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The #1 Reason why People don’t Lose Weight?

February 23, 2010 By 3 Comments

The title of this post is actually the title of a blogpost I saw on www.diet.com.  It certainly caught my eye, so I had to find out what this #1 reason was.

The article at www.diet.com states that the #1 reason why people don’t lose weight is that they do strictly cardio workouts without doing any resistance or weight training. The article goes on to talk about reasons why, specifically, women do not do any weight training.  Go ahead and have a read for yourself.

Weight training

I agree with the author that weight training is very important for your weight loss.  This is for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, by getting your body toned up, gaining more muscle mass, you are actually causing your body to burn more calories at ALL times.  Even when sleeping.  That’s right.  Muscle burns more calories than fat, so by putting some weight/resistance training into your fitness regime you are helping your body work to your advantage in your weight loss goals.

Secondly, by doing some weight training, you are working out different parts of your body.  When people simply follow a cardio routine, they tend to do the same thing day after day.  Some people like running.  Some people like cycling.  Some people like aerobics classes.  Whatever it is, if that is all you do, your body does get used to it.  That is not to say that you aren’t burning calories and doing a good thing for your body, but it is even better to have some weight training to keep it interesting for your muscles.

#1 Reason?

While I think that weight lifting is important for those trying to lose weight (and for those just trying to be healthy), I don’t think it is the #1 reason why people don’t lose weight.  I believe that DIET is the #1 reason why people don’t lose weight.  I think many individuals struggle with what the “right” things to eat are. And even when people think they know the “right” things to eat, they have a hard time changing their habits.

Their is so much conflicting information out there about how to lose weight – what the heck are you supposed to believe?

Well, I whole-heartedly believe in following a wholesome, natural diet.  None of this low-fat stuff.  None of this low-carb stuff.  I like balanced eating.

If you are trying to get a kick-start on your weight loss and want some guidance on what to do, if you haven’t yet downloaded my free report on weight and fat loss, have a look at it now.  There is a download option in the top right corner of this site.   And feel free to send me questions if you want to know any specific information.

To your health,

Kimberly

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: , , , ,

An Easy Way to increase your Weight Loss and Improve your Health

February 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Quick and Easy

Nowadays a LOT of people are looking for the quick, easy way to lose weight.  Every month, there is a new pill, celebrity diet, or other fad idea to help you get rid of your excess pounds.  Why is it that so many people (in many countries, not just the USA) are still overweight?  Well, these fads are not the solution for long-term weight loss and health.

Surround yourself with the Right people

One easy step you can take to start your healthy, natural weight and fat loss is by surrounding yourself with people who also want to live a healthy lifestyle.  It is totally free!  And natural!

When you hang out with people who like to be active, and people who have healthy eating habits, it is SO much easier to also have those habits.  The peer “influence” in this case is a really positive thing.   When you end up going to friends houses for dinner, or entertaining people in your own home, you can be more confident that the food choices will be in line with what you like to put in your mouth and that the people coming to see you will be happy with the healthy things you are making for them.

Additionally, when you say you’re going to go to the gym after work, or go for a jog on the weekend, your friends or colleagues will support you in that.  They won’t try to steer you away from that because they understand the importance of exercise.

It is incredible what peer influence does to a person.  We always think about it in terms of teenagers and smoking, drugs, drinking, or cutting classes.  We often talk about kids and whether or not they are hanging with the “wrong crowd.”  But, that mentality is much less often applied to adults.

But, that doesn’t mean that peer pressure ends when you become an adult.  And health and wellness is a perfect example of this.

How to do this

If you already have lots of friends and family around you who have healthy lifestyle habits, then great.  Let those people help influence the way you’re living your life.  If they invite you to go for a hike, bike ride, jog, or tennis game, say yes.  It is fun socially and also great for your health.

If you don’t already have people around you with good eating or exercise habits, then you need to do something about it.  I’m not saying you should disown your current friends and family, but just try to meet some new people.  There are lots of clubs out there for joggers, walkers, hikers, or just about anything fitness related.  There are also group exercise classes at gyms.  You can start attending something like that and meet new people that way.

