The vast majority of us want to lose some amount of weight.  Whether we want to lose a few pounds or do a major life overhaul, we need a few guidelines to lose the pounds.  Keep in mind that the calories you burn must exceed the calories you ingest in order for any weight-loss routine to work. 

Diet – Don’t panic

The best way to achieve results is by cutting calories in the diet and combining this with exercise.  But how do we maximize the benefits of both? 

Cutting calories generally means ingesting less high-calorie foods and substituting with lower-calorie alternatives.  Unless you have someone breathing down your neck during your entire exercise and diet schedule, the easiest way to cut out your favorite sweets and rich foods is by substitution.  It’s hard on the psyche to eliminate one item or routine without replacing it with another.  This is why so many smokers find it hard to quit and is usually the reason why so many people find exercise and diet changes to be so difficult.

So substitute.  Although you’ll probably want to cut out certain things altogether, going cold turkey is not the easiest way to eliminate calories or start a diet.  Start by substituting a bowl of fresh berries for the cookies you consume for desert at lunch. 

Foods high in simple carbohydrates like sugar and white flour cause our sugar to spike which causes our bodies to release a large amount of insulin in response.  This large fluctuation causes many of us to feel tired and sleepy after lunch.   Our insulin and sugar levels keep fluctuating until they reach a good balance which causes us to vary between mildly energetic and tired.  To minimize this energy flux and to help eliminate calories, eat whole grains and fruits that mimic sweetness without the refined sugar. 

If you are used to eating sweets, you will inevitably crave these items for the first few days, but, like any addiction, after four or five days you will find that fresh raspberries and blueberries taste better than your sugar cookies.  Strange, but true.

Exercise

Ideally you want to burn the maximum amount of energy in the least amount of time, right?  Well, what you really want to do is work out at your body’s ideal heart rate for at least 20 to 30 minutes at a time.   You may want to do one type of workout one day and another the next.  Muscles need time to adjust and heal so vary your routine from day to day. 

Walking and jogging are great, but do these every other day.  Alternate between weight training and cardiovascular.  You’ll need to determine your target heart rate during cardiovascular workouts in order to optimize your ability to burn calories and fat. 

There are two schools of thought to calculate optimal heart rate.  One is the traditional mathematics associated with heart rate:

1. First subtract your age from 220
2. Subtract your resting heart rate from this number
3. Divide it by two
4. Add your resting heart rate

This should result in your ideal training heart rate.

For example, a 40 year old man with a resting heart rate of 64:

1. 220 – 40 = 180
2. 180 – 64 = 116
3. 116 / 2 = 58
4. 58 + 60 = 118

This man has an ideal heart rate of 118.  This means that when his body is working out at a level where his heart beats at 118 beats per minute, he is maximizing his fat and calorie burning potential.

But how do you determine your heart rate when you are exercising?  It’s easy to sit and take your resting heart rate, just count your pulse for 20 seconds and multiply by three.  But when you are running, it’s difficult to monitor your pulse. 

Your best bet is to purchase personal monitoring device.  These keep track of your heart rate via a strap on your chest and a wireless wrist device that’s easy to see and monitor.  Not only that, but some of these have software that can map your routes!  Honestly, these route mapping functions can be ideal for individuals who want to monitor their inclines and variations in elevations as well as variations in speed.  Although these devices are great for training, they can be useful (and fun!) for everyone else. 

The Garmin Wrist Monitorhas a heart monitor and GPS tracking device.  It’s a useful device that’s fun to use for both gadget and non-gadget minded individuals.  The fun factor helps motivate, believe it or not.

Plateaus….

Change it up!  Keep exercising but give yourself variation.  By changing activities and challenging your body, you keep your mind interested and your body working.  Everyone gets plateaus but by varying your exercises and training for cardiovascular as well as weights, you’ll work past the plateaus. 

Your best bet is to consult a personal fitness trainer or professional who can help you adjust your workout schedule, routines, and diet to achieve your weight-loss goals.

This article contains information gathered from a variety of health and fitness websites.