I actually would like to know where or how to start? i am a 33 year old mother of two with a full time job and everyday i wake up and think where do i start? im always taking care of everyone but myself, i need a simple start…and what i mean is what to cook or how to start some exercise routine. anyway you can help i would appreciate a little guidance.

First of all, thanks for the question! This is actually a very popular question and is one of the main roadblocks that prevents people from ever taking action.

I want to start out by saying that it’s a good idea to first download the free low calorie diet plan!  It’s available over on our Facebook page  (If you already “like” Low-CalorieDiet.com on Facebook then click the “Free Stuff” tab to access the low calorie diet plan).

As simple as the plan may be to help people lose weight, I understand that it can still be hard to figure out where to start!  There’s a lot of information and it can feel overwhelming.  So, I want to quickly share my reply to the reader who asked the above question and add a little to it.  Check it out:

That’s a very good question!  And I actually am in a similar situation myself – similar age with 3 kids.

 

What I have found to work the best is to plan ahead.  I know what I’m eating tomorrow before it even comes.  I actually have a meal chart that I made that I have hanging in my kitchen.  You can see a similar meal chart here:  Sample Low Calorie Meal Plan

 

It only took about a half hour to put together.  Now, I don’t eat exactly the same thing everyday, but I stick pretty closely to my chart (swapping out different foods here and there, but keeping portion sizes the same) to make sure that I’m eating roughly the same amount of calories daily.  It’s a great way to control my calorie intake without having to count every calorie I eat.

 

There’s a ton of low calorie recipes to choose from on the site and since it sounds like your pressed for time,browse through the low calorie foods section for some prepackaged low calorie options.

 

Another tip I use is every time I cook a healthy dinner at night, I portion out some for my lunch the next day.  I don’t have a ton of time to cook, so when I do cook I try to make a couple meals out of it.

 

As far as exercise goes, I personally get up early before my kids get up and squeeze in a half hour workout in my basement.  I know that’s not feasible for a lot of people, so just remember to try and move more each day.  Buy a cheap pedometer and aim to walk around 10,000 steps per day.  If you do a lot of work around the house or walk around a lot at work then those steps will add up pretty quickly.

I really recommend that you incorporate some sort of cardio as well as resistance exercise program into your routine not only for weight loss purposes, but for your overall health!  I understand it can be hard to find time which is why I created these 15 Minute Workout Ideas.  There are more articles right here on this blog over in our Fitness section to help get you moving!

So, if you don’t know where to start then grab the free low calorie diet plan and start making the small changes as described above to your daily routine and the weight will come off!

If you are still struggling to start off on the right foot then leave a comment below or contact me and we’ll get you started!

Also, if you have a simple tip to help others get started you can leave it in the comments below!  We would love to hear from you!

Also check out:

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2. Why Should I Lose Weight? Why should I lose weight?  This is a question asked...
3. 5 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight You’re following your diet and working out, but the weight...

Help! I Don’t Know Where Or How To Start Losing Weight!

This site wouldn’t be where it is without you!

There are a lot of great things planned for 2012 that will really help you reach your goals, so make you sure you’re following us on Facebook, Twitter or by RSS.

And if you haven’t yet, be sure to download the Simple, Proven Plan For Weight Loss & Control!  We have surpassed 10,000 downloads of this FREE eBook!!  So don’t miss out!

So, as promised, here’s a look back at the best and most popular posts of 2011!

38 Delicious Low Calorie Meals And Snacks
The most popular post on this site with over 200,000 views in the last 3 months.

How many calories per day should I eat to lose weight?
An answer to the most important question a dieter faces.

200 Calories Or Less Meal Ideas
A list of delicious and lower calorie meal ideas.

Low Calorie Beer Comparison
A list of low calorie beers and their total calorie counts.

Delicious & Guilt Free Low Calorie Alcoholic Drink Recipes
These low calorie alcoholic recipes will allow you to have a few without the guilt!

10 Delicious Low Calorie Salad Ideas
10 low calorie salad ideas that are as light as they are delicious!

300 Calories Or Less Meal Ideas
These low calorie dishes will allow you to eat frequently without consuming a large amount of calories per day.

Low-Calorie Food That Fills
Fill up on these low calorie foods so you can feel full without all the calories!

