Nutrition and Weight Loss Ideas

Nutrition, Weight Loss and Working Out

One of the most difficult things for any of us to decide is — What is the best way for us to stay on our nutrition and weight loss program — how do we lose weight? There are so many gimmicks and contraptions being thrown at us every day.

When you turn on the TV, what do you see? Watch for just a short while and you’re bound to see a commercial for some miracle solution to weight loss. There are pills, food delivered to your door, all sorts of machines and contraptions to “melt those pounds away” — or — to “give you the abs you dreamed of”.

How are we supposed to figure it all out? How do we go about losing weight safely?

The answer is always the same — it’s a combination of eating the right kind of food and getting an adequate amount of exercise.

Since I’m in my “get enough exercise” mode, I’d like to keep talking about one of the best exercises for anyone, rather they’re trying to lose weight or not.

That exercise is walking.

Walking is one of the best things you can do for your health — period! It’s good for your heart, blood pressure and weight management. If you walk briskly you will get most of the same benefits as jogging, without the wear and tear on your joints. If you want to get the greatest benefit from walking you need to think about your form, your pace and your breathing. You should work on developing a good walking technique.

First of all, you should aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of brisk walking three of four days a week. And don’t forget — you can do this in a couple of 15-minute sessions if you’re having a busy day. For the best cardiovascular benefit, however, you should do a full 30-minute brisk walk as often as possible.

Good form will help you walk faster and longer, increasing your fitness level more quickly. You’ll tire less easily, use more of your core (stomach and back) muscles, and improve the overall efficiency of your workout.

Here are some tips:

* Strike with your heel first. Your heel should hit the ground first. Roll your foot through to the toe, with no unnatural pushing from one foot to the other. Take shorter, rather than longer, steps. More frequent short steps will give you a better workout and be easier on your joints.

* Stretch your spine. To maintain good posture, stretch your spine tall, think of the top of your head being pulled up to the sky. Your head should be resting comfortably in line with your spine - don’t tilt it back or tuck your chin. This is especially important when you’re going up hills. Looking up the hill can strain your neck and make it hard to breathe.

* Contract your stomach. With your spine tall, contract your stomach muscles slightly and lift them upward to support your lower back. This will help you maintain your posture, as well as as taking the strain off your lower back.

* Swing your arms. Bend your arms at the elbow at a about a 90-degree angle and swing them toward the center of your body. Be careful not to cross the center line of your body or bend your arms too tightly. Swinging your arms properly will give you a better aerobic workout, you’ll burn more calories, and you’ll engage more muscles throughout your torso. Also, you’ll be able to move faster than if your arms are dangling at your sides. Just keep your hands in a lightly curled fist. (Don’t clench them too tightly, though.)

I’ll finish this article tomorrow when we’ll cover how to manage a good walking pace and breathing to better your nutrition and weight loss goals. So be sure to check back here.

Also, I would love to hear from you. One of the advantages of using a blog to communicate is the fact that it’s not a one-way medium. At the end of each article there is a link where you can comment about what you’ve read. It’s a great way to exchange thoughts and ideas. So, let me hear from you.

Until then, remember to follow a good-fat — good-carb diet and get up and go walk for a half-hour walk — go on — do it now!

Here is some information about the nutritional supplements I add to my nutrition and weight loss program. These have helped me more than I would have ever imagined. I’m not kidding. Click on the links in the box below — you won’t be sorry!

Have a great day. I’ll be back tomorrow with some more nutrition and weight loss thoughts for you.

And give the South Beach Diet a try. That’s what I follow and it sure has worked for me. Here’s where to go to learn more:

Shanti,

Ron
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