Archive for June, 2009

If you thought your body went through some major changes while you were pregnant, then you haven’t seen anything yet. A woman’s post pregnancy body is another whole kettle of fish, and luckily, it won’t stay that way forever because there are techniques available to help you get back in to great shape.

Other than your belly, your breasts were probably the part of your body that changed the most during your pregnancy. And now, whether you’re breastfeeding or not, they seem to be changing even more.  They’re going to be sore, they’re going to leak breast milk, and then when that’s all done, they’re going to be just plain different than they were before you were pregnant.

There is nothing you can do about that, but there is something you can do to improve how they look. Doing push-ups—or chest exercises—can have a tremendously positive impact on the appearance of your breasts. So drop and give me ten, mommy!

Start out with 10 push-ups at a time, adding five more every few days to a week until you’re up to 100. Maintain that, and you’ll avoid the worst of post pregnancy saggy breasts. This works because push-ups help you build up your pectoral muscles, which, once developed, will fill the sag with a little bit of feminine muscle. This will give your breasts the shape and roundness that caused your husband impregnate you in the first place.

Another part of your body that has changed, albeit not necessarily for the better, is your tummy. While you might be inclined to think you’re still pregnant except for the new baby in your home, that tummy is going to go down eventually.

But to get back…

Making the decision to get a Lap Band or have weight loss surgery or even researching the possibility of getting a Lap Band or having weight loss surgery is a big step and there is no doubt that there will be some feelings of fear; it’s human nature to be scared of the unfamiliar.

All fears can be broken down into 3 basic categories:

* Fear of not being loved;

* Fear of not being good enough and

* Fear of not belonging

For me, the decision was a long time coming. I had been contemplating getting Gastric Band surgery for at least 3 years before I even got the courage to go to an information night! I had booked in for the information nights before, but never had the courage to turn up. I finally decided to take the next step when I realised the fear of doing nothing and possibly dying from my obesity was now stronger than the fear of the actual operation, the pain afterwards or even the thought of whether people would find out about it.

No doubt some of the fear I felt around not wanting to have weight loss surgery was the fear of my life changing; of being ‘skinny’ and all the “what ifs”? “What if it didn’t work?” “What if it did?!” “What if I haven’t dealt with all the issues that kept me overweight in the first place?” “What if something goes wrong in surgery?” “What if I had no excuses and had to play at 100%?” I had so many questions I needed answers to!!

How did I get those answers? Ultimately the…

Read about the Best Exercises to Lose Belly fat below.
Those that want to strengthen their midsection and shape their core will find lots of stomach exercises out there. This fact can be either a curse or a blessing. How do you know which routines and exercises are the best with so many available? According to fitness expert recommendations, I offer you below a list of what appears to be the best exercises to lose belly fat. These “all star” abdominal exercises might be a good start if you aren’t sure where to begin working on the stomach. You should consult a doctor prior to beginning your workout routine. Also, avoid injuries by warming up properly.

Hip Lift
This is one of the best exercises to lose belly fat. This tummy exercise requires you to lie down on your back. Put your arms down on the floor by your site, and your palms facing up to the ceiling. The bottoms of your feet should be facing the ceiling with your legs held straight in the air forming approximately a ninety degree angle to the torso. The knees should be as straight as possible, don’t bend them. Gently lift the hips from the floor while contracting the abdominal muscles so the belly button moves toward the spine. With the legs remaining upwardly extended raise the hips a few inches and hold before lowering to the floor slowly. Do a full set.

Crunchless Crunch
Another excellent exercise to help you lose belly fat is the crunchless crunch. Not only do normal crunches put strain on the neck and the back, also they don’t do anything for the deeper

When you are trying to lose weight, you must understand that it will take time.There are many facts that you should think about when losing those extra poundsHere we will look at a few of these factors that can help you lose weight if you choose to do so.

A very good weight loss programme is one you can cope with. Begin by using these in your everyday life so you have some control over your diet already. Dont forget that you should keep an eye on what you are eating and also a fitness or excersise plan should be inlcluded into your week.. In order to lose weight properly without endangering your health you will need to consume the right kinds of nutrients in order for your body to perform in top-notch condition.

