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Understanding Weight Loss

Lose the fat, stop the pain and change your life forever.

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Table of Contents:

Page: 1 Table of Contents

Page: 2 My Story

Page: 4 Master Your Inner Motivation

Page: 5 Your Motivation and Goal Setting Worksheets

Page: 7 Motivational Tips that Inspire

Page: 11 Setting Practical Goals

Page: 12 What is Ideal Body Weight

Page: 15 The Benefits of Food Combining

Page: 18 Food Combining Chart

Page: 20 Liver Function and Weight Loss

Page: 22 Water Power

Page: 24 The Truth about Feeling Hungry

Page: 25 Soup and Weight Loss Success

Page: 27 The Benefits of Exercise

Page: 29 Exercises Choices to Get You Started

Page: 32 To Your Success

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My Story

There comes a time when something in you just snaps and you realize there is nothing more real to you than changing the way you look and feel.

I had struggled with weight loss and illness since my late teens.

In my 18th year I was diagnosed with UC (ulcerative colitis) which is a nasty disease that makes it difficult to properly digest your food.

Doctors quickly put me on medications to control the symptoms. To my disbelieve their advise was not to eat any raw foods which of course included fruit, vegetables and salads. You know all the things that are good for you.

My new meal planning was filled with hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, pizza, meat and potatoes.

In other words, my diet consisted of a whole lot of foods that couldn't provide all the necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients that the human body requires to run efficiently.

It was an extremely easy diet to follow; after all, it included pizza, one of my favorites back then.

Coming from a family that wasn’t genetically skinny to begin with, man oh man, did the pounds every start adding up. I really ballooned out.

I became tired, overweight, depressed, frustrated and my self-esteem was at an all time low. The most painful thing of all was when people asked me when I was expecting my baby, and sadly, I was not pregnant.

It seemed that all the medications and meal planning advice were making things worse.

That was the turning point in my life. Total frustration led me on a journey to find out how to lose the weight for good and cure my digestive issues.

I spent countless hours studying, researching and experimenting with every diet plan out there and analyzed medical books, journals and all the self help books available. After 20 years you figure out what works and what doesn't.

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The whole point was to learn as much about nutrition and how our digestive system works. Then I applied what I learned into my own life.

Successful weight loss mainly requires understanding. What I mean is we have to take a good look at ourselves. Not only our eating and drinking habits but how our bodies actually work.

Things such as metabolism and liver function are directly related to our body weight.

Once you gain this knowledge your everyday decisions become easier. It’s like looking at a piece of food before eating it and knowing the benefits or disadvantages when consuming them.

I’m ecstatic to say I am now at my ideal weight and went from a size 14 to size 4 and feel terrific.

This didn’t happen overnight as natural and healthy weight loss does take time but the results last forever once you know how.

My favorite saying is one by Winston Churchill:

Never, Never, Never, Never Give Up

Want to know why?

Well I was the person that started a diet almost every week and also failed on a regular basis. But looking back failing had one big positive upside. As long as a person fails at something that also means that they are still trying their best and they are not ready to throw in the towel.

That’s a good thing, because there is always a chance to succeed if you don’t give up.

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Master your Inner Motivation

For Healthy Weight Loss Success

Healthy weight loss does need motivation. But does another day go buy when we promise to make changes and fall short? Are you stuck in the same old routine?

Any type of change in our daily lives can seem disruptive and challenging. It is hard to change routines, especially ones we’ve been doing for a long time, even when we know some choices are not in our best interest.

Whether you want to lose weight, start exercising or maintain a healthier life style, what moves us to take action? How do we get motivated?

The first step is to know exactly what you want to achieve before taking action. Setting a goal is of great importance because it is a way of telling ourselves that we are not where we want to be in our lives. We want to make things better.

Also setting any goal creates a positive pressure which helps us to move forward, wanting to succeed.

Provided below is a Motivation and Goal Setting Work Sheet to get you started.

Think of this as your own personal journal. Write down what you really feel. When answering the questions on the worksheet take your time and be as honest as you can with yourself. Work sheets and journals are great tools as they build the written foundation of what you want to achieve, why you need to accomplish this goal and how it will positively change your life.

Think of this written foundation as the ammunition you need to achieve success.

