Best Summer Workouts Outside of the Gym!

More often than not, I wish I could lose weight without having to go to the gym, and though there's no magical way to do it, there are several activities that can easily act as effective summer workouts, and as you are mostly having fun while doing these, you don't even realize that its a workout! Whether you need to stretch those tired muscles, increase flexibility, or burn calories and seriously lose some weight, there are tonnes of summer workouts to choose from. And with the added benefit of doing these in fresh air, enjoying the summer heat, the trees and the mountains, and the sheer joy of being one with nature, you are more likely to attain better results than burning calories running on your treadmill at the gym!

Jogging/Running
Jogging is an excellent exercise for losing weight, because it consumes calories at a rapid rate. Combined with eating less, this guarantees an efficient weight loss. Plus, there's no special skill required; just get into your running shoes and choose a nice jogging-path along a trail or in a park and you won't even fell like you are exercising! Listening to an iPod would work too, but I find it better to observe birds and trees as I run, especially during my lapse around the lake. Running improves co-ordination between your muscles, and makes your leg-muscles wotk well. It also helps increase hear-rate, exercising the heart and the lungs at the same time. Those who run regularly are less likely to experience bone and muscle loss as they age, and it also helps lower your blood-pressure, as well as maintain elasticity of your arteries. But if you have aches and joint-pains, like knee-problems or weak ankles, make sure to consult a doctor before you start running, so as to prevent injuries. Also, invest in comfortable running shoes, and make sure to choose a proper running track and avoid bumpy, un-even ground to prevent physical damage.

Biking/Cycling
Cycling (img credit) is a great fun summer activity that is especially enjoyable when done with kids. Biking is one of the most effective exercises to shed off those extra calories and exercise your legs, abs, thighs and butt. Even a small amount of cycling would be good enough to boost your metabolism level, thereby helping your weight loss program. It helps to improve the overall balance and coordination, minimizes the risk of coronary heart disease and helps in preventing health problems like strokes, diabetes and cancer. It also keeps your blood pressure under control, as well as build stamina and endurance. If you choose a bike path with elevation, you can be sure to burn some serious calories, and have muscular, well-toned legs! but in the least, its a great way to exercise without a lot of stress, especially if you choose to keep it light.

Rowing/Kayaking
Rowing is a great aerobic exercise for total body workout, as it involves use of many muscles of the arms, legs, abdomen, and torso. Also, it has minimal stress effects on back and body, as opposed to running or cycling. Those who love water sports should definitely try to go rowing or kayaking in a nice lake or a bay. Of course, the more adventurous people seeking a real workout can go into the sea and try rowing against the waves, which will burn a large number of calories in a short amount of time. While Rowing, lean back from your hips while pushing back with your legs and torso. Bend your arms as you pull on the oars until your elbows pass behind your chest and the handles are an inch from your stomach, keeping your back straight the entire time. Kayaking is one of my favorite activities, especially during summer, as most of the camp-sites have lakes or inland bays that offer a great view and a great workout!


Hiking/Trekking
Taking short and scenic hikes in summer may be the best way to enjoy nature and increase fitness at the same time. Research has shown that Hiking or Trekking can stem heart disease, decrease hypertension by dilating blood vessels, decrease cholesterol levels while increasing HDL (the good cholesterol), decrease weight by burning calories, and prevent ageing of the immune system. Hiking also alleviates osteoporosis by improving bone density; If that's not enough reasons to hike, walking at a comfortable pace while taking in fresh air improves and maintains mental health by producing calming brain chemicals called endorphins, which basically act as mild tranquilizers. but more than that, you'll achieve a sense of satisfaction when you hike up to a mountain peak and look down below to see how much you came up, that is, after you've explored the breath-taking views from a mountain-top!

Outdoor Sports
Tennis and Volleyball are the two perfect outdoor sports for summer. Playing Tennis for an hour thrice a week can do wonders to your body, both physically and mentally. It builds flexibility, muscle co-ordination, agility, stamina and acts as a great aerobic and anaerobic activity. Studies have shown that competitive tennis burns more calories than aerobics, inline skating, jogging or cycling. Volleyball works great too, and is definitely more fun; even if you may not burn as many calories as with Tennis, its easier to hook up a net on the beach of in a shaded park and get some physical exercise alongwith loads of fun. Golf is another sports which can act as a nice workout, provided you don't use a golf cart throughout your 18 holes! It also makes the mind more alert and improves eye-sight and judgement.

