Overcome the Weight Loss Plateau

You have been to the gym, started a new weight loss program and have seen some pounds drop! Two months later you find yourself stagnant, working harder and losing less weight. Well, you've hit a plateau. A weight loss plateau usually occurs within about a month or two of starting a reduced-calorie diet, and/or fitness program and may reoccur from time to time thereafter. During such a plateau, weight reduction stops completely or slows down to almost nothing. Your body's reaction is to maintain a state of homeostasis, regulating its internal environment to maintain a stable condition. This doesn't mean that you will never lose the weight you want or look the way you would like, but it does show that your body occasionally will provide some resistance. Your body, in response to this new stimulus you have created with your health and fitness program, has adjusted. It is getting used to the increased activity and changes in the calorie intake level and the natural instinct to conserve. Your body has become more efficient and doesn't need to use as many calories as it had in prior workouts.

In terms of food, here are some reasons you may hit the weight loss plateau. A plateau may occur because your body simply wants a "rest" to cope with your calorie-reduction; or your calorie-intake is in balance with your calorie expenditure; or you have reduced your calorie-intake too low. If you find a plateau occurring in your workouts, your routine may be stale and repetitive. Or you could possibly be overtraining and not allowing your body to get sufficient rest.

Here are tips for busting through a plateau and moving forward with getting great results.

Try to be patient. Your weight loss plateau will disappear, I promise. But it typically takes anything between 1-4 weeks.

Rest. If you are experiencing signs of overtraining or seem to be in a rut, take sometime off. Maybe take a few days or even a week. You may find your body rejuvenated and ready to respond to your fitness program. Change your routine. If you have become comfortable in your workouts, change them.

Don't do the same thing every week. Change the exercise sequence by mixing up the order during a workout. Change the variables by shortening your rest time between sets or adding more reps (if you normally do 10 reps, lighten the weight and do 15-20 reps) for a week. Or change the equipment. Move from the treadmill to the stairmaster or move from dumbbells to resistance tubing.

Don't be afraid to increase the intensity. Its easy to become comfortable with our intensity level. Don't be afraid to add more weight, or increase the speed during your cardio workout.

Your body will adapt to the stimulus you place on it. If you find yourself comfortable with your fitness program, you may find a plateau right around the corner. When this happens, take to time to rest and re-evaluate what you are doing, and make some adjustments. You should then be back on the road to great fitness results.

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How to Lose Weight Like the Competitors in Fat March and Biggest Loser

For many seeing shows like Fat March of the Biggest Loser can be an inspiration to start their own weight loss program. The problem lies in once you are excited to start now what. It can be hard for the average watcher to understand what is important and what achieves results from watching the show. It is easy to say eat well and exercise on a regular basis though what does that really mean. Losing weight doesn't have to be overwhelming if you understand the basic principles from the shows and apply them to your lifestyle.

The first biggest change for most people's diets which is vital is eating 5 small meals. The personal trainers talked about in Fat March about how until people create the habit of eating throughout the day nothing else matters. Eating small meals trains your body to burn fat and shuts off your body's ability to store fat.

In Fat March we got an up close and personal experience of what happens when you don't eat five small meals. One of the fat marchers took all his food and ate it all at once. This spiked his blood sugar which then your body stores the food as fat. Once your body stores the food as fat you get low blood sugar which is the crashing that most people feel around 3 pm from too much food at lunch. During Fat March because the competitor was doing a ton of walking he passed out from too low blood sugar and had to go to the hospital. Most people don't understand how negative not eating 5 small meals is because they don't have as serious instant consequences because they are sitting at their desk working when their blood sugar drops.

Until you start eating 5 small meals your body will be in a constant roller coaster of eating too much and storing fat into your fat cells. The good thing is that if today you eat 5 small meals you body will today start to burn more energy and go in the right dirction.

So what do I want in my 5 small meals?

The Biggest Loser show does a good job of showing cooking for good healthy meals. The goal of each meal is to get complex carbs for energy, lean protein to rebuild muscle tissue, and fruits or vegetables for nutritional value. The size is relative to your metabolism, as you get a faster metabolism your portion will increase not decrease which is why starving to lose weight doesn't work. For most Americans take your lunch cut it in half and eat the other half 3 hours later.

Yes you do need to eat carbs. Carbohydrates are your major source of energy from food. When you don't eat carbs even if you eat protein your body will go into a starvation response and store fat and burn muscle for energy. Complex carbs are stored in the muscles cells and are rice, pasta, grains, and potatoes.

