The Top 4 Secrets to Losing Weight

Losing weight.  It's a goal of many people out there.  And we are constantly bombarded with ads promoting 'quick fix' products.  But the problem with most of these products and fad diets is that a majority of individuals who actually do lose weight will put it back on.  Sound familiar?  If so, here are the top methods for losing weight and KEEPING it off:

1. Exercise.  The key here is to make sure you burn off more calories than you take in each day.  Try to get at least 20min/day.  More if possible.  And while any type of exercise will be beneficial, anything which raises your heart rate will have greater benefits.
2. Cut Out Soda.  Just one can of soda contains roughly 40g of sugar and 150 calories.  It would take a person weighing 150lbs about 7min of jogging, or 30min of walking to burn off those calories.  Even longer if you weigh less than 150lbs.  Plus, a can of soda/day raises the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.  And while diet soda is usually calorie free, the increased Diabetes risk is still there.  Neither have any nutritional content, so grab a bottle of water instead or drink tea.
3. Multiple Meals.  Wait, what?  Eat more OFTEN?  Yes, it's true.  What you're trying to do is kickstart your metabolism and keep it going throughout the day.  In the book, "Body For Life", the recommendation is to eat 6 times/day.  A moderate breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with healthy snacks in-between.  But make sure you have something for breakfast, even if it's only a banana.  This gets your metabolism going, which helps to burn off fat.
4. The Glycemic Index.  Foods can be broken down into two types:  High Glycemic and Low Glycemic.  The difference is how your body handles them.  High glycemic foods will raise blood sugar levels in the body quickly, then drop them just as fast.  This results in those cravings to eat when you're not hungry.  Junk food is a good example, but probably the best example are many of the energy drinks on the market.  If you use energy drinks, you may have experienced the "crash" after finishing one.  Low glycemic foods, on the other hand, raise your blood sugar levels much slower and keep those levels steady.  Thus reducing those cravings which tack on unnecessary calories.  A simple Google search will provide you with a list of both high and low glycemic foods.  Below is a graph showing the effects of both.