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Weight Loss Help and Tips

Weight Loss Help and Tips


5 home remedies to lose weight

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:39 AM PST

"You cannot lose weight at home; the only way to lose weight is by going to the gym 3-4 times per week". This is what most people believe and although this is one of the most effective ways to get fast results, there are still other ways or home remedies to lose weight. In this post we will discuss 5 home remedies that are simple and easy to introduce in your daily life.

#1 Remedy: Protect yourself from the kitchen cupboards

If you can't find any snacks (chocolates, potato chips, sweets) in your kitchen cupboards you won't eat them! This is a very simple technique that works great. Take pre-caution measures and empty your cupboards; remove all sweets, chocolates and other snacks that are 'bad' for your diet. Instead add more fruits on the kitchen table, unsalted popcorn, nuts, green tea and other snacks that are calorie friendly.

#2 Remedy: Get the right tools

Having the right tools when you need them is very important. We are talking about kitchen tools that will help you prepare your food in a healthier manner and in a diet friendly way. For example:

A Kitchen scale: If you follow any diet or recipe you will need to measure your ingredients and food portions.

A collection of healthy recipes: The web has a plethora of weight loss recipes but in most cases you can't find them when you are ready to cook. So, get prepared in advance and either bookmark or print your favorite recipes, prepare your shopping lists and make sure that you have everything in place before you start.

Olive oil: We love olive oil since it is healthy (can lower you cholesterol levels) and has less fat than other alternatives (butter, corn oil etc.).

Steamer: This is optional but very useful when you have one at home. A steamer will cook your vegetables and other food saving you a lot of calories.

You may also need an egg separator (to separate the egg white with the yolk), a fruit juicer (to prepare your nutritious drinks) and a fat-separating pitcher (to remove fat from stocks and soups).

#3 Remedy: Do not eat in front of the TV

Eating in front of the TV is a bad habit. The only place to eat is the kitchen table and once you have finished your dinner, try not to snack while watching TV. Snacking usually involves food items that are high in calories and fat so it's better to avoid them altogether.

#4 Remedy: Exercising at home

While the other home remedies are more for preventing weight gain, the only way to reduce your weight while at home is through exercise. Exercising at home doesn’t have to be intense but it has to be regular. Doing a couple of exercises once in a while will not do any good at all but exercising regularly (at least 2-3 times per week) can generate results.

There are many ways to workout at home, you can either get a fitness DVD and follow the instructor (Pilates is a very good example) or you can create your own workout schedule. The most important thing to remember is that your routine should be intense and raise your heart beat levels otherwise you are just wasting your time.

Also, do not underestimate the efficiency of household chores in losing weight. Cleaning the windows for example is a great exercise that will keep your house clean and will also act as a great fat burner. Doing gardening work, carpet cleaning, car washing are some other examples of activities you can do at home.

#5 Remedy: Take it seriously

If you made the decision that you want to lose weight and that you want to do it at home then you need to take it seriously. Being at home makes it easier to break your schedule and skip your workouts. It is more likely to choose the comfort of your couch instead of the effort to exercise so you need to make up your mind and take some serious decisions.

You need to set-up a schedule and follow it religiously, you need to prepare your diet plan and stick to it at all costs. If you fail to have self-discipline then it is more than certain that you will NOT lose weight while at home and none of the above home remedies will ever work.

On the other hand, if you are prepared to make sacrifices and if you have the willingness to meet your weight loss goals then you can do it at the comfort of your home. It's your call.

The post 5 home remedies to lose weight appeared first on Weight Loss Help and Tips.

High Intensity Interval Training And Belly Fat Loss

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:50 AM PST

With so many new and “revolutionary” training methods constantly advertised in television, magazines, and on the internet these days, it is easy to get lost in a sea of false promises.  However, luckily, you have ended up in the right place, as my goal is to help you lose belly fat and achieve your own fitness goals, not sell you a product or service.

Introducing High Intensity Interval Training

In this article, I will go over one of the oldest yet most effective and engaging type of training ever created.  The method of training I am referring to is HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training which has been widely used by athletes and celebrities to get in shape quickly since the early 1970s.

Targeting Fat Loss

HIIT training works so well because there is no rest in the entire workout, this has a greater impact on the number of calories you burn than standard routines and will therefore target your bodies’ fat stores more aggressively.   Our bodies as efficient as they are find it necessary to store excess fat in fat stores for later energy use. This is why you will notice fat build up in certain areas like your stomach, thighs, or hips.

