Ten Fitness Mistakes

Everybody makes mistakes in the beginning! Nobody can expect to learn everything overnight. Fitness can really be a process of trial and error. Still, it helps to learn from other people's mistakes.

Here are TEN common fitness mistakes that should be avoided:

1. Spot Reduction

Wouldn't it be great if a couple hundred crunches a day could give you washboard abs? Spot reduction or spot training is when you work the one part of your body, you feel needs change. Unfortunately, it does not work. If you want to lose weight in your stomach, you need to do cardio to burn fat. Fat will not come off in just one place though. It will be an all over weight loss. You also need weights and strength training to give the abs shape and definition.

2. Improper Technique

This was my first and biggest mistake. I started working out at home, learning weight training exercises from fitness magazines. No magazine can properly explain the subtle differences in technique. There will be questions a magazine or the Internet can't answer and as a result, you could injure yourself. I did! The best thing to do, is to hire a personal trainer. If you are a member at a gym, the staff should be able to go through some exercises with you as well. Nothing can beat an in person demonstration.

3. Neglecting Nutrition

Results are 50% exercise and 50% nutrition. No matter what goals you have, nutrition plays a huge factor in your success. If you want to build muscle you need to eat a lot of healthy food with lean protein, or your muscles won't be fed enough to grow. If you want to run you need complex carbohydrates and water, for energy and hydration. If you want to lose weight you need a calorie deficit and a low fat diet. Fitness and nutrition always go hand in hand.

4. Not Eating Before a Workout

Not eating before a workout will cause you to faint, see spots, throw up etc. It's not pleasant! You will not have the energy and strength to finish an effective and purposeful routine. If you work out first thing in the morning and have trouble eating, drink some juice or have an apple. It will save you the embarrassment of having to sit with your head between your knees at the gym. Plus your workout will be so much stronger!

5. Steroids and Weight Loss Pills

Steroids and pills are a quick fix. Steroids will give you acne and make you short-tempered. Most importantly, it does unfortunate things below the equator. What's the point of having a ton of muscles if your naughty bits will scare people away? Pills are hardly ever approved by the government and they make you sick. You will feel awful, have diarrhea, headaches and sometimes worse! Don't be one of the people that forces the pill company to take their product off the shelves for "Further investigation." Besides, even if they did work, you would have to stop taking them at some point. The weight would just come back again!



6. Unrealistic Goals

Unrealistic goals will set you up to be disappointed. The fitness models you see have been working on their bodies for YEARS! The average weight loss goal can take up to a year or more. Building muscle is also a long process. Those gimmicks you see around, that guarantee you will lose 30 pounds in 30 days are bogus. Keep in mind that the slower you lose weight, the longer it stays off!

7. Excluding Fitness Components

Every fitness component is just as important as the next. You need a warm up to prepare your body for the workout. You need cardiovascular training to lose weight and make your heart healthy. You need strength training to give your body tone, as well as strengthen bones and joints for future training. You need to cool down to bring your body back to its normal state. You need to stretch to prevent injuries so you can continue to cardio and strength train. Every component weaves in through the next. Cardio without weights will make you look scrawny. Strength without cardio will make you look bulky and you won't see much muscle definition. All of the components of fitness need each other!

8. Not Planning

It helps a lot to have a plan. It doesn't have to be very complicated or take much time. You should plan your workouts ahead of time or even write down what you did in the gym, at a minimum. Even if your goals are simple, like wanting to feel good it's helpful and also motivational to see how far you have come since the beginning and to help plan for the future.

9. Starting Out Too Fast

I think it's awesome when people want to dive right in. I love the enthusiasm and drive. The only concerns it brings up is the risk of injury and burnout. Have you ever been swimming for the first time in a while and decided to swim laps? Well, after a few minutes you feel like your heart and lungs may explode right out of your chest. Swimming takes a lot of cardio conditioning! If you have been inactive for ages and want to skip walking and start running right away, you may hurt your knees, ankles and hips. Same with lifting too much weight, too soon. If you work out 7 days a week you may start to feel signs of burnout like fatigue and irritability. It's best to take it slow and let your body adapt at a comfortable pace. If you have not exercised in twenty years and then all of a sudden you are spending a week straight in the gym your body might be shocked and angry with you!

10. Inconsistency

When I first started exercising I would workout and then not do another routine for weeks, or even months! Obviously that's not when I started seeing results. Results happen when your workouts remain consistent. Once a week or less is not enough. Think of it this way, if you put yourself through one or two workouts why let them go to waste by not doing it again for weeks?

