5 habits for successfully losing weight . . . and, keeping it off!

It's a new year and so welcome to 2015. Many of you will have made new years resolutions, and hopefully you will all still be focused, committed and determined to achieve that resolution moving forward! It may involve diet, exercise, joining a gym, getting fit, healthy and shedding a few pounds or kilos. If that resolution surrounds your health, fitness, and wellbeing, then this article which I sourced from 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/8864441) and written by Michelle A. Masters - a qualified life coach, diet fitness and nutrition consultant specialising in working with clients to achieve successful permanent weight loss that suits them as individuals, their lifestyle, food preferences, time commitments, family and work situations (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_A_Masters) should prove to be invaluable reading.


When it comes to successful weight loss that stays off forever, habits are a big part of the puzzle, you are most probably aware of some of the habits that have prevented you from successfully losing weight in the past, but even though you may know what they are, it is not always easy to swap them for new healthier ones.

When you go on a diet you change what you eat and often how much exercise you do, but what happens when you reach your target weight and stop doing those things? Unless new habitual behaviours have been introduced to replace the old ones (which is never going to happen unless these new habitual behaviours are things you are happy doing) then the chances are all the weight you have lost will gradually go back on. You 'go on a diet' and then come 'off a diet' but what about the habits that led you to become overweight in the first place?

There are some core principles involved in making the lasting changes needed to be able to balance the way you eat with still being able to enjoy all the things you love. These are what help you determine exactly what is going to work for you, so you will be able to lose the weight you want and understand how to apply this knowledge whenever you need it in the future, knowing that you are completely in control of your weight at all times. How would that feel?

Which of these could be your defining habit for 2015 making it the year you successfully lose weight, feel amazing and achieve that life changing success you've always wanted?

1. Portion Control
Portion control can and has made a huge life changing difference for many people when it comes to successful, permanent weight loss. It's very easy to apply, easy to stick to and easy to get into the habit of, which is a definitive point in permanent weight maintenance. It is also the easiest way to be able to balance your Everyday Foods and your Sometimes Foods so that you really don't have to miss out on those treats that you love so much.

2. Keeping a Food and Exercise Diary
Next to portion control, keeping track of what you are eating and drinking is another big game changer. It's not everyone's favourite thing to do, but those who develop this habit (and you have to bear in mind, new habits take around 3 weeks to develop into habitual behaviours) have on record been the most successful at losing weight and then being able to maintain that weight loss going forward. By keeping a food diary you can learn so much about yourself, about the foods themselves, about how certain foods make you feel and much more.

3. Falling in Love with Exercise
Many many people's lives change significantly after discovering a love for exercise, not only from a weight loss point of view but also from a healthy balanced lifestyle perspective. Exercise, although not a massive game changer when it comes to weight loss, comes into its own in the weight maintenance game. The impact it can have mentally on improving mood, motivation, a sense of accomplishment and overall healthiness on the inside can become quite addictive, and you are never too old to become addicted!

4. Planning and Meal Preparation
A great deal of weight loss success can stem from becoming more organised and getting into the habit of planning and preparing your weekly food intake as much as possible. I have found this to be the biggest defining habit with people who are very 'time poor' and their dietary habits, and consequential weight gain, was determined most of the time from eating unhealthy, quick processed foods. With gradual changes in planning and preparation of meals, snacks and shopping this problem can be easily eliminated.

5. Finding Healthy Substitutes for Favourite Foods
This is also another big defining factor in weight loss success. By going in search of healthy alternatives to some of your most favourite 'unhealthy' foods, along with acquiring a baseline knowledge on food, nutrition and how it affects your body, significant changes in daily eating habits can come about with very little effort, which not only leads to weight loss but usually to finding out that you actually prefer the healthy substitutes in the end. Win Win!

For me it was falling in love with exercise and portion control, please feel free to leave your comments below and let me know if you have experienced any life changing habits which have led to your personal weight loss success, or if you are still working at it, if any of these habits sound like they might be something that could work for you.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

5 weight loss tips for women!

