plenty of lean meat or fish. You’ll also forego the bad kinds of fats for the ones that are better for your body.

Your eating plan will also include plenty of fruits and vegetables. On this diet, you’ll be allowed to eat foods like eggs and you’ll be able to cook with oils such as olive oil.

Something that this diet does restrict is processed foods, but since those aren’t good for you anyway, getting rid of them is a healthy change. This diet does call for followers to cut out things like wheat, cereal, potatoes, sugar, beans, dairy, and salt.

What makes the diet so popular is the focus on low carb while allowing people to eat in a way where they’re not hungry and not always watching their calories. Because much of the diet is focused on fiber, dieters are left feeling satisfied rather than hungry.

Unlike most diets, the Paleo Diet takes into consideration stepping away from the eating plan so that users can have cheat meals. During a cheat meal, dieters can eat whatever they want.

But what usually ends up happening is that as the body gets used to the low carbs and more natural foods, the high fat, high carb, processed stuff will stop being appealing to your taste buds.

There are no clubs that you have to join with this plan and no fees involved. However, there are several online groups dedicated to the diet that you can join for moral support and tips for recipes and other advice.

If you’re someone who isn’t a big meat eater or you’ve chosen a vegetarian lifestyle, then the Paleo Diet will not work for you because of the emphasis on consuming meat and you won’t be able to get the protein that you need otherwise.

The Mediterranean Diet

When most people think of this diet, they think of lots of pasta and wonder how that can possibly lead to weight loss. But this diet focuses on healthy eating of low carb foods and eliminating foods that aren’t good for you.

Many doctors recommend this diet as a healthy and safe way to lose weight successfully. This way of eating puts a focus on foods like fruits and vegetables. The more plant foods you eat, the better it is for your health.

You can still have things you enjoy such as bread – as long as it’s not covered in fats that are bad for you. That means switching out butter-laden bread with a healthier option, like dipped in healthy oils.

Stay away from saturated fats and choose ones that contain fats that lower cholesterol levels such as olive oil. You can eat things like nuts on this diet even though most diets consider them off limits.

The truth is that nuts are good for you when eaten in moderation because their fat content isn’t the kind that’s bad for you. You can even consume peanut butter on this diet.

The Mediterranean Diet puts the spotlight on choosing to eat low carb for weight loss rather than trying to strictly eliminate entire food groups the way that some diets do.

The meat source of this diet isn’t red meat, although some is allowed in moderation. The biggest meat source is fish such as trout or salmon for their omega 3 benefits.

You should eat fish baked, broiled or grilled for two of your weekly meals. If you eat red meats, they should always be lean meats and stay away from meats like bacon and any other kind that are high in the unhealthy type of fat and additives.

Small amounts of wine are encouraged on this diet on a daily basis for its ability to cut the risk of heart disease. The plan to get started on this diet is simple. Make sure your eating plan includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.

You should have at the minimal seven servings in the fruit and vegetable category each day. You can have foods like cereals and pasta as long as these are whole grain.

Make sure that you use spices in your meals. Not only does it prevent bland food boredom, but many spices contain ingredients that have health benefits. Plus, they’re better for you than sodium.

You can have dairy with this diet as long as you always choose the products that are either low in fat or fat free. Because the foods in this diet are based on low carb choices, you will lose weight. Making sure that you get in exercise is a recommended part of this weight loss plan.

The Bulletproof Diet

This diet is one that’s low carb and focuses on eating high fat foods, but the kind of fats that are considered good for the body. The amount of protein that you’ll eat on this diet is what a normal eater would have.

What the diet boasts – besides the low carb, weight loss benefits – is that you’ll also experience anti-inflammatory results. The diet suggests that followers do occasionally fast.

On this diet, you’ll be changing the way that you’ve always eaten to a healthier, more natural way of eating. One of the first steps you’ll be called on to do is to stop consuming sugar in its various forms.

You’ll also need to stop consuming fats that are bad for your body. The diet calls for substituting butter with the grass fed kind as well as using coconut oil or ghee. Because the focus is on low carb, healthier eating, you’ll have to stop consuming gluten.

This means you’ll need to eliminate pasta, cereal, bread and any type of processed food – including junk food – from your diet. Gluten can trigger inflammatory reactions in many people – even those who don’t have reactions to gluten, which is one of the reasons the diet calls for the elimination of it.

