If you have excess weight only in specific parts of your body, you still must look at yourself as a whole. It's not possible to spot reduce; in other words, you can't dictate that you only want weight to come off one place or another. In most cases your so called "trouble spots" is where the fat will come off last, so be prepared to lose weight in your fingers (rings fall off) and your face (friends may ask if you're feeling all right) first. There is hope for losing that belly fat though.
If you work toward building muscle and reducing body fat you will eventually tackle those trouble spots though, and develop a better physique in the process. Muscle tissue is active meaning it requires calories to be maintained. If you were stranded without a food supply, eventually your body would turn to its own muscle tissue as a source of nutrition first (muscles are protein) while saving the fat stores for last. Simply put, fat is nature's way of ensuring survival during times of famine. That's why the prevalence of heart failure kills someone who is severely malnourished. By building more muscle you become a more efficient energy burning machine which translates to mean you can eat more food! That to me is a good thing.
That explains why some people can eat so much more than others yet not gain weight; your efficient energy burning friend simply has a greater proportion of muscle to fat than you. Muscle is more dense than fat. It's often said that a pound of muscle is heavier than a pound of fat, but the truth is a pound is a pound. What they mean is a one pound volume of muscle is a smaller package than a one pound volume of fat, or put another way, fat is billowy and fluffy while muscle is sleek and compact. Lady No. 1 weighs 120 pounds with 30% body fat so she has 84 pounds of lean tissue and 36 pounds of fat, while Lady No. 2 also weighing 120 pounds but at 18% body fat is carrying roughly 98 pounds of muscle and 22 pounds of fat. Would you rather be Lady No. 1 or Lady No. 2? Which do you think takes up more space, 22 or 36 pounds of fat? I'd say 36 pounds of fat would be a lot bigger package than 22 pounds.
That is why body weight as a number by itself is meaningless, but your ratio of fat to muscle is very important and worth working to change. Strive to decrease your body fat and increase your muscle mass and you'll look better, you'll feel stronger and more energetic and you'll simply be healthier.
You can generally have your body fat tested at fitness centers and most gyms so ask about having it done. It's better to know you have 30% body fat and work to reduce it to 29, than not to know and only think in terms of body weight. Most people who think only of how much they weigh tend to do everything to reduce that weight, and it's usually at the expense of losing more valuable muscle.
The best way to increase muscle and decrease fat is through a consistent exercise program. Start at whatever is your beginning, but do start.
Begin with an overall body conditioning type exercise program, doing whatever you enjoy, whether it be a sport, gardening, weight lifting, biking, hiking, or any other activity. Any physical movement you do regularly counts as exercise even if it is doing laundry or taking out the trash. Get as much as you can out of every chore you do, and stop thinking of it as a chore but instead as an opportunity to move your body.
In the early 1900s a washing machine was a new invention. People used to wash their clothes by hand, and hang them outside to dry. Being a housewife was actually a pretty strenuous job. It's no wonder women were thankful for modern conveniences like automatic washers and dryers, but now we've come to where our daily activities are not taking our bodies at all, so unless we want to get fatter and fatter we must do something about it.
It doesn't make sense to drive around and around in the parking lot looking for the closest space when you're on your way to run or walk on the treadmill. Why take the elevator five flights every day at work and then pay a monthly fee to do the StairMaster after work? What if we all started to notice that our world is full of exercise equipment.
We could become so much more fit if we'd just start to notice all the opportunities for physical movement we miss in the name of convenience. Look around and see if you can spot some exercise opportunities, and then get busy and get fit.
~~ Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of onemorebite-weightloss.com
Get onemorebite-weightloss.com: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.
professional maid services Park Ridge ..Digestion is a chemical process. Our body combines different types... Read More
A startling fact is that carbohydrates are not responsible for... Read More
ObesityToday, 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are... Read More
This is the second article in the series, Weight Loss... Read More
Here are 7 simple habits that can help anyone enjoy... Read More
THE 200 POINT SYSTEMWith so many different diets available, how... Read More
Do a little people-watching, next time you're in the grocery... Read More
Changing our eating behaviour is one of the critical lifestyle... Read More
The low carb diet craze has become extremely popular amongst... Read More
It's agreed that if you raise the amount of calories... Read More
The only absolute truth in the area of exercise and... Read More
Many gastric bypass patients report melon to be one of... Read More
Fast Weight Loss - Is it better to lose 2lbs... Read More
Rejuvenation and the Protein Revolution in Your Kitchen?2003 Marilyn DiamondIf... Read More
When women talk about their biggest obstacles to successful weight... Read More
You will be surprised to find out how many people... Read More
Abdominoplasty, or "tummy tuck" is a major surgical procedure that... Read More
Flip through a magazine, scan a newspaper, or channel surf... Read More
There are many factors that cause us to increase body... Read More
Every day, it seems, a new study pertaining to weight... Read More
You have finally decided to tackle weight management and lose... Read More
To lose weight and keep it off you need an... Read More
Are you considering a low carb diet? If so you... Read More
Just because you're working hard, doesn't mean that you're working... Read More
So you're overweight, "fat"--to be honest--and you want to start... Read More
cleaning lady near Lincolnshire ..I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More
If you are looking for a way to lose fifty... Read More
If you're taking a fiber supplement or eating a high... Read More
The best exercises for quick weight loss in my opinion... Read More
Many people today are interested in weight loss and weight... Read More
I believe that water not only helps with weight loss,... Read More
If you have been dieting, there is a good chance... Read More
Losing weight is a lifelong commitment. It takes patience and... Read More
Recently, I read an article from Japanese magazine that by... Read More
How many calories you consume has a big impact on... Read More
Every regime has its supply of useless folk lore and... Read More
Trash Your TV! is pleased to announce the easiest weight... Read More
If only there were a 'better body boot camp', we'd... Read More
I want to make this perfectly clear, fruits are healthy... Read More
A state of emergency has been recently put on European... Read More
It would not be surprising to hear your answer is... Read More
There are many subscriber programs available both online and in... Read More
ObesityToday, 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are... Read More
Dieting doesn't have to be a chore. Actually, you can... Read More
Fat Loss Tip #1) Train With WeightsWorking out with weights... Read More
I do not smoke, never have, and admit to being... Read More
Fat has had a lot of bad press and for... Read More
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity... Read More
Are you overweight? Then you probably want to lose some... Read More
Are you a 'look-and-lose' dieter? Have you studied every diet... Read More
Weight Loss |