Weight Loss Journal

We are always against fad diets that never truly work, so this new book from the American Heart Association was a welcome addition to our library. It's refreshing to see a book that covers a whole host of issues while helping the reader get ready to lose weight the sensible way. It covers not only weight loss but also how to make those lifestyle changes that will keep you healthy as well as slim for years to come. This book is definitely worth the read and you'll be able to glean quite a lot of information from it.

The main focus of the book is one three tenets: Eat well, think smart and move more. These three are the best recipe for success when it comes to losing weight over the long term and the tips contained in here are good not only for keeping your weight down but improving cardiac health. If you want to avoid the risks of having a heart attack, there is no time like the present to get started on a good diet. The damage that we do to our internal organs through bad eating habits can be undone, and with patience, you can end up with a heart that is not only strong but also incredibly healthy.

It was a little disappointing to see that the book focused on BMI, since this is not always an accurate representation of fitness. However, the book starts out with finding your right caloric intake and the steps you need to take to reach your goals. The BMI issue is relatively small and since so many dieters use it as a benchmark, there is some use to it. It's more important to focus on finding that healthy weight for your frame and you should always remember that BMI does not adjust for muscle mass.

The book also focuses on removing negative thoughts that can jeopardize any diet. This is always an appreciated component to any diet book and it should help readers target their mental issues that are contributing to their health problems. By getting rid of all of those negative thoughts and predispositions, it's a lot easier to stick to a healthy diet over the long term.
The move more premise is illustrated with example activities that just about anyone can do. While they may not be incredibly difficult, they are useful, especially if you are just getting on the track towards fitness. As you get better however, you will need to ramp up your activity to avoid hitting a plateau.

The best part of the book is that it was written by a trusted authority. You're not dealing with an author trying to make a quick buck off of an unhealthy diet plan. You're dealing with an organization that is committed to reducing the prevalence of heart disease and getting people truly healthy. That right there is worth its weight in gold and overall, this is a diet book that belongs on anyone's shelf, regardless of their current weight.

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The most wonderful time of the year is almost here, but for thousands of dieters, this is no time for joy. This is a time of dreading holiday parties, of adding ten pounds or more to their frames and generally being miserable. The holidays don’t have to be synonymous with weight gain, and if you make some smart choices, you’ll be able to get through them joyfully – and you may even end up losing weight, instead of gaining it.

The best plan of attack is to make a list of the common holiday foods that you cannot resist. Whether it’s brownies, fudge, cake or any other confection, write it down. Target your danger foods and start making plans to meet them head on. When you are prepared to face them, your chances of successfully avoiding them will be much better. This is war, and you’re going to need to know all that you can about your enemy.

Once you have your list, you’ll be able to work on a plan of attack. Focusing on what those treats may do to your waistline may not be enough when push comes to shove. It is all too easy to justify “just one” or “just ten” when you are in the thick of battle. If you don’t start planning for these battles ahead of time, you may lose your head.

For many dieters, one of the easiest ways to avoid eating these foods is by filling up on good foods before you get to a party. This makes it easy to say, “No thank you,” since you won’t be physically hungry. Don’t make the mistake of saving up your calories before one of these parties by skipping all of your meals that day. You’ll end up over indulging and chances are, you may eat more than enough to last you all week.

Water is also a helpful friend when it comes to holiday parties. Not only are you faced with high calories treats, but mixed drinks can also pack a strong caloric punch. Stick with your water through the night and you’ll find it much easier to avoid falling prey to those foods later on.

Being on a diet doesn’t have to mean that you are a Debbie or a Daniel Downer at events. Nobody enjoys hanging around someone that is making pie eyes at the pies or griping about how much they want to eat the food but can’t. Instead of getting into this negative mindset, focus on what is really important and leave the food where it belongs – on the table.

Once you’re armed with the right game plan, getting through holiday parties and staying on your diet will be a breeze. If you happen to lose a battle and indulge on one treat, that doesn’t mean you have to lose the war by spending the rest of the night making up for lost time. Stick to your plan and remember that you can get through this!