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Your Motivation and Goal Setting Worksheet

Section A – Goal Setting What would you like to achieve? Be specific! Do you want to lose 10 pounds, 20 pounds or more? Whatever you want your outcome to be, write it down here in detail. Section B – Reasons for Change Right down 5 or more reasons why you must change your behavior. Example: If it is a weight issue then some reasons could be feeling tired or having little energy to enjoy your daily life. Or perhaps you feel self conscious about the way others perceive you. List all of the negative things you want to eliminate to better your life. Section C – Activities to Help You Reach Your Goal Right down the activities or life changes you need to do that will help you accomplish your goal. Examples: Take a 15 minute walk daily. Substitute healthy beverages in place of colas or sweetened drinks. Start substituting healthy food choices for bad ones. (You probably have a very specific list of your own). Choose one of the simpler activities to start with. Incorporate that positive change into your daily life. When you feel confident add another activity to your day. You will be amazed how quickly positive benefits add up, as long as you don’t give up, even with small changes.

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Section D – Keep a Daily Journal List the new activity or activities that you want to start today. It is helpful to write down what you accomplished and how you feel about it. Take close notice to what is working and what isn’t. Make changes if necessary. Everyday remind yourself of all the pain you will avoid and the pleasure you will gain by sticking with it. Results do take time, but they will happen. Take the time to in vision how you will feel when you reach your goal. Smile, you are on your way.

Buying a diary or notebook is recommended for this daily activity. Section E – Use Leverage to Achieve Success Use leverage to help you make these changes a reality. If you need a little more strength to stay focused and committed, now is the time to reinforce why you need to accomplish your goal and stay on track. Write down what your life will be like if you don’t change. How will you look and feel in the future? For example if you are trying to lose weight picture yourself a year from now. Will you be the same weight or even heavier if you don’t follow through? How will your health be? How will you feel about yourself and your relationships? What about picturing you 3 years down the road, or even 5 years from now? What is the vision of yourself, how you feel and your health? Section F – The Benefits and Rewards of Success List all the benefits and rewards you will get by achieving your goal. What will life be like when you have lost those unwanted pounds? Will it help how you feel around others, perhaps even boosting your relationships? Do you feel fit, energized and healthy? Note: - Beyond the Motivation Worksheet

• If what you are doing isn’t working, don’t reinvent the wheel. • If you know someone who has accomplished the same thing you want to achieve ask them how they did it. It

may help you. • Stay focused on your goals. Stick with it and picture the outcome in your mind. Remember, not changing can be

painful. But accomplishment comes with many joys and rewards.

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Motivational Tips that Inspire

These helpful motivational tips will definitely make healthy weight loss easier and more pleasurable.

Write out your future goals (use the handy Worksheet provided above)

It is important to know exactly what you want to achieve and why. It’s like keeping a journal about your life and you are the star.

Remind yourself the benefits you will gain by sticking to it and always picture the happy outcome in your mind.

Set everyday goals that will become long time achievements.

Know what you want and then take action, because without action it will only be a dream and not a reality.

Post inspirational notes and photos

Try posting motivational notes or photos of people that inspire you when starting your new healthy life style. Post these in an area where you can see them every morning when you start your day.

Putting pictures of your kids and loved ones on a desk nearby may move you closer to your goals.

We all know that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can add years to your life. What a great way to be there for your family and friends for years to come.

Reward yourself

One way in making your healthy weight loss journey more pleasurable is to recognize your achievements. Sticking to your goals for a whole week definitely calls for a treat or mini celebration.

Why?

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Because it takes a lot of hard work to go without your favorite foods for a long time and learn to change your lifestyle.

So treat yourself. You can buy yourself a little gift or have that snack you’ve been missing. Treating yourself once a week is truly okay.

Feeling Hungry is actually good for you. Here’s why. When you are hungry your body is cleansing itself which aids in weight loss.

Do you every get that rumbling hungry feeling in your tummy. That feeling is actually a good thing.

When we have less food in our tummies our bodies are in cleaning mode. Toxins are being eliminated and calories are being burned. You can always have a glass of water to fill you up until your next meal.

It’s always a good thing to be hungry for an hour or two if you can manage it.

If some days that hungry feeling becomes intolerable, then check out the next tip below. Don’t starve yourself

Eat, but reach out for real foods, not processed foods.

Yes, stock up on fruits and veggies. Real foods not only nourish the body but you know exactly what you are eating. No preservatives, no chemicals and no surprises.

So go ahead and eat as many fruits and veggies to satisfy your hunger between meals.

