Exercise and Weight Loss Information For Women

Personal Fitness Routine: TV's toughest trainer wants you to lose weight with a free plan

We all know by now that we need to use or burn more calories then we take in to lose weight and that a calorie is a calorie no matter where it comes from. With that being said however all calories are not created equal or no accurately they are not all used equally by your body.

Different food groups or food types not only have different effects on your body systems but they are also dealt with differently. The belief however that all the protein you eat is turned to muscle and all the fat you consume goes to your hips is a myth. The difference however is this; your body requires less energy to breakdown and store fat, where as it requires must more energy to process protein into a form that can be used by your body. Fat is simply broken down into smaller fat molecules and is also stored in the same form. Protein on the other hand is broken down to small amino acids, that can be used to build, repair or maintain muscle. If they are needed at the time of absorption the amino acids are converted to glucose to be used as energy, again if they are not need they are then converted to fat. It is easy to see that the body uses much more energy to convert protein into usable nutrients whereas fat requires very little.

Simple sugars which are your table sugars, the sugar in pop, and candy bars are absorbed very quickly by your body because they do not require processing to break them down into usable forms. Therefore if they are required for use when they are absorbed they are turned directly into fat that will be stored for later use. Complex Carbohydrates however take a little more effort and time to be broken down into the usable sugar form but again if they are not needed at the time of absorption they will eventually be turned into fat to be stored.

This difference in processing time does offer another advantage. The nutrients that require more time to be broken down to usable components will leave you feeling full and satisfied for a greater period of time, This is one of the reasons why low fat diets that do not recognize healthy fats will leave you feeling hungry all of the time. With a balanced diet of good healthy food you should not feel hungry, well at least your body is not hungry.

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In recent years more emphasis has been put the emotional side of eating. It is now a widely accepted concept that weight loss will not and can not be permanent if you fail to recognize and deal with the emotional issues that have caused you to over eat in the first place.

Many individuals get stuck on this point as they can not pin point some deep dark event in their lives that would cause them to over eat. We have all heard of individuals who have been raped or abused as children who then understandably have issues with over eating as adults. Luckily however is not the case for most of us, emotional over eating does not just occur for those individuals who have experienced a horrible or traumatic event. Some individuals do indeed realize after some thought that they do consciously or unconsciously hide behind a layer of fat to help keep themselves protected. If this is representative of you or your situation then it is easy to see why in order to achieve permanent weight loss you must deal with the emotions surrounding the case or reason.

If on the other hand you can not pin point a particular reason why; then it is important to realize that there are many negative feelings that trigger emotional eating. For instance many individuals medicate themselves with food in response to emotions and feelings including anger, guilt, loneliness, stress and even boredom. All of these reasons point to emotional eating as you are ultimately trying to fill some sort of void with food. Medicating with food is often a dangerous cycle as it is a short fix. You may feel great for the few minutes that it takes you to inhale a tub of chocolate ice cream or box of doughnuts but shortly after the guilt sets in for the actual eating. Now we have two reasons for feeling crappy about ourselves and thus the cycle continues.

You have to be honest with yourself because as we all know you can not fix what you do not acknowledge. The first step in any recovery is acceptance and acknowledgement. You must be able to recognize what you need to change in order to make a plan and ultimately make changes necessary for success.

One of the best ways to help you recognize your triggers is to keep a food journal. It is important to list not only what you are eating but also the circumstances leading up to the eating and how you are feeling at the time. Keeping this sort of food journal will allow you to not only see what you are eating and how much but more importantly the why. Documenting in this way will help you to sort out what your triggers are so that you can begin to take control over your reactions.

Keeping a food journal will allow you to step back and look at the patterns in your eating from a subjective standpoint. It will allow you to determine if you are consciously or subconsciously reacting to stressful situations, negative encounters, lonely nights, or purely out of boredom. We must also realize that we are not reacting to the "external" world around us but instead our own interpretations of that world. By the same token we are choosing to put the food into our mouths nobody or nothing else is forcing us to do it. We must hold ourselves responsible and break this destructive pattern.

The bottom line is you must choose and recognize that you are worthy of having a healthy happy life and that includes a healthy happy body. Know that you good enough and you desire the best. Once you identify your triggers you will be able to consciously decide to replace the destructive behavior with a healthy alternative. If there is an issue at hand that you can not handle on your own then get help from a professional; there is no shame in reaching out for help. Once you take ownership of your choices and actions you will be ready to make a lifestyle change that will lead to a permanent results.

