For a Good Workout, Try the Medicine Ball

By Ahmed Hajouj.


When most people think of a medicine ball, they usually get a mental picture of the old, tattered and torn brown leather weighted ball sitting in the corner of an old school iron pumping gym. They also see these balls as being a very outdated method of working out. When was the last time you’ve seen anyone use one of those or even heard anyone talk about them? With all the modern exercise machines and other various equipment available today, what possible reason could there be to make anyone want to include the medicine ball as part of their workout? 

First of all, the medicine ball has come a long way from the old leather ones mentioned earlier. They now come in a vast array of colors and are made with rubber surfaces making them easier to grip. They also come in weights ranging from one to fifty pounds so you can vary resistance to suit your needs. Because they bounce and can be tossed around, they are great for working you with random movements instead of the fixed ones that come with barbell, dumbbell and machine workouts. There is virtually no other equipment in the gym or at home that can provide the versatility of the medicine ball. 

Some good reasons to make the medicine ball part of your workout routine are:

You can add variety to your routine because of the limitless kinds of exercises you can do with them. You can toss them, bounce them, roll them, and do many traditional free weight exercises with them. With all the variety they provide, it is hard to get bored with their use and people of all fitness levels from beginner to athlete can use them.

Using the medicine ball is a good tool for meeting people because there are loads of exercises you can do with the ball that work great with two or more people. You can toss the ball to each other, roll it to each other, bounce it back and forth, and hand it off to each other. You can even work in small groups using the ball, making room to be even more creative with it.

A lot of medicine ball exercises are great for working your core or midsection muscles, which are involved when you toss, roll, bounce or catch it. There is also a lot of movement involved when using the ball like side to side movement or front to back movement to catch it. Standing and twisting side to side while holding the ball is great for your midsection as well.

If you are looking to improve your performance in a particular sport or activity, the medicine ball can help there too. Tossing and bouncing it back and forth with a partner helps improve eye-hand coordination. Tossing the ball also improves strength for things like golf and tennis swings, throwing a baseball or football, and swimming strokes. Rolling it will help improve strength for your bowling game or underhand softball pitching.

Using the medicine ball is a great way to add a little something different to your usual exercise routine. You can do things with it that you most likely could not do with the traditional equipment you’ve been using, and at times, using the medicine ball can be downright playful and fun to work with, reminding you of when you were a kid tossing and rolling the ball around in the park with your friends thus making you feel young again.

Exercises For Busy Moms: 4 Quick, But Effective Exercises To Keep Busy Moms Strong

By AHmed Hajouj.


We all know how difficult it is to stay in shape and find time to exercise - but most especially for women with babies or small kids. There’s the sleep-deprivation factor, no time and priority changes. So what are the fitness options for busy Moms? 

The fact is, the more you can take of yourself and the better you feel, the stronger you will be physically and emotionally to take on the day with the “little ones” and all of life’s challenges.

Below are some quick, but effective, exercises - specifically designed for the busy Mom - for the back and shoulders to keep you strong and prevent future injuries that may occur with poor lifting biomechanics and poor posture. The heavy weight of not just the baby, but also all the fun gadgets you’re expected to lug around. It’s no surprise that our bodies need a little help to get through the day. 

Rotator Cuff Strengthener

For this workout you will need a light theraband. The beauty about this piece of equipment is that it’s small enough to carry in your bag or your stroller. Now you have no excuses - you can do these exercises on the go, at the park or when you have a few moments to spare.

You can do this exercise either seated or standing; hold the elbows close to the waist with palms facing the sky holding the theraband. Pulling the hands away from each other externally rotating the shoulders

Reps:
3 sets of 10-15 reps

Muscle focus:

Rotator cuff muscles are the small muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint. If these get weak from over use you could end up with bicep tendonitis or other potential injuries. This is very common with Moms as everything is usually done with one hand while holding the “little one” in the other. 

Tricep push-up extension

This is the one time in your life you are going to need arm strength, the biceps are going to get over worked from the motion of picking up the baby so it’s important to balance these out and keep the triceps strong as not to put unwanted strain on them.

Hands are directly under your shoulders and knees are on the ground in a modified push-up. The pelvis is slightly pressed forward creating work in the abdominals that stabilize the spine. Place the theraband under the right hand on the floor and extend opposite arm in a tricep extension. Whilst extending the working arm be careful to keep the wrist in line with the hand not to create any unwanted tension/strain.

Reps:
3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side

Muscle Focus:
• Drawing your shoulder blades down activating your upper back muscles, engaging abs at all times. Keeping your abs strong and being aware of contracting them is very important as they play an important role in stabilizing and protecting the back. 

• Translating this in to functional activities such as picking the baby up out of the crib will really save your back. 

Spine extension with pulses

Over time in pregnancy our posture completely changes due to the increased weight of the baby bringing our body forward and causing the spine to round forward with the shoulders. This causes the back muscles to become very stretched out and weak. 

Seated up right with legs in front of body shoulder width apart, hands over your head. Hinge forward from the hips leading with the sternum, biceps are by your ears. Hold this position and slightly pulse the arms behind the body mobilizing the shoulders and working the upper back. Return back to an upright position to repeat the movement again.

Reps:
3 sets of 10 Pulses

Muscle Focus:

Upper back and hamstring flexibility. This exercise will strengthen the mid upper back and open up the tight thoracic area of the spine, correcting bad habits that the body formed through pregnancy.


Butterfly ab curls

Keeping you abs strong is essential for keeping your whole body strong and restoring poor posture left over from pregnancy.

Lying on the floor with heals of feet together and knees bent to the side in a frog like position. Arms are straight over you head, circle arms around and lift the head neck shoulders off the floor exhaling pulling in the abs hold for 5 seconds and return back to starting position.

Reps:
3 sets of 10 reps

Muscle Focus:

As you exhale and bring the head neck and shoulders off the floor think of pulling your abdominals in up and back to the spine. Moms, this is a time you can practice doing your kegal on the contraction working the pelvic floor.

Exercising Properly

By Ahmed Hajouj.


There are two main types of exercise that you can do - aerobic and anaerobic.  The first one, aerobic, means with oxygen.  Aerobic type exercise has an important distinction, it burns fat as the main fuel.   

Anaerobic on the other hand, burns sugar as the main source of fuel.  Despite common myths, exercise doesn't have to be drastic in any way to provide massive benefits.  Even if you choose light exercise, you will still burn fat. 

Light exercise will clear out lactic acid, which is a waste of the body, and stimulate your cells to regenerate.  To be sure that you are burning fat  rather than sugar, it's very important to make sure that you are doing several things as you exercise. 

