End The Battle With Your Body

By Ahmed Hajouj.


We're no longer shocked by the celebrity photos that show protruding hipbones, bony breastplates, countable ribs, and collarbones practically piercing through the flesh of their shoulders. It looks normal to us now. It's the look we're supposed to achieve.

The media sounds a loud alarm over the celebrities who get too thin. And then they go right on showing us image after image of the very same women as beauty icons. It's insane.
*The hottest boutique in Los Angeles, catering to the stars, carries only sizes 0-8. 
*The average American women wears a size 12 or 14. 
*The usual waist size for a celebrity's pair of jeans is 28. 
*The average woman wears a size 34 jean.

In a recent celebrity magazine, the following heights and weights were listed for five well-known performers:

*Terri Hatcher 5-6, 109 pounds
*Kate Bosworth 5-7, 107 pounds
*Lindsey Lohan 5-5, 102 pounds
*Victoria Beckham 5-6, 105 pounds
*Joan Allen 5-10, 110 pounds

All are severely underweight. This is starvation imagery. Anorexic-type bodies regularly presented as the beauty ideal. 

Today's female body is expected to be slim, trim, lean. Tight, toned muscles. Six-pack abs. Hard bodies. Sounds like a description of a man's body doesn't it? The only feminine characteristic remaining on today's "perfect woman": fake, plastic breasts. The real ones disappear when a woman is underweight. 

The ideal female body looks like a young, very thin, muscular prepubescent boy with large breasts. This is where 100 years of media brainwashing has left us. "Brainwashing" seems like too strong a term until you consider that most females see 400 to 700 media-generated images of thin women every single day.

Rounded bellies, padded hips, curvy thighs. These are "problem areas" to be worked on. In reality, they are beautiful, natural qualities of a healthy female body.

It's time we define our own style. Make our own rules. Turn our backs on the media and embrace the beautiful bodies we were been born with. It's time to live with grace and beauty instead of self-hate and struggle.

Too many of us have learned to dislike our own bodies: 
*53% of 13 year-old girls,
*78% of 17 year-old girls, and
*80% of adult women spend every day disliking the only bodies we will ever have.

How about a world where all body types are appreciated…
*Where naturally thin bodies are considered beautiful.
*Where naturally curvaceous bodies are considered beautiful.
*Where the thin aren't trying to get plump.
*And the curvy aren't trying to get skinny.

Let's live in a world where the bodies we were born with are the best, most beautiful bodies we could each have. 
How to do that? 
*Stop buying from companies who advertise their products with starvation imagery. 
*Don't go to movies that star emaciated actresses.
*Make your voice heard. Email or write companies to complain about their irresponsible imagery.
*Swear off TV shows, fashion magazines, and other media that depict only thin women. (Just 5% of American women are naturally underweight. Among the actresses on television…it's 87%.)
*Reinvent your sense of female beauty with images of all types of women. Old art is one of the best choices. Go out of your way to view old paintings and sculptures to help get you started.
*Reeducate your eyes to appreciate the natural, average female body.
*Don't talk about your own weight loss or gain and don't comment on others' bodies in that way.
*Appreciate the women in the world around us. Practice seeing without the anorexic eyes we've been trained to view the world through. There is beauty in our natural curviness.
*Move with grace and pride. 

You are beautiful. Reject the propaganda of starvation imagery. Love the body you're living in, it’s the only one you get and it deserves your love, honor, and affection.

Exercise for Everyone

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Walking is the easiest and safe and most natural form of exercise. Its an effective exercise for people of all ages and all levels of health.

Studies have shown that regular, brisk walking can lower cholesterol levels, stimulate circulation, strengthen the heart, and decrease high blood pressure.

It reduces the risk of developing serious health problems like diabetes, osteoporosis (brittle bones), and heart diseases.

Walking strengthens and tones the lower body especially when done on an inclined surface. It increases one's endurance particularly if there is progression of difficulty. It also reduces stress and depression and increases the sense of well being.

