How To Lose Weight By Avoiding The Triggers To Weight Gain?

My boss always tells me that the first step to a solution is to identify the problems...

...and the second step is to find a solution.

I guess the same philosophy can be applied to weight loss. Before you attempt to lose weight, it is a good idea to seek to understand what triggers you to gain weight in the first place.

As we're all unique human beings with different makeup and temperament, not all conditions affect everyone alike. Put another way, a condition that triggers eating for one person might not trigger another person to eat. For example, a person might resort to eating whenever he/she is stressed up but that may not be true for another person. On the other hand, this second person might reward himself/herself with ice cream whenever he/she achieves something while the first person may reward himself with a massage.

So, in order for each of us to identify the conditions that trigger weight gain on an individual basis, one simple and effective way is to record everything about your eating habits. You could record things like:

1) type of food/drinks taken
2) how much quantity
3) how was the food prepared - grilled or fried?
4) what time did you eat?
5) what's the place you eat at? Home or office?
6) Was there any occasion and what was it?
7) How was your mood and temperament?
8) Were you feeling too hungry or not at all?

Simply carry a little notebook in your bag or pocket or you could use your portable digital assistant (PDA) and record the above items each time you eat and drink. Do not skip any smallest item, even if you drink a cup of coffee.

Do your recording fervently for at three days (or longer like a week or two if it's convenient) so that you can discover what's triggering that extra snack, cookie, chocolate or chips. With the data collected, you can easily identify your pattern of eating like how many times you eat per day, how much, and were you really hungry or you're only responding to a mood more than physical hunger.

Armed with the information about your eating habits, you can now plan your new eating pattern so that you can better achieve your weight loss goals. For example, if you find that you're eating an extra meal because you're feeling hungry between the main meals, you could plan a snack in between. Or perhaps you realize that your eating too late at night or drinking too many coffees, you could simply adjust accordingly.

Based on the data you collected, you could even go a step further by estimating the average number of calories per day you consume. This will help you to formulate a weight loss plan to achieve your slimming goals.

Once you start taking responsibility for your weight, you'll begin shedding those unwanted pounds.

Article Tags: Weight Loss, How To Lose Weight, How To Lose Pounds, Weight Loss Tip, Weight Loss Tips

About the Author:
Alice Loh is a WEIGHT LOSS Coach and acclaimed author with over 25 years of health care experience. Her digital book, "Natural Weight Loss REVEALED", is an easy to follow guide to losing weight and getting control of your life. Weight Loss Tips

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Selecting a Fitness Facility

In order to achieve your ultimate goal, you need to have some knowledge of health and fitness as well as motivation. While this does not mean you need to join a local gym, you will find it's more successful.

When you're in search of a new gym, you should take the time to find one that is compatible with your life, fitness goals and special interest or needs.

To determine your fitness goals you must ask yourself if you want to lose weight, bulk up, or tone. Whatever your goals may be, not every fitness facility will be able to suit you; and although it may, another one may fit you better than the other.

Most of us will likely join the first gym we visit or heard good things about, but it's important to consider your options before registering.

Does the facility fit your schedule?

It's important that the facility is open when you're available. Be sure to check with the facility to make sure their hours fit your schedule. It is also important to make sure that the equipment you would like to use is available at the time you workout.

Equipment

It's essential that the facility has the equipment needed to help you reach your fitness goals. Make sure they have enough weights to exceed your maximum ability. Check to make sure they have plenty of free weights. Check the condition of their equipment; benches, barbells, dumbbells, racks, and cardio machines. See what types of cardio equipment they have to offer; treadmills, elliptical machine, stair climber, stationary bikes, rowing machines, and spinning bikes.

Cleanliness

It's important to make sure that the facility is kept clean. This includes the facility overall as well as the equipment. It's not a good idea to lie on the bench that another sweaty individual just finished their workout on. Make sure you spray down the bench or piece of equipment to be sure.

Classes or Programs

A lot of facilities offer a class or program which is highly motivational and upbeat. Be sure to check with the facility to see what they offer and on what days. Ask for an updated schedule and see which ones interest you the most.

Do you need a babysitter?

If you have children, there may be times when you find it hard to get someone to watch them while you workout. Most facilities have arrangements for you. Be sure to check out the facility to make sure they have enough interesting toys for your children. Make sure the hours of the childcare are available when you're working out and check to see if this is included in your monthly membership.

Locker rooms

Make it a point to check the locker rooms to make sure there is enough storage for your belongings. Also check with a staff member to see if you need to bring your own lock or if they are provided for you. You may also be interested in checking the shower facilities and possibly a sauna, steam room or hot tub.

Staff and trainers

Be sure to make a good observation of the staff members and trainers. It's important that the facility is staffed adequately. Are they in good physical health? Choose a trainer who trains you on what they believe in and who is dedicated to the success of your program.

