There is tons of info out there, both good and bad, about how to lose weight. Sorting through all of that can be overwhelming. It seems like most if not all people have misunderstood or been completely misinformed at sometime on how to lose weight properly. The problem is that we do not always get our info from good or reputable sources but it is hard to tell the difference. Let me help you sort through some of that right now. This is not for the person looking to make excuses, this is for the person who actually wants to be fit, so there are no punches pulled. If you can't do the things listed below on your own then I recommend you seek some local professional assistance.
1. Weight loss is bound by the law of energy. If you burn more energy than you eat then you will lose weight. The problem with this is that as soon as you begin to lose weight your body is going to try to adapt to the new energy intake so that it can keep those energy stores (fat stores) that it worked so long and so hard to save up. That is why it is so important that you lose weight the right way and why fad diets never keep the weight off. The people who tell you that you don't need to track calories have something up their sleeve because your body thinks in calories so you should too!
2. Exercise is bound by the law of energy. What does that mean? It means that it will help you burn more calories, but don't be fooled into thinking that a workout will burn 900 calories like I have seen advertised out there! The average person will burn about 150 calories lifting weights and 200 calories doing cardio. It takes years and years to get conditioned well enough to work hard and long enough to burn much more than that, so don't try because you will likely end up injured. It is far better for you to adjust your diet to make up for what you did not burn during your workout. Working out without adjusting your diet is not enough.
3. Weight Training speeds up your metabolism. That doesn't mean that doing those 5 pound bicep curls. Those don't do a thing for you, not even a little bit so stop wasting your time. Get in the Gym and lift some heavier weight than you are used to. It should be extremely challenging and make you sore more times than not. If you are not sure how to lift like this safely then stop making excuses and hire a professional to help you. Most gyms in most towns have at least one really good trainer, so find out who that is at your gym, drop a couple hundred bucks and solve this issue forever.
4. Cardio is not that effective. Cardio helps you burn extra calories, and can really help you lose some pounds of fat, but not by itself. You cannot imagine how often I hear that someone does 30-60 minutes of cardio everyday and doesn't lose weight! Pair up doing that same cardio with good weight training and healthy food and POW, results will start happening. If you don't do it all then you are wasting your time.
5. Supplements don't work. Does that mean that you shouldn't take supplements? Of course not. I take a whole mountain of supplements. But taking products that you really do not know much about is not a good idea and is more than likely not working. Again, if you know that you are eating right, know that your weight training is maximized and are getting the proper cardio in then a good supplement program can be just what you need. Otherwise it would be far wiser to invest that same money in getting educated on everything else first.
6. Get a workout buddy. 80% of people who use the gym on a regular basis have someone to workout with. That is staggering considering that 4 out of 5 people who workout have someone with them. Why, because exercise sucks! It is hard work, makes you sweat, makes you sore and odds are that you really would rather be somewhere else. BUT, if you have someone with you that you enjoy chatting with then the workout can be about more than the work and can turn a generally unpleasant experience into a fun social event.
7. Don't ever skip something because you have to workout. What this means is that we have often heard that someone didn't join the softball league or go for a hike because they didn't want it to interfere with their workout. You should get as active as you can in addition to your workout. Now if you have to make a choice between working out and something that is seasonal and will go away then by all means keep the gym thing going, but if you are simply considering adding something to your life then stop making excuses and add it. You will love how fit you feel when you do it and it will only help you lose more weight.
8. Mix-it-up. I have been an avid exerciser for almost 20 years now and know all this stuff inside out, and even I have the tendency to get into a groove that quickly becomes a rut. Sometimes I jump into a Body Pump class just to kick my butt and or a yoga class to make me feel like a sissy. Nothing is funnier than seeing the buff guy or gal trying to hold the Warrior pose and grunting while the old lady next to him looks like she could hold it all day long! It is great fun to mix it up, even if you feel a bit out of place, and is very effective for your fitness goals.
9. Stop it. Stop making deadlines for when you are going to do something, start something or whatever. Those dates never work because you are busy. If you want it then start it today. Pull out you iphone or whatever keeps you organized, push your schedule around right now and MAKE time for the gym today. There is no excuse that is truly valid, there are just excuses. Your kids would much rather have you fit enough to get down on the floor and play with them, your boss would much rather have you full of energy all day long and your spouse would love it if you looked your best and felt good about your fitness. So stop it!
10. Weight Loss takes time. It takes a long time to add that weight, it will take a long time to get it off. This doesn't mean that you should be satisfied with losing 1 pound per month but it is not realistic to expect to lose 5 pounds every week either. You can have the body that you want if you deserve it. To deserve it then you are doing the right stuff everyday until you are there. If you are NOT doing the right stuff then you don't deserve it yet. Even if you are putting your heart and soul into it but are missing key components and aren't getting results then you don't deserve it yet. Find out what you are doing wrong and then fix it.
If you take control of these 10 simple fitness factors then you will have everything in line for your weight loss success. These are the same tools that every good Personal Trainer or Weight Loss Coach will use, so just do it yourself or know what to look for from professional assistance.
Matt Carter
brspecialists.net
brspecialists.net/weight-loss-blog.html brspecialists.net/weight-loss-blog.html
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