Congratulations! You set a goal to lose weight and you are working toward achieving it.  The feeling you’ll get when you reached your goal weight…PRICELESS.

Here are some priceless ways to help you stay on track to lose weight and keep it off. 

1. Make Water Your New Best Friend
Drinking enough water is essential to your health. Water should be your new best friend. Like a good best friend, water will always compliment you and allow you to get things out your system.  Drinking the proper amount of water daily will not only help you flush your system on a regular basis it will also help keep you hydrated during the day and assist with muscle recovery after strenuous workouts. Did I mention the glowing affect it can have on your skin?

 2. Portion Control
Portion control doesn’t mean deprivation. Instead maybe think to yourself, have some now… have some later. By putting the proper portion on your plate now and telling yourself if you want more you can have more later you will be in a much better position to make good portion control decisions. Plus, if you brought water, your new best friend along and had a glass before your meal, odds are you returning to get more food at a later time is less likely. 
At home:  Reduce the size of your plates to reduce the size of your portions and the size of your body.
Dining out.  Either have a share buddy or if you do not have a share buddy ask the person taking your order to wrap half the order before you begin eating. Save it for your next meal. 

3. Find Healthy Ways to Reward Yourself with a Treat
While losing weight and when you’ve lost your weight properly as you can do with the WeightLossVillage online weight loss program you learned that treating yourself in the process is a necessity; however, it’s what you treat yourself with that makes the difference on your journey to reaching and maintaining your ideal weight successfully.
Learn to modify your old treats. For instance, instead of downing a chocolate bar and having the guilt afterward, slice a banana and sprinkle a small handful of semi-dark chocolate over it. You will have the same satisfaction with health benefits and without the guilt.  Finding healthy treats that don’t feel like punishment will be a major key to your success.

4. Avoid Getting Bored with Your Menu
When being mindful of what you eat, losing weight and maintaining your weight it can be easy to get caught up in the monotony of meal planning. Using an online meal plan program such as WeightLossVillage.com with memberships starting at just $3.95/week can be helpful, quick and an easy way to plan a variety of meals.  

WeightLossVillage SAMPLE MENU  - 1300 Calorie Low Carb Italian Menu

Replace the temptation.   With an online meal plan membership you can plan your menus.   Have the needed ingredients on hand and you’ll be less likely to give into poor eating temptations.

Snacks:  Carry portion size healthy snacks with you to replace the urge to eat unhealthy, fattening snacks.

At the restaurant:   Know what you want to order and how you want it prepared.   Ask the person taking your order to customize your order in advance so the unwanted ingredients are out of site, out of mind. 

‘Fitness – if it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body.”  Cher

When you agree exercise is an important part of life you realize exercise serves many purposes: 1) it is prefect for losing weight 2) it can keep you within your ideal body weight, 3) it raises your metabolic rate 4) it helps burn the unwanted calories (calories in/calories out principal) and 5) exercise will rev up your heart and lungs to make them more efficient.

If that is not reason enough to remove yourself from a sedentary lifestyle here are a few more facts,  exercise works to strengthen the bones to keep one looking and feeling good about themselves and it helps give people stamina to keep up the pace of everyday. Sadly people do not always do what is good for them. Have we all been guilty of deciding whether to exercise or press the snooze alarm just one more time. Unfortunately too often the snooze alarm wins.

Decide today to make this your time to win out over the snooze alarm so you can reach and maintain the ideal body weight. The following fitness babe tips are especially good for women who are more susceptible to osteoporosis and who are under pressure to keep themselves beautiful.

Incorporate one or two of the tips as a starting point or incorporate into your current work out routine. It is suggested taking only one or two to make it realistic since it is important to keep the commitments you make.

Do not be concerned that the exercise routine is not enough. The ideal is to exercise 3-5 times a week for 20-60 minutes. However, with today’s busy schedules that is not always achievable. It is important not to get frustrated with a routine that is utterly impossible. It is more important to manage 2 times a week for 20 minutes than give up because the routine was unrealistic or too rigid. One should not frustrate herself by aiming for the ideal when she knows for herself that it is utterly impossible. Worthy to repeat: Managing two times a week for 20 minutes per session would be just fine.

Focus on doing what you can do vs. reprimanding oneself for not having done enough. Start from 20 minute workouts and progress as time permits. This will make you feel successful about having kept a commitment to yourself. Soon you’ll be patting yourself on the back saying ‘Bravo, I did this for me’ and ‘I am a fitness babe’. .