When you are exercising it is good to get an all over workout, but there are always certain target areas that women want to focus on. For instance if you find that you want to lose some weight in the bottom part of your body, you may want to focus on doing exercises for big bottomed women.

Exercises for Big Bottomed Women

There are many different exercises for big bottomed women that are easy and still effective. Squats are one of the first and best exercises that anyone can do for their buttocks and thighs. These are also very easy exercises and you can do them right at home, even without any additional equipment.

There are also many different types of squats that you can do, some which do require equipment, such as the chair squats for which you will need a standard chair to perform them on. For the chair squats you need to stand with your feet hip-width apart and then squat, keeping your back straight and squeezing your abs in.

You want to focus on the muscles in your abdomen and buttocks while you are bending for the squat, and then let your butt lightly touch the chair and squeeze your butt to stand up.

Another of the most popular exercises for big bottomed women is hip extensions. These are also very simple, and for this move all you need to do is hold a dumbbell behind your knee for added intensity, and then lift one of your legs up behind you until you can start to feel the muscle pulling.

You want to hold here and not go any further so you do not rip the muscle, and hold for about five seconds. Then you want to switch legs, and repeat this four to five times.

There are also many other exercises for big bottomed women that you can try, and remember that no matter how hard you work out and how many different exercises you do, you have to eat properly or you are just not going to see results.

It is important that you eat a healthy, well balanced diet, one that is full of nutrition and you also need to be drinking enough water, at least six to eight glasses a day.

With a proper diet and exercise you will not only be able to lose that unwanted weight but keep it off for good and be healthy, which is what really matters.

Work is the center of our lives whether or not it is inside or outside the home does not seem to make a difference. As a society we are running ourselves into the ground. Between the responsibilities of providing and caring for ourselves or our families the day to day struggles are often over whelming. This busy nonstop lifestyle is beginning to take its toll on our bodies and our health as we succumb to the stress. Stress affects our physical, mental and emotional well being and this fact is often overlooked until it is to late.

As a whole we understand the importance of exercise for weight management and general health but there is another reason to get up and get moving. Exercise is a proven technique to battle stress and is proven to be more beneficial then taking many medications. Aside from changing your focus from your problems to something productive, physical exercise will help your body function at peak efficiency while alleviating the potential damaging effects of stress.

Benefits of physical exercise in regards to battling stress are numerous and include:

1. Cardio: This greatly strengthens your heart protecting you from possible effects of stress like heart failure, stroke, high-blood pressure, and so on. As well, when your heart is attuned to an exercise regime, blood circulation improves which in turn increases oxygen throughout the body. Your cholesterol level and other harmful bio-chemicals will be reduced and will lessen the chance of your body breaking down due to the negative effect of these substances.

2. Emotional Release: Exercise offers an acceptable outlet for releasing pent up negative emotions such as anger and frustration. Exercise has also been proven to be very effective in the treatment of depression. This is due to the release of endorphins which are similar to the chemical compound morphine thereby providing the body with natural analgesic (pain relieving) effects and promoting a sense of euphoria.

3. Peace and Quiet: Many individuals find exercise to be meditative. It is a chance to focus on nothing but the task at hand, or be lost in a state of no thought. The rhythmic motions or repetition of many activities can be therapeutic in and of themselves, this has been termed moving meditation. For some the possible solitary environment allows them to be introspective enabling self reflection.

4. Fall asleep faster and sleep deeper: Individuals who exercise regularly fall asleep much faster and deep at a much deeper level once asleep. This is important in regards to stress management, both our bodies and mind heal during sleep or rest. This provides an endless cycle of benefits; with appropriate sleep you have much more energy and focus to deal with the stresses of the following day.

5. Social Support: Many physical activities offer a sense of team, or an environment where the focus is taken away from the problems that are weighing you down. You are able to come together with others that you have similar interests with, it is ultimately a social event even if you are not sitting around having coffee. It has also been proven that individuals who exercise on a daily basis generally feel better about themselves and feel much more grounded.

