When it comes to losing weight research shows that the average person can only stick to a diet for five and a half weeks. The average adult spends between 28 and 31 years of their life on a diet and only 2.5-5% of people who begin a rigid, calorie controlled diet will succeed in losing weight and keeping it off.

So what’s the problem? Diet as we now understand it is a tool for losing weight. For most it means the pain of drastically reducing calories, eliminating major food groups or constantly watching, counting and obsessing over calorie intake. Simply put, our modern understanding of the word diet makes food the enemy.

Not so for our ancient counterparts. The great ancient Greek physician Hippocrates is quoted as saying “Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be food.” The ancient approach to food and diet involved a much more holistic, lifestyle outlook. The idea was to eat foods that would invigorate the body, providing it with the nutrition for living a healthy, vibrant life while protecting it from disease. Food was not the enemy, it was the solution. Maybe this is why a small Greek island called Ikaria is thought to have the world’s highest rate of people living to be over 90 years old, or the reason why the Mediterranean diet has long been lauded as one of the healthiest in the world.

The word we use for diet comes from the Greek word diaita; meaning “way of life.” For long term health we need to adopt this meaning, rather than viewing our diets as a mad rush to fit into our summer swimsuits. Our diets should be a whole life eating philosophy, leading us to embrace food as a means to optimal health and longevity. Weight loss will simply be a nice added benefit to a lifetime of healthy eating. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for effective ways to lose body fat? Here are four simple ways to jump start your fat burning program.

1. Weigh Training & Muscle Building
Building muscles boosts your fat burning because muscle is an active tissue that requires energy to function. The more muscle mass you have the more calories and fat you will burn. Ladies, don’t be nervous, you won’t get bulky. Choose weights that get you fatigued after 15-20 reps.

2. Diet Plan
A good diet plan is essential to weight loss. One of the most important but often neglected components of a diet plan is a food journal. Take time to write down what you eat every day, what times you eat and what you are feeling when you eat. After two weeks look back and try to indentify patterns, foods, places, emotions and times that trigger your overeating. Once you identify them you can begin to develop solutions and substitutes to the triggers that cause you to overeat. This approach will to help you cut calories and burn fat on any diet plan.

3. Muscle Confusion
Staying with the same workout routine for a long period of time gives your muscles time to adapt. This means they expend less energy. Less energy spent means fewer calories burned and, yes, you guessed it, less fat and weight loss. Muscle confusion involves constantly changing your workout intensity and type, forcing your muscles to adapt to new challenges and burn more fat. Try changing your workout style every eight to twelve weeks and watch the fat melting away.

4. Interval Training
Interval training is an exercise technique that alternates between short bursts of high intensity activity followed by short rest periods or low intensity activity. Interval training has been proven to burn calories and fat faster than traditional endurance cardio training. After a bout of interval training your body’s metabolic rate spikes for hours after your workout, melting fat as you go about your regular day.

If you put these proven, basic principles into practice consistently you will see the results you crave and the body you desire. Follow me on twitter @nylean25

“I don’t have time to focus on losing weight, my work schedule is too hectic.” Does this sound familiar? If yes, its probably one of the excuses—yes excuses—that you have used to avoid moving in the right direction. The road to a healthier lifestyle begins with the decision to change. That decision can be one or more things: to change eating habits, to work out, and/or to be aware of the body and its wellness. This week, incorporate this tip into your daily routine to jump start the journey to your fitness goals:

Having trouble finding a 30 minute block of time to exercise? Did you know it is just as effective to split up your workout into three, ten minute time slots? Before you leave for work, hit the deck and go for ten minutes of abs. At lunchtime get in ten minutes of cardio or high intensity interval training. When you get off work try 10 minutes of push-ups, squats, lunges, or whatever needs the most work. Have Fun!

“I don’t have time to focus on losing weight, my work schedule is too hectic.” Does this sound familiar? If yes, its probably one of the excuses—yes excuses—that you have used to avoid moving in the right direction. The road to a healthier lifestyle begins with the decision to change. That decision can be one or more things: to change eating habits, to work out, and/or to be aware of the body and its wellness. This week we will focus on daily tips you can incorporate this week and beyond to jump start the journey to your fitness goals:

Tip: Perfect your abdominal workout technique
When performing any exercise proper technique is important to prevent injury and maximize results. When doing crunches or sit ups, think about the following:

1. Don’t pull on your head or neck. This will only strain your neck and upper back. Try to make all of your movements begin from your abdomen.
2. Eliminate leg movements. Oftentimes when doing ab exercises it is easy to recruit your leg muscles to perform the movement. This takes the strength building away from your abdomen. You can try pressing your knees together to keep your legs from engaging or holding something between your knees while you perform the exercise.
3. Try to pull in your stomach. Think of moving your belly button up toward your rib cage in a long scooping motion, while keeping your ribs from poking out.