If you have already made these mistakes or you are making them right now, no worries! The more you know, right? Just get yourself back on track and remember that everybody makes mistakes. It's part of the learning process!

Learn and Grow!


Kaleena Lawless
Personal Training Specialist
http://www.kalisthenixfitnessblog.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kaleena_A_Lawless/180220

5 Weight Loss Mistakes That You Are Making

Everyone makes mistake in their lives. This is what makes us grow. Every mistake is a lesson, and one that helps us to move forward towards bigger and better things. If you don't learn from your mistakes, however, you'll always find yourself playing catch up.

The subject of this short article is about weight loss mistakes. I am going to run through 5 of the most common mistakes that I have witnessed in my time in the weight loss industry. Here they are.

Mistake 1: Not working on your mindset

This is very important and, for my, right at the top of the list. When somebody tries to lose weight without truly believing that they can do so in the long run, they will already have consigned themselves to failure. If you have a belief that you will get there, even if it take months or years, then you will already be halfway towards your goal.

Mistake 2: Not educating yourself

If you want to be a lawyer you need to go through an extensive education. If you want to do anything you need to know exactly how to do it. The more you know, the better. When it comes to losing weight, people often just follow what someone else tells them to do. You need to start being responsible for your own decisions and begin learning about weight loss. The more you know, the easier things will become.



Mistake 3: Having little or no support

We all need support. If we are trying to achieve something that we have failed at for a long time, having support can be hugely helpful. Finding others who are in the same boat as you will help you to bounce ideas around and stay motivated when times get tough.

Mistake 4: Not committing to one solution

As you know, there are thousands of potential weight loss products and plans out there that you could follow, with more being released everyday. Despite this, obesity levels are rising. Why? Because people are so easily seduced by shiny new solutions that they get distracted and never end up committing to a long term plan. Focus your attention on tried and tested methods that you'll be well on your way.

Mistake 5: No mentor

A mentor basically provides the highest level of support you could possibly hope to have. If you want to avoid the mistakes listed above as well as countless others, you need someone who can guide and support you until you hit your goals.

If you manage to avoid making these mistakes then there's no reason why you can't be the next weight loss success story.


If you want to find out more, Toby can help you. He's written a short report on 'Why You Will NEVER Lose Weight FOREVER!'

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Toby_Edge/1453101

7 Healthy Eating Mistakes To Avoid When Trying To Lose Weight

It's very easy to make healthy eating mistakes when you're trying to lose weight. Sometimes when we think we're eating a healthy meal it may not be as nutritious as we thought. Avoid these 7 mistakes when you're eating healthy to lose weight.

1. Not Eating After Exercise

The period of opportunity for making the most of the nutrition benefits of your food is 30 minutes to 60 minutes after you exercise. So any time you exert yourself physically, eat some carbohydrates and protein within an hour after exercising.

2. Following The Latest Fad Diet

Don't continuously keep switching to the latest new fad diet when you're trying to lose weight. If you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and stay hydrated you're on the right track. Eat carbohydrates and protein after a workout and steer clear of eating processed foods, refined salt and sugar.

3. Drinking A lot Of Fruit Juice

Most orange juices have the similar amount of sugar as the same serving size of your favorite soft drink. Also, a glass of orange juice generally contains more sugar than 5 or 10 oranges. To get your fruit juice, eat fruit, which has contains healthy dietary fiber.

4. The Belief That Eating Healthy Costs Too Much Money

Eating a healthy diet can be done without spending excessive amounts of money. You can actually save a lot of money on your yearly shopping bill by getting rid of unhealthy foods and purchasing nutritious ones. But, if eating right and living healthier costs a little bit more than damaging your body by eating poor food, wouldn't it be worth the extra money?

5. My Genes Stop Me From Losing Weight

Some people believe their genetic makeup sets them up for a certain level of health. But this is wrong. Medical professionals now know that a healthy eating plan and exercise routine can influence as much as 80% to 90% of your level of physical fitness, your weight and the shape of your body.

6. Skinny Means Healthy

Every human being is different. That means that one skinny person may be extremely unhealthy, while another person who is 20 pounds over their so-called recommended weight for their height and age may be extremely healthy. Skinny does not automatically equal healthy. It might or might not be a sign of good health.

7. Taking Vitamins Allows For Poor A Diet

Some vitamins may help complement your health in certain areas. But healthy eating means having a diet low in processed foods and rich in vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Be mindful of easy fixes and short-cuts being offered to you by profit-driven businesses.