One reason many fad diets cut carbs is because carbs absorb water. If you cut carbs out of your diet you will lose weight immediately. You may think that is good though your weight loss is only water. Most fad diets do this knowing that people want to see instant results on the scale and cutting carbs can 5-15 pounds of water out with in a week. Because of poor diet habits and too much consumption of caffeine drinks, it is estimated that 75% of Americans are in a constant state of dehydration. Which means for the average American who adds carbs back to their diet they may gain 5 pounds of just water back right away. This healthy and their bodies were unhealthy everyday from a lack of later. If you cut carbs it doesn't matter how much water you drink, you don't have the carbs to absorb it. Low carb diets that drink a lot of water go to the bathroom more often.

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Today's Hottest Fat Burning Supplements for Men and Women

It's summertime! The time of year when you want to show the most, feel the best and look ripped! In conjunction with a rigorous fitness plan and a healthy, well balanced diet, fat burning supplements have become an excellent way to optimize your results. It may just make the difference between getting to your goal a little sooner, or even surpassing your body fat goal by a few extra percentage points. Just as in weight training programs and diets, there is individuality that allows different people to get results in different ways, the same goes for supplements as well. So to help you make a better informed decision regarding what fat burners are best for you, here is some additional information about fat burning supplements, and what are the most popular supplements on the market today for both men and women wanting to make the most of achieving that slim summer look.

Calotren Liquid Weight Loss Formula

Calotren is an all natural protein formula that comes in liquid form, therefore it is easier to absorb and works faster than most capsules and tablets. This formula assists the body in burning unwanted body fat naturally without the use of stimulants, tricking the body, or by starvation and severe calorie reduction. It just simply supports the natural fat burning ability of the body and allows you to burn sugar more efficiently.

The protein formula found in Calotren is also naturally occurring in the body. It serves a role of supporting the integrity of our muscles and joints and their ability to absorb impact. It is also linked to giving us a younger appearance as it supports healthy skin. This protein is already broken down and is readily absorbed when taken orally and its integration helps build muscle efficiently and in turn, burns fats and sugar efficiently as well. There are no stimulants such as caffeine, it is ephedra free and there are no known side effects of using Calotren as a weight loss supplement. Other benefits of Calotren supplementation may include: decrease catabolism of muscle tissue, improved workout recovery with shortened rest times between intense session, no adverse effects from stimulants such as jitters or irratic sleep patterns, increased energy, loss of body fat, and healthy younger looking skin.

Take Calotren with water, usually 1 tblsp with a glass of water before bed and it should be outside of a 3 hr time frame of not eating to allow Calotren to work more effectively. You may take another serving in the morning before breakfast on an empty stomach to optimize fat burning. Calotren is unique in that it offers no stimulants, something that is hard to find in fat burning supplements that work.

Lean Out by Beverly International

Lean Out is a lipotropic formula that comes in a capsule form containing L-carnitine, Co-enzyme 10 and Chromium Picolinate. Co-enzyme 10 is an important fat soluble antioxidant that protects substances like cholesterol from oxidation, or the process of it being deposited on arterial walls. L-Carnitine serves two major functions as it relates to fat burning and fitness. The metabolism of BCAA's and burning fat. L-Carnitine is required for the transportation of fatty acids into the mitochondria where they serve for energy production while sparing muscle glycogen or sugar. A deficiency in Carnitine causes fatty acids to accumulate in the blood and ultimately result in more fat deposits. And many times this occurs right where you have the greatest accumulation and where you least likely would want it. In summary, L-Carnitine shifts your fuel source toward fat and thus leaves amino acids and glycogen available to build lean muscle tissue.

The dosage for Lean Out and L-Carnitine supplementation is 2-4 grams in 3-6 daily doses on an empty stomach taken with water. You may find it best to cycle this supplement in a 3 week on 1 week off cycle for optimal results.

Slim Quick by NxCare

Slim Quick by NxCare was specially created for women wanting to burn fat and have a lean look. It is considered the best weight loss product of its kind, and designed to work for a woman's body to effectively burn fat. The quality ingredients are designed to overcome hormonal barriers that prevent most women from losing weight.

For best results, in conjunction with a fitness program and healthy eating plan, Slim Quick should be taken on an empty stomach with water. One capsule in the morming before breakfast and one capsule 6 hours later. As with any supplements, they are most effective when used in conjunction with a complete fitness plan and healthy, well balanced diet. No fat burning supplement can help you lose weight and burn fat exclusively, exercise is a must. But for those who wish to optimize their results, get an edge on competition, and accelerate their fat burning ability, a fat burning supplement is the way to go. For professional advice on fitness program, diet information and nutritional supplements, liveleantoday.com is your home to help you become fit for life.

