Gene?s Diet Plan

Hot dang! If a few hundred other folks can peddle a plan to help people lose weight, there's no reason I can't jump on the bandwagon too! So, here's my plan. All you need to do is send me a certified check for $495.94 and I'll let you in on my "Secrets to Successful Weight Control". How's that sound?

You want a personalized plan? I can do that. You want charts and graphs? I can do that. You want weekly e-mail encouragement and special diet tips? I can do that.

Shall I wait in breathless anticipation for the deluge of checks that are sure to start arriving in the next week or so? No? I am soooo disappointed!

While I'm waiting though, I might as well pass along a few of my personal thoughts on the subject of weight control. Let's reinforce the "personal thoughts" part of the last sentence. I'm not a physician or a dietitian so I'm not in a position to recommend diddly-squat. These are just opinions?

1. Genetics and your early environment both have a lot of influence on whether you'll have a tendency to put on the pounds. If either of your parents (and maybe grandparents) were (are) fluffy, you may have a life-long weight battle on your hands. This is the result of the ability of your body to absorb nutrients, inherited metabolic rates and lots of other stuff including basic eating/snacking habits.

2. A tendency to continually graze (snack, munch) may be a just a habit (personal programming) or it may be due to mental/emotional influences such as stress, boredom, anger, uncertainty, fear, lack of confidence, or just don't give a fat rat's ass any more. Identify your trigger(s) and with professional help if necessary, work to solve the foundation problem. (If you automatically associate watching TV with popcorn, chips, cookies, soda, beer, etc. ? it's probably a habit/addiction thing.)

3. To maintain a given weight, you need to "burn" energy (calories) at the same rate you're taking them in. To lose weight, you'll need to burn more calories than are sneaking into your bod. The bottom line ? eat less and exercise more.

4. Toss out the scales and get weighed once a year during your physical. Translate this to mean that first you need to involve a physician if you're severely overweight. Second, focus on how you want to look, not how much you want to weigh. Muscular (or even well-toned) folks can pack a lot of weight into a small frame and look great. Besides, watching the scales show minimal loss or even slight gains from time to time can puncture your incentive to keep doing what you're doing. If your clothes are getting baggy, you're losing weight.

5. Eat a balanced diet - bunches of salads and veggies along with a reasonable amount of the rest of the staples. (Emphasis on "reasonable"!) Yep, that includes meats, potatoes, pastas, fruits, whole grained breads - and chocolate. (Chocolate's one of the basic food groups, you know.) Too much of any one type of food probably isn't real good for you over the long haul. Watch the drippy, fatty ? and slippery, sweet stuff. Limit consumption of anything that oozes down your arm.

6. Eat breakfast. If possible, make lunch your biggest meal and cut back on dinner. Healthy snacks between the main meals will help remind your body that you're not really starving it between the other meals.

7. Drink enough liquids. Nah, not so much that you unbalance your system and have to take whiz breaks every 30 minutes. Pay attention to your body. If you're getting thirsty - drink something!

8. A multi-purpose vitamin supplement may not be absolutely necessary, but it won't hurt.

9. Deserts and treats are OK as long as you've planned for them. Remember the calories in ? calories burned thing. (Why would anyone force themselves to eat only the 100 percent healthy stuff and pass up the goodies? If that isn't an incentive to go off a diet, I don't know what is?)

10. Don't forget the exercise. It doesn't need to be complicated nor expensive. Walks, jogging and swimming are all good. Twenty to thirty minute workouts a couple times a week can help too. Burn those calories!

11. An occasional "splurge" on a high calorie meal once in a while won't hurt a thing. Sometimes the body just needs (are you buying this?) a big, juicy hamburger and fries!

12. Pay attention to your body's needs. Our bodies are smart. If you find yourself hungry for certain foods, go for it. Constant cravings are probably more of a habit thing. You'll need to be careful here.

13. Don't overdo it! Just because Hollywood and most advertisers are promoting the slim, sleek, curvy look, that doesn't mean it has any relation to reality. Be you, be healthy and be comfortable.

