A Guide on Losing Weight effectively

By Bart McDaniel

Copyright 2012, Bart McDaniel, B.McD.Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may reproduce without any express written permission of the copyright owner.

Introduction

You want to lose some weight effectively and dont know how? It takes a lot of work for some but when you start reading this, it will probably bring the best of you can be. Having an open mind is very important before you try something new. A lot of people tried a lot of diet plans and exercise programs, but if the person isnt open to trying new things and filled with plenty of self motivation, the success of the program has its limitations. The problem often lies in themselves, in their insecurity on their own abilities and the inability to avoid the temptations. If you dont have the mental courage to allow the molding to take place, a right food intake and proper exercise regime, well, you will never succeed.

True fitness succeeds only because of the dedication, commitment, consistency and open mindedness of an individual.

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Table of Contents

I. II.

Mindset Nutrition

III. Exercise

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Mindset

Everybody wants to have the best possible body they can achieve, but I would say about 50 percent of people do not have the mental ability to sustain the persistence needed to achieve this. Developing and sustaining a fitness mindset should be your very FIRST goal before taking part in any diet or exercise routine. For example, many people are striving hard to get sexy, flat abs but there are important things you need to consider before achieving a flat stomach, and one of this is your mind focusing on the goal.

Psychology has a lot to do with getting a flat stomach. You can have all that information on getting leaner and how to lose weight, but if youre mentality is not right, and then it becomes useless. Start planning your training session for the week, telling yourself that you will be training that exercise for that day.

In order to get fit, youve got to want to get fit. Changing how you look at fitness is a big part of the real solution. Its a mindset change. In order to develop a mindset for fitness, youve got to take action. The development of habits is the good reason for this. Athletes have that natural passion to work out because theyve been doing it most of their life so its a habit for them. Make a mental commitment. Decide on a fitness related goal and mentally commit to it. Write it down. Remind yourself often. Decide then and there that you will honor this commitment even when you dont feel like it because you know it is the right thing to do. Create a mental catch phrase or word that you can consciously say to yourself when your mind tries to sabotage your exercise intentions. For example: If you started thinking Im too tired, I think Ill skip this workout, then recognize the negative thought and immediately counter it with a catch phrase like I can. I will!

Practice mental rehearsal and mental imagery. Picture yourself doing the exercise, following through on the commitment, setbacks, and achieving success with your fitness goals. Build mentally tough attitude. Perspective is everything look at the exercise goal as challenge to rise up to as opposed to a threat to beat. Every action you take to move towards the goal is a good one. Identify your self-defeating thoughts and behaviors in advance. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Decide how you will face them so that when they come and they will come you will feel confident and capable to overcome them. Cultivate self discipline and believe in yourself. Theres a famous saying that goes If you think you can or cant youre probably right. Develop an ability to do what you have to do when you need to do it, whether you want to or not. Choose to believe in yourself with positive, cando thinking. When preparing for any physical task, simple or complex, the mind must first focus on the sensory input being brought in by the nervous system, and then generate an appropriate response to give your body the desired outcome it wants. When this process is repeated over and over again, the body will naturally adapt to the outside stimulus making it easier for you to succeed in that task. The mind is an extremely powerful tool to use in any fitness endeavor. Just like the focus that it takes to perform the most simple of tasks, this SAME focus is needed when preparing for workouts, dieting, sports or whatever your goal might be.

Nutrition

What Should I Eat To? gain muscle, lose weight, have more stamina, feel more energetic, stay healthy, get healthier, reduce cholesterol, get stronger, run faster and longer

You will hear these questions from clients asking their personal trainers, and they are expected to answer their clients about basic nutrition. There is so much misinformation and misinterpretation in the media- led by proliferation of functional foods and dietary supplements that most people are quite confused. They hear and read conflicting truths in magazines, television, books, newspapers, product labels, the internet, etc. The real truth is that our bodies need regular exercise and the right quantity and quality of nutritious food to perform at the optimum level. The following pages of this book will equip you with basic nutrition information the sources of major nutrients, metabolism, energy and fuel requirements for effective weight loss to help you. Nutrition involves the intake and utilization of food substances including ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport and metabolism of nutrients found in food.

Nutrients are life-sustaining substances found in food that supply the body with energy and structural materials and regulate growth, maintenance and repair of the bodys tissues.

Protein, carbohydrate, and fat nutrients ultimately provide energy to maintain body functions during rest and physical activity. They are macronutrients; these are nutrients that the body requires in relatively large amounts. Foods that contain these macronutrients also contain various combinations of micronutrients nutrients that the body requires in smaller amounts minerals and vitamins.

Protein
The best sources of protein include eggs, milk and meat. Certain vegetable proteins can be eaten together or with animal proteins to become a complete protein meal. It is made up of various amino acids. In terms of weight loss, scientists are finding that the most important amino acids are the branch chain amino acids, especially leucine. If you get your protein intake high enough, especially in proteins that are rich in leucine, a number of very interesting things happen that can activate a sluggish metabolism and result in weight loss.