Are you confused about healthy eating? Do you want to learn more ways to lose weight and get fit? Do you want to know the best workout techniques to get the results you want? For nutritional tips, the best exercise programs, fitness motivation and the whole recipe for fat loss with safe, natural and proven methods please visit http://howtogetflatabsfast.org/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jon_Allo/1079948

TOP 10 Common Mistakes in Weight Loss

As a personal trainer and a fitness enthusiast, I have seen people do ridiculous things, in trying to accomplish their weight loss goals. Human body is a complex machinery, which needs the right buttons to be pushed. Without extensive knowledge about human body and years of experience in training, you are unlikely to do everything correctly, right from the start. I have compiled a simple list of common mistakes in weight loss.

Do yourself a favor and gather the knowledge, before starting your weight loss journey!

1. Looking for advice from fitness magazines - majority of the articles written in health or fitness magazines are based on a goal to sell a product(supplements,pills,gym equipment) or advertise a service. Bringing you on the right track fitness-wise, is their least concern. In fact, they might mislead uninformed individuals to completely opposite of what they suppose to do in order to achieve a weight loss goal, just to keep you buying their miracle pills and powders.

2. Doing long hours of moderate or low intensity cardio - first of all it is very time consuming to run for hours each day. Secondly, extensive hours of cardio is much less effective than sprint training (HIIT). Running or biking over 45 mins starts a catabolic (muscle break-down for energy) process. Unless you are a professional marathoner, you don´t want to lose your muscle in the process of losing fat weight. For a complete beginner in sports, cardio is a good start, but don´t overdo it! Ladies and gentlemen, this is where "the more the merrier" does not apply!

3. Trusting your gym buddies - every modern gym is packed with wide range of personalities, of whom everyone has a different advice to share with you. although, the advice you get from your buddies at the gym might not be wrong, but it can get rather confusing to differentiate the right from wrong. Also, fitness tips from your gym amigos are solely based on their own personal experience. Fitness and weight loss is such an individual quest and has more than a handful of variables to take into consideration. What might have worked for one, might not work for you!

A better choice would be to ask a professional such as your local gym instructor or consult an online fitness trainer.

4. Weighting yourself every day - you must realize that losing weight is not a linear downhill process. Your total body weigh consists of bone, fat, muscle and water weight. About 70% of your body consists of water. Water weight fluctuates daily, because it depends on carbs and minerals intake, also alcohol and coffee might have a major impact on water retention. Regular exercise helps to denser your bones and build lean muscle, which in turn adds in to your total body weight on the scales. Fat metabolism is a fairly slow process and weighting yourself in once a week is more than enough. 0.5 - 1 kg of fat loss per week is completely healthy and safe. But don't get disheartened if your weight on the scale stays the same - trust your eyes instead and look in to the mirror. You might have been building muscle and losing fat at the same time!

5. Relying on exercise only in your weight loss journey - exercise accounts for only 50% of your fat loss endeavor, just as important factor is your diet and nutrition! You absolutely can not continue to eat like a pregnant woman on her 5th month. Losing weight depends on your calorie consumption vs daily energy expenditure. Use a fitness calorie calculator in order to establish your daily energy needs. Then shoot for eating 200-500 kcal less than your daily caloric requirements. Just as important is where those calories come from. You need all the macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) along with your vitamins and minerals in a diet plan.Consult a fitness trainer or nutritionist to help customize personal nutrition plan for you.

6. Panicky avoiding all kinds of fats in your diet - although it is so last century, some people still avoid all fats in their diet as a religion. There is a wide belief, that fats you take in go straight around your stomach, hips and other unwanted areas. This can not be farther from the truth. Healthy fats (omega fatty acids) from nuts, vegetables and fish oil are used by your body in a variety of ways - for functioning of your skin, respiratory system, circulatory system, brain and organs. Consuming 20-30 % of fats from your daily caloric needs actually helps you to burn more fat!

7. Doing only cardio in your exercise program - you will get results doing only aerobic exercise for a while, but I can guarantee that you will hit a plateau, where cardio just helps you to maintain your current weight. For faster and continued results it is wise to incorporate a weight training workout into your exercise routine. Lifting heavy weights at least 3 times a week, forces your body to produce high amount of anabolic hormones (most important being testosterone and growth hormone), which will literally shed the fat from your body 24 hours a day. Weight lifting plan should incorporate multi-joint mass movements, such as squats, deadlifts and presses.

