There was also a time when the thought of losing weight didn’t even occur in our society, people ate what mom cooked for dinner and they went to work. The difference in that society and today’s society is that work was not behind a computer screen, but on their feet in the fields or on a warehouse floor. People worked physically because that was the only way to work, in fact, that’s why it was called work! It was often during this time that people could eat anything they wanted because they were burning much more calories than what they consumed.
But, like all good things, that too has passed and the technology of today’s world has left us in one condition – an overweight one. Our life styles have changed so drastically and our comforts have increased tenfold. As they say, every rose has its thorn and for our society our desire to have comfortable lives and to work less has begun to show around the waistline.
The bad thing about all of this is the more weight you gain, the more dangerous it becomes.
Extra weight spells illness, whether it is in the form of diabetes or a heart condition, it’s bound to show up if you don’t do something about it. You have to be proactive in weight gain and you have to work it off until it gets to a point where you no longer have control. It’s not necessarily about being toned and sculpted, but at a weight that is not life threatening. You can work on the abs later, right now you just need to shed some extra body fat. As society realizes what is happening and that we are overweight as a whole, people are trying to play catch up and work from behind. They are trying to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.
This eBook is your guide to losing that first ten pounds that we all struggle with. It’s amazing what little changes in your life can add up to you losing ten pounds and they all revolve around eating right and getting your body moving.
Chapter 1: Weight loss beginning with what you drink
First and foremost, people don’t realize that what they drink is the first step in losing that first 10 pounds. In fact, most people don’t know that when they feel hungry, they may actually be dehydrated and they are really thirsty, not hungry. Water is remarkable as well. Over 66% of your body weight is nothing but water.
This is also why water plays an important role in weight control. So is:
Drink plenty of water. It is recommended that you drink 8 glasses per day, but that may take you some time to work up to. Your body needs a whole lot of water. Water doesn’t just flush all the toxins out of your body, but it makes you feel better and healthier. When you drink a lot of water you just begin to feel fit and this is the motivation you need to lose weight.
The best thing about water is you can drink as much as you want because it has no calories at all. When you’re drinking a lot of water, you eat less as well because you won’t feel as though you are starving to death. Remember, if you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water first and you’ll realize you were probably just dehydrated and not hungry at all.
The whole 8 glasses a day rule is really something you should strive for. The best way to do this and to measure your water intake is to buy a jug from the drug store or grocery store that is designed to hold exactly 8 glasses of water.
These are great weight loss tools because you can fill them up, freeze them and as it melts throughout the day you have fresh and cold water. Or, if you don’t mind your water room temperature you can drink it that way as well. All that matters is that you’re getting in the water your body needs.
Start off your day with a fresh, clean glass of water. As soon as you get up in the morning, drink one down. This will help your body to get going because it won’t be fighting through dehydration. Also, after you drink a glass of water you won’t need to eat such a large breakfast. A glass of water wakes up all the digestive juices in your body and gets it well lubricated. You can always have your morning coffee or tea, but be sure to have a glass of water afterwards. Caffeine dehydrates you and you want to ward off dehydration.
Drink a glass of water before you sit down to eat. Water will naturally make you feel fuller so you don’t have to eat as much food.
Have a glass of water while you eat as well. Take a drink after each bite and you will feel full more quickly so you can leave the table feeling satisfied without feeling bloated.
Drinking water while you eat will also help your food to settle more quickly, which also helps you to feel full faster.
Do your best to stay away from soda. All sodas are sweetened with lots of sugar. The more you can cut out of your diet the better. Also, diet soda is still soda. It may not have as much sugar, but it has other chemicals and components that are not good for your body either.
If you drink a soda, counteract it with a glass of water. Remember, caffeine dehydrates you as well. Decaffeinated sodas still have caffeine in small amounts as well and just as much sugar, so they are not much healthier either.
