Category: Weight Challenges

You may have heard from multiple people that working out or hitting the gym gets them going. In fact, exercising has been proven to boost happiness, improve sleep, and increase self-confidence. It is far more than just losing weight and finally getting that “hot bod.” Which is why plenty of individuals sign up for marathons, fitness clubs, or even trying out new recreational activities like mountain climbing.

Continue reading Relationship Goals: Benefits Of Exercising Together

Being a mother and a wife is never easy. You have to take care of the kids, tend the household, and of course, find the time to be beautiful for your husband. Not only that, but you also need to work and earn money. How’s that for life, yeah?

Continue reading We Exercise And Eat Together – It’s A Date!

 

This question is the most asked question by people who aspire to shed off excess pounds – why am I not losing weight? There are many reasons why a person, even with constant dieting and exercise, is not progressing on his weight loss regimen. Any of these ten reasons might be the answer you are looking for:

 

1. You are losing something, but you think that you’re not. (Make sense?) Everything is not just about weight. You may not be losing weight, but your body fat percentage is declining. This is what’s important. You want to lose fat and not just lose weight because you’re aiming for long-term results. So, if your weighing scale is telling you that your body weight is the same as two weeks ago, don’t panic. Your body fat is going down for sure since you’re still working out and eating right.

Over a third of Americans (38%) are obese, but only about 20% of the French and 16% of Italians are, as you can see on this interactive graph from the International Association for the Study of Obesity. — Denise Cummins Ph.D.

2. You don’t have a food journal. Well, you must have one like right now. It is vital to keep a food journal and record everything that you eat so that you’ll know what you’re putting inside your body. Some even put the calorie equivalent of what they eat and can keep track.

 

 

3. You lack protein. If you’re trying to slim down, you need to eat more protein every day. This will keep your metabolism pumping an extra 80 to 100 calories. It can help in losing weight and fat.

 

4. You are overeating calories. This is just not good. If you want to lose weight, you have to cut down on your calories. If you can’t estimate your food intake, use an online calorie calculator for assistance.

 

5. You are not into whole grains and whole wheat foods. Well, you have to start eating that now since whole grains and whole wheat foods are better than white bread, or the processed kind. It will keep you satiated longer and thus avoid overeating processed carbs.

 

6. You don’t include weights in your fitness program. If you want to lose weight, lift weights! Ask any fitness expert, and they will tell you that you have to pump some iron because it will tone your body, and quicken your metabolism. Protein will also help in repairing damaged muscles.

If you find your lifestyle prevents you from engaging in activities that help you address your physical health—or, worse, if you find your lifestyle is creating physical health issues—you may want to identify areas you can alter to help you better support your physical wellness. — Deanna Richards, LMHC

7. You may binge eat every once in a while. You can’t lose weight that way. Even if you’re eating healthy food – if you’re eating a lot, YOU ARE EATING A LOT! Have the will and determination to quit binge eating.

 

 

8. You don’t do cardio exercises. Cardio is the holy grail of weight loss. If you’re not doing cardio, you will not lose weight. Period.

 

9. You love to drink sugared juices and beverages. If you want something cold, opt for sugarless drinks. Don’t even put artificial sweeteners. It will be difficult at first, but in time you will get used to it. The best drink: lemon-infused water. Cut a lemon into thin slices. Place in a liter of water. Add a dash of sea salt. Drop some peppermint leaves and let it stay in the ref overnight. This drink is the best!

 

10. You lack rest at night. If you want to lose weight, you have to rest as well, and that means sleeping at least 8 hours at night. The body and mind need to recuperate, and the only way to do that is by sleeping straight without interruptions.

A strong personal motivation might sound like: “I want to live long enough and stay healthy to see my daughter graduate from college.” — Matt James Ph.D.

So, what’s your reason? Or maybe, what are your reasons? It’s possible that some or most of the reasons mentioned here are right for you. If that is so, then, change your ways. It’s the only way to go.