Where your body chooses to store this fat is different between each individual and by first recognizing where your own body is likely to store fat, you can begin to fix the issue.  But keep in mind, when you lose fat there is no way to control exactly which area the fat loss comes from and to eventually drop that stubborn belly fat most people experience, you will need to drop fat from your entire body.

What is HIIT and why it's so effective in losing weight

Now that you understand that concept, we will go back to discussing HIIT training. The way HIIT training is able to allow you to keep moving the entire workout, is by alternating between low to moderate training periods (used to recover) and high intensity training periods. The lengths of these periods can vary, as there are many forms of HIIT training out there, but the same core techniques will always apply.

Keeping your body moving the entire workout is what makes this style of training so effective, because by keeping your heart rate elevated the entire workout you are burning more calories in a shorter time period.

Raising your Resting Metabolic Rate

However, the effect HIIT training has on fat loss does not stop there; it does something even more unique in the next 16-24 hours following your workout.   By increasing your bodies EPOC( or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption ) HIIT training will  actually raise your Resting Metabolic Rate ( the rate at which your body naturally  burns calories ) for up to 24 hours.

If that was not enough benefits for you, another way HIIT’ style of training can benefit you is increase your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases. This to me is the most important thing for you to consider in the long run and why HIIT training is truly helpful to your overall health.

Nevertheless, by now you are probably wondering how YOU can incorporate HIIT training in your life, so I will go over a few simple techniques you can use. First, as I said HIIT training comes in many varieties and the workouts are relatively short (10-30 minutes). The workouts can vary from weighted routines with dumbbells, barbells, or kettle bells to just running on the treadmill.  The easiest way to incorporate HIIT training in your own life would be just three to five 10-minute sessions a week.  You can do them on a treadmill, stationary bike, in the yard or down the street just follow these basic guidelines.

Step 1.  Start by Warming up for 5 minutes by walking slowly or even just walking in place. Be sure not to skip your warm-up because it is very important for injury prevention and will get you ready for the workout.

Step 2.  Based on your fitness level, pick a split for your workouts walking and jogging. A beginner could start at 40 seconds of walking per 20 seconds of jogging for example.  You would then set a timer to 10 minutes total and follow this layout.

Walk 40 Seconds

Jog 20 Seconds

Repeat for 10 times.

Step 3.  Finish the workout by moving into your cool down and stretching phase, this last step should last 3-5 minutes and is just to bring your body back to a normal level.  If you have a few extra minutes you can also incorporate static stretching into your routine here, a few  good muscles to considering stretching would be your Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves, and Piriformis muscles .

Now that is just one way to approach HIIT training and I chose that method because it is an easy yet effective way to get started.   If after doing that a few weeks, the workouts are too easy, just extend the total time to 15 minutes or change the walk/ jog split to something like 30 seconds of walking per 30 seconds of jogging.  Be sure to not to rush the progression on your workouts but you can eventually incorporate running in place of the jogging.

HIIT and Weight Lifting

Another style of HIIT of HIIT training worth mentioning is combining HIIT with weightlifting techniques, primarily using lower or full body exercises, to burn even more calories.  I included a sample routine for you below.

Toe Touches– 15 Reps- Just reach down and touch your toes, knees, or calves depending on what your flexibility allows and then come back up.

Forward Lunges- 10 repetitions each leg

Side Lunges- 10 repetitions each direction

Jogging Butt Kicks- 50 feet

Arm Circles – 20 reps both arms.

Jogging High Knees – 50 feet

Trunk Twists- 20 reps

Bodyweight Squats– 30 reps

That is a great beginner routine to get started in HIIT and does not require any equipment at all.  If after a few of weeks of following that routine it becomes too easy, you can increase the reps in the individual exercises or even do the whole circuit twice.  However, do not try to progress too soon as that can lead to injury or over-training.

 

The post High Intensity Interval Training And Belly Fat Loss appeared first on Weight Loss Help and Tips.

How to lose thigh fat

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:58 AM PST

How to lose thigh fat – Introduction

You may have heard quite a lot of times the saying that 'men are from Mars and women are from Venus'.  In some aspects of weight gain this saying rings truth. The different 'sex' hormones can be responsible for the fact that men and women tend to deposit fat easier in different regions of the body. The area of the thighs is one of them as women have the tendency to store fat in the region of the thighs easier and men in the abdominal region.

These biological differences serve a purpose in nature and have been in some way vital for the human species through time. However, nature did not have America's next supermodel or the western society, calorie rich diets in mind when evolution was taking place and for some women can be a nightmare.

