7 Reasons You Can't Lose Weight

1.  Inconsistant

In order to lose weight, you have to commit to a consistent workout and eating plan.  Decide when and where you are going to workout.  Decide what your workout will be ahead of time and don't let yourself be sidetracked.  Working out first thing in the morning is a really good idea, because other things have a way of coming up and interfering with your plans.  Getting a good workout in once or twice a week is not  enough for most people.  Aim for at least three workouts per week.  Five or six days would be better if you are having trouble dropping the weight.  I am a big believer in the effectiveness of shorter workouts.  Even if you don't have the time to commit to an hour, get in what you can.  

Try food journaling.  Statistically, people who write down what they eat do better.  Make sure you count every bite.  The handful of crackers you eat when packing your kids lunch is probably about 100 calories.  Also, plan your snacks and meals ahead of time.  When you are famished you are less likely to make great food choices.  

If you are still having trouble being consistent, try accountability.  Get a friend to workout with and check in with each other.  Try hiring a trainer.  Start a weight loss competition at work. 

2.  Stress

Your body is not great at dealing with on-going stress.  Stress causes an increase in the hormone cortisol.  Our hormones are what regulate appetite.  This is especially a problem if you are an emotional eater.  To get your stress under control, look at what you can change in your life to make it less stressful.  A lot of stresses are beyond our control, but you can counter that a bit by taking control of the things you can.  Also, try to find things you enjoy.  Yoga is an effective stress buster for many people.

3.  Inadequate Sleep

People who don't get enough sleep tend to take in more calories.

4.  Rewarding with Food

After a good workout it's easy to justify a little treat, but it may just be sabotaging you efforts.  Find other ways to reward yourself that do not involve food.  If you are really serious about losing weight, you may have to forgo your favorite treats for a while.

5.  Medical Problems

There are many medications that can interfere with weight loss; birth control, Steroids,  and antidepressants just to name a few.  Also hormone imbalances and thyroid disease can sabotage your efforts.  If you are having trouble losing weight, it might be worth it to see your doctor.

6.  Plateau

If you have been losing weigh and suddenly your weight loss stops, you may have hit a dreaded plateau.  The best way to overcome a plateau is to change things up.  Try a different workout.  You may need to increase your intensity and frequency.  Also, as you get closer to your goal weight it generally becomes more difficult to lose.  You will need to be very conscious of nutrition.

7.  You Don't Need to Lose Weight.

It is possible to be over fat, but not overweight.  Consequently, even though you are exercising, you may not see the number on the scale dropping.  That is because you are building muscle as well as losing fat.  A better way to track your progress would be to have your body fat checked.

I hope these tips help and inspire you!

In Health,

Charity  

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My Favorite Workout

I am going to share with you my favorite workout.  This is the workout I do when I don't have the time or feel motivated to workout.  It is a full body workout you can do at the gym or at home, and it only takes 20 minutes.  The trick is to keep moving.  You want to go from one exercise to the next without pause.

Equipment Needed:
Pull-up bar

First, you need to warm up, 5 minutes.  I like to use the treadmill for this, but you could climb stairs or use any cardio equipment you have.

10 pull-ups
20 pushups
20 jump squats
3-5 minutes of intense cardio
Repeat 3 or more times

Cool down and stretch

This is a difficult workout (that's what makes it so effective).  Use your best judgement.  If something doesn't feel right, stop.  If you are a newbie, take it slower and take rest breaks as needed.  As always, consult your doctor if you are beginning an exercise program.

If you like it, post a comment and let me know.

Enjoy in good health,

Charity

How to Create a Home Gym

Making the decision to get fit is just the first step.  Next you have to make a plan.  Where are you going to preform your workouts?


Health club memberships are nice, but pricey.  If you have children you may have to pay extra for child care.  You also have to factor in the time spent bundling up kids and driving to and from the Gym.  On the other hand, you will have access to a variety of high quality equipment, trainers or fitness coaches and gym buddies.  You may also find it motivating to know that you have to pay regardless if you go, so you better get your moneys worth.


A less expensive alternative is creating a home gym.   One of the benefits of doing your workouts at home is convenience.  Everything you need is right there, it's open 24 Hours and any ratty old sweats and T will do.  I'm a little bit of a germ-a-phobe (and I have seen and smelled some pretty disgusting things at the gym) so another bonus to being at home is cleanliness.  Childcare is also optional.  Fitting in a workout during nap time can work.