 

 

For those who are clueless (or want to pretend that they are naïve and gullible), why is there a need to exercise? You need to exercise for a straightforward reason – exercise will improve your health and well-being. With that, it means your life can be prolonged, and you’ll be a much happier person.

 

Who needs to exercise and work out anyway? Well, for starters, you and I, and everyone on this planet need to be more active, even kids and the “mature” ones. But joining a gym can be expensive. Yes, that’s true. Another fact is that you don’t need a gym membership to exercise. Say what? It is your chance to get healthy, without breaking your bank account.

 

Rule 1 – Cardio Workout

 

First off, you need to increase your heart rate and quicken your metabolism. How are you going to do that from home? Well, there are many ways to perform cardio exercises. You can even do a short, ten-minute program in your office. It’s that convenient. Think about it.

 

All you need in a day is at least ten minutes. What kind of cardio workout can you do in ten minutes? You can do so many things – on the top of my head, and I can name at least twenty! And I’ll prove it to you – walking, jogging, dancing, aerobics, Zumba, skip rope, jumping jacks, burpees, squat jumps, kickboxing, boxing, incline treadmill, mountain climbers, biking, stationary biking, reverse lunge, bridges, planking, high knee marching, and yoga asanas! See!? There are hundreds more you can do a cardio exercise. You can even perform exercises in your living room, garden, and like I said earlier, in your office.

 

Next time, when on your break, instead of eating for thirty minutes, use ten minutes of that to move around. You’ll reap the benefits – not just a leaner body, but also a healthy emotional state of mind.

 

Rule 2 – Strength Training Exercises

 

 

Cardio and strength training are like peas and carrots. They always go together. And so, if you are going to perform some cardio workout, don’t forget to add some strength training exercises in the mix. It is the second rule. How are you going to do that? It’s easy. Again, all you need is ten minutes.

 

Now, we’re not here to promote going to the gym. We’ve already established that earlier on. But to practice strength training, you’ll need dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells and workout equipment. These can be found in the gym. That’s right, and we don’t need the gym. What you need are resistance bands and a couple of dumbbells or kettlebells, in varying weights. (Actually, you can work out using your body weight, too.)

 

Again, you can do strength training exercises at home or in your office provided you research thoroughly on how it is done correctly – proper posture and execution. You can also start lifting weights in minimal heaviness, and increase as you go along. You will get stronger, eventually, and that’s a promise.

 

How to do strength training exercises, you ask? Well, you need to know that strength training means toning your arms, chest, shoulders, glutes, legs, and abs. It involves using bands or bells while performing chest press, bicep curl, tricep extension, lateral raise, leg curl, squats, and oblique swing, just to name a few.

 

Rule 3 – Flexibility, Balance and Mobility Movements

 

 

Last rule, work on your flexibility, balance, and mobility, even at the comforts of your own home (or office!). Why is this important? It will keep you on your toes. Your bones and joints will be strengthened, and it will help you avoid exercise-related injuries.

 

So, what movements can you do to enhance these skills? Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates are some examples. Again, no need to go to a gym. There are many DVDs out there that can help you improve your flexibility, balance, and mobility.

It starts with the argument that there is a depression epidemic that is spreading, and the likely reason is because our lifestyles. — Gregg Henriques Ph.D.

Weight gain or weight loss can be linked with depression. Both can be affected by the other, and it is hard to know which comes first. In research conducted in the Netherlands in coordination with psychologists, it was found out that obesity can increase the chances of having depression by 55 percent. Also, having depression could lead to excess or overeating, that increases obesity by 58 percent. (It is a fact that depression is a big issue. BetterHelp can provide support for you with your depression. Just call their therapists or you can also message them online and talk about whatever is weighing you down.)

Continue reading Weight Management Tips For People With Depression

About a year ago, I was at my daughter’s room packing her things for school the next day. And when it was through, I had the trouble getting up the floor. Gaining 40 pounds had just made it difficult to move. It should not have come as a surprise for me. I had just met my family doctor, and she told me that even if I am beautiful, I should stop gaining weight every year.