Traveling

There are chains and facilities alike which allow your membership to travel to other facilities. Perhaps you're on vacation or out of town for the weekend and would like the option to workout. Check with the facility to see if you are allowed access to other gyms.

Trial membership

Once you've used some criterion to narrow the facilities in your area, ask the facility if they would allow you a complimentary pass to see how you like their gym. Most gyms already have this available, but if they won't offer you a free pass to come back to their gym, move on.

Now that you have an idea of what to look for in a gym you can begin searching for a facility in your area.

Article Tags: Gym, Gym Locator, Fitness Center, Health

About the Author:
Selecting a fitness facility -
By: Ryan Hutchison - 2006 © Gym Solutions, LLC. All rights reserved.
Search for a health facility near you today! Gym.com Local

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Double Chin Exercise For A Leaner Face

Before we get into the solutions for reducing double chins, lets find out what actually causes it.

Usually, double chin is caused by weight gain or excessive body fat stored in the body. Just gaze around, over weight individuals usually have double chin. But there are exceptional cases where the double chin is inherited. Some body parts are more prone to storing body fat compared to others. The chin area is also another popular fat storing area. There for, too much body fat being deposited under the jaw causes double chin.

Knowing excessive body fat causes that double chin, you need to diet and exercise to get rid of double chin. But there are also exercises that can further help reduce it. Use this double chin exercise program in conjunction with your diet and exercise programs.

Double Chin Exercise 1

Open your mouth very wide, and then push your lower jaw forward and then upwards so your bottom teeth extend over the top of your upper lip. Do this 10-15 times and repeat 3-4 times a day. Slowly increase the reps and do not over strain your jaw. Slap under your jaw line after the exercise to complete the exercise. Do not slap too hard but not too soft either.

Double Chin Exercise 2

Push your palm to your temple or forehead for 10 seconds while resisting with your head and neck. You should feel your neck and chin tensing up. Do the movement again with your hand on the back of your head, then on each side, with your hand cupped over your ear.

Double Chin Exercise 3

Raise your chin up and open and close your mouth as if you are chewing. Feel the muscles beneath your jaw and down the front of your neck tensing.

Double Chin Exercise 4

Sit on a chair, body straight up. Use an armless chair and hold under the chair with your hands on your sides. Slowly tip your head back and alternately shut your mouth pushing your chin to the front and then open your mouth as wide as possible.

Double Chin Exercise 5

Raise chin a bit upwards. Push against the indentation created by the two upper nodules of the larynx with the smooth point of index and middle finger. The indentation is the curve from the chin to the neck. Do not worry about the exact place of pressure; you will discover it through practice.

Regard finger pressure as the resistance against the working muscles. Now press your back teeth firmly together and while maintaining this position, press the tip of your tongue against the inside of lower front teeth (gum line) increasing pressure with the tip of tongue in 10 or more gradual and definite steps (Count to 10). Hold end position of pressure for 6 seconds (count slowly to six). Release muscle work for 10 gradual steps (count to 10). Remove finger resistance. Repeat 4 more times.

Double Chin Exercise 6

Smack the bottom of your chin with the back of your hand. When smacking, begin slowly and the slowly increase the speed. Perform this exercise a few minutes each time for two or three times daily.

Double Chin Exercise 7

This exercise works the muscles called platysma. The platysma muscles are responsible for pulling down the corners of the mouth and to pull down the jawbone.

Open your mouth wide, and then pull up your bottom lip over your bottom teeth. Move your jaw up and down as if you are trying to scoop something up with it. Just imagine the movement of the shovel on a digger scooping up earth. Do ten reps of this exercise each time, and again do these two or three times daily.

Follow these exercises regularly, get on a healthy diet plan and exercise your muscles including cardio vascular training. Within a month or two, you can really see the difference!

Article Tags: Double Chin Exercise, Double Chin, How To Get Rid Of Double Chin

About the Author:
Yu Chung Leong is an experienced and motivated personal trainer for many years. He is passionate about health and fitness and enjoys helping people achieve their fitness goals. He writes many free weight loss tips at http://www.lose-fat-tips.com

Source: Free Articles from www.ArticlesBase.com

How To Lose Face Fat

Here is a fact that you should take note of. What do you look at first when you meet somebody? You look at their face first right? For example you meet up with old friends, colleagues, your neighbor or new friends, most of the time you will focus your attention on their faces first.

The point is that the face is very important and that is also why so many people are looking for ways to lose face fat. Any weight loss will show on the face first and when people look at your face, they will straight away notice changes. Plus, influences from the media and the entertaining world also create an impact on how a pretty or sexy face should look like. If you just would flip through the magazines, the faces of the models are all very slim and well defined with high cheekbones, sharp nose and a lean face.