This is a great resource for learning how to simply stay young without all the hype. When you have anti-aging strategies that are easy to follow, easy to implement and easy to live there is not reason why you can’t stay young! Staying young means you are at your ideal weight, you feel good and you look fantastic.

Looking young, staying young or just feeling young is a lucrative multimillion dollar industry. The primary reason is that we have an ever-aging generation. This generation is one of the largest generations with a large number in this population that are fighting aging every step of the way. For this reason anti-aging products are everywhere in the marketplace. But that does not mean you need to get ‘taken’ by the unnecessary and often expensive products that play on the emotions of those who wish to ‘stay’ young.

We find the following useful to help you avoid the risks of buying some products that are not needed and that are often expensive and still not needed.

Village Tip #1 Feed Your Face
Consciously feed your face anti-aging food on a consistent basis and you’ll find staying young becomes second nature. Make sure you are not feeding your precious body with junk food as this is sure to accelerate and perpetuate the aging process. And for all you dieters who try to escape the eating step to lose a few pounds, you may lose the weight but you will grow older faster. The body knows what it needs and that is a balanced, nutritious diet. Give your body what it needs? A great place to start is with Weight Loss Village online meals plans designed to help you lose weight, get healthy and be in the best shape you’ve been in years.

Village Tip #2 Pick Yourself Up
Start by getting off the couch or out of the chair, turn off the TV or computer and engage in enjoyable anti-aging activities. Weather permitting … take that activity outside. Choose an activity or two that you enjoy. Walk, play tennis, ride a bike, weight train, or jump on a pogo stick. Do something, anything that causes your body to move and put forth some energy. Stay young when you stretch muscles and keep them limber.

Village Tip #3: Enjoy Your Life
Mentioned above for the #2 Anti-Aging Secret Tip was finding some activity you enjoy. That’s the point of the entire article. Find and engage in activities you have fun doing. The key to the entire process of anti-aging is to treat your body right and have fun doing it. The best ways to slow the anti-aging process is to enjoy life and stay young mentally, physically and emotionally. This when incorporated with positive thinking will provide you with the momentum and motivation to continue a healthy lifestyle of well balanced eating, exercise and anti aging.

To your health.

Summer is all about spending time with family and friends. Whether you are on vacation, on a picnic, or just having a weekend barbecue, you will come to temptation of eating desserts or going without. A healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean denying yourself things you like; it means making smart choices and maintaining portion control. Here are 6 ideas for summer desserts if you are looking to lose weight this summer.

1. Angel Food Cake

Strawberry shortcake is a popular summer treat. Consider replacing the shortcake with angel food cake to reduce calories and still enjoy this great dessert. Don’t forget to use light whipped cream and try other berries or fruits for a nice change. Blueberries, raspberries, peaches, and blackberries are good fruits to pair with this light and airy cake.

2. Sorbet and Frozen Yogurt

We all love ice cream, but many types have fat and sugar and are high in calories. If you are looking for something cool to eat as an alternative to ice cream, try sorbet or frozen yogurt. Frozen yogurt, and now frozen Greek yogurt, come in many great flavors so you can feel like you are able to enjoy this great frozen treat without the guilt of extra calories.

3. Fruit Smoothies

They come in so many wonderful combinations that you can find a recipe that is made with fruits you enjoy. If you like milkshakes, smoothies can make a better alternative while still giving you the ability to have a tasty dessert. If you are buying your smoothies at dairy bars or fast food places, however, be careful. Some places add sugar instead of taking advantage of fruit’s natural sweetness, which can make the calorie count worse than a cheeseburger.   Download our FREE Simply Smoothies eBook.

4. Fruit Pops

Combining fruit and sugar-free gelatin is a good way to make a cold and delicious treat. Experiment with different taste combinations to find ones that may become family favorites.

5. Grilled Fruit

Putting fruit on the grill can be a great dessert alternative. You can add them to frozen yogurt, make a dessert pizza, or eat them with poultry or fish as part of a meal. Try grilling fruit at your next barbecue to find what ways you like to prepare this fantastic treat.

6. Frozen Bananas

Chocolate-covered frozen bananas are a popular summer treat and they are easy to make. You can add nuts or dip them in peanut butter and chocolate to make a nice, light lunch with extra protein. If you don’t like your banana on a stick, you can also make banana bites. Slice them, dip them, and place them on some wax paper before putting them in the freezer.

These are just a few summer desserts you can enjoy even when you want to lose weight. There are different ways you can experiment with many of these desserts to change the tastes and enjoyment. Have fun with dessert and summer by adding other calorie-cutting options.