So what can you do to lose fat from your thighs? To be perfectly honest here there is not a magic solution for losing fat from the region of the thighs. However, there are ways to maximize your weight loss and we have looked into some of them in this article.

Losing thigh fat with the correct diet

Following a weight loss regime will help in reducing your weight and fat from all over the body, including your thighs. There is not such a thing a specific diet which will concentrate on the one specific area and spot fat reduction is a myth. Well I would rather say that there is no scientific evidence to say that it happens. Therefore, when you are on a weight loss program your body will break down fat from all of your body.

You may have seen diets which concentrate on abdominal fat, however, that don't mean that your body will selectively lose weight only from the abdomen. There can be other factors which can increase fat deposition in the abdomen and a 'good' diet would improve some of these factors.

But let's go back to the scope of this article which is how to lose thigh fat.So what is a correct diet? It is a balanced healthy diet which will improve fat metabolism in general.

Why the type of the diet is important?

If you consume less calories than you use you will lose weight; Yes? Yes that is in part true. However, when you lose weight you don't lose only fat.  You do lose glycogen (sugar stores), water and protein as well as fat.  Some types of diets will help in improving the body's metabolic processes which can translate in your body burning fat as fuel more efficiently, and in addition can be more beneficial for health. Fat stored in your thighs is less metabolically active, in contrast to the abdominal fat, and can be more persistent. The better your body uses fat as a fuel the more fat you will lose.

Always remember that weight loss does not translate to fat loss only. 

Long term diets

I am not a supporter of quick 1 week diets anyway. You can lose some weight on those weight loss regimes but to be honest you lose a lot of water and glycogen rather than measurable significant amount of fat. Now think about it if you want to get rid of persistent fat sitting on your thighs would a quick diet work? The answer is probably not. Opt for a diet which is longer in term.

Diet examples

Studies support that the Mediterranean style diets have positive outcomes for both weight loss and health. Moreover, diets which are lower on carbohydrates and higher on protein are considered good in improving fat metabolism. Such diet examples are the zone diet, the New Atkins diet and the Ducan diet. Always choose the weight loss regime which suits your individual preferences and lifestyle. You can also look at foods that burn belly fat to help you make up your mind.

I don't need to lose weight; my only issue is the thighs

As I mentioned above, following a healthy balanced diet which will help you improve fat metabolism could be your best bet. You don't necessarily need to concentrate in losing tones of weight but look into increasing the amount of fat you use as a fuel in place of other fuels such as sugar. Such diet should still provide you with adequate calories, and nutrients that your body needs.

Moreover, your somatotype (in simple words your body shape) does play a role. There a few different formal and informal categorisations of body types and shapes, but in simple words if your shape is 'bottom heavy' you have the tendency to store more fat in your thighs, bottom etc. Well you cannot change your body type but you can keep your weight and fitness in a level which will stop your thighs going out of control.

Some tips I have mentioned in previous articles to help you increase fat metabolism are:

  1. Delay having breakfast. The body uses more fat in the morning after an overnight fast and when blood sugars are low. Delaying breakfast can help you increase the amount of fat you burn as a fuel.
  2. Have times of fasting and feeding. Basically all it means is don't skip meals however, avoid eating a lot of little meals all the time. This can help the body to use all the different fuel systems and it uses fat and sugars as fuels (amongst others).
  3. Cut down on sugars. The body loves using sugar as fuel as it is quite easy to use. The more sugar you consume the more the body depends on using sugar and it finds it harder to mobilise the fat reserves.
  4. Drink green tea. Some studies have shown that green tea can help in increasing weight loss. This doesn't mean that only drinking green tea will make miracles. It is in addition to a weight loss regime, or if you are just following a healthy balanced diet everyday and are in an adequate for your needs calorie range.
  5. Drink coffee. Similarly with green tea, coffee is considered to help in increasing the fat you mobilise as fuel. However, do not over consume coffee as it can have negative effects in your nervous system.

How to lose thigh fat with exercise

Apart from following an adequate diet, in order to lose thigh fat fast you should consider taking on some exercise. Again spot fat burning doesn't really work; however exercise can have 2 effects regarding your thigh fat.

First: It can increase the fat you burn and can help with any weight loss results. With exercise you use calories during the actual exercise and during recovery. After a bout of exercise the body uses calories in order to repair and build the muscles, replenish its stores etc. As you build your muscles in time you increase your resting metabolic rate. The more muscle mass you have the higher your metabolic rate which means that the more calories you use even when you don't do anything.