The most important thing you can do as you exercise is breathe deep.  You should always breathe in deep into your stomach through your nose, hold it for a few seconds and then exhale hard through your mouth. 

Second, you should make sure that you exercise at a comfortable level.  You should exercise at a level of 7 out of 10, and still be able to carry on a normal conversation while you exercise.  You should do this for 45 minutes or so each day, then  you'll begin to notice just how much your energy will explode. 

Even if you don't think you have the time to  exercise, rest assured that there is always time. If you have to, use the time that you would  normally spend sleeping.  With exercising, you'll actually need less sleep than before. 

You can also use the time of your lunch break to exercise as well.  The increase in productivity will have you more on the ball, and you can save your time through the dramatic increase in your overall productivity.   

Cellularise, or rebounding, is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise there is.  If you have access to a rebounder, you shouldn't hesitate to use it.  Use any break you have at work to engage in some type of movement and deep breathing. 

Any type of exercise you do will strongly benefit your heart.  It will make it a stronger and larger organ.  Deep breathing will help your lungs  become stronger and larger as well.  There is research now that links exercise to helping benefit and almost prevent each and every type of disease or ailment. 

Movement of the joints will promote proper blood flow and create energy, as sitting down all day will rob your body of much needed energy.  If you  sit down all day, it's very important that you promote blood flow, circulation, energy, brain flow, and the strength of your heart.  With just a little bit of your time devoted to exercise, you'll find yourself healthier than you have ever been in the past.

Following A Sensible Weight Loss Plan

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Overview:

By now, you may been riding the fad weight loss plan merry-go-round for quite some time and are ready to jump off. You have followed one regimented diet after another (the Zone, the Cabbage Soup diet or the Atkins diet), eaten prepackaged or powdered foods or MREs (meals rejected by Ethiopians), counted calories, given up flavor in favor of low fat, gone to the support groups. And you may have even lost some weight – only to see the pounds reappear after you went off the program. Every year, 100 million Americans go on a diet and up to 95% of them gain back any weight they lose within five years.

Such a weight loss plan can be a very temporary way to get started, but recognize it’s not long-term. Remember, anything you can do in a few days, you can undo in less. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adopting healthy eating habits, rather than impatiently pursuing a crash diet or quick weight loss plan in hopes of losing unwanted pounds in a few weeks. Weight loss occurs from expending more calories than you consume. Therefore, the only rational way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories, than you expend in daily activities, and this process takes time.

Change Your Lifestyle:

Losing weight permanently may seem a distant dream, too good to be true. But a combination of a sensible diet and daily moderate exercise can help you fulfill this dream. As a weight loss plan, exercise alone is not as potent, but when combined with proper dieting, it can prove lethal for obesity. Exercise combined with dieting, leads to more weight loss than any other weight loss plan. This does not imply that exercise alone is worthless. Physical fitness is certainly good for you, and is more effective in reshaping your body than it is for shedding flab.

Exercise helps build muscles, and muscles burn more calories for fuel. Exercise helps to burn off excess calories and starting a regular exercise program is critical for any weight loss plan. For that reason, those involved in manual labor are rarely obese. In most cases, obesity is the result of a sedentary lifestyle. Lack of adequate physical activity, primarily contributes to causing obesity. While it is true, that exercise stimulates the digestive system and makes the individual hungrier, one can easily satiate this increased hunger by consuming large quantities of low-calorie foods. However, physical activity does not have to be excessive or overly strenuous to be effective.

Healthy eating is the best way to reach and maintain a healthy body weight. A balanced, whole foods diet – containing a variety of vegetables, fruits and grains, raw seeds and nuts, beans, fermented milk products, fish, and poultry is the best prescribed weight loss plan for reaching your ideal body weight. A good weight loss plan must be based on a well-rounded diet, as a deficiency in one or more nutrients may interfere with your  weight loss goals.

Summary:

If you have tried to lose weight before, consider what you did in the past that did not work for you and start from a different place. Establish a pragmatic, healthy weight loss plan for yourself and be clear about the reasons why you are undertaking this process again and what you are willing to do to achieve success. Instead of a one-size fits all diet, you need to understand that everyone requires a unique weight loss plan to shed weight and regain health. You know yourself well, what does and does not work for you. Give yourself the tools, knowledge, and support to reach your goal. Ultimately, you are the one who must decide if losing weight and making other lifestyle changes will improve your health.

Dieting – Start your diet with your grocery store list

By Ahmed Hajouj.


If you have healthy munchies in the house, it is so much easier to maintain a healthy diet.  When you are very hungry, you will reach for the wrong foods.  I find that if I keep and abundance of fresh green veggies in the refrigerator, it is easier to whip up a fast meal or create healthy food to crunch until I am ready to fix the next meal.

I am looking to lose weight and eat healthier.  Many people can easily lose weight and healthier by eating fruits and vegetables each day.  For most people you can easily lose a few pounds a month by just cutting out processed foods and eating fresh fruits and vegetables instead.

You can lose weight, and enrich your body with plenty of vitamins and nutrients by eating fresh fruits and vegetables.  Fresh fruits are an excellent source of energy.  Although they contain sugar, they are different than processed snack and are perfect when you are experiencing low energy during the middle of the day or during your workout.

If you are looking for great vitamins and minerals that can significantly cut your chances of cancer and other serious ailments, nothing is better than fresh vegetables.  Make sure you consume plenty of leafy greens such as broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts.  Carrots are also a great source of energy and are filled with vitamins for your eyes and skin.  Most people enjoy salad, but make sure you load up on vegetables and not high fat dressing.  A salad is a great way to get your daily fill of vegetables during the day.  Snacks such as apples or carrot sticks are also great and won’t add lots of weight to your figure.  So if you want to lose weight and eat healthier nothing is better than fruits and vegetables.

Before changing your lifestyle habits, contact your physician for medical advice

Discover the Benefits of Green Tea

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Do you know, the people around the world searching the term “Green Tea” in Google for 40,000 times for every month? This clearly implies that the green tea is the most favorable tea out of three types of tea viz., Green, Black and Oolong. Green tea is the mostly preferred tea by the world population due to its numerous beneficial effects.

Green tea can readily be comparable with spinach, broccoli, carrots, or strawberries due to its anti-oxidant property. The main ingredients include theanine, polyphenols, antioxidants, Tannin, catechin, minerals and vitamins.

