How to Lose 10 Pounds Quickly
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Ready to Lose Those 10 Pounds?
Losing weight takes effort and will power. It also takes the right kind of diet, and that's where things get a little sticky!
You see, there are tons of diets out there. Everything from the cabbage soup diet to the so called Master Cleanse, to more mainstream diets such as the South Beach diet! All these diets compete for your attention. They all promise startling results. Unfortunately, they don't all produce.
There are several reason why there is no "best" diet.
One reason is that we all eat a little differently. One person's problem might be that they eat too many mashed potatoes and breads. Another person's problem might be too many deserts. While another's problem might not be what they eat, but how they eat.
So, diet is certainly an issue when it comes to weight loss, but it's not the only issue. And it's not the only thing we're going to be talking about in this lens.
There are two other "parts" to the weight loss puzzle--exercise and lifestyle.
If you're over 20 years old, you absolutely have to be doing some sort of exercise in order to stay in shape. Exercise is even more important the older we get. As we age, our metabolisms naturally slow down. It's hard to keep those pounds off with a slower metabolism. Exercise has been proven to help you rev up your body's engine so that you burn calories and also just plain feel good.
Lifestyle plays a huge roll in weight loss. Studies have shown that people who get less than six hours sleep tend to weigh more. Doctors tell us we need at least eight hours of sleep a night. But realistically how many people get that much rest?
Lack of sleep leads to more stress in your life, and more stress can often lead to weight gain. So, the final part of this whole puzzle is learning to deal with stress in a positive way. We'll be talking about that also.
You see, there are tons of diets out there. Everything from the cabbage soup diet to the so called Master Cleanse, to more mainstream diets such as the South Beach diet! All these diets compete for your attention. They all promise startling results. Unfortunately, they don't all produce.
There are several reason why there is no "best" diet.
One reason is that we all eat a little differently. One person's problem might be that they eat too many mashed potatoes and breads. Another person's problem might be too many deserts. While another's problem might not be what they eat, but how they eat.
So, diet is certainly an issue when it comes to weight loss, but it's not the only issue. And it's not the only thing we're going to be talking about in this lens.
There are two other "parts" to the weight loss puzzle--exercise and lifestyle.
If you're over 20 years old, you absolutely have to be doing some sort of exercise in order to stay in shape. Exercise is even more important the older we get. As we age, our metabolisms naturally slow down. It's hard to keep those pounds off with a slower metabolism. Exercise has been proven to help you rev up your body's engine so that you burn calories and also just plain feel good.
Lifestyle plays a huge roll in weight loss. Studies have shown that people who get less than six hours sleep tend to weigh more. Doctors tell us we need at least eight hours of sleep a night. But realistically how many people get that much rest?
Lack of sleep leads to more stress in your life, and more stress can often lead to weight gain. So, the final part of this whole puzzle is learning to deal with stress in a positive way. We'll be talking about that also.
How to Eat to Lose Weight
...or do you really need a "diet"?...
Generally, when we think of losing weight, we think of dieting. And, of course, what you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat has a huge impact on how much you weigh...and also on your overall health. So, with all of that said, exactly what should you eat?Unfortunately, that's a question without a real answer. It's not really what you should eat, but what you should avoid eating that's the issue.
If you're on a particular diet, then you should eat that. But what if you're not on a particular diet? Or what if you just want to know what to eat after you get off of your diet? It's actually very simple.
Our bodies evolved before agriculture was invented. You can tell by our teeth that we're omnivores. We were designed to eat lean meats, fruits, and vegetables. Bread wasn't something our Ice Age ancestors knew how to make. Actually breads aren't really that good for you. Is there a correlation between these two? Probably.
Bottom line is this: if you keep your diet to all natural, whole foods you should be fine. The more organic you can eat the better off you're going to be, if only to avoid hormones and other industrial agents. But the goal should be to return to what our ancestors ate.
Lean Meats, Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts...that sort of thing. That's what you need to eat.
Amazon Spotlight
The Low-Carbohydrate Dieter's Handbook: How to Eat Like a Caveman and Lose Weight
Amazon Price: $16.95 (as of 02/16/2012)
Of course you can't go out and kill your own wooly mammoth. But we can do our best to approximate our natural diet. Here's a book, which will help.
How About High Protein Diets?