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Understand Your Metabolism and Unlock Your Weight Loss Results

Have you ever seen an ad for the next latest and greatest weight loss program or diet pill, only to see in fine print that this person also ate a balanced diet and did regular exercise? The other common complaint all the time is "I workout hard everyday and I don't lose a pound." Does this sound like you? The key to achieving health weight loss and keeping it off for a lifetime is understanding your metabolism.

When you think about weight loss you want to think in terms of a diet fitness program. The problem many people do is they only focus on one aspect which leaves them always falling short of their goals.

What is metabolism any way?

Your metabolism doesn't have to be confusing. Let's break your metabolism down in to two aspects. First, is your body's ability to break down food that you eat and convert it into energy or store it. You can store fat in your fat cells though you do store carbohydrates in your muscle cells to be used as energy later. The second is the rate at which your body produces energy, or do you have a fast or slow metabolism? The other key part to your metabolism is what you are burning for energy.

Your metabolism wants small amounts of food at regular intervals throughout the day. Typically every 2-3 hours is a good time to eat. This isn't eating the average American meal 5 times a day, more cutting your meal in half and eating that amount throughout the day. When we go longer than 3 hours between meals are body starts to store the food we do eat as fat, and can burn away muscle tissue for energy instead of using your food. When you eat 5 small meals a day you train your body to use fat as your main fuel source. A proper metabolism burns 70% fat as its main source of energy all day long. Just think while you are working sitting at your chair you are burning fat.

It is through exercise that we raise our metabolism up. The amount of calories we burn is not as important as the rate at which we burn calories. If burning 3500 calories worked than all the walkers at the gym would be the thinnest people. You typically see runners much thinner than walkers and that is because running burns calories at a greater rate and raises up your metabolism. You burn more calories by raising up your metabolism the entire day than you can in any workout.

Cardio interval training is considered one of the best ways of raising up your metabolism. Interval training is short burst of high intensity follow by short durations of low intensity and then repeated. People after doing an interval workout burn more fat as a source of energy for the entire day after than any other form of cardio. You only want to do one interval workout per week as over doing it creates over training and a drop in results.

Combining exercise and eating 5 small meals and you will unlock your weight loss potential. This not only the fastest ways to lose weight these habits work for the rest of your life to have more energy and keep the fat off your body.

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Keep Your Fat Weight Off

Okay so you have tried diet pills, expensive diet plans, exercising, low-carb diets, and everything else imaginable to loose the weight. Finally you are at the weight that you feel comfortable with and then a month goes by and you are right back where you started. This is the trickiest part to dieting, they never tell you how to keep the weight off. Well here is six steps you can do to help lose weight and then maintain it.

First- Get Active and Stay Active. Once you develop a healthy exercise routine that works your whole body keep with it. This can be as simple as walking everyday, playing an active sport that you love, or hitting the gym to lift weights and get a good cardio workout The key is that you continue exercising when you reach that desired weight.

Second- Eat a diet low in calories and fat. Many people don't pay attention to how many calories and fats they are consuming each day. Keep a record for one week of the foods you eat and how many calories and fats are in these foods. Then reduce that number. Look for snacks that are low in calories and fats. Fruits and Vegetables are wonderful. Also limit yourself from eating fast food to only once a week.

Third- Don't skip breakfast. Our moms always told us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This doesn't mean you have to eat eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, milk, and juice everyday. Something as simple as a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit will benefit you greatly. Breakfast helps get your metabolism started each day. With your metabolism working your body is able to burn more fat during the day. Breakfast also helps control your hunger throughout the day so in turn you eat less and at more consistent intervals.

Fourth- Hit the scales. I know it is hard to watch your weight on a daily basis. But if you are checking in to see what your body is doing throughout the week you can catch when you are gaining a couple pounds and then adjust your diet accordingly.

Fifth- Maintain a consistent eating pattern. Many people do wonderful on a diet during the workweek. Then a weekend hits or worst a holiday and all eating patterns go out the window. Try and continue eating around the same time and the same amount of food as you would if it was a normal day. This might be difficult but it will help your body maintain the weight. You can still eat the fun things that come with the holidays but in moderation.

Sixth- Catch the "slips" before they become bigger. If you happen to gain a couple pounds make sure to correct your diet and exercise right way. It is easier it to get back on track when things are little.

Now you can get the weight off and keep it off without anything to fancy and expensive!

