Just Melancholy

Are you bikini ready?

{photo via Victoria’s Secret}

Getting a hot bikini bod for summer doesn’t have to be an arduous process.  In fact, just practicing a few simple things can help you start to implement a healthier diet and lifestyle.

• First and foremost, in order to lose weight and get in shape, you have to burn more calories than you consume.  Sucky, right?  Think again - burning calories can be fun.  You just have to find a physical activity you enjoy.  Swimming, dancing, tennis..anything that gets your heart rate up counts!
• When the munchies strike, wait it out!  Cravings typically last no more than 15 minutes, so hang tight and it will pass.
• The beginning of the day is when you need the most energy, so don’t skip breakfast!  Get a hearty start to the day with a protein-packed breakfast (try eggs and breakfast meats).
• Try taking (as directed) a weight loss pill.  It can help you shed a few pounds and get motivated to get in shape!
• Snack smart.  One of the best and healthiest snacks in the summer is fruit. It’s in season, affordable, tastes great, and has very few calories.  Try frozen fruit for a sweet treat that will take longer to eat and taste more like candy.
• Drink lots and lots of water.  It will not only help you stay hydrated, but can help curb hunger and cravings.  Avoid drinks that are loaded with sugar, salt, or carbonation to avoid bloating.

Like every other year, and like others before me, my New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight. However, I’m trying to center my goal more on training for a 10K rather than just losing weight. I think this will help me meet my goal because I have a date set for the future which I can’t fail on.

Of course, I’m also trying to eat less (especially chocolate) and enjoy food for fuel, rather than as an emotional outlet. Like other women, I do eat when I’m tired or stressed, a habit I intend to break. I’m getting some help from Akavar to eat less, and from a personal trainer to keep my workout time and to work out properly.

I’m going to reach my weight loss goal this year (lose 10% body fat) and run a 10K, and I hope you can reach your goals this New Year too!

My brother was married in Summer 2006, and after I was looking at the pictures from the wedding, I realized I was chubby. It was a horrifying realization - it was tough for me to accept that I had put on 20 pounds since my own wedding the year before.

I decided to do something about it. I wanted to learn better eating habits, so I started counting calories and paying attention to what I ate. Last summer I managed to lose about 15 pounds, and I kept it off until around February or March, right after I got back from a cruise to Mexico. By then I realized I had put five pounds back on. I decided to try again, and I’ve been diligently working on my diet. I’ve lost another 10 pounds, which puts me right back at the weight I was when I got married.

It’s such a feeling of satisfaction, knowing I’ve lost 20 pounds over the past year, and I’m looking (and feeling!) better than ever. My other brother was just married, and I’m much happier with how I look in his wedding pictures. No more chubby me!

The fall happens to be my absolute favorite season; the changing leaves, the cooler weather, the smell of pumpkin and spice, my birthday and wedding anniversary (both of which happen to be during this great season) – I love it all.

Well, perhaps “all” is not quite accurate.  The fall marks the beginning of the holiday season, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all following one right after the other.  I absolutely adore the holidays; however, I loathe the inevitable weight gain I experience each year.  I just can’t seem to resist all the delicious treats that find their way into my home.  While I don’t experience massive weight gain, I think I speak for most women when I say that even those five extra pounds can be a downer.

However, this year I have pledged that things will be different; I am going to break out my dusty gym pass, exercise regularly, take a weight loss supplement, and implement healthier eating habits.  This in no way means I am going to restrict my favorite holiday desserts but I am going to be conscious about how and what I partake of. 

If anyone has effective, interesting, or fun ways to tackle holiday weight gain, we would love to hear from you!  Whether it is a favorite exercise, outdoor activity, or specific eating habit, now is the time to start your healthy regiment to ensure you do not gain additional weight during the upcoming holidays.

While doing some research online, I found an Akavar review site for the highly popular Akavar weight loss pill.  Hopefully you find it as helpful as I did!

Recently I have taken a break from eating healthy and exercising, and I am paying the price. I have gained a few pounds and now I really need to lose at least 5 to 15 pounds to be at my ideal weight again. So how am I tackling this problem?

This time around I decided to try a different route to stick to my diet and exercise. I had heard that if you invest money in something, you are more likely to follow through. So I contacted a friend of mine that is a personal trainer and he recommended a personal trainer for me. If I had to pay for my workout sessions, I figured that I would be more likely to show up and succeed.

My trainer assessed my current weight, exercise, and eating habits, as well as my goals, then gave me a workout plan, eating plan, and recommended some supplements for me to try. He explained that a multivitamin and weight loss supplement would help me lose weight faster, and help for those days when I lost motivation or cheated on my plan.

I went to the local nutrition store and bought Akavar 20/50, as well as some multivitamins and other supplements. I started my exercise and eating plan and I am feeling good. I am glad to report that I have already lost 2 pounds this week! I will keep you up to date on my progress, but it is looking good so far.

Most of us are not strangers to dieting or weight loss crusades – unfortunately. But take solace gals, because the fight to shed those pounds is getting easier (I swear!).

We have to come to terms with the fact that there will always be temptations. The frozen aisle will always be stocked with ice cream, you will always be offered dessert at your beloved food establishment, and McDonalds isn’t going anywhere. But there are certain, relatively small things you can do every day to alter your eating habits and lifestyle to help achieve your ideal weight.

These days we have so many food options! Low-fat, no trans-fat, sugar free, low sodium, and any other “lite” options are usually available in our favorite foods. Same goes with organic and natural products – long gone are they days of health food that tastes like cardboard. Even our favorite fast food restaurants (such as the aforementioned McDonalds) are offering healthier choices like salads, fruit choices, and bottled juices.

As for exercise, exert just a little more effort! Start taking those stairs at work or park in the back of the parking lot. Go shopping at a large outdoor shopping mall (you won’t even realize you’re doing exercise). Start exercising in pairs; having a friend to go jogging with or to the gym will make the experience much more bearable, if not even enjoyable.

If you can maintain a healthy balance of good eating habits and consistent exercise, try using a weight loss supplement. Look for one that will curb hunger, which will reduce your caloric intake (how much food you actually eat).

Once you have established these small yet effective changes in your lifestyle, you will be very surprised and excited to notice the difference. You will not only feel great, but you’ll look great too!