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Shedding pounds isn’t easy and fat loss mistakes along the way make it even harder. You’ll often find diet advice on the internet that not only doesn’t work, but can be extremely bad for your health. For instance, fad diets like the cabbage soup diet or grapefruit diet, may take weight off initially, but as soon as you go back to normal eating, put it right back on again. These diets often cause you to lose water weight, rather than real weight or lose muscle mass over actual fat. Sometimes they’re such low calorie diets, that when used over a long period, not only leave you malnourished but put you in starvation mode, which slows metabolism.

Omitting specific types of food from your diet can be a problem.

While you definitely don’t want fried foods or sugary treats, you do need healthy carbohydrates and healthy fat. You notice the keyword is healthy. Vegetables are carbohydrates, just as fresh fruit is. Fruit also contains sugar. You should always have an abundance of fresh vegetables in your diet and at least some fresh fruit, even if they are carbs. Fat isn’t always bad, either. Healthy fat, such as that found in avocados or salmon, needs to be included in everyone’s diet for healthy weight loss.

Doing the same exercise routine will slow your progress.

The body is amazing. It’s not only self healing, it also finds ways to conserve energy and not work as hard. When you do the same routine repeatedly, the body becomes efficient at doing it. While efficiency is normally good, in this case it isn’t. It means the body burns fewer calories and makes weight loss more difficult. Varying your routine helps you keep the furnace at high and shed pounds faster.

Avoiding weights or strength building exercises could be your biggest mistake.

You may be a whiz at cardio and it may be quite fashionable to be a runner, but nothing helps you take pounds off quickly like strength building exercise. Many women avoid it because they worry about building bulging muscles, but that’s not going to happen unless you work very hard and supplement with the right type of nutrients or other substances. Even then, it’s doubtful. Strength building exercises also provide the benefit of helping to prevent osteoporosis.

• You may be surprised to find that working out longer than a half hour to 45 minutes may actually put on weight, according to one study. The conclusion was that the shorter time left enough energy for more activity following and less hunger.
• While exercise is a very important part of weight loss, you still need a healthy diet to shed those pounds. Eating healthy and not exercising or visa versa, is a huge mistake.
• Focusing just on the scales and not looking at inches lost is a big mistake. Muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue, so one cubic inch weighs more. You can lose inches by shedding fat and replacing it with muscle tissue. Your scales might not reflect the loss but your size will.
• Steer clear of “diet food.” Low fat foods will leave you feeling hungry and many times it may have more calories because of added sugar.

Whether it’s the newest technology or training, the latest fitness trends can help get you in shape and keep you fit, in many cases. While some of the trends are fads that will fall by the wayside, others make a lot of sense and can help you get fit faster or help you modify your behavior so you can make the necessary changes to do it. Technology is one addition to fitness that’s changed the exercise front. Whether you wear an activity tracker, heart rate monitor or smart watch, you can more accurately plan your workout based on the information it provides.

High Intensity Interval Training—HIIT—is a real calorie burner, which is why it’s popular.

HIIT is a workout that involves a short burst of high effort followed by a slightly longer recovery period of far lower effort. Running for three minutes then walking briskly for six and back to a three minute run is one example of this. One reason it’s extremely popular is that a HIIT workout doesn’t have to take as long as a traditional workout to get the same results. It often takes 30 minutes to get the same results as an hour long exercise in the traditional manner.

Strength training for everyone, not just body builders and weight lifters is another trend.

For years women were reluctant to get involved with strength-building exercises. They worried it would build big bulging muscles, which isn’t the case. Once the word was out that strength-building not only burned calories faster, it also toned muscles and gave a svelte, lean, sinewy look that was far sexier than skinny, women were as attracted to the workout as men were. It’s an important part of overall fitness.

Group training is not only fun, it’s also a cost savings.

Personal trainers became important, but some people couldn’t afford the price or simply wanted to find a less expensive technique. That’s why group training or boot camps led by personal trainers became so popular. They not only have fun and get the support of the whole group, they get a personalized program from the trainer. Since everyone shares the cost of the trainer, it’s far less per person than training in private sessions.

