You're actually quite normal. Most people don't drink enough water. Most people are also carrying around a few more pounds than they would be if they did drink enough water. If you can't seem to get that weight off, try drowning your sorrows in nature's magical weight-loss mineral. It works, and here's why: "What on Earth is 'metabolism', anyway?" People use the term all the time, but ask them what it means and you'll get all kinds of answers. Webster defines it as, "The process by which a substance is handled in the body." A little vague, but that's really all it means. | |
There are many forms of metabolism going on in your body right now, but the one everyone is talking about it the metabolism of fat. This is actually something that the liver does when it converts stored fat to energy. The liver has other functions, but this is one of its main jobs. Unfortunately, another of the liver's duties is to pick up the slack for the kidneys, which need plenty of water to work properly. If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering its total productivity. It then can't metabolize fat as quickly or efficiently as it could when the kidneys were pulling their own weight. If you allow this to happen, not only are you being unfair to your liver, but you're also setting yourself up to store fat. "I've tried it and I couldn't stand it!" The problem is that, though many decide to increase their water intake, very few stick with it. It's understandable. During the first few days of drinking more water than your body is accustomed to, you're running to the bathroom constantly. This can be very discouraging, and it can certainly interfere with an otherwise normal day at work. It seems that the water is coming out just as fast as it's going in, and many people decide that their new hydration habit is fruitless. What is really happening is that your body is flushing itself of the water it has been storing throughout all those years of "survival mode." It takes a while, but this is a beautiful thing happening to you. As you continue to give your body all the water it could ask for, it gets rid of what it doesn't need. It gets rid of the water it was holding onto in your ankles and your hips and thighs, maybe even around your middle. You are excreting much more than you realize. Your body figures it doesn't need to save these stores anymore; it's trusting that the water will keep coming, and if it does, eventually, the flushing (of both the body and the potty) will cease, allowing the human to return to a normal life. It's true. This is called the "breakthrough point." One recent finding, as irresponsible as it may be, that caffeine increases the body's fat-burning potential has many people loading up on coffee before going to the gym. This finding may hold some degree of truth in it, but caffeine is, in essence, a diuretic, and diuretics dehydrate. Caffeine may increase the heart rate, causing a few more calories to be burned, but this is at the expense of the muscles, which need water to function properly. This isn't doing your heart any favors, either. It's already working hard enough during your workout. Never mix caffeine and exercise. In fact, your best bet is to stay away from caffeine all together. It's a big bully that pushes your friend water out of your system. Water is the best beauty treatment. You've heard this since high school, and it's true. Water will do wonders for your looks! It flushes out impurities in your skin, leaving you with a clear, glowing complexion. It also makes your skin look younger. Skin that is becoming saggy, either due to aging or weight loss, plumps up very nicely when the skin cells are hydrated. In addition, it improves muscle tone. You can lift weights until you're blue in the face, but if your muscles are suffering from a drought, you won't notice a pleasant difference in your appearance. Muscles that have all the water they need contract more easily, making your workout more effective, and you'll look much nicer than if you had flabby muscles under sagging skin. "Eight glasses a day? Are you kidding?!" It's really not that much. Eight 8-ounce glasses amount to about two quarts of water. This is okay for the average person, but if you're overweight, you should drink another eight ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight you carry. You should also up this if you live in a hot climate or exercise very intensely. This water consumption should be spread out throughout the day. It's not healthy at all to drink too much water at one time. Try to pick three or four times a day when you can have a big glass of water, and then sip in between. Don't let yourself get thirsty. If you feel thirsty, you're already becoming dehydrated. Drink when you're not thirsty yet. Do you think water is yucky? Drinking other fluids will certainly help hydrate your body, but the extra calories, sugar, additives and whatever else aren't what you need. Try a slice of lemon or lime in the glass, or if you really think you hate water, try a flavored water. Just make sure you read the labels. Remember that you're going to be consuming a lot of this fluid. It's probably a good idea to stop drinking water a good three hours before you go to bed. You know why. "How cold should it be?" This is debatable. Most experts lean toward cold water, because the stomach absorbs it more quickly. There is also some evidence that cold water might enhance fat burning.On the other hand, warmer water is easier to drink in large quantities, and you might drink more of it without even realizing it. Do whatever suits you, here. Just drink it! When you drink all the water you need, you will very quickly notice a decrease in your appetite, possibly even on the first day! If you're serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an absolute must. If you're doing everything else right and still not seeing results, this might just be what's missing. Drink up! Always encouraging you, Letha |
Feb 24, 2011
Drinking Water is a BIG key to Weight Loss!