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Many of you that watch The Biggest Loser are already familiar with the author of this book, Bob Harper. He's one of the trainers on the show and has already provided millions of dieters with inspiration and advice on getting fit and losing weight. Let's see how well his book stacks up against the competition and whether it's really worth the cover price.

From the start, we were hooked with this book. Harper starts off with dealing with the emotional issues that affect so many of us that are overweight. For the vast majority of dieters, unless these issues are addressed, diets are an exercise in futility. The first major benchmark that Harper passed was also his emphasis on changing your lifestyle, changing the way you eat and changing your future. This is the standard by which we judge all diet books, and unlike so many out there, Harper included all of these points in his book.

This is certainly not a fad diet, and if you're going in hoping to lose ten pounds a week, chances are you're going to be disappointed. What it is - is a healthy alternative that will help you lose a lot of weight and keep it off for the rest of your life. When you read the book with the right mindset, it becomes so much more useful than the legions of other books, fad diets and miracle plans. Sure, the results are going to take a tiny bit longer, but you're going to be able to enjoy them a lot longer.

The book contains twenty different sample menus that will provide you with more than enough variety to keep losing weight without getting bored. Harper did a great job picking the right balance of foods for each menu so that dieters don't feel deprived. There are some really great suggestions and for this alone, the book is well worth its cost. However, there is a downside and one that probably should have been thought out before the book went to press.
There are no recipes, which for those of us that are lucky to boil water, this is a definite drawback. You can't provide someone with a plan for the future and then fall short when it comes with the blueprints they're going to need. Thankfully, most of the recipes can be found online or in most cookbooks, so this wasn't enough for the book to get a black mark against it.

If you're looking for a solid diet plan that really works and has documented proof of working, this is certainly a book that you need to read. For anyone that wants to make that commitment of losing weight and keeping it off, this is certainly one of the best on the market.

It's easy to see why the contestants on The Biggest Loser get such fabulous results. When they're working with a trainer like this, they can't help but succeed. We highly recommend this book to anyone looking to lose weight or just get healthier.

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One of the best ways to ensure healthy weight loss is to find the right balance for your meals. Proteins, fats and carbs are all essential, but you need to have the right amount of each to make sure that your diet will work. It can be a little difficult at first, but once you get started it will become easier.

First, you'll need to discuss your options with your doctor or with a nutritionist. They can help you come up with a percentage of each type that will work for your own unique needs. Remember, we are not all the same when it comes to the type of fuel that we need for our bodies. Some people can get away with a diet consisting largely of protein, while others will not be able to do without carbs.

In order to avoid feeling deprived, you need to find this balance and the right percentage. Commonly, most dieters stick to the 40/30/30 percentage, but you may find that you need to tweak this a bit for your own needs. With the right balance you should not experience feelings of dissatisfaction or cravings.

One of the main reasons that we suffer from cravings and have a hard time handling a new diet is due to blood sugar. After years of indulging in sweets, our bodies become used to that influx of sugar. If you suddenly stop eating these foods, your blood sugar can get out of whack very quickly. The sudden lows can lead to dizziness or feeling light headed.

To avoid this, make sure that you are getting the right amount of good carbs in your diet to replace the bad ones. For example, instead of eating white bread, switch to whole wheat. Instead of a can of soda, have a piece of fruit. You'll be giving your body the sugar it needs with much less calories.

Protein is a very important part of building lean muscle mass which in turn serves to ramp up your metabolism. Once again, the key to finding the right balance is substituting high risk protein with foods that are good for you. Instead of having a fatty piece of red meat, eat a chicken breast or a serving of tuna. Your body won't feel deprived, because it is getting the right amount of protein, just in a lower calorie form.

Although you wouldn't think it made sense, our bodies actually do need fat to function properly. If you try to aggressively cut all fat out of your diet, your body is definitely going to suffer. However, you need to make sure that you are eating the right kind of fat. Stay away from saturated fats, like butter, and use the "healthy" fats such as olive oil.

It may not be as tasty at first, but you'll be providing your body with the fuel that it needs to survive and retraining your cravings with much healthier foods.