Green tea provides sweet news for diabetic patient since it reduces the blood sugar, if it has been taken 4-5 cups daily but without sugar. The presence of Fluorine in the green tea is highly used in preventing cavities in the teeth especially in the school going children.

The antiviral property of the green tea is utilized to control AIDS among the human population also (University of Tokyo, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2003). It is also confirmed through a study that flavanoids present in this beverage is having a property of controlling the blood platelets in clotting process and thereby it prevents the occurrence of heart attack among the chronic tea drinkers.

Not only the health benefits but also the green tea can be used in refrigerator to driven out the bad smell noticed in the refrigerator. This can be achieved by placing two or three used tea bags in the refrigerator overnight. The bad smell is no longer noticed in the refrigerator.

Green tea helps a lot for weight loss by increasing the level of fat oxidation and thermogenesis (burning of body fat to create heat).  Catechins in the green tea help to inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells. This prevents high insulin spikes and the subsequent fat storage.

As bottom line, green tea helps you with weight loss by suppressing your appetite, regulating your blood sugar, boosting your metabolic rate and giving you something else besides that high calorie. It’s not magic- Green tea definitely boost your health and reduce your weight!

Wishing you the best of health!!!

Burn Body Fat And Lose Weight 24 Hrs A Day – Lose Fat Even When Sleeping

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Burn body fat 24 hrs a day is simple. Yes, I said simple but I did not say it is easy. That is because you must have a firm commitment and mental discipline to do it. However, it will get easier and easier when you adapt to your new lifestyle and when your lose fat goal is achieved.

So how do you burn fat 24 hrs a day? Here are some simple steps to lose fat 24 hrs a day.

• Build muscles. Muscles are active cells and they are great calorie burners. The more muscles you pack on, the more body fat you will burn because the calories you have eaten will be burned for energy by your muscles.

• Do your cardio exercises in the morning before breakfast. Make sure that your cardio exercises raise your heart rate sufficiently to burn more fat. The exercises must be intensive and will leave you puffing, panting and sweating. This is to make sure that you will continue to burn calories hours after you stopped your cardio exercises. 

Do your cardio exercise 5-6 days a week. On top of that, because your carbohydrate store is low in the morning, your body will burn more body fat to fuel your cardio exercises.

• Eat 5-6 times a day with about 3 hrs intervals. Make the meals small consisting protein and complex carbohydrate. Complex carbs are carbs that are more difficult to digest so that they do not spike insulin quickly to be converted into body fat. So instead of eating white rice, eat brown rice. Instead of having white bread, substitute it with brown bread instead. Have plenty of fresh leafy fibrous vegetables. 

The frequency of meals will tell your body that there is plenty of food and so your body need not store body fat for emergencies. On top of that, your digestive system will be constantly working to digest the food and so that means burning of calories.

• Do weight training 3 times a week with rest days in between. Do your weight workout in the evenings so that you will continue to burn fat. Workout with compound exercises such as bench presses, squats, lunges, dead lifts etc to activate more muscle fibers and so that these large muscles will carry on burning calories for many more hours into the night.

• Take slow release protein supplement before bed such as casein protein. This is to feed your body throughout the night and help your muscles to recover from the day’s activities and at the same because casein protein is slow to digest so will not turn to fat easily and thus your body will continue burning calories even when you are asleep.

So with a combination of all these activities, you will be burning body fat almost 24 hrs a day. Simple? Great. Let’s start to lose weight by burning body fat round the clock now.

Become Healthy And Lose Weight By Walking Your Dog

By Ahmed Hajouj.


This article is about weight loss and how to live a more healthy life, I hope you find it interesting to read and beneficial. I have had a lot of problems with my weight over the years and by the age of twenty-two had had enough of being obese. In the article I write about how I eventually lost my excess pounds.

I have always struggled to keep my weight under control. Being over-weight affected my whole life, I was unable to wear the clothes I wanted to and I often felt guilty after eating certain foods. I was adamant that if only I could lose a couple of stones my confidence would increase and that I would ultimately be a lot happier.

I read many books and attempted to follow a range of diets. For whatever reason this did not seem to help me, mainly because I could not stick to their weight loss programs due to my love of fatty foods.

One day I was talking to a neighbour who was not only very nice but also quite thin. She looked very fit and healthy and I enquired as to how she kept so trim.

This neighbour who is called Gillian seemed quite taken aback and even flattered by my question and went quite coy. She stated that at one point in her life, she had also had a weight problem and had not been happy about it. What she was about to say was quite a shock to me, however would eventually change my life.

She went on to say that wherever she went to at this stage of her life, she would travel to by car. Gillian had realised that in an average week, she did very little exercise and at times did none at all. She then went out and bought a dog and would take this pet for a walk at least twice a day. This was not a choir for Gillian and over the next few years even resulted in her meeting a number of new friends. Previously, Gillian had seen exercise as a hassle and very time consuming but on various days she would take her dog on four walks, she enjoyed it that much.

Gillian quickly noticed that not only was she losing weight but that she also felt a lot healthier. It was not long before she was at a weight she was happy with.

After listening to Gillian's story I decided to follow her weight loss program. Yes I went and bought a dog and am happy to report that it has also worked for me.

Are You Looking For Fast/Quick Weight Loss?

Except the sun and the moon, everybody seems to be in a hurry!

We can predict by mathematical calculations the time of sunset after 1000 years and the time of moonrise on the same day. Through calculations, we can predict it today! The natural forces are not in a hurry! Everything is unfolding as it should! In a set pattern! Nature evolves with a method and it is in not in a hurry to prove and disprove anything!

You don't learn something from nature, though you are a part of the nature! When you disobeyed the laws of nature and went on an eating spree, you never thought of the consequences—that your body will grow and expand like a Bo-tree one day. Now you want a fast/ quick weight loss program!

Better late than never! You have woken up at the right time! Can you ever achieve by weight loss that picture-perfect figure, that was you 20 years ago? fYour goal is achievable, provided you make certain firm decisions!

A morning-walk schedule is best to start with! On the first day, you may feel tired! On the second day, you may feel extremely tired! On the third day, you are bound to have joint pains! On the fourth day, your weak will power, may advise you—okay, please skip today's schedule -sleep for another two hours! And you have ignored this advice and had a pleasant walk- your will power is gaining ground and stabilizing!

When you are walking alone, thus, you know that you are walking. There is another type of walk, one in which you do not know that you are walking, and yet is a double-benefit scheme! Your ever faithful dog! Dog ownership nearly doubles the amount of time you spend in your walks!