Continuing the theme of new years resolutions and sticking with your diet, exercise and fitness goals in 2015, here are some further insights to kick start 2015 and help get you (back) on the right path. Found at 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/8868707) and written by Jon Allo (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Allo) this might tell you something new, or simply reinforce what you already know - but good advice nonetheless!


Weight loss for women and men is different as men usually want to bulk up and build big muscles, whilst women usually want a toned and more shapely body. There a number of good ways for women to lose weight and some simple things that you can do to make it easier on yourself. Let's take a look at 5 weight loss tips for women that will help you with your new diet goals.

1. Drink Plenty Of Water.
Drinking water is one of the most simple ways to lose weight and you can do it everyday. By staying hydrated, you optimize the amount of calories your body burns each day and therefore burn more body fat. In addition to this, by drinking plenty of water each day, you'll feel fuller and be less prone to overeating. To start enjoying the weight loss benefits of water, simply drink a minimum of 8 glasses per day.

2. Get Somebody To Support You.
When you're trying to lose weight alone, it's easy to make excuses, cheat on your diet and skip workouts. After all, no one will know except you. An accountability partner takes these easy excuses out of the equation by giving you someone to answer to. They'll check in on you and make sure you're sticking to your healthy eating plans, working out regularly and achieving your weight loss goals. If you're not, they'll hold you accountable and help you get back on track.

3. Eat Healthy Snacks.
You may eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner but if you neglect your healthy diet between meals by eating sweets, crisps or biscuits you'll end up piling on hundreds of excess calories. There are plenty of healthy snacks that can satisfy your hunger cravings between meals without sabotaging your weight loss goals. Fruits contain around 100 calories per serving and Greek yoghurt is another top healthy snack which packs less than 100 calories per half cup.

4. Consider Resistance Training.
You will not build bulky muscles by including a mixture of resistance, or strength exercises into your exercise plan that work your entire body. Muscle cells burn 3 times more calories than fat cells. When you increase the amount of muscle cells in your body you'll accelerate the rate at which your body blasts through calories. By integrating resistance training into your workout routine, you can enjoy some serious fat burning benefits.

5. Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself.
Negativity and self-criticism destroys thousands of women's weight loss goals every year. As soon as they experience a setback, make a poor dietary choice or skip a workout, they focus all their attention on it and criticize themselves heavily. This negativity often derails their weight loss progress and leads to them quitting. When you do experience a setback, accept it, strive to improve going forward and then move on. Continue with a positive attitude and focus firmly on your weight loss goals.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

5 tips to jump start your diet.

2015 might be the year you have resolved to change your eating habits, to alter your diet, and to realign your food and beverage intake. This might be for the sake of losing weight, toning up, or getting that slim, trim body that you have always longed for. To support you in this process 'ezinearticles' have provided this (http://EzineArticles.com/8866316) written by Jon Allo (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Allo), providing some sage advice once again.


Sometimes we all need a little extra help losing weight. The problem you find with some diets is that they do not deliver all of the nutritional goodness that your body needs and they can be difficult to maintain. These 5 easy weight loss tips will to help you to avoid weight gain and will help you to give your diet a kick start.

1. Change Your Diet Slowly.
Don't try and change your diet too quickly. If you do you may struggle to stick with the changes because you'll have to instantly replace all the foods you're used to eating for unfamiliar healthy foods. Try making one small improvement to your diet each week. This will allow you to slowly but surely improve the quality of your diet and will help you to lose weight on a consistent basis without severe eating changes that you cannot maintain.

2. Start Walking More.
If you're currently overweight or your fitness level is low walking is one of the best weight loss techniques you can do. It is not very strenuous and is can easily fit into your daily schedule. To get started, try walking for an additional 10 minutes each day. Doing this will allow you to burn off an extra 280 calories per week. Once you can do this easily, raise the amount of walking you do and you'll start burning more calories and body fat on a daily basis.

3. Don't Stop Eating Your Favourite Foods Completely.
Losing weight is all about balance and there's no reason for you to stop eating your favourite foods once and for all. Although you will need to make adjustments to your diet, you can still enjoy your favourite foods in moderation and lose weight. A good way to balance healthy eating with your favourite foods is to follow an 80/20 rule where 80% of the calories you eat come from healthy foods and then 20% of the calories you eat come from other foods of your choice.

