Lets start off by making sure that when you say What is the best way to lose weight? That what you really mean is to lose that weight safely and to keep it off for life. If that is what you mean, then lets cut through some common misconceptions and show you the best way to lose weight without the fluff and confusion.
There is no single best way to achieve weight loss; it is always a combined effort using a couple of different systems of the body. This means that in order to lose your weight fast but to do it safely we have to eat right, do some aerobic exercise as well as resistance training. From years of personal training I can tell you with certainty that if one of these three components is missing, your weight loss will be slow to non-existent.
Now I have seen people lose weight fast with only extreme dieting, however, this weight comes back quickly and usually with a few extra pounds to make for a comfortable stay. Not only is this not the best way or even the fastest way for weight loss but also it is very unsafe. The systems of the body do like to lose weight in this fashion and will rebel.
So how does one go about losing weight as quickly as possible using the mentioned methods? Let’s talk about eating right for weight loss first. Right eating includes 4-6 small meals a day. Each of these meals should contain some of all the macronutrients. This means fat, carbohydrates as well as protein. Divide these meals evenly through the day, say every three to four hours.
Another of the best things you can do to lose weight quickly is to incorporate aerobic exercise into your schedule. This means any activity that gets you breathing harder than normal and for a duration of 30 minutes to an hour. You should do this at least 4 times a week along with the next component of our best way to lose weight system.
Now, remember, this is a system, not the best way, lose weight fast gimmick. So along with your aerobic exercise like walking or jogging, you are going to do some resistance training. This does not have to be complicated. A weight loss workout program only has to put a little more stress than usual on your muscles to be effective. This could be as simple as this.
Bodyweight Squats Pushups on your knees Sit-ups or crunches Calf Raises on some stairs
Do all of these in a row until you can’t do another one and then repeat the whole weight loss circuit two more times. This should be done every time you do your cardio for the first couple of weeks to get the ball rolling and to get rid of the stomach rolls.
You can see that in fact, the best way to lose weight and keep it off for life, is more like a way of living. It really isn’t that big of a deal though. The ideas presented above will hardly impede your regular schedule. Sure, you may miss one hour-long TV show, but the results and way you feel will more than makeup for a missed episode of So You Think You Can Dance.
People tend to reinvent diets and pose them as the new breakthrough in weight loss as it is the case with the GI Diet. The GI diet, based on the Glycemic Index, has recently become very popular, but the GI ranking system has been around since 1981. There have been several books published on the success of the GI diet, but is it really a diet or a lifestyle change?
The glycemic index
Dr. David Jenkins, from the University of Toronto in Canada, developed the glycemic index to measure the speed at which foods break down in the body to produce glucose. While originally intended to help diabetic patients control their glucose levels, it was soon used to help individuals trying to lose weight to control their eating habits and hunger. The key was to decrease the fast breakdown of foods into glucose. Glucose is a natural source of energy for the body. It produces a rush of energy when the food is broken down, and then when it is burned up, it leaves a feeling of hunger and fatigue.
Depending on how fast they elevate the blood sugar level after eating, foods are considered high, medium, and low GI foods. Low GI foods rank less than 55 on the glycemic index scale, medium GI foods go from 55 to 70 and high GI foods rank higher than 70. High GI foods break down very quickly in the body and make you feel hungry again soon after consuming them. Low GI foods are slowly digested and absorbed so you feel fuller for a longer period of time after you eat.
High GI foods include:
white flour products like white bread, croissants, doughnuts;
heavily processed foods like corn chips, potato chips or pretzels;
foods high in sugar like cookies, rice Krispies, ice cream;
high starch vegetables such as potatoes and parsnips;
fruits high in sugar – watermelons, dates, and other dried fruits.
Medium GI foods include:
most types of pasta;
rice;
some fruits like mangos, apricots, and raisins;
some vegetables like baked beans.
Low GI foods include:
most fruits and vegetables;
legumes;
cereals that are high in fibers but low on sugar;
dairy products like low-fat plain yogurt, whole, low fat or skimmed milk;
whole-grain breads.
The Low GI Diet
The low GI diet focuses on changing eating habits so that the majority of the foods consumed are from the low GI food group. These foods take longer to break down into glucose in the body. This does two basic things:
Produces a more even level of glucose throughout the day to avoid those high glucose times followed by the low glucose slumps.
Stops cravings and hunger from occurring as much.
When these two components combine, they allow the dieter to eat a balanced meal and not experience the “energy slumps”. The whole grains and unprocessed foods take more time for the body to convert to glucose and keep the feeling of being full for longer. It also prevents those cravings which tend to cause overeating or consuming foods that are not on the eating plan.
However, the diet should not rely exclusively on the glycemic index as low GI foods aren’t necessarily healthy. Foods should be chosen based on their overall nutritional value. The glycemic index is influenced by a sum of factors like the nutrient content of the foods, the extent to which they are processed, the cooking method, food combination, or ripeness in the case of fruits and vegetables.