If you do not get the right types of nutrients, minerals and vitamins it is possible that you could end up being too tired to do anything else as well as causing stress to your body and affecting your well being

When starting the most important factor is to consider any junk that you eat in your diet and eliminate it immediately, try to replace it with fruit or something healthy that you like.

These types of foods are jam packed with calories and do not offer you the proper nutrition that your body needs to thrive.

Remember to drink lots of water. Water works by flushing all the toxins from your body as well as re-hydrating your body. This helps to break down fats from your body and helps you to lose weight. Besides, most of the time it is possible that…

How To Conquer Weight loss Reluctance

Five Steps to Conquer Weight loss Reluctance

What is weight loss reluctance? It is best typified by the the health and fitness seeker who hangs out around the gyms, outside or even at home every morning drinking coffee and chewing the fat with other health and fitness seekers rather than getting in a productive habit of a successful weight loss program that sets you up for maximizing serious results for the earliest possible start; the health and fitness seeker who shuffles around without a proper unique program designed for them is unplanned and will not get results period. The fact is like anything else weight training and good nutritional habits for weight loss should have a path and plan for measurable results. The one who procrastinates all day long by rationalizing will not be successful and see the desired results they seek and deserve.

How can we specifically apply this to conquering weight loss reluctance? As with most things , a problem honestly acknowledged is at lest half solved. If you will confront your habit of avoidance and take it on with the determination to chase it out of your daily life, this alone is much more than just the first step of a lengthy journey; instead, it is a giant leap toward your weight loss success. A leap that puts you  perhaps halfway to your goal.

Over the years, I have met and had lengthy conversations with many of my top professional clients. Almost without exception, these men and women had struggled off and on over the years with approaching weight loss and at some point in their life and ultimately made a decision , a committment to…

You’ve recently given birth to a healthy, beautiful baby. Everyone is showering you and your husband with congratulations, flooding the new home with charming baby gifts, and giving you lots of advice.  

But when is someone going to tell you how to make your post pregnancy tummy go away? Luckily, there are several things you can do – starting as early as a day or two after giving birth.

1.    Buy an abdominal support wrap like the Belly Bandit. This will help you keep everything “together,” so to speak, and will give you the support your abs need, especially after a C-section.

You see, with a C-section, they have to separate the two vertical muscle bands in your abdomen to get the baby out – and many times, it stretches them for good. But with immediate help, you can get back in shape.

2.    Start stretching as soon as you feel comfortable enough to do so. You need to keep your body limber, so when you are able to exercise it won’t come as a shock to your system. It’s not necessary to get crazy with the stretching. Just 15 minutes per day is fine, and take it nice and slow.

3.    About six to eight weeks after you give birth, you should be able to start exercising. But I would advise you check with your doctor to make sure.

This is not going to be your usual work out. While you might be in a rush to get back in tiptop shape, what your workout is most likely to resemble is closer to physical rehabilitation than a hard abs boot camp.  

So take it easy.

4.    A good way to get…

The 9-month experience is over. The baby is here, and you have settled into a routine. Everything is great, but you can’t help but think about getting the baby weight off and returning your figure back to normal.

The good thing is that you can incorporate your weight loss with your baby’s development with a post pregnancy weight loss journal, and you can start your journal as soon as you get home from the hospital.

Why it’s beneficial to keep a journal? For millions of dieters the world over, keeping a weight loss journal has proven to be an important factor in their success because it gives them a bird’s eye view what they’re eating every day and what they are doing on a daily basis.

It also makes them more accountable for their actions. They cut down on cheating because not wants to scold themselves in their journal everyday before bed!

The benefit of combining your experiences as a new mom and your thoughts pertaining to your pursuit of weight loss, keeps you on track and it also makes for a beautiful keepsake that you can share with your child when he or she is older.

It’ll tell stories of how you talked to your baby, and how he or she smiled when tickled his or her tummy, along with all of the other feelings that you may have. Then there will be stories of the goal setting super mommy who displayed strength and resolve in her pursuit of weight loss.

If you’re secretive, remember that no one has to read it but you. It’s just a wonderful way to document this time in your life—and a way to scribble down…

Congratulations!