How To Lose The Muffin Top
That unsightly layer of fat that hangs over the top of jeans?  Ya, this article helps you get rid of that.

Exercises To Lose Belly Fat Fast
The most sought after physical attribute is a six pack.  And this is exactly how you get it!

Resource Section

We added a new resource section over in the sidebar this year.  This was to gather like articles and neatly organize them all on one page.  These resources answer common questions I get submitted, so when you get a second check them out!

Low Calorie Recipes

We revamped the Low Calorie Recipe section to make it easier to find your favorite recipes.  And, of course, we will be continually adding to this section to make it more robust, so check back often.

We’re on Google +

If Google + is your thing, then be sure to check us out there and add us to your circle!  It’s a good way to stay up-to-date with the latest articles and to interact!

Also check out:

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2. Help! I Don’t Know Where Or How To Start Losing Weight! I got another excellent question from a reader this past...
3. 300 Calories Or Less Meal Ideas The 200 Calorie Meals post has quickly become one of...

The Best Of 2011

We all have days where we don’t feel like working out.  We’re too tired or we simply lack the motivation to get off the couch and do something.

Then there are those who simply don’t let anything hold them back.  They don’t care what condition they are in, how old they are or whether they have a physical handicap.

They make no excuses at all!  Instead, they fight through and reach their goals no matter what!

Which leads me to the inspirational stories of two very special people – Corina Gutierrez and John Deegan.

Corina was born with a rare disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, which has left her with extremely fragile bones.  As a result of this disease, she has been in a wheelchair for years, has experienced more than 200 fractures in her life and was not expected to live past 7 years.

So, what’s the point of all of this?  Corina is now 32 years old and teaches Zumba Fitness classes! And she does it all from her wheelchair, offering inspiration and hope to people from all walks of life.

Want to read more about Corina? Check out this inspirational article Pamela Peeke, MD wrote about her meeting with Corina at the Zumba Fitness Instructors conference and check out Corina’s Zumba Fitness profile.

Next up is a man named John Deegan.  John won The Most Inspirational Body Transformation Of The Year Award over at Tom Venuto’s  Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle Blog.

And the award was certainly justified as John lost 34 pounds in just 98 days and lost 6 inches around his waist. But, it’s not that he was so successful losing weight, it’s that he did it at 61 years old, with two bad hips, using two canes and has bone on bone arthritis!  You can read more about John’s story here.

So, what can we learn from these two individuals who have seemingly denied all odds and grabbed life by the horns?

1. Next time you don’t feel like working out or don’t think you can physically do it, remember that the only thing holding you back is yourself!
2. The majority of us have some sort of physical ailment.  Don’t let that hinder you!  Talk to a doctor to see what you CAN do and forget about what you CAN’T do.
3. In both of these examples, not only did they mentally feel better after being active, but they physically felt better, as well.  So, get up and get moving so you can feel your best both mentally and physically!

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2. How do I lose weight and not feel like I’m starving myself? Q: When I try to cut calories and follow a...
3. Why A Short Binge Can Have Lasting Negative Effects A Moment On The Lips, Forever On The Hips! That...

Don’t Feel Like Being Active? Read This!

On those busy days when it’s hard to find time to exercise, you can certainly cram a productive and calorie burning workout into a short 15 minute routine.

But, is a 15 minute workout enough?

Yes, in fact, studies show that a mere 15 minutes of light exercise daily may increase life expectancy by 3 years, reduce the risk of dying of cancer by 10% and reduce the risk of death by 14%.

Of course, more exercise is better, but on those days where a mere 15 minutes of exercise is all we can squeeze in we can still feel confident that we are improving our health and bettering ourselves.

The Basics

Even when you’re crunched for time, it’s important to spend the first 3 to 5 minutes warming up.  March in place for a few minutes and perform a short series of dynamic stretches.  This is simply to get your muscles warmed up and raise your heart rate.

Once you’ve spent a few minutes warming up you can move on to the core of your workout. Keep in mind what you’re trying to accomplish with this workout.  Are you targeting just lower or upper body?  Are you looking for a full body workout?  Do you want a cardio type workout or a resistance workout?

No matter what you decide your routine will be for the day, just be sure that at the end of the week you end up working the entire body and mix in both cardio and resistance training.

Quick And Easy 15 Minute Workouts

There are several ways you can fit in a quick 15 minute workout.  And none of them require you to change into workout clothes!

