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It seems that wherever we look there are photos of perfectly thin models and actresses. So it can be easy to lose perspective on what we think our bodies should look like. To start, most of aren’t built to be that thin, nor should we be. But the majority of us are constantly searching for a weight loss plan that works.Almost all of these models and actresses are well below a healthy weight. And you have to remember that these people are professionals that get paid to look that good. It’s part of the job. I don’t know about you but I certainly don’t want to spend the biggest part of of my life worried about how I look. There’s just too much more to do.

However, if you want to be healthy and in shape, that’s completely reasonable. And if you’re wondering how you can lose weight at home , we have the answer here….. Below are four simple steps to get you on your way to looking your personal best. If you use these steps and you will see results over time. There is no real quick fix to losing weight. Making changes you can stick to is the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

Step 1: Think about making small changes instead of overhauling your life all at once. It can be overwhelming to change too much too quickly. A lot of times you’ll end up eating everything in your refrigerator and then punishing yourself or just quitting altogether. So start out by trying baby steps. You can switch to diet soda (or even better, water), use mustard instead of mayo on sandwiches, and take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Doing anything, no matter how small it is, will be better than nothing.

Step 2: Try keeping a journal of everything you eat for an entire week. And write down the amount of calories in the food. This can be a huge eye opener. We usually tend to underestimate the amount of food and calories that we eat. After a week you can get a good idea of your eating habits. Some people barely eat all day then eat a huge dinner. Others tend to snack their way through the day. Figure out what you’re doing and then see where you can improving your lifestyle.

Step 3: Start getting a good amount of activity every day. A goal to work up to is 60 to 90 minutes a day. This doesn’t mean you have to spend that time in the gym. You can count walking through the grocery store, taking the stairs, or even playing with your dog at the park. Just 10 minutes at a time will add up during the day. You can always start out small and then add more every day or even week. The most important thing is just to get up and move.

Step 4: Readjust your portion sizes at meals. There are quite a few of us that have been taught to eat everything on our plate. Unfortunately, this habit is hard to break. But you can make it healthier. The best change to make is using smaller plates, bowls, glasses, and utensils. This will literally trick your eye into thinking you have more food. Another way to get the right portions is to use your plate as a guide. Half of your plate should be used for vegetables, one-quarter for whole grains, and one-quarter for protein. This makes eating healthier a snap.

You will find that portion control is the one item that needs to be mastered when you want to reduce your weight. A safe way to do this without any extra temptations is try try a meal system. Diet-to-Go and Bistro MD both offer fantastic meal plans that are delivered right to your door. And they give you everything you need without the extra calories. These plans are a great support when you’re trying to change your eating habits.

The trick is just getting started. Start doing each of the above steps each day even if you just do a bit. Once you see some results or start to feel better it will be easier and easier to change your life…one day at a time.

It’s easy to think that when you’re at the gym or at home and you’re doing the latest aerobics routine that you’re getting a really good total body workout. After all you’re actively working the whole body aren’t you? Your arms and legs are rapidly pumping like a steam train, the sweat’s pouring out of you and the body fat is melting away like snow in summer. The reality is that while your heart’s getting a good workout and your burning extra calories, the rest of the muscles in your body are only getting at best a minimal workout.The problem with aerobics is that while it’s great for burning off a lot of calories, if it’s your only form of exercise you won’t be just burning off body fat. Assuming that you’re actually burning up more energy than the calories you’re consuming you will be losing weight, but some of that weight will be in the form of lost muscle tissue, not just fat. Look at the physique of a marathon runner. There’s no doubt they’re incredibly fit and lean, but it’s at the expense of muscle tone. This loss of muscle is the body’s way of adjusting to this type of training. The lighter you are the easier it is for your body to keep going for longer distances.

Another downside to only doing aerobic workouts is you’re only speeding your fat burning furnace up, and shedding those extra calories, while you’re actively exercising. Exercise for 20 to 30 minutes and that’s about how long you’ll burn calories for. Shortly after you stop exercising your heart rate settles back down to normal and so does your fat burning furnace. So your base metabolism, the rate that you burn calories during a normal day, goes back to its normal rate. And it’s your metabolism that determines how much you can eat without adding extra body fat.

As an aerobics workout is usually performed at the same low intensity for a long period of time, it doesn’t take very long for your whole body to recover. After all, it usually won’t take you more than a few minutes to recover from being out of breath, and most aerobic exercises are only done at a level where you’re only just out of breath, in order to maximize burning body fat. Not only does your body quickly recover from each individual aerobics session, it soon starts to adapt by increasing your level of fitness. As your body gets fitter it also gets better at using less energy to do the same workout.

Obviously as your body gets fitter and more efficient at using energy you soon reach a point where you either have to workout more intensely or workout for longer to continue losing body fat. With aerobics you can only increase the intensity so far because otherwise you’d be able to run 15 to 25 mile marathons at the same speed you could do the 100 metres. If you choose to workout longer, then as you get fitter so your workouts will become progressively longer in order to continue losing body fat. The most effective way to keep your aerobic workouts to a reasonable level is to combine a proper weight training routine with your aerobics workout.