For sedentary individuals 10% of the diet should be protein about 40 grams/day for females and 55-70 grams/day or 0.8 grams/kg body weight for males. For athletes or physically active people, 12% to 15% of the total calories. For endurance athletes (defined as training for at least 12 hours per week over at least 5 years), 1.2 to 1.7 g/kg/day.

High protein, leucine-rich diet, in combination with lower carbohydrates is effective to support weight loss and blood sugar metabolism. The highest sources of leucine-containing foods are animal and dairy sources. Cottage cheese and red meat top the list; other sources include milk, cheese, eggs, pork, fish, chicken, legumes, peanuts, nuts and seeds. Another way to effective weight loss is to eat high-protein breakfast because it can increase your metabolic rate by thirty percent for as long as twelve hours, the calorie-burning equivalent of a three to five mile jogs.

Carbohydrates Choose good carbs, not any carbs. Whole grains are your best bet. Dont be misled by fad diets that make blanket pronouncements on the dangers of carbohydrates. They provide the body with fuel it needs for everyday activity and for proper organ function, and they are an important part of a healthy diet. Carbohydrates are essential for a well-balanced diet and healthy body.

People should consume at least 55 to 70% of calories from carbohydrates or 4 to 6 grams per kilograms of body weight, depending on their activity level. People who exercise more than an hour per day should consume 65% while endurance athletes can consume up to 70% and people who workout every other day, should consume 55% to 60% Example: In a 2,000 kcal diet, 60% represents 1,200 kcals or 300 grams of carbohydrates

Good Carbs

Good carbohydrate foods are those that are still in their natural state, or they are still similar to their natural state. They are foods that have not been processed or altered by people or machines. They are nutrient rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Also, it is high in fibre, which means they provide energy over longer periods of time and they give people a sense of feeling full. Foods those are high in fibre help to lower cholesterol levels, help regulate the bodys use of sugars, keeping hunger and blood sugar in check. Insoluble fiber helps push food through the intestinal tract, promoting regularity and helping prevent constipation.

Bad Carbs

Bad carbohydrate foods are those that have been refined and processed, not in their natural state. Most of the nutritional value has been removed from these foods. They are generally loaded with additives, including colorings, flavorings and preservatives. Most are very tasteful and are packaged for easy handling. However, they are generally considered harmful to the body because they are not easily digested and they spike an individuals blood glucose level. Also, bad carbohydrate foods include candy, baked goods with refined white flour, white pastas and sodas. And lastly they are nutrient poor and they have little nutritional value. Low-carbohydrate (low-carb) diets are becoming popular again for weight loss. Yet, despite their claims, research suggests very low-carbohydrate diets tend not to lead to long-term weight loss and may lead to other serious health problems especially if the diet is very high in unhealthy saturated fats.

Having the most important meal of the day

Eating breakfast plays a primary role in staying healthy. Skipping the first meal of the day increases the chances of becoming obese according to researchers and doctors, developing diabetes or even having a heart attack. The researchers believe that eating first thing in the morning may help to stabilize blood sugar levels, which regulate appetite and energy. People who eat breakfast are less likely to be hungry during the rest of the day and are, therefore, less likely to overeat. Prolonged fasting which occurs when you skip breakfast can increase your bodys insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain.

The Different Kinds of Fat

Types of Fats

What are they

What they do

Found in Highest Concentration Mid-oleic sunflower oil Canola oil Olive oil Peanut oil Sunflower oil Soybean oil Corn oil

Monounsaturated Fat (MUFAs)

Good fat found in oils and plants.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs)

Good fat found in oils, nuts, fish and plants.

Have been shown to decrease total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and maintain HDL cholesterol. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats have been shown to decrease risk for heart disease by decreasing total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Studies show that too much saturated fat in a persons diet increases heart disease risk by increasing total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Increases heart disease risk, but is thought to be more harmful because not only does it increase total and LDL cholesterol, but it decreases HDL cholesterol as well.

Saturated Fat

Bad fat often found in animal food and products and processed foods which utilize oils that are high in saturated fat. Bad fat that is formed during the process of hydrogenation, which helps to keep oils solid and stable at room temperature for use in foods. Also found naturally occurring in small amounts in meat and milk.

Palm oil Palm kernel oil Coconut oil Beef tallow(bovine fat) Partially hydrogenated soybean oil Partially hydrogenated canola oil

Trans Fat

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General guidelines for choosing healthy fat Try to eliminate trans fats from your diet. Check food labels for trans fats. Avoiding commercially- baked goods goes a long way. Also limit fast food. Limit your intake of saturated fats by cutting back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods. Try replacing red meat with beans, nuts, poultry, and fish whenever possible and switching from whole milk and other full-fat dairy foods to lower fat versions. Eat omega-3 fats every day. Good sources include fish, walnuts, ground flax seeds, flaxseed oil, canola oil, and soybean oil.