A quick workout can be done the more traditional way, for example, at a gym or at home performing typical exercise type movements or you can simply incorporate a calorie burning workout into everyday activities.

Traditional 15 Minute Workouts

You can get a quick workout by using your own body weight, some dumbbells or an exercise ball.  Try one of these quick, full body workouts next time you’re pressed for time.

Exercise Ball Workout

This quick workout utilizes just one piece of equipment: the exercise ball.  Spend 3 – 5 minutes warming up then perform exercises 1 and 2 back to back with no rest for 12-15 repetitions.  Finish up with core exercises 3 and 4 below.

1. Ball Pushup – Lay flat on the ball with the ball under your hips and your hands flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.  Lower yourself into the pushup position and push off while simultaneously bending your knees until your feet touch the ground and you are in the squat position.  This will set you up for the Ball Squat & Raise next.
2. Ball Squat & Raise – Once in the squat position, grab the ball and stand up while simultaneously raising the ball out in front of you and over your head.  Lower yourself back down, placing the ball back under you and lean forward into the Ball Push up position again.  Repeat 12- 15 times.
3. Ball Crunch – Lay in the crunch position on top of the exercise ball with your butt about 10 inches off the ground and your hands held straight out over your head.  Raise yourself up while maintaining a constant tightening of your stomach muscles until your torso is perpendicular with the ground.  Slowly lower yourself back down.  Do 12-15 repetitions.
4. Side Plank – This exercise you can do with or without the ball depending on your level of fitness.  Lay on your side and raise yourself up onto your elbow with your feet still on the ground, keeping your body in a perfectly straight line.  Hold this position for 30 seconds and switch sides.

Light Dumbbell Workout

This full body workout can be done in 15 minutes or less and only requires a light pair of dumbbells.  Spend a few minutes warming up then move onto the main exercises.  Perform each exercise back to back, rest 1 minute then perform each exercise again.  Add in some core work such as crunches or planks as time permits.

1. Squat press – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a pair of dumbbells.  Lower yourself into the squat position while pressing the dumbbells straight up and over your head. Lower the dumbbells back down as you stand back up.  Repeat for 8 to 12 reps.
2. Pushups – Get into the pushup position, with your knees on the ground if you can’t perform regular pushups.  Perform 8 to 10 repetitions.
3. Lunge with front raise – Stand with feet shoulder-width apart while holding a pair of light dumbbells at your sides. Take a long step forward with your right leg, until your left knee is close to the floor while simultaneously raising the dumbbells straight out in front of you until your arms are parallel to the floor. Pause, then lower the dumbbells as you push yourself back to the starting position. Perform 8 to 10 reps on each side.
4. Single-leg bent over row – Stand with a pair of light dumbbells at your sides. Raise one leg slightly off the floor and bend forward at the hips with your weight on the other leg until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Let your arms hang down so the weights are near your shins. Pull the weights up to the sides of your chest, squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top, then return to the starting position. Stand on the opposite leg for the second set. Perform 8 to 10 reps on each leg.

Quick 15 Minute Workouts Anywhere

Arguably the easiest way to fit a quick workout into your day is to incorporate it into your everyday activities. Here are a few ideas to quickly whip yourself into shape without setting foot in a gym or lifting a single weight.

1. Use a pedal machine for 15 minutes at your work desk.  Pedal machines make it easy to burn a ton of calories without getting out of your desk chair. They are extremely small and inconspicuous, meaning you can pedal without anybody knowing you’re doing it. Check out these effective desk exercises for more ideas.
2. Do simple exercises such as jumping jacks, crunches, pushups, etc. during the commercial breaks of your favorite TV show. You could get a quick and easy 15 minute workout in during one half hour show.
3. Take advantage of your breaks at work and walk around your building.  Invite a co-worker to join you and even wear a pedometer to record the amount of steps you take.  Aim to improve that number over time.
4. Park a few blocks away from work and walk.  If it takes you 7 to 8 minutes to walk from your car to your desk then that’s 15 minutes of exercise a day (round trip) right there.  This can also be done every time you go to the store, as well.
5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator when possible.  This can be extremely effective and total 15 minutes or more of exercise if you bounce from floor to floor quite often.
6. Be more active with your family!  Take the dog for a daily walk after dinner or play with the kids.
7. Trade your riding lawn mower in for a push mower.  Depending on the size of your yard you could get well over a 15 minute workout.
8. Combine a few (or all) of the above and watch as the weight easily melts away without ever hitting the gym!  Need more ideas?  Here are 30 easy exercise tips to get you moving!