“I don’t have time to focus on losing weight, my work schedule is too hectic.” Does this sound familiar? If yes, its probably one of the excuses—yes excuses—that you have used to avoid moving in the right direction. The road to a healthier lifestyle begins with the decision to change. That decision can be one or more things: to change eating habits, to work out, and/or to be aware of the body and its wellness. This week we will focus on daily tips you can incorporate this week and beyond to jump start the journey to your fitness goals:

Tip #3:
Are you eating enough? Each time you eat, you boost your metabolism. Skipping meals and going without vital nutrients can slow down your metabolism making you feel lethargic. Your body also can go into starvation mode, making it hold on to energy in the form of body fat. This is not an excuse to overeat, keep control of portion sizes and continue to make healthy choices.

“I don’t have time to focus on losing weight, my work schedule is too hectic.” Does this sound familiar? If yes, its probably one of the excuses—yes excuses—that you have used to avoid moving in the right direction. The road to a healthier lifestyle begins with the decision to change. That decision can be one or more things: to change eating habits, to work out, and/or to be aware of the body and its wellness. This week we will focus on daily tips you can incorporate this week and beyond to jump start the journey to your fitness goals:

TIP #1:
Don’t ever skip breakfast. A good breakfast gives you the energy you need to start the day, prevents you from overeating later in the day and has been consistently shown to help you be successful at maintaining a healthy weight. Now just remember to make it a healthy one. Choose foods high in protein and fiber such as oatmeal, egg whites and multigrain bread. These foods will give you long lasting energy while making you feel full.

“To lose weight you have to diet and exercise.” This statement seems simple enough. It’s a commonly accepted principle which has shown results when applied correctly. Why then, with such a seemingly simple solution; does it seem almost impossible to lose those last ten pounds? Why are 67% of Americans overweight or obese?

The problem starts with oversimplifying what it takes to succeed at diet AND exercise. For most working people with busy lives, we are trying to juggle many different challenges, be a good employee, mother, father, sister, brother, friend and citizen. When we start a wellness program we take on an additional, self imposed, challenge. We have to face more of our weaknesses and overcome. You not only have to find time, money and motivation to get to the gym three times a week, but also learn how to change a lifetime of unhealthy eating habits. For many people facing both challenges at once can be overwhelming and anxiety inducing. Read the rest of this entry »

Unrealistic fitness goals can be one of the biggest sources of discouragement when it comes to staying committed to your fitness program. Setting your goals according to the results you see in the latest infomercials is a recipe for failure, frustration and drop out. Instead, try setting your goals according to the popular SMART system. Think about the following when starting your fitness program: Read the rest of this entry »

Jamie Foxx could have been talking about the extra inches around our waistlines when he penned the lyrics to “Blame It on the Alcohol.” While alcohol in moderation can be good for your health, overdoing it can have serious consequences to your weight loss plans. Here are some reasons why:

1. As we all know: alcohol relaxes us, makes us merry and reduces inhibitions. There’s nothing like sharing a good bottle of wine with good company. However letting go of our inhibitions can wreak havoc on our diet plans. We are less likely to stick to our convictions about making healthy choices and are more likely to indulge in greasy, fatty foods.

2. Your body processes alcohol before breaking down fats and carbs. This can slow down your fat burning process leading to unwanted weight gain.

3. At 7 calories per gram alcohol contains almost twice as many calories as carbohydrates. Also calories from alcohol have no nutritional value, it’s much better to consume calories that your body can use for energy.

4. Alcohol causes dehydration which not only means that we lose nutrients vital for maintaining a faster metabolism but that it also makes us thirsty, leading us to consume even more alcohol. Try drinking a glass of water in between your drinks to keep you hydrated and feeling full.

With the holiday season in full swing, most people aren’t ready to completely give up alcohol—nor should you have to. Here is a guide to help you enjoy a drink and maintain your weight loss goals. Read the rest of this entry »