Your weight scale could be hindering your progress

When starting a new life style change we are motivated and enthused.

Many of us become so enthused that we expect to see miraculous results almost instantly. Don’t be fooled. Things don’t happen overnight, but they will happen.

Weighing yourself everyday may become discouraging if you think the results are not happening fast enough. This may distract you from focusing on your long term goals.

Weigh yourself only once a week. If you are on the right track you will show positive results that will keep you motivated for the long term.

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Focus on the now as you picture the future

Sounds like opposing ideas, doesn’t it?

Just keep in mind, as you start losing weight, focus on the right foods to eat and not the number of pounds you have lost. The pounds you shed will start slowly first. This is normal and healthy.

Once you’ve adjusted your body to the right kind of foods you can always accelerate your weight loss by fine tuning your diet intake. The future can be picture perfect; it just takes day to day focus to get there. Your only human get used to it

Once you’ve started, don’t worry if you fall off the wagon. Just get right back where you left off.

Everyone is different so you should never compare yourself with anyone else. You are your own unique individual.

Remember, you are only human and nobody is perfect. As long as you stick to your goals with only the occasional downfall, all will be fine. Just make sure that you learn to forgive yourself on those few occasions.

Food Awareness

We have to stop eating anything we want at any time. There are consequences for this way of eating. It is only good practice to think before we reach and stuff our mouths.

Choose wisely and avoid junk foods. Pick your favorite healthy foods and enjoy. You will feel better and more energized.

But in time you won’t miss the junk food anymore. When you start seeing the changes in your weight, feeling your energy levels rise chances are you won’t be reaching out for a junk food treat too often.

Healthy meals will become the norm and your digestive system won’t appreciate unhealthy meal choices anymore.

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Plan ahead for next day simplicity

Every task flows easier when you have a plan. Once you have chosen your meal plans for tomorrow or even a few days ahead, try to prepare.

Make sure the ingredients you need are in your fridge and ready to go. If you wash and clean all the vegetables ahead of time, it makes things so much easier when you need to prepare your meals.

This motivational tip is a time saver on those busy days.

If you can, try to get your family members involved in the kitchen to help you clean the produce.

Many hands make light work and you will have access to clean fruits and vegetables when needed for the days to come.

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Setting Practical Goals

Setting practical goals is extremely important. First we don’t want to shock our bodies with radical change and we don’t want to set goals that are unrealistic. We need goals that we can easily achieve and build on. Some diets require too much change immediately; this can easily lead to failure.

As we start changing our diets we are eliminating junk foods for healthier foods, which mean we are also eliminating toxins. You never want to eliminate toxins too quickly. It’s not a good feeling.

The feelings we want to achieve on a daily basis is success. Just think if you change one small thing and stick with it for one week. Then the following week you change a second thing and add that to your daily success of achievements. These little things soon compound on one another until one day you start to see and feel the positive changes.

I don’t believe a person should have to pre-measure or count calories for everything they consume, though this method does work for some. Life style changes should not only benefit us, the changes should be moderately easy.

There are some diet plans out there that are not very healthy, but if they work for you that is great but please only use these as short term solutions. Being thin is great but not at the expensive of your health.

Maintaining your ideal body weight truly comes from eating healthy. The reality is that the human body requires plant foods to stay healthy, fit and strong.

What are plant foods?

Simply they are all foods that are derived from living plants, like a gift from mother earth to us. These gifts include fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds.

So if you enjoy eating large quantities of food try eating as much plant foods as possible. This way you can still treat yourself once or twice a week with a not so healthy treat and still keep things balanced quite nicely.

If you want to feel fully energized make sure your diet consists of at least 50 percent of water rich foods (fruits and vegetables), they are not only low in calories but truly provide the body with much needed life nutrients.

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What is Ideal Body Weight?

To get an idea of what your ideal body weight is some people like to use a chart or guideline they can follow, to put things in perspective when starting their journey of healthy weight loss.

There is nothing wrong with that as long as you use these numbers, as guidelines only.

We are all unique and all have different body frames and genetics.

Calorie counting and dieting is certainly one way to achieve weight loss.

But how great would it be to maintain your ideal body weight and achieve optimal health without dieting? So how does it work?

Simple, we just need to understand some key facts on how the human body works.

Let’s start by focusing on the liver, metabolic rate and the thyroid gland.