Also check out:

1. Fat Burning Workout Routines If you really want to give that annoying body fat...
2. Get Fit In A Flash With These Quick Exercise Tips Who has time to work out these days?  With the...
3. Low Calorie Quick Meals Delicious, low calorie meals in 15 minutes or less! One...

Quick And Easy 15 Minute Workout Routines

I thought it would be a good idea to add to that list and offer 10 more weight loss techniques you can add to your daily routine to lose weight.

These simple techniques will help you create the caloric deficit necessary to lose weight.  Best of all, you don’t have to watch every single thing you eat nor count a single calorie!  So, let’s get started:

Use Tall And Skinny Glasses

By pouring your liquid calories into a tall, skinny glass instead of a short wide glass you may drink 25-30% less according to studies at Cornell University. How is this possible? It’s all visual.  The tests showed that people tend to pour more into short wide glasses then they do tall skinny glasses.

Include A Vegetable With Your Meals

Add water-dense vegetables and even fruit to your meals is a great way to lose weight!  The water and fiber in these foods help fill you up without all the calories.  Try eating these at the start of your meal so you feel full before you get to the more calorie-dense main dish.

Limit Alcohol

That doesn’t mean you have to completely cut it out, but be mindful of how much you drink.  Limit yourself to just a few drinks and opt for low calorie cocktails and beers.

Drink Green Tea

Years of research has shown that green tea may help prevent cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol, prevent diabetes and aid in weight loss!  Stick to brewing your own tea and stay away from sweetened bottled varieties.

Cook Your Meals

Many restaurant foods can contain a full days worth of calories in one meal (check out the Worst Restaurant Foods post for examples). An easy way to control what goes in your meals is to simply cook them yourself!   For those times when your only option is to eat out, check out our ultimate guide to healthy fast food!

Chew Sugar-Free Gum

A study conducted at the University of Rhode Island showed that chewing sugar-free gum may help lower caloric intake and increase energy expenditure.  Try chewing gum at times when snack cravings typically occur; while watching TV, sitting at your desk at work, at parties, etc.

Include A Protein With Your Meals

Adding a lean protein source to each meal and snack will help keep you feeling fuller longer. Lean meats, eggs, beans, nuts, yogurts and even whey protein powder are all great fat burning foods!  An added benefit of these foods is their high thermic effect, which means they burn more calories through digestion than both fat or carbs.

Find A Hobby

Any hobby that gets you moving – gardening, yoga, etc – are all great ways to burn extra calories.  And you’re more likely to stick with a hobby you enjoy then a regular exercise program.

Spice Things Up

Spicy foods that contain red or green chili pepper may temporarily increase your metabolic rate by up to 23% according to studies.  Try adding red or green chili pepper to your favorite pasta’s, chili, stews and any other meal you can fit it in.

Find An Exercise Buddy

One of the best ways to lose weight without dieting is to, of course, exercise!  But, it’s tough to find the motivation to do it.  That’s where an exercise buddy comes in.  You’ll be more likely to workout on a set schedule when you are held accountable by a friend.

I’d like to hear from you!  What are some ways you’ve lost weight without dieting?  Leave them in the comments below.

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10 More Ways To Lose Weight Without Dieting

If your scale says you’ve lost 2 pounds it could just be water weight or perhaps even a loss of muscle!  Neither of which are necessarily a good thing.

Conversely, one could lose 10lbs of fat and gain 10lbs of muscle and not see any movement on the scale, but will see a noticeable change in the way they look and feel.

This is why your goal should be to burn body fat and not to simply lose weight!

Since this is a topic we’ve covered several times in detail I thought it would be a good idea to pull together all of those posts and create one ultimate guide full of the best fat burning tips!

Fat Burning Diet Tips

If you want to burn fat you have to get your diet in check first.  As the old saying goes, “You can’t out-train a lousy diet”.  So, the first thing we will look at is how many calories we need and the best fat burning foods to help us lose weight.

