Exercise for Weight Loss: 7 Steps to Success

1. Be sure you are healthy enough for exercise. It is generally a good idea to visit your doctor to be sure that you are healthy enough for vigorous exercise. Even if there are barriers that prevent you from participating in some popular forms of exercise, your physician may be able to suggest modifications that can be made so that you can begin a workout plan.
   You may also want to connect with other experts at the beginning of your plan. If you have physical limitations or previous injuries, a physical therapist may be able to help. Or a visit with a personal trainer may be worth the investment, as well. A good trainer will assess your level of fitness, help you set goals and design a weight-loss workout routine for you to follow...
2. Don't feel pressured to buy tools or gimmicks. The most common question asked by new exercisers is: what is the best exercise for weight loss? The answer is simple. The best weight-loss exercise is the one that you do. It is not necessary to buy a set of DVDs or an expensive new piece of equipment to lose weight.
   At the beginning of a new exercise plan, focus on building a fitness habit. Once regular exercise is part of your daily schedule you can make adjustments to the type and intensity of your workout. But in the beginning, consistency is the key to success. So choose activities that you enjoy doing.
   
3. Grab a few friends for company and accountability. One of the best predictors of success in a weight-loss exercise plan is social support. If your friends make exercise more enjoyable, you are more likely to continue the habit. Friends will also help to hold you accountable.
   If your immediate circle of friends is not interested in participating in your new weight-loss workout, then look a little further. Would some co-workers like to join you for an aerobics class after the office? Perhaps you have neighbors that would be willing to put the kids in strollers and walk or run through the neighborhood.
   
4. Get equipped with exercise clothing. Invest in a good pair of shoes and breathable workout clothing. For your first purchase, you may want to avoid the big box retailers and go to a sport-specific store. Neighborhood walking and running stores are great resources. Often these smaller owner-operated stores have staff that are actively involved in the sport and can make specific recommendations for fit and wear.
   Once you make the initial purchase, make new workout shoes or clothing an incentive for continued success. Set short-term goals and reward yourself with a new outfit that will make you feel more comfortable and confident during future workouts.
   
5. Write out a plan. It's easy to decide that you want to exercise. Getting it done is the hard part. There will always be another task, job or priority that can get in the way of your workout. To be sure that your workout remains a top priority, get out a calendar and schedule each activity in advance. Once you have the plan in writing, post it in a highly visible spot. Let it serve as a constant reminder. Set out workout clothing and pack a gym bag the night before your workout.
   
6. Vary your workouts. Exercise for weight loss should include aerobic activity, which raises your heart rate, strength training that builds muscle, and flexibility training to increase range of motion in the joints and decrease stress. When you schedule your weight-loss workouts, try to vary the activity that you do every day. For example, you may want to jog on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays grab the bike and head to a park for some push-ups, lunges, and sit-ups. Stretch and balance in yoga on Sunday.
   
7. Use active recovery days. Try to do something every day. That's right, no days off! Remember that when you schedule your workouts you will vary the type of activities you assign to each day. If you know you are going to do a longer or harder workout one day, schedule an easy workout, an active recovery, for the day after.
   
   
   Active recovery workouts get your blood pumping but are not vigorous. Easy lap swimming, a gentle yoga class, and a long walk with a friend could all be recovery day workouts.
   
   
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How to Lose Fat Fast

You can lose fat fast and forever without waking up at 5am to run on an empty stomach, without exercising 6x/week, without feeling hungry all the time or cutting your favorite foods forever and without expensive supplements.
You only need 3 things to lose fat: strength training, healthy nutrition & cardio. This post will give you a simple, efficient fat loss plan; so you can get your body fat to dream numbers while still have a life & eat normally.

You'll get best results doing a free weight routine of compound exercises like Squats & Deadlifts. It only takes 3x45mins/week.


Get Stronger. Strength training increases cardiovascular fitness, strengthens joints &   bones, builds  muscle and improves fat loss.  

Maintain Muscle. More strength is more muscle. Strength training builds muscle and prevents muscle loss so you don't get skinny + fat.

Burn Fat. Strength training prevents your metabolic rate from going down when dieting. This means more fat loss.

Stick to Diet. Exercising positively influences your eating habits. You'll stick to your diet better if you do strength training, losing more fat.

Eat Healthy. Eat whole unprocessed food, 90% of the time. Whole foods come as close as possible to their natural state: without added sugars, fats, sauces, ... Buy raw foods and cook them yourself.