Making small changes to your diet everyday to help reduce your calorie intake will help offset weight gain over the year, and possibly even help to lose weight. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, fruits and vegetables are packed with beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. They fill up your stomach fast so you feel full earlier. They are also low in calories and help to keep your calorie count low. Watch the portion size. One serving of pasta means cup of cooked pasta. However, most restaurants serve a pasta dish with 4 servings of pasta. You do not need to finish and clean off the plate every time. You can simply ask to take home leftover. Do not skip meals eating small frequent meals help to balance your calorie intake throughout the day and also keeps your blood sugar level balanced. Instead of eating 3 big meals, try to eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. Go for wholesome fresh foods. Purchase fresh foods and avoid highly processed foods. Everyone has his or her favorite treats. Simply allow yourself a little indulgence, but watch out for the frequency and the quantity. Having a small treat once in a while can be rewarding to your weight loss experience. Cutting too much of your favorite treats usually lead to n early relapse. Watch for the sugary drinks. Juices, soda, cream & sugar in your coffee or tea all add up. Opt for drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. In addition to providing hydration to your body, it will also help you feel full.

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Exercise

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Exercise plays a big role in losing weight. Performing some form of physical activity daily will significantly boost your basal metabolic rate the number of calories your body burn representing 60-75% of calories used each day. We need this in other for us to keep alive. Having a high metabolism would definitely increase your calorie burning for a day even while you sleep. You can literally turn your body into a fat-burning machine. Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. Remember that carbohydrates are needed to give you the energy to sustain a hard workout while protein is needed to help repair and build muscle after exercise. In addition to this, timing and composition of meals consumed may play role in optimizing performance and training adaptations and in preventing overtraining. Ask yourself what is my goal? or more specifically, how much weight do you want to lose?Once you have answer to this question, you can simply calculate how much exercise is needed based on an understanding of how much energy different exercises burn per minute. Then, know your current fitness level. How fit you are today determines to a great extent the amount of exercise we can realistically do and just as importantly, at what level of intensity. While diet has a stronger effect on weight loss than physical activity does, physical activity, including exercise, has a stronger effect in preventing weight gain and maintaining weight loss. For most healthy adults, it is recommended to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity. Physical activity and exercise such as playing tennis, walking to the store, chasing after the dog and any other movement account for the rest of the calories your body burns up each day. Physical activity is by far the most variable of the factors that determine how many calories you burn each day. Eat at least two hours before exercise for carbs to be digested and begin to be stored as muscle and liver glycogen. For exercise sessions longer than 60 minutes, exercisers should consume simple carbs like sweetened fruit juices in order to maintain blood glucose levels, help prevent dehydration while doing the workout. Then after exerciser, you should consume carbs (e.g. 1 gram carb per kilogram of body weight) within 30 to 60 minutes of exercise and consume a high carbohydrate meal within 2 hours following exercise. Now its time to start your workout. You have to make sure that youre doing it in correct form; we all know that quality is more important than quantity. The following exercises offer you ideas on how to lose weight effectively. Choose different kinds of cardio workout like running, biking and swimming.

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Running

Running is as well loved cardio not just because its a strenuous activity you can do anywhere and very simple to do, it also works the entire body from head to toe. One more thing that everybody should know about running is that most of core muscles here are active during running. It stabilizes our body to be able to get balance during running. The abs plays an important role when running. So, the first thing you have to do is working your abs if you want to run miles.

Cycling

Cycling is another excellent cardio, like most cardio workout it burns fat not only in your butt, legs and arms but as well as your abs. Its a whole body process. You can do it outdoors with your family or friends, and indoors with a stationary bike. In indoor cycling, try to increase the resistance level like in going uphill, or down slope. The most important thing is to know how you speed up your heart rate during the workout.

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Swimming

Swimmers not only have a lean figure, they also have trim and sculpted abs. It is a great workout to consider for developing sexy waistline but it requires strength and stamina while you do propelling in water. You were building muscle that aids in fat burning process. It is a sport that tests every aspect of in individuals endurance. When you swim, it involves the whole body, it exercise your lungs, heart, legs, abdominal muscles, hands and shoulders.

Walking

For those who are just beginning exercising, start with a basic walk everyday can. Its an easy version of running. After the next minutes, start to increase the pace, brisk walking to jog a little bit, that gives more challenge and increases your heart rate. Remember that our goal is to speed up the heart rate, to increase metabolism, and burn more calories. The lesser the calories, the leaner you become.

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HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

What is HIIT? It stands for high intensity interval training. It is one of the best and effective ways to burn fat with aerobic exercises. First, it provides a great workout for your legs. More importantly, HIIT ramps up fat burning. The intense intervals allow for the release of fatty acids into the bloodstream and result in increased HGH level, a hormone that burns fat while preserving muscle. To do it, you simply change the pacing of your of your workout like doing a 10-30 seconds short interval then rest for about 30-90 seconds allowing yourself to catch a breath then push again yourself then repeat this for up to 15 minutes to complete your abs routine. The advantage of doing HIIT is that youre working your cardiovascular system all the way. By achieving this, you will have a much faster calorie burn rate.

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