If you answered “ true” to more than four of these questions, you have some attitudes that may not move you toward your goals. It’s important to identify and changed these attitudes in order to lose weight permanently. If you answered “ true” to ten or more of these questions, failure to change the destructive attitudes is likely to result in your being unsuccessful at keeping weight off once you’ve lost it. You may want to seek the assistance of support group or of a mental-health professional.

References:  Medical Book of Remedies,  Duke University  Diet and Fitness Center

What price would you pay for increased self-confidence, an improved self-image, a better love life, improved relationships at work and home? Before we go on the next remedy, ,lest answer the question below and learn how much your weight currently impacts you quality of life.

If you answered “sometimes true” or always true” to more than four of these questions, your weigh s having a negative impact on your quality of life. If you answered“sometimes true” or “always true” on ten or more of these questions, your quality of life may be diminished dramatically by your weight.

The good news is that even small reductions in excess body weight net big returns when it comes to improved quality of life .

Try this on yourself: For the next couple of weeks. Follow the tips in this blog that target areas of your lifestyle and behaviour that you’d most like to improve. Then come back to this survey and answer these questions again. Note how your responses have changed. Recognize and give yourself a pat on the back for those areas in which you’ve improved. Remember, not all of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle are measured by the number that pops up on your scale each week.

References:  Medical Book of Remedies,  Duke University  Diet and Fitness Center

Look at the figures below, and circle the one which looks most like you now. Then jot down your answer to the question that follow.

• If your best friend were to be totally honest with you, would they concur with the image you’ve selected?
• Which body image would you lost like to look like?
• What would your weight be if you looked like the image you’ve selected above?
• Have you ever been at this weight before?

Sometimes, you may perceive your body as appearing much heavier than others perceive it. Many women experience this phenomenon. If so, it’s possible that you may continue to see yourself as heavy even after losing weight. You may also have difficulty noticing changes and giving yourself credit for the progress you’ve made.

On the other hand, you may still hold your high-school yearbook picture in your mind as your current body shape. If realistic assessment moves you several silhouettes larger, you may not realize  how much excess weight you have lose. Procrastination may delay you from beginning your weight-loss efforts.

It’s very important to begin any weight loss process with a realistic body image. To promote change, you must clearly visualize yourself becoming more and more like the silhouettes you’ve chosen. Get in touch with your body as you embark on your weight-loss journey with these few simple tips.

Mirrors: Spend time looking in fill-length or three-way mirrors, preferably without clothes on. Be fully aware on how your body currently looks, and congratulate yourself on all changes that occur.

Clothing: Alter large or loose-fitting clothes to stay connected to your body. Try clothes that are more form-fitting to help you adjust to changing image. Don’t save “fat-clothes” –it’s like making a commitment to fail. Save one item of larger clothing to remind you of your progress.

Photographs: Take several photographs of yourself every four to eight weeks. Create a photo journal of you progress towards your goals.

References:  Medical Book of Remedies,  Duke University  Diet and Fitness Center

1. 1. If I skip breakfast or lunch, I will lose weight faster.

Eating fewer meals can actually lead to weight gain and added body fat. In fact. one study showed that people who skip breakfast have four to five percent lower metabolic rate (the rate at which body burn calories to maintain vital functions when at rest) than those who do not. When you skip meals, your body fight back by slowing down the rate at which you burn calories. Believe it or not, you will lose weight efficiently if you eat several mini meals a day rather than one or two large means)

1. 2. I’ve  heard that calorie is a calorie, so it doesn’t matter whether I splurge on 600 extra calories from  prom rib or from pasta.

All calories are not created equal. Studies show that calories from fat are more fattening than those from carbohydrate. The body stores fat easily, but its ability to store carbohydrates is limited. That’s why you’ll  gain more weight from eating an extra 600 calories of a fatty food such as prime rib than a carbohydrate-rich dish such as pasta. Remember that the composition of your diet can be more important than the number of calories you consume.