6. Body Awareness: Individuals who are involved in physical activities are much more aware of what their body is saying, they are more in tune. They are better able to sense possible problems with their bodies and make the necessary adjustments before it is too late. This ability also makes these individuals much more effective at relaxation techniques.

7. Muscle Tension: Physical activity has also been proven to relax your muscles making tension headaches, joint pain and back pain less likely. Your muscles are able to relax after they have burned off the pent up energy that stress causes

It is generally agreed that as little as fifteen minutes a day is enough for you to gain the endless benefits of physical activity. Take a walk around your block or do some stretches in your back yard. Involving your friends or family will help keep you committed and on track. The other option is to use physical activity to give yourself some alone time. The possibilities are endless, choose what ever is best for you.

Rome wasn't built in a day and your fat loss won't happen that way either. Don't expect to start eating perfectly and exercising religiously tomorrow. Instead set yourself up for success by implementing at least one supportive habit per week. Make an effort to adopt the premise of "progress, not perfection." By developing awareness that improvement is measured by your daily progress, you can save yourself a lot of grief and frustration from the beginning. Focusing on small, positive steps in everything you do is a vital component to change. It starts you moving in the right direction and the momentum of your amazing, transforming results will soon follow. With time, commitment and a willingness to continue to take those small steps, failure is not an option.

How to do it: Be mindful of the fact that you didn't gain it overnight so you're not going to lose it overnight. A safe and effective fat loss program will yield 1 to 2 pounds of fat loss a week, not 10. As you begin your weight loss journey, aim for 2-3 small improvements each week. Build up to eating more supportively and moving a little more than yesterday. These small changes will add up to big improvements over time.

Beware of supplements and "quick fixes" that promise accelerated fat loss. Instead, plan on losing fat weight slowly. Sure we all want instant results, but it's impossible to undo a years of inactivity and poor nutrition overnight.

Instead of only looking at the big picture, try to break it down into smaller bites. Set one-month goals, three-month goals, six-month goals and even yearly goals. Carry over each previous goal to make sure that you aren't stopping one to achieve another. Make sure goals are achievable and realistic and what you truly want. A half-hearted desire will produce half-hearted results.

Remember, life happens and we must face the challenges. Sometimes that means not getting to exercise or eat properly. The difference is we get it. We make it a point to view each situation, each setback as an opportunity to LEARN and ASK, "What could I do differently next time?" Then it becomes a matter of getting back on track as soon as possible. Leave the excuses and blame behind and forget about beating ourselves up - we're only human. Strive to do a little better today than you did the day before. The key is to stay consistent, focused and take daily action. Make goals meaningful. Our minds cannot differentiate between achieving an enormous goal or a miniscule goal it only perceives success or failure. If you set a goal that is impossible to fail you'll only be setting yourself up for tremendous victory.

Don't be too rigid. Telling your self that you HAVE to workout for a set time to feel a sense of completion is ill fated. If you set out to workout for 30 minutes and you only get in 20, you'll more apt to be disappointed regardless of how hard you worked. If you simply set a goal to go to the gym at least 2-3 days a week and complete your resistance training and cardio you'll perceive yourself as a winner.

An additional goal idea: Have you ever wanted to participate in a race or sport that you've never had the endurance for? Then use that as a goal! When the end justifies the means it's easier to make it through the rough spots. It's a win-win situation if you are able to achieve a want and a need simultaneously!

About the Author

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women's fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book - Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back.

Click here to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."

We know that exercising will allow us to lose weight and fit into our favorite clothes but what are some of the other benefits? Exercise when done on a regular basis has far reaching effects. Not only does exercise give you an immediate boost but it also improves sleep quality which in turn promotes even more energy giving you the boost you need to get through your busy days.

The number of chronic illnesses that exercising helps prevent should be reason enough for anybody get up off the couch and get moving. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels (think heart attack or stroke), Type ll diabetes, and arthritis. For middle aged women in particular the benefits to combating osteoporosis should be of great concern. Another disease that everyone is being touched by is cancer and exercise has not only been proven to help prevent many types but has also been linked to survival rates.

Exercise has great significance in improving the health of our bodies but it also has effects on our minds. Studies suggest that exercise can not only reduce the symptoms of depression but it also helps with mental sharpness and even increases the number of actual brain cells in the areas that are responsible for memory and learning.

This is just a brief list of the benefits of incorporating exercise into our daily lives however it definitely should be enough to motivate anyone to get up walk around the block a couple of times.

