Weight Loss Tips

If you are trying to get in shape and lose weight, you may be looking for a weight loss program that will work for you.  Many people have tried going on fad diets or diets like the South Beach diet.  While some of these diets will work for weight loss, you should stick to tried and true methods that will enable you to lose weight without being unhealthy to you.

Fad diets will only offer a temporary measure and in the long, you will probably gain more weight than you will lose.  You may also have health issues that are caused by trying to lose weight too fast or in an unhealthy manner.

The weight loss program is to simply eat less more frequently.  Instead of having three huge meals in a day, you should stick to eating six smaller meals.  There a couple of reasons for this.  First of all, when you eat, your metabolism kicks in.  Eating six small meals means that your metabolism will be working the entire day while you are awake instead of resting when you are not eating.

Your metabolism only needs to rest when you are asleep so you should not eat right before bed either.  It is better to eat your last meal a few hours before bed time so that your body can process those calories.  This will also help you to sleep better which is an added benefit.

You should make your six meals healthy by eating lots of green vegetables and lean meats such as chicken breast or fish.  These foods are full of protein which helps to build strong muscles.  While the proteins are building muscle, your body will be

burning fat at the same time.  You should stay away from fast food and foods that are fatty such as fried foods.  You do not have to give them up entirely, but limit these types of foods to once every other week or so.  If you allow yourself a treat once in a while, you will be more likely to stick with eating healthy during the other meals you are having.

Healthy Dinner Ideas

Quick Tuna Salad

2 can tuna, drained
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. sugar free sweet pickle relish

Mix all ingredients together and serve over lettuce.

Quick Chicken Salad

2 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sugar free sweet pickle relish
1 Tbsp. onion, finely minced
½ stalk celery, finely chopped, optional

Mix all ingredients together and serve over lettuce.

Quick Egg Salad

6 boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sugar free sweet pickle relish
1 Tbsp. onion, finely minced

Mix all ingredients together and serve over lettuce.

Deviled Eggs

6 boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sugar free sweet pickle relish
1 Tbsp. onion, finely minced
celery salt and paprika for flavor garnish

Scoop egg yolks out of egg white halves and into a small mixing bowl.  Mash yolks with mayonnaise.  Add relish and onion and whip with a fork until smooth and fluffy.  Spoon or pipe yolk mixture back into egg whites.  Sprinkle with celery salt and paprika for flavor and garnish.

Fake-a-Roni

1 head cauliflower
butter
salt and pepper to taste

Cut florets off of cauliflower head.  Remove as much stem as possible.  Pulse raw cauliflower in a food processor until it’s the consistency of rice.  Sautee briefly in butter until slightly softened but still firm, like grains of rice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Proper Eating

Many people feel that in order to achieve maximum weight loss that they need to starve themselves.  The feelings of hunger actually make some imagine that they are losing weight.  This is a common mistake made by many who are new at trying to get fit through weight loss.  While you certainly do not want to eat huge meals, you don’t have to starve yourself either to maximize your weight loss.

When you force yourself to go hungry, you will actually be doing more harm to your body than if you simply ate normally but added exercise to your plan.  The reason for this is that when the body is starving, it will start getting the nutrients it needs from your muscles.  You will be losing fat yes, but you will also lose muscle mass as well.  The body is a living organism that wants to survive and it will do what it has to when it feels threatened by hunger including feeding on itself.  This is why many starvation diets are so dangerous to the dieter.

To increase your chances at successful weight loss, you should actually be eating more meals in a day.  This may sound silly.  You should eat less to lose weight, right?  Wrong, you will actually be eating less, but you will space these meals out during the day.

When you eat six small meals, you will do more to increase your metabolic rate than eating three large meals a day.  Your body will not feel hungry and will not feel the need to find sustenance elsewhere and you will burn more calories.

You should eat six small and healthy meals to maximize weight loss because when you force yourself to eat three times a day, you will have a tendency to eat more at each of these meals or gorge yourself.  Gorging yourself is not good for weight loss as you will not be able to lose those pounds as effectively as when you spread them out over an entire day.  Plus, you will feel more comfortable and have more energy to work out when you are not feeling starved.