Walking contributes to effective weight control. Numerous studies show that a person who walks 10,000 steps a day can burn 2,000-3,500 (equivalent to 1 pound of fat) extra calories a week.

For weight loss, it is now recommended to complete 10,000 - 15,000 steps a day.

According to the book "The Fidget Factor" by Frank and Victor Katch, walking on the job for one hour at less than 3.2 kilometers per hour (slow pace) can burn 108 calories for a 110-pound person, 144 calories for a 150-pounder, and 192 calories for a 203-pounder. This is approximately equivalent to 40,000 steps, 3.2 kilometers.

The heavier the person is and the faster he/she walks, the more calories can be burned in one hour. The number of steps completed would depend on one's stride length.

Lifestyle walking is the most frequently performed type. It is what people do when they get up from bed and move, walk around, or take a stroll in the park.

This kind of walking is low-intensity. It is different from fitness walking that is designed to increase the heart rate and help burn extra calories.

The amount and duration of lifestyle walking that a person does might depend on several factor.

Occupation

A study by the American Council on Exercise examined on-the-job physical activities of 10 common occupations in the United States, Secretaries were shown to walk only an average of 4,327 steps per day (2.7 km) as compared to mail carriers at 18,904 steps (12 km).

Bases on lifestyle assessment, an average office worker, unaware of lifestyle walking recommendations, can only complete 1,000 - 4,000 steps/day.

If your job requires you to sit for eight hours, try to insert at least 30 minutes of accumulated or continuous walk within duty hours. You can further increase inside the mall or in you village. Purchase a pedometer to monitor your steps.

Economic Status

It is not surprising to find out that some well-off individuals with cars and drivers can just finish up to 1,000 steps/day. The effort to walk more for health has been replaced by confinience. But commuters can have an additional 2,000-5000 steps a day.

For those living in secure villages, try to walk early morning or at night outside your house and try to complete at least 5,000 steps/day.

Environment

Asians living in countries like Hong Kong and Singapore are known for their flavorful dishes. They love to eat, yet they do not get fat because they love to walk in a walk-friendly environment.

For office people, you can try to walk your way home.

Now is the time to explore your location and find the safest and most convenient places to walk.

Intention to Lose Weight

Usually, a person who is motivated to lose weight will intentionally increase daily target steps. Daily steps can even be doubled once educated about their effect on faster weight loss. But the amount of additional steps will be based on existing exercise programs and target calories to burn per week.

Identify you goals and set a distance or number of steps per day. An accumulated 5,000 - 8,000 steps during the day is good enough to improve or maintain health.

Its benefits will be more evident if you switch to fitness walking where there is progression in speed, intensity and duration.

You need to walk more to burn more!

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!!!

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.

If You Had These 3 Habits, Your Weight Loss Would Be Effortless

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Would you like to know how to make losing weight, no matter how many pounds, as simple as brushing your teeth? When you wake up in the morning or go to bed at night, do you dread having to brush your teeth? I know when I was a little kid, I hated to have to brush my teeth, but now it is not something I even think about. I just do it. 

Imagine if your weight loss and weight management could be just something you do naturally. Not something that stresses you out, gets you upset, and makes you complain, Why are other people so lucky they dont have to deal with this?  

Lets face it, having to lose a couple of pounds whether its a few of pounds or in the three digits, the process is not, Yea, I won the lottery, what fun. Having to lose weight can easily become an overwhelming event that bothers you all the time, crumbles your self confidence, is dangerous to your health, and if that wasnt enough, it undermines your love life.  

So, back to when I was a little one and brushing my teeth. I hated to brush my teeth, but then something changed. It wasnt until I gave up fighting against brushing my teeth and accepted that is a very important thing for me to do, that it all changed. 

Very shortly after that decision, brushing my teeth became a habit that I did in the morning and at night without even thinking about it. The action of brushing my teeth didnt change, but my reaction to having to brush my teeth did and it made all the difference. 