OK ? that's it. Probably not nearly complicated enough to ask for the $495.94 though, huh? Dang, I need to work on that. Meanwhile, my body NEEDS a piece of apple pie?.

About The Author

Gene, through NuPathz.com, provides an easy reading self-help blog along with affordable books and materials written to help folks find the road to a more enjoyable lifestyle, to pass on some of life's "secrets for survival" in a chaotic world & offer a few smiles along the way. It's a down-to-earth, simple approach to discovering a better life. You can visit Gene at http://www.nupathz.com/

gene@nupathz.com

---

Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss

In order to lose weight, your body must burn more... Read More

The TRUTH About How to Lose Weight

The huge companies stealing your money by promising impossible results... Read More

The Public Stoning of Gastric Bypass Patients: When Things Get Ugly

Recently a woman went public in her online diet community... Read More

The Best Carbs For Low Carbers

With the popularity of low carb diets such as Atkins,... Read More

If Youre Eating High Protein Be Informed about Mad Cow

Finding Mad Cow in Oregon puts a new wrinkle in... Read More

How To Be A Big Fat Loser In 2005

Now that the temptations of the Holiday season have passed... Read More

Walk Your Way to Weight Loss

"The sovereign invigorator of the body is exercise, and of... Read More

The Cheapest Way To Stop Eating Junk Food and Start Finding Your Ideal Weight Again

Your health is your responsibility. As a human being, you... Read More

Pushing Gastric Bypass: When to Talk, When to Keep Quiet

Sharing our bariatric stories is as personal decision as electing... Read More

Why You Should Burn Body Fat

Are you overweight? Then you probably want to lose some... Read More

Eating Out

I know how difficult it can be do stick to... Read More

The Number One Secret Of Successful Weight Loss

There's one thing that most people forget about when it... Read More

Learn the Truth About Weight Loss and Getting Great Abs

Debunking The Ab MythAb training has been done to death... Read More

Rapid Weight Loss Tips - Lose Weight with the South Beach Diet

It's the American Dream: "If I could just lose a... Read More

Weight Loss - Attitude Counts

Weight loss specialists will tell you that attitude has a... Read More

A Soda a Day: How is it Affecting Your Weight?

Many people limit themselves to one soda a day especially... Read More

How Does Phentermine Work? Learn Pros & Cons Of Phentermine For Weight Loss

Phentermine, like many other prescription drugs, works with chemicals called... Read More

3 Simple Weight Loss Tips from the Pros

Tip 1) DRINK A GLASS OF WATER AFTER EACH SNACKThis... Read More

Finding a Weight Loss Program

Getting involved in Weight Loss Program can be intimidating for... Read More

7 Part Plan To Beating Childhood Obesity

Everyone from politicians to parents is talking about fighting the... Read More

Hang In There Dieters, Help Is At Hand!!

I was thinking about diets and such and it occurred... Read More

Scientific Guidelines for Effective Weight Loss

If you have been dieting and haven't lost weight, stop!... Read More

Dieting: A Few Smart Dieting Secrets To Rejuvenate You

In our society of fast food and long hours spent... Read More

Do Diet Pills Really Work?

You've seen diet pill advertisements? You have read the testimonials... Read More

Are Low Carb Diets Good for Everyone?

What's a Low Carb Diet Really Mean?When I hear low... Read More

7 Weight Control Habits

Here are 7 simple habits that can help anyone enjoy... Read More

Weight Loss Methods

On the market at any given time, there are hundreds... Read More

Loss Your Weight

WEIGHT LOSS:Nutrition and weight-loss researchers say that some supplements can... Read More

A Diet Made For You Will Make All The Difference

To achieve your goals you need a diet that takes... Read More

QuickTips for Healthy Weight Loss

More than any other time in history, people are all... Read More

7 Keys for Reducing Calories While Eating Out

Here are seven tips for getting the calories out of... Read More

Can You Still Buy Ephedra?

With millions of people aiming for successful weight loss, many... Read More

Weight Loss: How to Get Rid of Excess You

Q: "I'm wondering if you can help me. I'm not... Read More