Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Avoid The Weight Loss Seesaw

A great many of us want to begin the new year off on the right track by starting a new weight loss program.  We get it going for a few good months, see some progress then we hit a plateau, or work stress sets in and we fall of the workout wagon.  Whatever the case may be for us to abandon our workout routine is the reason why we start to ride the weight loss seesaw. 

To avoid riding the weight loss seesaw there has to be a great commitment to ourselves not to abandon our weight loss program no matter what circumstances we face, to use our workout program to relieve the stress we may be feeling, wither it may be from work, a spouse, children or any case we are facing. 


This year think of your weight management program as a lifestyle change.  Use a combination of different techniques to reach the goals that you have set for yourself, that way it makes it more difficult to come up with an excuse to not workout.  For example if your goal is to run the Boston Marathon on April 18th you can begin a fitness program that incorporates walking and running to gain the stamina that you will need to complete the marathon, stretching or yoga which will help tremendously with balance to help your body  developing a more comfortable running technique, help keep your muscles relaxed and limber to prevent injury and finally a healthy diet that will support your exercise program.  By combining these three techniques you will be more than ready to run the Boston Marathon by April. 

Liz Applegate Ph.D. in the article A Healthy Runner's Diet suggest following only six rules for a healthy diet for a runner. 
  • Eat seeds or foods made from seeds
  • Eat 5 different color fruits or vegetables a day
  • Eat plant food skin intact
  • Drink milk and eat milk products that come from animals
  • Eat seafood that comes from cold waters
  • and Eat meat, eggs and poultry from free range or grass fed animals.  
That is a very simple diet to maintain, you just buy a variety of the foods above when you go to the market.  Now you always have them on hand and there is less of a chance for "cheating".  Another option is to use a meal service such as Bistro M.D. for healthy meals designed specifically for the diet that you need.  A week's worth of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) cost about the same as a weeks worth of groceries, but saves you the preparation time. 

To help meet your running goals use an aid such as Adidas miCoach or the Nike+ Sport Sensor.  These programs track your progress towards goals that you have set for yourself as well as keeping your workouts fun and exciting.  Both are very similar as to the way they work.  Nike+ uses a sensor that is put into a shoe in conjunction with the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch  through an app or iPod's through a sport kit.  Adidas miCoach uses apps for iPhone or Blackberry and your devices GPS to motivate and track your progress.  Both will track your distance, pace, calories burned and time elapsed.  Both are great for tracking your progress and meeting your fitness goals.

Finally a stretching or yoga workout is essential to your success.  Not only will this relieve stress it will also keep you limber for your workout, help prevent injury and help your body create  better running posture and breathing.  Any runner will tell you that your posture and breathing are as important to the development of your stamina as the actual running itself.  J.J. Gorrmely's video Yoga for Every Body is a good program for those days when your time is pressed but you still would like to workout.  Routines run from 15 to 75 minutes so there is definitely one that you can incorporate into your busiest days. This also will alleviate the guilty feeling that you get when you have to miss a scheduled workout.  Completing a 15 minute video is better than nothing. 

By combining a healthy diet, exercise and a relaxing program you can greatly improve your success at meeting the goals of your workout routine.  Add in the virtual coach and performance tracking and you have the motivation that you need to keep going.  There are even websites that can offer much needed guidance and give you support when you need it most.  My Weight Loss Cash is one such community that will actually pay you to write about your weight loss experience, while receiving inspiration and support from other community members.  Make your weight loss dreams a reality today and draw up the courage to find a weight loss program that works for you. 


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