4. Find Some Exercise You Like Doing.
Exercise is something many people dread when they are trying to lose weight. But there are hundreds of different exercise options available and by giving some of them a try, you're sure to find at least one that you enjoy. You can try outside activities like cycling, running or walking or indoor exercise classes like aerobic, yoga or Zumba classes. Once you've found some exercises that are fun for you, make them part of your weekly routine to ramp up the amount of fat you burn.

5. Get Enough Sleep.
Sleep increases the amount of growth hormone in your body which supports fat burning and increases the amount of calories your body naturally burns. If you've not had enough sleep, your appetite is increased and you're much more likely to overeat. Sleep also affects your physical activity levels. If you've had a good night's sleep, you'll feel much more energized and be likely to move around more and burn extra calories.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Body Building Supplements - what to know!

In wrapping up this short series on supplements I came across this one too, also on 'articles base' (http://www.articlesbase.com/muscle-building-articles/powerful-bodybuilding-supplements-know-about-them-5655893.html) that gives some further clarification perhaps about what you need to know and how you can benefit - but as always - do your own research and satisfy yourself that you are going with the best product(s) to meet your specific requirements and objectives. Written by Evie Weaver - a bodybuilding veteran.


Those who consider bodybuilding as profession need a good supplement to gain the muscle mass. Vigorous workouts and athletic activities leave the body drained of the calories and essential nutrients, the loss of which often leads to deficiencies. The body involved in workouts and similar activates requires good deal of vitamins and minerals which sometimes even a good diet is not able to provide. Thus, it is important that such people should have good Bodybuilding Supplements by their side.

Besides bodybuilders, these supplements are very important for people involved in athletic activities like sportsperson. There are many types of supplements available in the market to cater to a variety of needs. Some need to be taken before and some after a workout. In order to put on the lean muscle mass, there are many supplements available. They can be categorised as protein supplements, glutamine, fatty acid, branched amino acid supplements, and some come in the form of meal replacement too.

There are a wide variety of benefits of using Bodybuilding Supplements. Some of them can be listed as follows:
i) It has been medically proven that good health comes with the right mix of genetics, good diet and a religious exercise plan. These supplements form an important part of a healthy diet and provide the body with essential nutrients.
ii) When it comes to building muscle mass rapidly, these supplements are of great help.
iii) They can greatly help cover up the loss of nutrients and impart strength to the body.
iv) They lead to even and toned muscle growth and provides the body with optimised nourishment.
v) They help increase the endurance levels as well.
vi) Most of the supplements assist in water retention to ensure proper hydration and balancing out of the losses incurred during a physical workout.
vii) They help speed up the absorption of nutrients by the body and stimulate the testosterone production.

The goal of superior quality of muscle buildup can be easily attained by use of these supplements. Their regular usage ensures that you gain sufficient muscle mass and do not lose any muscle mass quickly that is hard to gain. The muscle building process gets a boost with the use of these supplements. In terms of quality, muscle build up by these supplements is superior.

There is wide variety of supplements to choose from. These include Anavar, Synthol, Anadrall, Retabol, Dianibol, etc. In order to make a good choice of these supplements, you can consult a qualified practitioner or your gym instructor to seek an advice about the best supplement for you. He/she can provide you a prescription based on the requirements of your body and suitability of the supplement. When coupled with religious exercise plan, these bodybuilding supplements can work great in terms to attain that lean yet muscular look. Go ahead and find the right supplement today!!

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Enhance your work-out with BCAA Supplements

Continuing the theme of supplements to enhance your fitness, exercise, weight loss, toning or just your well-being programme, here is a further article from Bryen Hooper offering some good advice & guidance on the subject - and sourced through 'articles base'(http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/enhance-your-performance-with-bcaa-workout-supplements-7107761.html). As stated previously - do your research and be thorough - either on the Internet, or at a local strode where you can source these products, or through your gym and/or PT. There is no reason why you should not be well informed and get the best advice for your very specific needs and goals.