• Protein. Necessary to build & maintain muscle so you don't get skinny + fat. Protein also satiates and has the highest thermic effect. Eat a whole protein source with each meal: beef, poultry, fish, dairy, whey etc
• Veggies & Fruits. Fill your stomach, but usually low in calorie. Also high in fiber, water, vitamins & minerals. Eat veggies & fruits with each meal: spinach, broccoli, kale, asparagus, apples, oranges, etc.
• Healthy Fats. Fat doesn't make you fat, bad nutrition & lack of exercise do. Healthy fats help fat loss: they satiate and slow down digestion. Eat healthy fats with each meal: fish oil, olive oil, mixed nuts.
• Water. Thirst can make you think you're hungry. Avoid soda, alcohol and fruit juice. Drink 2 cups water with each meal and sip water during your workout. Green tea and water with squeezed lemon are OK too.

Eat Grains Post Workout Only. Grains like pasta or rice are very caloric dense: 100g blank pasta has over 350kcal while 100g broccoli has only 35kcal. Limit your intake of grains to post workout only to automatically reduce your caloric intake.

• Eat Less Starches. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & healthy fats with each meal. Carbs from veggies & fruits are OK, this isn't a zero carb fat loss diet. Don't eat starchy carbs except post workout.
• No Workout = No Carbs. If you do strength training 3x per week, you can eat starchy carbs 3x per week post workout. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & healthy fats with all other meals.
• Eat Whole Carbs Only. Whole carbs promote fat loss and take longer to digest. Avoid white carbs. Eat whole carbs only: brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, oats, quinoa, ...

Eat More. Frequent meals prevent hunger by keeping your blood sugar stable. Frequent smaller meals also decrease your stomach size over time, which means you'll feel full sooner. Eat every 3 hours.

• Eat Breakfast. Build the habit of eating breakfast and try one of these breakfast recipies. Cook your food for the day while making breakfast.
• Eat Post Workout. The only meal where you can have carbs to replenish energy stores. Whole meal of protein & carbs or post workout shake.
• Eat Every 3 hours. 6 smaller meals per day instead of 3 large ones. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, pre-bed and 2 snacks.

Add Cardio. Excess cardio burns muscle instead of fat, causing the skinny + fat look. Never do cardio only. Add cardio to speed up the fat loss you get from strength training & healthy nutrition.

• Moderate Intensity. 60-70% of your max heart rate. Breathing heavier than at rest, not gasping. Your goal is fat loss, not exhaustion.
• 3x45mins. Start with 15mins cardio post strength training 3x per week. Build up to 3x45mins per week by adding 1min each workout.
• Elliptical Trainer. Aka the crosstrainer. There are many cardio machines you can choose from, but this one remains my favorite.

Fat Loss Strategies. Now that you know what to do, you need to make it as easy as possible to apply the above fat loss tips. Follow the next 8 strategies, even if they sound counter-intuitive to you.

• Buy Healthy Foods Only. Enough for your whole week so you can stick to your fat loss plan. Don't buy junk food - avoid temptations.
• Prepare Food in Advance. Cook your food for the day on waking up or when you get back from work. This takes about 1 hour.
• Make Double Portions. Speeds up preparation. Prepare 12oz chicken and eat half at lunch and half at dinner.
• Eat The Same Every Day. Removing choice kills cravings and makes you see food for what it is: fuel for your body. Switch it up every 3 weeks.
• Eat at Fixed Times. Don't wait until you're hungry or feel like eating. Eat every 3 hours. Build consistency.
• Take Food with You. Take food to work, to school, to the movies, etc. This ensures you're eating foods that will make you lose fat.
• Eat Before Going Out. Avoid ending up eating junk food because you're hungry. Eat before you leave home and take food with you.
• Eat Junk Food 10% of The Time. You can eat 4 junk meals/week if you eat 6x/day. This actually helps fat loss. Eat out so you can't overdo it.
• Track Progress for Motivation. Pictures, body fat, measurements and strength gains. Aim for 2-3% fat loss/month (use a fat caliper).

Example Fat Loss Diets. To lose fat: proteins, veggies, fruits and healthy fats with each meal. Carbs post workout only. Example fat loss diet:

• Breakfast: eggs with tomato & bell peppers, orange, green tea
• Snack: cottage cheese with apple
• Lunch: chicken, bok choy, tomato, chicory, olive oil
• Snack: mixed nuts
• Post workout: ground round, brown rice, mixed veggies, banana
• Dinner: chicken, spinach, baby carrots, pear
• Pre-bed snack: cottage cheese, berries, ground flax seeds, fish oil

Don't waste your time counting calories: you won't get fat eating unprocessed foods. Just eat your stomach full and prepare your own food so you have total control over the ingredients. Aim for 2-3% fat loss per month.

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