We have half way through summer and there is still plenty of time to take part in summer activities that can keep you young and help with your weight loss efforts. These activities include swimming, volleyball,  canoeing/hiking and my favorite – tennis.

Swimming

While swimming is a great activity all year round, many people find that summer is a great time to take part in this sport because they can do it outside. Whether you go to the beach, visit a lake, or go to an outdoor pool, swimming outdoors is fun in summer.

Swimming is a good sport for weight loss because it combines cardio and strengthening. You use major muscle groups in order to perform different strokes and the resistance of the water helps to build strength. Another benefit of swimming is that it is easy on the body. If you are new to the sport, have physical impairments, or are obese you can receive health benefits from swimming.

Volleyball

This is another great summer pastime that will help keep you active and offer weight loss benefits. Volleyball helps to tone and strengthen your arms, legs, abs, and gluteal muscles. Depending on how intense you are when you play sports, you can achieve a great workout why you play volleyball. If you play in the sand, the resistance helps you get better results from strengthening your legs.

This is a fun team sport that is often played at parks and beaches. It is also a sport where many people don’t mind if you ask to join a team when a casual game is in progress. While you may be able to find a local club that has a volleyball team, you can also just play the sport for the fun of it by getting some friends together on the weekends.

Canoeing/Hiking

Canoeing has many health and weight loss benefits. You can burn up to 400 calories an hour, depending on the pace you set in the water. You can also strengthen your back, stomach, arms, and chest muscles while you paddle. Canoeing can help reduce stress as well by releasing endorphins and because of the beautiful scenery you see as you travel.

Hiking is great for your leg muscles and you can burn anywhere from 250-500 calories, depending on how fast you walk. It reduces stress and can help you sleep soundly at night from the energy you expend during the activity.

Think about combining canoeing and hiking into your next great outdoor vacation. Some trails allow you to canoe across lakes or rivers, and then you pick up the canoe and hike to the next body of water. Take to the internet to find canoe/hiking tours for a fun and unique weekend getaway in your area.

Tennis (my personal favorite)

I personally enjoy playing tennis.  I wear a pedometer on the court to see how many steps I take during my time on the court.  You will be amazed how quickly your steps add up.  Find one or three others to join you.

These are just some fun activities that will can help you lose weight.

What is your favorite activity for losing weight.    Stay tuned to our blog for more great ideas.

When you are trying to lose weight, you may feel as though you can no longer take part in many of the summer barbecue you love. This isn’t true. You can still enjoy all of the great aspects of summer, including barbecues with your friends and family. You just need to make the right food choices. Here are barbecue suggestions for weight loss.

1. Portions Matter

Often the problem with weight loss isn’t what you eat; it is how much. If you control portion sizes, you will be able to enjoy all manners of your favorite summer foods, including grilled steak. If you have one burger or a single piece of chicken, for example, you will be able to have summer favorites such as potato salad or baked beans, within reason.

2. Watch Condiments

Many condiments have empty calories and fat. Mayonnaise and ketchup are good examples of condiments you should avoid. Even light mayonnaise has calories and fat, and ketchup is high in sugar. Mustard, however, is a good alternative for those who are looking to lose weight. It is also a good pairing with burgers, sausage, and hot dogs.

3. Buns Are Optional

If you watch portions you can sometimes include a bun with your meal. However, you may want to use a light bun or one containing whole grains to make a healthier food choice. Alternatively, you may want to hold the bun in favor of other meal choices. Place a burger on a bed of lettuce, or top it with salsa and you have a delicious meal without the added carbs.

4. High-Calorie Sides

There are many side dishes that we enjoy eating during the summer, especially at a barbecue. These sides often have a high calorie count, however, and can hurt your weight loss goals. Even 1/3 cup of baked beans has 104 calories. If you don’t want to forgo these treats, eat them in moderation and reduce your protein (meat choice) to compensate. Or you may want to search for low-calorie alternatives for these dishes. For example, if you reduce some of the mayonnaise in potato salad and replace it with low-fat plain yogurt, you can cut the calorie count in half.

5. Turkey Burger

Turkey burger is a low-fat, low-calorie alternative to beef. And because burgers have such a prominent role in summer barbecues, eating turkey burgers can help you with your weight loss goals. If you find turkey too dry and difficult to work with, try mixing half ground beef and half ground turkey to make the burgers more palatable. They hold together better when on the grill.

If you feel like you are missing out on the fun aspects of life, you may lose your motivation and fail to meet your weight loss goals. These 5 barbecue tips for weight loss will help you take part in summer festivities without hurting your weight loss efforts.

