How to Diet

Dieting in America is at an all time high. We are the most obese nation and especially now, around the holidays, everyone is looking for a quick way to drop those extra pounds. While crash diets are not safe-it is possible to diet sensibly and shed that excess weight quickly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• The sincere desire to lose weight
• Light dumb-bells or heavier weight set if you're a pro
• Sturdy,comfy pair of sneakers

1. First and foremost you must make the conscious decision to want to lose weight. Whether it be 10lbs or 100lbs that you want to lose ,you need to be committed to your goal weight and not allow minor distractions. Make sure you consult a physician if you have heart disease, high-blood pressure, asthma or a history of any other serious medical complications.
2. Weigh yourself. Write down your weight and then set a realistic short-term goal weight as well as a long-term goal weight. Be true to yourself and remember that Nicole Richie skinny is not attractive unless its natural. If you have a heavier frame stay within your healthy range. If you are super thin and just want to tone it up stay within a 10-20 lb limit. Keep these numbers as you will refer to them in a daily workout journal.
3. Yes workout! Now you really don't think you can just sit there and imagine your goal weight and poof! you're there. Let's be real when you take in fewer calories and add even just light cardio to your routine, the pounds will magically drop off. There is also an advantage because we all fall off and "cheat" but if you're doing cardio almost daily , your chances of seeing that brownie are slim to none. Just don't over-do it and you'll be fine. So try it. Research shows that just 30 minutes , three times a week of getting your heart rate up can do wonders for your metabolism and weight loss.
4. Just say No! Please throw away all the junk food. It's okay to sneak a snickers at the store once a month but do you really feel that you're going to be able to resist an entire chocolate cake sitting at your kitchen table. That "just one more bite" is not going to work. Instead stock up on whole grain wheat, plenty of protein and lots of fruits and vegetables. Keep water at all times , it's the best way to fill up when you feel a craving coming on. Stay creative in the kitchen if you're not big on healthy eating and before you know it your taste buds won't even know the difference.
5. Jot down your daily routine in a journal. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. All you need is paper and a pen. Keep track of what you ate that day and what type of activity did you do. Even if you just swept and mopped around the house , you burned calories so jot it down. If you did 30 minutes on the treadmill instead of 20 , write it down. That lets you see how you're body is adjusting to your new healthy lifestyle and allows you to track any stumps as well.
6. Take your time and be realistic. Wait at least 2-3 weeks before you expect to see any noticeable results and remember muscle weighs more than fat so take measurements rather than relying solely on the scale. You'll notice your clothes fitting differently or perhaps and old pair of jeans that you've been praying to fit into suddenly slide right on. Those are your results. The ones you can feel.
7. Enjoy the Fabulous new you!

Tips & Warnings

• Try to use the scale sparingly while dieting. You can drive yourself insane weighing in everyday and there are so many factors that come into play when stepping on the scale. It's not worth torturing yourself.
• If you are a smoker consult a physician before starting any drastic workout plans.
• Pregnant women should consult their doctors for an individual workout plan.