Tag Archives: Christian weight loss

7 Easy Tips for Faster Weight Loss

A joyful dayPosted on February 28, 2011 by Rhonda

7 Easy Tips for Faster Weight Loss

When we decide to lose weight –  we want to lose it FAST! Fast weight loss isn’t always best for our health, simply because some of the methods used for fast weight loss are unhealthy or difficult to keep doing for a long enough period of time.

However, there are a few key things that are known to help speed up weight loss without harming your health:

1. Drink More Water

Drinking plenty of water is an excellent way to help your body burn more fat, as well as release excess water you may have been retaining. Experts recommend a minimum of 64 ounces of water daily.  It’s probably safe to drink more as long as you don’t overdo it.

2. Avoid Sugar — one of your biggest enemies

Refined white cane sugar has a detrimental effect on the body, namely because of the way it sharply elevates blood glucose levels. This causes your pancreas to secrete insulin to bring blood glucose back to normal levels, and too much of this up-and-down fluctuation can wreak havoc on your body.

For losing weight quickly, there are few actions more powerful than eliminating white refined sugar (and its cousin, high fructose corn syrup) from your diet. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll find that fruit is a great alternative, and so is low-glycemic agave nectar.

You don’t necessarily have to give up sweets completely – just choose healthier options to satisfy your sweet tooth.

3.  Reduce Sodium Intake

Reducing your sodium intake is another way to help speed up weight loss, simply because eating high amounts of sodium makes most people retain excess water weight. Not to mention that a diet high in sodium can contribute to hypertension (high blood pressure).

4.  Avoid Starvation

People often think that reducing their caloric intake down to almost nothing is a great way to lose weight quickly, but all it does is kick their bodies into self-preservation mode and slow down their metabolism.

A much better approach is to eat lean, low-calorie foods frequently throughout the day. This keeps your metabolism running strong, burning fat and losing weight. Not to mention you’ll have more energy and feel more satisfied all day long. Also including a moderate amount of heart-healthy fats (like those found in olive oil and avacados) can keep you from feeling hungry.

5. Burn More Calories

Cardio exercises are known for their calorie-burning power, and effective weight loss plans will focus on creating a “calorie deficit”. To lose one pound, you need to either reduce your calorie intake by 3500 calories, or burn off 3500 calories with cardio exercise.

Doing a combination of both has been proven to be most effective; for example reducing your daily caloric intake, AND burning calories via cardio exercise. So, if you reduced your calories by 250 daily (1750 weekly), and burned off 250 calories daily (1750 weekly), you would lose 1 pound that week.

Keep in mind that other factors can come into play so some weeks you may lose more and other weeks you may lose less.

6. Become a Friend of Fiber

Increasing your fiber intake is another good way to speed weight loss, for a few reasons. First, eating high-fiber foods helps you feel fuller longer so you aren’t tempted to overeat. Fiber is also helpful in slowing the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, which reduces the impact of high-glycemic foods and minimizes fluctuations in blood glucose levels.

Finally, a fiber rich diet helps “keep things moving” in your digestive tract so you clean your colon and eliminate waste more easily.

7. Reduce Stress

Last but not least, managing your stress better can help you lose weight more quickly. The hormone cortisol is prevalent in the stressed-out body, and cortisol contributes to the accumulation of belly fat. It’s virtually impossible to lead a completely stress-free life, but there are endless ways to better manage your stress so it doesn’t wreak havoc on your body. Try meditating daily for 10-15 minutes, deep breathing exercises, or a soothing exercise like yoga.

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A Super Start to Weight Loss with Super Foods

A joyful dayPosted on January 25, 2010 by Rhonda

A Super Start to Weight Loss with Super Foods

I just can’t believe a week has already gone by since I’ve started the new series on weight loss!   (For those who missed last week, Click here to view last’s week’s topic)  I’ve actually been chewing at the bits to write this next article…

First I want to say, if I had the perfect metabolism and have never had to struggle with weight loss myself, I would probably never have started this series. I wouldn’t feel qualified.  Why? Because who wants to learn how to fix a broken door from someone who’s never fixed a broken door in their entire life?  (Next week, I’ll tell you  a little bit about my own personal struggles.)

Now,  you’ve probably been waiting on me to suggest the perfect weight loss book with all the answers.  The fact is, I refuse to suggest any “one” book as the “ultimate” weight loss book.  Why?

The Bible says in Proverbs 11:14, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

I don’t rely on any one book for weight loss (there’s lots of valuable information regarding our health).  The only Book reliable enough to stake your life on would be the Bible, God’s Holy Word!   Man is often in error.  And as I write, there will also be a diversity of opinions on weight loss.  We must do our own homework and seek the facts!