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As our lives become more focused around online activities, it was only natural that diets would make the move towards becoming more online based. There are literally thousands of different sites that purport to help you lose weight, but do these plans really work? For many dieters, they do, and it’s due to the fact that online diets include a few things that a book or an exercise plan can’t provide. Let’s take a look at why online diets can be successful, and whether or not they may be right for you.

The first component that helps online diet plans reach such a phenomenal success rate is the fact that they often have a community atmosphere. Support is a vital part of being able to lose weight, and when you have access to hundreds of other people that are going through the exact same problems that you are. Having that support system can make a big difference, both in motivation and in having a shoulder or three to lean on. This may be the biggest reason that online diet plans are so successful.

The next component is the ability to easily log and calculate what you are eating. It’s tough trying to keep track on paper and you may not always have access to dietary information on food. Most online diet sites include calorie calculators as well as common labels for many different types of food. They offer interfaces that allow you to easily add up what you’re eating and figure out more about your food choices. Sometimes, seeing it in front of you like that makes all the difference in the world.

Thirdly, online diet plans can offer a greater degree of accountability. When you are involved in a community atmosphere, there is that competitive element that can help motivate you and help you stick to your diet. When you are seeing your progress in black and white, and where you may be having problems, it’s easier to learn how to stick to your diet and keep going.

Online dieting also offers a degree of anonymity that appeals to many people. You’ll be able to share your problems with other people, but they never really have to know who you are. For those that are embarrassed about their weight problems, this offers a level of freedom that is unparalleled and it may be the turning point in helping them finally reach their fitness and health goals.

Online diets may not be for everyone, but there is evidence that they can make a big difference in how you lose the weight, and how you stay motivated. If you don’t feel like joining a membership site, there are other ways that you can harness the power of the Internet to help you on your weight loss journey. Whether it is through a blog that details your efforts, or using online calculators and software to help you track your progress, the resources that are available online can be incredibly beneficial to those looking to lose weight.

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The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar machine that keeps churning out new diets, new hope and new hype every single year. If diets were so effective, there would be no need to keep coming up with new methods and new diet plans, but the sad truth is, the vast majority of diets fail. Why is this and what can you do to change this truth? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why diets fail.

Lifestyle changes are not addressed. This is possibly the biggest issue for dieters. If you are not eating the right foods all the time, and making that commitment to change, chances are, as soon as you do see results from your diet, you’re going to fall back on old habits. It is not easy to completely overhaul your life, but in many cases, if you want to lose weight, and keep it off, that is exactly what you’re going to have to do.

The diet does not offer enough variety. Whether it’s the soup diet, the juice diet, or even some of the more popular diet plans, a lack of variety can be a major reason for failure. It’s simply too difficult for many people to eat the same things, day in and day out. Even if you go into a diet plan like this enjoying a certain kind of food, after two weeks of eating nothing but, chances are you won’t feel the same way. Variety is the spice of life, and that is very true with food.

The diet plan does not include any exercise. Plain and simple, if you want to burn fat more efficiently, you’re going to have to get up and move around. Thousands of books come out every year promoting new ways of eating, but many of them fail to add the important component of exercise.

The diet plan focuses solely on water weight. This is a very common issue that affects dieters. When you first start on these plans it seems like weight just magically falls off of you. Then, you go back to eating normally and whoosh – it comes right back. These diets are disheartening at best, and dangerous at worst.

The diet is unsafe. There are many fad diets out there that are simply too extreme to stick to. Whether you’re fasting, or drastically cutting back calories, this results in a lack of energy, and you may simply just feel awful. We all need a certain amount of calories every day for our bodies to function properly. If you’re not getting enough, you will end up feeling lousy and you may even throw off your metabolism.

If you don’t want your diet to fail, remember that lifestyle changes are necessary and exercise should not be avoided. Simply eating better food and moving around more will help you lose weight – and keep it off – and you’ll find that it is much easier to keep going, even though the results may be a little slower.