Feb 11, 2011
Motivation Is In The Doing!
Motivation is at the heart of all success. The word motivation comes from the word motive…think about that. Motivation is at the heart of all success…motives come from the heart! Motivation comes from within you!
Here’s the beautiful part…You have control over how motivated you are!
If you were to ask yourself right now, “On a scale of 1 to 10 how motivated am I regarding my weight loss and my following my NP?”
What would your answer be?
You’re not alone if your motivation wavers…you’re not alone if you’ve said, “This is hard.” “I don’t know if I can do this.” “I don’t know why I’m doing this.” “I don’t want to do this anymore.” “I’m not motivated.”
Those are normal thoughts.
But remember…..
Your thoughts dictate your feelings and your feelings dictate your actions.
If you are thinking those thoughts, If you are saying those words…I want to let you know that the odds are against you...you might not get to the finish line.
How motivated do you feel right now?
Words are powerful, thoughts are as powerful!
The truth is this. Making the choice to be disciplined with your eating and exercise, setting limits on yourself and learning to say no thank you, is less than fun, less than exciting, less than happy…but the benefits are all of that and more!!!
Motivation is all about the benefits…all about our thought life… all about what we focus on!
So it’s up to you to keep motivation alive. Motivation starts with a thought. A thought that says, if I want to be successful, if I want to cross the finish line and then keep my weight off, I need motivation and I need it now! I will choose a thought pattern that keeps me focused on where I’m going, what I’m getting, and what life will be like when I get there!
Motivation is in the doing…doing something to keep your thought life right, strong, focused.
I'll share some of my tools, my secrets to keeping my motivation alive:
Clothing:
Hang it out…hang it in the pantry if you need to!
Do you have clothes in your closet that still have the tags on them? Did you buy it a little small and then never get in to it?
Swim suit summer is coming…where will you be?
Little black dress next Christmas…Do you want to wear a little black dress this year?
Year at a Glance Calendar:
What events will take on a different feeling a different excitement a different freedom at your goal weight?
Affirmation Cards:
What affirmations does your mind need to hear...what lies are you listening to...what truths need to replace those lies?
Words:
They are powerful...place them in strategic places in your home, work, car!
What motivates you…sporting equipment?
How would you be playing if you were at goal weight. That’s what you focus on!
Collages:
What would your life represent if you were at goal weight ? How would your life improve?
Motivation is in the doing…it’s taking a naturally negative, discouraged, unbelieving attitude and turning it around.
Motivation is about walking away from spending your time and energy thinking about food, thinking about what you don’t get to eat today, and thinking about a life free from being burdened down with extra pounds.
How much time are you spending thinking about what you can’t eat…VS. where you’re going?
Let’s turn our homes, our cars, our workplaces into places of renewed motivation…reminders of where you’re going, why it matters, how our life will improve.
That’s "doing" motivation!
Every place you go…you should be inspired and provoked to climb this mountain, to run run this race, to accomplish this task…you’re just the one that has to create it!
Motivation is in the doing...do some this weekend!
Always encouraging you,
Letha
Feb 3, 2011
I Do My Best On The Weekends!
Weekends pose different problems than week days. During the week, we have routine and it makes it "routine" to follow program. It seems that we are better prepared with program foods during the week too, out of necessity with our busy schedules.
The weekend rolls around and we have no routine to speak of and we've run out of the good program foods! That means trouble!
There are a few easy things you can do to make your weekend days as successful or even more successful than the week days.
1.Preplan a menu for the weekend on Thursday night (with contingencies.)
Put the menu up on your fridge to remind yourself that you DO have a plan for the weekend. It helps to have it written down so you are not making so many emotional decisions about what you feel like eating.
2.Stop on your way home on Friday night to stock up on the very BEST program foods.
The weekend is the time when we can take more time to make a beautiful breakfast or even a special dinner. Buy the best ingredients and look forward to your meals instead of eating what's left over from the week!
3.Use the extra time to be more active.
If you have time to walk out the front door...do it! Take time on the weekend to go for a walk, or a hike with your family. You can burn more calories on the weekend!
4.And above all else (you guessed it) think rightly about the weekend.
Your attitude about weekend foods and weekend activity will make ALL the difference in your success! Try repeating out loud many times a day..."I do my best on the program, on the weekends." See what that does for your thought life!
Your determination to turn hard weekends into opportunities for more weight loss will make a great difference in your weight loss success.
Plan ahead, go shopping and think rightly then have a terrific on program weekend!
Always encouraging you.
Letha