Loosing Weight!!

Phase 1: How To Lose Weight

The purpose of Phase 1 is going to make a ton of sense. You see, in order to successfully reach your weight loss goals, you're going to first need to understand how to lose weight. (I told you it would make sense.) That's what Phase 1 is. A complete, yet easy to understand explanation of exactly what is required for weight loss to take place. How it happens, why it happens, and most important of all... what you need to do in order to make it happen. You can not skip ahead. You will need to know this in order to create your weight loss diet plan in Phase 2.

So, to sum up, by the end of this page you're going to know how to lose weight. Sound good? Great. Let's get to it...

You know when you eat food and drink drinks? Well, every one of those foods and every one of those drinks contain calories. Say it with me... calories. The reason I'm mentioning calories to you as though you are 5 years old is because the answer to the almighty "how to lose weight" question all revolves around calories. Not only does everything you eat and drink contain calories, but everything you do burns calories. Literally every step you take and every move you make burns calories. In fact, your body actually burns hundreds and even thousands of calories each day on its own just functioning. You could sit still all day and your body would still burn calories.

So now you may be wondering, if everything you eat contains calories, and everything you do burns calories, shouldn't they just cancel each other out? Yes, they should... and they do. If you consume the exact same number of calories that your body burns each day, your weight would stay exactly the same. If your body naturally burns 3000 calories a day, and you happen to eat 3000 calories a day, your weight would not change. In this example, 3000 calories is what's known as a calorie maintenance level. It's the number of calories required for the body to maintain it's current weight.

I should probably have you repeat "calorie maintenance level" with me, because if there's one thing more important than calories when it comes to losing weight... it's your calorie maintenance level.

Here's another thing you may have been thinking. "I know how to lose weight... burn more calories than I consume. I got that. I know I can do this by eating about 500 calories less than my maintenance level. But, instead of eating below my maintenance level, couldn't I just workout more and therefore burn more calories?" The answer is yes. If your maintenance level is 3000 calories a day, and you are eating the full 3000 calories a day, you could lose weight by working out and burning those 500 calories each day. You'd still end up in the same calorie deficit this way just as you would by eating less.

Weight loss is all about being in that calorie deficit. While you can technically accomplish this either way (through diet or workout), for best results and for best all around health, the trick is to do it using a combination of both. A proper diet plan combined with a proper workout is the ideal weight loss scenario. But, I'll talk more about that later. First I need to cover one final Phase 1 question some of you may have.

"While explaining how to lose weight, you have only really mentioned calories. What about protein, carbs and fat? Don't they matter?" The answer is yes.

You have reached the end of Phase 1. Right now you should fully understand how to lose weight. Feels good, doesn't it? I told you this was simple. What you need to do next is use what you just learned to create your own weight loss diet plan. That's what Phase 2 is. In Phase 2 you will learn exactly how to figure out what your calorie maintenance level is and exactly how many calories you should eat each day. You will also learn how much protein, carbs and fat you should be eating along with examples of which foods to get these nutrients from. You ready? Let's go...

Subtract 500 from your calorie maintenance level.

For example, if you figured your maintenance level to be 3000 calories per day, you would now start eating 2500 calories per day instead. It's really as easy as it sounds. Just subtract 500 from your daily maintenance level and then start eating this new amount of calories each day. By doing so, you would officially be in a calorie deficit. And, as you know, a calorie deficit is what makes weight loss happen.

You're also going to want to try to eat 5-6 smaller meals per day (once every 2-3 hours) and spread those calories out evenly among them. There are three reasons for eating 5-6 smaller meals instead of 1-3 big meals or just randomly throughout the day. The first is that it will help speed up your metabolism. The second is that eating so frequently will help keep you satisfied and less likely to eat something you shouldn't. The third is that you will be supplying your body with the nutrients it needs consistently throughout the day.

All that's left to do now as far as your weight loss diet plan goes is make sure that the calories you are consuming each day are coming from the right food sources...

Protein isn't just an important part of The Lose Weight diet, it's an important part of every diet. As far as food sources go, the best sources of protein tend to come from anything that used to be alive, or anything that came from something that used to be alive. Some high protein foods include:

chicken
fish
lean cuts of meat
turkey
eggs and egg whites
milk

Protein can also be found in all types of nuts, seeds and beans. And of course, there are always protein supplements in the form of powder, shakes and bars.