So, how does this apply to losing weight? What if there are three actions you can take that once they are made into habits, your weight loss will become natural and you wouldnt even have to think about?  You will get to be the person that everyone else envies saying, Why is it so easy for him/her to look so great?

Would it be worth it to accept these three new actions into your life and make them habits, if they will guarantee effortless weight loss that you dont even have to think about?

How about if those actions also provide outstanding health?  

I must warn you that there will be a level of discomfort in making these actions into habits, only because you are in the habit of not doing them. Normally, people mislabel this as hard, when in reality, it just feels different because it is new.  

But feeling different is a good thing. That means you are changing and opening the doors to your new life. Are you ready to find out what those actions are? They are not earth shattering, but you can not get around them and until you accept them and turn them into habits, you will end up fighting natural laws and struggling the rest of your life. 

Finally, those three actions are; consistent exercise, eating healthy, and reduction of stress. Simple? Yes, but stay with me here. Imagine if you did consistently take these three actions and they became habits. We are talking about taking the above actions without thinking and without feeling that you are getting deprived. 

Its easy to say your weight loss would be effortless; however, the only real road blocks are turning those actions to habits. Unfortunately, we were not taught a systematic means to destroy old habits and build powerful new ones. 

I invite you to stop the struggle of fighting against the natural laws of the human body. One way or another, it will all come back to consistent exercise, eating healthy and reduction of stress, to achieve lasting results. Turn those simple actions into habits and you will end your weight loss struggles forever.

How To Snack Without Getting Fat

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Did you know that when you are on a diet, if you eat something and no one sees you - it doesn’t contain any calories! Of course that's not true...but it is how many of us think!

Do you eat when you are bored, upset or angry? Do you find that every day requires a chocolate bar to get you through the afternoon? If you are trying to lose weight, you may feel guilty about snacks. As a weight loss coach, I find some folk (particularly women) laugh nervously when I ask them what happens to their food consumption around 4pm. This often is the time of the day when the “Snack Monster” takes control of them! Some berate themselves for being weak, out of control and without discipline. They either eventually give up on their diet altogether or develop counter thoughts so they don’t feel so bad. “It didn’t really matter - it is fat free”. Or, “if no one notices, the calories don’t count”.

The good news is that a healthy eating programme leading to weight does not have to be like this. You can lose weight without being hungry or guilty! It’s possible to take control of the “Snack Monster” and healthy snacking can lead you to weight loss success, not failure. So instead of being full of regret about snacking, choose your snacks wisely and have more energy and vitality, without the guilt.

The keys to healthy snacking are to select foods that:
* Can satisfy your hunger,
* Supply your body with energy, and
* Provide important nutrients

Look for foods that contain the following:

* Whole grains.< Whole-grain snacks are rich in complex carbohydrates and fibre, which give you immediate energy that has some staying power. Consider items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers and whole-grain crispbreads.

* Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only a small amount of calories. They also provide vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients.

* Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities.

* Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium, protein, and other nutrients. Be sure to choose low fat versions.

Prepare for your week and have a range of healthy snacks on hand at home or in the office and snack on healthy choices with peace of mind.

Weight Loss, Diet, Health, Fitness, And Eating Disorders: 7 Steps To Taking Control Of It All

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Reprogramming the Overweight Mind: 7 Steps to Taking Control of Your Subconscious has become the definitive book for behavior change. It is the ultimate self help book because all of the documents necessary to perform a clinical study are contained within an included Audio/Data CD. When psychologists, physicians, or psychiatrists ask me to prove my book is the definitive document for behavior change, I am happy to accommodate.

Since its introduction into psychiatric care in 1990 Burris MIND/FITNESS has established itself as the only clinically proven process for behavior change and has been endorsed by all psychologists, physicians, and psychiatrists who have evaluated it.

