Tips For Beginning A Healthy Weight Loss Plan

As you consider making changes towards a new, healthier life style, it is of paramount importance to assess your attitude toward change. Losing weight and healthy eating are not easy endeavors. The best results are obtained over time, going step by step. In order to accomplish your ultimate goal, you have to stick to a weight loss/healthy eating program long enough to make a difference.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

You should be physically, mentally and spiritually ready to begin. When you are ready to record your reasons and pick a start date, you are ready to begin. Once you decide, half of the struggle is over. Commit to your plan.

Choose a program that is reputable and one that works. Good programs should have some common features. They usually include a daily food journal with calorie counting. They require 90% of adherence to a strict eating plan and they also require about seven hours a week of exercise such as cardio and strength training.

Choose the right plan that suits your individual needs. There are many different paths to successful weight loss. However, there is one best plan for each individual. Find a program you can stick to because adherence is the key to success.

Know the reasons you are doing the program. Record your reasons and use them as reference in the future. Do it for yourself and maybe for your loved ones. The benefits will be tremendous.

Inform your physician and get the okay if you take regular medications or you have a chronic illness. If you are healthy, you can begin a weight loss/healthy eating plan without seeing your doctor. A good program should not put your health at risk.

Know the average amount of weight loss that your program will produce. A good weight loss program will produce 10% weight loss in three to four months if you stick to the plan. However, the result could be 5% of weight loss in three to four months with a less focused implementation of the plan. Overall, you should aim for two pounds of weight loss per week.

Make sure that you do not have any unaware food allergies.

Tell your relatives and friends that you will be starting a weight loss/healthy eating plan. Let them know why you are doing it, so they will be aware of what you are doing.

Have all that you need before you begin your program (gym membership, food supplies, suitable clothing and shoes.)

Make sure you clean out your pantry and refrigerator. Get rid of junk foods and trigger foods which can initiate unnecessary eating. Restock your pantry and refrigerator with food needed to begin your weight loss/healthy eating plan.

Have a support system in place. This system should include health care professionals, personal trainer, your family and your friends. Rely on these people to help you stick to your plan.

Begin your program with vigor and enthusiasm. How well people do in the first 2-4 weeks predicts their success up to 5 years. So, make a strong start.

Seek out relatives or friends who want to do the program with you. There is strength in numbers. It is a great support to have someone to do the program with you. You will be accountable to each other. It also provides a source of motivation to work with someone you know.

Visualize your outcomes. Get images of things you want to wear in the size you hope to become. Put these images where you can see them. Make sure the goals you set are realistic.

You should be practical and allocate the time needed to do exercise regimen and food preparation. Once you have a plan in place, follow it. Commit to the rules of the program.

Know your metabolism rate. This is important for weight loss. If you have a sluggish metabolism it is very difficult to lose weight. It is a good idea to get your thyroid checked before you begin your program.

Know your metabolism type. There are three metabolism types. Type A, Type B and Type C. Each type has it specific characteristics. When you know your type, this helps you to know the right foods to eat as well as the percentage of protein, carbohydrates and fats that should be a part of your eating plan.

Know your hunger type. There are three hunger types. They are sensory, emotional and habitual. Know the triggers as well as the solutions for each type. This will help you with your weight loss by controlling your hunger and keeping it in check.

Have one big goal and several small goals as well. It is harder and sometimes frustrating to reach one big goal. However, when you accomplish your small goals, it will make your weight loss/healthy eating plan more rewarding.

Source: 

Is Yoga Good Or Bad For You?

Yoga has been around for about 5,000 years. It was created in India. It came to the United States in 1893. Yoga is thought by some to be a religion. It is not. It is a technique that uses poses to observe the breath, to quiet the mind and to learn focus. It is a mental, verbal and physical practice.

The postures are referred to as Asnan, the breathing techniques are called Pratyahara and the concentration techniques are called Dharana. Hatha Yoga is the type of Yoga typically taught at fitness facilities. Hatha Yoga is a slow-paced gentle Yoga that is a good intro to the basic Yoga poses. It is good for strength training, flexibility training, posture training and to develop mind-body awareness.

Vinyasa Yoga is also popular. It is a more fluid, vigorous practice. Ashtanga Yoga is often called "Power Yoga". It too is practiced by many people in America. It is a very vigorous, athletic type of Yoga best for the advanced student. Bikram Yoga referred to as "Hot Yoga" has 26 poses students do in a room that is 90 to 100 degrees. The thought is that the muscles will be loosened by the warm room so further stretching can occur.

Keeping your body toned and flexible is very important. The poses offered in Yoga can do that if done correctly. Most Yoga practices do not work your cardiovascular system. Power Yoga may be able to challenge your cardiovascular system if the instructor formats her routine in a manner which encourages the aerobic effect.

There are some safety precautions that will help you avoid being injured in your Yoga practice. Some of the poses can place too much strain on the spine. Your neck has smaller vertebrae than your lower back so caution should be used with neck motions. The lower back although stronger also can be injured if the poses are done incorrectly or you already have a bad back.

Forward flexion of the neck (bringing your chin toward your chest) should occur by simply letting go in the back of the neck. No straining or pulling should occur from the muscles in the front of your neck. Your head is pretty heavy and favors going forward so just allowing it to do so is the best way to do forward flexion.

Extension of the neck (bringing your head backwards) needs to be done by lengthening the neck not tilting the head back. Your eyes should be looking forward or slightly rolled upward. In the past some yoga positions like the Cobra had your neck tilted way back which is very hard on your cervical spine.

Neck rolls should always be avoided they place a lot of strain on your neck. Small tipping or turning of your head with each motion returning to an upright position before going to the next position is safer for your neck.

Inverted poses like the Plough are very tough on your neck. They put a lot of pressure on your cervical spine. Misalignment can occur as well as injury. If you already have neck issues they will be aggravated. Even poses that are indirectly inverted (where your head is lower than your heart, but you are not completely upside down) like the Down dog, Standing forward fold or Child pose is unwise for those with glaucoma, ear problems or heart and circulatory issues. Women should not practice inverted poses during menstruation or pregnancy. The most problematic poses are the Plough, Shoulder stand, and the head stand.

Poses that use unsupported forward flexion (bending your torso toward your thighs) puts a lot of stress on the lower back. Most people do not have the strength in their lower backs to do this without injury. The idea is to stretch the back of your legs and to strengthen your back but many people never get to the back strengthening benefit because their backs are injured while doing the pose.To add to the problem many poses like the Sun Salutation require you to have your legs completely straight.

To help ease the strain on your back during the Sun Salutation pose keep your legs shoulder width apart. For the Standing Forward Fold keep a slight bend in your legs and support your back by placing your hands on your thighs. When doing forward folds in a seated position focus on feeling the stretch behind your legs and not on trying to lay your chest on your thighs. Lengthen and extend your spine.

Make sure that you do not feel pain when doing your poses. It is wise to watch a few classes before you take one to make sure the instructor does not push students to go past their comfort zone. An instructor should not touch you and try to push your body past its abilities.

So Yoga is a good thing if done with caution and a very bad thing if you push yourself past your capabilities.

Source: