Showing posts with label Habits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Habits. Show all posts

The Top Bad Habits That are Preventing You From Losing Weight!

Bad habits that are preventing you from losing weight!


It is vital to remember that every single thing you do as you go about your day will influence the weight loss results you get, so if you want to see top-level progress, you need to get everything in order.

Here are the top biggest health-destructive habits that can stop fat loss dead in its tracks.

Lack Of Sleep

One of the biggest culprits that keeps many people overweight is not getting enough sleep at night. You must remember that the time during the evening hours is when the body is primarily working to repair any damage that was done throughout the day, so when you short yourself of this, you will not be recovering.

This can also have a direct impact on how quickly your metabolism is functioning and when that starts dropping, that's when it will be very difficult to even lose any fat at all.

In order to see best results, you need to keep your metabolism revved and you're going to do this by being sure to get your eight hours each night.



Mindless Nibbling

Second, another big health habit that can stop weight loss fast is mindless nibbling. You may think you're fine just taking a bite of something here and there, but do this too often and you will have completely eliminated the calorie deficit you were in.

Remember that every single bite will count towards your daily intake and must be tracked. Only those who track their food intake see the best results, so it's time to start paying attention to this. If you find you're constantly nibbling while preparing meals, try chewing gum while doing so instead.

Drinking Alcohol

Third, another bad habit that can halt weight loss is drinking alcohol. While the odd drink every now and then will not be a huge issue, if you're drinking on a regular basis not only is it going to decrease the amount of will-power you have to say 'no' when offered food, but the beverages themselves contain a number of calories as well. Instead, try and focus on calorie free drinks and limit alcohol to only on special occasions.

Not Planning Meals

Finally, the last bad habit that makes it difficult to lose weight is never planning your meals. Those who do take the time to plan will have a far better picture of what exactly they are eating during the day and won't risk turning to fast or convenience food.

Make it a habit right now to sit down on Sunday night for twenty minutes and plan out your meals for the week. When you already have that plan in place, it won't be difficult to make sure you carry through with it.

So keep these health habits in mind. How many are you making? Could this be what's preventing you from seeing the weight loss you're looking for?



John Harvey is an avid book collector and part time web designer. One of his current projects is http://www.weightlossrecipes.co.uk/ in which it promotes weight loss through healthy eating and exercise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/J_Harvey/361292

Bad Habits for Weight Loss



Many people living in the urban jungle of modern life have bad eating habits, which is the major culprit that is making weight loss hard. The following are the most common bad eating habits that you may have but may not be aware of.

Habit 1: skip breakfasts

Many are either too busy to have a proper breakfast or skip it hoping to lose that extra pounds. Actually this habit may cost your health in the long run resulting in decreased metabolism.

Not only will you be lack of energy to stay sharp & perform normal daily tasks, but also you tend to eat more for lunch or dinner making it very hard to lose weight.

Habit 2: have big dinners

Insulin secretion peaks in the evening in response to big dinner, which will transform glucose into fat accumulating in the blood vessel wall. This increases the chance of being obese given the sedentary urban lifestyle. At the same time, your digestive system is burdened long term disturbing your biological clock & making you hard to sleep well.



Habit 3: fruit diet

Instead of having proper meals, many women go for fruits-only diet trying to lose weight. Although this may be a good detox if you only do it for 1 or 2 day every few weeks, experts have warn that it is more likely to lead to eating disorders.

Also, fruits only contain vitamins and sugar but not protein or certain trace elements that are essential to human body's normal function. The result is nutrition imbalance making it easier for the body to accumulate fat as it is regarded as 'starve' state.

Habit 4: eat too quickly

Short or quick lunch seems to be the norm in busy modern life. Many do not properly chew their food & eat when they walk (or drive!). You may not know that proper chewing actually help with the secretion of amylase (initial digestive enzymes) from saliva.

So eating too quickly increases the burden of your digestive system, which will result in indigestion or reflux. Also, your appetite tends to be bigger as satisfaction signal is not sent from your stomach to your brain in time even after you may have eaten 10 hamburgers! No wonder losing weight is proven to be hard here.

So have you got any of these bad habits? If so, try to improve today to stay healthy & thin. Losing weight is not hard if you are determined and do it the right way.



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Three Awesome Eating Habits for Weight Loss



The quest for our ideal physique can at times seem like a tough one. We finally manage to get our exercise regime correct, along with buying all of the right foods, but things still don't seem to click into place? Why is that, we ask ourselves? Then we take a step back and have a good look and realise that we've still got those same negative eating habits that put us overweight in the first place!!

The third and final piece in the jigsaw (alongside exercise and our diet) and the most important one if our efforts are going to be sustainable for life is behavioural change, or what is more commonly referred to as "mindset". Once we have eliminated the majority of our negative habits around food and eating we can really start to see the fruits of our labour.

The following are a list of three of the most important habits to integrate into your daily schedule that once taken on board will see that your exercise and healthy eating habits are fully rewarded:



1. Eat slowly - So many of us are guilty of eating at 100mph. Perhaps due to having to sort the kids meals out too, or only having a short lunch break at work? We really must slow down our eating. A good way to look at it is, the faster we eat, the more we eat, the more we eat, the more we spend on food!! As a rule try to begin eating at 1/4 of your current speed and as you lose the pounds you'll add the pennies!!

2. Wait 20 mins after each meal - How many times after you've cleared your plate have you reached straight for the biscuit tin or for some ice-cream under the belief that you're still not quite full? Once we are full It takes approximately 20 minutes for the message to reach our brain. Therefore, within that 20 minutes we are free to continue eating as much as we like (or until our stomach can hold no more) even though we have actually eaten enough to satisfy our bodies needs already.

If you were to add up all of those extra biscuits, spoonfuls of ice cream, or even second plates of food that we are consuming, that equates to quite a lot of additional food to what we require. Take the humble biscuit for example, containing say 50 calories each, so just two biscuits after your dinner each day would result in an extra pound of fat in just 5 weeks (1lb of fat contains 3,500 calories)

3. Avoid distractions whilst eating - This can be a tough one, but hands up who's guilty of eating in front of the television, internet, a magazine, on the phone to a friend etc, etc? Think back to a time at the cinema when you've demolished a large box of sweet popcorn without even taking your eyes off the screen? Hey, where did it all go? Eating unconsciously can lead to serious over-eating, so take the time to sit at the dinner table and pay attention to what you are eating.

Try to pick out flavours and smells, take time to think about the source your food came from (not Asda!) Anything to bring your focus into the moment, not onto whether Ian Beale's opening a new cafe or whether your best friends new bloke is cheating on her.!

Hopefully these 3 habits will get you started (or push you further along) the road to success...



By Jonathan Pittam

(Bootcamp Coach, Personal Trainer, Fat Loss Coach)

http://blastthefat.co.uk

http://facebook.com/blastthefat

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Get 6 Pack abs by Removing 6 Bad eating Habits



Willpower is one of the KEY components of really anything in life, but specifically when it comes to exercise, diet, nutrition, and more. I am willing to be you have more willpower to get out of debt then to eat healthy and exercise. Sure, getting out of debt is a HUGE deal, but so is increasing your life expectancy.

Guys and Girls alike often fall into particular bad eating habits, that when compounded every single day, week, month, and year keeps the pounds on and your abs from ever showing.

Doesn't it drive you CRAZY to pass the magazine section in a supermarket or store and see men and women showing off their lean and ripped physiques?

I know it does for me. But like everything in life, you have to begin to take baby steps to see progress. Start off small...and as you progress you begin to make better choices and before you know it...you have gotten the results you want.

Below are a series of bad eating habits we, as people, tend to do and need to move AWAY from as quickly as possible. I am sure if you are reading this article, they apply to you:



6 Bad Eating Habits to Break for 6 Pack abs

1. Speed Eating

In short, the quicker you eat, the less time your body and mind have to determine "how" much you have eaten. So when you have moved on from Course #1 and onto Course #2, assuming your eating very fast your body/brain haven't caught up to say "whoa, wait a minute...lets relax here".

Before you know it...you have eaten 2000 calories and not you feel "stuffed". We have all been there. Eat more slowly, savor your food. If you can't savor it, eat smaller portions.

2. Drinking Alcohol

No, I am not saying cut out alcohol altogether (though I personally think that would be a fantastic move), but how many times do you plan on "having a beer" or "a glass of wine", and before you know it 3-4 beers are gone, or half the bottle of Chardonnay is missing.

Guess what...you have downed a TON of calories. Write down every time you have a drink. So what, you have 2 drinks per night, big deal right? Well, multiple that times everyday in the week and it might be 2000+ calories in your system. You have to burn 3500 calories to remove 1 lb of weight.

3. Skipping meals or Snacks

It's natural to think by not eating, you will lose weight but that is a horrible myth people follow. When you skip meals, your body starts to try and manage your appetite. It also causes your "hunger" to kick in, which as we all know causes your willpower to waver.

Also, you have to eat to lose weight. Yes, I said it, but you have to eat smart. The right blend of carbs, fats, and protein. Spread smaller snacks/meals throughout the day, every 2-3 hours. Keep the portions small, but it will curb your hunger and fuel your body in the process.

4. Eating Salty snacks

First, if you are eating something that you KNOW is salty, it's probably not healthy at all. Sodium is one of those things that bite you in the you know what, because it builds up very slowly. You eat this or that throughout the day not thinking of the sodium content, and before you know it you have exceeded well beyond the recommended allowance.

Add on things like popcorn at the movie theatre, or that quick bag of chips heading out the door, and your waist line will only bloat. Salt also forces your body to retain water, so if you want to be showing your 6 pack abs, eating a bunch of salt will kill that idea.

5. Pigging out on Weekends

People often use their weekends as "down time", and that is understandable since a hectic work week mentally and physically drains you. The downside is people get "too" relaxed and let themselves snack and pig out. This is very true for when yo go to a neighbors barbecue, or a birthday party, or just hanging out.

How many times do you go to a party and "graze". You hover around the food area just picking at food, but over time all those calories are adding up and before you know it...BOOM your full. Eat something healthy before going to a party, and it will help keep that bad food at bay.

6. Eating in front of the TV - Sleeping

Everyone is guilty of this. You are trying to relax after a hard day at the office, your favorite show is on or you just slapped in your favorite blue ray disc, and you have that bag of chips on your lap.

Before you know it, half the bag is gone, the 2 beers you drank are empty, and you are drifting off to sleep. Your body needs at least 2 hours of being awake after eating your last meal.

Your body naturally burns calories, even when you are sitting there. By being awake, your body is burning calories to maintain your organs, walking, breathing, etc... So eat your last meal around 7-8pm at night, and by 10pm you can begin to go to bed. If you fall asleep after eating, all the calories you just consumed won't be burned as quickly.

Do your best to remove those 6 bad eating habits, and I can 100% promise you the 6 pack abs will come with a healthy diet and exercise plan included.



Randall enjoys a wide array of personal interests, but mostly around, health, nutrition, fitness, web-design, golf, computers, and entrepreneurship.

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5 Habits for Burning Fat and Losing Weight

5 Habits for Burning Fat and Losing Weight
Did you know that developing just a few habits can lead to quicker weight loss? In fact, these five habits can make burning fat a little bit easier and make a significant impact in keeping the weight off for good. After all, we all would like to lose the weight just once and not have to keep going on a diet every six months. Making some changes in your lifestyle starting today can help with that goal.

1. Do plenty of walking. The more you move, the faster your metabolism goes. The faster your metabolism goes, the more fat you may be able to burn. Most people suggest 10,000 steps per day, which translates to about 5 miles. It may sound like unlikely, but if you can do a couple of 10 minute walks during the day, you can easily meet that recommendation.

2. Lift weights. What to burn fat faster? Incorporate some weight training workouts before you do cardio. Since muscle burns fat faster, you can burn a lot more calories by adding strength training into your workout routines. You will also burn calories afterward.

3. Eat Frequently. Sounds odd? Well, if you eat more often, you can actually help your body lose weight and burn fat. They secret lies in making good decisions about the foods you eat and also keeping your portions to smaller sizes.

Instead of eating three large meals a day, consider five to six meals that are smaller. Each should have a vegetable or fruit along with protein. Also, foods such as nuts, cheese and apples make for greats snacks. Stick to veggies, fruits and whole grains, as they will fill you up and keep your appetite to a minimum.

