It is Possible to Lose 5lbs in 7 Days

Lose 5lbs in 7 daysAre your clothes starting to feel a little tight? Maybe you’re carrying a few extra pounds that you’d like to lose as quickly as possible?

Although many experts estimate that a healthy rate of weight loss is approximately 1-2lbs per week, it’s perfectly safe and feasible to lose anything from 3-7lbs in as little as one week depending on how you go about it.

You don’t even need to starve yourself or follow some ridiculous fad diet! The following are just a few tips you can implement to lose 5lbs in the next 7 days:

Cut out the junk food. You know that eating fast food, takeaways and high sugar, highly processed foods are only going to add large numbers of calories to your diet. When you want to lose weight, you’ve got to cut them out. That doesn’t mean that you need to go hungry. You can eat plenty of vegetables instead. Veggies are low in calories and will fill you up, making it easier to stick to your diet.

Get some exercise. Exercise isn’t always easy when you haven’t done it before, but it’s a necessary evil if you want to lose weight quickly. Plus you won’t just lose weight – you’ll also improve your overall health and have more energy. Something as simple as going for a 30 minute walk, 4 times a week, will get your heart rate up and the fat burning.

Eat slower.  In today’s society we are almost always short of time, and many people end up rushing through their meals. Studies have shown that your body doesn’t realise it is full until at least 20 minutes later. Until that time most people continue to eat. By giving yourself more time to eat, you will feel full after eating less.

Eat low calorie snacks. Although you don’t want to spend your days snacking (your calorie count will soon mount up if you do this) it is a good idea to have 2-3 snacks in between meals during the day. This will keep you from feeling hungry and grabbing something convenient like a chocolate bar, and will also help you to eat less at meal times. Have a look online and you’ll find many ideas for snacks that are 100 calories or less – an apple, a boiled egg, some carrot sticks, a small handful of nuts etc.

Drink plenty water. Fizzy drinks, fruit juices and energy drinks are all high in calories. Drink at least 2 litres of water daily (approximately 8 x 8oz glasses) for optimum health. Water has zero carbs, zero calories, and flushes toxins out of your system that may lead to putting on extra weight. Add a lemon wedge or mint leaves if you find drinking plain water too boring.

Get enough sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep you will lack energy, your system will be sluggish and your body prone to putting on weight. Try to get 7-8 hours sleep every night and wake up energized.

Have you heard about the 5:2 Diet?

Top 5 Tips for Starting a Weight Loss Plan

top tips for weight loss planEvery successful weight loss story has a beginning where a person made the decision to finally lose the weight. How you start your weight loss plan is vital to its success, therefore you don’t want to just rush in.

Instead, you will want to take a little time to formulate a successful weight loss strategy that will result in you losing the excess pounds.

Remember that it took time for you to gain the weight, so its best to take a little time to create the right weight loss plan.

What follows are five simple tips to start your weight loss plan. Each of these tips will help you build an effective, long term strategy so that you can lose the weight and keep it off.

Examine Your Lifestyle

cake-monsterTo know where you want to go, the first step is examining where you are at right now. This means that you will need to look at what you’ve been eating, the time you have during the week to execute a weight loss strategy and understanding how long it will take you to reach your goals.

This first step may require you to visit with your physician and get checked out so that any hidden medical issues will be brought out. Plus, your doctor can help you set an ideal weight goal for you to reach as well. Once you have your weight loss goal in stone, the next step is tracking your progress

Get a Calendar

You can buy a calendar, use one off of your computer or make one of your own. This way, you can track your progress so you know where you are at and where you need to be each and every week.

While it is important to set a deadline of when you will reach your goal, it is more important to insure that you are losing weight week in and out.

Stock Up on Healthy Food

healthy foodsYou can start by purchasing healthy snack foods such as apples, almonds, berries, granola bars and the like. This way, you’ll have the healthy treats that will keep you from late night snacking on the unhealthy foods that have been putting on the pounds.

The next step is adding healthy foods to your daily meals. You can start by purchasing soups and salads that can take the place of the high carbohydrate items that have been adding inches to your waistline.

Remember, you don’t have to change everything overnight, just start with what you know and start learning along the way.

