How to Lose Weight and Improve Your Fitness

All I want for Christmas Santa, is the ability to over-indulge and still lose weight!!

More chance of surviving Black Friday without being pepper sprayed!!

Seriously though, we will be looking at our lifestyle, more importantly our health and what we need to do about it.

Do I pop down to my local gym, with it's very nice surroundings, pool, steam room, sauna and over excitable staff!! Watching the latest fashion parade of sports and leisure wear, worn by the same faces I saw last January kick-starting their fitness campaigns.

Or do I do something different?

Well wanting to try something new, well not that new, but a different approach I suppose. I have embarked on a Running program. Nothing new there, I hear you say! This time I have a proper structure to my approach. No popping down to Sports Direct and buying all the right gear, Top of the range trainers, good quality training clothing and treat myself to a GPS gimmicky thing! Following a bit of research, I have discovered what sort of running gait I have, which in turn helped me choose the most appropriate running shoes. You Tube videos cover the subject very well, with some clear and informative clips.

Next, prepare properly to avoid injuries and losing motivation. Consult your GP, especially if you do not exercise on a regular basis. This will help set out realistic goals and not start off too quickly which will be of no benefit to you. Regular check ups with your GP will assist in determining how your body is coping with the new fitness regime before it is too late. Too much running too soon will cause injuries.

Start slowly, a brisk walk followed by a bit of gentle jogging and gradually increase the distance you start running at the end of each walk. This will ensure you have given your body time to warm up, before you start running.

The temptation to want to be doing our personal bests and seeing the weight drop off, is understandable, but also the quickest way of losing motivation. It will take time before we see the fruits of our labour! Anyway it is 4 years before the next Olympics!!

So we have started nice and slowly, the Doc as given their seal of approval. Our feet are being caressed by the latest technology and we cut a dashing figure in our replica Team GB running kit, well it was on special offer!

Where to go running? With a little bit of research, I located a prepared track not too far away, so this helped with a good place to give me a guide on how well I was doing. However, variety is the spice of life, so I had already walked a couple of routes with my trusty Mutts, who to be brutally honest, were starting to fill out a bit in their old age!! My back up plan in the case of bad weather, or in order to treat myself to a soak in the Jacuzzi, the treadmill. Having a variety of surfaces to run on, gives my old knees a break from a constant hard surface, plus a change in surroundings.

On the subject of bad weather, a few top tips on clothing:

Hot - Cap, Sun-Cream and plenty of water.

Cold - Cap, Layers of clothing as opposed to thick clothing and thin insulated gloves.

Wet - Waterproof jacket, decent grip on your trainers and consider high viz markings if running on the road.

Keeping a record of your running program, is well worth it. I use a very easy to use App on my iPhone. It also as a built in GPS, which maps out the distance, time and gradient. So no need for that GPS gimmicky thing, good job I kept the receipt! Recording your runs helps mark your improvements and keep you motivated. I also record the weather conditions. Having a look over past runs, at distances you first thought impossible, which you are now doing without thinking about, gives your motivation a healthy kick.

Watching my weight gradually drop off during my new approach to running, was at first very frustrating. It seemed to take ages before I noticed any improvement, although my running was getting better! So I stopped the weekly weigh in and just concentrated on my running. I also found myself eating better without making too much of an effort. I suppose it was me just not wanting to spoil the effort I was putting in.

If you do start to lose motivation, a couple of things to consider:

- Run with a friend or training buddy
- Local running club
- Run with your dog (if you have one)
- Review your goals, ensure they are achievable

If you take anything away from this article, please chat with your GP first before embarking on your Olympic dream!!

Useful resource for your fitness program: Healthy Running Guide

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The Common Weight Loss Myths Revealed

ByPatrick J Fitz-Gibbon

Weight loss is a subject that we all have encountered at some point in our lives and whilst there is a lot of very helpful information on the subject there are also many myths that unfortunately are widely believed. This will not only lead to possible failure when trying to follow a weight loss plan, but ultimately they can also be very dangerous.

We have compiled some of the most common weight loss myths and the actual facts, so you can avoid them.

Myth: Fad diets are ideal for permanent weight loss

Fact: The problem with these types of diets is that whilst they help you to lose weight initially, generally they are not suitable for long term weight loss. They often require that you cut certain foods from your diet and or require that you limit your calorie intake, quite severely. This will lead to individuals tiring of them quickly and they will regain the weight that was lost.

They can also be regarded as an unhealthy way to lose weight. When you restrict or eliminate certain food groups from your diet, you can easily become deficient in essential vitamins and minerals that your body requires to function correctly.

