Finding balance is something we all strive for every day – balancing work, family, travel and social obligations sometimes seems impossible, especially with ever-shifting responsibilities and time constraints. Finding balance with exercise and healthy eating can also be a problem, something that struck me when I read a recent comment by one of our readers. She said, “…I have become this health fanatic that watches and worries about every little bit of nutritional info on food, vitamins, etc.
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Amelia did something a lot of us do when we first start college – she gained the …and more. In fact, she got up to 200 pounds and, as she put it, “my dorm room smelled like cheeseburgers, and frequently I slept from about 4 a.m. until 6 p.m.” College is a stressful time for many of us, but it can also be a turning point. For the first time, you’re on your own and making your own decisions. Unfortunately, like Amelia, too many of us make bad decisions as we practice being on our own.
But, Amelia managed to turn things around in her second year, saying, “that first year of living away from home made me realize that I had choices; I could change myself.” She bought a bike and started riding to classes and cut out the junk food, eventually losing an amazing 68 pounds.
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To start your losing weight fast loss regime will mean that you need to focus on eating the correct foods at the correct times. Many people fail to lose weight because they embark on fad diets that claim you can lose weight in a few weeks. The trouble with these diets is that they either focus on protein or carbohydrate only diets that your body cannot sustain.
Your body needs all of the food groups to function healthily and by eating smaller portions every day, your stomach will automatically respond. You will feel fuller after only eating two slices of pizza as opposed to eating the whole pizza.
To be consistent in your weight loss efforts is key.
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As I write this, the temperature is a rather balmy 60 degrees here in Chicagoland, but with the time change and chill-inducing mornings, many of us are already changing how we exercise. My workouts change as soon as it gets below 45 degrees (or, as we say in the south, as cold as a well-digger’s butt), but some people actually like the cold weather – like the guy who runs past my house every morning no matter how cold it is. Perhaps, like other Chicagoans I know, he uses a secret internal heat source that no one will clue me in on.
Indoor workouts can get a little dull if you don’t and it’s easy for the pounds to creep on and the energy to drop in the cold darkness of winter.
I’m curious about you.
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While plenty of people struggle to exercise on a regular basis, there is another group of people (or “freaks” as my husband calls us) who actually struggle to take breaks from exercise. For this type of exerciser, completing every workout with 100% effort is the norm. In fact, working at 100% is something this exerciser comes to expect.
But what happens when he catches a cold, or he doesn’t sleep well or he’s just tired? He may still push himself to the usual levels of intensity despite the fact that his body (and, perhaps, his mind) just isn’t up for it. That can lead to unsatisfying workouts, poor performance and a feeling of failure.
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