Weight Loss Question & Answers

Weight Loss Question 1: I have a very social lifestyle. Whenever I catch up with family and friends we tend to eat and drink. How can I possibly lose weight?

This is a great weight loss question.

It is still possible to lose weight whilst enjoying life at the same time. All it requires you do is balance your lifestyle. If you are aware of a social function coming up, then perhaps perform some extra exercise in the days leading up to it. If the social engagement simply ‘pops up’ then you may want to perform some exercise after the event instead.

Here are some other strategies to consider that can assist your weight-loss efforts despite a hectic social schedule:

• Eating a meal before attending the event.
This way you can still indulge in the good-tasting foods without over-indulging because you won’t feel hungry.

• Drink plenty of water before, during and after the event.
Not only is this good for your overall health but it will also help to curb your appetite.

• Make a conscious effort to drink a glass of water in between every alcoholic drink.
This will help to reduce your overall alcohol and calorie intake as well as help you feel full.

• Use diet mixers in alcoholic drinks.
This will help to reduce your sugar and calorie intake.

• Get up and have a dance!
Not only will you burn off some extra calories but you’ll also keep everyone entertained!

Weight Loss Question 2: All of my family is overweight. Am I destined to be overweight too?

Having overweight relatives doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be overweight too. Whilst genetics does suggest a tendency to put on weight, it certainly does NOT guarantee that you will. Your chosen lifestyle has a far greater impact. It is just like having a loaded gun. Whilst it does have the potential to cause harm, if you don’t pull the trigger it won’t hurt anyone.

If you choose to follow a healthy lifestyle then it is almost impossible for you to put on weight no matter what your genetic tendencies are.

Weight Loss Question 3: I don’t like exercise at all. Do I have to do it if I want to lose weight?

This is a very common weight loss question.

Performing regular exercise is not essential if you want to lose weight but it can certainly help you achieve your goal faster. The first question you need to ask yourself is: why do you dislike exercise? Exercise is supposed to be fun! The human body is designed for activity and it doesn’t function as well as it should when it goes without it.

Many people report that they don’t like exercise because they have had a bad experience in the past. Perhaps they were embarrassed at school or were pushed too hard as a child. Maybe they did a workout with a personal trainer and woke up the next day in intense pain or watched people on TV getting blasted by a personal trainer (even though that type of training is only good for TV ratings!). Whatever their reason, they made a decision that exercise isn’t for them.

The fact is, once you find the type of exercise you enjoy and make it a part of your lifestyle, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it earlier. An important point is that you always work within your capabilities and don’t push yourself too hard otherwise you will end up disliking it. Also, try a variety of exercises to see which ones you prefer. Remember, the exercise doesn’t have to be performed in a gym. You may like to learn salsa dancing or go snorkeling in the ocean. It is up to you. If you can take up an active hobby your results will come much faster.

Weight Loss Question 4: There are a lot of weight-loss systems on the market. How do I know if they really work?

In the last issue of Focus On we covered 10 questions you need to ask in order to assess your weight-loss program to see if it is suitable for you. Here is a weight loss question you should ask to see if the weight-loss program/ system is effective:

Can you see yourself following this program/ system long term?
In order for you to be able to maintain the results, you need to be able to maintain the habits that helped you achieve the results in the first place. If you can’t incorporate the principles into your lifestyle then perhaps consider an alternative.

Another good weight loss question you need to ask is:

What proof is there that the system works?
It is imperative that other people have successfully used the system before you. If the program can’t offer proof then you need to question its validity.

And finally:

Does the program/ system make sense to you?
Losing weight is actually a simple process. If the system you are considering requires you to perform bizarre practices then definitely don’t use it. Things like replacing main meals with shakes or trying to starve yourself by having long periods between meals are ridiculous practices that should be avoided at all costs.

Weight Loss Question 5: I‘ve tried losing weight in the past but I lose motivation after a few weeks. How can I stay motivated and achieve my weight-loss goal?

Staying motivated to lose weight seems to be a problem for many people especially after the New Year. Oftentimes people start the New Year with a list of resolutions only to find that within a few short weeks they have returned to previous lifestyle habits.

There are a number of strategies you can do to ensure that you stay focused and achieve your goal:

a) Establish strong reasons as to why you want to lose weight in the first place.
Having strong reasons will help you create the necessary weight-loss mindset that is essential in seeing your goal come to fruition. A weight-loss mindset makes performing the necessary daily tasks much easier because very little thought is required, you just do it!

b) Select principles that fit comfortably into your lifestyle.
Consider using weight-loss principles that you find easy. For example, take some weight-loss supplements every day, go for a 20-minute walk every morning before breakfast and have 5 meals a day. These are easy principles for most people to use.

c) Have support. A support system is an excellent way to ensure your success. This may include having a weight-loss buddy, joining a support program like, SupportSlim, or joining a weight-loss group like, Weight Watchers.