Swimming/Water Aerobics
Swimming uses almost all of your major muscle groups, and it places a vigorous demand on your heart and lungs. The major advantage of swimming is that its an overall body exercise, and it boosts your metabolism. When your metabolic rate goes up, you burn more calories. And more calories burned means faster weight loss. Swimming is not as effective for weight-loss as running or cycling, because when you are in the pool you don't heat up and sweat as much as you do on land, and your body does not have to work hard to cool you down as much once the exercise session concludes. Also, you feel more hungry after a swim-session than after a gym-session, so you might tend to eat more. So the post-workout effect of swimming is lesser than that of other activities. neverthless, Swimming helps builds endurance, muscle strength and cardio-vascular fitness, without being harsh on your joints; lots of people have found swimming to be a form of meditation too when you just let your body relax and swim with a very low effort.

Its imperative to be conscious about keeping yourself fit, and though nothing can replace a complete workout at the gym, summer is a time when you can choose certain activities that other seasons do not offer, so make the best use of it! Choose physical activities that you enjoy and that are readily accessible. Remember, any kind of exercise gives maximum results when you enjoy doing it. Choosing to spend a few days outside rather than in your gym can be good for your mind, body and spirit, and you'll feel more refreshed and energised. I've done this myself, so I can vouch for it; now its your turn to try and see for yourself!

So whether you yearn to lose weight or just be fit, try the above summer workouts to augment your fitness routine at the gym, and experience the difference!

Related Articles:
What to Eat Before & After a Workout
How to Count Calories for Healthy Weight-Loss
10 Tips to Eat Right & Stay Fit

What to Eat Before & After a Workout

We all know the importance of exercise, but I've often faced the question about What to eat before and after a workout, and how much time should I give after a meal before I hit the gym? Is this important? Yes, indeed, as this can very well be responsible for how effective your workout is! Diet and Exercise go hand-in-hand, and while you may know that you should space your meals 5 times a day, its imperative to know how much and what to eat before hitting the gym so that you can reap the maximum benefits from your workout. Exercising on a full stomach will make you sluggish, while not eating will not give you enough strength to complete your workout. Same goes for after the workout. So what food should you actually choose as your pre-workout and post-workout meal?

The foods you eat before you exercise and the timing of your meals or snacks really matters a lot. If you eat a large meal just before you exercise, you may experience nausea, feel sluggish or end up with muscle cramps. This happens because your body needs energy to digest the foods you eat so blood flow increases to your digestive system, leaving less energy-providing blood for muscles. Exercising on an empty stomach isn't good either. Skipping meals before exercising can cause low blood sugar, which can make you to feel weak and light-headed. You also need some energy in the form of the right types of food to properly fuel your work out. Eating a light meal before exercise may actually increase your fat-burning potential.

Eating Before Exercise
If you eat a large, protein, fiber and fat filled meal, wait about four hours to exercise.If you eat a light meal, you only have to wait about two hours to work out. Your body prefers to use carbohydrates as fuel, so your pre-workout meal should include plenty of carbohydrates from bread, pasta, fruits and vegetables and energy bars. You can even choose low-fat yogurt or some granola or cereal if you have at least 3 hours before your session. You don't need to avoid protein and fat, however they are not recommended if you will be exercising in an hour or two. If your timing is off and you feel hungry when it is time to exercise, pick a small snack like a piece of fruit, a sports beverage or some natural fruit juice. I prefer to drink a glass of V8 fruit or tomato juice an hour before I'm ready to go to the gym. Meats, doughnuts, fries, potato chips, cookies and candy bars should definitely be avoided in a pre-exercise meal. Also avoid high-fiber foods like beans and lentils, bran cereals and fruit, as they can cause gas or cramping.