By Christine Erickson

There has always been a myth that if women weight lift or do resistance training they will end up looking like the incredible hunk. This of course is not true unless we inject ourselves with testosterone. Committing to weight/resistance training does not mean that you have to go out and join a gym with a bunch of beefy looking men; it can be done in your own home. (Below is an example of a simple to follow program that you can see in action)

Reasons for lifting some weight

The fact is that when we decide to diet (eat less) our metabolism does the unthinkable and immediately slows down. We combat this problem by doing exercise. When we engage in cardio exercises we do in deed burn calories however as a defensive mechanism our bodies adjust by burning less calories during the rest of the day (our bodies don't like to lose weight). The outcome from doing cardio alone or large amounts of cardio is that our metabolism goes into the toilet. This happens in two ways:
1. Cardio eats up muscle mass along with the fat; muscle mass burns calories (one pound burns 35-75cal/day) and fat does not burn anything.
2. As your lungs and heart become stronger and more efficient from your work outs you burn less calories both during your work out and after your work out.

The bottom line is you must build lean muscle mass in order to compensate for the decline in metabolism caused by the bodies defenses against losing weight. It is important to remember that muscles burn calories 24/7 so it is a definite necessity for healthy weight loss to occur. Putting effort into building and then maintaining your muscle mass will also assist in overcoming the "plateau" stage that so many individuals fall into from doing cardio alone.

Women should not be afraid to "pump some iron" so to speak, just remember that fat takes up 4 times as much space than muscle so what would you rather having hanging from your belly.

By Christine Erickson

Getting enough fiber in your diet is important not only for your digestive health but also your waist line. Fiber is an extraordinary tool in curbing your appetite and helping you feel full through out the whole day. Fiber is also considered a powerful fighter against cancer, diabetes (helps stabilize blood sugar), heart disease and obesity.

Although people do not like talking about it, bowel movements are an extremely good way to determine if you are getting enough fiber in your diet. You should be having a minimum of three bowel movements a week. Another indication that you are lacking fiber in your diet is if you are constantly hunger. Fiber will give you a full feeling that lasts well into the afternoon even if you are eating it in the morning for breakfast (hint, this is a good idea).

Fiber can be found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. To get the most from your vegetables try to have them raw or just partially cooked. When eating fruits such as apples leave the peels on as they are a great source fiber. Another great option is to add beans and legumes to your soups, stews, or salads. Whole grains are also a good source of fiber, and some great options are bulgur, couscous, and kasha. If you these grains sound a little off the wall for you then choose whole-grain breads, cereals, or pasta. If you want to disguise your fiber then try sprinkling flax or hemp seed into some yogurt, over a salad or mix it into your soup. There are lots of creative ways to sneak in some fiber even for the pickiest eaters.

It is also important to make sure you are getting enough water on a daily basis. Water is good for curbing your appetite and ultimately losing weight but more than that it is essential for a healthy digestive system. Water and fiber work together in your digestive track and both are needs to keep you regular and moving smoothly.

Time, money, energy, your sanity....?

Ready to turn the tables and create the expense of FAT LOSS?

That is what everyone desires in the first place, right?
As you lose the fat, you reveal a new, lean, toned and beautiful body.

However as you begin a fitness plan, it can be quite confusing, for many plans lead you to believe that the best, fastest and most satisfying results are found in "Weight Loss" - only perpetuating the very unhealthy relationship we have with the scale.

Leading us to make the choices that causes the numbers to fluctuate which only drains our mental energies as we fret over what we are doing wrong to make the scale and our bodies so uncooperative with our efforts.

Time to stop the insanity!(once again).

Change your focus to Fat Loss and try what DOES work when it comes to effective and efficient workouts -and stop wasting your time, money, energies and sanity on a system that is not delivering the results you so badly desire.

The System:
Intense Full Body Resistance Training

Intense = Challenging

No lolly gagging, no chatting while working out, no hour long workout sessions.

Just simple, to the point, compound movements, performed in super set fashion. You just have 6 exercises that you perform in pairs, back to back with little to no rest.

This allows you to work the largest muscle groups in your body to the point of CHANGE - initiating the increase if lean muscle.

The more intense your workout, the more EXPENSIVE it is for your body - therefore your body must PAY in the form of FAT LOSS.