Improving your liver function starts the ball rolling. When you start to decrease the load of toxins that your liver has to deal with, this organ is quick to bounce back with strength.

This means cutting as much junk food and chemicals out of your diet. You see improved liver function means improved metabolic rate (metabolism) which is regulated by the hormones from the thyroid gland.

The secret to improving the thyroid’s function is to first improve liver function.

Once this has been accomplished our bodies will know precisely how much we should weigh and how to get there, without crazy fad diets or calorie counting.

So there is no need to convince yourself that you have to look like an anorexic model that is on a cover of a magazine.

We are all different and all have different body frames. But whatever your body shape is, the goal is to be at our healthiest weight, feel energized and stay healthy.

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Weight Chart for Women

Weight in pounds, based on ages 25-59 with the lowest mortality rate (indoor clothing weighing 3 pounds and shoes with 1" heels)

Height Small Frame Medium Frame Large Frame

4'10" 102-111 109-121 118-131

4'11" 103-113 111-123 120-134

5'0" 104-115 113-126 122-137

5'1" 106-118 115-129 125-140

5'2" 108-121 118-132 128-143

5'3" 111-124 121-135 131-147

5'4" 114-127 124-138 134-151

5'5" 117-130 127-141 137-155

5'6" 120-133 130-144 140-159

5'7" 123-136 133-147 143-163

5'8" 126-139 136-150 146-167

5'9" 129-142 139-153 149-170

5'10" 132-145 142-156 152-173

5'11" 135-148 145-159 155-176

6'0" 138-151 148-162 158-179

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Weight Chart for Men

Weight in pounds, based on ages 25-59 with the lowest mortality rate (indoor clothing weighing 5 pounds and shoes with 1" heels)

Height Small Frame Medium Frame Large Frame

5'2" 128-134 131-141 138-150

5'3" 130-136 133-143 140-153

5'4" 132-138 135-145 142-156

5'5" 134-140 137-148 144-160

5'6" 136-142 139-151 146-164

5'7" 138-145 142-154 149-168

5'8" 140-148 145-157 152-172

5'9" 142-151 148-160 155-176

5'10" 144-154 151-163 158-180

5'11" 146-157 154-166 161-184

6'0" 149-160 157-170 164-188

6'1" 152-164 160-174 168-192

6'2" 155-168 164-178 172-197

6'3" 158-172 167-182 176-202

6'4" 162-176 171-187 181-207

*Ideal Weights according to the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tables (1983)

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The Benefits of Food Combining

What Can Food Combining Do For You? Yes, one benefit of food combining is healthy weight loss, but there are many others.

For instance you can also achieve improved energy levels, better elimination, increased metabolism and better nutrient absorption.

The improper combining of meals can be catastrophic. Certain combinations allows the food to ferment in your stomach which can cause unnecessary weight gain, bloating, indigestion, acid reflux, loss of energy, heart burn, constipation and many other problems. Then these symptoms can lead to other more severe diseases.

Some health practitioners believe that all disease stems from the stomach.

But the bottom line is if you want to stop adding extra calories on and start burning them away, we can’t just put anything we like into our mouths anytime we feel like it.

It is important to understand that different foods require different digestive juices to break them down and if the wrong ones are eaten together they will fight each other for digestion.

So instead of being digested completely, providing the necessary nutrients to your cells, some of the foods can increase fermentation and the onset of toxins in your intestinal tract causing indigestion, weight gain, and the possibility of countless other problems.

Eating Starches and Proteins Together May DOUBLE DIGESTION TIME:

When we separate starches and proteins this allows our digestive system to speed things up and make things more efficient. It is a great way to increase your metabolism. They simply should not be eaten together.

Protein requires hydrochloric acid and pepsin from the stomach and starchy foods require alkaline juices from the mouth. These cannot work at the same time. They cause the digestive juices to neutralize which increases digestive time.

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The More Common Known Proteins Are:

Meats Eggs Dairy Products Nuts and Seeds

The More Common Known Starches Are:

Pastas Rice Bread Potatoes Legumes (lentil, starchy beans, blacked eye peas) Fruits are the most perfect food:

Fruit is one of the best foods to consume. It takes the least amount of time and energy to digest and it gives you back the most in return.

Fruit should always be eaten alone or 20 minutes before any other food. The reason for this is that it digests very quickly on its own. If we mix it with other foods, the fruit will get digested slower.

