How do you know whether your fitness and weight management program is working? We often use the scale as our only indicator. But the scale alone doesn't really tell you whether you are losing fat and gaining muscle.
Performance Improvements - Longer, Faster

For walkers and runners, you can chart your progress in how far and fast you are walking or running, and see your improvements. It is very satisfying to see your total mileage and speed going up. Being able to finish a 10K walk or a half marathon is a wonderful achievement. For icing on the cake, enter a timed event and see how well you do against the clock.
Walking Logs and Trackers
Resting Heart Rate

As your fitness improves, your resting heart rate (RHR) will decrease. Measure your heart rate while still in bed, first thing in the morning. It is easiest to just count how many times your heart beats in one minute (60 seconds). This is typically between 50 to 100 beats in one minute (bpm). Athletes have lower resting heart rates, while sedentary people have higher resting heart rates.
Measuring Body Fat Distribution

The waist to hip ratio (WHR) tells you whether you are achieving a healthier body fat distribution, whether you are losing weight or not. Research is finding that your abdominal fat is an indicator of higher risk for diseases such as metabolic syndrome and chronic heart failure. Measure your waist and then your hips, and divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement (units don't matter, you can use either inches or centimeters). In women, the ratio should be 0.8 or less, and in men it should be 1.0 or less.
Waist to Hip Ratio and Heart Attack Risk
Measuring Total Body Fat

You can measure your total body fat with several methods, including a body fat scale, skinfold test with calipers, immersion test, or taking several measurements and calculating. This body fat measurement is a better indicator than simply weighing yourself. For women, 21 to 24 percent is a good fitness level, and up to 31 percent is acceptable. Above 32 percent is considered obese.
Body Fat Calculators
Measuring Body Fat
Body Mass Index

Using your height and weight and a simple calculator can give you your Body Mass Index - BMI. This is a quick indicator that doesn't tell the whole story, since those who are muscular will still have a higher BMI, one that would indicate a false obesity. Tracking your BMI will mostly track your weight loss, as you are unlikely to lose or gain height.
Normal: 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight: 25 to 29.9
Obese: 30 and over





Sources:

Nicklas BJ, Cesari M, Penninx BW, Kritchevsky SB, Ding J, Newman A, Kitzman DW, Kanaya AM, Pahor M, Harris TB. "Abdominal obesity is an independent risk factor for chronic heart failure in older people." J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006 Mar;54(3):413-20.

Dieting can become a bad habit, and crash diets can be very harmful to your health. In addition, they are also very ineffective for weight loss long term.

Generally people use plans during a temporary period in which they tend to lose X amount of pounds.
It is only the combination of high school in three months or the beach trip in two weeks and want to look fabulous in your bathing suit.

You start a weight loss by yourself starving and depriving your body of food they need and they love to eat.
Then when you are quite satisfied and / or tired of not being able to eat your favorite foods, you return to your old eating habits and end up putting more weight then you had before.
A few months later, you are tired of your body and try yet another diet to prepare for the next big event you want to look great. The strict diet starts again. It's an endless cycle.
Sound familiar?
This is called the rebound effect and it is terrible for your body because it affects the metabolism in the long run and you end up gaining weight even faster each time.
Ultimately ...

Diets do not work.
A new way of thinking

If you want to lose weight, forget the diet. The word "diet" seems too temporary and is often associated with fashion or as a crash diet plans like South Beach, Atkins, etc. Incidentally, I do not endorse any of them.

Why not adopt a new sentence at the site - new eating habits. In other words, make permanent decisions to reduce certain foods and replace them with new ones.
Of course, you treat yourself from time to time with your favorite foods. You should never completely deprive yourself of everything. Besides, if you're eating healthy 80% of the time, the cone of ice cream occasional will not kill you.
It is a change of permanent lifestyle and eliminates kickback when your weight goes up and down like a yo-yo.
You may ask yourself .... "But what if I want to lose weight fast?"
If you lose weight too quickly, which probably means that you yourself are starving and / or do not receive the necessary nutrients your body needs to be healthy. It is never good, no matter how much weight you lose.
In addition, weight loss happens too quickly can seriously screw up your metabolism and make you gain weight faster than you did before, if you start eating food again wrong.
I get emails all the time about how someone he can lose 30 pounds in 2 months. It is simply not realistic, it is not healthy. You must give it time.
The key to good health, in terms of effective weight loss is one that systematically cut saturated fats, involves the exercise at least 3 days / week and increase the amount of protein and fiber you consume. And yes, it takes time.
You should also be eating more meals, more often because digestion actually helps boost your metabolism. (Be sure you eat the right foods, though).
So ignore these plans fad diet that you eat two meals a day or completely cut all carbs and fats.
Believe it or not, we do not need carbohydrates and fats in our body. The problem comes when we have too much. They are not as bad for you if you eat them in moderation.
As I already said, you can still eat the foods you love. Yes, I'm talking about ice cream, cookies, cakes, etc ... Again moderation is
If you completely deprive yourself of the foods you like best, you get bored and run the risk of returning to your old eating habits.
Making Healthy Choices

With new eating habits simply means making better food choices. It seems much better than plans, and it does not mean that you yourself are starving.

Here are some ideas for changes you can make little peu.Rappelez you, this is not a diet plan, it is a permanent way of life that you have to stick to from now on, while rewarding you with your favorite treat from time to time.
And here's the best part ... You will lose weight! Accompany this new diet with exercise and you will lose more.
Eat whole grain bread instead of white bread
Drink skim milk or soy milk instead of whole milk. Soy milk is very healthy heart and a lot of protein.
Eat brown rice instead of white rice
Drink water instead of soda
eat turkey bacon instead of pork bacon
Drink fruit juice with little or no sugar instead of sweet juice
To eat oat cereal rather high sugar content
Eat baked potato chips rather than regular potato chips
Eat popcorn (stove or hot air burst) instead of microwave
Need a snack? Eating almonds instead of potato chips. If you must eat potato chips, choose brands less fat and eat less of them
Eat whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta
When you buy meat, choose leaner varieties
When you go to a fast food restaurant for chicken, grilled or salad. Many offer fast food restaruants salads and healthier choices now.
Choose one day a week where you can eat what you want! (This is very important and helps prevent burnout.) Just make sure not to overdo it. ;)
Notice I did not say that you starve yourself. You're just making healthier choices with the foods you eat in progress.
Also, take a copy of the Book Abs Diet. It gives advice on the terrible kinds of foods you should and should not eat for a flat stomach and a fabulous figure. It also includes many ideas for healthy meals and desserts.
Another alternative is to enroll in a meal delivery service. DietToGo deliver fresh and healthy food directly to your home.
You may find that when your meals are already selected and prepared for you, you will be less likely to make bad food choices.
What Calories?

Now, you may ask to count calories.

Well, if you like healthier food choices above you will naturally your intake of calories (and fat) because the alternative food, I suggested less of them.
Also, when you eat out, eat half of the meal instead of trying to devour everything. Add the rest for lunch or dinner the next day. Portion control is very important.
So when the pounds start to throw and someone asks you if you were on a diet? Tell them that you're not on a diet, you just have developed better eating habits. :)
Keep your weight under control is not about dieting or from the latest craze crash when diet books begin to return sur.Il is to change your eating habits for life! Your body and your metabolism will reward you in the long run.