Weight Loss Equals Diet and Exercise

A person's weight is rather like a balancing act and part of the equation is calories. Diets that are fads might promise that counting carbs or eating a ton of grapefruit is guaranteed to make the pounds just melt away. Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it is calories that need counting. Losing weight comes down to using more calories than you eat. You may do that by reducing calories consumed and increasing exercise or physical activity.

The Basics

Reducing extra calories and more exercise is the first basic of losing weight and once a person understands that, they are ready to set a goal and make a plan for getting to that goal. But keep in mind you do not have to do it by yourself. Speak with your physician, family and friends for support. Be smart: expect minor setbacks and know how you will handle situations that test your resolve.

If you are a person who has severe health problems because of your weight, your physician might propose surgery for weight-loss or medications. In this case, you and your physician will need to discuss in-depth benefits and the likely risks.

Do not forget what the bottom line is. The key to success is a commitment to making changes that are permanent in exercise habits and diet.

Diet Plan

There are certainly no shortages of diet plans - there are hundreds on the internet and others in books. All the latest "fad" and best diet plans are available. But - when do you know that a diet plan is the one that fits your lifestyle and needs? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Is there a variety of foods from all of the major groups of food such as fruits, vegetables, grains, lean protein, nuts and seeds as well as dairy products that are low-fat?

Does it include foods that you like?

Are the foods easy to find at any grocery store?

Is regular physical exercise part of this plan?

If the answer to these questions or any one of these questions is no, keep looking for another diet plan.

Exercise and Diet

Remember that the path to success in losing weight is by forming a diet that is healthy and by exercising. Now, you might not like these words - exercise and diet. But don't get hung up on them. Exercise just means becoming more active and diet just means eating healthy, low-calorie meals.

Most people make the mistake of just focusing on the diet and forget about the exercise but being active is a vital part of any weight-loss program. When you are active, the body uses calories to work and this helps to burn the calories that you have eaten.

Exercise

Shopping, cleaning the kitchen, gardening and mowing are all forms of physical activity. But the exercise for weight loss is a repetitive and structured form of physical activity that is done regularly. You need to exercise regularly, so set a goal as a minimum 150 minutes per week of physical activity or 75 minutes per week of energetic activity - spread through the week.

Other Methods

Diet pills, surgery for losing weight and other methods should only be used when the diet and exercise have failed. But first for weight loss you should make a good faith effort of diet and exercise.

Losing weight is a balance between the amount of calories you eat as well as exercise to burn calories. Your diet will fail if both of these are not done. Weight loss, consists of both.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

Postpartum Exercise - How And When To Start Exercising After Pregnancy

ByGordon Freeman

Exercise might be the last thing that comes to your mind after giving birth. Your schedule may be jam packed due to the demands of being a new mom. You have to move between caring for the baby, eating healthy and at the same time take ample amount of rest in order to recover faster. But at the same time when you look in the mirror, you tend to shy away.

The excess amount of weight gain during pregnancy does not shed immediately after giving birth. It may take a long time and depends on numerous factors. The weight loss after pregnancy is a slow process and demands a lot of patience.

If you did exercise during pregnancy, you will have a faster weight loss. Apart from this factors like nutrition and exercise also tend to play their part.

Postpartum exercises area the exercises that are meant to assist the body in recovery after giving birth and also to get back in shape.

WHEN TO START POSTPARTUM EXERCISES:

A general opinion is to start exercising after 6 weeks in case of a normal delivery. In case of a C section this period may be around 8 weeks. Some people are of the opinion that low-impact exercises can be started as and when you feel like it.

But before you choose to do any kind of postpartum exercise, it is always a good idea to ask a doctor. The recovery period after giving birth may vary from individual to individual. So do not follow others. Instead understand the needs of your own body and start exercising accordingly.

EXERCISING AND BREASTFEEDING:

Most new mothers are concerned about exercising because they feel it may have an effect on their nursing ability. But it is not so. In fact it has been found that exercising does not have any effect on you milk quantity or quality.

But keep in mind that if you do heavy exercises after pregnancy, it may lead to the accumulation of lactic acid in your milk. This may make your milk sour in taste.

HOW TO START:

After you have rested enough and it seems comfortable to start exercising, you must start with low impact exercises like walking. When it feels comfortable you may as well shift to jogging.