Eat Sweets Separately:

Sweets should not be eaten after protein. Not only are sweets filled with sugar and unwanted calories but we know that mixing sweets with protein, lengthens the digestive process, slowing down are metabolism, perhaps causing gas and leaving us with that bloated feeling.

This slow digestion also makes our digestive track a safe haven for food to ferment and putrefy and hinders the weight loss process.

So if you really are a sweet tooth, and want to treat yourself once in a while, make that piece of cake your lunch or dinner.

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The Basic Rules for Food Combining:

1. Eat proteins only with vegetables or other proteins

2. Eat starches only with vegetables or other starches

3. Eat fruits alone

4. Sweets should not be eaten after protein

Doctors and scientists have studied food combining for centuries. More and more people are realizing the benefits of proper food combinations for three main reasons; healthy weight loss, disease prevention or curing existing symptoms that ail them.

If you take care of your stomach your stomach will take care of you.

Some people enjoy going to the extremes when it comes to combining every morsel of food. That is great, but even limited food combining can give great results.

I myself do not take food combining to the extreme, but I do keep larger portions of meats separated from larger portions of starches.

Let me explain.

Perhaps for supper you have chosen a delightful baked potato, some steamed vegetables and garden salad on the side.

A few bacon bits on the baked potato are not enough mixing to hinder my digestion.

But to eat a portion of meat with a starch (such as potato, rice, bread and pasta) is something I try to avoid. That bloated feeling doesn’t sit well with me anymore.

Everyone is a little different so if you are fed up with that bloated, burpy, gassy feeling, give food combining a try.

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How to Use the Food Combining Chart

The food combining chart is a quick reference guide that helps create healthy meals that provide good digestion.

There are two essential rules that need to be followed that will get you well on your way.

Always eat fruit on an empty stomach or 20 minutes before consuming other foods.

Fruits are one of the best foods to consume. They take the least amount of time and energy to digest and they give you back the most in return.

They are truly one of the healthiest gifts from Mother Earth.

Do not mix concentrated proteins with concentrated starches at the same time.

This combination can bog down the digestive system for hours (anywhere from 6 -14 hours) leaving food there to ferment which creates extra toxins in your system.

Good digestion can be a speedy 3 – 4 hour process which leaves surplus digestive juices available for detoxifying the body, not adding toxins to it.

Why Choose Food Combining?

This program or way of life could probably be described as one of the most successful diets of all time.

It has helped millions of people to lose weight, relieve digestive issues, regain health, increase energy levels and keeps the digestive tract cleaner to help prevent illness and disease.

It is the belief of many physicians, natural therapists and in ayurvedic medicine that the root cause of all disease stems from impaired digestion.

If you have never tried a lifestyle that incorporates combining foods properly, all I can say is give it a try. If you have tried before and given up, please give it another shot.

The food combining chart is a helpful tool but it doesn’t have to be taken to extreme, just remember the two main rules as mentioned above to start with.

It doesn’t take long to see and feel the positive changes when digestion is improved.

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Liver Function and Weight Loss Lose Pounds without Dieting

Improved liver function can directly affect your weight loss success.

Learn how to increase your metabolism, shed extra pounds, and improve your health.

First we need to understand how liver function and weight loss are connected.

The liver is your body’s hardest working organ and has many functions to ensure your survival. It filters, eliminates and neutralizes everything that you put in your body, and I mean everything. Everything we eat, drink, inhale or absorb through our skin. The liver is also responsible for the secretion of bile, which is a fluid that is stored in the gallbladder and is released as it is needed for digestion.

Proper Bile production is necessary for good digestion.

Bile helps our bodies to break down and digest fat.

It also stimulates the digestive system, which helps prevent constipation. Bile has other functions too like the absorption of calcium and certain vitamins.

The liver dumps toxins into the bile so they can be eliminated from the body.

If your liver becomes overloaded then so does the amount of toxins that the liver dumps in the bile. Then the bile becomes so clogged that it just can’t function properly anymore. It becomes so thick from being mucked up that it becomes very inefficient in breaking down our fat. The sad outcome is weight gain.

Another liver function is to regulate the body’s hormones and metabolic rate which are also linked to weight loss. You see metabolic rate (metabolism) is regulated by the hormones from the thyroid gland. If our livers are sluggish and overloaded the chances are your metabolism will also be sluggish.

When your metabolism is running at peak performance your body knows exactly what weight it should be and how to get there.