Second: By exercising the area of your thighs, it may not act as burning the fat from that area only but it can help in improving the appearance. As the muscle fitness and mass increases the area will look firmer and it will stop things going south.

Not to forget that exercise is good for your health. It is always recommended to try and exercise at least 4 times a week for any gains, however, I do support that any physical activity is better than no physical activity. Just be aware that the results you will get will depend on how much you put in.

Always consult the appropriate medical and fitness professionals before taking on exercise.

It is always recommended to follow a full body work out however, bellow are a few exercises as an example.

Tip: For maximising fat burning perform resistance exercises first and aerobic exercises last.

Always start a work out with warming up to avoid injuries. It is best to do a few minutes full body warm up, but if time is limited make sure at least you mobilise and warm the muscle groups and joints you intend to use.

Sample exercises to lose thigh fat

Back leg extension (standing): Standing up hold on to the back of a chair with both hands. Keep legs hip width apart and the knees soft. Push the right leg backwards and raise it as far as it is comfortable without having to lean forward. Keep your back straight but allow for your back to arch as you raise your leg. Keep the exercise slow and controlled. Bring the leg back to the ground. Repeat with the left. (Repeat x 4 on each leg)

Start with using your own body weight and resistance. You can increase resistance by adding ankle weights.

 

Isometric squats (With or without gym ball): Stand against a wall. Make sure your back and shoulders are straight against the wall. Keep feet hip width apart and place them slightly forward with heels on the ground. Lower yourself to the floor by bending the knees to 900 angle (until your upper legs are parallel to the floor. Shuffle your legs as you lower to the point you feel comfortable and balanced. Hold for the count of 10 and slowly straighten back up. You can perform the exercise by placing a gym ball at your back between yourself and the wall.  (Repeat 4 times).

If you are carrying too much weight squats can place a lot of strain in the knee joints and can result in injuries. Try performing the exercise by lowering only slightly (i.e. 10%) and build the fitness of your muscles. Increase the depth in time or if in any discomfort best avoid the exercise. 

One leg circles (side lying): Lay on the floor on one side. Place arm straight under the head and the other across at the front to keep balance. Keep both legs one on top of the other straight. You can bend the leg on the knee closer to the floor slightly for balance. Make sure your body is on a straight line and you do not deviate forward or backwards. Lift the top leg a few inches. Start rotating leg as if you were writing a small circle in the air clockwise for the count of 5. Lower and rest for 30 sec. Repeat 4 times and then do the same exercise with the circles going anticlockwise. Repeat the exercise by laying on the other side, with the other leg in the same fashion. Perform the exercise slow and control. If you find it too hard you can do fewer repetitions.

The Bridge: Lying on the floor supine (preferably use a mat) place your hands on your side and shoulders straight. Bend your knees 900 with the feet flat on the floor, and legs hip width apart.  Contract your abdominal muscles (see tips) Tilt your pelvis upwards slowly as you start lifting your back off the floor to form a bridge. Lift as far as comfortable. If you start losing you position you have lifted too far. Hold for the count of five and lower your body back to the ground (release abdominal muscle contraction). Repeat x 4.

Tip: You can practice prior to exercise how to contract your abdominal muscles. Imagine that there is string that goes through your tummy. Contact your tummy as if you were pulling the string and bringing your tummy in. Pull in as far as you can and then start releasing slowly until you find the point you feel most comfortable.

! Remember to keep breathing.

Tip: When you lift your back imagine as if you are peeling your spine off the floor vertebra by vertebra slowly until you reach the height which is within your comfort. To lower imagine as if you are placing your spine back on the floor vertebra by vertebra again. Keep the exercise slow and controlled.  

Cycling (Static or outdoor): Cycling is a good aerobic exercise which does not work only the muscles of your lower body. Why not cycle to work or the shops, or take the family and/or friends out for a fun ride. Exercising does not have to be a separate commodity but it can be part of the everyday lifestyle and activities.

Swimming: Plain old swimming in the pool or for the lucky ones in the sea. Swimming is a good all over body aerobic exercise. In the water body weight decreases and is especially good if you are carrying a lot of body weight as it decreases the strain from your joints during exercise. You do not have to achieve 40 lengths from the word 'go'. You can build on it slowly or even just walk up and down the pool for a start until you feel more able and fit.

Why not try performing some exercises in the water or join a water exercise class?