Well, since so many people is looking for the answer to lose fat in their faces, here is a couple of tips on how to lose face fat. Before we move on to that, lets understand that there is no such thing a spot reduction. This means that if you are looking at a miracle pill or gadget that can get your cheeks down, you will be disappointed.

If you want to lose face fat, you have to begin with losing weight. This means losing excess water retention and also losing body fat. Usually, when a person loses weight, it is very noticeable that his face also gets sharper and leaner. Usually the face will slim down first because excess water is gone. Follow these simple steps to lose weight and you will get a lean, healthy and toned face.

Lose Face Fat Step 1: Drink lots of water.

You have to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Drink at least nine 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Drink more than that if you are an active person and always exposed to the sun. The thing is our body has a natural protective system. When you do not drink enough water, the body will naturally think that you are stranded in a dessert and have not enough water. As a result, it will store as much water as it can to keep you living and there is when you will get bloated. Vice versa, if you drink enough water, the body will flush out all the unnecessary water because it knows that the system has enough water. Stick to plain water. Sodas and sugared drink would not help because they contain sugar and will lead to bloating too.

Lose Face Fat Step 2: Do not forget your fruits and vegetables!

Stay natural and eat at least three servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables every day. This will not only fill you up with less calories and help you stay way from junk food, fruits and vegetables also contains water that can help you stay hydrated. Plus, they are filled with fiber that gives many health benefits. Make your self a healthy fruit salad for snack instead of a chocolate bar. Choose your fruits carefully though; control the amount of bananas, grapes and pineapples because they are high in fructose. Go for apples, oranges, all sorts of berries and grapefruit because they are low GI carbs and they packed full with anti oxidants.

Lose Face Fat Step 3: Reduce the alcohol

It does not matter what alcohol you drink. Wine, brandy or beer, alcohol is still alcohol. Alcohol can cause a good amount of bloating in the body because it really dehydrates the body. It can also add inches in you belly and under your chin because one gram of alcohol contains seven calories! That is almost like drinking fat! A five ounce glass of wine has 100 calories, that means a little drinking a little bit can add inches in your waist.

Lose Face Fat Step 4: Bump up the calcium

A lot of studies have proven that taking at least 1200 milligrams of calcium from dairy if possible daily can help in fat loss. There is also a study that showed that half of the females in that study experienced reduced symptoms of PMS including water retention after consuming 1200 milligrams of calcium. So, do not eliminate dairy in your diet, have some in moderation.

Lose Face Fat Step 5: Calories out more than calories in.

This is the golden rule of fat loss. In order to lose weight, you have burn more calories than you consume. So, the easy and healthy way to do this is to burn 250 calories and reduce 250 calories from your food intake. The reason to reduce 500 calories a day is because we need to hit a reduction of 3500 calories a week and that will result to healthy recommended weight loss of one pound of body fat per week.

To burn 250 calories, just go for a simple walk or jog for 30 to 40 minutes. To reduce 250 calories, just eliminate all the junk food and excess fatty foods from your diet right now and I am sure you can reduce 250 calories. Eat healthy and eat with a mind to feed your muscles and body with good fuel!

Lose Face Fat Step 6: Control Your Salt Intake

Salt is another culprit of water retention. That is why when you snack with junk food that is high in sodium, you will feel every thirsty and your face will bloat up the next day. Avoid foods like pizza, burgers, junk food, chips and other similar foods because they are loaded with salt! When eating out, be careful of the gravy, some gravy use a lot of salt. Eat home and prepare your own food when ever possible! Sprinkle your salt, do not use your spoon, that way you can really control the amount of salt that goes into your food!

Lose Face Fat Step 7: Go For Weight Training

You have to weight train to maintain and increase lean muscle tissue. With more muscles packed in your body, your metabolism will increase and you can burn more calories and fat! Plus, with more muscles in your body, you can burn more calories while you do your cardio and even while rest because muscles are living tissues and require calories to function and survive! For optimum fat loss results and to lose fat on your face, you have to diet, do your cardio and also weight train.

So, if you want to lose fat on your face, the main objective is to lose weight. By losing body fat, you will look much leaner and have a much more cut features because fat and water under the skin is reduced.

So follow these simple steps and get on a fat loss program now. Mark my words; if you manage to lose body fat until your desired body fat, your face will look much leaner and thinner. Even your nose will look sharper!

Article Tags: Lose Face Fat, Lose Fat, Lose Belly Fat

About the Author:
Yu Chung Leong is an experienced and motivated personal trainer for many years. He is passionate about health and fitness and enjoys helping people achieve their fitness goals. He writes many free weight loss tips at http://www.lose-fat-tips.com

Source: Free Articles from www.ArticlesBase.com