How bad are soft drinks for your weight?

On a sunny afternoon it is certainly tempting to sit back and enjoy a cold coke. But how does it affect your plans to loose some weight and get healthier?

Firstly, it cannot be denied a small can of any soft drink contains about 150 calories. Which leads to the question, do you really want to sacrifice some food and go for a soft drink instead to stay under your daily calorie count?

There are plenty of alternatives to avoid regular consumption of unhealthy soft drinks. Diet soft drinks are not really a solution – you get a soft drink which does not taste as good but yet contains a considerable amount of calories. The most obvious alternative would be simply to stick with water – that is simple 0 calories, none at all!

Granted, not everybody is a big fan of drinking solely water, so lets look at what else is out there with a least a little bit of flavor! Yes, you guessed right fruit juices are particularly common. But you will have to take care of what fruit juice you go for – those cheap juices are usually packed with artifical flavours, sweetener and so on. Put another way, you might as well go for your beloved soft drink. However, there are organic fruit juices with little to no artificial flavors. Or even better, lets make our own fruit juice… all it takes is to pick up some oranges (or whatever fruit you prefer) and squeeze them. It is not only much healthier but also tastes significantly better.

So in conclusion it seems a justifiable approach to drink more water instead of soft drinks… when you hit the point that you cannot take it anymore reward yourself with a fresh fruit juice. 

Is it really necessary to go to the gym?

Without any doubts going to a gym is one of the most popular ways to work out for anyone who is trying to burn some fat and build up some muscles. However, is it really the best way to do so?

Personally, I dislike gyms. Sure it gets the job done, but I don’t find it very entertaining to lift weights and work on machines. So I started asking myself, what other ways are there to achieve the same goal?

Firstly, it would have to be something that doesn’t only burn calories and fat but also helps to build up some muscles. If did some research on the internet as well as checked whatever sports my buddies are into and starting trying out different stuff to see what may be best for me.

After two weeks of trying all kinds of stuff I started having a pretty good idea of what I was going to do in the long run. For the upper body area, I found climbing to be incredibly efficient. Yes that’s right, climbing up those artificial indoor and outdoor walls. From what I can tell you’ll be developing significant biceps/triceps muscles as well as a neat sixpack. I’m doing it twice a week and its really starting to pay off, plus it can be a lot of fun since its typically done with at least one other person who’s taking care of your rope.

As for my legs I’m not 100% certain yet but riding my bike as well as jogging regularly seems to work quite well. After a long day of work it also has a very relaxing impact on your mind running around in a park or other green area for a while.

Obviously, needs and preferences are different for everyone, but unless you’re one of those people who feels comfortable in a gym I’m sure there’s something for you out there which can yield the same result in a more fun way!

Bad habits which make you gain weight

Often the best intentions to lose some weight are undermined by bad habits. More often than not these are subconscious leading us to not even realizing them. So what exactly am I talking about? 

Firstly, it’s very common to eat everyday at same time. Just like when you were a kid, dinner was always set for 6:30 p.m. It wasn’t relevant how hungry everyone was, it was dinner time simple as that. But guess what, now you’re on your own and your goal is to lose some weight. So here is what we do: We eat when we’re really hungry, there is no point in having a huge dinner when you’re not hungry.

Secondly, there is no need to clean up your plate when you’re already full. Yes, I know it’s hard to throw food away. But when you’re full, you’re full. Learn to listen to your body, even though it may be difficult to stop half way through that delicious favorite dish of yours when you’re only half way through.

Thirdly, you will have to ask yourself do you eat when you’re upset or angry? It is a more common source of stress relief than you might think. But luckily there are other ways to feel better: How about talking a walk or doing some exercise? Or maybe a little punching bag to release some anger? Just think about it for a while I’m sure you’ll think of something suitable for you.

So in conclusion, be honest to yourself when trying to identify such habits. We’re not perfect but unless we try to work on our flaws we won’t be able to get rid of them…

No more excuses for not trying to loose some weight!

How often have you heard people complaining about not loosing weight while citing at the same time excuses why they cannot do so. I believe it’s time to be a little bit more honest and identify some of these questionable statements avoiding weightloss.

“It’s not my fault, it’s caused genetically … there's nothing I can do about it!”

Well, first off its true some people are more overweight prone than others. But at the same these people tend to give up on even trying. If you’re the one who naturally has weight problems you should be the one taking most care of what you eat. You should be the one who works out like a maniac. Unfortunately, it’s usually the opposite…

“I’d like to, but I don’t have enough time”

Let me illustrate this excuse with a simple example: Barack Obama works out every day for about 40 minutes. Wouldn’t one assume that if the American president finds a small time frame to get some exercise done that you should as well? Buy some weights to save you that ride to the gym, ride your bike to work or whatever comes to your mind, there are plenty of options!

“I don’t have the money for it”

You don’t believe me that people are seriously using this excuse? Sadly, it’s true. There is a vast amount of rather questionable ‘medications’ and pills out there. Don’t buy any of these advertised pills! A good nutrition plan and some exercise is really all you need…. and being honest to yourself.

So, next time one of your friends tries to bail himself out with one of these excuses don’t let him get away so easily!

Do you eat when you are bored?

I really hate it. It’s around midnight and I am laying on the couch in front of the TV. The program is not very exciting and I have got nothing to do. 

In these moments I find it incredibly hard to resist the urge to go to the kitchen and get something to eat. Sooner or later I used to give up and had another snack or two before it was bed time. To make things even worse I quit smoking some time and was naturally drawn to eat more once my sense of taste recovered.

I think we all know that weight loss is a hard task, but what can one do? Well, at least I managed substituting my nightly snacks with something healthier. Nowadays, my midnight walk to the fridge ends with returning with a bowl of fruits. Granted, it’s not as satisfying as a bag of potato chips but it’s better than nothing!