The above are only suggestions on how to lose thigh fat with exercise. You should always consult the appropriate medical and/or fitness professional before taking on any exercise especially if there are health issues and/or concerns. A fitness professional should be able to ensure that you are performing exercises correctly and in your own lever of ability which will minimise the risk of injuries.  

The post How to lose thigh fat appeared first on Weight Loss Help and Tips.

Best foods for losing belly fat

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 05:26 AM PST

You probably have a mix of thoughts crossing your minds when we talk about food, especially when you are aspiring to lose belly fat. However not all foods are bad, and not all will lead to gaining belly fat. There are some food items that even help you burn fat and manage your weight. These food items should be evenly distributed across your diet.

Instead of worrying what not to eat, why not think of what foods  you can eat. Lets look at those listed below.

Whole grains

Whole grains are very rich in fiber and they contain a very few calories. Found mostly in cereals, breads and rice they can be a good source of your carbohydrates. Eating whole grain can help you counter starvation and assist you in refraining from overeating. Choose 100% whole grain on your cereals and bread to get the most of it.

Oatmeal

It is a cereal that you can eat anytime of the day. Some people use oatmeal to promote good bowel movement. Also, eating oatmeal every day helps you eliminate fat and other toxins in the digestive tract. This is because oats, once taken in, absorb water from the body, and with that, the different fats and toxins are also added in. They are then finally excreted in as a stool. This means you can easily lose weight with oatmeal. It is a good choice to add oats to your diet instead of cutting the carbohydrate source of your meals.

Almonds and nuts

If you want a healthy snack that helps you decrease your belly fat, then almonds and nuts are the best choice for you. They are a good protein source that contain few calories. The fat content is low and you can safely eat a substantial amount and not worry too much of about gaining weight.

Olive oil

It is a notorious source of fat. Yes fat! We need fat as it offers nutrients to our body.  What olive oil has to offer is a different kind of fat, and that is the positive fat which contains low cholesterol. This is a preferable choice to having oils that contain saturated fats. You can use olive oil as salad dressing instead of your usual dressing which contains a lot of fat.

Berries

Berries are rich in fiber and they can be a good snack for you as well. Try to avoid processed berries that are in jams or cans of preserved fruits. They increase your calories and like all processed or preserved foods, always contain a higher calorie content due to the added preservatives and artificial flavourings.

Eggs

They are a good and healthy source of protein. Eggs contain a decent amount of fat with lesser cholesterol, which is the yolk (the yellow part), whilst the albumen (the white part) is the part rich in protein.  Studies have shown that they help to reduce belly fats, and are much better than your usual bagels. Eggs are also advisable if you are forming muscles or developing body parts.

Beans and legumes

Beans and legumes can be added to your favourite meals such as burritos. Plain black pinto beans help you decrease saturated fat level in the body. This is due to the fact that beans and legumes are rich in vitamin b12, said to help in metabolising fat.

Lean meats and fish

If you want  a good protein source which contains less fat and calories, then fish meat is the best choice. You can still eat your favorite pork and beef as long as you go for lean meat, so cut out  the fat on those meats. By the way, fish meat, such as that from salmon contains omega-3, benefits the heart.

Green vegetables

This is undoubtedly one of the "must have" foods. Green veggies are rich in almost everything: nutrients, minerals, vitamins, fiber – you name it. A daily serving of 5 or more would be ideal. You will decrease your belly fats as they burn more calories than those they offer. 

Dairy product

Calcium helps break down fat, and some research show that it also prevents its formation. Of course you should choose low fat dairy products and have them once a day. Drink milk daily.

Teas

Studies have shown that teas, maybe cold or iced, are better than standard beverages and drinks. Tea is a more natural drink and some teas such as green tea promote increased metabolism. It is said to be better than coffee in terms of promoting weight loss and  is definitely better than carbonated sodas.

With all the above you can now enjoy a good food choice. All of these are simple ways to eat well.  When you eat well you won't be afraid of gaining  weight as you are in control.  A sensible diet is a skill that is developed and practised  and knowing what is good and bad for you is a great start in helping you practice your smart diet skills.

Enjoy your belly fat losing diet, and don't forget to continue with your regular exercise and workout plans. Good luck!

The post Best foods for losing belly fat appeared first on Weight Loss Help and Tips.

How to lose belly fat in 2 months or less

Posted: 14 Oct 2012 12:58 PM PDT

Two months may seem like a long time to lose belly fat, but you have to remember it took you years to put on that extra weight, you cannot expect it to disappear overnight. Two months for most people is a very realistic goal to start seeing great results from their nutrition and workouts.