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Bottom line:

If your liver is sluggish and overwhelmed, achieving your ideal body weight will become extremely difficult. To keep liver function at its optimum, avoid the following:

An improper diet

That would be a diet that is low in protein and high in carbohydrates and fats.

Avoid fried foods, saturated fats, junk foods, processed foods, refined white flour products and white sugar products.

These types of food have been depleted of natural vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Overeating

Overeating is probably the most common cause of liver malfunction. It creates excess work for the liver, resulting in liver fatigue.

In addition, the liver must detoxify all of the various chemicals present in our food supply today. When the liver is overworked, it may not detoxify harmful substances properly.

Avoid Stimulants, they are not nutrients

Stimulants such as coffee, chocolate, white sugar, alcohol, artificial sweeteners and tobacco.

They do stimulate us but provide no benefits, they just overwhelm the liver.

Alcohol is particularly toxic to the liver when consumed in excessive amounts. The liver begins to lose its functioning capacity.

By improving liver function you will achieve more than just weight loss, you will start to cleanse your body, mind and spirit.

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Water Power

Next to oxygen, water is the most important nutrient the body needs. We can survive without food for many days, but not without this precious liquid.

It hydrates us, helps carry nutrients, detoxifies the body, and increases your metabolic rate. It also plays a huge role in weight loss and is necessary for the body to run efficiently.

It must become second nature to hydrate your body throughout the day.

Tips that help thin

Fill Up Before Your Meal

Drink a glass of water before your meals. It makes you feel full and then you can’t eat as much and it also helps prepare the body for the digestive process.

Water and Digestion

If you can manage it, try not to drink any liquids during meal time as this dilutes your digestive juices. Waiting 20 – 30 minutes after meals before drinking any liquids is ideal.

Your health and weight depends on the strength of your digestive system.

For Carbonated Drink Lovers

Soft drinks do not provide your body with any nutrients and can sure add on the calories.

So if you enjoy a cola or carbonated drink, switch your sweetened bubbles for a refreshing bottle of sparkling water. You can always add a nice slice of orange or lemon to garnish.

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Turn your Water into Tea

One of the most popular beverages consumed worldwide is tea.

There is a wide variety of teas to choose from that all give water a special flavor, aroma and certain health benefits.

The list of teas could go on for pages, but to name a few would be green, white, black, Oolong and herbal infusions. Some of them taste absolutely divine.

Teas are great because you can enjoy them hot or cold. You can also add honey and lemon to them or just drink them as is. Whatever the case, it is a great way to hydrate your body and enjoy the many benefits of tea.

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The Truth about Feeling Hungry and Why It’s Good for You

When you are hungry your body is cleansing itself which aids in weight loss.

Do you every get that rumbling hungry feeling in your tummy. That feeling is actually a good thing.

When we have less food in our tummies our bodies are in cleaning mode. Toxins are being eliminated and calories are being burned. It’s always a good thing to be hungry for an hour or two if you can manage it.

Drinking water during this time is perfect. It helps the cleansing process, makes you feel full for a little while and water has no calories. If you don’t like to wait it out there is always the comfort of fruit if you want a sweet snack that takes little or no time to prepare. There have been countless medical studies proving that an animal’s life span is increased when their food intake was decreased.

The reason for this is that your body has a chance to better eliminate toxins when it doesn’t have to work so hard digesting large amounts of food that we eat.

A Little History

Take Dr. Clive McCay for example. He was a professor at Cornell University. He was best known for proving that restricting calorie intake increased the life span of rats. His studies showed that eating less promoted longevity. In one experiment he took a group of rats and cut their food intake by half. The result was that those rats doubled their life span compared to the group of rats that ate twice as much. Similar studies have proven that this applies to humans as well. Less food intake slows down the aging process.

So what does all this mean? We don’t need to eat a lot; we just need to eat smart. This way our bodies efficiently use the nutrients it needs without long digestion and weight gain.

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Soup and Weight Loss Success

The benefits of soup are even higher when you make soups from scratch.

Fresh vegetables and wholesome foods can increase health and weight loss success. Now don’t get me wrong, canned soups are fine when you are in a rush but they do contain preservatives and chemicals when they are processed. That is why canned goods can last for years on the shelf. Preservative free and fresh is simply a wiser meal choice.

Soups have to be one of my favorite meals. They are easy to make, easy to digest, low on calories, relatively inexpensive to make, are filled with fiber, nutrients, vitamins, high water content and can aid in illness.