How Many Calories To Lose Weight
First things first, you must create a caloric deficit to burn off body fat.  If you’re not losing weight then you probably don’t have your calories in check.  Conversely, if you’re starving all the time you may be cutting out too many calories – which can also lead to a slower metabolism and loss of muscle mass!

Fat Burning Foods
Once you have your calories in check, it’s important to add these fat  burning foods to your diet.  They will help fill you up and keep you feeling full between meals!  Plus, their high thermogenic effect will help your body burn more calories!

Also, be sure to check out our resource on how to cut calories for some simple and effective tips to easily and safely consume less calories!

Fat Burning Workout Tips

As important as dieting is, in order to effectively burn fat and preserve muscle mass you should exercise, as well.  The following articles will teach you the most effective methods to burning off body fat and building lean muscle.

Fat Burning Workouts
There’s a lot of confusion about the best way to burn off body fat.  And with about a million different exercises out there to choose from how do you know which one’s make for a good fat burning workout?  This article reveals that secret!

Exercises To Lose Belly Fat Fast
Are you doing hundred’s of crunches trying to burn the fat off your belly?  STOP! This article will give you an in-depth look at how to really burn off abdominal fat!

Putting It All Together

Of course, for best fat burning results you will want to incorporate both the fat burning diet and workout tips into your daily lifestyle!  The following articles discuss both the dieting and workout aspects and offer a few more golden nuggets to get the most fat burning “bang for your buck”!

Best Way To Lose Belly Fat
This article discusses both the diet and fitness sides of burning off fat and even gives a few important tips to maximize your results.  You’ll want to make sure you incorporate these tips into your everyday lifestyle.

Burn Body Fat With These Proven Strategies
Another article that discusses the importance of both diet and fitness for losing overall body fat.  Pay attention to the two most important types of fitness you should perform to really burn off that stubborn body fat.

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Fat Burning Tips That Work!

And while there are a few tricks to rev up your metabolism, there is one very important element that can’t be overlooked: Consistency!

If you want to truly boost your metabolism then you need to make the 4 principles below a consistent part of your daily lifestyle.

Keep in mind, however, if you’ve ever followed any crash diets or battled an eating disorder, you may have caused metabolic damage.  The good news is this can be repaired, but it may take a little longer to get your metabolism fired back up.

So, to turbo-charge your metabolism and burn fat like never before follow these 4 simple, yet effective guidelines!

Sufficient Calorie Intake
Cutting too many calories can actually cause metabolic damage and slow down your metabolism.  So, make sure if you’re trying to lose weight to create a small caloric deficit.  Learn how many calories to lose weight you must consume for optimal results.

Lean Proteins & Fibrous Veggies
You will want the bulk of your diet to be made up of unprocessed, natural fat burning foods with a high thermic effect like lean meats and fibrous vegetables.  Chicken breasts, fish, turkey, and egg whites are all great protein sources while any green veggies and salads make for great vegetable options.

Resistance Training
Perform resistance exercises that use the large muscle groups – squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, etc.  Resistance training is important if you have a damaged metabolism. It boosts your metabolism for a short while after your workout, burns a lot of calories and it prevents loss of muscle when you’re dieting.  Don’t be afraid of adding resistance training to your arsenal.

Cardio Training
Walking and other low intensity activities are a great way to boost your metabolism, but for an even bigger metabolic boost try upping the pace!  Even if long bouts of running aren’t your thing, try walking at a brisk pace for a minute followed by a slow walk for 30 seconds and repeat.  This type of interval training can raise your metabolism and burn more calories in a shorter period of time than just regular walking.

That was a quick glimpse into 4 of the best ways to boost your metabolism.  Just remember, consistency is key! You’re metabolism won’t instantly fire up by performing the above just once, but rather builds up and gets faster overtime.

Looking for an added boost? Incorporate these into your diet:

Cayenne pepper – Consuming spicy foods with cayenne pepper can temporarily increase your metabolic rate by up to 23% according to studies. Add a dash to your favorite stews, casseroles, etc.

Coffee – Coffee can stimulate your central nervous system and increase your metabolic rate.  Just don’t overdo it with high calorie extras like creamer and sugar or the slight metabolic increase will be pointless.

Green Tea -  Studies have shown that participants who drank tea, especially caffeinated tea, lost weight. The caffeine and catechins present in tea have been shown to rev up the metabolism for a few hours.  Aim to drink at least 2 cups a day.