8. Doing crunches and sit-ups for flat stomach or six pack abs - a widely common mistake in "trying to get flat stomach." This idea is based on a simple logic, that you burn fat from the specific area of your body which you are working. The truth is, there is no such thing as spot fat reduction. Have you ever seen a guy who has fat jelly arms and legs, but has a perfect six pack? I don't think so! Fat is not distributed evenly all over your body. Based on bone structure, genetic makeup and body type, some people have more jelly around their stomach, hips, legs or bum. Stomach being the most common place as it is the center of gravity on the body. You can do sit-ups for fun and entertainment value, but remember, they do not give you the desired results.

9. Being hungry like a wolf all the time - losing weight does not necessarily mean you have to be hungry all the time, or worse, starve yourself. To keep the metabolic machinery up and running on full throttle, you should eat frequent meals (every 3-4 hours) throughout the day. Instead of 3 big meals, divide them into 6 smaller meals! That way, you NEVER feel hungry and still keep losing weight.

10. Trying to do the transformation all alone - since transforming from fat duckling to skinny swan is a long journey of many emotional ups and downs, you should let all of your friends and family to know about your goal. They can support you once you start falling off the track. They can motivate you not to give up. Best bet would be to find a person of similar goal and train with them or hire a certified fitness trainer to work with you. A lil pressure from society, friends or trainer can actually motivate you to push yourself out of comfort zone and stop you from giving up. Determination, focus and willingness to succeed, is all it takes!


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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rando_Tkatsenko/1474249

How Not to Lose Weight - 10 Weight Loss Mistakes That Keep You Fat

Are you one of the many people who have tried and failed to lose weight? If so, you're not alone - statistics show that the majority of people who lose weight gain most of it back within a few months. In many cases, this is because they go about losing weight in the wrong way.

However, you don't have to remain part of this depressing statistic - follow the tips in this article and you can join that elite minority of people who manage not only lose weight, but to keep it off for life.

1. You eat too quickly Mistake number one is a very common one, and it is simply eating too quickly. This hinders your weight loss efforts because it takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the brain to fully register how much you are eating, and to send out signals to tell you to stop. Obviously, the faster you eat, the more food you're likely to consume before your satiety mechanism kicks in.

Avoid this mistake by making a conscious effort to chew your food more slowly and thoroughly, and to pause between each mouthful.

2. You rely on junky 'diet foods' Many people also make the mistake of trying to lose weight by eating diet foods, such as shakes and meal replacement bars. While these can be helpful in the short term, they're not a viable long-term solution for most people. Think about it - do you really want to spend the rest of your life eating these over-processed 'foods'? The answer is probably no - you want to eat real food like everybody else. And sooner or later, you will return to eating regular foods, but because you haven't retrained your eating habits, the weight will pile back on.

Avoid this mistake by forgetting about fake diet foods, and instead focus on consuming moderate quantities of real, healthy foods that you will be happy to eat for the rest of your life.

3. You go to extremes Another common problem with people who fail to lose weight is that they go to extremes. A common example is crash dieting, where people virtually starve themselves for a few days or weeks, achieve a drastic weight loss, and then pile it all back on. This happens because the body's survival mechanisms kick in and literally force them to eat more. Other examples include cutting out entire food groups (such as fat or carbs), or taking excessive amounts of exercise which leads to injury.

Avoid this mistake by accepting that healthy weight loss takes time, and it will probably take at least several months or more to reach your goal weight and size. If you think about it, this isn't really a long time when you consider it in the context of the rest of your life, and it's certainly a better alternative than spending years on end yo-yoing up and down, but never reaching your goal.

4. You don't exercise It's no secret that people who are physically active less prone to overweight and obesity than those who are sedentary. Exercise helps to burn off fat directly, and by building extra muscle tissue it also helps you to burn more calories even when you're at rest. In addition, exercise is a great stress reliever and can give you a mental boost, making it less likely that you will overeat as a result of stress. Frankly, if you don't exercise, your weight loss efforts are almost certainly doomed to failure - unless you want to spend the rest of your life obsessing over every mouthful that you eat.

Avoid this mistake by making a commitment to exercise regularly, even if you really don't feel like it at first. The good news is that once you establish a routine, it really is much easier to keep going. Choose an activity or activities that you enjoy, and commit to just doing five or 10 minutes at a time at first, then building up gradually.

5. You listen to your taste buds, not your stomach Most people are overweight because they overeat and/or are inactive, and one of the most common causes of overeating is paying too much attention to the pleasurable aspects of food, and ignoring the signals that your body sends to tell you that you've had enough. There's no shame in enjoying a delicious meal, and most of us overeat sometimes, simply because the food we are eating is so tasty. But if you do this on a regular basis, you're almost certainly going to gain weight, or least fail to lose it.