As far as how much protein you should include in your weight loss diet plan per day, that depends on the person. For example, the average person who doesn't exercise at all needs less protein than someone who does. Something in the range of 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight would be alright in this case. For example, if the person weighed 180lbs, you would do 180 x 0.5 = 90 grams of protein per day.

However, someone who does exercise should eat somewhere in the range of .6 - 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight. In this example a person weighing 180lbs would look to eat between 108 - 180 grams of protein per day. People really into weight training (and other athletes) are typically the ones who stay closer to the higher end of that equation.

The only other thing you need to know about protein is that 1 gram contains 4 calories. So, for example, if you were to eat 100 grams of protein per day, that would account for 400 calories. (100 x 4 = 400)

Now that you know how much protein and fat your weight loss diet should include, it will be pretty easy to figure out how many carbs you should eat. Quite simply, the rest of your diet should be carbs. Once you factor protein and fat into your total calorie intake, whatever calories are left over to reach the number of calories you figured you need to eat per day... those calories should come from carbs.

One carb contains 4 calories. So, for example, after factoring protein and fat into what you calculated your total calorie intake should be (500 below maintenance level, remember?), let's say you are 1200 calories below that number. In this example you would need to eat 300 carbs per day. (1200 ÷ 4 = 300)

And, just like fat, there is a good type of carbs you should eat (complex carbs), and a bad type of carbs you should try to limit as much as possible (simple carbs). Some sources of "good" carbs are:

beans
brown rice
100% whole wheat bread
whole wheat pasta
sweet potatoes
oatmeal
fruits and vegetables

The bad type of carbs are found in typical snack/junk foods like crackers, pretzels, chips, cookies, etc. as well as white bread, white rice, white potatoes, pasta and any candy, drink or food containing sugar. While you should try to limit these "bad" carbs as much as possible and get most of your carb intake from foods on the "good" list, eating a baked potato or some pasta once in a while won't kill you.

You have reached the end of Phase 2. Right now you should not only know how to lose weight, but you should also know exactly what your specific weight loss diet plan should be so YOU can lose weight. You know how many calories you need to eat, and you know where those calories should come from. For the most part, you're done. Take a breath. It's a good feeling, isn't it?

All that's left now is some final information to not only make sure you continue losing weight, but to make sure you keep the weight off once it's gone. That's what Phase 3 will explain. Also, any questions that may have popped into your head during Phase 1 and 2 (for example, how do you know how many calories/protein/carbs/fat are in certain foods?) will be answered in Phase 3. So... let's go...

What I'm about to say may scare you a little. However, it shouldn't. It is completely normal and is supposed to happen. At some point, you MAY stop losing weight. I can't tell you when exactly, but unless you have a really small amount of weight to lose, there is a chance that at some point your weight loss might come to a stop. Hang on, calm down. It's no big deal. Seriously... if it does happen, it was supposed to happen. The reason for this is because as you gradually begin to lose weight, you're body will start to change. Yeah, you'll look better, you'll be healthier, you'll feel better, but one other change will come to your calorie maintenance level.

For example, let's say you started at 200lbs and you calculated your maintenance level to be 3500 calories (these are just made up numbers). You then figured that in order to start losing weight, you'd need to eat 3000 calories per day (500 below maintenance). Since then, you've consistently lost weight and are currently down to 185lbs. But... your weight loss has stopped. It's been 3 weeks and you haven't lost even half a pound.

What this means is that your calorie maintenance level, which was 3500 calories when you were 200lbs, has changed now that you're at 185lbs. Your maintenance level has become lower. It is now 3000 calories. So, what do you do? Simple, reduce your calorie intake by an additional 250 calories. In this example, you'd start eating 2750 calories per day for now on. (3000 - 250 = 2750) OR, you could continue to eat the same number of calories (3000 in this example) per day, but just burn off the 250 calories through exercise.

Keep in mind though that this may not even happen to you. If it doesn't, cool. If it does, just make the simple 250 calorie adjustment (through diet and/or workout) to make sure you continue to lose weight.

I would recommend giving it 2-4 weeks of seeing no weight loss whatsoever before you make this adjustment just to be sure that you are indeed no longer losing weight. Sometimes your diet could have been off a little that week, or maybe you missed a workout or two. Something like this could make it appear as though you are no longer losing when in fact you just weren't as consistent as you should have been.

