First of all, if you notice that you start to gain weight year after year, even if it’s only about a few pounds a year, and even if you’re not overweight yet, you need to start worrying. The earlier you notice this trend, the better. If you pass beyond a certain point, it will become impossible for you to reverse the trend without the help of weight loss surgery. This is why it’s important to stay alert and measure your weight, not every day, not even every month, but at least three times a year.

Are there any diets that work in this stage?

If you catch the trend in its early days, you don’t need to start starving yourself, but rather to discipline yourself in eating smaller portions and several regular meals per day. A diet food delivery service like Nutrisystem can do wonders for you if you follow it for one or two months. It’s not more expensive than normal food and besides, it saves you from cooking, because their foods are very easy to prepare. There’s no catch here, because the meals come already portioned, you’ll learn what it means to eat healthy amounts of food and your body will also get used to receive nutrients at a pace that’s different from your actual one.

So, I’d say that you shouldn’t try any drastic diet, but just a wiser portioning of your meals. If you want, if you have time and if you can afford it, you should probably pay a visit to a nutritionist. Make sure to gather some recommendations, as you never know how good a doctor is until you have the proof.

Does healthy weight loss exclude diets be them working or not?

Basically, healthy weight loss excludes everything that’s forced and drastic such as the reduction of your calories intake to a minimum that can barely keep you alive and functioning, or like the Atkins diet which may induce a severe dis-balance on your metabolism, or like the grapefruit diet which is suspected to give some naughty interactions with a series of drugs.

As a conclusion, I’d say that everybody should learn how to eat in order to avoid the need to diet. That works for so many people that it should be taught in schools.

Do you know why I can’t lose weight? I’ve got a big problem with cravings: I simply can’t eat diet foods when my family is eating all those good, delicious meals I like so much. Besides, I cook for them, so the temptation gets even bigger. Unfortunately, the other members of my family are thin, so I really can’t put them all on a diet only because I need to lose 40 pounds. So, my problem with diets is their lack of variety in the first place. Second of all, I can’t control my hunger. If I don’t eat enough, I feel dizzy and I can’t function properly. If I go to bed on an empty stomach, I find it impossible to fall asleep, so I need to get out of bed and grab something from the fridge. Under these circumstances, there’s no wonder I’m overweight. An independent study done by National Business Research Institute in October 2008 has shown that you can’t lose weight if you’re hungry all the time. One needs to feel full in order to allow the brain to focus on something else than eating. That study was about the Nutrisystem program, and it proved that 80% of the subjects were never hungry while following this weight loss program. I suppose that’s because of it’s high flexibility: what other weight loss plan allows you to eat pizza or desserts? Or to take a snack between the main meals? These are the main advantages of Nutisystem, as I see them:

1. Variety: my brain gets bored if I feed myself with the same foods repeatedly. I need variation, I need creativity in all my life, meals included. That’s why fad diets are a big no-no for me: who can eat cabbage soup for a month and not die of boredom in the 31st day? A typical Nutrisystem day could include a chocolate chip scone for breakfast, a vegetable beef soup at lunch, macaroni and cheese at dinner,  pretzels for dessert and light yogurt with fresh blueberries as snacks.
2. Hunger control: I’ve got this dizziness problem that prevents me from respecting any strict diet that supposes an individual could eat only three meals a day. I remember a book by Carlos Castaneda, in which Don Juan Matus, his Indian mentor explained Carlos that the best way to stay fit is to eat very small portions many times a day, rather than bigger quantities two-three times a day. I can’t agree more with him, I’ve always felt like having at least 5-6 meals a day.
3. Convenience: I’m busy, so I can’t afford spending half day in the kitchen, preparing complicated diet recipes. That’s probably one of the reasons of my actual weight: too much fast food, too often. Nutrisystem allows online ordering, so I can save time on shopping and the best of all is that I can choose those fresh-frozen meals which take only a few minutes to prepare. I don’t need to count, I don’t need to measure and I don’t have to measure anything, so preparing meals is as quick as possible. Eat great tasting food without counting carbs or points at NutriSystem.
4. Flexibility. Nutritionists say that weight loss plans need to be adjusted according to the age and the health status of the overweight person. For instance, mens weight loss diets should be totally different than womens diets. It’s normal for a man to eat different foods than a women does, and that’s a plus of the Nutrisystem program: it makes the difference between individuals.