7 Steps to Taking Full Control of all Behaviors, not just Weight Loss, Diet, Health, Fitness, & Eating Disorders

Step 1 - The Emotional Checklist
Burris MIND/FITNESS is based on the reality that all behavior is emotionally driven. The Emotional Checklist establishes a baseline by which you can measure your results from day to day, week to week, month to month or year to year.

Step 2 - Subconscious Perspective & Empowering Questions
On the first page of the program process you will literally put your subconscious on paper and discover what brings about a behavior at the deepest level of the subconscious. It is imperative that you know what the subconscious is doing because the subconscious mind runs approximately four times faster than the conscious mind and right now you have virtually no idea what the subconscious is doing. All responses from the Subconscious Perspective are turned into Empowering Questions.

Step 3 - Subconscious Self-Image
If you set a goal that has to do with a change of your physical image without restructuring the image in your subconscious, your chances of success are at best remote. It is like wearing clothes that do not fit, you are never comfortable. This discomfort will lead you back to where you began. There will never be a more important image you have in your subconscious mind or a more important image that you will need to change than the image you have of yourself right now.

Step 4 - The Stop & Replace System
This is the most powerful part of the program. The Stop and Replace System will allow you to make an assault on any subconscious programming you wish to change and make dramatic changes in your emotional state and behavior. All the elements from the first three pages of the program are used on this page to help you Recognize, Access and Change subconscious programming that simply does not work.

Step 5 - The Heart of MIND/FITNESS
The Heart of MIND/FITNESS consists of your Love, Health, Wealth, and Self Image. Once you understand how to take control of your emotional state and behavior, it is necessary that you use these skills on a daily basis. The way you process information can be dramatically changed in a short period of time, simply by consistently implementing The Heart of MIND/FITNESS.

Step 6 - Food & Fitness Planner
Getting consistent control of your emotional state includes consistent control of what you eat, drink, and the type and amount of exercise you get. It is important to plan your food and fitness schedule because the process of an unconscious assault on the body with food, alcohol, or drugs can start a day or even days before you indulge in a behavior that will throw you completely off course and out of control. Planning your food and fitness schedule is a big part of reprogramming these behaviors, and you need to plan them until it becomes automatic.

Step 7 - The Trance-Formation
The most powerful guided meditation you will ever experience is on an Audio/Data CD that is included with the book. The dialogue used during the meditation is specific to you based on the first six steps of the program. What you say to yourself is more important than anything anyone will ever say to you or about you. Once you have learned the dialogue of the induction, you can use this to put yourself in a relaxed state that will allow you greater control over all your subconscious processes.

Jogging - Health Benefits and How to Do it

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Performing regular jogging gives better physical condition and other health benefits. Jogging also gives physical and mental pleasure.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF JOGGING

Jogging on a regular basis give a distinct good effect upon the general health, provided it is not over-done. The effects are:
* Jogging makes the heart stronger. It increases the capacity of the blood circulation and of the respiratory system.
* It speeds up the digestive system and helps you get rid of digestive trouble.
* It counteracts depression.
* It increases the capacity to work and lead an active life.
* Jogging makes you burn fat and thereby helps against over-weight. 
* If you suffer from poor appetite, jogging will improve your appetite.
* Jogging will strengthens the muscles of your legs, hips and back. However you will not get very big muscles from jogging.
* Jogging makes you sleep better.

THE PLEASURE OF JOGGING

Jogging gives you physical and mental joy, provided you do not exhaust yourself. When jogging is done correctly, you will actually feel less tired when you have finished a tour than before you began. You get nice feelings in your muscles during the jogging and afterwards.

You will feel the wind blowing around your body. You will hear the birds singing, the music of running water in the streams, or the sound of waves dashing towards the seashore. During the jogging you will also get a euphoric mental feeling after some time.

CLOTHES AND SHOES

The type of clothes you were must be suited to the weather conditions. In warm weather, shorts and a t-shirt is enough. However, it may be useful to carry along an extra piece of clothe in a light back-pack if you run out on a long route, in case the weather aggravates.  In colder weather you must add more layers of clothes. In either case, the requirements for the clothes are:

You should use light and soft clothes without any sharp sutures, hard edges or massive folds. They should sit fairly close to your body, but not so close that you feel squeezed, trapped, or so that your movements are hindered.

