Weight Loss Info Center

I read something interesting the other day about weight loss and what it takes to make it happen and I thought I would share.

I have heard a lot of people say, “I don’t have time to count calories or exercise or plan my meals ahead of time.”  How do people expect to lose weight if they don’t have time for themselves?  When you are trying to lose weight, you and your goal need to be top priority.  This is a must or you’re not going to lose weight…it’s that simple.  We have time for everyone else, right?  So why do we not “have time” for ourselves?  When something is important enough, we will make the time.  And losing weight, feeling great, and being healthier should be important enough to everyone to find some time.

One thing I am noticing about those who have a successful weight loss story to share is that there is one constant them throughout each of their stories - the weight loss successes are happening to those who have taken the time for themselves that is needed to meet their goal.  They find the time to exercise, they find the time to learn about making healthier food choices, they find the time to learn about portion control, and they find the time to put all of the things they are learning into practice!   And these are busy people, just like the rest of us.

So what are you going to do?  Are you going to keep making excuses about not having time or are you going to make yourself top priority and find the time to meet your goals?  Why not - you deserve it!!

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Do you know about the GI Index?  If not, you need to.  Why?  Because studies are now coming out which show that those who eat foods low on the Glycemic Index are twice as likely to lose weight than those who do not.  Good news for those of you who are trying to lose weight because foods low on the GI Index are what you have heard about for years - “good carbs.”

So what is the Glycemic Index?  The GI Index is basically a system that ranks foods based on how they affect your levels of blood sugar.  Foods that are low on the GI Index (less than a 55) produce a gradual rise in blood sugar that’s very easy on the body.  Any food that has a GI of 55-70 are considered intermediate GI-foods.  Foods with high GI numbers (more than 70) make blood sugar and insulin levels spike quickly, which is a health threat.  Research now shows that foods low on the GI Index have quite a few benefits, including:

• Decrease the risk of heart disease
• Decrease the rish of Type II diabetes
• Curb appetite resulting in weight loss
• Possibly give us more energy

It’s not hard at all to follow the GI Index.  Basically what you do is just add one low GI-food at each of your meals and as a snack.  That’s it!  Of course things like candy bars and junk food are high on the Index.  You don’t have to give up high GI Index foods, but, of course, it’s a good idea to steer clear of those anyway when you’re trying to lose weight.

A great resource in finding out where a food falls on the GI Index is Fifty50. They break foods down in categories for us and list every food imaginable!

So if you’ve tried other things to lose weight that didn’t work, I suggest giving the GI Index a try.  What do you have to lose (other than some weight)?

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I think one of the most overlooked (and often ignored) aid in losing weight is lack of sleep.  Yes, that’s right - if you don’t get enough sleep, you will not lose weight OR you may even gain weight.

A new study performed at the University of Chicago shows that those who are sleep deprived have constant cravings for high-calorie sweets and their metabolims are akin to the metabolism of a diabetic.  Why is this?  Cortisol (a hormone which controls appetite) is affected by lack of sleep.  This causes you to still feel hungry even though you have consumed an adequate amount of food.  This interferes with your metabolism, which then causes high glucose levels and storage of excess body fat.

Bottomline: if you want to lose weight, make sleep a priority in your weight loss action plan.

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Not much going on in the world of weight loss news today, so I thought I would post about exercise.

A lot of people cringe at the word “exercise,” but why?  We perform some type of exercise all the time, don’t we?  We clean our house (you can burn major calories doing chores around the house), we run after our kids, walk our dogs, go swimming, etc.  Those are all forms of exercise, but we don’t think of it as exercise because we enjoy it…except for the household cleaning, of course.  But all of these activities burn calories and are great for our waist lines.  If you want to know how many calories you’re burning doing simple tasks such as mopping or cleaning your windows, check out www.fitday.com Fitday has a calorie burning calculator for everything, right down to how many calories you burn while taking a bath!

So why is exercise important?  First, it lowers blood pressure, improves mental health and well-being, reduces the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, as well as helping us build strong bones and muscles.  For those who are wanting to lose weight, it is a must!  Sorry, but that’s the way it is.  You have to expend more calories than you take in - that is the basis for ANY weight loss program.

But there is good news for those who loathe exercising.  If you exercise regularly for 3 short weeks, you will come to look forward to working out, whether you do cardio or weight training.  It takes 3 weeks or 21 days for an act to become a habit.  So after those first 3 weeks, you will have formed an exercise habit, and like any habit, you will actually look forward to doing it.

Don’t believe me?  Then I challenge you to do a regular exercise routine for 3 weeks and see what happens.  And it doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise - walking is a great exercise that has helped thousands of people lose weight and get in shape.  Riding a bike, stationery bike, jogging, playing tennis or other sport, any activity that gets you up and moving for 30 minutes will have benefits.  Swimming is GREAT exercise that burns a ton of calories and it’s fun!

Give it a try and I guarantee you that after 3 short weeks, you will actually come to love exercise instead of hating it.

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