By now, you must have shed some grams of your weight, if not some kilograms! Well done! You can think about the realms of higher adventures now! Read and understand the texts like Ashtanga Yoga and Bikram Yoga. The procedure is foolproof ! Ashtanga Yoga was authored by a realized soul and hence, undoubtedly faultless!

Our eating menu need not be that extensive and contain matchless spices! Just go back to your own history—human history! Life at the earlier stages was not all that complicated! How did our ancestors cook before the advent of fire? Look at the animals -they eat raw, that which is available in nature and according to their own nature! Only man has taken to the habit of cooking! Do animals have these many diseases and so many hospitals? Therefore the cases of obesity among birds and animals are rare!

Man, discover yourself! Ponder deeply! Fast and quick weight loss is a possibility within your range!

Aerobic Effort for Good Fitness

By Ahmed Hajouj.


No matter who you are in the world, you have to have aerobic exercise. It is required for a healthy body and a quality way of life. It has many of pros and will make you feel greater in all aspects of your life. Why should you do aerobics?

Muscle groups get more blood and oxygen from the body during an aerobic exercise session. It is not good to halt suddenly from an aerobic activity. Cramping and dizziness can occur from this. After a relatively intense work out, a cooling off session is always a good idea. Running in place for a little while is a good suggestion if anyone gets too tired during a work out session. More efficient use of the lungs by raising the oxygen transported to them as well as the heart using this oxygen more effectively are a few of the pros of aerobic exercise. The definition of aerobic translates to with air, or with oxygen.  It is a work out that is lower in intensity and lengthier in duration. With aerobic work outs, a person uses the same large muscle group in a repetitive movement from between fifteen to thirty. A  heart rate of around 60 to 80% is the objective to maintain. Just a few aerobic activities are: light running, cycling, walking, or treading water. These sessions should be able to be done without someone breathing hard. You are possibly anaerobically exercising if you are unable to carry on a short conversation.

Aerobic exercise has so many benefits that it is wild to picture that we sometimes do not take the time to do it for ourselves. It maintains and reduces body fat, boosts our total stamina, gives us extra energy, assists in our resilience to tiredness, increases our muscles, and increases our lean body mass. It also helps us mentally by improving mood, lowering anxiety, reducing depression, reducing tension, and having us sleep better at night. Who cannot benefit a bit from all that?These are pros that people could all use.

Exercise that is higher in intensity and shorter in time is called anaerobic exercise. The body wears out faster and develops muscle more quickly with anaerobics. Many sports are categorized as anaerobic exercises: soccer, downhill skiing, weight lifting, basketball, and football. Running or sprinting is another one. Anaerobic exercise will boost the chances of the body becoming sore.

An aerobics class may be a good start for people who want to reap the rewards of aerobic exercise and aren't positive how to begin. In an aerobics class, you can do high or low intensity cardiovascular. The instructor will be able to show class members how to perform these moves either way. How high you carry your limbs up during the aerobic session is how the intensity is measured. People must do the level of intensity pertaining to their abilities and the frequency of their aerobic sessions.

The objective while working out aerobically is to achieve your target heart rate and remain at that for the entire period you are working that group of muscles. This works the heart more efficiently and has the body burn a greater amount of calories. The aerobic curve is something some people will reach. This is when you begin exercising and elevate your intensity level to the peak then slow down gradually. It is more efficient to maintain that continuous rate as your heart rate rises. The lungs and heart endure longer and work more effectively when they are trained. People that perform aerobic exercise on a routine interval will have to exercise harder to reach their target heart rate as their endurance increases. People who are just beginning will reach their target heart rate fast until their body becomes adjusted to the exercise.

Aerobic exercise may be somewhat difficult to do at first, but it is absolutely necessary for cardiovascular fitness. A healthy body takes steady aerobic sessions and is a continuous process. People who are in good cardiovascular condition can keep this by exercising a minimum of three times a week. Those who are trying to lose weight and elevate their level of health should exercise four or five intervals a week.

Adopting A Low Carb Diet

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Diets have appeared in many different forms, especially fad diets. Among the problems with these fad diets is that as well as often leaving you feeling very hungry they can also be unhealthy and only work for a short space of time. Research has indicated that the most effective diets are those that can be adhered to over long periods of time. In the case of fad diets, weight tends to be very erratic and while you may lose weight initially it is not unusual to put that weight back on and eventually increase your weight.

One of the huge benefits of a low carb diet is that you do not need to feel hungry. This may seem like it avoids the point of a diet, but it doesn’t. The aim of dieting is not to eat less but to lose weight or eat more healthily. The most famous of all low carb diets is the Atkins diet and this remains popular because it allows you to eat good-sized meals and is proven to help you lose weight.

The basics of a low carb diet are that you can eat as much food as you like until you are full, as long as you only eat the allowed foods. Generally speaking, this includes meat, cheese, fish, eggs and poultry. You are also allowed a certain amount of green vegetables each day. As well as being a healthy way to lose weight, a low carb diet will give you a sustained weight loss meaning you can continue to lose weight even after the initial push and you will keep the weight off once it is gone. 

It will also lower your cholesterol and blood pressure as well as stabilize your blood sugar level. You should supplement a low carb diet with multi vitamins because your body will become partially starved of these essential vitamins.

A Healthy Diet Check Up...From The Neck Up

By Ahmed Hajouj.


If you have tried every so-called healthy diet plan on the planet and every exercise program from the latest fitness guru and repeatedly failed to achieve your weight loss goals, you probably need a “healthy diet check up...from the neck up.”

There's no such thing as a healthy, fast, weight loss diet plan. Successful weight loss doesn’t just happen. It took more than a few days to reach the point where you are at right now. Give yourself a break and expect it to take awhile before you see measurable results. Take a leap of faith and follow some basic principles in your diet plan.

Begin with your “self talk.” This is the conversation that runs through your brain continuously. What kind of conversation do you have with your self talk? What type of negative self talk has kept you from reaching your weight loss goals in the past?

If you had a chance to do it over again, would you change the dialogue? That’s a no-brainer isn’t it? Well, the good news is that you can turn the tide of negative self talk beginning right now. It’s never too late to begin and you start by reprogramming your self talk and beginning a whole new weight loss diet plan.

A good starting point is to begin with positive affirmations. Positive affirmations, spoken aloud with authority and belief, positively affect your attitude, focuses your thinking and lead to a course of action that will help you become the person you want to be and have the things that you want to have.

Begin by writing your weight loss affirmations on paper. You can begin with something like, “I want to lose 25 pounds before Christmas.” That’s a worthy goal and attainable, but we need to put some work into structuring the affirmation.