Avoid this mistake by making a conscious effort to pay attention to how the food feels in your stomach, and to differentiate between genuine hunger and the false 'hunger' which is caused by mere appetite. You can make things easier for yourself by restricting the variety of food types you eat at any given meal - it's especially easy to eat too much when there are many tastes and textures available.

6. You give in to social pressures Weight loss mistake number six is related to the people around you. We live in a society where eating is a part of normal social life, in the form of meals out, dinner parties, office snacks and the like. It's also seen as normal to eat unhealthy junk foods, and people who make an effort to eat healthily are sometimes looked at are somehow strange or fanatical.

As a result, many people find themselves eating too much, or eating foods that are not part of their weight loss plan, in order to fit in or to avoid causing inconvenience to others. But if you want to lose weight successfully and keep it off, you must give your diet needs top priority, which may sometimes mean standing apart from what those around you are doing.

Avoid this mistake by planning ahead as much as possible - for example, if you're going to be eating out at a restaurant, you might want to have a snack beforehand so you're not tempted to overeat, or to make a prior commitment to yourself to choose the healthiest item on the menu. Above all, you may need to develop a thicker skin and stop caring what others think about you. You could also make an effort to find support either in person or online, from those who share your diet and fitness goals.

7. You have a poor self-image Many people suffer from low self-esteem, especially in relation to body image issues. This is a source of stress, and if you're prone to overeating in response to stress, you may find that your negative self-image directly hinders your weight loss efforts. You may also have (possibly unconscious) beliefs that cause you to act in self sabotaging ways - for example, if you believe that you're unworthy of having a slim, healthy body, you might go on an eating binge every time you start to lose some weight.

Avoiding this mistake can be particularly challenging, because the roots of poor self-esteem tend to run deep. If this is the real problem for you, I recommend seeking support, perhaps in the form of a councillor, a therapist, or an online group.

8. You wear the wrong clothes Weight loss mistake number eight might seem a trivial one, but it can have a major effect. And it is simply wearing clothes that are poorly fitting and unflattering. Many overweight people try to squeeze into clothes that are too small, or they delay buying nice clothes until they have lost weight.

The problem with this is that wearing clothes that fit badly or are too tight will cause you to feel stressed and miserable, and may trigger overeating. More insidiously, you're also sending a message to your subconscious that you are undeserving of looking and feeling attractive - a harmful message that can damage your self esteem further, and possibly provoke eating binges in an attempt to feel better.

Avoid this mistake by having at least a few outfits that fit well, that are of good quality, and flattering to you. You don't have to spend a fortune, especially if money is tight - if budget is an issue try looking for discount retailers online, look for a bargain on eBay (where you can also sell your larger clothes as they become too big for you), or try local second-hand shops.

9. You're looking for a quick fix This dire mistake is all too common - people want to lose weight as quickly as they can, and instead of taking the slow steady approach which is most likely to lead to success, they instead look for shortcuts such as diet pills or dangerous fad diets. The problem with such measures is that while you may be able to drop a few pounds very quickly, not only is it not sustainable, but you could be damaging your health too. Furthermore, you're going to end up in a worse position than when you started, because the chances are that you will lose muscle as well as fat, and when you gain the weight back it will be pure fat. Even worse, because you've lost muscle tissue, it'll be harder to lose that weight the second time around.

You can avoid this problem by deciding from the outset that you're only going to make changes in your diet and lifestyle that you're willing and able to sustain over the long term. This also means accepting that you're not going to lose much weight before that wedding or holiday that's only two weeks away - it's very important not to let such short-term goals distract you from your larger purpose of safe, healthy, permanent weight loss.

10. You refuse to change your lifestyle Lastly, people who repeatedly failed to lose weight are typically those who are simply not willing to make the necessary fundamental lifestyle changes. These changes are simple - eat the right amount of food, make sure the majority of your diet consists of healthy, unprocessed foods, and take some form of regular exercise. So why is it seemingly so difficult to put these simple steps into practice?

While each individual's reasons may vary, it basically comes down to the need to build new habits. Unless you're one of the very few people who are overweight as a result of the genuine medical condition, chances are you're eating too much, you eat the wrong things, and/or you're just not active enough. The first step to change is admitting this, taking full responsibility for your weight and health, and acknowledging the need to make some very basic alterations in how you live. Making such changes is not always fun, but it really does get easier with practice, so the key is to see this as a long-term endeavour, and not expect instant results (which can mean being strong enough to resist the cultural pressure which tells us that faster is better in all cases).