Muscle is essential to Fat Loss!

The more lean muscle you have, the more fat your burn, the more inches you lose, the faster you get back into your skinny jeans.

One of the great reasons why the Fit Yummy Mummy workouts deliver results so quickly is due to the intense nature of a Full Body Workout.

The more muscles you work, in a short period of time not only allows you to burn a significant amount of calories WHILE you are working out.....but does so l-o-n-g after your workout ends.

YEP!
You actually Get your body to work FOR you.

How much easier could the process of Fat Loss be?

You simply cannot get this same effect with.....

~ Cardio - no matter how long you do cardio, for cardio does NOTHING to increase lean muscle - and in fact, the more you DO, the more you risk losing lean muscle. In FACT, your body actually begins to break muscle down in order to provide you with the fuel you need to keep going.

Just another reason why Intervals are the Ideal Solution.

~ Hour Long Resistance Training Workouts
If it is taking an hour to do your workouts - you are missing the point of consolidating your workouts into full body, metabolism boosting moves as well as missing out on the intensity and challenge a true fat burning workout can provide.

First, for those of you who do know, there is no way if you were working out intensely that you could go much longer than 15 minutes!

Second, the longer you place your body in a state of stress, the more cortisol - the stress hormone - you will have pumping through your body. STRESS is GOOD for you in Small Doses - as prescribed with the Fit Yummy Mummy short burst resistance training moves for this is what stimulates NEW muscle growth. Hour long Stress Sessions - Not Good and completely counterproductive to your efforts.

Cortisol is known for increasing Fat Storage AND did you know cortisol also breaks down lean muscle? What a double whammy! Yet another reason why Less is More.

~ Isolating One Muscle Group at a Time
Once again, this misses out on the concept of intensity. Burning out one small muscle group at a time comes nowhere close to the metabolic expense of targeting those SAME tiny muscle groups with compound movements.

This is why each and every Fit Yummy Mummy workout contains lower body, upper body (push and pull) and core moves.

Plus, the main reason why many woman choose to isolate muscle groups is due to the horrid myth of Spot Reduction. You simply cannot burn fat off one area simply by working that muscle. The muscle does not own the fat on top of it.

Short Burst Resistance Training is the System that Works.
Get More Bang for Your Buck! Why would you want to do it any other way?

If any of the scenarios describe your current workout plan I highly encourage you to try a new system.

Time to create the expense that delivers results.

Fit Yummy Mummy

Get MORE out of Doing Less
Burn the Baby Fat and Get Your Body Back in just 90 Minutes a Week

It is estimated that 1 in 5 women will develop hypothyroidism; which is an under active thyroid at some point in their lives. The most disconcerting fact is millions of women have some degree of thyroid hormone deficiency and are not even aware that they have the disorder. There are two main reasons for this occurrence. First of all the symptoms can vary greatly for each individual and are therefore misdiagnosed by many doctors. The other reason is that many women refuse to seek help in the first place and do not associate the symptoms they are experiencing as a medical problem.

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. Simplified, the thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland found in the neck which pumps out hormones that impact how smoothly and efficiently your body can run when converting calories to energy. The main purpose of the thyroid gland ultimately is to run the body's metabolism.

There are several symptoms which are associated with hypothyroidism however diagnoses can be difficult because you may not experience all of the symptoms or many may be very subtle and hard to detect. That being said, the list of symptoms is as follows:
-fatigue, loss of energy
-weakness
-weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
-dry hair or skin
-cold intolerance, can seem to stay warm
-muscle or joint pain
-depression or loss of interest
-mood swings
-forgetfulness
-abnormal menstrual cycles, difficulty getting pregnant
-decreased libido
-constipation, irregularity

Doctors typically use a blood test to help determine whether or not a thyroid diagnosis is warranted. This test measures the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the body, a level of 10 or more indicates hypothyroidism. Unfortunately a large percentage of individuals fall into a gray area known as sub clinical hypothyroidism with levels between 3 and 10 and many doctors will not provide treatment because many believe that medications may lead to hyperthyroidism which also has its own set of issues. If this is the case then get a second opinion or contact an endocrinologist who specializes in this area.

Another indicator for seeking a TSH blood test is family history. If you have a family history with autoimmune disorders such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis than do not over look your symptoms. Linked to this fact is also grey hair, if they started to appear, even a couple before the age of 30 it would be wise to seek out more information.

