The RIGHT way to diet and lose weight!

It seems no matter what, people are always trying fad diets, or sometimes borderline self-starvation in order to lose weight. Not only are these methods largely ineffective in the long term, but they are also unhealthy. Honestly, what good is weight loss if you are not going to feel good and energized, and probably still gain the weight back anyway?

First things first, set a reasonable goal to start with. Keeping a list of reasonable goals will not only help you keep track of your loss, but help you obtain realistic goals. Obviously, you are not going to drop massive amounts of weight over a period of a few days, but stick with it!

The key is burning more than you consume. Extra calories are the main cause of weight gain. If you consume more calories than you burn, weight gain is what results from it. If your weight has been steady and not increasing, try starting with eliminating 500 calories from your daily diet. Keep a tally in a notebook if you want. You can do this by decreasing you intake, or amplifying your exercise schedule.

This is all about staying properly nourished. Yes, you can eat! Just control your portions and try to make healthier choices!

For more information, check out selfgrowth.com’s article!

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/nutrition_fat_loss_how_to_diet_properly

Interval Training

Training to get the 1 mile, 2 mile or whatever distance your goal is down as fast as possible? Stuck around that same time that you just can’t quite seem to break? First, take a look at how you are running. Do you start strong and fast and get progressively slower? Or do you maintain a constant pace? In either of those 2 cases, you should try interval training!

First, set a reasonable goal for the distance you are going to be running. Say you want to run 3 miles in 21:00 minutes, but are currently running it at 24:00 minutes. 21 Minutes is a 7 minute per mile pace, while 24:00 is an 8 minute per mile pace. Instead of running 3 miles over and over agin trying to get your time down, train for the specific pace!

Start out by running 1/4 of a mile in 1 minute, 45 seconds. Get used to running it, and then gradually increase the distance, while trying your best to keep the same pace. After a few days, move up to 1/2 of a mile in 3:30, and so on and so forth. Eventually, you will be running your full desired distance and be keeping your pace all the way!Your actual pace and distance may vary.

For more information on interval training for running, check out Military.com’s fitness guide!

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/fitness-test-prep/improving-your-pft-run-time

Trouble Sticking with it?

Find a Buddy!

Let’s face it, especially for newcomers, finding the motivation to stick with your exercise regimen, push it a little harder or even start exercising at all can be a challenge for some. Working out alone can be good for you, but it can also lead to a loss of motivation. Say you had a hard day at work, and think “I’ve been working out hard, I can take a few days off”, and you end up spending the rest of the night relaxing, on the computer or watching T.V. Well, why not take one more day off? That single day turns into a week, and before you know it, you have lost your
motivation! Once you finally get back to the gym, the bar you were up to before has been slowly sinking while you were away and you end up having to work back up to
where you were. If only you had someone to keep you going….

Bottom line is, unless you have a personal trainer or a group, going to the gym freelance without a buddy can be mentally challenging, and having a buddy to work out with can help your motivation immensely. If you are the only one working out, it’s easy to pass it up. If you have a buddy who is expecting to see you at the gym at a certain time, your not going to be calling in sick just because you feel tired out from work.

With a buddy, or even a group, fitness becomes more of a commitment. You’re not going to want to leave your buddy who is expecting you alone at the gym! Be it a friend, a family member or even a coworker, setting fitness goals and tackling them with someone by your side becomes much more of a motivation to get off the couch and in gear! Best of luck finding a buddy!

For more information on buddy fitness, check out these links!

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/fitness/workouts/personal-
trainer/buddy-system

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?
tabnum=1&art_id=13511