On a positive note, I will probably suggest a few books here and there to help with certain topics that we’re covering. 

What books will I suggest for help? First, the author must have done his homework well with proven statistics.  Secondly, the book should also be driven from well-researched information.  Thirdly,  the book should be nutritionally sound and support good health. 

If you have a book now that you’re absolutely enthused over and has been successful for you, then I’m not trying to squash your enthusiasm or discourage you. On the other hand, please don’t close the door completely to learning more about your health. Remember, there’s a lot of great information available and we can learn from other people’s success as well!

Consider this regarding your weight loss (weight control) program…

- Does it focus on counting and cutting calories?  (The focus should mainly on eating healthy portions and obtaining good health through healthy eating so that your metabolism is naturally boosted.  Simply continuing to cut calories can decrease your metabolism.)

- Does it encourage you to focus on no fat & low fat foods, use diet foods & substitutes?  (We need healthy fats for our well-being. Many are deficient in healthy fats and do not even realize it.  Sugar substitutes, diet drinks, and the ingredients in many processed foods increase cravings and encourage more weight gain.)

- Does it leave you hungry, tired & bored?  (Fad diets always seem to have a short life span .  People become hungry with limitations & bored with the same foods over and over.  Once they quit, they gain back the weight.  Permanent weight loss requires a lifetime change.  Learning to eat healthy makes this possible!)

Last week, I said that I was going to encourage you to eat more….

Many of you are in a rut.  You can’t figure out why you can’t lose even one more pound despite the fact that you’re surviving on a low calorie diet and even exercising.  If you’ve been dieting for a long time, your body may be fighting against starvation.  It’s well-equipped to fight this battle!

If this seems to be your case, you probably need to consume more food to give your metabolism a boost.  But, don’t grab a hamburger or donut!  Instead, consider eating some Superfoods that are good for you.  Remember, fruits do have a natural sugar, so you want to balance with vegetables and fruits together!

For those who say,  “I’m hungry all the time“… God didn’t intend for us to just sit and watch our husbands swoon over his delicious meal every night while we sit with 3 little peas on our plate!

God’s creation has provided an abundant multitude of wonderful foods with adequate nutrition that can satisfy any human being on earth!   Can you imagine Eve counting calories!  (Yes, that’s laughable….”Sorry, Adam, but I’ll have to pass on that banana, I’m watching my calories.“)

Now, I’m trying to keep each article short because I know you ladies are busy, and I don’t want to discourage you from taking time to read my articles each week.  (Sadly, I realize I’ve already been too long-winded this week.)  Yet, I told you that I was going to share 14 Superfoods that can help promote weight loss and boost your metabolism.

I won’t be able to expand on the value of these Superfoods this week; however, you can start by incorporating some of these in your meals & replacing some for your snacks.  You’ll be one smart step on the way to making healthier choices in your diet!

Introduction to 14 Superfoods: (sidekicks following)

Beans – all dried beans, green peas, low-sodium canned beans, string beans, sugar snap peas

Blueberries – blackberries, boysenberries, cherries, cranberries, purple grapes, raspberries, strawberries and other fresh & frozen berries.

Broccoli: brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, turnips

Oats: Other top choices: wheat germ & ground flaxseed.  More options: amaranth, barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur wheat, couscous, kamut, millet, quinoa, rye, spelt, triticale, wild rice, yellow corn

Oranges: grapefruit, kumquats, lemons, limes, tangerines

Pumpkin: carrots, butternut squash, orange bell peppers, sweet potatoes

Salmon: Alaskan halibut, bass, chunk light tuna, clams, herring, oysters, sardines, trout

Soy: edamame, miso, soy milk, soy nuts, tempeh, tofu

Spinach: bok choy, collards, kale, mustard greens, orange bell peppers, romaine lettuce,  Swiss chard, turnip greens

Tea: black tea, green tea

Tomatoes: Japanese persimmons, pink grapefruit, red fleshed papaya, strawberry guava, watermelon

Turkey: skinless chicken breast

Walnuts: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazel nuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

Yogurt: kefir

(I’ll be sharing some additional Superfoods & Spices next week!)

P.S. Boost your metabolism with exercise; if you haven’t committed to exercising at least 10 min. in the mornings…join me by visiting my post on health & fitness (click here).  Just leave me a comment!

Disclaimer: I would like to clarify the fact that I’m not a certified dietician.  I rely on health-focused research and learned experiences.  Any major diet changes should be consulted with your own doctor.   Some people are diabetic and others have food allergies.  This is something to always consider when making any changes in your own diet.

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