In two months of training, you can safely lose up to 15 pounds of body fat, drop a good amount of water weight, and maybe even build some muscle.  However, the key to success will be your consistency; you cannot put in a low effort by missing workouts constantly and using poor diet and expect great results.

How to lose belly fat in 2 months

The beauty of exercise and dieting is that you get out of it what you put in to it every time. Nevertheless, our bodies are complex organisms; therefore, you will also have to be smart about your training to achieve optimum results. Unlike what you may have heard on TV or read in a magazine, there is no magical fat loss pill, you cannot lose weight by sleeping in a certain kind of workout belt, and cooking in a certain brand of oven will not make your food magically healthier.

However there  are key diet guidelines that can help you and I will list them for you right now , no you don’t need to pay me 3 easy payments of 9.99 or buy my book , it is completely free and useful information anyone can benefit from.

The Diet

Basic Diet Guidelines

-Choose Whole Grains and Fresh Vegetables over Refined Grains and Simple Sugars

– Avoid highly processed food, along with other food sources packed with empty calories, which have no nutritional value. (Such as Soda)

-Drink at Least 96 ounces of water everyday.

– The first week of dieting, measure and weigh all your food with an automatic scale, which usually cost around 10 dollars. This will give you an idea of serving size on foods.

– Eat four or more meals per day to help balance your diet and keep your metabolism higher. Eating smaller meals allows you to keep variety in your diet and keeps you from having extreme bouts of hunger and cheating on your diet.

Food Specific Guidelines

Fowl – With any food such as chicken or turkey, you can save a lot of fat and extra calories by removing the skin.

Fish- Fish is generally a healthy alternative, but beware some types of fish such as salmon are high in fat. When buying tuna be sure to get it preserved in water not oil, as the oil adds empty calories

Nonfat Milk – Nonfat milk is a great alternative to whole milk and low fat milk, once you get used to the thickness and slight taste change you will never need to go back.

Cheese – Cheeses are another food that some types are exceptionally high in fat, while others are lower in fat, you can always choose no fat cheese.

Beef – When choosing beef, it is important to go with leaner cuts ,for example a 3 ounce cut of  sirloin could have 25 fat , while a leaner cut only has 10.

If you follow these general guidelines the first 2 months of dieting I am sure you will see great results, if you notice your results are not coming fast enough after a week or so , you may need to count your calories daily to ensure weight loss.

However, most people will see great results by just “cleaning” up their diet.  Cutting out a lot of fat in your diet will cut many calories from your day-to-day nutrition. Fat is the most calorie packed nutrient and is a major reason a lot of people are overweight  One meal from a fast food restaurant such as McDonalds  because of its of its high fat content can pack as much calories as 3 home cooked meals. 

The Workout

Exercise is another important factor you will need to consider if you want to lose the most weight possible. To lose that stomach fat you will need to lose fat from all over your body. Weight training or Cardio can be a great tool to maximize your fat loss, and the easiest programs to pickup and start losing weight on are HIIT programs.

The intensity of these programs keeps you active, and your heart rate elevated throughout the entire workout, burning a lot of calories meanwhile improving your cardiovascular efficiency. The programs themselves are also very adaptable and can be done with minimum equipment. For ease of starting, I included an example program below you can do with no equipment at all, and still burn many calories and thus lose fat.

HIIT Walking / Jogging Program


Workout 1 Workout 2 Workout 3
Week 1 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 15 seconds , walk 60 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 15 seconds , walk 60 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 15 seconds , walk 60
Week 2 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 15 seconds , walk 60 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 15 seconds , walk 60 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 15 seconds , walk 60
Week 3 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds, walk60 seconds. 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds walk 60 seconds. 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds walk 60 seconds.
Week 4 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds walk 60 seconds. 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds walk 60 seconds. 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds walk 60 seconds.
Week 5 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds, Walk 30 seconds 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds, Walk 30 seconds 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds, Walk 30 seconds
Week 6 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds, Walk 30 seconds 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds, Walk 30 seconds 20 Minutes Total:  Jog 30 seconds, Walk 30 seconds
Week 7 20 Minutes Total:   Jog 60 seconds , walk 30 seconds 20 Minutes Total:   Jog 60 seconds , walk 30 seconds 20 Minutes Total:   Jog 60 seconds , walk 30 seconds
Week 8 20 Minutes Total:   Jog 60 seconds , walk 30 seconds 20 Minutes Total:   Jog 60 seconds , walk 30 seconds 20 Minutes Total:   Jog 60 seconds , walk 30 seconds

 

The program is simple; you start only jogging 15 seconds and then walking 60 the first 2 weeks. However, as your cardiovascular system gets stronger, in week 3 and 4 you now jog 30 seconds and walk 60, and so on until you progress to week 8. If for some reason, you get stuck and could not complete at least 2 of the 3 workouts for the week, redo that current week instead of moving on.

