Tag: Weight Loss Journey

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Weight Loss Exercise

Where to Find Support For Your Weight Loss Efforts


Losing weight is not an easy thing to do, especially when you’re tackling it by yourself. With some support from people around you, you’ll be more likely to help yourself to get through the tough points, and you’ll have someone else to show you how far you’ve come.

Humans are naturally social and generally rely on each other for their wellbeing, whether it’s completing a task together or just giving emotional support to one another. This applies even more when you’re trying to lose weight. It’s not easy at the best of times, let alone when you’re trying to do it alone. So where are the best places to find support?

Friends And Family

Friends and family are the best people to get support from when you embark on your weight loss journey. After all, they’re the closest people to you and can understand you the best. You may also feel more comfortable sharing your weight loss experience with them.

Make sure you look for someone you trust and are close to when you ask for their support. This can be anyone, for example your best friend or a sibling. You can tell them about your goals and plans for your weight loss efforts so that they can keep you on track. You can also share your difficulties with them when you bump into a wall during your efforts.


If you are not content with just telling your family or friends about your weight goals, you can also get them to actively participate in your efforts. You can ask them to play some sports with you on the weekends, or join you when you go for a jog. Having an exercise buddy is always a good motivation!

Whatever you do, don’t ask someone who doesn’t believe in you and tells you that you can’t do it. Although some people are motivated by negativity, you’ll be far more likely to succeed if you have some positive encouragement from those you know and love.

Weight Loss Clubs

If you’re not very comfortable getting support from your friends and family, you can always join a weight loss club or fitness club. By joining a club like this, you can meet others with goals similar to yours. You can befriend many people who go through the same experiences you do, and all of you can encourage each other on your weight loss journeys. It can also be fun to share experiences and ideas on how to lose weight.

Besides getting support from club members, you can also get to know the gym instructors and ask them for guidance on effective weight loss.

The most important point is that you get health and motivation from somewhere. Numerous studies have shown that people are more likely to see success in their weight loss efforts when they track their progress and take advantage of the support of others.


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Weight Loss Exercise

How Fast Should You See Results When Trying To Lose Weight?


Losing weight is no walk in the park. You probably already know that it is a difficult process, one that requires willpower, patience, and determination. We all know that we need to weight, but we all want to see results yesterday! The main question people have when they first set out on a weight loss journey is ‘How long is this going to take?â? The answer to that is complicated, to say the least.

How Your Metabolism Plays a Part in Results

Your metabolism is the key determinant in how fast you see results when you try to lose weight. Some people have faster metabolisms than others; men generally have faster metabolisms than women. Similarly, younger people tend to have faster metabolisms than older people, and more muscular people have faster metabolisms than their less muscular counterparts.

Therefore, your individual metabolism is what decides how fast the weight slips off. This is also the reason why you should not compare how fast you lose weight to other people. They may have a faster or slower metabolism than yours, so what works for them may not work for you (yes, that super skinny friend of yours who swallows down meals in large quantities but never gains weight probably has a much faster metabolism than yours).

Is There Nothing You Can Do?

running-beachWell, don’t lose all hope if the pounds seem to be slipping off you at the rate of a snail trying to run 100 yards. There are several things you can do to keep your metabolism running much more efficiently (read: faster).

Firstly, it’s important to avoid diets that restrict your calories too much, as this will slow down your metabolism in the long run. Also, exercise regularly and incorporate strength training into your workouts so that you can increase muscle mass, which will rev up your metabolism as well. Keep your body guessing by constantly mixing up your workouts and mealtimes, so that your metabolic fire will be running at full speed all the time.

So, don’t worry about how fast you can see results. Just focus on your weight loss efforts and see to it that you are dieting and exercising effectively. If you do everything right, you should see some progress over time.

Note that it’s healthy to lose around one or two pounds a week on a proper weight loss program, though you may lose much more initially if you have a lot of weight to lose. Also, if you only have a little bit of weight to lose, it will be much harder to see results, but don’t give up. Keep at it and you’ll see the results you want sooner or later.


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Weight Loss Exercise

Interview on holiday eating


I found this great interview at EMax Health read and rearead this interview as you shop and start getting ready for the holidays. Don’t just go out and say “I’m not on Weight Watchers this week” as it is easy to have everthing in small quantities instead of feeling sick from eating to much of everything.