First of all, “I want” gives the impression that what you desire is always in the future. In order to re-program your self talk, you need to trick your mind into believing that you have already achieved weight loss success. This is how your subconscious mind functions.

Your subconscious mind has no capacity for understanding the concept of time. Everything is in the moment. . .here and now. When you tell your subconscious mind that you “want”, that is exactly what you will get. . .want. . .without ever achieving fulfillment. Unless you change your mental tape recorder, you will achieve exactly what you are telling your subconscious, that you “want to lose 25 pounds.” You will “want to lose 25 pounds” for the rest of your days unless you change your self talk.

If your weight is 150 pounds and you desire is to weight 125 pounds, then you need to “be” 125 pounds from the moment you make the decision to change your self talk. What if you write your affirmation to read something like this: “I am healthy and fit, weighing 125 pounds.”

It is extremely important that your affirmation is crystal clear because what you affirm is exactly what your subconscious mind will bring you.

You needn’t limit yourself to one affirmation either. Write another one that reflects your new exercise program. “I enjoy my healthy new diet plan,” or, “I love the healthy foods I eat.”

Write and rewrite until you are absolutely certain that you have written your weight loss goals “in the here and now” AND represent precisely what you desire. Only then do you begin to speak it aloud and do so several times a day.

Remember to use the present tense. “I acknowledge achievement in all my weight loss goals.” “I have the skill and talent to exercise every day.” “I am a winner.” “I am grateful for all of my accomplishments no matter how small.”

At first you will feel awkward and uncomfortable and you may not feel or believe what you are saying. It doesn’t matter, continue to speak them aloud with as much conviction as you can muster. It’s taken a long time to train your subconscious to use negative self talk. If you will persevere with speaking your affirmations aloud, firmly and confidently, you will be amazed at how quickly you can turn your thoughts around.

You didn’t hop on a bicycle the first time and just take off down the street. It took practice to train your body to balance on those two wheels. This will take some practice as well. Continue to repeat your affirmations aloud, several times a day for the next 30 days and you will be amazed at how much you change your thinking and attitude.

Above all, take action. Do nothing and nothing gets done. Do something and many things are placed in motion.

Regardless of what you are doing in life, you need to take action. Do something every day to put your plan into motion.

A Few Simple Tips To Lose Weight

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Weight loss is a tough result to obtain regardless of weight or level of physical fitness. There are many different ways to lose weight, some more unhealthy than others, but the ones that work are most times the most complicated to pull off.

Some people may recommend eating less to lose weight, and in some cases eating less is a key component of losing weight, but in most cases, eating is a necessity if one wishes to lower their own weight. Without food and the calories they supply, your body has no energy to burn and in turn will turn your existing muscle into fat. In order to lose weight you must make a commitment, a commitment that must not be broken if you desire results.

Do not misconstrue this for the idea that you can never indulge during your diet, but just be sure that you have set reasonable limits for yourself that you are ready to commit to. If you are on a strict diet, a "cheat" meal here and there will go a long way to keeping you happy.

To be successful in achieving your goal of weight loss: set multiple, smaller, more easily attainable goals for yourself. These will keep you self motivated and more likely to obtaining your overall goal of a happier and healthier life.

Planning Meals For Your Slimming Programme

By Ahmed Hajouj.


One of the most daunting things about starting a slimming programme is planning what you're going to eat. 

It doesn't have to be as hard as it seems though. Most meals are simple to make, especially if they are using healthy, fresh ingredients. Forget boiling your vegetables to death and eat them raw, or lightly steam them if you want them to be hot. Don't peel fruit that doesn't need peeling, it saves time, and allows you to get the full benefit of the fibre content. There are lots of ways to plan your meals that will help you to achieve your slimming goals. 

1) Eat fish 

Fish is good for you, particularly oily fish like salmon and mackerel. The other bonus is that fish is quick to cook. You can buy it ready-prepared from the supermarket or the fishmongers and most fish will grill in just a few minutes. It's also easy to bake in foil, and you can even add some vegetables such as leeks, peppers or tomatoes into the foil so that it all cooks at the same time. Even poaching fish in a little seasoned water doesn't take long. Plan to eat fish at least twice a week and you have an easy, healthy meal that requires little preparation and little cooking time. 

2) Get used to salads 

Provided you have the ingredients, you can make a wide range of salads in a short amount of time. Green salads made with romaine lettuce, cucumber, celery and avocado are healthy and can be prepared in 10 minutes. Carrots, dried fruit and lemon juice with sesame or sunflower seeds makes a quick and easy salad to serve with chicken or fish. 

3) Steam, don't boil 

Boiling vegetables like broccoli and cabbage reduces the effectiveness of their nutrients and makes them less appetising. Steam broccoli and other vegetables for just a couple of minutes for vibrant, crunchy vegetables and sauté cabbage in some lemon juice. 

Although you have to change your eating habits when you are slimming, you don't have to plan your meals a week in advance to make sure you're eating properly. As long as you're buying the right foods, cooking them well and not over-eating, you should find your weight loss plan is easy and fun.

Only 10,000 Steps A Day Will Help You Lose Weight

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Experts have discovered that walking 10,000 steps a day can help you drop those unwanted pounds faster than just about any other method of weight loss. Walking will also help you keep the weight off for a longer period of time because it builds your muscles while keeping your heart at a fat-burning rate.

Because it can seem to be a daunting task to walk 10,000 steps, it is important that you develop a strategy for meeting your daily quota. Here are three simple methods to help you reach your goals without losing focus:

Use a Pedometer
Using a pedometer can help you easily keep track of the distance you have covered throughout your day as well as the number of steps that you have taken. A pedometer is a small box-shaped calculator that you can clip to your belt or pants pocket in the same way you would wear a beeper.

When placed firmly near the hip, the pedometer accurately registers each step that you take. For individuals wishing to meet their new daily quota of 10,000 steps, the pedometer is the easiest, more carefree method to reach the goal.

When shopping for a pedometer, make sure that you select a model that has both distance and well as individual step readings. You will begin to learn how many steps go into one mile. You will also be surprised by how many steps you can add to your daily count by changing small habits, such as choosing the stairs over the elevator or walking to your colleague’s desk rather than sending an email.

Calculate the Time it Takes
Using either you pedometer or a counting method, calculate the approximate time it takes for you to traverse a specific distance, such as a mile. Calculate this number several times on several different days and average the figures together. You will then be able to determine approximately how long it will take you to walk a portion of your steps if you choose to spend a set amount of time walking them off.

