What You Can Do To Avoid Being Fat on the Inside

• Eat a diet low in saturated fat, and avoid artificial trans fats.
  
• Choose lean cuts of meat and poultry.
  
• Limit total fat intake, and choose unsaturated fats such as olive oil, walnuts, and flaxseeds.
  
• Eat fish at least twice a week.
  
• Choose whole grains, legumes, and plenty of colourful vegetables, preferably organic.
  
• Control portion sizes—two slices of bread, not the whole load.
  
• Drink plenty of water, at least 10-12 glasses per day.
  
• Get moving — walk, run, bike, chase the kids, swim — whatever you can live with.

Weight Loss Motivation For YOU

As people sit on the sofa and eat the potato chips, they think to themselves "I know I need to change the way I look and feel". Just the thought of diet and exercise is a tiresome and defeating feeling. Weight loss motivation isn't easy. I mean, who gets motivated about restriction and work. Today we are going to review some tips on how to stay motivated toward a thinner you.

First and for most, you must comprehend that no one is perfect and from time to time you will fall off your diet and exercise routine. This is a huge concept because most of us do so well for 3 weeks to 2 months that we fail to allow ourselves room for error. After a diet crash, most of us will give up, we tell ourselves, "The damage is already done, I will start a new diet in a few days", but we know a few days turns into a few months. Allow yourself room to make mistakes, true weight loss will only come once this concept is realized.

Find a health partner. We all need a support system. We all need someone to talk with every now and then. Since many people are overweight, it would not be too difficult to find someone with weight loss ambitions. As with anything, constantly thinking positive helps, so make sure you make it a habit to surround yourself with positive people. The world is full of too many negatives, and the last thing you need is someone dragging you down.

At the end of the day, its not about diet and exercise. It should be more about healthiness and serenity.

Lets stop thinking.....

• I want to look good
• I want to fit in those pants
• I want people to notice me

Lets start thinking.....

• I want to live longer
• I want to have peace of mind
• I want more energy

If your goals are to just look better, then chances are you may find it hard to keep the weight off, but if your goals are to be healthier and feel great then you are on your way to true weight loss and happiness. It's not about pleasing people, but it will always be about finding the healthiness and happiness inside. I hope this article helps motivate you toward your weight loss objectives, if anything, remember that true weight loss can be obtained, but you must go into it with the right state of mind.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is what your body needs at rest to maintain normal bodily functions like beating of our heart, respiration, and the maintenance of body temperature at a thermostatic setting just under 100 deg, etc. All these mechanical and thermometric functions require a base level of energy. About 60-75% of energy is expended by the body at rest in such activities.

You use another 10% of calories to digest and metabolize food. 1-3 hours after meal, the nutrients in your bloodstream and the food your stomach and intestines produce heat in a process called the thermic effect of food. The amount of calories you burn varies with the type of food you eat. You burn more calories to breakdown a steak than a banana and very few calories are expanded in breaking down simple sugars.

The resting metabolism depends on age, physical condition, the amount of fat and muscle in your body. You had a very high metabolism at your birth. At mid thirties, metabolism slows by 3 to 5 % per decade. By age 55, you require 150 fewer calories per day than in your mid thirties. For that reason, you should cut back on calories or increase your activity level to burn more calories, otherwise you will store additional fat in your body resulting in increased weight.

The metabolic rate depends on sex, age, and amount of muscle. Younger persons have higher (faster) metabolism because of the increased activity of cells. Men generally have a 10-15% faster BMR than women because male body has greater percentage of lean muscle tissues. Exercise can increase your BMR.

Causes for Low Metabolism:-

1. Fasting.

2. A low calorie diet.

3. Snacking throughout the day on high sugared foods (candy, colas, cakes, gum).

4. Eating or drinking too much sugar containing foods.

5. Lack of physical activity.

6. Under active thyroid.

How to Increase (speed up) Metabolism?

1. To boost metabolism, do not skip any meals. Eat every 4-5 hours during the day. Starving will slow down your metabolism.

2. Exercise daily

3. Build your muscles. Do you Know: 1 pound of fat burns only 2 calories a day while 1 pound of muscle burns 50 calories a day !!! The more muscle you build, the faster your metabolism will be, and the more calories you will burn while at rest. When muscle mass decreases, the metabolic rate also drops.

4. Avoid alcohol, sugar, and fastings.

5. Drink 10-12 glasses of water daily.

6. Eat foods with high nutritional values.

Why Weight Gain Over 40?

Weight gain over 40 is a regular occurrence. Due to menopause, most women gain weight. There are various reasons for weight gain at this stage. Slowdown in the metabolic rate due to aging is the main factor for obtaining that extra flab in their body.

Usually the stress levels of women over 40 are quite high. They have more responsibilities. Lack of physical activities at this age also causes weight gain. One should be extra cautious about the diet and lifestyle after 40. Due to aging, most women undergo hormonal imbalances, which further increases their chances to gain weight.

Weight gain over 40 can be prevented as well as reversed. In order to look younger than your age, you should have proper diets and exercises. A healthy lifestyle is very necessary to shed those extra pounds. In order to prevent weight gain, you should do regular cardio workouts such as running, swimming, hiking, and brisk walking. Brisk walking is the most preferred workout for women over 40. Alternate Weight training is also highly recommended in order to build lean muscle. These processes help your body to engender metabolism that consequently stimulates fat burning.

It is also extremely necessary for you to drink plenty of water - at least 10 to 12 glasses of water daily. A balanced diet with fruits, green colored vegetables and fist sized protein plus some little compound carbo will be highly recommended for those aiming for a younger and healthier looking after 40.

You Are Your Environment

Always be mindful that you're a product of your environment. So choose an environment that will best develop you toward your objective.

Analyze your life in terms of your environment. Are the things around you helping you toward your success,or are they holding you back? The first step toward getting somewhere is to decide that you're not going to stay where you are. You're not a captive of your environment.

If you don't like where you are, you can make some changes. You're not planted permanently in the ground like a tree. Don't say, "You would, if you could,"start saying, "You will, because you can."

When you become a part of anything, it becomes a part of you.