 If you have some extra space that you can deliniate spacifically for your workout area, that is optimal, but not imperative.  You are going to want to have some equipment though to keep your workouts interesting and to challenge yourself.  It is nice to have a space for at least a treadmill or elliptical.  Some varieties of treadmills easily fold up.  That might be a good option if you are tight on space.  You can also utilize stairs if your house of apartment has them.  Check craigslist for used equipment if you want to get a good deal.  It's amazing how many people pay top dollar for equipment and never use it.  It is helpful if you can try out different kinds before purchasing to see what you like.


Treadmills vary in price and quality.  You may be able to get away with a less expensive model of you only plan to walk on it, but if you are a runner you are going to want something more solid.  You can also spend more for gadgets like heart rate monitors and programs etc.  Some of the brands I like are Precore--top of the line, Startrack and True--that's what I have.  I'm sure there are others.  You need to do your research and try some out to see how they feel.


Ellipticals also vary quite a bit.  You want a model that is comfortable and does not put pressure on your knees.  Your heals should stay on the pedals throughout the revolution, and your knees should stay in proper alignment (not bending past your toes or splaying out to the side).  The Precore is the only one that I know of that has an adjustable incline.  I have an Octane and it's awesome.


You will also want some dumbbells.  Three pairs is all you will need to start.  The least expensive weights are the plain metal ones.  You can find them at Walmart.  They sell for about a dollar per pound or less.  For newbes, a set of 5's, 8's and 10's is a good place to start.  You can always add on as you get stronger.


An exercise mat is helpful, but if you have carpet you might be able to get away with just a towel.


An exercise ball is a good investment.  They are inexpensive and versatile.  They can double as a weight bench and are a great way to add challenge to pushups and planks.  They make a great desk chair too.  Bonus!  They are sold in different sizes based on height.
under 4’10″ 16″ or 42cm
4’11″ – 5’4″ 21″ or 55cm
5’5″ – 5’11′ 25″ or 65cm
6′ and taller 29″ or 75cm

These few simple things can get you started on your path to fitness.  I will be adding some posts with some home workouts to get you started as well as some tips for staying motivated and making time for workouts.  

In Health,

Charity

Eat to Lose weight

                                 You need to eat if you want to lose weight. 

 In fact, cutting calories drastically will not only make you grumpy, but it may sabotage your weight loss efforts.  When your body does not get the calories it needs it may slow down your metabolism because it literally thinks it's starving.  The following are 11 of the best foods for weight loss as presented by realage.com.  Skip the trendy diet foods and enjoy real food that you and your family will love.

.

Yogurt

Mmmm. This creamy, tangy snack is loaded with calcium -- and studies show that calcium may curtail weight gain by hindering the absorption of fat in the small intestine. 

Eggs

Turn breakfast into a fat-burning morning boost by skipping the stack of pancakes and feasting on a couple of eggs instead. According to a study, huevos beat out carbs when it came to helping folks feel full longer and helping them beat back snack attacks later in the day. 

Pistachios

Nuts may be high in fat, but it's the healthful unsaturated kind of fat found in pistachios. And like all nuts, pistachios offer lots of hunger-curbing protein and fiber. All of these qualities together explain why adding pistachios to the diet helped dieters in a study curb their appetites and lose more weight. 

Grapefruit

Of all the foods rumored to boost weight loss, grapefruit is likely the most famous. And research confirms that this fruit's get-slim celebrity status is for real. One study in particular revealed that eating half a grapefruit before each meal helped dieters shed more pounds than people who skipped the tart appetizer. 

Avocado

This green goddess of heavenly, creamy taste can help you whittle your waist. It's true! Researchers suspect that the unsaturated fat in avocados may ratchet up body levels of the hunger-halting hormone called leptin -- a hormone that lets your brain know that you're full, so you stop eating. 

Mushrooms

If you want to try an easy and tasty calorie-cutting trick, then replace the meat in your favorite recipes with mushrooms. You'll automatically cut about 420 calories out of a meal, partly because you'll skip all the belly-padding saturated fat contained in meat. 

Olive Oil

This rich-tasting oil found in salad dressings and marinades contains a hunger-busting monounsaturated fat called oleic acid -- which triggers a complicated process in the gut that ultimately tells your brain you're full and makes you want to stop eating. 