If you prefer morning workouts, it's best to get up early enough to eat your pre-exercise meal. If not, you should try to eat or drink something easily digestible about 20 to 30 minutes before the event, or opt for a liquid meal as its much easier to digest. If you work out in the evenings, choose a time before dinner, so you have at least 2-3 hours after the workout to eat your dinner. If possible, keep your dinners light and choose a heavier lunch.

Eating After Exercise
Eating after exercise is important as well to restore glycogen. Your muscles need the raw materials to recuperate after your work out. The first nutritional priority after exercise is to replace any fluid lost during exercise, so replenish yourself with water or juice as soon as you are done. The post-work out meal should contain some protein, some complex carbohydrates and some healthy fats too. Research has shown that eating 100-200 grams of carbohydrate within two hours of endurance exercise is essential to building adequate glycogen stores for continued training. However, combining protein with carbohydrate in the two hours after exercise nearly doubles the insulin response, which results in more stored glycogen. Proteins also provide the amino acids necessary to rebuild muscle tissue that is damaged during intense, prolonged exercise (or strength-training), and can increase the absorption of water from the intestines and improve muscle hydration.

The optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio for this effect is 4:1 (four grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein). Eating more protein than that has a negative impact bas it slows rehydration and glycogen replenishment. A light meal or snack within 2 hours after exercise is perfect. A Balance bar or a lean turkey sandwich on whole grain bread would make a nice after-workout snack. YOu can also choose an egg, or a simple salad or fruit drink. Remember to be within your calorie count for the day though, and choose something light, especially if you are still going to have dinner later.

Do Not Forget the Water
Hydration is as important for your health as food, and when you exercise, your body undergoes a depletion of water when you sweat. Drink a glass of water an hour or so before your workout and again after your workout. You can also sip water throughout your workout if you'd like, which keeps you hydrated, and also helps burn more calories.

Choose What's Best for You
Generally, the average woman needs 200 calories of food and 20 ounces of water 1 hour prior to her workout. Men with higher calorie needs may need 300 calories and 30ounces of water. However, every body has a different need, and though generalisations give you an idea, you are the only one who knows your body. Some people, like my husband, can never exercise on an empty stomach, but I have a friend who feels like she'll throw up if she eats anything before a workout! So its best to consult a registered dietitian who can chart out a meal plan based on your individual needs. Try different options and see what works best for you. Be careful not to eat too much or too little at one time, and remember to space out your meals during the day. Also, if you have special conditions like diabetes or low or high blood pressure, you should not follow any advice without consulting a physician.

There is no joy compared to seeing yourself burn more fat and lose a few inches! I'm sure everyone works hard enough to achieve their fitness goals, and with just a little more care in choosing what you eat can help a lot in conquering your goals. So use the suggestions above as guidelines to decide on what to eat before and after exercise, and find out what works out best for you.

Note: The author is not a licensed nutritionist or trainer. Please restrict use of this article as a guideline only, and consult a physician for individual needs.

Related Articles:
Counting Calories for Healthy Weight Loss
Combine Cardio and Strength-Training in your Workout
10 Simple Eating Habits for Weight Management

How To Break a Weight Loss Plateau

No matter how efficient your diet & workout plan, you are bound to face a weight-loss plateau at one point or another. But this does not mean your weight-loss trend has ended, it just means that you need to revise your tactics and fitness routine to overcome the plateau and march ahead! Plateaus are common to anybody who's been on the same diet and exercise plan for a while, which is the reason why you don't see the same results you saw at the beginning. But its not as scary or difficult to break a weight-loss plateau. I've done it myself, and I hope my ideas help you achieve similar results too!

If you've been eating right and exercising often, you've probably been losing weight at a rate of one or two pounds a week. However, as you get closer to your optimum weight, it usually gets harder to lose those last few pounds. You know you've hit a weight-loss plateau when more than two weeks have gone by without any further change in your weight, while you still follow the same regimen! So the first thing you do is review your exercise and diet program, find out what's wrong and make amendments. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started!

Calorie Intake & Diet Plan
As you probably know by now, weight loss is all about burning more calories than you consume. A healthy diet plan is the key, so take a quick look at your food diary, or calorie intake.