Remember back in the good old days when soup was practically a daily staple? The days when there wasn’t a fast food joint on every corner. People ate healthier meals and obesity was almost unheard of.

Folks would use fresh vegetables, legumes, meats or a combination of those to make a bountiful pot of delicious tasting soup for the whole family.

Back then the benefits of soup were not only to heal the sick, but to maintain health.

Today life has become so fast paced that many of us don’t make the time or perhaps no one has every showed us how easy it is to make a fresh pot of soup.

But all that is slowly changing. There are more and more soup fans growing by the number. It is catching on like wild fire.

People are starting to take the time to incorporate homemade soup and broth back into their every day diets because they realize the benefits they were missing out on. The Magic of Homemade Soups

As mentioned above the benefits of soup are many. They provide an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and nutrients, not to mention fantastic for weight loss success when incorporated into your meal plans. Soups and broths contain high water content and are low in calories.

There is such a large variety that you can make. In fact you could probably pick a different recipe once a week and not have to make the same soup twice for a very long time.

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At this link there are some delicious homemade soup recipes you can enjoy.

There is an abundance of vegetables at your local grocery store all year long and of course at certain times of the year you can purchase seasonal produce at your local farmers market.

Other benefits of soup include saving money and creative fun in the kitchen.

Imagine creating your own delicious soup just by using up leftover meats and veggies in your fridge. You can even add pasta to your soups to spruce them up.

Just when you thought there was nothing for dinner, presto, you created a hearty and quick meal for your family.

This is always helpful if you haven’t had time to hit the grocery store or if your budget is getting low. Can You Really Lose Weight by Eating Homemade Soups? Definitely Eating a bowl of soup as an appetizer is a great way to cut down on the calories. It leaves you feeling full before your main course so you eat less of the heavier foods.

If you choose to make soup your main meal you can always make the meal more appealing by adding your favorite bread or some crackers on the side.

Try a bowl for breakfast.

Whether you are eating a bowl for breakfast, lunch or dinner, the more homemade soups you consume instead of heavier food choices, the less calories you will consume which leads to weight loss.

Here are a few other benefits of soup that make a bowl at meal time more appealing. Since they are high in fiber and easy to digest they can help relieve constipation, poor digestion, and troubles with stomach acid.

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The Benefits of Exercise

The benefits of exercise are many. Research has shown that even a moderate amount of exercise daily can help achieve the following:

Weight Loss

Regular exercise can assist in weight loss when complimented with a sensible diet.

Now if you incorporate the benefits of exercise, on top of your sensible diet, you can accelerate weight loss. The bottom line is we can’t just put anything into our mouths anytime we feel like it.

That is why the combination of physical activity and food combining works great for healthy weight loss without counting calories.

Greater Self Esteem

Through fitness you can gain control of your body weight which can lead to increased self esteem.

You have disciplined yourself and worked really hard to look and feel better. That positive feeling will shine through in everything you do.

You become more attractive as people will notice your new found confidence and strength.

Reduces Stress Levels and Depression

Studies have shown that exercising regularly can help reduce mild to moderate depression.

This stems from the fact that greater self esteem and higher energy levels are achieved.

Also daily physical activity takes your focus off many things in life that may be frustrating and instead the focus is on your fitness routine.

There is little time to think and worry when your day is filled with activity.

Many people also get a better night sleep which enables them to handle the everyday stress of life with a greater strength.

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All these listed benefits are connected and help maintain a balanced life, mentally and physically. Increased Energy Levels

By increasing oxygen levels we increase our energy levels. Oxygen is the most critical element necessary for good health.

When we do any type of physical fitness or deep breathing we are increasing our oxygen intake and cleansing our bodies.

Incorporated with a balanced diet, the benefits of exercise will increase energy levels.

Increased Body Strength

Any physical activity makes are bodies work harder. Whether it is a brisk walk or pumping weights at the gym, your body is becoming stronger. The Benefits of Exercise can reduce the Risk of Heart Attack

When you exercise you are strengthening your heart and burning calories.

You are making your heart rate increase which strengthens the heart’s muscle.

It is like any other muscle in your body, it needs to be maintained through good nutrition and fitness.

Promoting Longevity

Studies have shown that people who are active in their everyday lives live longer.

That would make sense since all the other benefits of exercise we have mentioned are achieved. Reduce the risk of osteoporosis

As the population age’s osteoporosis has become a major concern in today's society.