Weight Loss Village can help support you on your path to a healthier, happier and slimmer you. For online meal plans to meet your weight loss goals become a member today. 

Many people strive to lose weight with a goal to look better during bikini season. While this may not be their only reason for losing weight, they do want to look good during the warmer months when hiding in bulky clothing is no longer possible. If you are facing this summer with the knowledge that you haven’t met your weight loss goals, you may feel discouraged and lose motivation. Don’t lose hope. You can obtain the healthy body you are looking for by keeping the following facts in mind.

1. It Takes Time

Yes, it takes longer to lose weight the right way than it did to gain it.  Set realistic goals and be patient.  Slow and steady will win the race.    Stay focused, think positive and you will soon be wearing those skinny jeans or whatever clothing you have in your sights to fit into again. .

2. Stay Active

There are many great activities you can take part in during the summer. Volleyball, baseball, basketball, and even swimming are all fun sports that will help you to lose weight. Get out there and take part in sports with friends and family. Not only will the activity help you to lose weight, the endorphins released will improve your mood and increase your motivation.

3. Partner Up

Everyone has their good days and their bad days. There may be times when you don’t feel like working out, or that plate of brownies is calling your name. Don’t try to achieve your weight loss goals alone. Partner with a friend or colleague who is also looking to achieve a healthier lifestyle. They can help encourage you when you are feeling down and you can do the same for them on their bad days.

4. Exercise Outdoors

Exercising outdoors can help improve your motivation. The fresh air and fantastic scenery are inspiring. Search for a yoga class, walk an exercise trail in a park, or find other instructors who offer outdoor exercise classes in fair weather. Even a change in routine will help to take the boredom out of exercising and encourage you to meet your weight loss goals.

5. Look Good Feel Good

You can’t hide in bulky sweaters, but this doesn’t mean that you have to hide your body. Find clothes that you like that fit your body type and make you feel good about yourself, no matter what your weight may be. In fact, tight-fitting clothing will help you with your weight loss because you will be more aware of how much you consume at meals.

It is challenging to achieve your goal of  losing weight on your own. You can use motivation, guidance, and tips along the way. With Weight Loss Village, you can read our blog posts to find tips and tricks to losing weight along with inspiration to help you achieve your goals.  Members have access to empowering workshops.  Listen to our complimentary  Think Thin Workshops.

Summer is here and people are looking to beat the heat while still looking and feeling cool. The days of hiding behind bulky clothing are over, so you now have to face the dilemma of wearing shorts or mini-dresses to help stay cool in the hot weather. But, if you haven’t reached your weight loss goals, how can you feel good about yourself this summer?   We find these weight loss tips can help.

Avoid Summer Alcohol Drinks

Those frozen margaritas look like a great choice after a hot day but they are full of calories. It is better to skip the alcoholic drinks for a glass of ice water or tea. If you feel like you need to loosen up a little, go for the skinny vodka drinks that are now available or tequila and lime to quench your thirst.

Some Like It Hot

Even though the weather is hot, still go for spicy foods. They can help you burn an extra 100 to 200 calories a day to meet your weight loss goals. Add a taste of Mexico or the Caribbean to your next cookout with some spice to your meat.

Plan Ahead

Summer is full of parties and cookouts with fattening food choices and empty calories. You don’t want to stay at home and mope all summer because you are trying to lose weight. Plan ahead for those times when you will be tempted to indulge by bringing low-calorie alternative foods or putting smaller portions on your plate.

Wear Tight Clothes

Though you may be embarrassed, don’t avoid the mini-dresses, shorts, and other tight-fitting apparel that come with summer. People who wear tight clothes tend to eat less because they are more conscious of how they feel in the clothing. People who wear loose-fitting clothing tend to eat more because they don’t have the waistband restricting their belly.

Drink Iced Coffee

While you may need to forgo some of the great foods of summer, you can drink iced coffee. It has caffeine and polyphenols that will help speed up your metabolism and burn fat faster. Just make sure you don’t add a lot of sugar and whipped cream.

Water and Lemon

Another tip to help you lose weight in summer is to drink a glass of lukewarm water with lemon juice in the morning. This trick has many benefits; it will increase weight loss, clean out your system, and help you have clear and radiant skin.

Barefoot on the Beach

If you live near the ocean, you should try walking on the beach barefoot. You can tone your legs and calves as well as improve resistance, stability, and mobility.

Ice Cubes and Fruit

Consuming water in the summer keeps you hydrated and helps you lose weight. Add fruit to some ice cubes to add flavor to your water and make other drinks less tempting.