Are you still keeping track of your portion sizes, even when you are dining out?
Are you spacing your meals 5 times a day, dividing daily calories between them?
have you recently sneaked in a few desserts or carbs thinking a piece won't hurt much?
Did you switch to sodas instead of smoothies and juices?
Are you drinking enough water?

It's easy to increase your calorie intake accidentally, without realizing how its hurting your diet plan. Remember, a baked potato is not the same as a baked potato with gravy and butter! So evaluate your calorie consumption; maintain a diet hhournal if you like; if you are well above the 1200(for women) or 1500 (for men) daily intake level, you can try cutting down a couple hundred calories to break the plateau. However, if you are consuming less than 1,200 calories a day (1,500 for a man), your body may react by slowing down as a self-preservation measure. This means your metabolism rate falls, and you actually store fat even if you're working out consistently.

Eat 5-6 Times a Day
Eating frequently stabilizes your blood sugar, controls appetite, and keeps your energy up. Ideally, you shouldn't go more than three or four hours without eating something. Doing so slows down your metabolism and makes your body burn fat at a slower rate. Its also very important to eat as soon as you feel hungry - a feeling of hunger indicates your blood sugar is going down, which makes you prone to craving simple sugars. If you're eating three times a day, eat five. If you're already eating five times, upgrade to six or seven. This doesn't necessarily mean you'll be eating more food; just divide your calories into 6 meals per day.

Change Your Workout Routine
"Variety is the spice of life" - and this phrase has never been so fitting to a scenario! It takes your body only four weeks to get used to a workout. Once something becomes a routine for your metabolism, plateaus are likely. The most efficient way to break a plateau is to shake up your fitness routine. Join an online weight loss program to find tips and ideas. If you are used to 30 mins on the treadmill, switch to cycling or kick-boxing instead. Instead of the stationary bike, switch to a Stepper or a StairMaster. Instead of running in the morning, try playing tennis or do some swimming. Use Interval Training to your advantage; short bursts (30-60 sec)of higher-intensity movement, such as sprint, followed by 2-3 mins of less intense exercise like walking. Adding variety to your routine brings revs up your metabolism as the body has to start adapting again.

Add More Strength Training
If you are not doing so already, start lifting weights now to boost your metabolism and burn fat! When you lift weights, your muscle fibers suffer tiny tears which causes you to experience soreness for a couple days; but that's normal. Changing the intensity of the workout helps a lot. Try to increase the amount of weights you lift, or try changing the number of repetitions. Whenever you change a workout routine your body responds by burning fat. Do not under-estimate the power of strength-training; in fact, lifting weights is the best way to conquer that plateau! Challenge your muscles with harder exercises or heavier weights (every 6 to 8 weeks), adding a set of risers during your step class, increasing the incline on the treadmill, the duration of your run/walk, etc� It might seem tough at first as your newly challenged muscles will have to work harder but you will burn more calories and build more lean muscle mass in the process. its always a good idea to do a combination of resistance machines and free-weights, as the latter can increase metabolic rate as high as 10% in one session!

Avoid Alcohol & Drink Water
Thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Every time you feel the urge to snack, drink a glass of water first and see if the urge goes away. Coffee, tea or any other juices count as liquids, but add an extra glass of pure water for each cup of coffee you drink, as caffeine tends to dehydrate the body. Research has shown that BMR increase by 30%, not to mention flushing out all toxins from your body, thereby contributing to a healthy weight-loss. As for Alcohol, it is a known fact that it contains a large amount of calories, but hardly any other nutrients, and some of these are also high in sugars and fat. Alcohol consumption slows down the fat burning capabilities of the body, as the body focuses on using the alcohol (a toxin) as fuel, rather than burning fat for energy. Alcohol also dehydrates, which in turn, makes you hungry. So avoid Alcohol, and start drinking more Water instead!

Losing weight requires exercise or controlled caloric intake . While its important to maintain a healthy weight, do not get obsessed by it! And plateaus in weight loss are very common; it only means you've successfully lost a lot of weight, and now you need to re-evaluate your regimen to overcome the weight-loss plateaus. Just follow the simple steps above, and you'll be ready to drop a couple more sizes the next time you buy yourself a new dress!

