Research shows that overweight people have a higher risk of developing illnesses such as heart problems and high blood pressure. So if you’re overweight, it’s time to think about losing excess weight to reduce the risk. There are tons of ways to lose weight fast; however some of these may not be too safe.  This is the reason why losing weight naturally is still the most recommended method by doctors and health practitioners.

Here are seven natural ways proven to be effective and safe in losing weight:

1)    Exercise Daily – 30 minutes a day of walking briskly for a month is a great start in losing weight naturally. There is no need to buy expensive equipment or to enroll in any type of aerobics class. Walking daily is already an exercise itself, all you need are a strong legs and a good pair of shoes.
2)    Drink Plenty of Water – Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is great for losing weight too. What is even better about drinking water is that if you do this before meal time, you have a tendency to eat less. Water always makes us feel full. It’s a foolproof method, so keep in mind to drink at least 2 glasses of cold water before mealtime
3)    Eat Plenty of High Fiber Food – Another surefire way to lose weight naturally is to eat lots of fiber-rich food for at least a week; afterwards you can start adding meat again. But you have to do this gradually. Some examples of food that is rich in fiber are fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains and beans. These types of food will make you feel full, resulting in lesser intake of food.
4)    Skip Desserts – Skipping dessert will do wonders in reaching your goal. Avoid eating dessert after every meal. This can help you lose around 10 pounds in 2 ½ months, which is almost 50 pounds a year. However, if you cannot live without desserts, try taking it 15 minutes before meal. A bit of sweets will make you eat less. Remember what our mothers used to tell us when we were kids: “Do not eat sweets before meals for it will ruin your appetite”.
5)    Eat More Meals – This may sounds crazy, but it’s true. Eating more meals a day with a smaller portion can actually help. And whatever you do, never skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast will only make you eat a larger meal during lunchtime.
6)    Be More Active – Moving constantly will increase your metabolism. Doing different activities a day can actually burn more calories. Activities such as jogging, tennis, swimming or even just taking the stairs instead of using the elevator will definitely help.
7)    Make A Goal – Having a goal will keep you highly motivated in following whatever diet plans you have in mind. Goals are created to keep us focused in whatever we want to achieve.
A healthy body will help lower the risk of you getting sick, plus it will boost your self-confidence. These things are enough motivations for us to start getting into shape.

Optimists have a higher probability of being achievers compared to pessimists. That is why it is always important to not only watch what you say, but also watch what you think about. This is especially true with exercise and weight loss. To be able to achieve your goal, you have to keep yourself motivated and drive away all the negative thoughts that come into your mind.

The deeper problem, however, is recognizing and realizing that you are harboring negative thoughts in your mind. If you do not realize that you are keeping bad thoughts in your mind, you wouldn’t be able to stop doing it, right? Furthermore, being angry on yourself and blaming yourself for the things that you have failed to do will lead you to have lower self-esteem. If you have low self-esteem, you wouldn’t be able to convince yourself that you can do something right.

So what are the thoughts that you need to watch for and prevent when undergoing weight loss routine? Here are some examples:

• I can’t do anything right!
• I failed to follow my weight loss regime again, I’m a failure!
• I can’t do this anymore!
• Nothing’s going right, so why go on?

These are just some of the thoughts that would deliberately ruin your passion for losing weight, and may even make you stop your fitness exercise. Watch what you think whenever you’re angry. Do you blame yourself? Do you get angry with yourself? And these negative feelings that developed after your negative thoughts, do they convince you to altogether stop your weight loss routine? If so, then it is really a bad habit that you need to put a sock on.

How do you stop this negative mind-set? First, try to trace where you made a mistake with your routine. If you ate too much for that day, what made you eat too much? Was it because you skipped an earlier meal and was too hungry to stop eating the following meal? Then you should keep in mind that you shouldn’t let yourself skip any meal.

Instead of harboring these negative thoughts, try to think about the root cause and devise ways to not do that mistake again. Weight loss training is a tough feat to accomplish, but it is also very rewarding. Keep yourself inspired by reminding yourself about your goal. Visualize it, or even dream about it.

A proper mind-set is important when trying to lose weight, or plainly when you want to achieve something. Being optimistic will guide you on your way to a thinner and better you!

Because weight loss is an issue that has been circulating the world for years, it is no wonder why many researches about weight loss ways are being conducted. Researchers and expected have done their best to learn of ways to lose weight without undergoing intensive training. Although exercising is a healthy way to lose weight, people who have injuries and other similar problems could not undergo this training.

