Stress Management

Losing That Extra Weight
Strategies for Successful Slimming

One of the most popular new years resolutions is "Lose Weight." In January, health clubs and weight loss centers are flooded with new members. By April , most will quit only to repeat this phenomena again next year. 

How is it that it is so hard to remain on a healthy weight program? It could be that most of us are looking for quick fix solutions. They get discouraged when their weight does not drop by 20 pounds in one week. Or those who do loose weight due to weight loss gimmicks find it hard to maintain it and gain more than what they lost soon.

Starting a weight-loss program makes good sense. Statistics show that we are getting heavier. For example, in the mid-1980s one out of every four women was more than 20 percent over recommended weight. Ten years later, that number had risen to one out of three. Even young women in the age range of 20 to 30 years old are ten pounds heavier than the average weight of 20- to 30-year-old women in the 1980s. The reason: We're eating more, and we are moving less due to the lifestyle. 

The extra pounds are very costly. It affects us emotionally as well as physically. Studies have shown that people who are overweight does not like themselves. They suffer a low self esteem. They don't like the way our bodies look Aside from this our health also takes a beating. The increased pounds put us at higher risk for heart disease and cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, gallstones and arthritis, among others. Many of these conditions ultimately can rob us of independence or even life itself. 

Keeping a healthy, stable weight is one of the smartest strategies for long-term well-being.

There are no magic tricks to loosing weight. You have to have a sensible, realistic plan. You have to have the discipline to follow the plan. And you will have to make some changes in your lifestyle. In other words, follow the plan for the rest of your life; not just in January. 

Take small steps. Do not make it extremely hard. Small steps often can reap big dividends in the long run. Since they are simple, you will have a better chance of staying with them after the new year's day is far into memory. 

Here are some simple ideas you can use to control that bulge.

The keys to a sensible weight control program are: 

• Stick with low-fat foods. 
• Load up on vegetables and fruits. 
• Eat plenty of whole grains and beans for fiber. 

Experts such as Wayne Callaway, M.D., associate clinical professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. suggest that simple steps can a mean a lot when it comes to weight loss programs. It can be made more powerful when you harness our body's mind-body connection. 

1. Exercise

2. Trim your diet in mini-steps

3. Don't Keep Checking Your Weight Everyday

4. Don't Load on Foods Because They Are "Fat Free"

5. Make Simple Changes in Your Cooking or Recipes

6. Eat breakfast and lunch

7. Don't Take Too Big a Bite That You Cannot Handle

8. Double your measure when it comes to vegetables

9. Eat Fruits For Your dessert

10. Eat Slowly - Enjoy Your Meal

11 Be Easy On Your Drinking

12 Eat a Sattvic Diet

13 Follow Body Intelligence Tips (BITs)

Body Intelligence Tips

BITs for Weight Loss

14. Tell Your friends about your Diet Program

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