4. Drink water and green tea. Drinking fluids throughout the day can help make you feel full. Additionally, green tea and water will help rid toxins from your body - toxins which can slow down your metabolism and influence the release of fat into the body. Green tea also has fat burning qualities that stimulate your metabolism. Drinking plenty of water and green tea is definitely a top fat burning habit to adopt.

5. Eat protein. How does protein help? It can balance your blood sugar. With protein, you feel satisfied and full, as opposed to the highs and lows that you get with sugary snacks and starchy carbohydrates. With protein, you will find your cravings to be less and feel an even level of energy.

Most experts agree - changing your lifestyle and taking on some healthy habits is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. The five habits above are a great way to start.


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Simple Weight Loss Habits You Can Use Today

Simple Weight Loss Habits You Can Use Today


Many people are starting to gradually understand long term weight loss. It is not so much about a diet that you can do for a number of weeks and get a result. It is more about forming long term habits that you choose to stick with for life. While this might not seem as appealing as a 6 or 12 week program, it's more realistic. Those who lose weight and keep it off do so by building these types of habits into their lifestyle. Learn what these are so that you too can have more long term and positive results.

The first habit that you will need to form is doing some sort of exercise. Everyone is at a different fitness level so it's understandable that you might not be able to perform as well as someone else. Start off with what you can and gradually improve. If you are planning on exercising as a habit, you have a very long time to get better. This is a huge thing that you need for long term weight management.

When it comes to eating, you need to learn to avoid certain things. Try to not to eat things high in salt, fats, sugars, and things like fried foods. Watch what you eat carefully. Replace bad foods with good things like vegetables and fruits. The more you get your diet together properly, the better results you are going to see in the long run.

Try to drink more water during the day. Other drinks typically have calories in them that you don't need. Many don't properly hydrate the body and water is one of the best ways of doing this. Water can also help curb hunger making it even more beneficial.

Try to find some support. Those who have support can lose weight easier and keep it off longer than those without. Try to find a friend or a group that can support you in your efforts.


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Discover How to Break Your Bad Weight Loss Habits

Discover How to Break Your Bad Weight Loss Habits
Do you need to lose weight but have more weight gaining habits than habits that can help you shed off the excess calories? Do not be upset, bad weight loss habits are common. With practice, perseverance and time, you can surely overcome them.

Be patient

It is hard to break bad habits because psychologically well-known routines make us feel secure. Even if a routine is unhealthy, it is easier for your mind to keep at it than change it for something healthier.

Another reason to fail at breaking away from the clutches of bad practices is the wish for instant results. You have been exercising the bad practices through years and those have become deep rooted into your lifestyle. So do not expect them to vanish overnight. Start taking steps to get rid of such bad habits one by one.

Maintain a journal

Note down the behavior you wish to get rid of. Then write down how you plan to change it. A vow to never overeat in you entire life is not a plan of action. It is just your desire. Create a concrete plan by writing that you will work on your eating habits by taking in healthy portion sizes. Keep a track of how you fare daily.

Plan according to your particular bad weight loss habit

• The first step would be to recognize the habit that is pulling you behind from reaching your weight loss goals. Do not live in denial.
• If your bane is mindless eating post inner, think how you can keep your mind occupied instead of reaching out for another slice of that chocolate cake.
• If your problem is an "all or none" attitude towards exercise, start making short-term practical goals, not something like dropping 3 dress sizes in 1 month or building six-pack abs in 4 weeks. Instead, concentrate on attainable goals.
• If you have a tendency to skip your workout sessions, note down your schedule in your journal and treat it as you would an important appointment.
• Are you habitually skipping breakfast? This is the worst unhealthy habit. Your first meal of the day goes a long way towards boosting your metabolism. Plan your next day's meal the night before and keep the raw materials. Make sure you eat nutritious breakfast every day.
• Addicted to alcohol, or carbonated drinks or caffeinated beverages? Make a deal with yourself - drink a glass of water for every bottle of soft drink or cup of coffee.
• Are you getting enough sleep? Insufficient rest is the surest way to pack on the pounds. Make your bedroom a no-electronics zone' - remove TVs, laptops, your blackberry. Install soft lights and create a fixed time for going to bed every night.