Related Articles:
Best Workouts Outside of the Gym
What to Eat Before & After a Workout
Combine Cardio & Strength Training for Healthy Weight Loss

Related Tags
diet-fitness, weight-loss, healthy-recipes, food facts

Counting Calories for Weight Loss

As the awareness for staying healthy and fit increases day by day, more and more people are looking towards ways to achieve healthy weight loss, and the most important step in doing so is to count your calories and create a deficit or increase to achieve your target healthy weight. No matter how much time you spend at the gym, if you consume more calories than you burn, you'll never lose weight. But as daunting as it may sound, there's a formula to measure how many calories you should eat based on your BMR(Basic Metabolic Rate), and its advisable to choose a good diet and fitness plan based on this figure so that your weight-loss plan is more meaningful and successful. (img credit)

What is BMR(Basic Metabolic Rate) and how to Calculate it?
BMR is the amount of energy your body needs to function. We use about 60% of the calories we consume each day for basic bodily functions, and this number is based on your height, weight, age and sex. There's a general formula that can be used for adults to calculate your BMR:

Adult Women
BMR= 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Adult Men
BMR= 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Activity Factor
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job)

Maintenance Calorie Level = BMR x Activity Factor

Calorie Deficit to Lose Weight = 15%-20% of Maintenance Calorie Level

How Many Calories Do I need?
Depending on your physique and work, the above number indicates the amount of calories you can eat every day to maintain your current weight and work demands. In order to lose or gain weight, you'll need to take in fewer or more calories than this number. Keep re-assesing your new BMR as you see a change in your weight, then re-calculate your calorie target accordingly. But remember, there's always a minimum calorie threshold that you should meet so your body can function without feeling weak. Dropping down to a very low calorie intake can make you anorexic! You will lose weight very fast, but that is NOT Recommended. Do not cut back to fewer than 1,200 daily calories for women or 1800 calories for men without medical supervision, as it can lead to serious health problems. There are several online calorie-counting tools to estimate how many calories are there in your food. Use these or consult a nutritionist to get a rought estimate of your daily intake and decide how to plan your diet to meet the calorie target.

Creating a Calorie Deficit for Healthy Weight Loss
The basic law says that 3,500 calories is equivalent to one pound. So, if you create a deficit of 500 calories a day, you should be able to lose about one pound per week. But this deficit can be created by a combination of cutting back on food and burning the remaining calories by working out (such as cut back 250 calories in food & burn an extra 250 calories in the gym). However, keep in mind that Muscle weighs more than Fat. So when you do strength-training, you may see that your weight increases, but that's actually your fat being converted into muscle, which is good, nothing to worry about. Even when your weight increases, you'll lose inches and be more toned than before.

Example:
Your BMR is 1339 calories per day
Your activity level is moderately active (work out 3-4 times per week)
Your activity factor is 1.55
Your MCL = 1.55 X 1339 = 2075 calories/day
Target Calories for weight loss = 2075 - (15% of 2075) = 1764

The easiest ways to cut calories from your food is by using simple substitutions. Leave out the condiments, use skimmed-milk instead of whole, wheat-grain instead of all-purpose flour, eliminate all white foods(cakes, cookies, muffins), cut back on sugar and sodas, and stuff yourself with vegetables,fruits and lean meat. Space your meals correctly, and you won't even feel like you are dieting!

Rapid Weight Loss is not Healthy Weight Loss
A healthy weight loss goal is to lose 0.5 to 2 pounds per week. Losing more than 2 pounds per week will mean the weight is less likely to stay off permanently. Its easy to stop eating for a week and see your weight drop 5 pounds drastically, but as soon as you start eating again, those pounds will come back, much faster than you expect, and you'll have more fat in your body, which in turn will be harder to burn! So stick with a target of losing maximum 2 pounds (or 1000 calories deficit daily) a week. As you can see, this by itself is a difficult goal to achieve! But keep a diary of your progress, re-evaluate your goals every month, and change your calorie target accordingly.

