Weight Loss Magic Part 2

Last time I talked about various things that you need to know or do to help you achieve weight loss, and not only weight loss but big weight loss. The following thoughts come from a range of sources including the internet, podcasts, magazine articles and other forms of communication, and I offer my own insight too.

So let's continue...

- Be An Anomaly!

Just because something hasn't worked for somebody else, does not mean it won't work for you. Do your research, filter through the information that seems to contradict itself from various sources and make up your own mind.

- Trust Your Success, Not Failure!

Don't sabotage yourself by constantly worrying if all the hard work you're putting in is going to pay off. Trust that it will.

- Be Food Independent!

You decide what to eat and drink. Don't let temptations, such as life stresses, supermarket offers or anything else misguide you. Know your path and stick to it.

- Healthy Ready Meals Are Not Bad!

Various sources may tell you that you can have bigger meals for the number of calories with something like Chicken and Vegetables. This is indeed true, however if you get used to huge portion sizes it could lead you to miscalculating calories with certain unhealthy snacks and calorie dense food. Healthy Ready Meals such as those from Weight Watchers may contain ingredients that you are unaware of, but they will assist you with watching your weight. I know vaguely of the Weight Watchers program which apparently works on a points system that is more applicable to a diet rather than a recommended lifestyle. I can't comment effectively enough on the Weight Watchers program, however I do recommend the majority of their ready meals.

- Don't Have Unhealthy Temptations At Home!

There you have it. You should clear out your freezer, fridge, cupboards, and any other places you may have for secretly storing unhealthy high-calorie temptations. Don't wait. Do it now!

- Don't fry food!

If you want to be healthy, ignore the hype about certain oils that you can use when cooking. Grill, microwave and cook where possible.

- Tomato Ketchup Is OK!

You shouldn't overdo it, but it's ok to have tomato ketchup if you wish.

- Diet Soda Is OK!

You may be advised to avoid diet soda. You may be told that it can encourage you to eat more high-calorie sweet foods. I think this is also dependent on your own will-power. You may also be told of how diet soda can affect your body in various negative ways. The truth is, people that talk and write about this, don't really know for sure. I would certainly not recommend drinking diet soda all of the time though. That said, sometimes drinking a low calorie Pepsi Max can be a refreshing alternative to a tempting chocolate bar. Note that I am talking about diet soda such as the aforementioned Pepsi Max, as well as Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Fanta Zero, Sprite Zero, etc... Avoid regular sodas completely. They are nothing but wasted calories.

- Focus On What You Want!

You don't have to concentrate on what you don't want which when it comes to weight loss is fat. Focus on what you do want. If for example you want six pack abs, don't let the fact that you have to lose fat give you a negative mindset. Think about building muscle.

- Healthy Carbs!

They include but are not limited to: Oatmeal, Fruit (Apples, Bananas, Berries, etc...), Fat Free Yogurt...

- Healthy Proteins!

We are talking lean protein. They include but are not limited to: Chicken Breast, Egg Whites (note that these are harder to get hold of in the UK than the US. Best places for buying egg whites in the UK apart from online are GNC and Waitrose), Lettuce, Tomato, Broccoli, Green Beans, Carrots...

- Combination Is Key!

How you combine protein, carbs and fat is very important when it comes to weight loss. Something simple like Turkey Breast and Vegetables is a good combination. It has a solid amount of protein, healthy carbs and is low fat.

- Don't Be Average!

The average person is overweight and unhealthy. You are better than average. If anyone offers you advice on what you should be doing to be average, ignore them.

- Fat Is Fat!

Whether fat is a part of the healthy kind or not, fat is fat. Limit how much fat you have- period.

- Be Who You Want To Be!

If you want to be an athlete, eat and work out like an athlete.

- Have Fun!

Doing what it takes to be fit and healthy can be hard on occasion. It does not mean you can't have fun along the way.

- Dance Like No One's Watching!

When you're at the gym, don't worry about what other people are doing or the way that they look at what you are doing. Just because the majority of people may be on a cross-trainer when they first come into a gym while you're busy pacing yourself on the treadmill doesn't make you wrong and them right. Don't feel obliged to go with the popular vote.

- Know Your Boundaries And Don't Be Apologetic For Them!

You choose what people to surround yourself with. You have permission to spend time with people you want to and to avoid those you don't want to. You have the right to set your own boundaries. At the gym this can be verbal or non-verbal. You can follow the gym etiquette rule of doing cardio with a one machine gap between you and the next person if it's not busy. Or you can pick your favorite machine and go on it whether another person is directly next to you or not. You can smile, make eye contact and say hi to people if you wish, but you don't have to if you don't want to. You are responsible for what you actually think, say and do, not what other people think you think, say and do.

- A Journey Of One!

Your fitness and nutrition lifestyle is yours alone. You have your own goals that apply to only you. Don't compete with anyone at the gym. Stay the course. Find a way, make a way. Good Journey!

- Mind Power!

Successful weight loss ultimately comes down to brain power. Get your head in gear!

- Picture An Image!

Find a photo of your favorite fit celebrity or fitness model, and let it inspire you to get to the pinnacle of fitness that they represent to you.

- Water Is Not Created Equal!

To assist with weight loss you need to clear out your system with lots of water, usually at least 2 or 3 litres a day. To help out with this, an alternative to a 2 litre bottle is 6 small 500ml bottles. Have one with each meal and snack that you have. And as an additional suggestion, each time you drink a can of diet soda, drink an extra bottle of water. Also, don't waste your time with vitamin water (aka water with calories). Regular water is fine.

And there we have it again. The second part of The Weight Loss Magic trilogy of information. I hope it's useful.

To Be Concluded...