One of the keys to successful weight loss is accurately tracking your progress. While weighing yourself every week is one of the best ways to do so, there are 3 other ways.

One way is to have your body fat percentage tested on a somewhat regular basis. Some gyms do this, and some doctors, nutritionists, and personal trainers can do this for you as well. You can also buy body fat calipers and perform the test on yourself. A scale can only tell you if you are gaining or losing weight. Your body fat percentage can tell you if that weight is fat, muscle or water.

A second way to track your progress is with a tape measure. Measure your waist, arms, legs, chest, neck and really wherever else you want.

A third way is with pictures. Thanks to digital cameras, this is quick and easy. Since you see yourself many times every single day, it's a little harder for you to notice any changes. But, with pictures, you can literally look back and compare and see every bit of progress you've made.

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Lifestyle

Add exercise to your routine

It doesn't need to be much - just a few small lifestyle changes and you'll be doing more exercise without even knowing it! Here are some ideas:

- Instead of weekend brunches with Bloody Marys, try finding a local hiking path - a 2hour hour hike will burn calories and envigorate you.
- Walk up the stairs at work rather than catch the elevator.
- Walk to the local shops rather than drive.
- Park your car further away from your workplace.
- Take the dog for a walk, rather than leaving him in the yard.

Water, Water, Water!

What are the three most important things to keep you healthy? Water, Water, Water!

As well as prolonging your life and keeping your internal organs (liver, kidney etc) clean and healthy, it also speeds up your metabolism and aids weight loss!

So always keep a bottle of water on your desk at work, and readily available at home. Water curbs your appetite, so a glass of water before a meal will stop you from overeating.

Sometimes the body mistakes thirst for hunger, and so you eat when you should really be drinking water! Keep yourself fully hydrated and your hunger will disappear.

As a model, complexion is really important. And besides being so healthy for your body, water will also keep you looking beautiful!

Take the Junk Food out of the Fridge!

Take away the temptation altogether! Get rid of the chips, the ice cream and the chocolate. We all have moments of weakness, so be prepared and make sure its a bowl of fruit you reach for rather than a jar of cookies!!

If you need a replacement for all these snacks, here are some ideas:

- Low calorie yogurt
- Sweet potatoes
- A bowl of chopped fruit
- Dried fruits and nuts
- Popcorn
- Edamame, great to munch on with some salt

Get More Sleep

Life is tough these days, and none of us really gets the sleep we need. But many people don't realise that sleep is actually one of the most effective (and easiest!) weight loss remedies. Your sleep time works in several ways to keep the weight off.

First, muscle is regenerated during the final hours of sleep. The longer that you sleep, the easier you will find it to add muscle mass and increase your metabolism. Those extra hours are the most crucial ones.

Secondly, those who sleep more produce less of a hormone named Cortisone, a nasty substance that comes with higher stress levels and contributes to belly fat.

Those who get only 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night also have higher levels of glucose and insulin in their blood, both of which increase your body's fat storage capability.

Several studies have shown the beneficial effect of sleep on a weight loss program, so get to bed early, take advantage of those extra hours at the weekend, and help yourself to lose weight!

The Green Tea Diet

In my experience, there are really only two ways to lose weight - you reduce your calorie intake, or you increase your body's energy consumption. The Green Tea Diet follows both paths, and is perhaps the easiest diet on the market. With no carbs and no calories, it can also be used in conjunction with any other diet on this site.

This diet uses Green Tea extract to both increase your metabolism and reduce your appetite! I have used Green Tea throughout my career to limit my appetite and curb hunger pangs. A mug of green tea before or after each meal could be the best diet tip you've ever tried.

Green Tea: Basics

- Foundation

Green Tea has been used for more than 4,000 years in Chinese culture and medicine, to treat everything from headaches to depression. More recent studies have found it to be helpful in conditions like cancer, arthritis, high cholesterol and heart disease. Green tea can also help to boost your immune system and combat all kinds of viruses.

The health benefits of green tea are beyond dispute, but how does it help you to stay slim and burn off those extra pounds? Green tea can actually help you lose weight in two ways:

• Firstly, Green tea regulates blood sugar levels by reducing the amount of insulin produced. This prevents fat being stored and keeps your appetite under control.

• Secondly, a 1999 study showed that Green Tea extract results in a significant increase in energy expenditure. EGCG, the main polyphenol in green tea, is an effective thermogenic which increases the metabolism of fat. This was not just as a result of the caffeine in the tea, because those who lost weight on Green Tea lost more than those who were given caffeine alone.