When she told me that I was gorgeous, it surely hit something inside of me because I felt otherwise. I started to feel scared and out of control. However, my doctor’s assurance made me felt supported and loved. At that time, I was not only a registered nurse but also an energy healer and an aromatherapist. And no matter how I watch my diet, I was still gaining weight. Hence, I should figure out how to stop gaining weight.

A large portion of the U.S. economy would grind to a halt if people made peace with their bodies. Billions of dollars are spent each year on plastic surgery, botox, lasers, corsets, diets, and psychotropics to deal with body-related depression and anxiety—all of it fueled by the advertisers’ goal: making people feel unattractive and inadequate. — Nicole S. Urdang, MS, NCC, DHM

I have been through many diet regimes, but nothing had worked. Since then, I gave up and started to accept my body as it is with the help of the coaches, energy therapies, EFT, and Reiki. More so, being a nurse at a birthing home made me appreciate and love the body and strength of a woman. Despite the acceptance, I continually gain weight up until now where I could not stand up from the floor.

One thing I am sure of is that I want to be good to myself and that I will not go back to thinking that for me to feel valuable, I should fit into the standards of an ideal body that was set by the public.

I was able to succeed in losing 40 pounds within six months and be able to stand from the floor with no difficulty. And here is what I did:

I Came Up With An Inspiring Goal

Although my daughters are still 11 and 14 years old, I want to be an energetic grandmother when the right time comes. For me, it is more motivating than setting a specific weight or clothes’ size.

The incident that occurred inside the bedroom of my daughter has made me realize that it is time to address my weight issue. If there is food in front of me, I weigh if it is good for me or not. If it will be bad for me and still wants it, I picture myself running around with my grandkids.

I Paid Attention To What I Was Eating

Paying close attention to my food was difficult for me. What I did was I do the elimination diet for 30 days. It was hard at first especially when I know how the food always makes me feel inside. But later on, I saw how amazing it is, and I was able to reset how I think about foods.

I Admitted That I Was A Sugar And Caffeine Addict

I never thought that I was addicted to sugar and caffeine until I realized that I am having a hard time giving them up. That is when I told myself that I am addicted to these foods. The elimination diet regime had helped me break my bad habits and enlightened me on my food choices.

The notion that we are not at the whim of dark, outside forces, that we can learn what it takes to love ourselves and be well differentiated, is empowering. — Deb Hirschhorn, PhD

I Realized That I Deserved To Feel Good

Women, especially caretakers and mothers, tend to forget themselves to accommodate other people. That should not be the case. We must feel good about ourselves at all times. I realized that somewhere along the way of my 30-day elimination diet that my eating habit was not doing any good for me. Hence, I intend to change it even if the people around me disagree with it. I should do this for myself and no one else.

I Accepted That My Body Is An Exquisitely Sensitive Instrument

I started to listen to my body and use my instinct at all times after which I saw how my body reacted to the choices that I have made. I understand that my body may react differently to what my mind is reacting and that is part of my animal instinct. For instance, I know that the dark chocolates can alter my mood which makes me create pointless scenarios that make me guilty afterward.  Because I already know foods as such distract me, I distanced myself by telling my body not to indulge in it. Today, I only eat foods that are nourishing me, and I can say that my mood has changed dramatically.

I Reminded Myself That We Can Always Begin Again

If you were not able to do it right on your first time, you could always do it again and again until you finally get it. It always pays to be patient.

While healthy self-esteem and confidence are valuable traits to possess, self-love transcends them. Whereas self-esteem says, “I’m good enough,” as opposed to narcissism’s malignant cry, “I’m better than you!”, self-love says, “Even when I’m not quite good enough, I matter and I’m worthy.” — Marla B. Cohen, PsyD

Believe You Owe It To The World

You are equally as important as everyone else. And you must show the world that you are destined to be here.  If you want to feel good, eat foods that make you feel wonderful. Do not waste your time feeling terrible and not loving how you look. There are more important things to do than just sulking around and criticizing your body. You need not to be afraid of losing your unwanted weight all you have to think is that you are gorgeous and you can do anything.