For example, if you know that you can walk all 10,000 steps in an hour, then you can elect to dedicate an hour everyday to walking your steps. However, if you cannot dedicate a full hour, then you can add up increments of ten minutes at a time until you reach your goal. Having a clear understanding of just what it takes to reach your goal will help you to approach the task much more strategically than if you did not have a plan. Do the calculations to save time and assure that you reach your 10,000 steps.

Measure a Route
Measure a route based on the time and distance it takes you to walk your 10,000 steps. Having a pre-planned route will help you to view the task of walking 10,000 in a more manageable light. You will be able to measure your progress along your day and have a system for achieving your goals.

Because taking the same path everyday may become tedious, plan two or three routes. Plan a long route for days when you have a plethora of energy, a short route for days when you are tired, and a mid-length route for days when you are energized but busy. Giving yourself plenty of options is important to helping you stay positive so that you can achieve your goal.

Low Fat Diets - How Effective Is The Low Fat Diet Plan?

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Are low-fat diets effective? Personally, I would say no. While this still doesn’t give license for everyone to dust off the deep fryer, it simply means that fat doesn’t play quite so large of a role in harboring diseases as previously thought by researchers.

According to a 10 year long study of 49,000 postmenopausal women nationwide, low-fat diets had virtually no effect on the incidence of heart disease, colorectal cancer, stroke, or breast cancer as opposed to the higher fat content of a “more standard” American diet. This news has certainly come as a shock for many since the exact opposite was touted. If we, as a society, were to eat less fats then the occurrence of heart disease and various cancers would surely plummet.

What has also shocked many is that eating a high-carb, low-fat diet will not raise triglycerides, or elevate chances of developing diabetes. And even though fat has over double the calories per gram as protein or carbohydrates, eating a low-fat diet will not help those needing to lose weight.

One piece of evidence that does happen to coincide with past assertions is that this same study also illustrated the fact that diets high in saturated fat and trans-fat do greatly elevate cholesterol levels and raise one’s chances of getting heart disease. Thus, it is still my opinion that the healthiest way to eat is to find balance in your diet.

Next, it would be well advised not to eat more fats than are generally recommended by doctors and don’t eat less fats than is recommended. For active folks, a common estimate for one’s daily fat requirements should equal roughly 20% of one’s total calories.

For the heavier set, I wouldn’t cut any lower than 15%. So, if you were to eat a diet high in saturated fat, then you could potentially develop heart disease due to the elevated cholesterol levels. This is a fairly common occurrence for the strict adherents of the Atkins diet model. While they may lose some weight, they are often left with soaring blood cholesterol levels.

On the other hand, if one were to eat a strict low-fat diet then they could also be increasing their chances for heart disease due to their diet’s lack of essential fatty acids. So, it is indeed important that balance is achieved when nutrition and your health is at stake. If one becomes too lax or too restrictive, then you will be unintentionally sabotaging your heart amongst other things and that could eventually cost you your life.

Lose Weight by Eating Breakfast and Drinking Milk

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Did you know that dieting and weight loss are two of the most common resolutions or goals by many people but usually results to failure? Don’t give up yet. Stay committed and read through.

If you really want to lose weight, forget the fad diets and eat breakfast and drink milk. Starting each day with milk and cereal may be the success for achieving a healthy weight.

Many people don't realize to eat breakfast but to skip entire morning tastes, either because you’re in rush or lazy, or just want to reduce weight. Considerable number of people finish with a soft drink or a cup of coffee as their morning meal. Chances are this is going to have an opposite effect on you because skipping meals almost always leads to overeating at lunchtime. This is especially true with breakfast, because you've just been asleep for 7 or 8 hours and your body needs to recover from this brief period of starvation.

Studies show that people who regularly eat breakfast, particularly cereal with low fat or fat-free milk, tend to be leaner compared to those who skip the morning meal or eat other options. Also, breakfast eaters are more likely to have long-term success in maintaining a reasonable weight. There is a finding that a cereal and milk breakfast is a habit common to successful weight loss maintainers.

Combine that with studies drinking 24 ounces of milk a day with healthy weight loss, and you've got a strategy that may lead to lost pounds. Multiple studies have shown that people who drink milk and get adequate amounts of calcium in their diets tend to weigh less than their peers who don't drink milk. A diet deficient in calcium has a higher risk for being overweight.

<b>Weight Control by Eating Eggs</b>

Eating eggs for breakfast can reduce hunger and caloric intake by more than 400 calories, both at lunchtime and over the next 24 hours. As a result, eggs are useful in helping overweight people reduce their energy intakes, a prerequisite of losing weight. This is great news if you’re trying to lose weight as it means you may find it easier to cut calories without feeling hungry. In fact, you could expect to lose up to 2lb. a month, simply by eating eggs for breakfast!

Eggs are packed with various nutrients but contain just 85 calories each. There’s also no limit to the number of eggs you can eat in a week contrary to popular belief.

Other studies found that protein-based breakfasts improved weight loss better than carbohydrate-focused breakfasts. The better effects are increased when it’s combined with exercise.

<b>Should I avoid eating certain foods for the sake of weight loss?</b>

Forget about avoiding eating a certain food that you like to eat - that's a dieter’s mentality and it doesn't help you lose weight. It just makes you obsessed about food and eating. Instead, if you are really hungry, then eat, and stop as soon as you’re satisfied. Just don’t eat until you’re totally full! So, if you're hungry during breakfast, then eat. If you're not hungry during lunch or dinner, then have a smaller meal. 

Keep in mind that you should not eat too many sweet foods. No matter what time you eat sweets, if it's more energy than your body can use, it will be stored, meaning excess kilos.

Fad diets won’t work and only provide short-term results. Instead, always enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods and be physically active. Fad dieting is a hindrance that you don't need in your life.

<b>Things to Remember:</b>

* Eating breakfast increases your metabolism and burns more kilojoules during the day, which can help you lose weight.
* Protein-based breakfasts improved weight loss better than carbohydrate-focused breakfasts.
* Eggs are great protein-rich breakfast, complete with zinc, iron and vitamins like A, B, D, E and B12. Long ago, people thought that eating many eggs contributed to health risks. This is not true and it’s already proven that they don’t contribute to high cholesterol or heart disease.
* Don’t be afraid to eat a reasonable portion of your favorite dessert or snack food every now and then.
* Try to eat steamed vegetables and drink soup in the morning. Did you know that this is common in Japan? It may take some time getting used to, but the benefits are: reduced fat and added nutrients from the vegetables.

Healthy Way of Losing Weight

By Ahmed Hajouj.