• As mentioned previously, working with a personal trainer became quite popular recently. That’s because trainers get faster results since they address each individual’s problems and needs at the person’s fitness level.
• Using exercise, plus diet, for weight loss is extremely popular. There’s a reason for that, it works and gets results faster.
• Exercise for more than weight loss, but for good health too. Most people now realize that exercising is important for overall health and it’s become part of their fitness plan, in addition to healthy eating.
• Body weight training has made a comeback. That’s primarily because it requires no equipment, can be done anywhere and works.

How healthy are you really? There are a number of tests your doctor can take to assess your overall health. These involve levels of important nutrients in the body, tests for illnesses to catch them early and blood pressure tests. While these may judge your physical state of health at the present, projecting whether you have an illness or deficiency, they don’t project where you’ll be in the future or assess your overall lifestyle and whether it’s aimed at continued fitness. Some people have the benefit of genetic predisposition to good health, but if they don’t follow a healthy lifestyle, that good health can quickly disappear.

Do you eat in a healthy manner and are the foods healthy?

One of the lifestyle changes that can affect you the most is how and what you eat. I know most of the time we focus on the foods you put into your mouth, but the way you eat is also important. Do you eat slowly, savoring every bite or woof down your food just to fill your belly. It makes a difference. People who eat slower and masticate each bite into a slurry, not just bite once or twice and swallow. Taking more time will help you feel full before the end of the meal and digest your food better, getting more nutrients. You probably already know that junk food and a poor diet lead you down the path to poor health, so I don’t need to reiterate that point.

Do you get enough exercise to stay fit and live an active lifestyle?

Working out in the gym isn’t enough, but it is the means to the ultimate goal. The goal is to be fit enough to live a long active life. The ability to stay active in life and enjoy every minute is the true goal. It’s not how great you look at the gym or how hard you workout, that’s just vehicle to reach your goal. What are you doing with that extra energy and fitness? Are you enjoying your favorite pastime that was too strenous before you began the program? Whether you choose to expend that energy doing home improvement, dancing the night away or skiing down the slopes, you should enjoy the new energy level you have.

Are you happy?

That’s often a tough question for people to answer, after all, how do you define happy? Is it accumulating “things” because others think they’re important or living the way you want, which may or may not include the accumulation of the trappings of success? Are experiencing things you believe are life-enriching or just going through the motions of life? Each minute of life is precious. Learn what makes you happy. You’ll often be surprised at what it is. Many times, it’s helping others find their true happiness and reach their goals in life. I know that’s one of the things that makes me happiest.

• Do you have a good social life? Studies show that people who are more social, live longer and healthier.
• Do you get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can affect your body and your mind. Even if you have tons of work, you need to get adequate sleep. You’ll get your work done faster and more efficiently when you’re physically and mentally refreshed with sleep.
• Do you drink enough water throughout the day. Your body is 60% water and brain approximately 80%. If you’re dehydrated, nothing functions well.
• Do you abuse alcohol, nicotine or drugs? This often relates back to happiness in life. Do what it takes to free yourself from these habits.

There are people who swear by the alkaline diet, saying it makes them healthier and can even be a cure for cancer. To add to this, many any people are confused on the subject of acidic foods. Should you avoid acidic foods or should they be included in your diet? Before that question is answered, you have to know exactly what acidic foods are. You might think a lemon is acidic…and you’d be right and yet wrong at the same time. While lemons are high in acid, they actually leave an alkaline ash in the urine. Sugary products, on the other hand, may taste sweet and have no sign of acidity when you eat them, leave an acidic ash in the urine. According to the myth of alkaline and acid forming foods, the foods actually change the blood pH, which is untrue. They only change the pH of the urine because of the ash left behind.

Acid forming foods leave your body acidic and forced to work harder to normalize.

Water is neutral with a pH value of 7.0. Below 7.0 is acidic and above it is alkaline. The body needs blood to be at a pH of approximately 7.3 to 7.45. When you eat food, it doesn’t remain the same pH. It goes into the stomach that has highly acidic stomach acid. When all is said and done, the residue of the food, the ash, evacuates the body in the urine. That’s why testing urine can show alkalinity or acidity.