However, I think that one can lose weight even without Nutrisystem, because let’s be honest, it’s only a program that delivers you portioned foods, in order to teach you how much to eat and how to combine foods in order to enjoy a fit silhouette. Besides, one can’t really eat from a box for the entire life, so this diet has to come to an end after you learn the basics of healthy eating habits.

So, I think the most efficient way to handle this is to take the package which allows you to get two weeks of free food with NutriSystem, then see if there’s really a need to purchase it further, or it’s an acquired lesson which you can follow when you cook by yourself. You can find the special offer here: New! Free Bonus! JUMPSTART KIT featuring: NEW FlavorFulls fiber drinks, personal weight loss coaching, Quick Tips, and 24/7 hotline!

This is partially wrong: losing weight doesn’t necessarily translate in looking better. Besides, most diets and weight loss programs lead to the yo-yo effect when people return to their previous lifestyle. When you repeatedly have variations in your body weight, you’ll end up by losing muscular mass in the favor of fat deposits. This is why the more you diet, the fatter you’ll look because the body fat percentage will only get higher with each and every attempt. When the body is deprived of proteins, it will send alarm signals to your brain, and the brain would respond by ordering your body to consume its own proteins which are in the muscular mass. This is not a wise choice, because we don’t want to get rid of our muscles, we just want to burn the fats when we think of weight loss. One exception are those programs like Nutrisystem which consist of normal foods portioned in a way that helps you learn how much to eat for a total weight control.

There’s another way to look your best: reduce body fat instead of decreasing your protein or calories intake. Body builders seem to know the secret: if you look at them, you’ll see they are all muscles, but no fat and that’s making them look great despite the fact that they might weigh the same number of pounds. Building muscle can be as simple and efficient as possible, if you have the luck of finding a body building program that works.

What’s the main idea here? Why should you go for muscle building programs when all you want is burn some fat and get thinner? Well, after you’ll learn the first principle associated with fat burning, you won’t need to know anything more: that would be enough for you to be your own nutritionist and sculpt yourself a harmonious body. It’s as simple as knowing how to reduce body fat.

Zotrim contains plant extracts like Guarana, Yerba Mate and Damiana, so we can say it’s close to the natural remedies like teas or fruits. It’s a herbal food supplement. The idea is that when you take the pills, they cut your appetite, so you eat less. In the same time, they intensify the fats burning, so we could say Zotrim has a double effect, therefore a better efficiency when it comes to losing weight.

I’ve found one of the scientific studies for Zotrim, and specialists there claim and prove that Zotrim helps to reduce energy intake by delaying gastric emptying or by stimulating an early feeling of fullness. This is great, because most of the times, we tend to eat more than we need, because the fullness sensation appears when we’re already too full. Why I’m a bit skeptical on this study? Because it included persons with the BMI between 22 and 24.9, which falls within the range of normal.

Zotrim’s Consultant Dietitian, Jane Griffin says its no surprise men and women dislike their “jelly belly” above any other body bulge:

“When we gain weight our belly is often the first place that we notice it. It looks unsightly and is unhealthy too. We should keep our bodies healthy and partners happy by controlling our eating habits with a weight loss aid such as Zotrim – a natural way to keep you feeling full for longer.”

I can resonate to that, I simply hate my love handles and my jelly belly above all other aspects I’d like to improve in the way I look.

Dietitian Jane Griffin adds to her above words:

“I recently advised a group of ladies who had tried most things but failed to lose weight. They took Zotrim and I am amazed by the results – after just a few weeks most dropped at least a dress size.”