Another beneficial postpartum exercise is yoga or Pilates. Yoga is pretty easy on your body and helps you regain your flexibility.

There are many programs that are offered for new moms at the gym or fitness center. This may prove to be an opportunity to meet new moms.

There are many exercises which allow you to workout with your baby. This is a great way to get in shape and at the same time share your immense love for your newborn.

One thing that you must keep in mind always is never to over exert yourself. It is always a good idea to take the help of a fitness professional for your workout plan. But at the same time your body will give you signals on when you should slow down.

If during a workout, you feel dizzy or out of breath, then stop immediately and take rest. Remember that you can always exercise later. With so much already on your plate, it is a bad idea if you hamper your recovery by extreme exertion.

It is also important that you take ample amount of rest and eat a well-balanced nutritious diet. Exercising alone will not give you the results you may be looking for.

Exercising is a great way to get your old self back and keep off postpartum depression. Make a plan and then stick to it till you see the results.

Support of the people around you also plays a very important role in your journey as a new mom. If your family is supportive, it will be very easy to stay dedicated and achieve your fitness goals. Exercising with your family may prove to be a great way to increase the love and get fit together.

Weight loss after pregnancy will sometime test your patience and diligence. So be prepared for it. Also keep in mind that pregnancy may have altered your body permanently to some extent. So love yourself as who you are and enjoy the precious gift of life that has been given to you.

Learn some interesting information about postpartum exercise.
Also learn about some interesting exercises for post pregnancy workout.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

The best types of exercise to lose belly fat

Collage of several of Gray's muscle pictures, by Mikael Häggström (User:Mikael Häggström) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)That's the lie that wouldn't die
"To lose the fat, you need to make isolation exercises in this area."
For example, if you want to lose your belly, you would be led to believe that you have tons to do exercises that should only buy the abdominal muscles as the goal or some stupid AB belt.
But here is the truth ...
Isolated exercises are a waste of your time!
In fact, tend to apply this lie, buy a new gadget or fill, you can gain access to this new class AB a few numbers.
You see, isolated exercises will help you burn fat as quickly and efficiently as a composite (movement for several muscle groups).
Now if you want to integrate the most effective fat burning exercises into your routine, here are some guidelines to follow:
Select exercises several muscle groups at the same time to work, what do I do select the exercises that you do while standing up, if possible. Or instead, appropriate alternative exercises. first Put heavy and most intense exercise routine.
Well here's good news ...
Training with exercises on how to do this, you can do even more, but smaller, to burn fat!
That's the reason.
Run training like this, you can use your body. It will burn a double amount of calories after a workout. In addition, the effectiveness and efficiency of this kind of training means you only need 3 days a week of work (45 minutes or less).
It's much shorter time commitment than a typical workout program. Thus making it ideal for normal, busy man, follow through and actually results.
So here's an example of a workout, you can create an that follows the above guidelines:
Hindu squats (intensive first)-10 RepsHindu pushups-8-10 RepsDecline RepsCalf throws pushups-ball jackknife 15 reps RepsStability-back extension on the ball – 8-15 reps
Ideally you each pair (# 1 and # 2, # 3 and # 4), a total of three times before moving on to the next pair.
As regards the rest, would you stay right after that second exercises in each pair.
This power is part of your routine is completed then you with interval training. This allows for maximum fat loss.
Hope this helps.
Let me know if you have any questions you'd like me to address.

Do NOT Exercise To Lose Weight

Yup... you read that right.

The title does sound slightly bonkers.

But, in my experience, it's true.

Here's why.

Most diets and weight loss sites talk about exercise in terms of 'burning calories'.

As in, if you run for 20 minutes you'll 'burn off' the chocolate chip cookie that accompanied your mid-morning cuppa.

Or, say you had a Big Mac for lunch? Well, a three-hour-run will 'cancel out' those calories.

But, by thinking of exercise as 'burning off' or 'cancelling out', you inadvertently reduce exercise to a numbers game.

The problem with thinking of exercise with this numbers mindset is that your workouts will be short-lived.

Very short-lived.

You'll give up.

You'll quit.

Exercising will feel like a torture session where you're 'make up' for the guilty pleasure of having eaten something yum.

And eating will seem like a naughty pleasure where X no. of cookies