Achieving healthy weight-loss by counting and cutting back on calories is not something that should scare you. Just by understanding how the calorie-counting works, and then defining your diet and exercise regime accordingly can help you maintain a healthy body, and you'll feel happy and satisfied as your weight loss will be permanent. Hope these tips guide you in achieving your target weight-loss!

Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor or nutritionist before changing your diet or starting a new exercise regime.

Similar Articles:
Replace Sodas with Fresh Juices and get Slimmer
Foods that Fight Bad Cholesterol
How to Combine Cardio with Strength-Training

Combine Cardio With Weight (Strength) Training to Build Muscle and Lose Fat

Maybe a few of us dream to look like a supermodels, but absolutely everyone aspires to be fit and look good! It's really interesting how a little change in your fitness routine can accelerate your chances of achieving your goals. Exercise and a balanced diet plan will not only get you a fit body, but even a sharp mind! Contrary to what many people think, strength training is as important, maybe more important to successful fat loss than aerobic exercise. Spending hours a day doing cardio workouts may not be the best solution to tone and trim your body; you burn calories, yes, but you are mostly burning your muscle instead of fat, which would make you look flabby and leave you tired. This is where adopting a serious weight lifting routine comes to your rescue, especially for women, who find it harder to build muscle. So read on to find out why is weight-training important, and how should you go about it.
(img credit: google images)

Muscle vs Fat
"Losing weight" is synonyous with "losing fat, not muscle". Muscle tissue is very active--it burns a lot of calories. Every pound of muscle burns about 35 calories per day. Since there are 3500 calories in a pound of fat, you would gain almost one pound of fat per month just from the muscle mass that you lost! Inactive adults lose around one-half pound of muscle per year, or five pounds per decade. Since most people continue to eat as much as usual, if you take in more calories than you burn, the extra calories get stored as fat. Fat is less dense then muscle, which means that as you lose muscle and gain fat, your weight might remain the same over the years, but your waistline will continue to expand!

Strength Training Versus Aerobic Exercise
How can you lose and keep off extra fat? You need to increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the pace your body burns calories at rest. Your RMR is closely linked to the amount of muscle you have. Depending on the intensity and your weight, an aerobic workout (walking, cycling, stair stepping) will burn approximately 300 calories per hour, elevating the RMR temporarily up to a few hours, compared to strength training which elevates the RMR permanently. The RMR accounts for 60 to 75 percent of your daily calorie expenditure, so even a modest increase will help burn off more fat. This does not mean that overweight individuals shouldn't do aerobic exercise; it should be a part of a successful weight loss program. It's just that aerobic exercise by itself may not be the best solution for permanent weight (fat) loss.

So here are some basic requirements to get a fit and well-toned body:

Lower Body Workout
To improve your lower body, you must perform compound weight lifting exercises using a sufficient amount of weight. You should choose weight that allows you to do 5-10 repetitions before your muscles give up. Your lower-body workout should mainly include squats, deadlifts, leg press, and lunges. Free weights are the best, but if they are a bit too much for you, the exercise machines can surely help, though they are not as effective as free weights. Most importantly, Do Not be afraid of bulking up! As long as you don't eat more calories than your body is burning, it will not get bigger by weight lifting!

Upper-Body Workout
Your back, abs, arms, and shoulders all have the potential to carry a significant amount of muscle mass, too. Like with your legs, it's important that you choose a heavy-enough resistance, or weight. The heavier the weight and the more intense the workout is overall, the greater your post-workout caloric burn will be.

Repetitions and Intensity of Weights
Every individual's body works differently, so talk to a trainer and decide on how much weight you should lift and what would be the deal number of repetitions to do. Always start with lower weights with 2-3 sets comprising of 7-13 repetitions per set. Keep breathing (do not hold your breath) normally and lift and lower the weights slowly to get the maximum benefit. The basic rule is to Exhale while lifting weight and Inhale while lowering it down.

Combine with Cardio
As unfair as it may seem, it's common for men to be able to get and stay lean just by working out with weights and following a healthy diet. But for women who have a lower metabolic rate, cardio combined with weghts is very important. So try aiming for 30-40 minute of cardio workout at least 3 times a week. Try alternating between machines or routines to achieve maximum benefit.