1. I want to lose weight, but unless I lose it fast, I know I won’t stick with the program.

If you lose weight fast, you are more likely to lose some muscle. Think of a muscle as your body engine’s. The larger the engine, the more gas it burns. If you lose too much muscle during weight loss, your engine become smaller and you need less “gas” or fewer calories, to keep it running. As a result, you’ll actually gain weight if you eat the same number of calories that you previously consumed to maintain you old weight. Losing weight fast makes it harder for you to keep the weight off in the long run.

1. I know that I can’t eat at my favourite restaurants and still love weight.

It’s possible to go to any kind of restaurant today- from fast food to five star-and still lose weight. Granted, you may have less control over how the foods are prepared and which ingredients are used, but you can control which food s you choose and how much of them you consume.

1. I must vow never to eat “real deserts” again in order to reach my goal weight.

You don’t have to give up your favourites foods or “goodies” to lose weight. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If you love pie a la mode, just eat it less often and/or in smaller portions. Better think substitution, not elimination.

1. I know the best way to lose my flabby stomach and thighs is to do sit-ups and leg lifts.

Sorry-spot reducing just doesn’t work. When you lose fat, it comes from your total fat reserves, and you have no control over what part of the body those fat reserves will come from. Spot exercises can tone and strengthen specific areas. But, aerobic exercise-such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or aerobic dance, for example-is the best way to burn fat. Bottom line: You’ll burn more fat from around your middle (as well as from the other fat-laden areas) if you take a brisk 20-minute walk than if you do 100 sit-ups.

1. I would rather jump in the sauna and sweat off a few pounds than exercise.

You can’t bake, sweat or steam pounds off. Sweating without exercises causes temporary water loss, not fat loss. The water lost will be quickly regained as soon as you have anything to eat or drink. And remember, sauna suits, rubber belts, and nylon clothes  designed to make you sweat during exercise can actually damage you health. It’s important to replace fluids lost during exercise and allow your body’s natural thermostat to regulate your temperature.

1. I will only feel successful if I reach my target weight.

Success means more than a number on the scale. It is an ongoing process that is rewarded each time you make a positive lifestyle change. So, don’t be a slave to your bathroom scale. Put your time and effort into what really counts: keeping accurate records, using remedies from this blog, and increasing your daily activities. Habits, not pounds, will determine whether or not you achieve a long-term success.

1. If I can’t exercises strenuously, it’s really won’t help me lose weight.

All activity counts. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine recommended that adults exercises at the moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes a day, a few days a week. What’s new about this recommendation is that these 30 minutes can include:

• Exercise in several shorter periods throughout the day.
• More-moderate activities, such as gardening and housework, as well as planned vigorous activity, such as jogging can cycling.

1. I just don’t have the willpower t takes to lose weight and keep it off or good.

Lasting weight control is the process that takes “ skillpower”,  not willpower. By identifying your eating habits, using this blog remedies, and thinking positively, you can tackle your weight and win.

References: Duke University Diet and Fitness Center

How many times have you lost ten pounds, only to gain it back again? If this sound familiar, you’re not alone.

Ask anyone in the weight-management field, and they’ll tell you that lasting weight control doesn’t come easy. The problem is  many, many people try to change too much, too fast. They go “ON” a diet, which means that they’ll go “OFF” at some point and return to their old ways and old weight.

Here’s your personal invitation to explore a new way of thinking about weight management. The post in this blog is not a diet. Rather, it’s a compilation of the top nutrition, behaviours, and exercise strategies  for losing weight and optimizing health and fitness.

The big difference here is that you make changes gradually and according to your lifestyle, so that they actually become part of your lifestyle. Whether you want to shop smart,  Eat on the run, manage stress, think positively or boost daily activity, you’ll find real help. They key is to make personal lifestyle choices and changes the right for you. What’s more, those same choices and changes can help you lose 5 to 2 pounds as well as they can help you lose 10: and they can help you keep he weight off.

What’s the best you to start? It depends on you. Not all remedies will apply to you, so congratulate yourself on what you’re already doing right. But look to see where there s room to improve.