You know what? I might try Zotrim, because I want my last year’s dresses to fit again.

While it is true that most of the Wonderslim products taste good, some of them are rather strange, so I prefer not to include them in my diet. I’m talking here about the protein bars, as I can’t stand this type of products, so my review may sound a bit negative when it comes to such foods. However, the salad dressings, the diet cheesecake and the hot beverages such as the hot chocolate, are truly a great discovery. I must confess I’m a big fan of them, so I tend to exaggerate sometimes.

The Wonderslim products are grouped in starter kits planned for one week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. After I talked to my physician and got her approval for trying the Wonderslim products, I’ve ordered the smaller 1 Week WonderSlim Weight Loss Kit. After that, I decided I want my further kits customized, so I included only those diet foods that I liked most, leaving aside those protein bars and smoothies which were not appealing at all to my food taste.

Since I’m happy with my weight loss pace, I’ve decided to stick with the Wonderslim products for a while longer, so I opted for the 12 week kit, which saves me a lot of money. This is what I’ve got:

12 Week WonderSlim Weight Loss Kit – $597.00
Retail Price: 1300.20
You Save: $703.20

At less than $600 for almost three months, I’m spending about $6.6 per diet day, plus some grocery money, because I feel the need to eat one real meal a day, consisting of salads, fruits or lean meat, plus a little bit of chocolate. I know I shouldn’t be eating chocolate, but I have to spoil my senses at least a bit, for not losing this weight loss motivation. It’s a good choice and I’m feeling energetic and optimistic. I hope my pounds won’t come back on my hips and belly after I finish with the Wonderslim diet products. I’ll keep you posted after the 90 days are over.

This is what I’ve accomplished in week 1 of this weight loss challenge:

• Initial weight: 143 pounds
• Weight after one week: 140 pounds

Weight loss in seven days: 3 pounds

I feel good about this start, so I’m going to keep the exercise going on at the same pace for the second week. If the weight loss will maintain this rate, I’ll be getting rid of the 20 pounds weight that bothers me so much in about seven weeks, which is less than two months, thus reasonable. I’ll be just ready for the summer vacation, and I’ll probably have to buy myself a new bathing suit, as the old one will have been too big for my size by then. Can’t wait to see that wonder happening!

What percentage of your body weight is represented by those 50 pounds you want to lose?

If today your weight is 500 pounds, then you’ll need to get rid of 10% of that weight. If you weigh 250 pounds, your goal of losing 50 pounds translates into getting rid of 20% of your body weight. The same, if you weigh only 160 pounds, this percentage goes up to 31%. It is important that your weight loss goal is achievable and realistic. This is why a preliminary discussion with a nutritionist could be of help for your intention. If you set up a goal which is impossible to attain, sooner or later you’ll get frustrated and you may end up even fatter than before. Health is nothing we can play with and get away without punishment, so beware what you’re doing to your body.

How fast do you want to lose 50 pounds?

Time is essential in any weight loss program. If you lose weight too fast, your body may find itself in the impossibility to adapt to the rapid changes, and it may get ill. Your skin is in danger, too. When we get fat, the skin, being very elastic, extends, increases its surface, in order to accommodate our bigger and bigger body. This extension doesn’t happen over night. After all, none of us goes to sleep thin and wakes up fat. We need years of hard eating before achieving that.
Do you know what happens if our body volume decreases quickly? The skin can’t shrink as fast, therefore it will hang, it will get wrinkled and folded, and we are going to look more like our friends, the elephants. I very much doubt any human can have that as a beauty objective.
So, think of your weight loss goal as being a long term one, not a quick run. Losing so many pounds is rather an endurance trial, therefore patience needs to be part of your game.

