©2003
By Julie S. Rayburn
It's
almost like the quest for world peace. It's
something everyone says they want, yet very
few ever do what it takes to move them in
a permanent positive direction. It is the
focus of so many people's lives, yet their
successes are few and far between. So what
am I talking about? Weight loss! How many
people do you meet in the course of a day
who would not like to lose a few pounds? Not
very many, I bet.
So
why aren't more people losing weight successfully?
With all of the attention on weight loss and
the $40 billion spent each year on diet aids,
America should be the fittest country on earth!
(We're not, in case you were wondering.) Did
you know that there are more overweight and
obese people today then ever before in history?
Did you also know that deaths associated with
obesity- related diseases are at an all time
high?
This
I find interesting; that despite the constant
barrage of information with new studies, new
super diet pills, and the like, we are still
fat. So what is going on?
I
can tell you that part of the problem is all
of the information and misinformation out
there. There are studies that prove one method
works, and another study contradicting the
previous study. We have various "experts"
who cannot seem to agree on even the most
basic information. So who do you believe,
who do you trust? One quick indicator is if
they have a product to sell, (i.e. nutritional
supplements, meal replacements) you may want
to check into their claims, as well as their
motives.
I
don't have an M.D., but if there is one topic
that I know a lot about, its weight loss.
You know the saying, `been there, done that'?
When it comes to weight loss, I have been
there, done that and am 45 pounds lighter,
thank you very much!
What
I am about to share with you is not new information.
It's common sense. (Now there is something
that is missing from the world today!) If
you follow the tips I am about to share with
you, I can almost guarantee permanent weight
loss and a healthier future. Here we go.
Tip
#1: Give up the bacon and eggs that
you have been eating for breakfast and start
your day off with plenty of fresh fruit! Forget
about breakfast cereals too. Instead eat bananas,
oranges, mangoes, strawberries, watermelon,
whatever fruits you feel like having! And
don't be concerned about calories! Fill your
plate up! Let fruit be all you eat until lunch.
Tip
#2 Limit your meat (steaks, chicken,
fish, yes, it's a meat!) to 3 meals a week.
A lot of people like to eat meat at every
meal. I used to be one of them! If you are
one of them, you need to do some research
of your own to understand how hard that is
on your body. Eating that much animal product
is good for no one except your doctor and
the meat producers!
Tip
#3 Increase the amount of salad you
are eating. If you normally have a small token
salad on the side just to add color to your
meal, its time to refocus! Move that small
salad to a bigger plate and add to it! Make
the salad the center of your meal and watch
the pounds drop off! Now remember, adding
a bunch of things from the salad bar that
are not vegetables is not what we're talking
about! Forget the high fat dressings too!
Using less dressing and those of a low fat
variety will allow you to taste the salad
and not just the dressing!
Tip
#4 Limit the amount of processed
foods. What is processed food you ask? If
you didn't find it in the produce section
of the grocery store, it is probably a processed
food! Anything that requires an ingredient
list is probably a processed food. Breakfast
cereals and granola bars are advertised as
health foods, but in reality they have very
little going for them nutritionally. Really
start to pay attention to the amount of processed
foods that are out there and you will begin
to understand why there is an `obesity epidemic'
in this country! Take note of the amount you
are eating, and how much you are feeding to
your children. Your children deserve better
than that! Get them eating more of the wholesome
foods too!
Tip
#5 Increase the amount of veggies
you eat, especially raw veggies! If there
is a magic food out there for weight loss,
fresh fruits and veggies are it! Start eating
predominantly fresh fruits and veggies and
just watch the pounds melt away!
Tip
#6 Limit the amount of dairy products
you consume to 3 meals a week. This one can
get tricky. The Dairy Association is convinced
that you need to be eating dairy every day
at every meal whether you want to or not!
When I go out and order a garden salad, why
does it more often than not come with cheese
and bacon on it? Since when did we start growing
cheese in a garden? And how is bacon a vegetable?
You really have to be paying attention because
they will sneak it in anywhere they can!
Tip
#7 Get some form of exercise everyday!
This is almost a no-brainer. Is there anyone
alive who does not know what happens to muscles
if we don't use them? Are we all aware that
your heart is a muscle? Get out there and
get your heart going! If you follow all of
the above tips, you are going to have so much
extra energy that you are going to need to
do something with it anyway, so get out there!
20 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise 4-5
mornings a week coupled with a good weight
training routine will do wonders for you!
It
is important to remember that there is no
magic pill. Permanent weight loss has to be
tied to your lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle
will promote good health while an unhealthy
lifestyle will produce health problems, excess
weight, and potentially deadly diseases. You
can make your choice. I have made mine, and
life on this side of the fence is pretty great!
Well,
that's about it! Follow these seven tips and
you will make more progress in one month than
you have made all year! You can log onto www.takebackyourhealth.org
to find out more great information regarding
weight loss, and healthier living!
Julie
Rayburn is a Lifestyle Coach for Vitality
Health and Fitness. Visit www.takebackyourhealth.org
for great information and programs to help
anyone who wants to lose weight and improve
their health. Sign up for FREE newsletter,
and receive FREE special reports about health
and weight loss! Or mailto:julie@takebackyourhealth.org