You’ll have to rid your pantry of vegetable oil and you’ll also need to toss out anything that’s artificial-based like food dyes, sugar substitutes and anything that contains MSG.

You’ll also need to stop eating legumes. What you’ll switch to when it comes to eating meat is a grass fed version. You can eat beef and you can also consume eggs, fish and shellfish and seafood.

You can also eat poultry. Dairy that’s processed isn’t recommended on this diet. You can have dairy such as whole milk that’s higher in fat than what most diets call for as long as it’s from grass fed cows.

Any fruits and vegetables that you consume should be completely organic to avoid the contamination by pesticides and other harmful sprays. You’ll need to limit the amount of fruit that you eat.

When you make your food, cook it using methods that are as natural as possible. You’ll have to stop using your microwave. You will lose weight on the diet and the elimination of processed foods and foods that contain artificial coloring and flavors can improve your health.

Top 10 Low Calorie Foods that Taste Great

While a low calorie cake remains a fantasy, there are many low calorie foods that actually taste great. Therefore, if you craving to eat something delicious but you cannot afford to take any calories, check out below for a list of the top 10 low calorie foods that taste great.

1. Cabbage

Cabbage is loved for its ability to prevent heart disease and cancer and it is also ranked as the top foods that can aid in weight loss. This is because it has extremely low calorie count.

A great way to eat cabbage is to make cabbage soup which is filling and has lower calories than other soups.

2. Eggs

Eggs are classified as complete protein foods because they contain all the essential amino acids that the body cannot make on its own. When digested, the amino acids activate the release of hormones in the gut that suppress one’s appetite. Also, eggs contain less calories.

You can add vegetables to spice them up and boost the fiber content.

3. Apples

Apples contain plenty of antioxidants, fiber, minerals and vitamins. They are also part of the low calorie foods and they make a great snack preventing you from eating junk food.

4. Brocolli

This is not only a low calories food but also cancer fighting and it is packed with phytonutrients, fiber and proteins which are all key to maintaining proper weight.

5. Kale

Kale is packed with minerals, phytonutrients, vitamins, fiber and proteins and are a perfect snacking alternative that is low in calories. You can bake kale chips in different flavors which is a better alternative to potato chips.

6. Mushrooms

No matter the type mushroom you choose, chances are it is low in calories so you do not have to worry no matter how you choose to cook them.

7. Watermelon

Besides being naturally sweet, watermelon is low in calories. It also contain antioxidants which are beneficial to the body in many ways and it has been proven to boost metabolism which in turn aids in weight loss.

8. Cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of the lowest ranking in terms of calorie count. It also has many other health benefits including enhancing the function of the body’s digestive and cardiovascular system and being an anti-inflammatory food.

9. Cucumber

Cucumbers are loaded with water and they are low in calories which explains why they make a great adornment in salads. You can eat it to your satisfaction without worrying about exceeding the maximum calorie intake.

10. Tomatoes

Besides being one of the healthiest foods, tomatoes are low in calories and they contain lycopene, a pigments that helps to prevent cancer and heart diseases. Due their low calorie count, tomatoes make a great weight loss food.

Click here to discover exactly what “whole wheat” bread, types of milk, sugar, and vegetable oils do to your body

A guide on how counting calories work

How Calorie Counting Works

Calorie is the measure of the energy amount in food. Knowing the amount of calories in food helps you to balance the energy that gets to the body with the energy used when doing physical activity which is key in controlling weight.

The energy contained in food is measured in form of calories just like we measure weight of an item in kilograms.

Calories and energy balance

When you eat or drink, energy gets to the body in the form of calories and the body uses up that energy when doing physical activity. In order to maintain a stable weight the energy thet gets to the body should be equal to that used up

When we eat and drink, we’re putting energy (calories) into our bodies. The body then uses up that energy, and the more physical activity you do, the more energy (calories) are used.

Weight gain occurs when we take in more energy and use less. Over time the excess energy is stored in form of fat.

According to research, most adults drink and eat more that needed by the body and they are not physically active which leads to weight gain.

Checking calories in food

Knowing the amount of calories in food is useful when trying to lose weight or even when you need to maintain a healthy weight. Just ensure that you do not consume too much calories that you use up.