Fruits and vegetables leave an alkaline ash.

While the diet may be based on bad science, since the ash doesn’t change the blood in any manner, it’s actually very healthy. Foods that leave the highest alkalinity are often plant based, those leaving ash that’s higher in acidity are often processed. While the basic theory for the diet is a bit flawed, the foods it recommends are actually very healthy. They tend to be primarily fruits, sprouts and vegetables. These are included in healthy eating.

Acid forming foods are often highly processed foods and normally not part of a healthy diet.

While there are some healthy foods on the acidic list, there are also many foods you would want to avoid or limit on any type of diet. You are allowed to have some of these foods, but focus mainly on alkaline ones, like greens. Meat, dairy, legumes, nuts and eggs should be eaten in moderation according to proponents, with alcohol, refined sugar products and refined white flour products avoided. It sounds like a healthy diet plan to me.

– Does the alkaline diet make the body healthier? The answer is yes, but not for the reasons given by proponents. It provides foods that boost the body’s immune system and improves overall health, as long as it’s not adhered to rigidly—omitted important sources of protein.

– What are some of the claims of the alkaline diet? The diet has claimed to cure everything from kidney problems to cancer. While there is research that identifies that the foods you eat play a huge role in your overall good health, there are no studies showing this diet does that. It’s healthy and does give the body a fighting chance to heal itself.

– The alkaline diet requires you to test your body’s urine with a pH strip to find its alkalinity. Instead, you’re simply measuring the alkalinity of the waste products from your body.

– Those who strictly adhere to the diet, leave out important sources of protein necessary to for a healthy diet. This can actually create health problems.

Going from heavy to healthy doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, it can be both fun and revitalizing. Anyone can do it, but they have to be willing to pay the price. The price is hard work, healthy eating and determination. Don’t let that fool you into thinking it will all be work. When you use boxing as one of the vehicles to get fit, you get lots of bonuses. No, you don’t have to spar with large cuts of beef or get up at the crack of dawn to run around town like Rocky Balboa, but you will have to stick with a program designed to get you to your goal.

Where you do it, how you do it and who you do it with makes a difference.

While getting fit isn’t easy, it’s far easier when you have a supportive environment than it is doing it on your own. It’s just to easy when you’re on your own to slip back into old habits and skip today’s workout, until there’s no workout at all. If you’re like most people I’ve trained who wanted to shed pounds, you know exactly what I’m talking about. A supportive friendly environment is one where you share common goals with others. They care about your success as much as their own and you feel a sense of belonging.

Setting a goal necessary.

You can have several goals at once. That’s right. While your primary goal may be weight loss and fitness, another goal will be improved performance. One reason people love boxing is that they tend to forget about losing weight and focus on getting better at boxing. Getting better at boxing means getting fitter, stronger and losing weight in most cases, by focusing on footwork, form, strength, reflexes and more. It’s all exercise, but you quit thinking of it as exercise and the drive to get better keeps you going so there’s no “bored out of your mind” waiting to finish reps or watching the clock intently to get done as soon as possible.

You won’t be fit if you use the wrong fuel.

Nutrition plays a huge role in getting fit and slimming. There are no top-notch boxers that earned titles while eating fries and burgers during training. Having the right nutrition does not mean dieting. It means eating healthy. There’s no starvation, no hunger and definitely no junk food. Sure, you can occasionally indulge, but only occasionally. Once you get into the spirit of boxing, you won’t even want do that. You’ll want to find all the ways to become your best and win, not only in the ring, but in life.

– The mental side of boxing is ultra important and accounts for the successful weight loss of most participants. It teaches mental toughness and the drive to succeed.

– Whether male or female, you’ll find you have a whole new confidence about yourself. You’ll know you can handle anything and even defend yourself in a tough situation.

– You’ll notice the pounds coming off, but the real victory will be in the boost of energy, improvement of strength, newly gained flexibility and agility.

– You’ll make friends who are also hungry for victory against excess weight. They’ll not only provide motivation to continue, they’ll often share experiences and even some healthy recipes that they’ve learned on their journey.