Water – Water may raise your metabolism so try drinking a tall glass before every meal.  And don’t forget you can up your water intake by eating water-rich foods such as fruits, veggies and broth-based soups.

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How To Boost Your Metabolism

A weight loss plan that isn’t effective is one thing, but one that can cause eating disorders, dehydration and muscle loss among many other complications should be avoided at all costs.

Here are 5 weight loss techniques that you should avoid if you are serious about losing weight and improving your health.

Very Low Calorie Diets

While creating a caloric deficit is required for weight loss, cutting too many calories can lead to a loss of muscle mass, a slower metabolism and can deprive your body of vital nutrients!

Be wary of any diet that calls for less than 1200 calories per day for an extended period of time or that calls for a drastic reduction in your caloric intake.  This is not only unhealthy, but you’re more likely to regain the weight back and then some!

Too Good To Be True Diet Pills & Supplements

As tempting as they may be, the majority of diet pills don’t live up to their exaggerated claims.  In fact, many of the diet pills on the market are loaded with caffeine and/or diuretics, which can cause dehydration.

These pills and supplements are not only a waste of money, but they are not FDA regulated and it’s unknown what long-term effects some of the ingredients may have.

While there may be a few diet pills that work for weight loss, it’s best to lose weight with healthy foods.

Detoxes And Cleanses

An increasingly popular way to lose weight is to cleanse your body of toxins.  However, it’s completely unnecessary and can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and more.

While many people report losing weight with detoxes and cleanses, it’s simply water weight which you will start to regain as soon as you take a sip of water.

What’s even more risky is combining a cleanse with a fasting type diet, which often go hand in hand.  Instead, let your body naturally detoxify, which it does itself just fine, and stick to healthy foods to lose weight.

Laxatives

Like detoxes and cleanses, laxatives are used to quickly lose weight, but can have some serious side effects such as dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

All forms of purging, including laxatives and vomiting should be avoided at all costs.  If you feel you can’t control your behavior then please seek medical help immediately.

Extreme Fitness Programs

Fitness is a must to improve your overall health, but like everything else, should be carried out in moderation along with a healthy diet.

Extreme exercise, especially for beginners, can be physically intense on the body and may cause injury, dehydration and other serious physical problems.

Another problem with extreme fitness programs is the lack of follow through once a program has ended.  You may experience initial weight loss, but once you return to regular physical activity the weight will come back.

Instead of going all out in an extreme fitness program, make healthy lifestyle changes that include a regular exercise program of both cardio and resistance exercise.  Start out slowly and comfortably work towards new fitness goals.

Choosing A Diet That Works

Weight loss supplements and fad diets have exploded into a billion dollar industry making it hard to figure out what works and what doesn’t.  So, how do you choose a diet that works?

It’s simple, stay away from dieting short cuts that promise extraordinary results and focus on healthy lifestyle changes!  Slowly incorporate healthy foods and physical activity into your daily routines until they become habits.  Simply put, create healthy habits for permanent weight loss!

You can learn more about creating a healthy lifestyle with The Simple, Proven Plan for Weight Loss & Control Package!  You get the popular eBook, a free low calorie recipe book and much more!

Also check out:

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2. 7 Habits For Successful Weight Loss Habits –  Actions that are repeated often and become typical...
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5 Weight Loss Techniques You Must Avoid

The infamous muffin top can be a problem for both men and women. Unfortunately, for you ladies, it becomes more of a problem as you get older and reach menopause.  It’s at that moment when a females hormones change and you start to gain fat around the midsection.

Luckily, whether you’re already sporting a muffin top or just want to reduce your chances of developing one, there are a few easy things you can do to stop unwanted fat from gaining around the midsection.

How To Lose The Muffin Top

There’s no “secret” to losing fat around the midsection – no pills, no special exercise equipment and no quick-fix diet plan that will burn off just the muffin top.  So, don’t get caught up in any of the marketing gimmicks that say otherwise.

Waste of money…and time!

Instead focus on what truly matters for fat loss and ultimately your health – proper diet and exercise!  This will help you lose overall body fat which in turn will melt away the muffin top.

Let’s take a closer look.

