Don't Use The Holiday As An Excuse To Be Fat

In the past, I have made every excuse in the book to stray from whatever weight loss program I was on. And of course the biggest deal I would make with myself was, after the holiday I will go on a diet and exercise. Yeah right. That did happen, every single New Years day that I can remember in fact. So how did I get to almost 300 lbs?

The fact is the holidays are here and there are treats at every turn. So what do I do now that is so different from the past?

For one, I make sure there are treats on hand for me that fit in with my weight loss program so when I pass up a tempting treat, I can reward myself with a treat that has been calculated into my daily food budget and I am guilt free.

Also, I never skip my workouts. I look at it this way, if I keep to my workout routine and run around the stores and the house preparing for the holidays, I will be burning extra calories. And who knows, this may be the first time in my history that I actually weigh less after all the festivities are over.

But here is the biggest point, if you screw up one day, just one day - do you think you will undo all your hard work? Of course not, I did not get to be almost 300 lbs because I ate too much at Christmas dinner. So get over it, and stop making excuses to be fat.

A thin mindset is where you need to put yourself. Take one plate of food and choose wisely. Try to pick one or two choices that you really can't live without, but add healthier selections to the rest of the plate. For me dessert is the killer. So now instead of having a piece of everything, I choose just one.

It is not easy, and you will make some mistakes. Just don't make excuses, instead move along as if they didn't happen. I promise, it will get easier.

Happy Holidays.

Get Some Sleep and Lose Some Weight

Because of the Holiday Season, I thought this was important to share. Did you know there is a connection between weight gain and sleep deprivation.

Oh Yes. Studies have proven that sleep deprivation and a stressful lifestyle, may increase levels of cortisol which makes the breakdown of fat more difficult. The answer may sound simple, but is it.

Getting more quality sleep is the key. Try to go to earlier, even if it is only 15 minutes earlier. Often when we are stressed it is hard to fall asleep once in bed. Try taking a warm bath before hitting the hay. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. You may even want to try a herbal remedy specifically designed to gently and safely help you relax and get sleep.

Believe it or not exercising can also help you sleep better. Working out is probably the last thing you want to do when you are exhausted, but it works.

When you are tired you are also more likely to make poor food choices, so try to get in at least 7 restful hours.

South Beach Diet Review

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Choosing The Best Weight Loss Program

Choosing the best diet is all about individual preference. For a weight loss program to work, it actually has to be followed. So if you don't like the plan you are on, what are the chances you are going to stick to it? Probably not so good.

So what to do?
If you are serious about losing weight, and you are in it for the long haul, you will need to choose a weight loss program you like. Makes sense, right? So today I picked a program that I think is very do-able and millions of people have had great success following.

The South Beach Diet

Let me first say, that many diets come and go but the good ones really stick around. The South Beach Diet is one weight loss program that has passed the test of time, and with good reason. This weight loss program focuses on lower carb foods, as the author Dr Agaston says, "The Right Carbs". This diet makes sense and is the bomb for getting rid of that belly fat. This program is followed in phases, here are the basics.

South Beach Diet Phase 1 lasts for two weeks. During this first phase, you will eat normal meals of chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish, lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and garden salads using 100% olive oil for your salad dressing. Each day for 14 days, you will eat three, well-balanced meals. While eating until your hunger is satisfied may go against most diets, with the South Beach Diet, it is part of the plan. In addition to the three meals each day, you will also eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and then again between lunch and dinner. Even if you do not feel like eating these snacks, for the South Beach Diet to work, you need to, and after dinner, you will even have dessert. Additionally, during this phase, you can drink all the coffee and tea you want and be sure to drink lots of water.


South Beach Diet Phase 2 is different from the first in that it will last as long as it takes you to lose your desired weight. This phase will last different lengths of time depending on each individual person, how well they follow the diet, and how their body reacts. During this phase of your diet, you'll begin adding back some of foods you cut during the first two weeks. You'll be adding them back in a healthy way, though. By eating the right balance of carbs, you'll continue losing weight instead of gaining it!

South Beach Diet Phase 3 is the phase you will be in to maintain your goal weight. By this time you will already have learned all about portion control and better choices and now you will learn how to keep the weight off for good. This is a life-long approach and one that I can highly recommend.

The South Beach Diet has excellent online tools to keep you on track and motivated.
* A fully interactive dieting experience
* Tools to track your weight, phase, and diet goals
* A personal meal planner and nutrition tool
* Member questions answered by Dr. Agatston
* Support from a community of thousands like you
* Delicious and healthy recipes, including hundreds for vegetarians
* The flexibility and support to help you succeed

If you join the online program it is going to run you about $5.00 a week, but I really think you get a lot for the money/ Other programs like weight watchers charge 3x that amount. And the real online support is excellent! The South Beach support group is very friendly and eager to help.

So as you can tell by my glowing review, I highly recommend The South Beach Diet. But one more thing I must add. No diet can stand alone for long. You must get out there and exercise. Something, anything, you choose just get moving. Try hip hop dancing, my daughter just got a video and she is having a ball and really burning calories.

Jillian

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