These supports systems give you an opportunity to bounce ideas around as well as address various weight loss questions as well.

Weight Loss Question 6: In the morning I am really busy organising my kids for school, what can I have for breakfast that is really quick and easy?

Even though whole foods for breakfast are always your best option, the occasional smoothie/ shake for breakfast is okay. Just make sure that if you have a smoothie for breakfast you have whole foods for your mid-morning meal/ snack a few hours later.

Whole foods are best because they require the body to expend energy through the process of digestion. Having a smoothie or shake for breakfast means that the meal is in a ‘pre-digested form’ and does not require much energy to be expended. Therefore, your metabolism doesn’t get the morning boost that whole foods can provide.

Nevertheless, the occasional smoothie is fine. Just make sure that you choose the right one for you! There are so many different smoothie/ shake options on the market and selecting the best one for your body and goals is often very difficult.

Here are some points to keep in mind:

• Do not use pre-packaged breakfast shakes- They are almost always loaded with sugar and are low in quality protein.

• Prepare your own smoothie/ shake- You can simply add a sachet or scoop of protein powder to a shaker cup or large glass of low-fat milk/ water, stir and drink. It will take you less than 30 seconds.

• Only use a high quality protein source (whey protein)- MultiSlim Deluxe Shake is a good example.

• Ensure that the powder contains a very low amount of carbohydrate and sugar per serve- Sugar and other sources of carbohydrate are very cheap ingredients that are often added to meal replacement powders/ protein powders to reduce manufacturer’s costs. Ideally, the best protein powders have the following macronutrient profile: 15g-30g of protein, 2g-10g of carbohydrate and 2g-5g of fat per serve.

• Only use 100-150 mls of low-fat milk- This will help to keep the overall carbohydrate intake of the smoothie relatively low. If you need to add more liquid to the smoothie use cold water.

• Add some antioxidants and/ or oil to the smoothie- If you have time, it is definitely worthwhile adding some blueberries and raspberries to the smoothie and then blending the shake up. Alternatively, simply add a teaspoon of Super 7 Blend to the smoothie to ensure you get an adequate amount of antioxidants for the day. A teaspoon of flax seed oil is also beneficial to add to the smoothie too. It improves the texture of the smoothie and increases the essential fatty acid content dramatically.

Here is a sample smoothie recipe that you might like to try. You can have it for breakfast or as a mid-morning/ mid-afternoon meal/ snack:

150 mls of low-fat milk
150 mls of cold, filtered water
1 sachet of Vanilla MultiSlim Deluxe Shake
1 teaspoon of Super 7 Blend
1 teaspoon of flax seed oil

Add all ingredients to a shaker cup or large glass, mix well and drink. Enjoy!

Weight Loss Question 7: At the moment I'm trying to lose weight and I'm having chicken and salad for lunch. Unfortunately though, within an hour after eating I am hungry again. Why is that?

Each of you meals should contain a balanced macronutrient ratio, which means it should contain a combination of carbohydrate, protein and fat.

Unfortunately, if you only have chicken and salad for lunch the carbohydrate component of the meal is very low. This means your blood sugar (which was probably low just before lunch) now gets ever lower still resulting in hunger pain. To avoid this from occurring simply have a small amount of starchy vegetables, like potato, sweet potato or pumpkin with your chicken and salad.

These natural carb sources are better to have than more refined carb sources like, pasta, rice and bread, which are the high density carbohydrates. Here are more examples of carbohydrates.

Weight Loss Question 8: I've started doing indoor rowing and cycling, Do you still need to do toning with weights when you do rowing each day or does rowing take care of the resistance part?

You still need to do weights because rowing is an aerobic exercise and lasts longer than 90 seconds. This means it uses different energy systems compared to lifting weights, which generally doesn't last longer than 90 seconds per set.

There are so many benefits of lifting weights that I definitely suggest incorporating a resistance/ weight training workout into your weight loss program.

Here are some great workout routines for women that you can do in the comfort of your own home.

However, if you want the best possible results, then I suggest exercising in a gym. Here is how to structure your weight training workouts correctly. The article is titled, 'Free Weight Training For Women'.

Weight Loss Question 9: When I take my Thermogenic, whats the longest time frame I've got to get benefit from when I exercise?

Sometimes I dont get around to exercising for about an hour after taking it as I have to feed kids etc?

An hour is actually perfect for there to be maximum levels of free fatty acids in your blood stream, which your body may use as a fuel source during the exercise session.

Click on this link if you would like to discover the best way to lose weight.

Weight Loss Question 10: My trainer has designed a 'split routine' for me and it says to exercise on Mondays and Tuesdays. I thought you should only lift weights every second day. Can you explain this?

You can in fact lift weights more often than every second day. There is no reason why you can’t train with weights two days on and then have one day off. Depending on a person’s individual recovery ability even three days in a row of training with weights is possible. I certainly wouldn’t recommend more than this though.

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