Try to find a healthy cooking club somewhere in your area.  That is also a fun way to meet new people with similar values.  Or you can always just find an online forum about health and weight loss.  This isn’t as effective as being with people face to face, but it’s a good first step.

Another really important thing to do is to talk to your current friends and family who don’t share your same desires to be healthy.  Let them know that you would like their help and support in being a healthy person.   Let them know that your goals are important to you.  If they are true friends, they should respect that. Maybe some of them will even join you :)

Peer influence will always be a part of life, so why not make it a positive influence?  Something to help you meet your weight loss and fitness goals.

To your health,

Kimberly

Filed Under: Wellness Tagged With: , , , ,

Why you should cook with your children

January 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I was listening to the radio this morning and heard about a website called www.mydaddycooks.com.  It is a very new site, but has gained a lot of popularity in its short life.

It is, in the simplest sense, a series of videos showing how you can make home cooked, healthy meals with your children.

The site’s founder, Nick, features in all of the videos with his 2 year old son, Archie. I watched one of the recent videos, and it was absolutely adorable.

Nick did a short interview on the radio and his story was really interesting.  He said that 2009 was a tough year financially for he and his family (I know he is not alone in that regard!)  But, instead of letting the pressures get to him, he decided to do something great for Archie.  I don’t remember his exact words, but he said something along the lines of “My wife and I reevaluated what was most important in our lives and decided that having happy parents was the most important thing for Archie.”

I thought that was a great comment – and amazing that he and his wife came to that conclusion when in reality many people can’t get past the financial/work/relationship stresses that we all deal with on a daily basis.   I’m not saying it’s easy to deal with all of those things.  But, what is most important for your loved ones?

Nick also said that he felt that Archie was learning to have a very healthy relationship with food (real food!), which is also an extremely important thing.  I’ve heard that 1 in 5 UK children are now already overweight when they start school.  Woah!  That is astounding.

Mydaddycooks.com looks like a great example of doing something positive for your family.  Why not do that yourself?  It is fun, inexpensive, and healthy!

To your health,

Kimberly

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , , ,

Eating healthy on the road – is it possible?

November 24, 2008 By Leave a Comment

In one word – Yes!

Recently I was on my honeymoon which included a road trip up the coast of California.  Leading up to the honeymoon both my husband and I had been doing really well with healthy eating and lots of exercise.  So when we thought about being away from our normal routine for two weeks, we both thought it would be impossible to keep up the healthy habits!

Okay, maybe exercise is possible wherever you go as long as you have a little willpower, but eating on the road was my biggest concern.  Is it really possible to find healthy options on the go?

You might be surprised but yes.

Your options for healthy foods might depend on where exactly you are, but you can usually find something along the following lines:

- Nuts or seeds:  If you can find the unsalted variety these are the best choice.  If not, just avoid the flavored ones (honey, chili, etc).  These usually have monosodium glutamate and either a ton of sugar or sweeteners!

- Make your own sandwiches or salads.  This allows you the opportunity to monitor exactly what goes in your food.  Premade sandwiches and salads usually have lots of unnecessary saturated fats (mayonnaise, cheese, dressing, etc).  When you order your own fresh sandwich or salad you can limit these items and have a much tastier meal.

Surprisingly, while we were in Big Sur (an area along the coast of California – Highway 1) we found a tiny little shop that had healthy or allergy friendly foods.  I couldn’t believe it!  There we were in the mountains, where there weren’t many residents (just tourists), and without much in the way of grocery stores.  This little general store had jams without sugar added, items for people who suffer from wheat allergies, and other things.  It was great.

All in all, don’t give into junk food just because you are on vacation and think that you can’t find anything healthy to eat.  It’s okay to indulge a bit but you don’t have to go crazy!  You still want to feel good in your bathing suit or other summer attire :)

To your health,

Kimberly

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: ,

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