You can enjoy the summer even if you are trying to lose weight. Take advantage of these 8 summer weight loss tips to have a happy and healthy season.

It is important to stay active all year round, but you should do it safely to avoid injury. If you aren’t careful during your summer day workouts, you may end up dehydrated or suffer from heat stroke. Here are 6 tips to help you exercise safely this summer.

Exercise in the Morning

The afternoon is the hottest part of the day. While this may be an OK time to exercise in the fall and winter, it’s not a good idea in the summer. Early morning is cooler and a good time to exercise before the sun bakes the sidewalk – and your skin. If it isn’t possible to exercise in the morning, try in the evening after sunset.

30-Minute Stints

Many fitness experts are starting to believe that being active throughout the day is better for you than exercising 60 minutes every day. Try exercising for 30 minutes and then focus on activities that keep you moving the rest of the day. Reducing exertion is better for you in the summer anyway and will help achieve an active lifestyle.

Vary Your Routine

Varying your routine will increase weight loss and prevent muscle memory. When your body becomes accustomed to a specific exercise, you will need more repetitions or weight to see results. If you mix up your exercise routine, you can prevent your body from adapting and can adjust your workouts to avoid strenuous activity on days where the heat index is dangerously high.

Buy Resistance Tubing

You can make simple workouts more effective if you buy resistance tubing. Many Pilates exercises use resistance bands to help with strengthening and conditioning. It is an inexpensive piece of exercise equipment that will add flexibility to your workout routine and the location of your workouts. When it’s too hot to exercise outside, perform the same exercises inside, where you have fans or air conditioning to keep you cool.

Keep Hydrated

It is always important to stay hydrated and to drink water after a workout. When the weather is warmer, this caveat is especially important. Bring plenty of water with you when you exercise and drink it when you are done. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, make sure you drink plenty of fluids after exercising.

Listen to Your Body

Exercise is supposed to improve your overall health, not put it at risk. Pay attention to the warning signs that you may need to stop your workout for the day. If you are dizzy, light headed, or feeling weak, don’t push for those last few reps. Stop immediately, drink fluids, and rest for a bit. A cool cloth or shower can help as well.

There are many fun activities that you can enjoy during the summer to keep you moving and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. If you are going to work out this summer, make sure to heed these six tips so that you can enjoy the warm weather before it is gone for another several months.

If you are thinking about losing weight, you may feel discouraged or intimidated. Perhaps you tried to lose weight before and failed. Or you are afraid you don’t have the willpower to see your goal through to the end. Weight loss doesn’t have to be scary, nor does it have to take an iron will to succeed. Here are 5 tips to help make weight loss simple.

Set a Realistic Goal

One of the main reasons why people fail in their weight loss efforts is because they don’t create a realistic goal. Despite what all of the fad diets claim, you can’t safely lose 15 pounds in two weeks. With proper diet and exercise, however, you may be able to lose 6 pounds in that time frame.

If you want to lose a large amount of weight, say 15 or 20 pounds, you may want to break that goal up into several smaller goals. These goals will be easier to achieve and will give you the motivation you need to hit your main weight loss mark.

Sleep Tight

Getting enough sleep is an important part of any weight loss strategy. People who get the sleep they need every night maintain a healthier weight than those who don’t. Aim for 6-8 hours of sleep a night, and you will find that your memory, mood, and health will improve.

Healthy Start

Start with a proven weight loss program that is easy to follow.  We find WeightLossVillage to be an outstanding online weight loss solution. No pills, no fad diets, just healthy meal plans, personalized menus and it works.

You should never skip meals when dieting, especially breakfast. After a long period of time without food, your body needs the kick start that the first meal of the day provides to begin the fat burning process. You will also have more energy and feel confident that you can tackle the day.

Mini-Meals

Having many small meals throughout the day is better than eating three large meals. Eating oatmeal and fruit, then a smoothie a few hours later, followed by a sandwich on whole wheat bread, then a protein shake, and finally a healthy dinner distributes your caloric intake. It will also keep your body ready to process your food when you eat it, because there isn’t a long period between meals.

Stay Active

A body in motion tends to stay in motion, and an active lifestyle is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. Find ways to stay active during the day, such as exercising while sitting at your desk, walking at lunch, and using the stairs instead of the elevator, to keep your body in motion and burn more calories.

Weight loss can be simple. If you set realistic goals, get enough rest, eat a healthy breakfast, and stay active throughout the day, you will find that you feel better and look better. Try breaking up your large meals into six smaller ones, and you can consume fewer calories and make the most of your food because it won’t be stored as fat.