If you make a deliberate effort to avoid the mistakes discussed here, and to put the associated suggestions into practice, it'll be hard not to lose weight and keep it off.


Having had my own struggles with weight issues and unhealthy lifestyle practices, I know from first-hand experience that the problems - and solutions - discussed here are real. I now have a strong interest in eating healthily and staying fit, and have discovered how being in great shape gives me plenty of energy to pursue my other interests, which include home improvement, art and photography, and playing the guitar (you can visit my website at http://www.musography.com/ ).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Marks

Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid

Losing weight is a famous goal. According to the latest research, more than 66% adults in the USA are obese. Every year, hundreds of people join gyms to lose weight. Only a fraction of people continue their journey for the next 30 days, and very small percentage of people achieves their goals. It is a sad event to see people struggling with their physical appearance.

Why does it happen? Why very few people can achieve their goals? This article was written to answer these questions.

When you become overweight, the society puts many restrictions on your eating habits. Starving is the number #1 reason that you are not losing weight. Lack of good nutrition is the second reason for obesity.

So, we will discuss top 5 weight loss mistakes to avoid this year.

1. Eat more

Do not start another crash dieting course. It does not help in losing weight. Do not deprive yourself of eating essential nutrients. You need to relax. Eat more to get more vitamins. Drink Juices. There are many fruits and vegetables that can assist you in losing weight.

2. Find long-term strategies

Focusing on short term goals is not a good habit. You can lose 4 pounds in a day but, this is not Disneyland. You cannot do such harmful adventures with your body. Talk with your physician and create a healthy diet plan. Meet with your health expert and ask for an enjoyable workout routine.

3. Exercising on an empty stomach

Please do this only when you want to faint. It is a bad idea. Never go to the gym without eating your meals. You can eat digestible snacks before you do the exercise. A glass of fresh juice is also recommended to give you a boost of energy.

4. Lack of good sleep

It is a good reason for, not losing enough weight. You need to sleep 8 hours. In this era of technology, it is easy to keep chatting on the mobile phone. Most of us are working all the day. But, we must take care of our health. Otherwise, this technology will do serious harm to our spine and bones.

5. Low-Fat Diet

To live a healthy life, we need a balanced diet. A balanced diet has all nutritional elements. It is full of carbohydrates, fats, protein, calcium, vitamins and essential nutrients. If you are consuming too much dairy fat then, it is not good for you. But, if you are eating a high low-fat diet, then it is also not good. Balance is the key to achieving long-term weight loss results.


If you would like more information, visit How To Get Skinny

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ahmad_Raza_Khan_Bhatti

Diet Plans - 3 Deadly Mistakes That Can Sabotage Diet Plans

If you're on a diet right now you are probably looking to lose a few pounds, but watch out. There are 3 deadly mistakes that kill diet plans and are easy to make, turning a healthy diet and even healthy recipes into one that actually harms our bodies.

Furthermore, one of these mistakes can actually cause you to gain weight!

The first thing to do when considering a diet is change the words you use from 'diet' to 'getting healthy'.

The word 'diet' signifies losing. The phrase 'getting healthy' signifies winning.

It's a mindset thing.

The next thing to do is to change the way you look at food. It is nutrition for your body and unfortunately, many added ingredients can change healthy food into unhealthy food without us ever realizing it.

The problem for most of us is we're so busy that we run into the grocery store, grab what we perceive as healthy and end up eating food that sabotages our health instead.

These are the most common and even deadly mistakes people make while on a diet.

Mistake #1 - Consume food listed as "diet food", "healthy" or "all natural" without reading the labels.

Marketers are good at writing up the benefits of certain ingredients in manufactured food products. Using words and phrases like 'all natural", 'loaded with antioxidants' and 'low sugar' and 'low calorie' draw us like a magnet to products that can actually be bad for us.

It's an easy mistake to make because marketers are good at shouting the health benefits without mentioning the not so healthy aspects.

For example, did you know that many yogurt products contain loads of sugar?

What to do instead: Look at the label for ingredients. Shockingly many so called health food includes sugar in the first 2-3 ingredients! Even if it's a small percent of the ingredients, eating sugar will turn on your appetite so you are hungry again in a short period of time. This is a good way to sabotage your diet.