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For many dieters, the biggest problem they face isn’t necessarily their own lifestyle change, but rather the fact that the people around them refuse to go along with the idea. It can be nearly impossible to focus on eating the right way when you eat out or are sitting across from other people that are relishing the food you can’t have. This is a frustrating issue that kills many diets, but it doesn’t have to. Here are some great tips to stay the course even when your own family won’t help you.

First, you may want to consider eating in another room.

It sounds horribly anti social, but if sitting in the living room will keep you from going off your diet, it is worth it. This works in two ways. First, you are giving yourself the help you need to keep eating the food you need to be eating. Second, by depriving your family of your companionship at meals, they’ll start to question their decision to eat the foods you can’t.

This kind of psychological ploy can actually work quite well, but it may take a week or two to have the full effect. When your family sees that you are committed enough to your diet to avoid them, they may start to question their own food choices. As a result, they may even decide to join you in the diet.

Next, you can try running through a list of the nasty diseases and problems that can occur by eating that food and keeping them at the forefront of your mind.

It’s a lot harder to drool over a cheeseburger when you’re thinking about what that cheese can do to your arteries. This technique will be most effective if you are truly committed to losing weight for the sake of your health, not just your appearance.

It may be impossible to get your family to switch their eating habits at first, but with time, if you can stick with it, you’ll be benefiting everyone. They’ll notice your increased energy and how good you look, and they may start to think twice about what they are putting into their own bodies. Again, it takes time, but you should start to see them get a little more interested in healthy food, a little bit at a time.

One word of caution. No one likes a food nazi!

If you are eating right, and your family isn’t there is no need to lord it over them. Simply state your case, stick to your diet and let your actions, your state of mind and your improved health do the talking. Everyone needs to find their own lifestyle changes on their own, and beating them up for food choices may backfire.

It’s not easy when you are trying to go it alone, but there are steps you can take to make sure that you do stick to your diet. Try to find at least one friend that supports you to make your journey easier.

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The Saint Tropez diet has gotten it’s fair share of press, most likely due to the fact that it’s another one of the diets that claims that eating the right food will make your body do all the work so you don’t have to. But is that claim rooted in scientific fact? The author makes that claim and produces some interesting research to back that up.

The main premise of the book is that by combining Omega 3 Fatty Acids with foods rich in Vitamin A you can jumpstart your body and get it to burn fat more efficiently. The only foods that aren’t allowed on the diet are breads and pasta, so if you are a fan of carbs, this one may be a bit difficult for you. It does promote eating more fruits and vegetables, avoiding bad fats like Omega 6 fats, and increasing the amount of healthy fat in your diet. Basically, the book is promoting the Mediterranean Diet in a little different way, which has been proven effective, at least when combined with exercise.

So far, so good, but we would have liked to have seen a few more studies into the benefits of combining Vitamin A with Omega 3’s and some long term results before we would be convinced on the strengths of this diet. The interesting thing is that exercise is not encouraged at all during many of the diet’s phases (it has four) and even after that point, only walking is encouraged. While this is great for some that don’t have much to lose, for most dieters it is going to take more of a concerted effort to lose weight.

The main downside to the diet is that the calories are very few, around 1400, which won’t work for many men or those that just need more calories to get through their day. While the food suggestions are solid, the book could have included more recipes and meal suggestions. There are a few, but certainly not enough to offer variety and a long term plan for changing eating habits.

While the book raises some very interesting principles, we weren’t completely sold on all the benefits. There is a lot of hype about this diet, and although many find it successful, we don’t think that it will work for everyone. There really is no substitute for making healthy food choices and getting enough exercise, no matter how good a diet claims to be. That said, the book is very interesting and the foods that are recommended are pretty healthy.

The Mediterranean diet in general has many benefits, so we really can’t give this one a solid thumb’s down either. It’s somewhere in between, and that’s not a good place to be. If you’re interested in learning more about how Omega 3 Fatty Acids work then it is certainly quite interesting. This isn’t a must read, but you may be able to pick up a few good tips from it.