Whole Grains

Ready to trade your belly bulge for a flat tummy? Then toss your refined grains into the garbage, and eat more whole grains instead. Research shows this one move can help whittle your middle. We're talking brown rice, quinoa, steel-cut oats, whole-grain cereal, and 100% whole-wheat bread and pasta. 

Red Pepper

Add some heat to your meals and you'll boost not only the taste but also the effectiveness of your weight loss diet. A dash of cayenne pepper or some diced jalapeno or red peppers will do the trick. They all contain capsaicin -- the heat-inducing compound in red peppers that, according to research, tamps down appetite and curbs food intake later in the day. 

Fava Beans

Creamy and hearty, fava beans are a lean protein source bursting with flavonoids. And in a 14-year study, these special antioxidants were shown to help hinder the accumulation of extra belly fat. 

Rice with Veggies

Adding some high-fiber vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and kale to your rice will obviously help lower the calorie count. But not only that. Adding veggies to rice at lunchtime appears to slow stomach emptying, according to research. The end result? You feel full longer. In fact, people in a study ate much less at dinner when they added veggies to their rice at lunch. 

Words! Words! Words!

There is this episode of the Biggest Loser where Bob, calm zen like Bob,  basically loses his mind and goes postal on one of the contestants.  He says something like Words! Words! Words!  Stop talking and just do it!  My version is lacking the original potty mouth cussing, but you get the idea.

I have a challenge for you.  Make 2012 a year with no regrets.  Take stock of the things in your life that need to change, and get to work.  Stop talking about what you could or should do and actually do it.

Find people who are going to support you in your change, and put some distance between you and the people who bring you down.

Make the decision.  Commit to it.  Take the steps to make it happen.

Tick Tock!  Life is passing.  What are you waiting for?

In Health,
Charity

Kale, It's actually food

I have been branching out, imposing new foods on my family and the latest is Kale.  I often wonder about some of the mysterious leafy greens at the supermarket located just beyond the romaine.  With their dark green color, you know they have to be chock-full of nutrition. (I wanted to add some nutritional info here, but there was so much that I decided to just give you a link. www.nutrition-and-you.com/kale.html)  So we gave Kale a try.  First, I used it in a Quinoa and red lentil stew and recently I made Kale Chips.  I have heard them described as tasting similar to potato chips, and while I didn't think that was likely, I decided to try it out.


The Verdict:  Not Bad!


My son thought they were delicious.


My daughter (who at 13 I can count on for an honest opinion) thought they were ok, but weird.


My Niece felt as if she had eaten seaweed.  I'm not sure that she has consumed seaweed, so it's an opinion.


My husband was not grossed out.


I thought they were pretty good.  Defiantly something I would not feel guilty about snacking on when I need something salty.  They are a little like potato chips in flavor, but you're not going to fool yourself into thinking you are eating chips.  One of the things that I really like is that kale has mild flavor.  Much milder than spinach.

The Recipe:

One Bunch of Kale removed from the stem and cut into pieces

One TB olive oil

One teaspoon salt (used sea salt, so I used a little less)

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.  I would recomend stiring them around a few times so the edges don't burn.  They are done when they are crispy.


Enjoy in good health!


Charity

New Years Resolutions--How to set goals that stick

January is the month of resolutions.  It's a great time to look back on the year and see where you are, and were you want to make changes.  Unfortunately getting a resolution to stick is not as easy as making one.


Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. A separate study in 2007 by Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol showed that 78% of those who set New Year resolutions fail. 


That seems a little daunting.  So lets look at some of the things you can do to make your Resolution last.  


1.  Set Goals.  Instead of saying, "I want to lose weight."  Set measurable goals such as losing 1lb per week or fitting into a certain outfit.


2.  Make a practical plan.  What specific steps are you going to take to reach this goal?  For example, I am going to exercise for one hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7am.


3.  Share your goals with others.  Research has shown that people who have support and accountability are more likely to be successful.


4.  Write it down.  Seeing your goals and plan in black and white makes them more concrete.  Posting reminders around can help keep you on track.


5.  Don't get discouraged if you slip up.  Rome wasn't built in a day, and it takes time to change thoughts and habits.  If you divert, don't beat yourself up, just get back on track.


6.  Remember why this goal is important.  Make it very personal.  If you want to get healthy write down reasons why.  Keep these visible, so in a moment of weakness you can remind yourself.


Have any other ideas?  I would love to hear them!  Feel free to post.


Have a happy, healthy New Year!