There is no need to be saddened, however, as researchers have found out new ways to lose weight without intensive training. Here are some of the ways to reduce weight without stress:

• Get the right amount of sleep. We are required to sleep eight hours a day to be able to keep up with our everyday activities. It has been found out that the less you sleep, the hungrier you would get. Not only that, if you sleep less, you will crave for sweet foods to keep you active. These sweets are used, while some are stocked up in the body to give way to times when more energy is needed due to lack of sleep.
• Don’t eat less; rather eat more fiber-rich food. This means you have to eat low-density food since they are high in fiber and they contain more water than other types of food. Because of these characteristics, a person who eats low-density food will feel that his stomach is full even after just a few servings. Also, fiber helps digest food thoroughly and facilitates better nutrient absorption. Therefore, fats and carbohydrates will not be stocked up but would be distributed evenly and be burned easily for use as energy.
• The Water Therapy. This is a famous health regime, not just for weight loss but also for diabetes and high-blood – health problems that are also related to weight. Drinking eight glasses of water a day is the first step for water therapy. A glass of cold water must be drank before every meal, so that the person will feel that his stomach if halfway full and would not eat excessively. Water also facilitates nutrient absorption.
• Proper alcohol consumption. If you like to drink alcohol, make sure you drink it in moderation. Binge drinking will cause your body to store up the calories instead of burning them, therefore making you gain wait. Regularity is the key. According to the research of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, a person who drinks moderately, one drink a day, is 54% less prone to being obese.

Although these weight loss regimes are without the exercise training, it doesn’t mean it is easier. But still, regularization and moderation is the key to any weight loss routine.

This sounds like really easy for some of you, but most people gain back weight after losing it… So let’s see what it really takes:

To lose one pound of fat, realistically, you need to burn about 3000 – 4000 calories on top of your current daily activities. Now that numbers sounds huge, so here’s how you can do that systematically (in 3 simple steps):

1. Calculate your BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate -  Your BMR (in calories) is the amount of energy that is needed for your body to perform its basic functions like breathing and digesting. So that is the basic amount of calories that you need in a day.
2. Start a Weight Loss Journal -  By keeping track of what you do + what you eat everyday (like exercising in the gym – e.g. running, 20 mins, what you had for lunch – e.g. chicken pie, coke, etc.) you would know how much calories are going in and out each day.
3. Watch Your Daily Calories In vs Calories Out – So the formula is really BMR +(plus) Calorie Burning Activities -(minus) Food Intake = this total, if negative, it means you’re most likely gaining weight, and if positive, it means you are putting in effort and probably starving but you are going to lose weight!

So how do we lose that one pound of fat in one day?

Let’s say your BMR comes to 1600.  And your food intake is around 2000 calories.
So the calorie burning activities need to total up to at least 4000 calories in order that one pound of fat.

Finding it difficult to reach that goal in one day? Break it down and set a realistic goal. Always set a goal that is achievable, so set your goal to make that pound of fat go away in 3 or 5 days instead. Whatever your weight loss goal is, you will find that you always need to practise the above 3 steps, some discipline and plenty of action!

Quick one, here’s a famous quote you can rely on….

Take Breakfast Like A King,
Lunch Like A Prince,
And Dinner Like A Pauper!

You have probably read various weight loss plans that tells you to do this and do that… eat this but don’t eat that. Aren’t you finding that hard to follow?

For some people who finds losing weight too difficult, especially if you are of an elderly age, it’s just too hard to follow the so called “perfect weight loss plan”… even the beginners weight loss course sounds too harsh on you.

So let’s start at somewhere easier… like WALKING (yes, you read the title of my article). Walking is a way to lose weight – not tremendously fast but it helps over time.

Here are some mindful steps to follow on how to lose weight by walking (some activity depends on age and capability):

1. Get a good pair of walking shoes, one that you are very comfortable in. I would recommend wearing socks to avoid getting blisters.
2. Spend the mornings or the evenings for your walking activity. Smile and say “hie” to the neighbourhood walking group – making new friends makes the walking activity less boring.
3. Start your walking say 15 mins a day, then try 30 mins a day. If you can, walk up to an hour, but not more than that. Straining your leg or ankle is not a good idea.
4. Walk about twice a week, then when you feel more comfortable – walk for at least 5 times a week and see all those fat burn away in no time.
5. Always start slowly especially on colder days, get those legs warmed up first before walking faster. Wear appropriate attire depending on the weather and season. Try to keep yourself warm all the time.
6. If you feel very healthy, young or want to try more challenge, try walking a slow uphill. When going downhill, be careful not to exert too much force on the knees by walking slowly.
7. Do not walk / exercise if you are still recovering from any leg injury, gout attack,  etc. Check with your doctor for advise on how much you should walk if you have other illnesses.

Once you have a consistent walking routine, you are on your way to a much healthier lifestyle. Remember, weight loss is always difficult if you think it is. Always start with the easiest or simplest method in mind. So try taking baby steps for a start, one foot at a time.

Realised it would be hard for anyone to take my weight loss tips seriously, so I’ve decided to give out easier everyday easy to do tips to help you lose weight and stay healthy. Here is the first one to go:

Go jogging with your dog!