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Good Calories, Bad Calories took the author five years to write, and it contains some groundbreaking information that will undoubtedly be the cause of much controversy. Whether or not you agree with Taubes assertions, the book is certainly well worth the read and it is obvious that he did put a lot of research into it as well as time.

The main assertion of the book is that we become fat due in a large part to the types of calories that we eat. By focusing on good calories and cutting out the bad calories in our lives, Taubes insists that it is much easier to lose weight and stay healthy. He is against, for an example, carbohydrates, stating that due to the fact they raise insulin levels, they make it impossible to lose weight. There is a lot of strong science to back that up, and to the author’s credit, he does mention good carbs.

Our main issue with the book was the author’s stance on exercise. He maintains that exercise can actually help you gain weight instead of losing it. The basic premise here is that because you are doing more, you are hungrier and will eat more. Again, it sounds good on paper, but there are many other reasons and scientific assertions that back up the fact that exercise is vital. Granted, it can make you hungrier, but if you are eating the right foods and making sure to fuel up before and after exercise, this can be prevented.

It’s difficult to wholeheartedly recommend a book that is so anti-exercise. While there is a lot of truth to what Taubes says, at the end of the day, there is no substitute for adding a healthy workout plan to your diet. With care, you can avoid falling into the trap of eating too much after exercising, and it just makes sense that burning calories will help you lose weight.

That said, the book is still a fascinating read, if for no other reason than it discusses the different types of foods that can actually promote weight loss, while bringing up the foods that you should avoid. Beginning dieters may be thrown off track by some of the advice however, but those interested in learning more about nutrition, or those that are well versed in dieting would be able to get quite a lot out of this book.

It has some flaws, but it is still an interesting take on the whole diet equation. If for no other reason, the book has value in that it exposes a lot of the diet industry foibles and poor research that is rampant in the industry. Read it if you’re looking for more information on health in general, or how to eat right, but don’t take it as gospel when it comes to finding an effective way to lose weight. If for nothing else, you’ll be able to learn a lot about the food you eat.

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Every year, millions of dieters experience the same problem. You're going along great, losing weight steadily and then boom - nothing. No matter what you try or how you limit your diet, you can't lose any more weight. There are a few easy answers to this and a few easy solutions that you can use to blast past that plateau and get back to losing more weight. While there is some truth that your body does hit a healthy weight and wants to stay there, more often than not, your body is being tricked into thinking this is the case. Here's how anyone can get past their plateau and keep hitting those weight loss goals.

1. Eat more, not less.

As you lose weight and get more fit, your caloric needs are going to change. If you've been on a pretty strict calorie reduction diet, pretty soon your body is going to think that it's really starving. This changes your metabolism and the way your body stores fat. If you're not eating enough, your body thinks it needs to store every single calorie that passes your lips. Now, we're not saying run out and gorge yourself.

What we are saying is that you need to add a few more healthy foods to your diet in the right balance. In some cases, you may need to add more healthy fats so that your body is getting the right fuel that it needs to keep functioning properly. There is such a thing as good fat - such as olive oil or omega-3 oils.

2. Ramp up that exercise plan.

On the same token as your caloric needs, your exercise needs are going to change as you get fit. Your body will be used to more exercise and your level of fitness will rise to the point that exercise becomes easy. This is a sign that you need to ramp up your efforts. If you're not getting a real workout, then you're not burning enough calories. Sometimes, adding just an extra 30 minutes a week of vigorous exercise is enough to blast past that plateau. Start small and add a little more each day to your workout.

Run for a little bit longer, or increase your cardio workout by five to ten minutes. You'll start to see your results again and you can keep going. There are stages that each of us will hit where it becomes necessary to exercise more to lose weight. Otherwise, you'll just be maintaining.

3. Revisit your food choices.

If you're not keeping a food diary, start one right away. You may find out that you are actually consuming more calories than you thought. A common offender is soda, that is full of empty calories. Try cutting out soda from your diet and see if that doesn't push you past that plateau. In many cases, you can easily lose ten pounds simply by cutting soda out of your life. Look for any empty calories that you are consuming and get rid of them!

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