Keep going

Once you do away with negative weight loss behaviors you will succeed in losing weight and acquire improved fitness levels. Do not try to break out of all bad habits at once. Take as much time as you need to develop one good weight loss habit. Then move on to the next one only when the fist has become almost like second nature to you. It is common to stumble once in a while especially under stress. Do not think that you failed and give up. Just acknowledge your slip and move forward with a smile.


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5 Bad Habits Stopping You From Losing Belly Fat

5 Bad Habits Stopping You From Losing Belly Fat


In the busy lives we all lead, we like things easy and when we see our favorite foods, we find them difficult to resist, even if we know that they are packed with calories. We are more likely to make poor food choices when we are tired, unhappy or bored. Here are 5 bad habits to break if you want to lose belly fat for good.

1. You Do Not Have A Weight Loss Plan.

If you have high-calorie, sugar laden foods in your cupboards at home or at work they are going to be very tempting. You don't have to steer clear of them altogether because the more you deny yourself a food, the more your body will want it. You can still buy these foods, but get them only in single or smaller serving sizes.

2. You Have No Portion Control.

You may be having trouble getting rid of belly fat even though you are eating in a healthy way. But you could be miscalculating the size of the portions on your plate and you may just be eating way too many calories. A simple way to reduce your portion sizes is to eat from a smaller plate. It will also trick your mind into thinking you are having more than you actually are.

3. How Hungry Are You Really?

When you eat, you should ask yourself if you really are hungry or if you're eating something simply because of certain situations. This could be when you're feeling down or worried about something. So do something else instead. For example, you could go for a quick 10 minute walk or you could listen to your favourite music.

4. You Have Not Changed Your Lifestyle.

If you really want to lose belly fat you have to look at your lifestyle habits. The best way to lose belly fat is not to look at your new lifestyle as a prison sentence. Some foods that feel like special treats can help you to feel satisfied and crave fewer of the higher calorie, low nutrient foods.

5. You're Not Monitoring What And When You Eat.

Keep a food journal for one week and record everything you eat. At the end of the week take a look at your food choices and see if you're eating too many unhealthy items. Keep healthy snacks on hand and eat fresh fruits and vegetables, not those out of cans. If you can't get fresh produce, go for frozen over canned. Frozen is the next best thing to fresh. By adding healthy items, you actually will crave less of the non-nutritious foods.


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Healthy Habits to Stay Healthy

Healthy Habits to Stay Healthy


Are you worried about your health? If you do, you must try to implement some good healthy habits. This article might be of great help. It offers the major lists of healthy habits to stay healthy:

1. Never miss a breakfast - It is very important that you never miss a breakfast. Breakfast eaters are great candidates for achieving good health. If you want to stay healthy, try your best to eat your breakfast on time. It has been proven that the people who eat their breakfast are the ones who can take in more nutrients and minerals, thus resulting to a healthier body. This is the most effective way to avoid overeating habits as well. It will make you feel full until lunch time. It will help you stay healthy as it will prevent you from eating in between hours. It will also allow you to keep away from eating unhealthy foods and other fat containing foods that are very dangerous for your health. Breakfast is very important for any individual who wishes to stay healthy. It is best recommended that you make this as your daily healthy habit.

2. Improve your social life - Improving your social life is also considered as one of the healthy habits. In order to stay healthy, you should learn to balance everything in your life. Being healthy includes keeping a healthy connection and relationship with other people. Healthy socialization includes volunteering to any charity works, joining a club, or going to church. In everything you do, it is important that you do it with people around you. Do not just take it all by yourself. You will never grow and you will never learn. These activities will help you physically and mentally fit throughout your life. Make it a habit to get involved in some helpful activities and improving your social life.

3. Get up and keep moving - Another healthy habit is to get up and keep moving. Do not stay idle the whole time. Make it to a point that you allow your body to move and work out. You can go out and head off for some good exercises. This is very important as it greatly helps in controlling weight, maintaining healthy bones, muscles and joints. It also helps in reducing some serious and chronic diseases. It also promotes mental well-being and saves you from so many disabilities. You can just take a walk or take the stairs instead of using an elevator. Just keep moving and make it as your daily health habit to stay healthy.

It takes so much discipline to stay healthy. One should possess a determined soul to practice these healthy habits. If you maintain these patterns and routines, then you will surely live a healthy life.


