Exercise and Meal Planning- Melt Those Pounds Away

You're working diligently at your weight-loss exercise program, hitting the gym at 6:00 a.m. sharp, doing hours of cardio and yet somehow, those pounds aren't melting away with the sweat as quickly as you had hoped. What's wrong?

Exercise isn't everything

While a disciplined exercise program is vital to weight-loss success, exercise alone often isn't enough. Some of us have the idea that exercising enables us to eat whatever and as much as we like, and we set ourselves up for disappointment and discouragement because we exercise hard and don't see results.

Plan your meals!

We can reach our ideal weight in a healthy, balanced way by ensuring we're including the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats in our daily meal planning. We need to have protein in our diet in order to keep our muscles healthy and to keep the belly monster at bay. Adding a few ounces of protein at each meal will help keep us feeling satisfied and feed our muscles. Today we know that there are no one-size-fits-all diets, so if meat doesn't agree with you, look for other sources of protein.

Choose complex carbohydrates like vegetables and fruits (eaten whole rather than sipped from a glass) over simple carbs such as breads and sugary foods. They'll provide fast energy as well as dietary fiber, which is critical for an efficiently running system.

Keep the fats in!

Probably the single biggest fallacy in weight loss information is that we must cut out fats. Essential fatty acids, found in omega oils, are a very critical and necessary part of a healthy diet. Excluding them deprives our organs and our brain of vitally needed nutrients, including them helps our bodies to function normally and aids with weight control.

Balance, balance, balance!

A balanced, healthy diet, disciplined exercise program and a positive mental attitude all work together to make you fit and strong.