The success of weight loss programs relies on healthy diet and physical exercises done regularly. Eating healthy diet and regular workouts enable to lose weight on a long term basis. Losing weight should be done on a slow and steady pace rather than relying on the diet pills and fad diets, which actually are good only for a shorter period of time and bounce with weight gain after a certain period with lot of side effects. Eating healthy foods is the ideal way to loose weight.

<b>Positive steps towards eating healthy foods and reducing weight at the same time:</b>

Having a breakfast is a very important meal of the day, as it starts the day with some nutritious meal. Breakfast provides the necessary energy for the whole day and keeps the metabolism moving. Having a healthy breakfast will keep you away from unhealthy snacking or binging during lunch time. It is good to have a breakfast which is of a small portion with good amounts of protein and fiber, so that it keeps you filled until lunch time. High fiber foods are very good for the reason that they are not rich in calories and they pass through without being absorbed by the body.

While taking foods, it is good to check the calorie value and fat content of the food. Also, one needs to eat meals regularly, otherwise it might lead to binge eating. Small and frequent meals consumed daily keep people to have control over their diet and to be sure of what they eat. The meal pattern chosen should be ideal for the lifestyle of the person. However, meals have to be eaten at least three times a day without fail.

Fiber intake is the best way to loss weight and they are available in two forms, one is the soluble form found in the beans and oatmeal, the other is the insoluble form found in the vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Both the forms are good, as the soluble form lowers the cholesterol in the body while the insoluble form adds bulk to the diet. Fibers swell in the stomach, giving a feeling of fullness to the person. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide the necessary vitamins and minerals to the body and curb the urge to eat more.

Drinking enough amounts of water is very good to the body. It is very much needed to regulate temperature regulation of the body and to add viscosity to the blood. It is also a natural hunger suppressant. Drinking ice cold water helps to heat up the body and aids in burning up to 400 calories a week. Amazing isn’t it?

High Fiber Food Chart - Top Foods High In Dietary Fiber

By Ahmed Hajouj.


A high fiber food chart helps you know the foods high in dietary fiber. Adding more foods high in dietary fiber from the high fiber food chart can help you obtain the recommended 25-30 grams of fiber each day. Sufficient daily fiber intake is important, not just because of helping the bowels function, but to provide nutrients to friendly bacteria in the digestive tracts. 

Low-fiber diets have been connected to numerous diseases and conditions such as colon cancer, constipation, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, heart disease, high blood pressure, hemorrhoids and varicose veins are examples. Correcting low fiber intake for your diet can help you achieve regular bowel movements necessary for optimum health. 

Here are top foods high in dietary fiber along with the approximate number of grams of fiber they contain. Fiber contents shown below on the high fiber food chart are for a food quantity of 1/2 cup unless otherwise noted: 

• Bananas, 3 grams - medium 8" long 

• Beans, 6-10 grams - baked beans, black beans, great northern beans, kidney beans, garbanzos, pinto beans, white beans 

• Berries, 4-5 grams - blackberries, raspberries 

• Bran Cereals, 5-10 grams - All-Bran, Bran Buds, 100% Bran, Raisin Bran 

• Bread, 4-7 grams - 2 slices whole wheat, pumpernickel, seven-grain 

• Broccoli, 4-5 grams 

• Brussels Sprouts, 2 grams 

• Carrots, 3-4 grams 

• Dried Figs, 10 grams - 3 figs 

• Fruit, 4 grams - medium apple, medium pear 

• Green Beans, 2 grams - broad beans, pole beans, snap beans 

• Greens, 4-6 grams - beet greens, collards, kale, spinach, turnip greens 

• Lentils, 6 grams 

• Lima Beans - 4-6 grams 

• Peas, 7-9 grams - black-eyed peas, green peas 

• Potatoes, 4-5 grams - medium baked Idaho or sweet potato 

• Sweet Corn, 5 grams 

When making changes to your diet to include more foods from the high fiber food chart, just add a few grams at a time so your intestinal tract can adjust. And important for bowel health is that adequate liquid be present for good bowel function. Each fiber particle absorbs liquid in the colon which helps facilitate regular movement along in the bowels, so make sure that you are consuming adequate liquids daily. 

If you find that after a few weeks of consuming more foods from the high fiber food chart you are still not having a daily bowel movement, consider adding a fiber supplement. One of the best natural foods high in dietary fiber is psyllium made from ground-up psyllium seeds. It may take several weeks to achieve daily bowel movements, but the reward will be that wastes and toxins will be eliminated from your system instead of your body reabsorbing them. 

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

Six Steps to a Positive Body Image

By Ahmed Hajouj.


A positive body image is one that we should all strive for.  This is when you know yourself and who you are.  You have a very true perception of your size, shape, and weight.  You see yourself as you are in the present.  You accept yourself, even though you may be overweight.  You believe in yourself and love yourself while still striving for something better.  When you have a positive body image, no time is spent obsessing about food, weight, calories, exercise, etc.  You are proud of who you are and feel comfortable in your own body.

Many people that suffer from binge eating disorder do not have positive body images.  Instead, they have very distorted images of how they see themselves.  Here are six ways to create a positive body image for yourself.

1.  Create a list of people that you admire.  Write down why you admire each person.  As you are writing the characteristics you like, take notice of what you are writing down.  

For example, let’s say that you have a high regard for Oprah.  Your list might include her generosity towards people, her willingness to support what she believes in, and her strong character that went for success no matter what background she came from.  You do not admire Oprah because of her looks; you admire her for the difference that she has made in the world.    For her contribution to society.  How she has touched and changed so many lives.

2.  Remember a time in your life when you felt great about yourself.

Travel back in your life to a time when you were happy with your body.  Maybe this was high school or college.  Whatever the time, just close your eyes and remember how you felt.  Let these good feelings radiate within you.

3.  Write down what you like about yourself now.

Take out a piece of paper and write down everything that you like about yourself: your legs, your eyebrows, your smile, your hair, etc.  The key here is to focus on the likes of yourself instead of the many dislikes.  Start appreciating what you do like about yourself.  This will make you feel better overall.

4.  Notice how you carry yourself when you walk.

Do you walk with your head down looking at the ground?  Do you slump your shoulders?  Perk up!  Start walking and making eye contact with people.  Hold your head up high.  Walk with your shoulders held back.  

5.  Start exercising.

If you haven’t exercised in a while, start off slow.  Go for a walk outside on a nice day.  If you are used to exercising, keep it up and change up your routine so that you don’t get bored.  When you exercise you begin to feel good about yourself, even if it is for 15 minutes.  Start off slow and work your way up.  