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The 7 Successful Habits Of Thin People

The 7 Successful Habits Of Thin People


The Thin... and Fit?

While most people correlate thin with being fit, it should be clear that this is not always the case. Many thin Americans, in fact, are not always healthy. Due to genetics, metabolism, and other scientifically mysterious factors, some people can appear thin while suffering from diabetes, high lipid levels, hypertension, and more. While more research is being done to figure out this enigma, what is known is that people who aim for health in their daily lives have a higher chance of achieving it.

Fit and Fabulous

What are the 30% of Americans, who have a clean bill of health and ideal weight, doing to keep themselves in tip-top shape? After speaking with athletes, health professionals, and every day "fit" Joes, this is what is tried and true:

1. Minimal Restaurant Attendance

While fast-food consumption is most famously related to obesity rates, regular restaurant visits can be negative variables, as well. It is more likely for someone to finish the 10 oz steak, buttered mashed potatoes, and chunk of chocolate cake, if he knows that he is paying an inflated price for the meal. Also, if we don't see the food being made, then how can we know exactly what is in it? Cooking at home, bringing in lunch to work, and saving restaurant visits for special occasions - these all seem to be part of the equation for success.

2. Steer Clear of Fad Diets

From pills to powders to excessive cleanses, no diet is a good diet - especially when it's a quick fix. The only "diet" that a person can stick to is actually more of a mental change, rather than a change in intake. Even though finding what works best for one's body is a process of trial and error, there are plenty of health professionals who can help. Registered Dietitians (RD) are trained in analyzing the body's response to different foods, and are easily accessible. The healthy and fit are not afraid to ask for help!

3. Fiber Up

Consuming adequate amounts of dietary fiber, found in: fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, keeps the pipes clean and prevents heart disease and diabetes (Mayo Clinic). Even better, it increases satiety and keeps everyone regular (and less cranky). According to the USDA, appropriate amounts of dietary fiber range from 22-40 grams per day, based on overall caloric intake. The healthy and fit snack on a portion-controlled amounts of food, which include fiber-rich ones.

4. Don't Skip Meals - You Aren't Fooling Anyone

When meals are skipped, we fool the mechanisms of the body and put them in "survival" mode. Most affected is the digestive system, including metabolism. When the body is deprived of essential nutrients, it reverts into caveman mode: when food was scarce and the next meal uncertain. In turn, our metabolism slows down to conserve energy, and our digestive system enters a "starve" state. Hence, the body holds onto calories, deeming weight loss impossible. That is why the fit and healthy always keep nutritious snacks on hand, and consume 3-5 well-balanced meals/snacks per day.

5. Stay Active & Set Goals

Exercise is different for everyone. While some consider it as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and others see it as a sweat-filled 60-minute spin class, the main goal is to MOVE and increase heart rate. The fit and healthy exercise almost daily, and for at least 60 minutes. By combining weight-bearing exercise and cardiovascular exercise, weight loss and maintenance is even more sustainable.

6. Say No to Salt and Yes to Water

The culprit of puffiness and bloat is salt, and water can help dilute high salt intake. The USDA limits Americans to 2300 mg of sodium per day, which can be hard to achieve considering that 1 teaspoon of salt contains 2300 mg. Since most foods are heavy on the salt shaker, it can be a challenge to retrain the taste buds, yet 8 glasses of water per day can help. The healthy and fit are adventurous with their spice rack, are not afraid to discover new flavors, and keep their water bottle handy.

7. Stay Accountable. Write it Down.

Any dietitian will stand by this, as will the healthy and fit: food journaling, or writing down every single thing that one puts in his mouth, is the key to success. Maybe that handful of M&Ms was actually a whole cup, or that tablespoon of peanut butter was more like three tablespoons. "Forgetful" eating often hinders healthy eating, and what can be mistaken as a mini-snack can be packing on the pounds. The healthy and fit keep a journal of consumption, and see it as a contract to their fit and thin goals. Just like any other contract, it is kept honest and cannot be broken.

Remember...

Every one of us is responsible for our own health, and by taking each day at a time, every one of us can reach our goal of optimal health. Only YOU can make the change, and if you stick to your goals, you will be happy with what you see in the mirror and with your overall health.


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