5 Tips for Long Term Weight Loss Success

So you took off some pounds and you think they’ll never return. But the sad truth is that we often pack on the pounds soon after.

That’s because we fall back into the same negative habits as before.

If you’ve lost some weight, follow these 5 GenuLines smart tips to guarantee that you keep it off for good.

1. Don’t diet

Dieters regain their weight within 6 months to a year. Some even gain more than they lost after they stopped dieting.

Instead of trying a calendar-based eating plan, why not change your entire outlook on food?

We eat for nourishment and sustainability. Food should taste good and look good . It should appeal to all your senses without containing processed sugars and oils.

Make it a habit to eat foods rich in fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meat, and fish.

They give you a longer sense of feeling full. And they’re low in calories.

Use aromatic vegetables like onions and garlic. Add to those spices and herbs to make your food look, smell and taste delicious.

You can also use condiments to add flavor to your dishes.

Another great way to boost your metabolism and burn calories to eat small portions. Do this several times throughout the day.

Use small plates and enjoy a nourishing dish every 3 – 4 hours.

This helps maintain blood sugar levels. You won’t feel that slump in the afternoon while keeping your energy up and calories down.

Also try to focus on what you’re eating. Most of the time, we’re too busy or tired to notice how our food even tastes.

This forces you to eat more than you should and leaves you feeling bloated and heavy.

Instead, take a few seconds to appreciate your food; its texture and smell. You’ll enjoy your food more without having the need to overindulge and eat more than you should.

Also, never underestimate the power of water.

Drink lots of water daily, especially before meals. You’ll keep your body hydrated, increase metabolism and burn more calories.

You can add vegetable or fruit slices for a healthy kick.

2. Strengthen your muscles

As you age you lose muscle mass. So it’s crucial to strengthen your muscles to prevent fatigue, loss of balance and weak bones.

Also, muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, ,even when you’re not working out. Yet another reason to stretch and work those muscles.

3. Accept the setbacks

There will be days when you’re faced with difficult decisions, like going to a party at work or going out with friends. If you can plan ahead, then you’re one step ahead of the game.

You can fill up on healthy snacks before the event. Or you can have something with you that you can munch on like carrot sticks or a granola bar.

There will also be cravings that gnaw at you until you can’t take it anymore. More often than not, cravings are never about the food.

They can be a signal that your body lacks a certain mineral.

For example, when you crave chocolate, what your body is saying is that it’s lacking in magnesium. Cravings could also be a reaction to a stressful day at work, or an emotional problem you’re going through.

All cravings last about 20 minutes so find something to distract yourself. Watching TV, reading a book, even brushing your teeth will kill off your craving.

4. Surround yourself with supportive friends and family

People who believe in the same things as you help you enjoy a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. They support you and believe in what you’re doing.

What’s more, they become your accountability partner. So if, and when, you slip up, you have someone who provides understanding and support.

5. Exercise

The suggested time frame for maintaining weight loss is at least 250 minutes per week. This comes down to about 45-50 minutes of moderate activity for 5 days.

While these numbers may seem disheartening, it’s actually simpler than you may think. Pick an activity you enjoy, such as walking, swimming, gardening, and start at your own pace.

You can also mix and match, so you don’t get bored. To make things more enjoyable, get a workout buddy, or join a gym and start meeting new people.

After a while, exercising will become a natural part of your daily routine. And you’ll even start to look forward to it.

JohnK 7-1-2024
chiforyourself.com

Overheard:  “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”

                                                          ~ Hippocrates

3 Benefits Of Working Out At Home

You know that exercise should be a regular part of your life. The benefits are many.

But first of all you’re busy. And second, the idea of cramming anything else into your schedule seems out of the question.

Today GenuLines proposes a solution. We look at a middle ground between these two facts: working out in your own home.

Fitting in an exercise routine in the comfort of your home comes with a lot of benefits. Here we highlight three of them.

Time Efficiency

When it comes to going to the gym, there can be a lot of time required in the process besides the actual workout. For many people, the commute to and from the local gym can often take longer than the actual workout!

This is especially true if you’re in the habit of working out right after work. 5 o’clock traffic is a killer.

This fact alone scuttles many a planned fitness routine. Time is a very precious commodity.

The last thing most of us can afford is to dedicate several hours of our day to workout for, at most, an hour. So consider working out at home.

There’s no extra time involved if you’re headed home anyway,. And you spend no time waiting for a piece of equipment or rushing to make it to a group exercise class on time.

When your home is your gym, everything you need is already right there waiting for you any time you’re ready!

Cost Efficiency

Access to the large array of equipment at most commercial gyms is great. But it’s not required.

Even without buying a single piece of equipment, you can get the job done. Your body alone is capable of serving as your own personal set of weights.

There are bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, squats and burpees. These fundamental movements alone can whip you into shape.

And there are many more creative exercises you can do in your living room using only your body.

Now you may think that you need some equipment. The price for a few items such as resistance bands, a jump rope or even a couple of kettle bells isn’t much.

It’s less than a single month’s membership at many gyms. Are you starting to see that working out at home saves money in the long run?

Free Of Distractions

Other things that might keep you out of the gym are the annoying patrons who hog the equipment. Add to that the equipment hogs who are checking their social media

Making your home your gym solves both of these problems. In the home environment you’re able to enjoy a focused workout.

You challenge your body and improve your physical fitness uninhibited by other people.

JohnK 6-17-2024
chiforyourself.com

Overheard: “Exercise should be regarded as tribute to the heart”

What Both Sugar and Cocaine Do To Your Health

Here’s a scary thought. Scientists examined MRI images of the brains of sugar consumers.

They did the same with brains of users of very addictive drugs. And they found that the same pleasure centers in the brain started lighting up in each.

What does it actually mean to your brain and your health in general?

Sugar is very addictive.

That means that it can alter your brain chemistry and over time have you craving more and more sugar. You feel bigger urges for the next sweet fix.

And those urges come more often. Plus, you’ll need to consume it in larger quantities.

And like any other drug, it comes with some pretty scary side effects.

Not fitting into your clothes is going to be the least of your problems. Yes, there will be weight gain.

But more important is your risk of developing Type II Diabetes. Or heart disease and high blood pressure.

These add up to an increased risk of stroke.

And there’s more

There’s extra stress that the added weight puts on your joints and tendons.

It’s much harder to get enough oxygen pumping through your body. No wonder you feel crappy as you put on weight.

These different health conditions add up to something called metabolic syndrome. And it’s only one of the things you can look forward to as you continue to feed your sugar addiction.

There are unpleasant withdrawal symptoms as you start to wean your body off of sugar. Don’t believe it?

Give it a try.

Cut out all added sugar for a couple of days. No more soda, no more sugar in your coffee, no candy, no cookies, no donuts.

But wait!

You’ll also want to avoid foods with added sugars. Things like bread, most salad dressings, and ketchup.

Cut all those foods out and don’t eat anything without checking the label for added sugars. See how you feel after a few hours.

It will start with a little headache.  You’ll start craving something sweet.

We’re talking serious cravings.

Next, that little headache will start to grow into a full blown pounding head along with joint aches. You may also experience some nausea and don’t be surprised to experience mood swings, too.

Some people will even have flu-like symptoms and start to shake a day into their sugar detox. Doesn’t that sound a lot like the withdrawal symptoms of a “serious” drug addiction?

That’s because sugar addiction is just that. A serious addiction.

JohnK 3-25-2024
www.chiforyourself.com

Overheard:::”Good health and good sense are two of life’s greatest blessings”