Establish Time to Exercise

Even if you are only walking a few minutes each day, you will need to put that into your program. Exercise improves your body and reduces the waistline, so be sure to schedule the time you need to insure that you get the exercise that will do your body good.

Stick to Your Goals

happy womanRemember that your journey to losing weight happens one day at a time, so one slip up is not going to derail your plans.

Once you have everything set, remember that keeping to your goals means committing yourself daily to eating right and exercising. If you slip, you can always get back on track.

These 5 top tips will start you on your goal of losing weight quickly and effectively.

You can keep these tips handy, perhaps on your fridge or in your computer to act as a constant reminder to stick to your diet plan.

Following these tips will shed the pounds and have you feeling healthier as well.

10 Best Foods For Energy

What Foods Are Best For Energy

best energy foodsFast paced as our lives are today it is easy to run out of energy and give in to fatigue before the day is over. This is as much due to the work and lifestyle pressure as it is due to the wrong foods we take and diets gone awry.

Eating on the run might fill you up temporarily and provide some instant energy but it does not provide adequate fuel for your body to sustain itself in the long run.

For these you need more than mere food. You need the super foods to make your strong and powerful. Try out the 10 best foods for energy and long term good health.

A look at the 10 best foods for energy:

Almonds: Almonds are considered super foods for many reasons. They are great sources of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients like vitamins, riboflavin, iron, magnesium and calcium. The monounsaturated fat lowers cholesterol levels while the proteins control blood sugar and keep energy levels high all day.

Apples: Apples are full of fiber that keeps one full for a long time. They are nature’s way of providing instant energy. Vitamin C in the apple strengthens immune powers, helps form collagen. Keeps blood vessels healthy and helps in cell regeneration. It can also lower and control blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels.

broccoli is a good source of energyBroccoli: This essential green is full of antioxidants vitamins A and C which prevents cell damage and aids in cell building. It also supplies the body with essential nutrients like folate, potassium, calcium and fiber which keep the system full, improves immune functions and supplies the body with large doses of energy.

Salmon: Salmon is one the healthiest fish to eat. It supplies the body with healthy doses of protein which in turn provides us with loads of energy. It is low in cholesterol and saturated fats but very high in omega-3 fatty acids which make it a very heart healthy food. Prevents easy blood clots, lowers blood pressure and stroke risks and controls irregular heartbeats.

Spinach: There is a reason why Popeye loves spinach – it gives him instant energy and makes him all powerful! In reality the spinach does have near magical powers because it provides the body with nutrients like riboflavin, calcium, folate, iron and magnesium along with vitamins A and C and B-6.  Together they improve immune functions and energize the body.

Whole Wheat: Whole wheat products are the true sources for the wheat germ. The wheat germ has a high concentration of proteins, fiber, vitamin E, and other essential nutrients like niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, magnesium, folate, phosphorus, iron, potassium and zinc. When processed much of these are lost so opting for whole wheat or whole grain products is a healthier decision since they stabilize glucose and cholesterol levels and provide the body with lots of energy.

The best way to eat if you want to avoid fatigue and tiredness is to have a healthy, balanced diet that consists of foods from the four main food groups in the right amounts.  The Energy Diet

Oats: This breakfast super food is a great source of energy and nutrients. The vitamin B in oats easily transforms the carbohydrates into energy which enables the body to function efficiently for the whole day. They are very fibrous which means that fill up the body for a long time and suppress appetite.

a banana is a high energy foodBananas: All fruits are great sources of energy but the banana leads the pack. It is full of natural sugar that is instantly absorbed by the body in the form of carbohydrates which produce loads of energy. They are great sources of potassium that leads to healthy nerve and muscle functions.

Water: By itself water is unremarkable. But lack of it can create havoc. One should drink at least 8 – 10 glasses of water each day. Without water the body cannot regulate temperature, nutrients will not pass to cells, energy cannot be generated, digestion will be difficult – in short the body cannot function. To make sure it does and you have lots of energy all day have as much water as you can to prevent dehydration.

Chocolate: Chocolates are instant sources of energy. Of course they not really as good for health as the above ingredients but when taken in moderation or during emergencies they have amazingly invigorating effects. The caffeine along with the tyramine and phenylethylamine compounds can increase energy levels but also makes it unhealthy. Opt for dark chocolates which are loaded with antioxidants as well as energy.