Meal Budgeting For Weight Loss

What is meal budgeting and how will it help you lose weight?

When you plan your finances, you put together a basic budget based on your income versus your expenditures. Dieting works the same way as your finances because what you take in equals calories and the energy you expend burns them.

When you want to take control of your money, you put together a spreadsheet to track your expenses and available cash. To get a handle on your weight, consider keeping a food journal so you know how many calories you are consuming daily and what you are doing to burn them.

Your food journal should include:

1. The number of meals you eat with the calories
2. The time of day you eat
3. A daily tally of calories consumed
4. The number of calories you burn from exercising

Just like getting your finances in order, you can get a handle on your weight loss goals by keeping track of your daily habits.

Once you know the total calories you consume and the total calories you burn, you can determine the bottom line to minimize your daily calories, monitor times during the day when you eat the most and make sure you include fitness in your everyday routine.

Exercise for Health Not Appearance

A study conducted by Ohio State University and funded by a grant from the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology explored the relevancy of exercise and body image to determine the best way to approach fitness.

The study revealed that women with chronic issues about their body image benefit more from an exercise class where the instructor discusses the health benefits of working out rather than a class where the instructor emphasizes an improved appearance.

The study involved almost 100 women of college age with social physique anxiety, a disorder that makes a person worry constantly about what others think of his or her body.

According to Brian Focht, a co-author of the study and assistant professor of health promotion and health behavior at Ohio State University, “Women who have this disorder usually are interested in exercise to improve their appearance, but an instructor who emphasizes physique during a workout may deter such students from coming back. We want to design the most beneficial exercise programs for different groups of people, and understanding how people respond to different approaches to exercise is key to doing so. We expected the mirrors to have some effect on these women, but that wasn’t the case. It was the instructor’s leadership style that had a direct effect on the students’ attitudes.”

With this in mind, it is not seeing yourself in the mirror that can be the most discouraging — it is your attitude about fitness. If you workout solely for the purposes of looking good, it becomes a frustrating, empty experience. Focusing on the physical and health benefits of working out is inspiring because your attention is directed at feeling your best rather than looking your best.

When you feel healthy and have a positive daily diet and exercise habits, a more attractive figure follows naturally.

5 Ways To Prevent Overeating

Holidays, gatherings and occasions continually challenge our self-control when it comes to eating.

Consider these five ways to avoid overeating during these difficult times:

1. Walk away from the situation. By simply changing your surrounding for awhile, you can avoid temptation.

2. Trick your taste buds. If you continually crave something sweet, eat something salty like a pickle. If you’re looking for something salty, go for a spicy flavor such as a hot pepper.

3. Get up and move. Getting physical can keep your mind off food so take a walk or do some stretches to balance the cravings.

4. Avoid food if you are sad or angry. Rather than using food as comfort, sit with your feelings and write them down if you need a release.

5. Give yourself a special treat. Rewarding yourself with an activity that does not include food, such as a bath or massage, is a great way to take you mind off snacking and still feel pampered.

By taking the focus off snacking for awhile, you can avoid overeating for a healthier lifestyle and a better relationship with food.

Fitness That Makes Scents

We understand the basic key to fitness is cutting calories and exercising. We also know the scent of delicious food can make us want to stray from our fitness goals. But were you aware that scents can also inspire you to exercise?

Aromatherapy has been used for centuries to heal and inspire a variety of moods. From encouraging relaxation and sleep to energizing, different scents give us different thoughts.

Essential oils such as lavender encourage sleep while vanilla makes you feel more relaxed. In fact, these oils have physical effects that cause the body to produce certain neurochemicals that promote relaxation. Energizing scents include citrus, basil and ginger but these fragrances are just a guideline because each person may be emotionally and physically influenced by scents in a different way.

The basis of aromatherapy is relating a certain scent to an activity. When you smell the scent, it will make you want to take positive action by association. For example, a citrus fragrance may give you a chemically-induced boost of energy while reminding you to engage in your favorite form of exercise.

If you want new inspiration to keep up with your fitness routine, aromatherapy may be just what you need!

Simple Goals for Big Fitness Gains

Are your New Year’s fitness resolutions falling short now that Valentine’s day is approaching? It could be time to reconsider your approach because little fitness goals can go a long way. Consistently establishing new healthy habits will help you realize the goal of losing weight and getting fit.

Instead of wanting instant gratification that may wind up disappointing you, small lifestyle changes can add up to big fitness gains.

Consider these 3 simple ways to achieve your goals throughout 2010:

1. Add a 10 minute workout routine to your mornings everyday before work – set your clock 10 minutes ahead to get fit and boost your energy level and calorie burning all morning long.

2. Replace your afternoon snacks with fruits or vegetables to avoid empty calories, keep your energy going and get essential vitamins.

3. Take 10 minutes after work or your daily routine to have quiet time – meditate, do stretching or simply close your eyes in the dark to rejuvenate.

Try to make these healthy habits become a part of your everyday life over the next few months to help you lose weight and get more fit. Over time, you will naturally get stronger, more fit and boost your overall well-being.