You’ve just had a beautiful baby. And after all these months of your body undergoing unimaginable changes, now you’re ready to implement a post pregnancy workout to get your body back into shape again.

There are many things you can do to lose the pregnancy weight, but it requires diligence and commitment. You might be jealous of, or disheartened by, all those Hollywood moms who seem to pop out a kid and go back to being on the cover of a magazine a week later, but don’t believe the hype.

Photoshop means that things aren’t always as they seem.

And besides, to put it bluntly, they have a few more resources than the average mom. And because of that they can afford to hire personal trainers and private chefs to make it easier to lose the post pregnancy tummy. They can also hire nannies to watch over the baby while they hit the gym for a couple of hours a day.

What does that mean for you?

Luckily, there are some great post pregnancy workout tricks and tips that will help you drop the weight, give you energy, as well as stay in shape for a long time to come.

Let’s take a look:

1.    Take a rest for six to eight weeks after giving birth. You’ll know when it’s time to start exercising, but that’s the average length of time it takes new moms to feel like they’re ready to take on an exercise routine. However, during that time, make sure to do stretches every day—starting the day after you give birth.

2.    If you’re breastfeeding, feed the baby or pump before you work out and buy a well-fitting bra.

3.    Be careful of exhaustion. If you’re feeling bone-tired, move your workout time to…

Everybody knows Jared Fogel (unless they’ve been living under a rock for the last few years)—the 425-pound man who lost well over 200 pounds on a diet of nothing but Subway sandwiches. It seems almost too good to be true. After all, you probably pass at least one Subway per day. Have you ever wondered whether or not it would it could work for you, too?

The simple answer is, yes it can. But it’s not as easy as ordering your favorite combo meal and watching the weight come off. It does work, but there are several factors in achieving Subway weight loss.

If you’re seriously considering Subway as your weight loss diet plan, then your first job is to research the nutritional value of the different ingredients that you like on your sandwich. That’s what Jared did, and thanks to his success, Subway now offers a full disclosure on all of their food options, including condiments and sides.

Another thing Subway has done is offer options that are under six grams of fat—from wraps to salads to sandwiches and mini subs, there are plenty of choices for you to choose from.

The good news is that with Subway, there is no risk of overeating – the portions are made for you, with either a 6-inch or 12-inch sub. It allows you to make the choice, based on how hungry you are and how many calories you want to consume.

Once you choose your size, you can build your own sandwich for the variety you want with the calorie limit you’ve set for yourself. Surprisingly, the wrap has the most calories, while the Mini Italian bread has the fewest. That’s why it’s important to check their…

Those of you who are not bone-thin would probably welcome a bit of unexpected weight loss—especially if it meant you doing nothing to change your usual habits. But the truth is that unexplained weight loss can be a warning sign of a serious illness, or of an imbalance in your system.  

If you or someone you know has experienced weight loss recently and can’t find an explanation for it, take a look at some of these common symptoms and see if anything resonates with you. Of course, this list is not comprehensive – it’s always strongly recommended that you visit your doctor to find out more.

Unexplained weight loss could be tied to your mental health. But this is often hard to recognize, because there are no other physical symptoms, like chronic pain or a change in skin coloration. Mental health issues that can lead to excessive weight loss include the following, and can be treated with therapy and/or drugs:

•    Grief
•    Anxiety
•    Depression
•    Anorexia nervosa

Chronic conditions affecting your digestive system can lead to weight loss that cannot otherwise be explained. The following are some symptoms that, when connected with unexplained weight loss, can be a sign of a digestive issue.

•    Diarrhea, constipation or other bowel problems
•    Belching, flatulence, indigestion or heartburn
•    Nausea and/or vomiting
•    Abdominal pain or swelling

These can be signs of:

•    Stomach ulcer
•    Inflammatory bowel disease
•    Chronic liver disease
•    Malabsorption
•    Diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2
•    Hyperhtyroidism
•    Cancer of the stomach, gallbladder, pancreas or liver
•    Gastrointestinal disease
•    Endocrine disorders

The elderly can also suffer from excessive weight loss for a variety of reasons:

•    Ill-fitting…