Want to lose weight fast? It’s easy to say goodbye to 10 pounds of unwanted fat with these easy diet tips. Just pay attention to what you eat and be sure to have good tasting, fresh and healthy food including snacks, fill up on vegetables and keep your taste buds happy with fruit.

No need to make sacrifices! Just follow these simple guidelines to lose your first 10 pounds, last 10 pounds or give your weight loss program a boost when it seems to have stuttered to a halt. This is a balanced and flexible plan that you can use for as long as you want.

1. Keep a note of everything that you eat and drink. You do not need to estimate calories. Just write down what it was that you had and the approximate quantity. You will find that being more aware of what you are eating helps you to plan healthy meals and snacks.

2. Halve your intake of all pure or added fats. This means using half as much butter or spread on your bread, toast, muffins and potatoes; half the usual amount of mayonnaise or sauce on your salad; and half the oil in the frypan every time.

3. Limit treats containing sugar to three times per week. This includes chocolate, ice cream, desserts, cake, pastries, cookies, etc.

4. Include a lower fat source of protein at most meals: chicken, fish, beans, cottage cheese, or low fat yogurt. Have eggs, nuts and red meat occasionally but not every day.

5. Plan at least one lunch and dinner every week without meat or cheese. Build those meals around whole grains, vegetables and beans to increase fiber and reduce fat.

6. Reduce the fat content in your milk products. If you are currently drinking whole milk, reduce to 2% fat. From 2% reduce to 1%. Choose lower fat cheese and yogurt. When you buy yogurt, also check that it does not contain sugar.

7. Have at least two servings of fruit every day. This can be for dessert or snacks. Choose fruit that is in season.

8. Drink water instead of sodas, juices, milky drinks or alcohol. Avoid diet soda – the sweet taste only encourages you to crave sugar. Hot water with a slice of lemon can be very refreshing in the morning.

9. Include at least two servings of vegetables at lunch and dinner. If you are getting hungry, have more.

10. Eat slowly. The body is slow to register when you are full and it is easy to eat too much if you are racing through your meals.

11. Grated carrot makes a great snack. You will find that a grated carrot is much more filling than a whole carrot. Strange but true.

12. Use whole grains wherever possible. The fiber will give you a fuller feeling and also help your digestion.

13. Choose food that you can chew. Again this will increase your fiber intake, and the act of chewing will make you feel more satisfied too. This means eating fruit instead of drinking juice. If you have soup, make sure it is chunky.

14. Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. Plan your shopping too – make a list of what you need and stick to it. If you just grab something when you are feeling hungry, you will probably choose high calorie food.

15. Always switch off the TV when you eat. That includes snacks as well as meals. Studies have proved that we eat larger portions in front of the TV, probably because we are much less aware of what we are eating. When you eat, only eat if you want to lose weight fast.

We can see that many people are now turning to the inexpensive and natural green tea weight loss plans to help them in their weight control efforts. It is simple too. Green tea can be drunk like any other tea, usually without milk or sweeteners, or if you do not like the taste you can purchase green tea extract.

Research has shown that green tea helps to reduce weight by stimulating the body’s thermogenesis process, which increases the expenditure of energy and the oxidization of fat in the body. Many compounds found in plants have this effect. The special thing about green tea is that it does not increase the heart rate, and is therefore believed to be safer than diet pills such as ephidrine that also work by stimulating thermogenesis.

A lot of people who are overweight have or are at risk of developing hypertension and other cardiovascular problems, so the fact that green tea does not put pressure on the heart makes it a good choice. Ephidrine is not usually recommended if you are in this group but green tea is considered a safe option. It means that you can gradually increase your exercise levels without increasing your risk of heart problems.

There are only two ways to lose weight: one way is by eating less (consuming fewer calories) and the other is by increasing expenditure of energy (using up more calories). Green tea works by increasing output and this can be by around 4%. Most scientists believe that this is caused by the high quantity of catechin that is in the tea and its extract.

Green tea has the added benefit of containing powerful antioxidants that may be beneficial to your health in many ways, strengthening the immune system and protecting against disease.

Keep in mind that green tea does contain caffeine so you should cut out coffee and other forms of tea while you are taking it. Decaffeinated green tea is not recommended because the chemical processes that are used to remove the caffeine may destroy the beneficial properties of the plant.

At the same time you will need to exercise control in what you eat or adjust your diet. If you eat more to compensate for the calories that are burnt by the tea, you will not lose much weight at all. Keeping to the same calorific intake that you have now and taking green tea should result in gradual weight loss and better energy levels over a few weeks. You can of course increase the speed of this by reducing calorie consumption and/or increasing exercise.

Green tea is a simple, easy and inexpensive weight control aid that can easily be incorporated into any weight loss program. The choice of tea or extract offers something for everybody. Natural and safe, green tea weight loss should be part of your program if you want to keep the weight off permanently.