You should contact your doctor if you have any combination of these symptoms especially if they persist for more than two months. Do not assume for instance that you are tired and moody due solely to your busy life style because it is estimated that approximately 13 million cases can undetected each year. Many women assume that their lifestyle is the only contributing factor to how they are feeling and this is not always the case. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and be proactive in getting the care that you need and deserve.

The fact is, a women's metabolism slows down with age and this begins to happen as early as 25 years of age and the simplified reason for this is the loss of muscle mass and increase in fat. A women's metabolism is ultimately different or slower, because there is less muscle to burn the fat. Some women may even have the same diet and exercise program as they had earlier in life but they begin to gain weight due to the natural changes in physiology and hormones that occur. For many more of us however, this is compounded by the lifestyle changes that occur as we have children and our priorities shift from ourselves to those of our families. In the end the bottom line is a lowered metabolism and a few or a lot of extra pounds.

First of all in layman's terms metabolism is the rate your body breaks down and uses the food we ingest into energy for use in the growth, repair, and general function of your body. When there is too much of a deficit between the foods we eat and what our bodies needs to function the metabolism slows; muscle and fat reserves are used. Muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in our body, for every pound of muscle a woman loses the number of calories she burns decreases by as many as 50 per day. Fat burns nothing; it just sits there hanging out, literally. Therefore, the amount of lean body mass you have is an important factor in determining the rate at which you burn calories.

We are spending billions of dollars each year on a quick fix solution to our expanding waist lines however the fundamental principles remain the same: don't do time-wasting exercises or follow non-sense diets that do not contribute to your desired result. The only way too naturally increase your metabolism is through exercise however just three 20-minute strength training sessions per week will help you shed approximately 15 pounds over the course of a year without changing anything else. This works because you don't not need huge hulking muscles (which are impossible to naturally get) in order to see the benefits of an increased metabolism. It is also a misconception that you have to spend time in a gym to achieve these results, working your muscles doesn't have to be a complicated or time consuming endeavor. You can do many types of resistance training exercises in your own home, such as using a balance ball, doing leg lunges, or using hand weights.

It is generally believed that for women a regiment of weight training should involve higher repetitions with light to moderate weight. Higher repetition means 15 to 20 while light to moderate means only light enough to ensure that you are able to keep your proper form and complete range of motion. If you are able to easily achieve this then adding a little more weight would be appropriate. Last but not least, working out with weights is not only an important weight loss tool but also a bone loss preventive activity. The health benefits from working out are numerous and just the fact that weight training gives your body natural stress relief due to all the endorphins that you are releasing while you are working out, makes it a powerful mental booster as well (who doesn't like to be happy).

Typically low calorie diets wreak havoc on your metabolism and amount of muscle loss is substantial. For many individuals it is beneficial to use a calorie counter to monitor their calorie intake. One of the biggest problems for women is that they under estimate the number of calories they are actually ingesting during the day. For this reason it has been proven that individuals who document there food intake on a daily basis have a better understanding about what and how much they are actually putting into their mouths. It doesn't take a lot of time to become familiar with the nutritional values and the calorie content of foods when you spend a certain amount of time activity seeking the information. There are endless numbers of diet programs out their and everyone claims they have the answers. It is important to not get overwhelmed with an eating plan. If you can make small changes, focusing on a balance of all your food groups and ensuring that you are getting all of your recommended serving of fruit and vegetables you will be well on your way. The number one problem for most individuals is the lack of fruits and vegetables in their diets. The other important thing to remember is that it is necessary to incorporate lean proteins into your diet because these are necessary for your body to build muscle.

The most important thing to remember is that a combination of exercise and a healthy diet are the key to not only weight loss but ultimately your health. For long term overall health it is necessary to incorporate both into your lifestyle. Neither part of the puzzle should be stressful and doesn't need to be confusing, make small changes and have fun.

Breakfast is easily the most overlooked solution than all other fat burning tips combined.

Q: Breakfast.

I always eat breakfast but often don't get to it until about an hour or sometimes two (if I'm up early) after I get up. Is this OK or do I have to eat earlier than this? (I'm busy during the week getting the kids ready and off to school). What's the maximum amount of time I can go from waking to eating brekky?