Also, be sure to allow at least a 1 day of rest in-between workouts, I recommend something like Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. When your body gets more used to training and you notice you do not get sore as much, you may do more frequent workouts.  

Conclusion

If you follow the diet guidelines I listed above, along with a good exercise routine such as the one I outlined, you will definitely be on the right step to losing the weight you want. Just remember it takes time for true fat loss to occur, however once you do lose it, it will stay gone for good and you can live a healthier life.

The post How to lose belly fat in 2 months or less appeared first on Weight Loss Help and Tips.

Best way to lose belly fat for men

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:53 AM PDT

What is really the best way to lose belly fat for men and is it different from what women should do?  This is because women have more reasons than men to get rid of the belly; may it be aesthetics, self-confidence or just the mere fact that stomach fat is not a woman’s thing but mainly a men’s ‘privilege’. This of course does not mean that men should not care about their appearance and even more about the bulging belly. In this article we are going to examine which is the best way to lose belly fat for men in a natural and healthy way.

Belly fat for men is dangerous

The most important reason why men should care about their belly size is because it is dangerous. It is a signal that something is wrong with your body’s chemistry and a warning to take immediate action. The presence of excess abdominal fat may lead to cardiovascular diseases, liver problems and malfunction of a number of body organs. The situation gets worse as you grow older since you can expect to have problems with your joints, knees and back. You may be joking with your friends about ‘your full of beer’ belly but belly fat is classified as the most dangerous form of obesity and should be eliminated.

Best method to trim your belly

Now that you are convinced that belly fat is not only good for your image but it is also dangerous let’s see what you can do.

First you should understand how the belly fat is formed. For sure it does not happen overnight and it is not the outcome of last night’s beer. It is the result of sedentary lifestyle and bad diet. Men that have stomach fat are those that do not exercise, those that perform light activity jobs (clerical jobs, drivers) and those that drink huge amounts of soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and fatty food.

Unfortunately the majority of men fall into this category and that’s why according to research men have higher percentage of belly fat than women.

So, it is clear now that the process to lose your belly fat will take time and will require you to change some of your existing habits. The truth is that you need to do 2 major things: change your diet and introduce exercise and physical activity into your daily routine.

Diet that can help you lose belly fat

Many people are afraid to hear the word ‘diet’. They have the misconception that by dieting you are not allowed to eat the things you want and you will end up having a miserable life. This is far from truth. By dieting to lose belly fat we simply mean following a balanced diet without exaggerations. You need to minimize the consumption of fatty foods from your diet and replace them with more natural foods.

For example fried potatoes, burgers, sausages, sugar soft drinks, full fat dairy products and alcoholic drinks should be taken in moderation. You are not expected to completely eliminate those from your diet from the first day but you need to start consuming less of these foods and more fruits, vegetables, fish, water and low fat products. Your goal is to gradually create a balance on your food items so that you eat 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein and 30% fat.

It is not that difficult to follow this diet pattern especially when your health is at risk. It is a matter of habit and once you get used to this healthier lifestyle you will enjoy it more and do it without difficulties.

Diet alone does not help neither do crunches

Everybody knows that besides adopting a balanced diet you also need to start exercising. What many people do not understand is that crunches or abs do not help you in losing belly fat. When we say exercise, we do not mean start making crunches and abs; these do not provide any assistance at this stage. What you have to do is get up and away from the couch and start moving.

This is the first step. Once you become more physically active the next step is to start doing some form of cardio exercise or sport. There are many ways to get the results you want and enjoy it at the same time. You can start cycling with friends or simply walking, running, playing basketball, football, tennis or any sport/activity you enjoy.

Once you wake up your muscles and start melting the belly fat you can go to a gym or visit a professional trainer to develop a program especially for your own needs and requirements. It is not suggested to do that from day 1 because you will get bored and probably quit.

The best way is to first get physically active with things you like doing and then second to get more serious by going to a gym or joining fitness program. As mentioned above crunches and abs cannot help you lose belly fat, they can help you form a six pack after you have lost the excess stomach fat using cardio exercise and possibly resistance training exercises.

