Weight Watchers is a diet that has been around for 30 years. It is more of a lifestyle than a diet and offers lots of support to anyone trying to lose weight or improve their fitness
There is a real failure out there with the classic basic diet plan. With so much information available on diet and weight loss, I am still not sure why people fail to lose weight. Sure, everyone makes mistakes, but it is the magnitude of the mistake that will determine the success or failure of your weight loss plan.
For example, if you make the small ‘mistake’ of eating one burger a week, it won’t make any significant difference in your body . However, if you make the terrible diet mistake I am going to outline in this article, then you have no chance of ever becoming successful at fat loss.
If you’ve ever followed a basic diet plan, this would sound familiar. The process goes this way…
Basic Diet Plan
Basic Diet Plan
1. You pick up a diet plan that is too strict for any average person
2. This diet plan basically deprives you of almost everything that you enjoy: chips, burgers, pastries, white bread, cakes, biscuits, milk, chocolate, soft drinks, etc. So you have no other option but to throw away all those things from your kitchen. You start following the diet program with all good intentions, and promise yourself that you would never quit it until you have lost weight successfully.
3. You lose a few pounds quite rapidly within the first few weeks. You seem to be happy with your progress when suddenly, one day you realize that you are no longer dropping those pounds! You have hit a weight loss plateau.
4. You become frustrated with your diet plan and with its restrictions. You find it too hard to control your food cravings so you take a peek at your refrigerator and take one bite of your favorite junk food. You say to yourself ‘one bite won’t do much harm’.
5. Slowly however this binge-eating habit spirals out of your control until you find it quite impossible to stay on your diet. You then start shopping for all those junk foods that you had promised not to eat!
6. You get back to your normal lifestyle, start eating junk foods again as before, and gain back all the pounds you had lost! You are back to square one.
Why a Basic Diet Plan Does Not Work
It all started with just one wrong decision on your part: the decision to lose weight rapidly. That decision ultimately sabotaged your weight loss plan. In your quest for fast fat loss, you chose a diet plan that promised the moon but was in no way suitable for you! You tried to make huge changes in your lifestyle all too fast, and ended up achieving nothing.
In case you haven’t realized it already, the best way to lose weight is by making small changes in your lifestyle! That is because small changes are far more practicable and viable than larger ones.
Make lots of Small Changes Consistently
I have written lots of articles on the blog here that should help you to find these tips I even wrote one about how to lose weight quickly which would be a great place to start.
This great article from Sheri Strykowski about metabolism boosting foods and how to increase metabolism that is sure to have you nodding your head in agreement but there are a few that will probably be new to you as well.
Here are 10 metabolism boosting foods that will increase your metabolism and help you lose by boosting metabolism
I have made comments in bold just to highlight some of my own opinions on how to increase metabolism.
Stoke your metabolic fire and burn calories faster with diet-friendly foods and beverages. Post this list on your fridge next to the photo of you in your “skinny jeans” and make a copy to bring with you the next time you shop for groceries.
Just remember: Calories count, portion control rules and there’s no substitute for a well-balanced diet and regular exercise. So get moving!
How to Increase Metabolism
1. Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up loss and is a great way how to increase metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that subjects of the study increased their metabolic rates (the rate at which calories are burned) by 30 percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water.
Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloat as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. So drink up!
Make sure that you are starting your day with a big big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.
2. Green Tea – Studies show that green tea extracts boost metabolism and may aid in loss. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease. It’s also a trendy drink among -conscious celebrities.
You may Have already seen my green tea articles but this may be one really fantastic herb and it tastes nice too!
3. Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. In the study, women chose one of three 270-calorie snacks before lunch.
Women who had chicken and rice soup as a snack consumed a n average of 100 fewer calories than those in the study who opted for a chicken and rice casserole or the casserole and a glass of water.
I used to joke that soup is not a meal but it really does fill you for very few calories and remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.
4. Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Researchers at Scripps Clinic found that participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal in a 12-week period lost an average of 3.6 pounds.
The study indicates that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduce insulin levels, which promotes loss and boost metabolism. NOTE: If you are taking medication, check with your doctor about any potentially adverse interactions with grapefruit.
Grapefruit, because of the soft peel is a nice alternative to an apple of orange and study after study of the last 30 years has shown that it can really help burn fat.
5. Apples and Pears – Over women who ate the equivalent of three small apples or pears a day lost more on a low-calorie diet than women who didn’t add fruit to their diet, according to re searchers from the State University of Rio de Janeiro.
Fruit eaters also ate fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.
6. Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fiber. And, at just 20-calories per cup, this -loss superfood not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.
7. Low-Fat Yogurt – Dairy products can boost loss efforts, according to a study in the April issue of Obesity Research. People on a reduced-calorie diet who included three to four servings of dairy foods lost significantly more than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of calories. Low-fat yogurt is a rich source of -loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein.
As far as superfood go Yogurt is right there. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.
8. Lean Turkey – Rev up your fat-burning engine with this bodybuilder favorite. Countless studies have shown that protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.
With the price of chicken going up and up these days Turkey has become a great alternative. Remember that Turkey is a little tougher than chicken and the taste is a little different but it is not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas anymore.
9. Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carb list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
For many years now Pro Bodybuilders have relied on Oatmeal as a staple of their breakfast, it is amazingly high in nutrients.
10. Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings, researchers at Laval University in Canada found. Here’s why: Capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.
Metabolism Boosting Foods
Here’s how these 10 fat-blasting superstars help you lose and how to increase metabolism.
Each of these healthy -loss boosters fills you up and keeps you full longer on fewer calories.
Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without breaking the calorie bank.
High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage.
Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods.
Another Good way how to increase metabolism is to try a new diet that cycles your calories with some on day and other days off of your diet. This is a new style diet that works great, the name, Fat Loss 4 Idiots. Check out the review that I have done of the diet that is really built to boost metabolism.
Sheri Strykowski is a freelance journalist who specializes in health, fitness and lifestyle. Her articles have appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Lerner newspapers and National Safety Council publications. Tell us all your Metabolism Boosting Foods in the comments below.
I have had lots of problems over the years just trying to stay on track. You know, really staying focused.
The problem is that you start a new eating program, or exercise program, or any kind of self improvement program and almost immediately your ego wants to take over and make better whatever it is that you have just started.
I started a couch to 5k with my daughter last Summer and of course it is easy at the beginning, the plan is to just get you out there. Right away I wanted to start on week three instead of week one.
“We are too good to start at the beginning” I told my daughter. Fortunately she knew better and had us start getting the habit going instead of worrying about the mileage right off the bat.