Any goal can be broken in smaller steps. Weight loss is just another goal

If you work in a big company, chances are that you have attended those productivity trainings, team buildings and other type of courses aimed at your personal development. You probably remember the rule that every goal can be split into many smaller goals, therefore becoming easier to achieve. Weight loss goals make no difference. Break your 50 pounds losing goal into 3-5 smaller objectives. For example, you could decide that you want to lose 10 pounds every two weeks, therefore at the end of 10 weeks, you’ll be 50 pounds lighter. Or you could decide that the first step is to lose 30 pounds, then to lose other 20 pounds. After the first step is completed, the second one will seem much easier for you.

When you came to this website, you were probably hoping to find a quick fix to your 50 pounds weight loss problem. I’m sorry to tell you that there is no quick fix on that, except from the weight loss surgery. It is perfectly possible, I know people who managed that, but I also know the dangers for your health if you do this in an improper manner. Take it easy, speak to your weight loss specialist and decide together what’s the best for your particular case. Humans are unique, and so should be our diets and treatments. This is what more and more doctors are starting to understand and to apply in their day to day practice. Discuss with your doctor and set up an attack plan for your wish to lose 50 pounds to come true. You can do it!

Lose 20 pounds out of how many?

I’m currently at 143 pounds, at a height of 5.4 feet, at the age of 41. I wish to lose 20 pounds. We are going to see how much time is needed for that, if I ever manage to reach my slimming goal.

I’m not following any diet, I eat whatever I want, I don’t move too much. None of my habits will change during this weight loss trial. I’ll only add the following elliptical bike routine in my daily schedule, for 5 days a week.

Elliptical Bike Weight Loss Routine

For the first week, I’ll do three rounds of 10 minutes each. I’ll try to keep an alert pace, so I can feel the pulse and the heart bit rate going up, without getting exhausted. I’ll also make notes on how many calories I’ve burnt and what distance I’ve run each day. All these will be put into a table and published here every Monday, together with my weight and how much weight I lost over the past week. I’ll always weight myself on Monday morning, on the same bathroom scale.

If I’m happy with the progress, I’ll stick to this schedule for three more weeks. If it’s too slow, I’ll try a progressive increase in effort. Maybe I’m going to discover a convenient weight loss program that works. Moreover, I might consider combining this effort with a home delivery diet meals plan, because I suspect I’m not eating what I should and that’s why my weight is getting out of control.

My honest answer is that I don’t know. Losing such and such weight depends mostly on one’s determination and not solely on the gym equipment used. You can lose 20 pounds on the treadmill as well as on the elliptical bike, if you follow a consistent program of fitness routines. It is preferably to set the exercises together with a personal gym trainer, but if you can’t afford that, you can try to make your own fitness schedule that works.

This is how you could proceed: for about one or two weeks, try to allocate daily time for your fitness training. Usually, treadmills come with that personal computer which monitors several important parameters such as your heart rate, the number of calories burnt in a workout session, the distance you’ve run, according to the difficulty level your machine is set up to function.

In your program, let’s assume you want to start with ten minutes of running, on the easiest level of the treadmill. Do this for two-three days, then increase either the time or the difficulty of the exercise. After two more days, increase again. After two weeks, weigh yourself and write down your result. If it is not satisfactory, then you are doing something wrong. Adjust your exercise: increase the treadmill speed and observe your body functions while you exercise: you should feel your heart rate increasing, your heart pumping more blood and faster through your blood vessels, and when you’re done, you need to feel your muscles a bit sore. Make sure not to exhaust yourself, because in that case the exercise will have negative effects instead of helping you get rid of your 10 or 20 pounds.

After two more weeks of cardio exercise, weigh yourself again. This time you should notice improvements. If not, you should probably seek for personal fitness training advice, in order to be able to execute the routines correctly and start burning fat and not only accumulate muscles under the fat layer. My advice would be to buy a gym subscription for one-two months, get yourself a fitness trainer and discuss with him what you did and what your results were. He would probably be able to spot your mistakes and correct them, so you can go back to your home gym and exercise daily for good weight loss results.

What do you think: is losing weight the best New Year’s resolution in 2009 for you, too?