Look for words like dextrose, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, maltrose, or any derivative of these sugar names that might show up. If it's got it, avoid it.

In addition, note what's in the ingredients of products touted as "all natural". Nuts, oats and honey are all natural and normally healthy foods. But when the manufacturer adds high fructose corn syrup it turns the whole mix into food that can actually make you gain weight.

Tip: Avoid foods with artificial sweeteners if at all possible. Many researchers today also suspect that artificial sweeteners have the same effect, just without the calories.

Mistake #2 - Not washing fruit and vegetables before you eat them

No matter how healthy the product, toxins can appear in the form of left over pesticides or contamination that happens along the way from farm to store.

Even organic food may have residue from natural fertilizers that can poison your system through bacteria or toxins that are certainly 'natural' but not very healthy.

Boric acid is natural and keeps pests away. But, you don't want to eat it. Boric acid is categorized as a poison, so it can have adverse effects on people and animals.

Washing before you eat is a good way to have healthy results from your diet.

Mistake #3 - Leaving all fat out of your meals

We have been trained by the media to think all fats are bad, but nothing could be further from the truth.

We all need fat for energy and satiation, particularly as we diet.

There are good fats that help reduce cholesterol, boost energy and most importantly help you feel satisfied so you don't go back for second and third helpings or feel hungry again after an hour or so. That is key to keeping weight down.

Try sautéing or brushing foods with a little olive oil and then grill or pan sauté.

Avocado oil, which you can buy in a spray form to make it easy to use, is extra tasty on a salad when combined with a little lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss the salad to blend.

A great source of nutritious fat is to use mashed avocado in place of mayonnaise. Avocados are loaded with the good fats that lower cholesterol and are an excellent source of potassium (containing more per ounce than bananas). In addition, avocados are rich in vitamin K, Vitamin B9, vitamin B6, vitamin B5 vitamin C, and vitamin E. Take ¼ avocado, add a tiny bit of lemon juice to keep the color if you aren't going to consume it immediately and then mash. That's it!

Tip: don't use diet mayonnaise as it often has sugar and other unhealthy ingredients.

A good diet is a natural remedy for weight loss and improving your diet for long term results.

To get healthy and stay healthy you need to feed your brain regularly with information, education and inspiration. When you do, you significantly increase the chance that those diet plans are going to work this time!


For more ways to get healthy stay healthy check out:
http://naturalremediessherpa.com/category/natural-remedies-a-z/

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roxanne_Batson

Top Five Eating Mistakes to Avoid to Lose Weight

Weight loss is a tricky business. It seems very easy to lose weight, but when it comes to actual performance most people tend to give up even before they have actually started. I have been helping people lose weight for almost five years now. Based on my experience with many clients following five eating mistakes should be avoided, if you are serious about losing weight.

Skipping Breakfast

This is the most common mistake that most people looking for weight loss do. Generally people believe that not eating breakfast will help them lose weight. But actually this is not true. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We are supposed to break the fast after a long time after dinner. In the morning our body needs hydration and good nutrition. If our breakfast is full of nutrition and well balanced it is actually good for our bodies.If we skip our breakfast, we tend to overeat during our lunch, which is worse. It is only a delay of few hours and nothing more than that. This indicates to our body and brain that our eating is erratic and therefore our body tends to store calories.

Eating while watching TV

This is another common mistake that most of us do. While eating food we should concentrate on the food. When we are watching TV, or surfing the internet or eating with some other distraction, we tend to overeat. Please remember overeating has little or no health benefit, actually it does harm in terms of weight gain. When we overeat, the excess calories are stored as food in the body. Those of us looking to lose weight should pay attention to what and how much we eat.

Using Food For Comfort

So why do we eat? Hungry? Taste? While watching TV? To reduce stress? Nothing else to do, lets have some coffee.. This is known as comfort eating. Whenever we have nothing else to do, or we are stressed out, we eat something. This overloads us with calories resulting in weight gain.

Not Controlling The Portion

Most of my clients ask me, what should I eat to lose weight fast, or to lose weight what foods should I avoid.

It is not some foods are good or some foods are bad while losing weight, it is the amount or portion of food that we eat. Learn to control your portion. Do not overeat. Nutrition and calories are required by our body but excess nutrition and excess calories are no good.

Eating Too Fast

It takes approximately 15 minutes for our brain to realize that we are full. If you eat too fast, before our brain comes to know we are full, we have overeaten. So eat slowly.

Taking care of these five common mistakes will help you to lose weight. Take care!