Myth: Eating late at night will cause you to get fat

Fact: It does not matter what time of the day you eat. It is how and what you eat that really matters, and also the amount and level of exercise you do. It doesn't matter when you eat, if you are taking in more calories than you are burning then you will gain weight, be it day or night.

Myth: Eating celery and grapefruit will burn fat

Fact: Unfortunately no foods can burn fat, whilst some maybe significantly low in calories the truth is that eating them will not help you burn off excess fat. Although some foods that contain caffeine will help speed up your metabolism for a very brief period they do not in fact cause weight loss.

Myth: Herbal products used for weight loss are safe

Fact: A product that claims it is "natural" cannot automatically be considered safe to use. Generally the products are not tested significantly enough to prove they are safe or effective. There have been recent herbal products that have been banned in the US as they have been known to cause certain health problems and in extreme cases even death has occurred. Just be wary that although a product is herbal, this doesn't translate to being safe or effective.

Myth: Low-fat or fat-free meals are perfect for weight loss

Fact: Just because a product claims to be fat free, this is not necessarily a good food for weight loss. In many cases, fat free foods are filled with sugar and therefore although they may be lower in fat or contain zero fat they can often have high calorie content. The same works for low calorie foods, they often have high fat content. Generally when a manufacturer produces these foods, they often have to substitute the sugar or the fat with other products and often these products are artificial, and artificial food items are not good for weight loss.

Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight

Fact: This is one of the most common myths surrounding weight loss and although it seems that missing a meal will mean your intake of calories will be lower, studies have proven that those that eat regularly will in actual fact have lower weight than those that skip meals. This could be because when you skip a meal you will feel hungrier later on in the day and you will therefore eat more. By eating regular but small amounts throughout the day will control your appetite.

Myth: Using weights whilst exercising will make you bigger

Fact: Only intense strength training can build large muscles. For those who just want to lose weight, lifting weights is a great way to help you lose and maintain weight. It is widely known that muscle burns far more calories than body fat; therefore by carrying out strengthening exercises a few times a week will in fact help you to lose weight.

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The Scary Truth About Fad Diets

Fad diets are everywhere these days. They come and go on a weekly basis. Often times, a celebrity's name will be attached to the program in order to attract consumers. The meal plans entail unique eating patterns designed for quick and short-term weight loss. On a general basis, fad diets do nothing to slim down your body for a long period of time. Meanwhile, there are some freighting facts about fad diets to quickly lose belly fat.

The first big scare attached to a fad diet is that it probably has no scientific data to support its weight loss claims. Just because a theory to quickly get rid of belly fat sounds promising, you have no way of knowing that it is entirely safe for your body. At the same time, the directions of the diets are often extremely hard to follow, especially when you are out of the house. If you are like most people, you spend more time eating at work or on the road than in your own kitchen. Also, studies have shown that men and women usually do not stick to fad diets for more than a couple of weeks. After all, you often have to alter your entire lifestyles to see any fast results, and keep off any of the weight that you lose. Some folks just aren't ready to begin such strict diets, robbing their bodies of important carbohydrates and protein.

While waiting in line at the grocery store, you may notice a movie star in the paper. She has even been on several talk shows to discuss her weight loss routines. Hey, whatever works to keep her in the headlines, right? You can also read all about the movie star who famously lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks with the Lemonade Diet, also known as the Master Cleanse Diet. The woman ate no food for ten days. Instead, the pop star lived off of a drink mix containing lemons, maple syrup and cayenne. You can also discover that a super model has an affordable weight loss program that claims to possess great long-term effects. However, dieters have to buy a number of their specific products, as well as attend impractical meetings. You also have to keep track of every calorie to go in your mouth. No thanks.

While losing any weight can be good for your body, too many of these fad diets come with health risks. After all, many folks go undernourished by restricting how many calories they eat. They have no energy, and their bodies grow weak. Meanwhile, memory and concentration skills go out the window. Not getting the right amount of calories can lead to horrible illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes. Too many of these fad diets forget to replace certain vitamins and minerals that are sacrificed in forbidden foods. As a direct result, your metabolism can get all messed up, and who know how chubby you will grow in a year's time? Besides, all you need to do is eat smart and take good care of your body to lose weight and look fabulous.

My wife recently saw an advertisement for one of the latest fad diets on the market. The ad claimed to help her drop 40 pounds in a month's time. I knew it couldn't be true, or at least it wouldn't be safe. So I asked our family doctor how to lose weight fast with a reliable and safe diet. He claimed that eating wisely, exercising, and if medically necessary, the use of hormone treatments are the best ways to experience fast weight loss. Thanks Doc!

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