Products that are high in fat have a low GI as they don’t break down as easily as the ones high in carbs. That doesn’t mean you should choose to eat high-fat foods in order to stick to the index. As an example, whole milk is ranked lower than the fat-free or low-fat one.
The glycemic index doesn’t rank foods that do not contain carbohydrates, like fresh meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and cheese. However, it includes processed foods that include meat and dairy products. For a healthy low GI diet, you should choose lean or low-fat meats that have been trimmed of visible fat, skinless poultry, fish, and low-fat dairy products, even though they aren’t ranked.
The nutrient content is also very important. Between dates or watermelon and a bag of crisps, the obvious choice is the fruit even though the watermelon is considered high GI because of the sugar content and the crips are considered low GI as they are high in fat and slow down the absorption process.
It is also important to remember that the glycemic index ranks individual foods only, not whole meals. Depending on how the foods are combined, the overall GI value of the meal can change and cannot be measured accurately, but the main idea is that including low GI foods in your meal will result in lower GI value overall.
The low GI diet does not lead to rapid weight loss; rather it results in a steady and constant decrease in body weight. The individuals who use this plan find that they have more energy and therefore are more likely to exercise.
So is the low GI plan a diet or a lifestyle? Most experts agree that it is a diet plan that leads to changes and becomes a lifestyle. Eating low GI foods just makes good sense for weight control and maintenance, energy levels, and healthy eating.
Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that is practiced worldwide by thousands of people. It has been found to be beneficial for body and mind and is a good way to reduce stress and improve self-esteem. In fact, it has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, pain, and anxiety as well as help in treating physical conditions such as back pain and joint pain.
As a form of exercise, the physical postures of yoga are designed to stretch and strengthen muscles. However, some of the exercises do not focus on toning and strengthening the muscles, but rather on relaxation and meditation. There are various forms of yoga and one will find the one that works best for them. This is also very much individual and the method that is appropriate for you will be determined by the way in which you feel and the time that you have available.
The most effective yoga exercises will be those that are easy to learn, fun, and which also make use of props. Some of the forms of yoga involve meditation and breathing as well as physical postures. Yoga at its simplest is an exercise that focuses on focusing on the breath and will help to get rid of any negativity or negative thoughts from the mind. This is the reason why the training for yoga is referred to as Kundalini yoga.
Yoga can be a great way to reduce your stress, increase your stamina, increase your flexibility, boost your immune system, help to regulate blood pressure, reduce muscle pain, increase your awareness, increase your lung capacity, lower your blood sugar levels, improve your sleep, improve your posture, regulate your digestive system, and more. These are just a few of the many benefits of yoga.
The various movements in yoga include such things as standing poses, breathing, meditation, and gentle stretching. There are poses that should be avoided while others should be incorporated into your routine to help to relieve stress.
When you first start off on your yoga classes you should only wear the right clothes as it will be easier to concentrate during class if you have clothes that are comfortable. You should never wear jeans, sweat pants, or anything that is going to restrict you from moving.
Hatha yoga is the most popular type of yoga and it involves slow, flowing movements and a body posture that are relaxed. Hatha yoga can be practiced on a mat or a hard surface and the best place to practice this is in a yoga studio.
Vinyasa yoga is an intermediate level yoga that is used for more advanced practitioners. The movements in this form of yoga is a bit slower than that of Hatha yoga. The techniques used in this form of yoga require the use of more of the body as opposed to the breathing and abdominal breathing techniques that are used in Hatha yoga.
Viparitaara is known as the ‘class of the yogis’. It is an advanced level of yoga that combines elements of Hatha yoga, Ashtanga yoga, and power yoga. The movements and poses in this form of yoga require more strength and flexibility of the body than the other forms.
Beginning yoga classes may have only one teacher and this could result in frustration if you do not understand what is being taught. The yoga teacher should have a soft voice and should be able to translate complex information into simple language. If you feel as though you do not have the ability to comprehend the movements being presented to you, it may be best to search for another class.
Although all poses in yoga are meant to be performed slowly, there are certain poses that should be avoided. Although the movements are slow, the yoga positions should be performed slowly to avoid injury. The poses should not be performed too quickly and this could cause undue strain on the joints.
Yoga is a lifelong habit and the ultimate goal is to learn new poses, as well as the corresponding movements. Yoga is a wonderful exercise and can be used to gain a tremendous amount of strength and flexibility. The poses in yoga can be practiced on a mat or a hard surface and the best place to practice these is in a yoga studio where you can be taught by a qualified teacher.
When beginning yoga classes, the student should look for a qualified teacher and research the different styles of yoga that are available in the training class. There are several styles of yoga and each has its own benefits.