Whenever we think of bodybuilding, the first person that comes to our minds is Arnold Schwarzenegger. For most of the aspiring bodybuilders, Schwarzenegger is their inspiration as he is the genuine sports celebrity. Everyone wants to be fit but for some people, bodybuilding is a passion. They give all their time and effort to have a well-sculpted body for which they have a burning desire.

A proper diet and a strict workout regime offers you the basics for anyone looking to get a well-toned body. But at times, it is essential to take additional supplements for better results. One of the best supplements that most fitness freaks use these days is the BCAA workout supplement. Made up of three amino acids - Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine, BCAA or Branch Amino Acids help in muscle repair and growth.

Without supplementing the body with amino acids, the proteins in the body break down when you work out intensely, thereby resulting in muscle loss. Out of the total 20 amino acids that the body needs, about half of the amino acids are not essential. The rest of the essential amino acids are obtained from food and supplements. Of these, the aforesaid three BCAAs are the most important for muscle recovery.

When is the best time to take BCAA supplements?
An important question that often comes to the minds of bodybuilders is: What is the most appropriate time to take BCAA supplements to boost their performance? Well, most of your colleagues and trainers say that you should take these supplements either before, during or after a workout. To be honest, this is a very vague advice as it does not give a clear idea about the results to expect. Let's help you out by analysing the benefits of taking these supplements before, during and after your workout regime.

Before workout : if you train in the morning before eating your breakfast, then it is advisable to take BCAA workout supplements before you start your workout. Research has shown that taking these supplements before workouts reduces fatigue, which will help you perform better.

During workout : another option you can try is taking bodybuilding supplements during your workout regime. In fact, taking these supplements during the workout is a great way to give nourishment to your muscles when the body needs it most. Thus, taking BCAA during a training session reduces fatigue.

After workout : if you get exhausted after your workout session, then it is best for you to take BCAA supplements after the workout. Taking the supplements after your training will help in muscle recovery and repair. The supplements help the muscle fibres in healing. During your workout regime, the increased levels of serotonin can cause fatigue. Many studies have proven that taking BCAA supplements during workout helps in reducing the level of serotonin thereby reducing exercise fatigue.

BCAA supplementation according to your workout regime will help you in getting better results. To enhance your performance and achieve the ideal body for which you have been working out, take the supplements during ideal times according to your workout regime.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Choosing the right supplement for your pre-workout surge!

Following on from the last Post as an introduction to supplements to aid your weight loss, fitness and exercise programme, here is another from the same author - Bryen Hooper also sourced through 'articlesbase' (http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/get-a-pre-workout-energy-surge-with-the-right-supplement-7094793.html) that may shed further light on this area and help you choose the best for you. That said, you should do a little study first to match your specific requirements and goals to the right product - either on-line, or with an expert in your local store, or even your PT at the gym. There will be plenty of advice forthcoming - just choose the right product(s) for your needs.


Of late, many athletes have started taking pre-workout supplements leading to a surge in their demand. This is hardly surprising as the latest research and studies have shown the positive impact of some supplements in improving focus and energy for workouts. Taking full advantage of positive reports in the media and testimonials by successful athletes, supplement producing companies have launched several products in the market claiming the same effects.

The discerning bodybuilders and athletes are always concerned about which of these supplements are effective and do not cause side effects. Let us first understand the importance of pre-workout supplements and how they help athletes train hard.

Impact of the mental state on high intensity workouts
All high intensity trainers such as athletes know the impact that the mental state has on their training. Not only should your muscles be energized, it is equally important that your mind is positive and there is coordination between your muscles and mind. If not, muscular development will not be as good as you expect even though the muscles are not fatigued.

If you are an athlete reading this, the mind giving up rather than the muscles is a situation you must be familiar with. This happens because you fail to stress the muscles enough to maximize muscular development. That is why you need a pre workout supplement that gives a mental surge to enhance your energy and focus. These supplements are meant to keep you "in the zone" till your workouts are over.