A: Hooray! You are eating the most important meal of the day!

Many Busy Moms tend to skip this meal for a variety of reasons. However, doing so will only work against your body's ability to lose fat.

Skipping breakfast will only send the message to your body that you're starving - you haven't had food in the last 6-8 hours. This leads your body to SLOW your metabolism for survival purposes. You essentially are choosing to start your day in fat storage mode.

PLUS - if you do not start your day with a supportive breakfast, it is only natural that by the time lunch rolls around - You are STARVING. The best of intentions cannot overcome the cravings that accompany this feeling. Sure, you may start off your "lunch time" snack or meal with something you consider to be quite healthy. Yet, those nagging cravings do not go away and you are compelled to eat more.

To make matters worse, skipping breakfast also leads to eating more later in the day - a big "dinner". Eating more calories during the last meal of the day, when your metabolism is naturally slower during the second half of the day and slower because breakfast was skipped leads your body to store those calories as fat.

In fact, studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. If you skip meals, you tend to feel hungrier later on and you will eat more than you normally would.

To get the Best Benefits of Breakfast - yes, eating within an hour of waking is best. Breakfast will provide you with the energy you need to get through your day. The more energy you have, the more active you'll be and the more active you are, the more calories you burn.

Favorite Busy Mom Breakfast: Cereal is a MUST. It's convenient, easy to prepare, easy to eat and full of nutrients - Note "Whole Grain Lucky Charm" does not fall into this category. Choose cereals carefully based on the information on the food label.

Top Breakfast Choices have:
~ 5 grams of Fiber or more
~ 8 grams of Sugar or LESS
~ Sugar is not listed as one of the first 4-5 ingredients.

Holly Rigsby, CPT, MAT America's #1 Fat Loss Expert for Busy Moms and the author of Fit Yummy Mummy. Holly has worked with over 300 Mom's to help them lose the stubborn baby fat, get their pre-baby body back and reclaim their yummy-ness. Don't miss her Free Report: Top 5 Busy Mom Metabolism Boosters

Women have been spending endless amounts of time and money trying to lose weight or wishing they had either to even attempt the venture. Many have turned to "fad dieting" and "magic pills" only to fail in the end. It becomes a bitter cycle that just seems unrealistic because who has the extra hours to dedicate to an exercise program that requires 4 or 5 hours in a gym or the time and money to shop for special foods and "potions".

A mother and physical trainer has gone ahead cracked the weight loss code for other women who want to transform their lives without turning it upside down. The exercise program is designed to be done at home without the loss of time or expense of daycare or a gym facility. The Fit Yummy Mummy Life Style Program is a proven safe system that was designed by a mother (and professional trainer) that not only targets the problem areas of the post baby body but also enhances your overall health and energy so that you can get through your already busy days.

This exercise system is one that anyone can follow because it doesn't ask the impossible, it requires only 90 minutes of exercise per week and that can be as little as 15 minutes six times a week or three sessions of 30 minutes. Holly teaches you how this is the most effective way to get rid of the fat. Doing endless amounts of cardio actually has a negative effect on the body in terms of losing weight; it eats up your lean muscle mass which in turn slows your metabolism to a crawl. One pound of muscle burns between 35-75 calories per day which gives you a permanent metabolism boost where as fat burns absolutely nothing. The other metabolism downfall of your cardio workouts is that as your lungs and heart become stronger and more efficient from your workouts you will continue to burn fewer and fewer calories both during and after your work out.

A doctor from Kentucky said "Despite what women tend to believe, endless cardio sessions do not render the results of a tight and toned body, nor is it found in the surgeon's office, the solution instead can be found in time efficient workouts especially those busy moms can do right in their homes." The bottom line is you must build lean muscle mass in order to compensate for the decline in metabolism caused by the bodies defenses against losing weight and Holly teaches you that this can be done easily and quickly in your home. Women should not be afraid to "pump a little iron" so to speak, just remember that fat takes up 4 times as much space as muscle so what would you rather have hanging from your belly.

This program offers help in making a permanent lifestyle change. Although you will loss the weight with this exercise and nutrition program you will more importantly you have renewed energy, strength and ultimately your health. As women we need to start making ourselves a priority in their own lives, if you aren't healthy and happy it is impossible to be there for your friends and family.

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