A QA with Head of Training for Weight Watchers, Palma Posillico, Provides Tips on Healthy Holiday Weight Management

Each year millions of people look forward to sitting down at the table with loved ones for a special holiday meal. Woven into the nostalgia of the holidays are those favorite dishes that evoke memories of childhood and family togetherness, but also bring along the guilt and weight of extra calories and excessive portions. Palma Posillico, head of training for Weight Watchers International, establishes the guidelines and curriculum that Weight Watchers meeting room Leaders use. Therefore, she is ultimately responsible for guiding millions of Weight Watchers members through those Leaders on their weight loss journey. In the QA below, Posillico offers suggestions on how to enjoy the holidays while maintaining a healthy weight.

How much weight does someone typically gain at the holidays?

Although it is commonly believed that the typical person gains about five pounds during the holidays, the good news is, this does not appear to be true. The most reliable study to-date suggests that the average weight gain in the period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s is just less than one pound, although those already overweight tend to gain more.

I will just lose whatever weight I gain by working extra hard in January. Besides, since I already have weight to lose, what difference will it make if I gain a few more pounds this season?

While the good news is you may not gain a great deal of weight this time of year, the bad news is that ANY weight gained is most likely cumulative and typically not lost and can make up more than 50% of all the weight you may gain over a year’s time. The amount of weight you have to lose can also have an effect on your motivation to do something about it, and it may give you a feeling of hopelessness. Avoiding those few additional “holiday” pounds could make the difference in someone feeling that reaching a healthy weight is achievable, rather than impossible.

Interview on holiday eating

I am currently on a weight loss plan. Should I continue to try to lose weight during the holidays?

“Know thyself.” Decide before Thanksgiving what you want to continue losing or to maintain your weight. There is no right answer. Then, create your Winning Outcome by writing it down ink it to believe it. Use this as an anchor to help maintain control during the holidays and keep focused on your longer-term goals.

What are the most common “trigger” foods at the holidays (cookies, pie, dinner rolls, etc.)?

Trigger foods are different for different people. Whether they are sweet snacks, savory/salty snacks, or comfort foods, trigger foods have “high-abuse potential” and can lead to overeating. As a first step toward more controlled eating during the holidays, increase your awareness of your personal trigger foods and try to avoid them.

Is it easier to “accidentally” stray away from healthier eating at the holidays than any other time of the year?

For many people it is, because the environment becomes “riskier.” Hors d’oeuvres, desserts and other tempting foods are omnipresent. There is increasing evidence that many people tend to overeat simply because “the food is there.” You need to manage your environment to the extent possible, or manage your response to it. “Recognize, Remove and Replace” sources of temptation and trigger foods with healthier alternatives.

My family loves to eat how do I deal with their ridiculing or pressuring me to have “just one more serving,” when I want to eat well?

Be assertive! Use the Three-Part “I” Message and fill in the blanks with your own message – “When you push extra servings on me, I feel upset because you know I am trying to lose weight.” Or, use “Straight Talk” – “I need you to respect my decision to watch my portions because it’s important to my health.”

There are always sweets in the office this time of year, and the holiday party is my weight loss downfall. Is there something I can do to keep from giving in to this?

Try “Mental Rehearsing” imagine an upcoming event that you know will be a challenge for you. Picture in your mind what you will do to successfully handle it. For example, envision the buffet line. Rehearse how you will fill your plate to manage your weight without feeling deprived 3/4 full of healthy choices, the other 1/4 of your “indulgence” items. Then picture yourself going to the dessert table, reviewing all the choices first, and then picking one serving of your favorite.

How do I deal with eating in the mall during the long days of shopping?

Steer toward foods that are less processed and more wholesome. Most food courts have evolved to offer healthier choices these days. Look for places that serve salads or vegetable/broth-based soups. Or, pack a light lunch and water bottle in a small backpack. Use the mall to work in a quick “power walk.”

Palma’s Power Tip:

Don’t turn a one-day holiday, like Thanksgiving, into a four-day event. One day’s worth of indulging is much less likely to sabotage your weight loss.


Interview on holiday eating