To sum up, men have belly fats because of their lifestyle and their unhealthy eating habits. Belly fat is dangerous for your health and if you have belly fat you need to take it seriously and take action.

The best way to lose belly fat for men is by adopting a balanced diet and by becoming physically active either by doing sports or exercise. Either way the key for success is consistency and loyalty. Whatever you choose to do, do it consistently for a number of weeks and months until you get the results you want and do not just quit from the first weeks.

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Why do women have belly fat?

Posted: 14 Sep 2012 01:26 PM PDT

God created women from a man's rib. Does this include the belly fat as well? Women have higher fat percentage than men causing women to attain belly fat faster. As annoying as it may seem, but women do have belly fat for more than one reason. This article will try to explain why women have belly fat and also provide some tips on how to lose belly fat for women.

Reason #1 Reproductive function

People always say that "the essence of being a woman is to give birth to a new life". This is indeed true because the ability of a woman to carry a baby on her tummy for nine months and give birth is what differentiates a woman from a man.

Because of such function, a woman's body needs to increase its fat deposits, most especially on their belly, to prepare for childbearing. These fat deposits are reserved energy to make sure that a woman has constant supply of energy during pregnancy as well as during delivery. In addition to that, belly fat also acts as a cushion (along with amniotic fluid) to help protect the fetus from possible accidents and the other forces of the external environment. 

Reason #2 To protect vital organs

Belly fat, in general, is present to both genders as well as to either lean or obese persons. However, the quantity of belly fat differs – less for slender people and more for obese people. But the fact still remains that belly fat is always present.

Belly fat is there to protect your internal organs (stomach, guts, liver, spleen, pancreas, etc.) from physical harm. There was even a claim that a man survived a bullet attack because he was too fat that the bullet wasn't able to penetrate through the thick belly walls.

True or not, the fact that belly fats alter the momentum of penetrating objects still remains as well as the fact that belly fat protects the organ in one way or another. But you have to remember however that excess belly fat also poses risks to one's health. If a bullet won't kill you, your fat deposits will.

Reason #3 Alcohol drinking

Statistically, men drink around 2 to 6 bottles of beer on an average and women drinks around 1 to 5 bottles of beer.  But women have lesser alcohol control causing them to increase their beer consumption to twelve bottles of beer per session or until she's to drunk to stand.

This means that your caloric intake increases as you order another bottle. Here are some of the common alcoholic drinks and their corresponding average calorie content. Do note however that caloric content may change depending on alcohol content

Alcoholic Drink, volume calories

Whisky: 100ml, 220

Gin:100ml,  220

Brandy: 100ml,  220

Rum: 100ml, 220

Beer: 500ml, 184

Martini: 100ml, 175

Bailey's Cream: 1 glass, 120

Bacardi: 1 glass, 118

Reason #4 High calorie food is a woman's BFF

God said, "Man represents my image, woman – my emotions." No wonder women are way more emotional than men. These emotions are the reason why women are more sensitive than men.

When a woman feels depressed, she will either dial a friend's phone number or dial for a pizza. It has been proven from a recent study that women love to eat when they feel sad. This is because; food provides a feeling of fulfillment causing you to feel relieved from any stress.

Excess sweets, carbohydrates, fats, or any food with such kind of calorie amount tends to be left unburned. Unused calories, as we all know, are converted to fat deposits, especially in the belly, which the body can burn by doing exercises.

Another high calorie food that women love to have when depressed are sweets. Among any other sweets, chocolate has been the number one choice because of its ability to raise the happy hormone serotonin and provide the body with phenylethylamine – a chemical that makes you feel happy and in love, thus making chocolate the ultimate food for a depressed woman.

Reason #5 Chitchats than workout

Women are highly motivated to lose weight and get rid of belly fats. However, when a woman finds her gym buddies, she usually chitchats with them and forgets about workouts.

Because of such characteristic, gyms become a rendezvous point for people who want to do talk with other people, rather than the original purpose of going to the gym to burn fats and tone muscles

Another contributing factor is that, when a group of women gather for a girls' night out, women talk, eat, and drink. This sedentary activity will definitely increase the numbers on the scale.

As mentioned above, women have belly fat for a reason. In some cases it is absolutely uncontrollable and necessary as this is used for special functions. On the other hand, some women have belly fat because they did not properly take care of them. That means, if you want to learn how to lose belly fatand acquire flat and lean abs, you better start eating right and exercising regularly.

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