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Real Stories from Real People
I have read and re read the different e books when I need inspiration to do my work out. By the time I am 2 paragraphs in (to Female Fat Loss Over 40), I am ready to get my work out clothes on and go for it. I really enjoy the challenging work outs and the audio book with the different timing intervals makes it easy!! I am really enjoying your program, particularly these 2 months which are especially busy for me. I can’t always make it to Boot camp but I feel so much better when I exercise. It’s great to have the option of doing a challenging workout at home. I am looking forward to taking your program on my next vacation. Thanks!!
Julie

Hey Shawna, I bought the FFLO about a month ago and have finally started using it on Tuesday. I quit waiting for Monday to start it. It's just been 3 days but I can already tell that it is working. I sleep better and want to eat better so that I'll see results. How can I mess up with menus and workouts spelled out for me? I know what I need to do and have worked with trainers over the years to know that your program will work. For me it has just been a matter of getting started. I gained 15 lbs over the winter and need to get it off. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with Type 2 diabetes so exercise is a key part of my health. I love to walk / run but I know that with the interval training I will not only see the results I want on my body but my blood sugar will be where it needs to be. The interval training is a great workout for me in the morning. Then in the evenings I can walk for stress relief and to just relax. I saw myself in your message yesterday about the woman who still tries to walk everyday for 2 hours - who has time for that? I enjoy your blogs and am glad that I found you on Facebook! To good health!
Becky M

This Month In Diet
  • Good Health Starts Young
    • To help your little ones have the best jumpstart on a healthy and happy life, it's important that they get the same well-balanced diet that you’re getting - with some slight modifications. Here are a few things to keep in mind when feeding your young and hungry little ones. Read >>
  • Controlling Late-Night Cravings
    • You've probably heard of diets that force dieters to avoid eating after a certain time of the day. That’s because eating lots of food right before going to bed makes it more likely that your body will store up fat when you’re not burning calories by moving around. How can you fend off those late-night cravings that bring unwanted calories to your most vulnerable soft spots? Read >>
  • Energy Drinks and Beer Anyone?
    • Combining alcohol and other everyday drinks is nothing new. From soda to tomato juice to lemon juice, there are as many options as there are taste buds. One of the newest combos to hit lips in your town is alcohol and energy drinks. Read >>
  • Eat Less, Feel Fuller
    • If you want to obtain and maintain a healthy weight, you're going to have to figure out how to eat less. Sound impossible? Prepare to do the impossible in three easy steps! Read >>
Learn the Secrets to Whittle Your Waist

Eat Less, Feel Fuller

What can you do to slim down your ever-growing waistline?

DietNothing drives people crazier than trying to lose weight. Television commercials, radio shows, and advertisements in the newspaper and your favorite magazine make it seem that losing weight is as easy as picking a fad diet out of the air. But if you've ever tried losing weight by eating only cabbage or swallowing everything you can in an hour, you probably realize that those diets only last for so long.

If you want to obtain and maintain a healthy weight, you're going to have to figure out how to eat less. Sound impossible? Prepare to do the impossible in three easy steps!

Step 1: Determine if You Need to Lose Weight

Believe it or not, you may not need to lose weight. Each year, countless Americans take on the world of dieting without consulting anyone or anything except a mirror. However, the mirror doesn't always tell the truth. And neither does the media, which insists that excessively skinny is the norm.

Before getting on a diet, ask your physician if you are at a healthy weight. If your weight isn't a problem but you don't feel confident with your body, you may need to change your exercise routine. Work with a personal trainer to formulate a regiment that will help you meet your personal goals - whether they involve weight loss, body toning, or both. If your health would benefit from losing weight, you should learn to eat less.

Step 2: Take Your Time at the Table

A common mistake made by many people is to eat everything on their plate. Doing this may indicate good manners, but it results in bad eating habits and a larger-than-desired belly. Fortunately, this problem is easily remedied. All you have to do is slow down.

Instead of shoving bite after bite of food into your mouth, take a deep breath and relax during mealtime. After each bite, set your fork down, chew, and swallow. Before taking another bite, say something to a family member or friend who is eating with you. By slowing down your eating process, you allow your brain time to figure out your stomach is full. Otherwise, you may end up eating for up to 15 minutes after your stomach is filled to capacity. Yes, that's why you occasionally feel uncomfortably stuffed beyond your limits.

Step 3: Force Yourself to Eat Less

If slowing down your eating isn't enough to help you eat less food, your best weapon is self-control. Determine how much food you are going to eat, put it on your plate, and don't go back for seconds. When first starting to reduce the amount you eat, cut back your eating by two or three bites. Keep reducing the amount you eat by a bite or two until you find a healthy amount that leaves you feeling content and not hurting due to excessive fullness.

Gradually, as you learn to eat less, your stomach will shrink and will have less room for food. As a result, you feel fuller faster and won't feel the need to eat the final bites of your meal just because it happens to be on your plate.

Staying Balanced

Often, people who are trying to lose weight cut something out of their diet. From carbohydrates to proteins to milk products, diets are available that promise great results if you’ll just give up one food product.

Before you go with the food flow, give thought to your body’s nutritional needs. Carbohydrates, fats, and practically everything else present in food is actually needed for your body to function properly. When you deprive your body of one or more of these essentials, your body is unable to perform at its peak. As a result, you feel weak and tired and have a hard time concentrating.

Instead of cutting a single nutrient out of your diet, reduce the total amount of food you eat on a daily basis, and include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Doing this will help you maintain a healthy weight and feel much better than any of the deprivation diets on the market.