Strength Training: Key to Building Muscle & Losing fat

Strength training is exercising with the goal of increasing your physical strength.

From own understanding, strength training is the building up of muscles and muscles burn fat.
Strength training makes you feel good and look good. Strength training with diet and cardio burns fat more than cardio and diet alone.

Challenging your muscles with strength training (also called resistance training) exercises 2 or 3 times each week is all that is needed to improve the strength and tone of your muscles – and gain you several long-term health benefits – provided you keep up the routine!
For more info google is your best friend:)

So this week I decided to try my hands in some weights and boy did I almost cry. My gym instructor is mean!!!

One other thing strength training prevents is sagging skin and it promotes a toned form.

You should try it out.

Meal diary

I have been getting mesages to share what my meals consist of and what exercises I do.
Firstly I'll like to mention that i am a beginner at this and that's why I need you all to advise me on anything that has worked for you. All useful opinions are very welcomed *wink*.

Secondly, one of the things i have discovered so far is that every little change counts.

- I now cook with olive oil
- I take out the yoke from the egg
- I use soy milk instead of full cream milk
- I substituted white bread for wheat bread
- I don't miss breakfast
- I reduced my carbohydrate intake
- I take green tea often
- I take a lot of fruits( still working on the Vegs)
- I use wheat pasta instead of the regular white pasta.
- I opted for the salty popcorn and water when I went to the movies on Monday .
- I drink a lot of water.

Am also proud of my ability to say NO!!! My friend ordered this yummy looking club sandwich and kept trying to make me eat it. Literally Begging me to eat !! See me see trouble o.

Anyways,Here is what my meals looked like for the past week .

Weigh-in mondays.

Hi peeps, it's been a minute. What have you all been up to ?

At the beginning I decided to weigh myself every Monday so I can monitor my progress. Well it can be a bit discouraging if the scale doesn't shift to my favor. That's what happened to me last week Monday . I stepped on the scale and no change. I was so devastated and I complained to my gym instructor and some friends. They told me I should limit my weigh-in to twice a month and not every week. So since then I have been staring at my scale and resisting the urge to jump on it.

This morning I couldn't hold it any longer(should have waited till month end) and am happy with the results.

I have lost 4.4kg since I started on the 1st of November *whoop whoop*

Yeah I know I still have a long way to go but my target is to loose 5kg every month for 6months . So amma kip kip pushin!

Hopefully at the end of this month I'll meet my target.

Xoxo

Ignore my toes oooo

Just because.........

Just bcos....

-jst bcos it is low fat doesn't mean u get to eat d whole bowl/pack

-jst bcos its fruits doesn't mean u shd over eat it

-jst bcos it is wheat doesn't mean its zero calorie

-jst bcos u work out doesn't mean u must stuff urself afterwards.

-jst bcos its Soy milk doesn't mean u should over indulge.

-jst bcos its ur cheat day doesn't mean u shd go over board wit junk.

-just bcos u've met ur target doesn't mean u shndt maintain it.

-jst bcos u get a few compliments bout a lil weight loss doesn't mean u shd go off ur diet.

-jst bcos its xmas doesn't mean d calories won't count.

-jst bcos ur man likes u this way doesn't mean u shdnt be healthy!!!

-jst bcos u hit a plateau doesn't mean u shd giv up!!!!

Emotional eating: Feeding Your Feelings

Most people have been victims of emotional eating, I myself have been a victim either when I am bored or sad. Most especially when am sad. What is emotional eating?
"Emotional eating is eating for reasons other than hunger," says Jane Jakubczak, a registered dietitian at the University of Maryland. "Instead of the physical symptom of hunger initiating the eating, an emotion triggers the eating."

Sometimes the strongest cravings for food happen when you're at your weakest point emotionally. You may turn to food for comfort — consciously or unconsciously — when you're facing a difficult problem, stress or just looking to keep yourself occupied.

But emotional eating can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Emotional eating often leads to eating too much, especially too much of high-calorie, sweet, fatty foods. But the good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.
Emotional eating is eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness. Both major life events and the hassles of daily life can trigger negative emotions that lead to emotional eating and disrupt your weight-loss efforts.

Tips to avoid emotional eating

Tame your stress.
Have a hunger reality check
Get support
Fight boredom
Take away temptation
Get enough sleep.
Seek therapy.

If you have an episode of emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that'll lead to better health.
You have the power!!! Yes you can!!!

Xoxo

Parties!!!

A Party is a danger zone for any dieter. Temptation in the name of food flies left and right. All sorts and assorted junk food is being offered to you from all angles .

As I type this am at a party and I just keep chanting to myself "Bibi u can do this,there would be red velvet and small chops mid next year!!! Right now you can't have any"

Since i started i Sometimes refuse to go out cos I know I will consume excess calories:(

Well am working on my will power and I have said NO! to junk food:) So I can go anywhere without succumbing to the temptation of eating more than my allotted calories for the day(1200cals)

If you have any tips on how you control yourself at parties plssssssss share.

On a final note, happy birthday to my home girl nnena a.