- Diet

Just drink Green Tea with each meal. Its that simple! You should find that it helps to suppress your appetite, while increasing your metabolic rate.

Studies tend to agree that 4-5 cups a day of Green Tea is enough to get the maximum benefits. Or you can order the extract in a capsule form. If you drink it as a tea, add some honey, lemon juice and ice for a refreshing summer drink. You can even carry it in a thermos to drink wherever you are.

Green Tea: Pros

• The diet is simple to follow and can be used in conjunction with other diet plans. It can easily fit around your eating habits.

• Studies have shown its effectiveness as a diet aid. New research continued to shed light on green tea's usefulness as a medicinal supplement.

• The health benefits of drinking Green Tea every day are more than just weight loss. It boosts your immune system and can help with conditions as varied as heart disease and tooth decay.

Green Tea: Cons

• Weight loss is not as dramatic as with other diets, however green tea is easily combined with other diets to give your weight loss a boost.

• It helps if you like Green Tea, but you can always buy the capsules instead.

• Some dieters may have trouble sleeping as their caffeine intake is increased. If you're caffeine sensitive, don't drink it in the evening.

How to Increase Your Metabolism

Models struggle with weight gain just as much as anyone else. And, like everyone else, once they hit 30 years old it becomes progressively harder. Studies show that after 30, women lose 1/2 a pound of muscle every year and gain the same amount in fat! If you want to go to castings, you need a way to stop this happening.

Obviously going to the gym and eating right are important, but you can also make your body work for you. Increasing your metabolism, by reducing your alcohol consumption for example, means that even when you are at rest you are burning calories. Here are some great ideas that my friends in modeling have used.

Don't starve yourself!

The first instinct of many dieters is to put themselves on the starvation diet, but although this can help you quickly lose a couple of pounds, its not the right way to lose weight in the long run.

When your diet drops below 1000 calories, your body goes into 'starvation mode', which slows down your metabolism.

As well as feeling groggy and tired, you will be using far less calories than usual and making it even harder for yourself to lose weight! The answer is to eat a sustainable low-calorie diet, but never to make your body push the 'panic button' like this as it is counterproductive.

Also make sure to eat breakfast. If you skip it, your body will enter its 'starve' mode early in the day and it will be hard to break out. To keep your metabolism working all through the day, eat small, low calorie snacks between meals.

Decrease your alcohol consumption

That's right - stay off the booze! Although certainly not the most fun part of increasing your metabolism, cutting down your alcohol intake will help as much as anything. Studies show that alcohol suppresses the body's ability to burn fat.

It may be hard to completely cut alcohol out of an active social life, so why not try limiting yourself to one drink a night. If you make it a high-volume, low-alcohol drink (a lite beer for example), you might find it easier to get through the evening!

Black Pepper, Ginger, Chile Peppers

Spicy food doesn't just taste great, it actually increases your metabolism too. Black Pepper, Ginger and Chile Peppers all raise your body temperature and help you burn fat faster!

Careful though - the curries you find in restaurants are often oily and fatty, so cooking your own spicy food is always best.

Increase your muscle mass

Muscle burns 90% more calories than fat, so the more muscle you have the faster your metabolism will be. Going to the gym is not just a one-off attack on your fat cells - your new muscle will actually keep fighting that fat long after you leave the gym. Adding 5lbs of muscle will help you burn another 250 calories a day!

If you can't make it to the gym, then there are ways to make everyday activities into a workout. Carry your groceries home, walk the dog yourself, lift small weights while watching TV or take the stairs at work - it all helps!

Vitamin B and Calcium

The B-Vitamins give you more energy and increase your metabolism. Drinking coffee will increase your metabolism too, but Vitamin B is a much more healthy, sustainable way to do it. Make sure your daily supplement incorporates B-Vitamins and in particular B-12.

Recent research has found that 4 daily servings of low-fat dairy products can boost your body's fat-burning ability. Calcium actually increases your metabolism. So add some low-fat yogurts to your diet, maybe as a small snack between meals.

Drink More Water

Speed up your metabolism by drinking more water. A healthy, well-hydrated body is important to flush out toxins and aid in metabolizing fats. A simple way to determine if you are consuming enough water is to take note of the colour of your urine. If it is colorless or light yellow you are on the right track, if it's any darker you need to increase your water intake. Drinking ice water also helps the body expend more calories by heating it up.

