4 Simple Steps To Losing Weight

Losing Weight Today

You have heard the statement before, “You gotta have a plan.” This is true for anything you do including losing weight. For your plan to work, and in order to accomplish your goal, you have to have an outline that guides you through the process. Here are 4 Simple steps to losing weight that you can begin using today.

Step #1-Identify Your Goal and Set a Time Frame

This might seem duhh…simple, but most people skip this step completely. Unless you know how much weight you want to lose and create a schedule, you are doomed to failure from the start. Let’s say you want to lose 20 pounds, and then this is what you write down. Now set a reasonable time frame in which to make this happen. OK….I know you want the fat gone overnight but let’s work this out and set our goal of a 30-pound weight loss to take place in 6 weeks. Sure, it’s possible to do this faster but 6 weeks is going to by quickly and will not stress you out.

Step #2- List the Changes Needed

You know and I know that weight loss happens when we cut back on our calories, eat healthy foods, drink more water, and exercise daily. When you write these down it reinforces your motivation and is more of an incentive.

It also helps to see exactly how these changes are really going to come together to help you lose that weight. Just use a small notebook or list everything on your computer. Make sure that you look at it each day and give yourself credit each time you follow your plan.

Step #3-Healthy Eating

Don’t think of this as boring and bland. Changing to healthy eating is going to change you from a round beach ball into a blazing hot beach babe or beach stud. This is a small price to pay for successful weight loss. Find a meal plan that you can live with and use it for 3-5 days, and then switch to another meal plan that keeps you on track.

This kind of variety is the key to a steady weight loss. Salads are great and they can be super with the addition of nuts, sprouts, fresh fruit, and raisins added to them. Here are four really helpful tips to try to keep you losing weight.

*Do not mix fruit and milk at the same meal, if you drink a cup of milk allow at least 3 hours before you eat any fruit. The combination of these two foods slows down your metabolism.

*You lose more weight when you mix high carb days with moderate and low carb days.*

*Add an apple to your diet 3 times and a day and it will boost your metabolism. Research has shown that adding apples on a daily basis can cause up to an extra pound of weight loss in a week.*

*Give yourself the weekend to splurge, and stick to the diet plan for the other 5 days. This eases the cravings during the weekdays and keeps you on target, and you will still lose weight.*

Step #4-Exercise Gets those Calories Burning

Make exercise a part of your daily lifestyle. Begin with 15 minutes at least twice a day and continue to increase this until you are able to exercise for 45 minutes to 1 hour at least every day. This exercise can include brisk walking, jogging, and using a treadmill or aerobics. Cardio activity will put your fat burn potential into high gear, but it is working with weights that will really spur the change in your body. Even 3-5 pound weights are a great start. Weight training will add definition to your shape and help melt fat even faster.

• Remember not to eat for at least 2 hours before you exercise, this means that your calorie needs will start to come from calories that your body has already stored.
• You need to warm up with some movement or walking for 15 minutes before you start your exercise for maximum benefits. Once you get your heart rate into the target range and keep it there for only 15 minutes, your body will start to target fat cells only and they will Burn Baby Burn.