The calorie content in food is indicated on the back side of the packaging. The amount is written in kcals short form for kilocalories or kJ short form for kilojoules.

The label tells you how many calories are contained in 100 millilitres or 100 grams of the drink or food, therefore, you can compare the calorie content in different products. Some labels also state the amount of calories in a single portion of the food but the manufaturer’s idea of a proportion may not be the same as yours.

Yous should use the calorie information provided on a product to determine if a certain food fits your daily calorie requirement. Usually, a man needs 2500 calories to maintain a healthy weight while a woman needs 2000 calories. Therefore ensure that you take only enough or less if you want to shed some pounds.

In order to burn calories, you should engage in physical activity that will use up body energy, the more vigorous the activity is, the more calories you will use which eventually leads to weight loss.

10 Reasons why Fad Diets Suck

A Fad diet is a conventional diet that promises people fast results through simple methods. These diets are very tempting given that losing weight is a challenge to many people with most of them having a misconception that they can lose weight overnight. The fact is fad diets are all hype and may cause you, even more, harm than good.Below Are 10 Reasons why Fad Diets Suck:

Unnecessary food restrictions — Fad diets that promise quick weight loss will usually instruct you to eat more of one food type and restrict yourself from eating another food type. This could lead to an unbalanced diet. To address that, fad diets will usually recommend many supplements, but then again, many supplements might cause nutritional deficiencies.

Against the fat level as recommended by the government — Fad diets does not follow government recommendations for fat concentrations in the diet. Most fad diets will recommend high fat and low carb diet, which is not good for your health when taken long term. You will indeed lose weight but taking so much fat could lead to heart disease.

Failure to address the root cause of weight gain — The reason that fad diets are considered bad is that these diets do not address the root cause of the weight gain. You regain back the weight you lost at the end of the day!

Expensive — Some fad diets require people to take pills and drink potions which can be costly.

Anti-exercises — Any diet that promises you weight loss without counting your calories or doing exercise is a fad diet. These diets do not encourage weight loss patients to incorporate exercises into their programs.

Elimination of healthy foods — Usually, fad diets ask people to eliminate certain food groups from their diet because they are bad. Some of the foods are carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and essential fatty acids.

Short term results — Fad diets are just a temporary solution and will not make any permanent change to your figure and eating habits. In a few weeks time, you will regain all the weight as you will fall back to your old eating habits.

Extremely unhealthy — The short-term weight loss effects followed by weight gain is extremely unhealthy and may cause many diseases such as high blood pressure or coronary heart disease.

Not motivating — They will make you feel bad and guilty whenever you break the overly restrictive diet. After a few days of following the diet and restricting yourself of certain foods, you will start craving and start being bored and sad about your diet.

Unbalanced diet — Many fad diets do not give you a balanced intake of fruits and vegetables, which is important to keep yourself healthy.

Conclusion

Irrespective of how good the fad diet advertisement is, don’t fall for these diets, they will not help you in the long term. The only way to achieve weight loss is to eat moderately, eat a balanced diet, exercise, etc.

3 Tips for Losing Weight Healthily

Losing excess weight not only makes you look and feel good, but also significantly reduces your risk of getting diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart attack and high blood pressure. There are numerous crash diets and over the top workout programs sold online that promise to help you loose weight fast, but most of them don’t work in the long term. If you’ve tried any of them and failed, don’t give up just yet. There are numerous steps you can take to develop a healthy relationship with food and attain lasting weight loss. Here are 3 tips for losing weight healthily:

Introduce Changes Gradually

Our bodies use the foods we eat for energy. When you eat more food than your body requires for daily activities, the excess energy is stored as fat. The more food you eat, the more fat your body stores and the more weight you’ll gain. To lose weight in a healthy way, it is very important that you gradually change your eating habits.

Making small changes here and there can make a big difference in the long run. So, if you are used to eating unhealthy foods, try cutting them out slowly and replacing them with healthier alternatives (vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean meat). Swap snacks like biscuits, candy bars or potato chips for fruits such as an apple to ensure you remain fuller for longer.

Reduce Your Calorie Intake

Other than introducing healthier foods to your diet, you also need to limit the amount of food you eat to lose weight. A good starting point is cutting down on foods that have added sugar and refined carbohydrates like white bread, energy drinks and white rice among others. Aim to eat at least 300-500 calories less everyday, and you’ll be able to lose between 1-2 pounds per week. This may seem a bit slow, but it is more realistic and sustainable. Eat smaller portions of the foods you usually enjoy, and you’ll be able to lose weight for sure.