Boost Your Omega-3 Fatty Acids

In recent studies it has been shown that an increased intake of Omega 3 fatty acids can help to balance blood sugar levels and control appetite. Good sources of this metabolism-boosting acid can be found in flax, hemp seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, salmon, mackerel and herring. Many people use flax oil as a supplement.

Blood Type Diet

There are four blood groups - A, B, AB and O - and we each belong to one of them. The blood type diet dictates that each blood type has a susceptibility to certain diseases, benefits from specific exercises and should only eat certain foods.

The blood type diet has become enormously popular recently, and makes a lot of sense intuitively to many people. Many find that by switching their diet, the weight falls off while hardly trying.

Blood Type Diet: Basics

- Foundation

The blood type diet comes from the evolutionary theory of blood groups, first proposed by William C. Boyd. It states that our blood types have evolved in the same way as our species. In other words, we can draw a line from the earliest blood type, O, through history to the most recent, AB.

The naturapathic doctor Peter D'Adamo took this theory and expanded it. He researched for many years the connection between food and blood types, and wrote a best selling diet book called "Eat 4 Your Blood Type".

There are many who are skeptical of this diet as it is largely theoretical, rather than based on any credible scientific studies. However, many swear by the diet and enjoy positive results like a slimmer physique and increased energy.

The order of evolution dictates the diet for each blood type. The idea is that we should look back in history and try, to some degree, to replicate the diet from the time of each blood type's evolution.

Much of the theory of the blood type diet rests on the actions of lectins, proteins found on the surfaces of foods that react differently with certain blood types. Peter D'Adamo believes each blood type has different levels of stomach acid and digestive enzymes. This variation creates a difference on how food is digested and absorbed, and how fat is metabolized.

- Diet

Here are the recommended diets for each blood type:

Blood Type O Diet (The Hunter)
The earliest blood group, associated with the hunter, tending to be muscular and active. Engaging in intense physical exercise is fundamental to the health of those in this blood type.

Type O dieters should stick to a high-protein diet heavy in meat but light on vegetables. Dairy and wheat products will lead to weight gain and should be avoided if possible. Foods in the brassica family such as cabbage, brussel spouts, cauliflower, and mustard greens inhibit thyroid function which leads to fatigue and weight gain. Coffee is also a strict no.

Blood Type A Diet (The Cultivator)
Type A evolved when humans began to build settlements and cultivate the land. The Type A diet therefore moves away from meat and emphasises vegetables. Carbs are fine, but meals should be very low fat. Dairy is also to be avoided, but coffee is beneficial.

Type A should ideally adhere to a strict vegetarian diet of complex carbs, fruits and vegetables. Type A has trouble digesting any type of animal protein, including dairy, so source protein from nuts, seeds, legumes and soy based products such as tofu.

Blood Type B Diet (The Nomad)
Blood type B supposedly evolved at a similar time to A, but is associated with a nomadic lifestyle and the herding of livestock. Dairy products are therefore an important part of this diet, along with a limited amount of meat.

Blood Type AB Diet (The Enigma)
Blood type AB is the most recently evolved type, and as you might expect its a combination of diets A and B. It is the most balanced diet, with a mixture of dairy, vegetables and meat.

Blood Type Diet: Pros

• There is no calorie counting on the blood type diet. You find the foods that suit you and can pretty much eat the quantity that you want. Your body is able to process these foods very efficiently.

• The blood type diet is inexpensive. You just need to buy the book, or even do some research online.

• This diet is full of natural, healthy foods packed with nutrients.

Blood Type B Diet (The Nomad)
Blood type B supposedly evolved at a similar time to A, but is associated with a nomadic lifestyle and the herding of livestock. Dairy products are therefore an important part of this diet, along with a limited amount of meat.

Blood Type AB Diet (The Enigma)
Blood type AB is the most recently evolved type, and as you might expect its a combination of diets A and B. It is the most balanced diet, with a mixture of dairy, vegetables and meat.

Blood Type Diet: Pros

• There is no calorie counting on the blood type diet. You find the foods that suit you and can pretty much eat the quantity that you want. Your body is able to process these foods very efficiently.

• The blood type diet is inexpensive. You just need to buy the book, or even do some research online.

• This diet is full of natural, healthy foods packed with nutrients.