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Food and Diet for More Energy

Do you find that you get fatigued during the afternoon? There are better choices than reaching for that candy bar, soda, or the latest energy drink. Food and diet is essential to giving your body more energy during the day which an online personal fitness training program can help with. With making some easy diet choices you can have more energy and feel alive during those once sluggish hours.

The fatigue and lack of energy you feel is associated with how you fuel your metabolism. Another way of looking at it is the food you eat or not eat is causing you have low energy and want to take a nap at work. If you are having any lack of energy throughout the day, now is a great time to start making better dietary choices which a dietician online can support you with.

The common diet programs that create this lack of energy are low calorie diets or eating 3 meals a day or less. Also, if your diet habits consist of fast food, candy, or soft drinks then your body is simply not getting the energy it needs and how it wants it was balanced energy levels. Another aspect that affects your energy with poor food choices is a lack of essential vitamins, minerals, complex carbs, and amino acids. All of these are building blocks for proper metabolism functioning.

The major issue with the ineffective diet programs of Americans is bad habits actually create more bad habits. Many people think that if they just had will power they won't succumb to food cravings that crush their diets. The reality is that poor choices create times when your body is in low blood sugar and that period is what causes your cravings. It is physiology that causes them not a lack of mental strength. Did you know that once you start eating 5 small meals during the day your cravings for sugar go away? Follow me on this person's day. We are starting with breakfast though they don't eat breakfast because they have noticed that if they skip breakfast they don't feel hungry till lunch. So at lunch they go out to dinner with their coworkers. Now, from a lack of energy they over eat more food than they should at any one meal. The problem is this doesn't feel or looks like too much food because this is what they are used to. How do I know this is too much food because at around 2 or 3 pm they are crashing. Their energy is low and they have become exceptionally irritable. Does this sound familiar?

So what are we supposed to eat? The goal is to eat 5 small meals throughout the day. For the average American this is cutting their normal meal in half and eating the other half as a snack. Breakfast starts the day either burning fat or storing fat. You know you had a proper breakfast because you are hungry 2-3 hours later, and it is time for another snack. You want to keep having small meals every two to three hours throughout the day. The reason this is good is because your body is burning calories and wants more fuel to keep burning. I know it seems logical if you don't eat you will lose weight. The problem is when you don't eat your body stores the food you eat as fat. When you fuel your body every 2-3 hours your body starts to burn more energy and will stop storing energy. This is the key to healthy losing weight.

Another key aspect to controlling your energy levels is the use of caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that supports your body to release adrenaline into your system. Caffeine in moderation, as in one cup of coffee doesn't throw your body out of balance. Having a multiple cups or some of the energy drinks and your body is running on artificial energy and then you crash. Once you crash you want that good feeling again, and so you are off on another Starbucks run. I know people who go to Starbucks every 2-3 hours or after each time their body crashes. One thing on energy drinks, Red Bull has less caffeine than a cup of coffee though I can't guarantee what is in the rest of the energy drinks.

Do you need more protein or more carbs in your meals? If you find that your meals are made of mostly carbs or simple sugars than eating protein with your meals with balance you out. Most Americans are over eating protein. If you are not getting a small amount of complex carbs in each meal, this is another reason why you are low on energy. Carbs are you body's fuel. Protein is designed to rebuild your muscle tissue and your body doesn't want to use it as energy.

Adding proper supplementation can make easy healthy and throughout the day easier. For most people getting that mid morning or mid afternoon snack can be a challenge. Having a meal replacement bar or shake can give you the healthy fuel you need. Also, most meal replacement supplements are fortified with vitamins and minerals which is a far cry from the candy bar. Supplements allow you to get exactly the right amount of calories in your meal as well. Especially, if you are going after a weight loss goal you don't need to eat any extra calories. What should I eat for my 5 small meals? The first answer is the same things you are eating now only cut them in half. You will find that the sugar cravings go away so we automatically start eating less sugar. The goal is to go to the super market thinking about what you want to eat for your meals. If you buy it at the grocery store than you will have it ready when it is time to eat? Liveleantoday.com's diet program creates weekly menus that print out grocery lists to make this process easy. Start eating every 2-3 hours and turn your metabolism into a fat burning machine. I know you might be laughing, not your metabolism. Today if you start eating 5 small meals your body will start to turn over. You will know this is working because you will have more energy than you have ever had before.

Chuck Carter, BS Exercise Science is President of Personal Training website LiveLeanToday.com. For over 20 years, Mr. Carter has trained people to achieve their fitness goals. Go to for more information on online personal training program and other health and fitness information.