6.  Hang out with positive people.

Take a look at the people closest to you.  Are they positive or negative people?  Chances are if they are negative this attitude will reflect on you and your attitude.  Try to limit your time with any negativity as this will only make you feel bad about yourself.  You will focus on the things that you do not like about yourself.  

Start feeling good about yourself and learn to accept yourself.  Little by little you will notice changes that have occurred.  Learn to be on your side instead of always being against yourself.  Put your shoulders back and quit thinking about what you’re not.  Love the person you are and the person that you are becoming.

Lose Weight Permanently Without Dieting

By Ahmed Hajouj.


How To Lose Weight And Keep Fat Off Forever Without Strict Diet

How many times have you heard a friend say, "I am on a diet"? Then what happens is your friend would lose some weight for a while before putting them all back on again.
I'll bet you have also seen someone say that "Cardio is the best for losing weight". This person would then religiously pound the treadmill but results are agonizingly slow. Soon, he gives up and gains back all the weight he had lost, and sometimes even gaining some extra kilos!

Ah, so you thought you've finally found the answer to permanent weight loss. You went on a strict diet and ran your heart out. You dropped kilos real quickly. But somehow, something is wrong when you look into the mirror in your birthday suit. Yes you have lost some weight, but somehow your body shape isn't as flattering as you would like it to be. And then suddenly, you hit a plateau.

No matter how strict your diet and cardio workouts are, your weight just simply refuses to drop any further. Then horrors of horrors, you actually start to gain some weight! You get disillusioned because with the unrewarding program and soon you succumb to 'guilt food' more often, and the weight comes right back up once again. The program fails and you blame it on your bad genes. Why???

Here's why. Firstly, take a good look at the title of this article. It's to "Fend Off Fats" and not "lose weight". My point is, by merely losing weight, you will also lose some muscle mass in the process. By losing muscles, you will lose body tone and thus your metabolism rate for burning calories will slow down. Therefore, you have got to build muscles while losing fats. You may even gain some weight because muscles are heavier than fats.

To lose fats and keep them off permanently, you have to combine healthy eating habits, incorporate cardio exercises and lift weights to build muscles. For every kg of muscles you pack, you will burn an extra 70-100 calories per day even without doing anything. Can you imagine the benefits of building up 5kg of extra muscles? You will be burning 350 to 500 extra calories a day even if you just laze around. You'll be burning a Big Mac everyday! To further illustrate my point, 1 kg = about 7,700 calories, thus if you burn 500 calories a day because of the extra muscles you have, you will be burning off about 1 kg every 2 weeks simply because of your higher metabolism rate!

You'll also look good, healthy and well-toned too! Is it any wonder why body builders eat so much but do not put on fat as easily?

Everyone knows that intensive cardio and strict diets cause you to lose muscle mass along with fats. So while you will lose some weight at the beginning, you will look like, well, just a smaller version of you without any muscle tone. That's not what we want is it?

So, as you lose more and more muscles, your metabolism begins to slow down. On top of that, your body will start conserving fats and 'eat' your muscles for energy because it is reacting to your strict diet. What happens then is that you will hit a plateau and no matter what you do, you will not reduce anymore weight and your fats will start creeping up again. This, in a nutshell, is the 'yo-yo' dieting effect that we hear so much about.

Losing fats is simple. And notice that I said 'simple' but did not say that it is 'easy'. My pointers will be simple to understand, but the execution will take determination and discipline on your part. It is a lifestyle change to keep the fats off permanently and you will be glad you did because you will get used to the changes in only a few weeks. By then, it will become a cultivated habit for you, especially when you are rewarded with a fitter, healthier, hunkier you, together with a glowing complexion to boot!

Here is how you do it. Simply, losing fats just means you must burn more calories than you consume. Period.

Lift weights with compound exercises - Forget those puny biceps curls and tricep push downs. Go for big muscle groups like legs, back and chest routines. Why? Because you are working with bigger parts with more mass, and that means more body parts are working, translating into more calories being expended. If you are fit, do giant sets (4 or more exercises or sets with no rest in between sets or exercises).

Here's an example. Do only one set of each exercise with no rest in between the exercises. Choose a weight of about 60%-70% of what you normally lift and go for at least 25 reps. Do more if you can or until your muscles are fatigued, then stop. Leave the gym. The whole routine should not take you more than 40 minutes.

After thoroughly warming up, start with squats, then dip, bench press, barbell row and military press. Sounds simple? Not so. You will be huffing, puffing and sweating profusely. What is achieved? You will have combined a cardio workout with a lifting workout and your metabolism will burn for the next several hours. Do this 3 times a week with at least a day's rest in between lifting days.

After 4-8 weeks, change the sequence of the exercises. So if you usually squat first, then squat last. Then after another 4-8 weeks, change some of the exercises, like substituting squats with dead lift, or bar bell rows with lat pull down. This is to shock your muscles so that they continue to adapt and grow.

For cardio, go for a run first thing in the morning before breakfast. If you are jogging at normal speed, sustain the jog for at least 45 minutes. If you are running at 65% to 80% of your maximum heart rate (you will be panting and unable to sing or complete a sentence while running), then 20-30 minutes will be enough. Anything more than that may cause muscle break down. You may intersperse the speed with slower jogs in between to catch your breath. Do these 5-6 times a week.

Eating habits? Just eat less of what you normally eat. For example if you have 2 slices of bread with 2 eggs in the morning, now take just one slice and an egg. Just eat half of what you eat but eat more regularly. Have 5 to 6 meals a day if you can. This is to feed your body frequently so that it will not go into starvation mode and start to conserve fats. At the same time, it will boost metabolism because your body burns calories while digesting the food. Chuck away all soft drinks, sugared drinks and stop adding sugar into your coffee and tea. Just by abstaining from sugary drinks, you may already have gotten rid yourself of 200 calories per day. Drink plenty of water instead and double the amount if you can.

Oh, by the way, all work and no play makes Jack a dull (and very tired) boy. Do choose a day to relax a week. No exercise on that day. Indulge in your favorite food if you must. Hey, pat yourself on the back and reward yourself for passing another grueling week. After all, your body needs to recover too.

As you reach your fat loss goals and you are happy with your muscular development, you can then take things a little easier. Hit the gym less frequently, have shorter runs and even relax a little in your diet. Because of your greater musculature, your body is now a fat-burning machine. You have earned that luxury.

Simple? Sure. But do you have the determination enough to lose those fats and keep them off permanently? Who said you must go on a strict diet to lose weight and keep the fat off forever? It's your call folks!