Increase Your Activity Level

Every time you exercise more than you usually do, but maintain your calorie intake, you’ll burn calories and fat. There are many physical activities you can do to increase your level of activity even if you don’t like going to the gym. This can be anything from using the stairs at work instead of the lift, watching your favorite TV programs while jogging on a tread mill or using a stationary bicycle, swimming, or taking longer walks than you usually do.

The key to long-term weight loss is to eat less calories than your body needs, do physical activities that you enjoy regularly and make lifestyle changes that contribute to your overall health. Always remember that every extra step you take in the right direction brings you closer to achieving your weight loss goal.

3 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight Fast

Are you obese? Have you attempted almost everything to lose weight with little success? Well, losing weight can prove to be a difficult task especially if you don’t know where to start from, or you lack an experienced hand to guide you through the process.

In this post, we’ll delve into 3 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight no matter how hard you try. To learn more, please read on.

– You don’t exercise regularly

If you intend to lose weight exercise is a must. Health experts recommend that you work out for at least thirty minutes daily. Regular exercise will help you burn extra calories and regulate the production of a hormone named cortisol produced when you are stressed. Cortisol is closely associated with obesity since when your body is recovering from stress it increases your appetite to compensate for the carbohydrates and fat that was used to prepare your body for fight or flight.

– You are not eating healthy

What you eat will determine your body weight. If you intend to lose weight, and you still eat processed foods that are rich in trans fats, salt, and sugars, you are doing more harm than good to your body. These substances tamper with your digestion as well as metabolism. Besides, processed foods lack nutrients and won’t satisfy you, meaning that you will have to eat more to deal with your cravings. Modify your diet by including more fruits, vegetables, and proteins that contain nutrients that promote weight loss. And that is not all, also ensure that you drink enough water to improve your digestion and catalyze reactions that result in burning off extra calories.

– You are not sleeping well

Lastly, to achieve your weight loss goals, you can’t overlook getting enough sleep. Sleep is crucial in promoting your overall health as well as weight loss. Studies have shown that those who don’t get enough sleep have a tendency of consuming high-calorie foods the next day. Yes, you heard me right! Besides, lack of enough sleep also affects your appetite hormones namely leptin and ghrelin increasing your appetite. So, if you are not sleeping well, start sleeping for about seven to eight hours to lose weight without much hassle.

Wrap Up:

There you have it-3 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight. Getting the body that you have always desired can be so hard sometimes. However if you exercise, eat healthily and sleep well, then you will be in a better position to lose weight fast within the shortest time possible.

3 Steps to Getting Rid of Your Dad Bod

Many men today are unfortunately affected by the dreaded Dad Bod. As with all aspects of fitness, there is a very easy way to go about toning your body to look more like a Greek God and less like an average Joe.

The most important thing is a diet. You don’t have to adhere to a fad diet that people like to do such as paleo, liquid only, raw only, and others. You can choose a good diet like one that consists of healthy meals that are balanced, and that’s it.

If you’re trying to burn fat and lose your Dad Bod, you should eat more protein than carbs. Excess carbs give you that body type, and can be found in pasta, bread, chips, pizza, and beer.

This doesn’t mean you should go on a no-carb diet, because carbs are what you need to give you energy. Just make sure you’re not eating more carbs than anything else. You should also eat no more than about three meals per day (or six smaller ones), with a fruit or other healthy snack between each meal.

Men plagued with a dad bod frame need to ramp up their exercise. You have to put those carbs to work in order to burn fat. There are plenty of ways to go about this, including running, walking, biking, lifting weights, and any other form of cardio.

You can clock a fair amount of miles each day by finding some time to put on some music and go on a long walk around your neighborhood. Running is also applicable, and both of these can be done on a treadmill if you don’t want to go out and about at various times of the day.

Biking is a very fun way of getting in shape, and you can use it as transportation if your destination is somewhere within about 10 miles of you. Weightlifting should be done in combination with your other cardio exercises, so that while you burn fat you also put on more muscle, allowing your muscles to show through your fat quicker.