Eat Away That Muffin Top
The first step to losing the fat around your midsection is to focus on the quality and quantity of the foods you eat.  In other words, make the bulk of your diet consist of whole foods and lower the amount of calories you take in on a daily basis by roughly 15-20%.

This will help create the caloric deficit required to burn off body fat and supply you with essential vitamins and other nutrients for optimal health.

The following resources will give you a more in-depth look on how to effectively burn off that muffin top for good through controlling caloric intake and eating the right foods:

1. Fat Burning Foods
2. How many Calories To Lose Weight
3. Best Diet For Weight Loss

Work Off That Muffin Top
In conjunction with a proper diet, you’ll want to burn off calories by moving more.  This doesn’t mean perform thousands of crunches everyday to try and burn off stomach fat, but rather perform intense, calorie burning cardio with some resistance training like lifting weights.

Here are three important resources that will teach you how to quickly and effectively burn off that muffin top:

1. Fat Burning Workouts
2. Exercises To Lose Belly Fat Fast
3. Best Way To Lose Belly Fat

Putting It All Together
Making temporary diet and exercise changes may burn off your muffin top, but it won’t keep it away forever!  That’s why it’s important to make healthy lifestyle changes!

Make healthy eating and physical activity a daily part of your life.  Find healthy foods you enjoy eating and calorie burning activities that you look forward to doing.

Learn more about creating a healthy lifestyle with The Simple, Proven Plan For Weight Loss & Control eBook!  It’s 100% free and will help you make the necessary changes to live a healthy life!

Also check out:

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We all have them – some good, some bad – but, did you know habits are the backbone of a healthy lifestyle?

It’s a motto often repeated on Low-CalorieDiet.com. After all, the goal of this site (and the tagline above) is to create healthy habits for permanent weight loss!

Healthy habits aren’t created overnight, however.  Instead, it’s best to slowly add one or two healthy actions to your daily routine until it becomes a habit, then repeat the process.

Overtime those minor lifestyle adjustments start to add up and you’ll quickly look and feel better than you ever have before.

That’s the secret to permanent weight loss!

So, to help you get started I’ve put together 7 important habits that can lead to successful weight loss.  Just slowly add these to your daily routine until they become part of your lifestyle.

1. Be calorie conscious – That doesn’t mean you have to count every calorie you eat (which isn’t a bad idea), but you should be aware of the amount of calories in the food you eat and how often you eat. Educate yourself on the calorie counts of your favorite foods, pay attention to food labels and limit yourself to how many times per day you eat.
2. Have a meal plan – Plan healthy meals ahead of time and have low calorie snacks ready for when hunger cravings occur. This way you’re not left scrounging through cupboards or hitting up the vending machine at work. Plus, you’ll be less likely to binge eat when you have a plan in place.  Take a look at this sample low calorie meal plan to see what a 1200 calorie diet looks like.
3. Eat a lean protein at every meal – Lean protein fills you up faster and leaves you feeling full longer than carbs or fats.  Plus, it has a high thermogenic effect which means it burns more calories through the digestion process.  This is why lean protein sources have been labeled fat burning foods.  Get in the habit of including a protein source like lean meats, dairy, etc to every meal.
4. Aim to move more – Not only is physical activity extremely important for your health, it helps burn calories which leads to weight loss. Regular exercise is your best bet and can be accomplished in as little as 15 minutes per day. If you just can’t find the time to exercise then try using a pedometer and aim to walk at least 10,000 steps per day. Exercise mixed with a proper diet will give weight loss the ol’ one two punch.
5. Drink more water – Water is also important for health reasons, but did you know it can lead to weight loss, as well? Drink two 8 ounce glasses of water before every meal to help reduce the amount of calories you eat – up to 90 calories per meal one study boasts.
6. Eat your veggies – Your mom was right when you were a kid, you need to eat your veggies!  They pass on vital nutrients and are very low in calories. Plus, like water, if you eat them at the start of your meal they may help fill you up before you get to the calorie-dense main dish.  If you find it hard to get your recommended daily amounts of veggies, check out these 7 tasty ways to sneak more vegetables into your diet.
7. Savor your food – It’s very common in this day and age to eat on the run.  Take time to sit down, slowly eat your food and savor every bite.  In fact, one study even shows that by simply eating slower you can effectively cut out 67 calories per meal.  Check out these 4 ways to eat slowly for weight loss.

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7 Habits For Successful Weight Loss