Xoxo

Dr. Oz's 100 Weight Loss Tips

1. Automate your eating by planning your meals ahead of time. That way you're less likely to make an unhealthy last-minute food choice.
2. Oats are your friends! Eating a cup of oatmeal in the morning will prevent you from gorging in the afternoon.
3. Foods with healthy fats such as olives, salmon and walnuts help you feel satisfied.
4. Skipping meals can cause your body to go into a fat-storing starvation mode, making it harder to burn calories.
5. Got nuts with nuts. Eating a handful of nuts will help you stay full. Try soaking them in water for a different texture.
6. Use meditation to help you cope with chronic stress, which can lead you to crave feel-good carbs.
7. You may be used to fried foods but there are other, sometimes healthier, ways to cook including: roasting, steaming, poaching, baking, braising and broiling.
8. Do your grocery shopping with a list and a time limit; that way, you're less likely to stray into the processed foods section.
9. Don't confuse thirst with hunger. Drink a glass of water when you feel hungry to see if that's what you're really craving.
10. When out at a restaurant, ask the server to hold the bread, snack mix or chips and salsa that might come before the meal. If you're hungry, you'll be tempted.
11. Tired of eating your salad on a plate? Fill a whole wheat pita with salad and a splash of lemon for a twist.
12. You might do better to replace an occasional dinner with a nice roll in the hay. Healthy sex may help control the amount of food you eat and it's great exercise.
13. Create emergency packs filled with healthy foods such as nuts, fruits or sliced vegetables to help you avoid unhealthy temptations.
14. Add red pepper flakes to your pantry. When eaten early in the day, red pepper lowers the amount of food you'll eat later.
15. Odds are you're eating too fast. Try holding a conversation while having a meal so you're not gulping down more than you need to feel full.
16. Take a brisk walk before lunch or dinner. Not only will you get in some exercise, you're less likely to choose something unhealthy after a little movement.
17. Looking for the benefits of salmon but you don't feel comfortable cooking fish? Try canned salmon as a simple and affordable alternative.
18. Are your dishes too big? A healthy dinner should fit on a 9-inch plate. You may find that kid-sized plates are more appropriately sized to feed an adult!
19. Never eat any snack food out of the box, carton or bag it came in. You're less likely to overeat if you separate snacks into appropriate fist-sized servings.
20. Boost your metabolism with some green tea or chili peppers.
21. Get your Zzzzzs. Sleep deprivation alters levels of hormones in the body that regulate hunger, causing an increase in appetite.
22. Muscle burns at least four times as many calories as fat does, so try twenty minutes of strength straining two to three times a week.
23. Decaf coffee is a great low-calorie fluid when you're having cravings (and a great source of antioxidants).
24. Eating liquid-based foods such as natural smoothies and low-sodium soup can help you cut back on calories yet feel full.
25. A pedometer can help keep track of your steps. If you're not getting 10,000 steps a day, you're not moving enough.
26. Natural applesauce is an excellent dip for fruits such as bananas and melons.
27. Take every opportunity to move around, even in small ways. Studies show fidgety people tend to be skinnier.
28. Identify the emotional triggers that lead you to seek unhealthy comfort food. Picture your goal weight the next time a trigger strikes to help you resist temptation.
29. Use a vegetable bean dip such as hummus instead of ranch dressing or a fatty cream-based dip.
30. People who regularly weigh themselves and keep track of their progress in a journal are more likely to lose weight.
31. Use a dash of cinnamon to give fruits such as bananas and melons a richer dessert feel without the sugar.
32. Give your protein extra low-calorie flavor by adding a salsa or chutney instead of a gooey cream sauce.
33. Distracted dining will get you in trouble. Avoid eating in front of a television or in a movie theater, as you're bound to consume more calories.
34. Pass on pop. You'll be amazed by how much weight you drop by simply switching to water.
35. Beware of "fat-free" or "zero trans fats" foods as you could be trading fats for huge amounts of sugar or sodium.
36. Try drinking skim milk at breakfast instead of juice. Overweight people who drank skim milk for breakfast ate fewer calories
37. Sugarless chewing gum can suppress your appetite in a pinch.
38. Snack attack! Puree peaches, berries or pears for a sweet spread to go on pita chips.
39. If you're having trouble getting started, make a small move such as starting an eating log or buying walking shoes. You're three times more likely to follow through if you start with small gestures such as these.
40. Always have vegetables on hand. Saute a big bag of frozen mixed vegetables in olive oil and garlic. Add some red pepper or turmeric for additional flavor and separate into portion-sized containers for the fridge.
41. Edamame (soy beans) are a great low-cost snack. Look for them in the frozen foods section.
42. Soups can be both filling and comforting. Try making a garden or bean soup with low-salt broth and store in portion-sized cups for later.
43. Save time and money during the week by buying lean protein such as chicken breasts in bulk and cooking a week's worth on Sunday night.
44. Save the kitchen and the dining room table for cooking and eating. Try not to use it as a place to do work or other activities, or you may be tempted to eat more.
45. If food was your only source of pleasure, make sure to reconnect with other things you enjoy -- music, sports, volunteer work or movies, for example.
46. Try to have a little lean protein with each meal, as protein tends to be more satisfying than carbs or fats.
47. Think ahead to how you'll eat and exercise on the weekends. It's easy to get too relaxed on Saturdays and Sundays, but healthy living is a 7-day-a-week endeavor.
48. Dump the junk food. If you want to avoid temptation, make sure you clean out the fridge and the pantry
49. When you eat calorie-friendly fruits and vegetables that are in season, they tend to taste better and you're more likely to enjoy them.
50. People who eat breakfast have a better shot at losing and maintaining weight loss.
    
    I have posted just 50 tips. To see the rest go to
    http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-ozs-100-weight-loss-tips
    
    I'll defiantly pick one or two from this, if not all.
    
    Xoxo