The clothes should give good ventilation for moisture and sweat and perspiration through the fabric. The fabric should ideally hold water totally out from the outside, but this requirement is difficult to achieve together with the requirement of good ventilation.

You should use fairly soft shoes, but with a good shape fitting the anatomical shape of your feet. The soles should easily bend during the normal movements of your feet, but support well against the ground. The underside of the sole should give friction against any type of grounds, so that you do not slide during jogging. The soles should buffer well against each impact from the ground.

JOGGING ROUTES AND SESSIONS

Jogging may be performed in a lot of ways
* Long distance jogging 6-20 km in a moderate speed on even roads or paths.
* Short distance jogging 3-6 km in a high speed.
* Jogging upwards in a steep terrain 3-4 km, in a speed adjusted to the steepness
* Jogging in a hilly terrain with paths going both up an down 4-8 km

It is advisable to vary the type of jogging from day to day. Then the jogging gets funnier and you get a variable type of training.

HOW TO PERFORM A JOGGING SESSION

You should move slowly with little efforts the first few hundred meters to warm up your muscles. Then you gradually increase your muscular work and speed. When you have done half the route, you can take a speedy spurt using most of your capacity. If the route is long enough, you can take two or three spurts using nearly full capacity.The last hundred meters you gradually slow down again.

STRETCHING YOUR BODY BEFORE AND AFTER EACH SESSION

It is advisable to stretch out both before and after each jogging session, and not only the muscles in your feet, but your whole body 2 minutes before and 3-4 minutes after the session. When stretching out do the following movements: 
* Bend forward and touch your toes. 
* Kneel down on one of your feet, and stretch the other out backwards. 
* Bend your body to both sides. 
* Stretch out an arm, grab something, and turn your body round so that your arm is bent backwards. 
* Shoot your abdomen foreword, so that your spinal column is stretched into a bow.
* Place your hands behind your neck and stretch your arms backwards. Then twist your body to left and right, also bend to each side.

After the jogging it is sometimes best to wait for some minutes before you stretch out, so that the worst tiredness has gone away first.

WHEN AND HOW OFTEN

If jogging is the only sport activity done, a jogging session every second day is ideal. This is enough to give all the health benefits and increase your condition and endurance gradually, but without wearing yourself out. If you combine jogging by other types of sport activities, 2 times a week may be enough.
You should not be too hungry before jogging, but it is not advisable to take a jogging session straight after a big meal. The time of the day does not matter, but your jogging should not be the first thing you do in the morning.

HOW TO BEGIN

If you are not accustomed to physical activity before you start jogging, it is advisable to consult a doctor before you start. You may have health issues that is not compatible with jogging activities, or that you must consider when doing your jogging.

The first times, you should only jog on plain ground and only for 10 minutes. Then you can increase the time, distance and speed, and choose steeper and more difficult paths.

8 Ways To Create Balance To Achieve Lasting Weight Loss

Need to lose weight? Dreading the thought of another diet program? You don’t have to follow diets to lose weight. There are many people discovering this for themselves and they are the ones who are finding long term weight loss apposed to short term fixes. The key to weight loss is finding the right balance of what you eat, what you think, and what activity you do. It is not about following a perfect plan. It is impossible to be perfect every day! Finding the right balance helps you to decrease your calorie intake, increase your metabolism and keeps the self-sabotage at bay. Here are 8 steps to bring more balance into all corners of your life so you too can find weight loss success.

1. Eat more frequently during the day-
Skipping meals or waiting too long between meals can have a negative impact on your metabolism and results in overeating later in the day. It’s best to have 3 small meals and 1-2 snacks throughout the day. You will feel more satisfied and eat less. Plan to have a snack or meal every 4-5 hours.

