Welcome back! Hope you are on track to reach your weight loss goals

Hunger is the number one enemy of a diet.  If you’re hungry all the time you’re going to suffer psychologically and physically.  You’ll be torturing yourself thinking constantly about your diet, what you can’t eat, and how badly you want to eat.  Instead, find ways to combat the hunger!

Drink more water.  Sometimes we think we’re hungry when we’re really only thirsty.  Try drinking a tall glass of water and waiting 15 minutes or so.  You’re hunger pangs will likely go away.

Eat foods rich in fiber and protein.  Both fiber and protein digest slower than carbohydrates, which means that we feel fuller longer when we eat more fiber and protein.  Incorporate more whole grains into your diet along with lean proteins like chicken and fish.  You can also get extra fiber from vegetables and some fruits like apples.

Work off the hunger.  If you start to feel hungry, go for a walk.  You can get some extra exercise in and avoid grabbing a snack.  This can also help you avoid eating if you are stressed.  You can walk off the anxiety.

Distract yourself.  Another thing many of us do is eat when we are bored.  Avoid grabbing a snack while you’re reading or watching television by getting up and doing something else real quick.  Go in another room, give someone a call, or get outside.

Get out of the habit of eating late at night.  Try to eliminate those late night snacks by brushing your teeth when you are done with dinner.  If you’ve got them good and clean, you may be less tempted to eat a snack and mess up those pearly whites!

The bottom line is, you can beat hunger.  You can avoid snacking when you really don’t need to by finding other things to focus on.

When you start a new exercise regimen, you’ll probably be tempted to jump right into it.  You’ll be energized, ready to lose that weight, ready to get into shape!  You’ll hit the gym and exercise for two hours – feeling excellent about your dedication and hard work.  Then….you’ll get up the next morning and you won’t be able to move.  You’ll avoid the gym for the next several days and wonder what you did wrong and how you should be exercising.

Tip number one - Start out slow, don’t overdo it.  You want to push yourself when you exercise, but you don’t want to hurt yourself.  You shouldn’t feel sore the next day.  If you do, you need to cut back.  On the other hand, if you don’t feel like you’re making much of a difference, pushing a little harder is okay.

Tip number two - Understand your limitations.  If you haven’t lifted weights in years, you probably aren’t going to be able to bench 150 pounds right off the bat.  If you haven’t walked so much as a mile, let alone run anywhere, you probably aren’t going to be able to run five miles right away.  Know where you’re starting and set goals to help you increase your workouts intensity over time.

Tip number three – Do things you think are fun.  Some people enjoy jumping on the treadmill or hitting the weights while others enjoy workout classes or hiking outdoors.  Try several different things and find out what you like best.  Exercising in ways that you think are fun is going to keep you exercising.  Also, don’t be afraid to mix it up.  Hit the weights and treadmill one day, work on the stationary bike another day, join an aerobic class another day, take that hike another.  Variety is going to keep it from getting monotonous, and your body will get the most of your attempts.

To find out more exciting ways to lose weight, sign up for your free E course by downloading it on the sidebar!

This 8 Minute abs routine has been around since the 80’s. I love some of these older things because they have been working for years and years.

Although 8 Minute Abs is often the victoim to jokes and such things, these exercises get your abs working out and it doesn’t take long. There is no reason why people cant find approx 10 minutes a day to do these exercises.

You’ve been dieting for a while now with a lot of success, but for the last couple of weeks you’re weight hasn’t budged.  What’s going on?  You’ve hit a weight plateau.  Don’t get discouraged!  You can get that last 5 pounds off, and here’s how:

1. Refocus you’re diet.  Be brutally honest with yourself – have you slipped off the diet bandwagon?  Maybe you just need to reassess how much you’re eating and where your calories are coming from.  Try increasing your proteins.  It’s like adding fuel to your metabolism’s fire.  It may give you the extra boost you need to move past your current plateau.

2. Change or increase your workouts.  Incorporate some new exercises into your routine.  Focus on body parts you haven’t focused on before.  You can also increase the intensity of your workouts.  Push for an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill, walk or run a little faster, do an extra few reps on the weight bench.  Also, try exercising at different times of the day.  If you typically work out at night, try incorporating some quick exercises first thing in the morning.

3. Are other factors impacting your diet?  Your ability to lose weight is going to be impacted by the amount of stress you are under, medications you are taking, and the amount of sleep you are getting.  Sometimes just taking a weekend to decompress, relax, and reset yourself is all it takes to get your weight loss back on track.  Also, some medications can cause you to become bloated, temporarily halting your weight loss.  If you are on medication, try waiting out the plateau until your regimen is over.  Then see if your weight loss continues.

Everyone hits plateaus in their diet.  You are not alone!  Don’t let it get you down or frustrate you.  Use it as a way to refocus your efforts and keep your weight loss moving!