Weight loss is a tricky subject in America, where so many young girls (and boys) are turning to anorexia, bulimia, and other eat disorders. While weight loss can be a very good and necessary thing, it can also turn into something horrible that affects millions across the nation and can even cause death. Knowing when you need to lose weight and when you do not is important in the fight against both your personal poor health and the terrible disease that are sweeping across the United States.

You can know that losing weight is often a very personal option. However, if you are more than 20 pounds overweight, losing the pounds is important for your health. Look at the recommended weight for someone of your size as a start. However, because everyone’s bodies are different, because of fat and muscle ratio to body weight, you should really see your doctor if you feel like you need to lose weight. A doctor can confirm this or put your mind to rest by telling you that your weight is normal. This is the best way to make sure that you are being healthy.

There are also times, however, when you definitely do not need to lose weight. First, if you aren’t as thin as your favorite actor or model, that doesn’t mean you need to lose weight. Often, models and actresses are airbrushed in photos to look more toned and they have personal trainers that work with them for hours every day in order to help them stay in shape. If your body weight is normal, you do not need to lose weight, even if you are a pants size bigger than your ideal celebrity.

Your also don’t need to lose weight just because you gain it. People gain weight for a number of reasons, and this is especially common during puberty and for the few years after. If you gain weight check out the rest of your body—are you going through a growth spurt in height as well? Also, don’t worry about gaining weight when you are lifting at the gym. As you tone your muscles, you will look better, but because muscles are heavier than fat, you may actually gain weight.

Lastly, you don’t need to lose weight simply because someone else makes a rude comment about your looks. People are cruel, but everyone has a different body make up. If you are happy with your weight and it is within the normal range for someone of your age and height, than chances are that the rude comment is stemming from other issues, not because you actually do need to lose weight. Be happy with  yourself and eat a healthy diet and you shouldn’t need to worry about losing weight.

Most people struggle with food.  Eating the perfect diet is seldom unattainable. Realizing this and knowing about our health and food nutrition can help when it comes to making wise dieting decisions.

Many of us deal with food “cravings.” Studies show that it’s very common for food cravings to happen quite often around bedtime. Your guard may be down, you’re tired, you may have had a tough day, and you find comfort with a tasty treat.

When we don’t control our food cravings, what starts out as an innocent bedtime snack can rapidly turn into a full-blown feeding frenzy. We march to the kitchen and any other place where food might hide with little regard for the effects.

Most food cravings seem to be more related to your emotional state rather than satisfying a nutritional need. It’s not completely understood why we over-indulge.

Here are some ideas to combat food cravings:

• Out of sight, out of mind.  If the food isn’t available, you can’t eat it! Keep that cookie jar empty.  Keep healthy food choices on-hand.
• Common feelings and emotions surround food cravings such as boredom, loneliness, or stress.  Recognize these and you will be able to better deal with food desires when they hit you.
• Self-control and discipline on their own will not cut it! If you depend totally on yourself for control, you will not succeed. Having supportive relationships is necessary.  If you don’t presently have a support network, start building one now.
• Don’t beat yourself up if you fail to control a food craving. You can always make it up tomorrow. Make use of your support network like calling a friend, or family member that you can share your feelings with.
• Get the right amount of sleep. When you are tired, you are more likely to get a food craving.
• Don’t give up.  If you have a slip-up, do whatever is necessary to regain control. Try to practice restraint most of the time.
• Exercise. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.  Exercise release feel-good endorphins and helps cut down on cravings.
• Satisfy food cravings in moderation. Limit your consumption of craved foods to 100 to 200 calories.
• Substitute craved foods with with low-fat varieties.  If you’re hungry for chocolate, eat non-fat chocolate yogurt. Try a fruit to satisfy that sweet craving.
• Do not skip meals. Eat every 3-5 hours. Try eating 6 smaller meals with nutritious snacks instead of eating 3 big meals.
• Hunger cravings are oftentimes stress related.  Stimulate the regions of the brain that stimulate pleasure by taking a walk in the park, making spiritual connections, getting in front of a cozy fireplace, taking a relaxing bath, doing yoga.  Bottom line, pleasurable experiences are a great substitute for comfort foods.
• Certain medications (prescription and over the counter) can be appetite stimulants. If you are on a medication and troubled by food cravings, discuss it with your physician or pharmacist. They may be able to recommend alternatives that do not send your cravings out of control.
• Make distractions for yourself. Do anything other than cave-in to your desire for food.  Get busy, exercise, work, etc.
• Clean house in your refrigerator and kitchen cabinets.  Discard unhealthy stuff and start shopping healthy. Carefully planning what foods you have in your kitchen will go a long way for improving your chances of success.

The key to successful weight-loss is to set sensible goals. Setting goals allow you to track your progress and gives you defined targets to aim for. Don’t set your goals too high because you will set yourself up for failure or worse, risk your health by losing too much weight too fast. However, you should set a goal that will give you a challenge. Here are a few guidelines on thinking up sensible weight-loss goals.