...are they safe and do they work?...
High protein diets are not what you would call "fad" diets, but they are a little extreme--or they seem that way to some. The general idea about high protein diets is that we consume too many carbohydrates, especially highly processed carbohydrates. These highly processed carbohydrates are turned into sugar rapidly in our bodies. In order to process this sugar, the pancreas secrets massive amounts of insulin, which if not completely used processing the sugar stays in our bodies. The results is hypoglycemia and an urge to eat more. You can see how this carbohydrate rush can lead to overeating. Not to mention the other ways that it harms the body.Actually, there's a whole constellation of diseases and conditions that seem to go together. It's called metabolic syndrome and consists of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease among other things. Metabolic syndrome is on the rise in developed nations, especially in America and a few other countries. The root cause of metabolic syndrome is the consumption of too many highly processed carbohydrates.
There are various high protein, low carbohydrate diets, Atkins and South Beach being among the most popular. Are these diets effective. Well...yes, for a lot of people, they are. Should you be on one of these diets? That's a question for you and your doctor to answer. But it's worth looking into.
The Atkins Diet
Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, Revised Edition
Amazon Price: $5.40 (as of 02/16/2012)
One of the most well-known high protein diets is the Atkins Diet. Is this the right diet for you? Well, first off, you need to ask your doctor. Only he or she can tell you if a certain diet would be best for you. But a lot of people have lost a lot of weight on the Atkins diet.
The South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss
Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 02/16/2012)
The essential difference between the South Beach diet and the Atkins diet is the eating of non-lean meats. Atkins lets you eat quantities of fatty meats, while South Beach focuses mainly on lean meats. Which is best? Hard to say. Both were created by medical doctors.
News About Diets
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What's the Best Exercise to Lose Weight Quickly?
...hint! It's not jogging...
One of the big reasons people gain weight is their metabolism slows. You really need some way to rev up your metabolism. One way is through taking supplements like B-12 or Magnesium. Really the best way is through exercise.But not just any exercise will do.
What you need is strength training.
Strength training exercises all parts of your body. It increases flexibility, and it also increases your aerobic capacity. But, of course, the most important thing that strength training does is build muscle.
Here's the thing about muscle. Besides making you feel better about yourself, which will result in your making better choices about foods you eat and how much sleep you get, having more muscle means your body just naturally burns more fat.
Muscle burns three times as many calories as fat.
So, now that you're convinced, how do you go about strength training? Well, you can go to the store and buy a weight set and put it in your basement. That will work, if you've lifted weights before.
But if you're not very familiar with weight training, you'll probably want to go to a gym and work on some of their machines, and even get some professional advice. Most gyms have personal trainers you can hire short or long-term. At least get someone to show you how it's all done. That way you'll feel comfortable around the machines or free weights, and you'll enjoy your workouts better.
Take weight training slowly. Don't try to get yourself pumped up like Arnold in the first week.
Learn How to Work Out to Lose Weight
Great Weight Training Book
Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Sports
Amazon Price: $14.83 (as of 02/16/2012)
This is a great all around book. Both for beginners and advanced "muscle heads".
The Key! Your Attitude
...your real roadblock...
Of the three, diet, exercise and your attitude, attitude is probably the most important. If you don't believe you can be the proper weight, or you don't believe you can be healthy again, then you have a very difficult uphill battle to fight. If, on the other hand, you really believe you can be in shape, things are going to be a lot easier for you.Unfortunately, overweight and emotional problems, like depression, go hand in hand. Depression leads to overeating. Overeating leads to more depression. It's a vicious cycle. Getting your attitude on the straight and narrow might be just the ticket to having that body you want.
Do a personal attitude check. Is there anything really bothering you? Are you often sad, lonely, or otherwise overwhelmed feeling? Be honest. Do you have any emotional problems you would rather the rest of the world not know?
If you have a mild attitude problem, then you might just want to work on getting out of it yourself, first. If, however, you have a real problem with depression, then you need help--professional help. In this case, you need to seek professional help. Start with your doctor.
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sharpturn
May 13, 2009 @ 5:21 pm | delete
- Interesting lens.
Lots of info. Good work.
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by kathypi
kathypi
Losing weight is not that difficult when you combine the right diet, exercise, and lifestyle together. Read this lens to find out how to do this, and... more »
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