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashish_Fauzdar

3 Abs Workout Mistakes

I have logged thousands of personal training sessions over my career and everybody wants to know more about abs workouts and abs exercises.

My clients want to know how to lose stomach fat and get a six-pack, or at the very least they just want to lose stomach fat so they have a firm abs that look good in their clothes (and naked).

I can't blame them. Who doesn't want a nice looking midsection? Who doesn't want to get firm abs or get lean enough they can say they have a six-pack.

The problem is that 99% of them all have the same misconceptions about abs workouts and abs exercises and how to really lose stomach fat and get firm abs.

I've narrowed down the mistakes, myths and misconceptions surrounding abs workouts and abs exercises to my top 3.

These 3 abs workout mistakes are made by just about everyone I've ever trained, designed a program for, or consulted.

Are you making these same mistakes?

1) Spending too much time doing crunches. I'm just going to come right out and say it...you don't need to do crunches to get six pack abs and you sure as heck don't need to do crunches to lose stomach fat or even get a firm abs.

Crunches simply don't work enough muscle and don't burn enough fat calories to be thought of as a worthwhile exercise in order to lose stomach fat, let alone get firm abs or a six-pack.

Spending 20 minutes a day doing hundreds (or thousands) of crunches is like electing Big Bird or Elmo president.

Sure they may sound good and have all the answers, but it just doesn't make much sense electing a puppet to such a high office (sorry, that was my attempt at a joke).

Doing hundreds, or even thousands, of crunches will strengthen your abdomen, that's for sure, but what does it matter if you still have a layer of flabby goo covering up all the hard work?

Instead you need to focus on full body workouts and full body abs exercises in order to lose stomach fat fast and get the firm, toned stomach or six pack abs you're after.

Take for instance this abs workout, using only full body abs exercises, I designed for a client. Do this mini-circuit before your regular workout, when you're still fresh, so you can really hit your abs hard.

1A) Dumbbell Overhead Squat - 10 reps
1B) Mountain Climbers - 30 seconds
1C) Reverse Plank - 30 seconds

Do that in a circuit format, resting 20 seconds after the final exercise before repeating it again 2 or 3 times. Do that for a few week and you'll definitely see a difference in your abs and you will lose stomach fat.

2) Throwing all your hard work out the door by eating poorly. What good does it do to work so hard in your fat loss workouts only to come home, or leave your home gym, and eat junk?

What sense does it make that after all your hard work, you ruin it with poor eating habits on a daily basis? This is quite possibly one of the dumbest things you could do. I don't mean to be rude, I'm just trying to put it bluntly.

If you want to lose stomach fat and get firm abs, or even six-pack abs, you need to clean up your diet and stop eating so poorly. You need to quit eating processed junk found in boxes and bags like crackers and chips, stop eating things like bagels and processed breads and start eating more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, legumes and healthy fats.

You also need to start eating multiple times throughout the day, and this especially means eating breakfast. It also means cutting out the late night snacking and cutting down on alcohol.

You know what to cut out, so do it.

Remember what your goals are. You want to lose stomach fat and you want to get firm abs. Eat like it!

3) Not actively flexing, or bracing, your abs in every exercise. It's sad that I have to say this, but all too often, people don't actively flex their abs while doing an abs exercise.

I don't know why. You'd think that because you're doing an abs exercise that you'd be flexing your abs hard every repetition, but too many people just go through the motions and to way too fast.

You need to slow down and actively flex your abs when you're doing an abs exercise. And for every exercise that's not an abs exercise, you need to brace them like somebody is about to punch you in the stomach.

Doing so will ensure that you learn to "control" your abs and make sure that when you do lose stomach fat that you'll have a defined and toned midsection worthy of praise.

I also want you to think of it this way...every exercise should be an abs exercise. If you brace your abs during every single exercise in your fat loss workout, you'll essentially turn every single exercise into an abs exercise. Doing a chest press, brace your abs. Doing a lunge, brace your abs. Every single exercise you do, whether you're working your abs specifically or not, should be turned into an abs exercise.

If you stop making these vital abs workout and abs exercise mistakes, and start doing full body workouts with full body abs exercises, I guarantee that you'll begin to lose stomach fat and get firm abs (and maybe even that sought after six-pack) in no time.


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The fast, time efficient fat loss workouts found in Fat Loss To Go have helped busy men and women lose fat faster than they ever could have imagined.

The workouts found in Fat Loss To Go can be done in the comfort of your own home with limited equipment in as little as 15-20 minutes! To learn more go to http://www.fatlosstogo.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ed_Scow