A Mom in Need of Workout Help <br>by Liz
Neporent<br><br><br>If losing weight were merely a matter of calories in
vs. calories out, then we'd have figured out the
get-slim-quick formula long ago. You, for instance, may gain
weight more easily and have a harder time dropping
pounds than some of your friends. Why? Because your body
stores calories more efficiently. Blame it on your
ancestors; the very genes that helped them survive long
periods of famine are a liability in today's world of
plentiful, high-fat temptations and labor-saving devices.
<br><br>Still, it is possible to win at the losing game. It
takes a little experimentation and a lot of patience.
Perhaps it will help you to think of losing weight as
taking a long and winding journey just as you're
learning how to read a map: You know your destination but
you might have to go down a few blind alleys before
you find the correct path. <br><br>Here we give you
Fit by Friday's immutable weight-loss laws. They may
not resemble the radical rules of most fad diets, but
if you heed them, you've got a good chance of
cracking the weight-loss code. <br><br><br>Give both
eating habits and exercise top billing. You cannot,
repeat cannot, lose weight without watching what you eat
and getting your butt in gear. Most people who
achieve long-term weight-loss success do so with a
combination of changed eating habits and increased exercise.
The National Weight Control Registry, a database that
tracks thousands of successful losers, reports that 80
percent of those who drop pounds and keep them off
long-term make significant changes in both food intake and
activity levels. <br>Portion control is key. It's not what
you eat but how much. Contrary to what some low-carb
diet gurus will have you believe, it's not pasta that
makes you fat, it's the fact that you eat enough of it
at one sitting to feed a small village. By limiting
portion sizes you can still indulge in the foods you love
because you won't overindulge. <br>Walking works. In
spite of its wimpy reputation, walking is an excellent
weight-loss workout because it's easy to do, requires little
equipment and is kind to your body. You burn roughly 100
calories a mile. To ignite your calorie burn even more,
walk up hills, move faster, or alternate walking with
brief periods of running. <br>Keep a journal. Most
people underestimate how much they eat and overestimate
how much they move. Writing it down in a daily
journal keeps you honest and can be a real eye-opener as
your health patterns emerge. <br>Drink up. We're
referring to water, nature's original diet drink. No
calories, very filling, tastes great. Sipping H2O before
and during meals helps take the edge off of hunger
and fills you up faster. On the flip side, stay away
from high-calorie colas, sugary drinks and alcohol.
Liquid calories can add up faster than you can say,
'Supersize my Slurpee please.' <br>Graze, don't gorge.
Eating smaller, more frequent meals (four to six per
day) keeps hunger under control and your blood sugar
levels from dipping and spiking like a roller coaster
ride. You're also less likely to pig out than when you
eat three larger squares a day with long periods of
time in between. <br>Lose the quick-fix mentality.
Accept the fact that fad diets don't work and that there
are no short cuts to permanent weight loss. Losing
weight, like any other goal that means something, takes
dedication and hard work. Sure you'll have setbacks and
encounter stumbling blocks along the way, but that doesn't
mean you can't do it. The end result is worth it.