2. Watch portion sizes-
Appropriate portion sizes are still quite misunderstood. Most Americans are eating 2-3 times the recommended portion sizes. Limit your grains, cereals, pastas, and rice to ½ - 1 cup serving sizes. Keep meat, poultry and fish to 4-ounce portion sizes. Restaurants are notorious for giving extremely large servings of food. Keep this in mind when eating out. Eat half of the food on your plate or take the rest home for lunch the next day. Studies show that when people are given large portion sizes, they eat up to 56% more calories without realizing it. To add insult to injury, our portion sizes are larger than they have ever been. Start to become more aware of the portions you are served wherever you are.

3. Eat the right fats-
Yes some fat is important. Omega 3 fatty acids are an important strategy for weight loss success and yet most Americans are not eating enough of these healthy fats. Some reports show these fatty acids may be helpful in increasing your metabolism. They are also shown to be a wonderful mood supporter and people report significantly less food cravings and triggers to eat when they incorporate omega 3 fatty acids on a daily basis. This is especially important for any emotional eaters out there. Omega 3’s are found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, cod; they are also found in canola oil, walnuts, and ground flax seeds. 

4. Increase fruits and vegetables-
Fruits and vegetables are not only packed with important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, they are also loaded in fiber and low in calories. Include 5-8 fruits and vegetables every day. This is one of the most important diet changes you can make. When you fill your plate up with fruits and vegetables you eat less of the higher calorie foods. For example, let’s take a sample steak dinner.

Original meal:
8 ounce steak 
Whole baked potato with fixings 
½ cup steamed broccoli 

Meal Makeover:
4 ounce steak
½ baked potato with fixings
½ cup steamed broccoli
Side salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, and 1 tbsp light vinaigrette dressing

By changing the balance of this meal to include more vegetables while decreasing the steak and potato we saved approximately 350 calories. Saving 350 calories daily can result in almost a 1 pound weight loss per week. Small changes are the key.

5. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full-
Our bodies have an innate weight management mechanism. It performs this task by making you feel full when it is time to stop eating. Every time you eat past full you are taking in more calories than your body needs which will result in weight gain. Start to become more aware of your internal cues for hunger and satiety (fullness). You will be amazed how many times you wait too long to eat and how often you eat past full and enter into stuffed. It’s common for all of us to do this from time to time. However, it’s time to check in with yourself and see how often you are falling into these food patterns. Listen to your body, it will tell you when you are physically ready for food and when you are ready to stop.

6. Exercise regularly-
I know, this isn’t anything you haven’t heard before but it is a crucial part of weight management. It is important to engage in regular aerobic and weight bearing activity. The aerobic exercise helps you to burn the fat and weight bearing activity increases your metabolic rate. Muscle burns up to 90% more calories than fat. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn in a day. By adding three to five pounds of muscle you could actually burn 100 - 250 additional calories a day. This combination of aerobic and weight bearing activity is what really kicks weight loss into gear.

7. Limit sugar-
Sugar becomes a major issue for many people wanting to lose weight. Not only does it add calories, it also causes insulin spikes leading you to store more calories as fat, it stimulates your appetite, and is a major food trigger for emotional eaters. However, it doesn’t mean you need to go all or nothing. When people try to omit all sugar from their diet they can become obsessed about sugary foods and end up in a binge. Find the right balance for sugar. Avoid daily use of sugar and instead have some guiltless treats once in awhile. A little cake at a birthday party or some ice-cream with friends is a good way to incorporate sugar once in awhile to avoid the negative outcomes. 

8. Pamper yourself regularly-
Who wants to argue with that?! The reality is many people eat for emotional reasons. Food makes us feel good on many levels. The problem occurs when eating becomes the only coping mechanism your subconscious knows of. This is why that pesky urge to emotionally eat is so strong. It is hard to reason your way out of it. For many people food is the only thing they know that makes them feel better. When you start to do other things that make you feel good on a regular basis such as taking a hot bath, going for a walk, having a hot cup of tea; then your subconscious starts to register these activities as coping mechanisms as well. Over time this will decrease the constant urge to use food. You can’t expect to have a bad day, go take a bath and not have an urge to eat. It is something you need to do regularly and something you truly enjoy so your subconscious starts to recognize it as a new choice.