Physical fitness is essential for maintaining strong muscles and bones and we know strong bones reduce the risk of osteoporosis

Whether you favor to work out alone or prefer to make it a social event with family or friends, just try to allocate a little time for exercise every day.

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Exercise Choices to Get You Started So Which One Is Your Favorite?

When it comes to exercise choices, have you ever heard the expression, no pain, no gain? It doesn’t have to be that way.

There are activities that are fun, simple and safe that you can add to your busy schedule for added health benefits and weight loss.

What exercise choices suit your lifestyle the best?

There are many ways to get active. Here are just a few examples.

Choose one to start with that would suite your life style the best and have fun. Many of these exercises can be done with family or friends, so make it a social event.

Walking Power

What a simple but effective weight loss exercise. You can do it anywhere, at anytime and no special equipment is needed.

Walking has become an extremely popular activity and more and more people are taking up walking every year.

For many, walking is much easier on the body than running, but this would be a personal choice that best suits the individual. Gradually you can build up to a faster and longer walk to get optimal results.

When you consider that walking is probably the easiest form of exercise you can do it is hard to believe the benefits of walking are so plentiful.

Ball Exercises

There are so many of us who love ball exercises, not only for the weightless sensation and the ease they can be done, but for the amazing body benefits you achieve.

These exercises are more relaxing, yet you still achieve, spine, waist line, coordination, increased flexibility, increased muscle tone and postural and cardiovascular benefits.

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It is also a lot of fun working out with a large vinyl air-filled ball.

This style of fitness can be done in the comfort of your own home or are sometimes offered for groups at your local fitness club or YMCA.

The Weightless World of Swimming

If you enjoy the water or have a lot of weight to lose, swimming might be even better than walking.

When in water you can feel weightless. Since water supports the weight of your body, swimming or other water activities can be fun and easy on the body.

Try going to the pool 2 times a week for a 15 minute swim and increase swimming times as you improve. Trampoline Fun & Fitness

Jumping up and down on a trampoline is not only for kids. It is a great form of exercise.

In fact many health experts feel trampolining is one of the best ways to achieve aerobic fitness as it can be done with no stress, pain or fatigue. It is no wonder that trampoline exercises are used regularly by many athletes.

Jumping up and down on a trampoline is called rebounding and the benefits are totally amazing.

Many studies have been done proving that rebounding can burn many more calories than even jogging can, which makes it a great weight loss helper.

Other benefits include great cardio work out, improved muscle tone, improved flexibility and can strengthen your legs, hips, stomach, thighs and abdomen.

Trampoline exercises also strengthen every organ in your body by enhancing body fluid circulation (being created by the up and down movement).

This provides every cell in your body to increased oxygen levels which also helps you detoxify. This is all due to the force of gravity created by the up and down motion and improved breathing. There is nothing like deep breathing to cleanse the body.

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It is no coincidence that you see more and more trampolines in backyards today. People are catching on to the amazing benefits that a trampoline can offer and as mentioned these exercises can be done with no stress, pain or fatigue.

Once you learn how to use your trampoline it can be great family fun on top of being a great workout. Want more exercise choices?

Some other exercise choices could be cycling, dancing, jogging, golfing, skiing, skating, kayaking, indoor aerobics, team sports, gardening and there are many more.

So chose one or more activity that is right for you and make it part of your daily life.

Then you can start to enjoy all those health benefits you deserve.

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To Your Success

As mentioned before one of my favorite sayings is by Winston Churchill:

Never, Never, Never, Never Give Up

As long as a person doesn’t give up they have a chance to succeed no matter how many times they have failed before.

At Healthy-Weight-Loss-Help.Com we are continually growing. There is a lot of information offered on our site, so please feel free to bookmark us and visit often. Also be sure to share this eBook with your family and friends or send them to our website.

We are really enjoying expanding all areas of the site, especially the recipe section to offer our visitors more choices.

There is now an abundant selection of homemade soup recipes that offer tremendous weight loss potential. We have also started to expand the juicing and exercise sections too.

And remember never, never, never, never give up (Winston Churchill).

To your health and happiness

Disclaimer:

Healthy-Weight-Loss-Help.Com reflects the opinions and views of the owner. The information included in this eBook and on this site is not a substitute for obtaining medical advice. Always consult a doctor about your own personal situations or needs before starting any exercise or weight loss program.

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