Which pre-workout supplement should you choose?
As already stated, athletes look to take only those supplements that are effective without causing side effects. When taking these supplements first began in the early 1980s, the main ingredients in it were dextrose as the carb enhancer, protein and ephedra. This was effective but since then, a lot of other options have hit the market. Most of these contain ingredients such as creatine and glutamine.

While creatine can cause side effects if not taken in the right combination, it is a must to get the surge before workouts. Some supplement producers offer a comprehensive mix of ingredients for a comprehensive mood enhancing system. The ingredients they include in the supplement include CarnoSyn Beta Alanine, various forms of Arginine, Citrulline Malate and Agmatine Sulfate. The enhanced blood delivery to muscles and brain, that this combination can achieve, does not lead to any side effects. It contains four types of creatines that neutralize the adverse effects. Thus, the kind of surge pre workout supplement you should choose is clear by this brief explanation. If you want to improve your athletic performance or develop good muscle mass, find a supplement from a reputable online store.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Pre Work-Out Supplements that deliver.

We have now arrived in that twilight zone between Christmas and New Year when you may be suffering from the over indulgences of the festive season, still on holiday and there is a lull before it all ramps up again with more eating, drinking, celebrating and excess on New Years Eve and New Years Day. Taking the opportunity I thought, in readiness for your efforts to kick start 2015, I have a couple of articles coming up on supplements to aid your fitness and weight loss goals. The one below I sourced through 'articalesbase' (http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/buy-pre-workout-supplements-that-deliver-7163318.html) and is written by Bryen Hooper, and provides a good introduction on what to look for in your supplements, is you decide to enhance your efforts in this way.


Since the research on effectiveness of pre-workout supplements became public, a multitude of such supplements have flooded the market. Very few of these are effective, but all of them claim to be the best product on the market. Choosing a supplement that delivers results can be quite difficult in such a scenario. In order to buy effective pre-workout supplements, you need to know all about the ingredients that are proven to deliver results. Some ingredients used in supplements benefit fitness enthusiasts, sports persons and bodybuilders immensely. The best part is that these help you unlock your great athletic potential without causing any side effects.

Let's first take a look at the positive impacts that a pre-workout supplement should deliver :

Muscle Pumps
Starting from your early 30's and even late 20's, you start to experience a lack of energy in your muscles. The cause is reduced blood supply due to natural ageing effects. Increasing blood supply to the muscles is important to enhance muscle size, vascularity and fullness.

Enhanced Strength
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) or muscle energy production must be optimised for improving athletic performance. Intensity and raw power in sport has a lot to do with the concept of muscle energy production, and some ingredients gear your body's biochemistry to optimise it. With enhanced strength, endurance and energy, you are able to achieve a lot more than otherwise possible.

Enhanced Metabolism
You want to consume a balanced diet full of nutrients, but what if your digestive system is unable to absorb and process it? Your metabolism plays a key role in absorbing proteins and other nutrients and building muscles. Enhancing it by taking a supplement rich in key ingredients is important.

Muscle Recovery
The most important reason for taking pre-workout supplements is to help in muscle recovery, which is the key to increasing muscle mass. For enhancing muscle mass, you need to ensure that muscle loss is lower than protein synthesis. The supplement you choose should contain effective ingredients, which promotes fast muscle recovery.

Ingredients to look for in a supplement
You buy a pre-workout supplement which enhances muscle pumps, improves muscle recovery, increases metabolism and builds strength at the same time. Of course, these should be proven to have safe ingredients that do not lead to any side effects. For muscle pumps, the supplement should contain three forms of Arginine, Citrulline Malate and CarnoSyn Beta Alanine.

Creatine is a known muscle cell energy enhancer but it is associated with many side effects. However, some leading supplement manufacturers offer an effective blend of Creatine, which eliminates such risks. R-Beta-Methylphenylethylamine is a safe metabolism enhancer that promotes fat loss and can be used as an energy enhancer too.

Finally, branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) are the most important ingredient to look for in a pre-workout supplement. It provides the additional proteins needed to make amends for the proteins lost after a strenuous workout session, and build muscle mass. Look for a supplement that contains these ingredients.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-