Lose Weight

Lose Weight

Many people who want to lose weight don’t just want to read a book and sort out the diet for themselves nor do they want to join a slimming club and be weighed every week. Often they just want some simple rules and some sample menus to get them started.

Here are some simple rules that can help you to lose weight.

1. Always have a good breakfast that contains a reasonable amount of protein. Protein is needed to turn fat into lean muscle and is very important for anyone who wants to lose weight.

2. Have protein at every meal for the reasons stated above. Protein also helps to speed up the metabolic rate.

3. Avoid tea and coffee and alcohol as they are stimulants and can play havoc with your metabolism.

4. Eat regularly. Five smaller meals is actually better than three larger meals as every time you eat you are stimulating your metabolism to help you lose weight.

5. Drink plenty of water. Lack of water can cause the body to hold on to water as it is afraid that there won’t be enough. This can cause water retention. Also hunger is often one of he bodies cries for water and a glass of water may mean you are no longer hungry for food.

6. Exercise regularly. Twenty minutes exercise that raises the heart rate is ideal. Any exercise you do after that however small will burn more calories. If you don’t like structured exercise find ways of increasing your activity. Run upstairs instead of walking. Walk briskly to the shop instead of taking the car. Stretch your muscles, by literally stretching your arms and legs and turning/twisting your upper body.

7. If you do like exercise weight training can be beneficial as muscle helps to burn fat – an essential component of you want to lose weight.
8. Sort out any food intolerance you may have as they can prevent you from being able to lose weight
9. Begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be.

10. Throw away your scales. If you lose weight according to your scales you may just have lost muscle or water. This is not an indication you have burned any fat.

There are so many myths that surround the weight loss industry that it isn’t surprising that so many people fail to lose weight. Those who do manage to lose weight often fail to maintain that weight and are very quickly returning to their previous weight and heavier. Keep it simple and use your common sense. If it makes sense then likely it will work. If it sounds ridiculous then you are unlikely to lose weight healthily and permanently.

Janet Matthews

Tags: diet, lose weight, weight loss