Consult with your physician.  Meet with your physician or general practicionaer. He or she knows your medical history and will be able to advise you on how much weight you should lose. Speak to your physician before starting any diet or exercise regimen.

• Keep your weight loss to 1 to 2 pounds per week.
  • Never try a crash diet.  Just the connotation spells trouble and should be avoided at all costs. You should keep to a slow and steady weight-loss plan. Decide on an ideal target weight (be realistic) then set your expectations for losing one to two poinds per week. So if you feel like you need to lose 20 pounds, your goal will be to get to that weight in twenty to forty weeks.

• Smaller goals make a difference.
  • Don’t start a weight-loss program thinking that success means completing the target weight and target date.  You will see and feel the benefits of losing as little as 10% of your body weight. Break up your ultimate goal into smaller goals to reach along the way. It can be intimidating looking at the ultimate goal. Breaking it up into smaller goals allows you to concentrate first on your smaller goal, giving you a sense of accomplishement when you reach it. So even if you don’t make your ultimate goal of making your target weight, be proud of the pounds that you lose along the way.

• Body Mass Index is more important than just the weight.
  • Feeling overweight or just thinking that you need to lose weight can be very subjective. To get a better feel for where you are at, you may want to calculate your Body Mass. Ask your physician, nutritionist, or search the internet for a body mass calculator.  Then, tweak your weight-loss goal so will eventually be in the “normal” category.

Now that you have your weight-loss goal and the mini goals in place, start by tackling your first mini goal. I know you can succeed by approaching weight-loss one step at a time. Your next challenge is just to get started.

The holiday season is usually about fun times with friends, family, and other loved ones.  It’s also accompanied by too much food.  This typically results in being emotionally drained from all the festivities and weight gain.  The first day of the year is the most often cited date to start a new diet or weight loss program. But studies show that a majority of those new year’s resolutions about diets have failed that resolution a month after they start.

So what is the best weight-loss help, advice and motivation we can give our readers each year around this time? Here are some helpful tips that anyone can use.

• Write down goals!
  • This seems simple but over 75% of dieters will never write their goals on paper.  Because of this, they will never by fully committed to their weight-loss resolution.

• Be positive and stay positive!
  • Ignore that negative voice in your head which puts you down, tells you that you can’t succeed in losing weight, and tries to make you believe that your current at the right body size. If you heed that voice, you’ll never succeed.  Once you turn those negative thoughts around and start believing that you deserve to look, feel, and be fit, healthy, and happy will you truly open the door to success.

• Choose your diet wisely
  • A majority of dieters make their diet decisions based on what’s popular than real scientifically proven methods. The lack of proper research results in failed diets and sometimes unhealthy ones.  Do your due diligence and study the many weight-loss programs and foods available and make sure it’s safe and nutritionally viable. Your physician and a licensed nutritionist are great sources of information.

If you ate a bit more on food over the holidays, don’t be too concerned.  Follow the simple tips above and you will build a good foundation for succeeding at your New Year’s Resolution.

Here’s to your health!

If you are happy with your weight, you belong to the minority of people in the world, but should be applauded for your positive outlook on your life and your body. However, weight loss still may be needed. Many people who are overweight say that they are happy with their bodies, but the fact remains that weight loss in order to achieve a healthy weight is very important. There are a number of reasons you should consider weight loss, even if you don’t mind having a few extra pounds.

First and foremost, if you are overweight, you are at risk for a number of diseases. The main health risk you will probably experience is heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack. Many heart attacks are deadly. Heart disease develops when you heart has to work extra hard to pump the blood to the body, which causes it to become fatigued. This can occur simply because you are overweight, or can be a result of high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Along with heart disease, having high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can also put you at risk for a stroke. Strokes occur when blood, and therefore oxygen, cannot reach the brain. This can happen due to high cholesterol. When you have high cholesterol, the fatty deposits build up on your artery walls. If a piece of this plaque breaks off and travels to the heart, it causes a heart attack, and traveling to the brain causes a stroke.

Being overweight is also bad for women who wish to become pregnant. When you’re overweight, the hormones in your body are changing, and if you don’t get the right nutrients you may find that your body does not produce the right chemicals for the hormones needed to ovulate or carry a child. Even if you become pregnant, being overweight puts you at risk for a miscarriage or health problems with the baby.

Beyond the health world, being overweight can also affect your daily life. You may find it difficult to purchase clothing in your size or you may find that the clothing that does come in larger sizes is more expensive. This is simply due to the manufacturer need more material to make the same article of clothing. Problems extend beyond shopping when doing things like visiting theme parks, where you may not be able to ride all of the rides, or using public transportation, where you may feel crowded in seats made for smaller people. Losing weight, even if you are currently happy with your own weight, is always a healthy and smart option, until you reach a normal weight.