Don't be afraid of weights; as long as you do it wisely, a consistent 30-minute workout as described above performed 2 -3 times per week is enough to get you lose those inches and make you fit and strong. It will keep you energetic and mentally alert too. But always remember that your body is your best guide. If you feel sore or weak, stop immediately and evaluate your program again. Talk about this with your physician and personal trainer and add strength-training to your workout routine today!! Hope this article helps you take the first step to a healthier body!

NOTE: The author is not a licensed nutritionist or physical trainer. Please use this article as a reference and discuss the best solution with your physician or trainer before following these tips.

Related Articles:
Count Calories for healthy Weight Loss
10 Simple Healthy Eating Habits

10 Simple Healthy Eating Habits for Weight Loss and Management

Lots of my readers have requested that I write articles about Fitness and Diet from time to time, and I have been pondering on that thought for quite some time now. Eating Healthy should be one of our primary objectives in life, and though we all know about the importance of watching what we eat and going to the gym regularly, we tend to neglect these things, thanks to our busy lifestyles! But managing your weight and staying healthy is not as hard as you think. With just a little more attention to your eating habits, you can make a lot of difference. Adding plenty of vegetables and fruits, eating out less, and eating smaller portions with spaced-out meals are some of the things that can help you stay fit and energetic. I think we all owe this to ourselves and our families. So here are some baisc tips on healthy eating habits that you can follow to stay on track!

The content below will not be new to a lot of you, and yet, as I said, it's always a good practice to revisit your eating habits. Just take a printout and put it on your fridge where you and your family can look at it every day. Its also a great way to make your kids aware of how important it is to watch what you eat! These daily dietery changes can keep you away from obesity and a lot of other health problems!

Never Skip your Breakfast - This is the most important meal of the day, and try to incorporate fresh fruit, unsweetened fruit juice, cereal with skim or 1 percent milk, fat-free muffins, oat and whole wheat breads in your breakfast. Cut your intake of syrups, whip cream and butter to half if possible.

Order Smaller Portions - It's not forbidden to eat out, but try to go for smaller portions or share dishes with friends. Also limit high-fat, high-calorie toppings and condiments, such as bacon, cheese, mayonnaise, sauces and dressings.

Space out Your Meals - Its very important to eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in over-eating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Have at least 4-5 meals a day and divide your calorie intake between them.

Enjoy Your Food - Sounds silly, but this is really important. Science has proved that it takes at least 20 minutes for the brain to register that you have eaten enough and it sends out "I am full" messages. So chew your food instead of gulping it down; relax and enjoy your meal as it can even psychologically elevate your moods.

Choose Broiled or Grilled over Fried - This option cuts out so much fat and calories with just a little compromise on the taste. And with proper seasonings and sauces, you might not even know the difference!

Choose Lean Meat and Green Salads - Salads are healthy, but they can become high-calorie because of the dressings and other additions. Load your plate with fresh fruits and vegetables, or healthy lean meats like turkey or chicken. Choose low-fat or fat-free dressings and limit cheese, eggs and croutons.

Beware of Sauces and Condiments - You'd be surprised at how many calories are loaded in mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, sauces and condiments, and they have a very high sodium content!. Avoid these or go for lighter options when possible.

Choose Lighter Desserts - It's perfectly ok to celebrate an occasion with chocolate and cheesecake, but for most of your sweet-tooth cravings, settle for fresh fruits drizzled with honey or light whip cream

Switch to Olive Oil - Even when you are sauteeing your veggies, use wine or olive oil or canola oil instead of regular vegetable oil. Use nonstick cookware or cooking sprays to eliminate the need for oil or butter.

Create Variety in Food - The last, but not the least, its imperative that you include different types of nutrient-rich food in your meals. Eating the same thing everyday is boring and unhealthy; Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. Also fill up on fiber as that helps control your cravings.

These are simple daily habits that you can incorporate slowly. Changing your eating style can do wonders for your body and mind. Get to know your Healthy Foods and add them to your meals. Its alright to indulge in your favorite foods, but just make sure you don't over-do it, and make up for it the next day. Just keep these healthy eating tips in mind and enjoy your food. Your body will definitely thank you for it!