A gym membership is a great investment, and if you go to a smaller one, you can get 3 months for about $90. This will allow you to have access to all kinds of weights and machines, as well as treadmills and stair climber machines.

Don’t forget – you should drink more water than anything else. This important for you as a human regardless of whether or not you’re trying to lose weight, but it will certainly help you drop the weight quicker, because it flushes out all of the toxins.

A good tip for those who drink beer is that vodka is a great replacement for your alcohol choice because it’s a very low carb and low calorie option for those who still want to go out to bars and socialize with their friends.

Running to Lose Weight

Running burns the most calories of any mainstream exercise, so it is no wonder that many people who wish to lose weight decide that they want to start a running program.

However, as with all new exercise routines, there are a number of considerations to keep you safe and help you get the most out of your workout. If you work in a sedentary job at a computer all day and sit on the couch watching TV most of the night, you’ll need to take special care of yourself in order to avoid injury and achieve your goals.

Here are a few starter steps for beginner runners who want to lose weight.

Weigh yourself and calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI).

Determine what is a healthy BMI for your height and frame. Choose a target weight from within that BMI number.

Start a running diary. Note down your weight and BMI, and your goals. Track your goals by weighing yourself once a week.

Start a walking program. Get off the couch and get moving. Aim for 10,000 steps a day.

Master a few warm up and cool down stretches to take care of your muscles and avoid injury.

Don’t try to do too much too soon. Walking longer and longer distances at faster and faster speeds will be plenty to start with to get your body ready for the more demanding pace and impact of running.

Count your calories. There’s no point trying to run off the weight if you’re eating excess calories every day.

Be consistent. Work out every day, even if it is for a short time only.

Add running to your walks. Once you are at 10,000 steps a day (3.5 to 5 miles depending on your stride), start to add short runs of a block or so to the routine, until you are able to run more and more of the route.

Keep track of your progress in your diary. Adjust your routine as needed. You may find your weight creeping up a little, but this could be due to your developing more muscles. Sooner or later, they will become lean, mean, fat-burning machines, because lean muscle boosts your metabolism compared with fat.

Add strength training twice a week

This can be yoga, light weights, or resistance bands. This will build muscle and add to your endurance and stamina.

Follow these steps and you will be certain to lose weight and look great thanks to your new running program.

Mediterranean Diet for Weight Loss

The Mediterranean Diet is often praised for its ability to reduce heart disease and cancer, as well as to extend the lifespan.
And of course these are all noble aims! Most of us would consider these to be very good things and would probably be more inclined to eat any diet that could improve our health in those ways.
At the same time though, many of us also start diets because we want to lose weight. And in a lot of cases, this might actually be the stronger motivating factor and the real reason we adopt a new diet to begin with. Not always, but often!
So how is the Mediterranean Diet when it comes to weight loss? Is this all about nutrients and fats? Or can you actually expect to cut some calories and see your weight go down as well? Let’s take a closer look…
The Good and the Bad
The reason that some people might not think that the Mediterranean Diet is effective for weight loss, is that it doesn’t involve counting calories, cutting carbs or cutting fats.
You’re still eating everything you normally would, with no control in terms of the amounts that you’re allowed to eat. How can this possibly contribute to weight loss?
What’s more, is that the Mediterranean Diet is very focussed on fats – with lots of olive oil added! Seeing as fat contains 9 calories per gram (versus 4 for other types of food), this is a concern.
But then there’s good news too. For starters, the Mediterranean Diet keeps you feeling much fuller for longer. Why is that? Simply because it contains those fats and it contains lots of nutrients.
This is you giving your body real food and the kind of real food that it actually needs. As such, you don’t find yourself craving food all the time and you actually get to feel full! This aids considerably with weight loss.
What’s more is that many nutrients actually improve weight loss. For example, you will be getting things like CoQ10 from the meats and fish which will improve your energy metabolism. Garlic does the same. So do B complex vitamins!
So is this diet good for weight loss or not?
The answer is definitely yes! This is a diet that helps you to eat healthier and when you do that, weight loss will come naturally.
At the same time though, you can’t simply rely on this diet on its own to help you shed pounds.
Rather, you need to ensure that you work hard to lose weight on it as well. The fortunate thing is that the meals are delicious and the lifestyle is practical… so this is a diet you actually can be strict with!