© 2005, Meri Raffetto

9 Ways To Feed Your Soul By Simply Walking

By Ahmed Hajouj.


We live in a culture that honors Type A, driven behaviors. That includes exercise and for many people, it’s taken away the joy out of simply walking. Instead of seeing walking as something you must do to get in shape, see it as a gift of being alive and let yourself fully enjoy the experience.


1) Walk with deep awareness of how it feels to move your body.
2) Experience the act of walking as if you've never, ever done it before.
3) Be aware. Be present in the moment. Really feel your body as you're moving.
4) Pay attention to how your feet feel with each rolling step on the earth. 
5) Notice the strength and power in your muscles. 
6) Feel yourself moving in space. 
7) Observe the wind on your skin and the temperature of the air. 
8) Have a beauty feast while you're out. Notice the light coming through the leaves. See the flowers with fresh eyes.
9) Take a fresh look at the world as you move through it. Assume nothing. Experience the wonder of life as if you've never seen anything before. Watch the people as if you'd never seen a human before.

Let walking become a cherished and enriching part of your life. Turn it into something wonderful that you look forward to with both body and soul.

Aerobic Exercise for Weight Loss Can Be Fun

By Ahmed Hajouj.


The word aerobic literally means "with oxygen" or "in the presence of oxygen." Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously for a long period of time and is rhythmic in nature. Aerobic exercises utilize oxygen as the major fuel for sustaining activity for relatively long periods.

In general, aerobic exercises are those activities that require large muscle work, elevate the heart rate to between 60 percent and 80 percent of maximal heart rate, are continuous in nature and are of 15 to 60 minutes in duration. An aerobically fit individual can work longer, more vigorously and achieve a quicker recovery at the end of the aerobic session.

Aerobic exercises fall in two categories: 

Low to Moderate Impact aerobics – These include walking, swimming, stair climbing, step classes, light water aerobics, rowing and cross-country skiing. Nearly anyone in reasonable health can engage in some low- to moderate-impact exercise. Brisk walking burns more calories than jogging for the same distance because it takes more time to walk than jog that distance and poses less risk for injury to muscle and bone. 

High-Impact aerobics – Activities that belong to this group include running, dance exercise, tennis, racquetball and squash. High-impact aerobics should be performed on alternate days. People who are overweight, elderly, out of condition or have an injury or other medical problem should do them even less frequently and only with clearance from their doctor. 

Here are some of the many aerobic exercises you can do and because of the variety you have to choose from, it can not only take the bordum out of doing it, it can make doing it downright fun as well.


1. Walking 
Walking is a popular form of exercise because it requires little in terms of equipment or facilities. Walking an extra 20 minutes each day will burn off 7 pounds of body fat per year. Longer, moderately-paced daily walks are best for losing weight. 


2. Jogging/Running
In jogging or running, an individual is able to cover greater distances in a shorter period of time. Therefore, greater numbers of calories can be burned per time spent. 

3. Choreographed Aerobic Exercise 
Choreographed aerobic dance is a very popular form of exercise throughout the world. Aerobic dance helps in toning up the muscles of the body and many people find it fun to do as well. 

4. Step Aerobics 
Step aerobics incorporates the use of a step or bench typically about one foot wide and three feet long and about six inches high. Instructors use many moves that require participants to step up and down from the platform. This way, the activity will not be boring and tiring, but will be lively and motivating.

5. Water Aerobics 
Water aerobics incorporates a variety of movements from both swimming and land aerobics to develop vigorous routines that are aerobic in nature. It utilizes the resistance to movement that water creates to elevate heart rates and also helps you if balancing yourself on land is difficult. It is a good way to lose weight. 

6. Swimming 
Swimming is a very popular form of regular exercise. Due to the resistance of water, the amount of energy required to swim a certain distance is greater than that needed to run or walk the same distance. In other words, swimming can burn more calories than running per time spent.

7. Stationary Cycling/Bicycling 
Stationary cycling or bicycling are excellent forms of aerobic exercise when done continuously. Like swimming, cycling is a non weight bearing activity that builds muscular endurance and strength and improved flexibility of selected muscles of the legs and thighs. 

8. Jumping Rope 
Jumping rope can be a great aerobic workout as long as it is performed at a slow to moderate pace and is done continuously for a relatively long period of time (15 minutes or more).

The key to effective weight loss is through use of a healthy exercise program which is performed on a regular basis while following a healthy dieting & nutritional plan. Aerobic exercise is good for weight loss because it uses more calories than other activities and helps raise your metabolic rate. 

This helps your body burn calories at a faster rate. It is an effective way to lose fat only if you are motivated enough to do it frequently. Aerobics only burns fat during the workout itself. So if you want encouraging results you need to be able to exercise daily and for longer periods.

Health What Can You Do To Stay Healthy

By Ahmed Hajouj

There are 5 simple things you can do, to stay healthy.

1. Avoid smoking and smokers

2. Eat right and keep your BMI (Body Mass Index) at 18,5 – 24,8

3. Try to avoid drinking alcohol

4. Exercise daily

5. Sleep right

1. Avoid smoking and smokers

Dangers of smoking.

If you smoke, you should quit, smoking harms you and everyone around you.

Did you know?

- Cigarette smokers have a high risk of heart attack.

- Cigarette smokes have an extremely high risk of lung cancer.

- Each year over 300,000 Americans die from lung cancer, caused by smoking.

- 75% of deaths caused by Emphysema and Bronchitis are directly linked to smoking.

If you want to stay healthy, you’ll have to quit smoking and avoid smokers, because “Passive Smoking” can be as harmful, as “Active Smoking”.

2. Eat right and Keep your BMI (Body Mass Index) at 18,5 – 24,8

How to Eat Right?

As I’ve mentioned in my previous article: “Diet: How to really make your Diet work for you?” , your body needs a proper Balanced Nutrition Diet, with a proper daily amount of: vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates.

What can a proper Balanced Nutrition do for you?

- Offer effective Weight-Management solution

- Reduce fat and increase your body tone

- Prevent and decrease signs of aging

- Strengthen cardiovascular and immune systems

- Regulate levels of sugar and insulin

- Help regulate cholesterol level

- Improve your memory and clarity of mind

What is the BMI and how the knowledge of it, can help you to improve your health?

Knowing your BMI, you can tell whether your weight complies with the standard or you have extra weight (or your weight is insufficient).

The BMI is directly related to the health risk; as the BMI increases, the risk also rises.

That is why it is so important to know your Body Mass Index and keep it safe (18,5 – 24,8)

Body Mass Index Formulas:

BMI formula (Metric): BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters ) x ( Height in Meters ))

BMI formula (English): BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches ) x ( Height in inches )) x 703

3. Try to avoid drinking Alcohol.

So, why is it so important to avoid Alcohol, in order to improve your health?

Alcohol has many side effects:

- heart and central nervous system damage

- stomach ailments

- liver damage

- blackouts

- a high risk of alcoholism

e.t.c.

So, if you are serious about living a healthy lifestyle – avoid alcohol at all costs.

4. Exercise Daily.

Exercising is very important for human health and has proven to be a good cure for many well-known deceases.

How much exercising is enough?

In order to be healthy, you need at least 10 -15 minutes a day of exercising.

Also, you could combine your average daily activities with exercising, to save time.

These, are just few examples of what you can do:

- Walking at least 5000 steps a day

- Walking up stairs instead of using elevators.

- Do some running instead of walking.

e.t.c.

5. Sleep Right.

A good night sleep is very important, without it, all of the things I have mentioned above, would not work.