One of the reasons weight loss attempts fail is that people brainstorm abstract steps to reach abstract goals. For instance, the goal “I will lose weight” is abstract, and the steps:
1. I will eat less
2. I will exercise more
3. I will go to bed earlier
ARE ALL ABSTRACT!

Some may argue that the goal needs to be more specific (I will lose 15-pounds, 5% body fat, etc), but I disagree. The abstract goal of simply losing weight is okay, but setting out concrete steps for how you will do that will significantly improve your chances of actually dropping the weight!
Lets go back to the steps above. They are on the right track, but the human brain needs more information. Humans are very good at encoding information if they have a set process to guide behavior. Let’s use that strategy and revisit the steps.
1. I will eat a 1/2 cup serving (each) of two different vegetables and a piece of lean meat (no bigger than a deck of cards) for dinner every night at 6pm. I will plan these dinners for the week every Saturday and go grocery shopping for the week every Sunday.
2. I will get up at 5:40am to be at the gym at 6am every weekday, where I will do 45-minutes of cardio. For my cardio workout, I will select from… (list your workout options)
3. I will go to bed every night by 10pm.

Ah ha! Now we’re getting there! You are TWO to THREE times more likely to succeed if you use a specific strategy plan than if you don’t. In one study, 91 percent of people who used a concrete plan stuck to an exercise program, versus 39 percent of non-planners. I know the worry: if you set concrete steps, you may not be able to stick with them. Risk messing up! Risk failing! It is okay to set your steps and fall off the bandwagon every now and again, but at least you have a bandwagon to fall from. Without concrete steps, you are chasing that proverbial wild goose, and let’s face it- that gets downright exhausting!

Have you already tossed in your hat on your 2011 resolution to lose weight? Hey, pull out your pen and paper (or iPad as it may be) and set some specific steps, and give another go at it! With having a set of concrete steps to follow, weight loss is as simple as following the instructions.

For those of you just coming across this blog in 2011, (1) WELCOME!!, and (2) here’s the skinny on the numbers: I’m counting down 101 legitimate ways to lose weight. With all of the false information out there about nutrition and exercise, I want to provide you this blog as a trusted site to visit for sound advice on these subjects. So, each time you see a number before a blog post, it’s an item in the “101 Legit Ways to Lose Weight” series.

As you’ve learned earlier in this countdown, small meals spread out throughout the day is a great way to keep your metabolism working like a finely tuned machine. You’ve also learned that calcium, combined with a healthy diet, can aid weight loss. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and fiber, therefore need to be kept fresh and handy in every kitchen. To help steer your snacks in a yummy and waistline-friendly direction, below you will find calorie content of several fruits and vegetables as well as some good calcium-rich choices to pair your fruit/veggie with for a great small meal/snack!

3.5 oz. of the following fruits/veggies contain the # of calories below. (Just for reference, in case you’re wondering what the heck 3.5 ounces looks like, it’s roughly the size of a deck of playing cards. If you’re still scratching your noggin, a cup is 8 oz, so 3.5 oz. is just shy of half a cup).
SPINACH 8 calories
CUCUMBER 10 calories
CELERY (boiled) 10 calories
ROMAINE LETTUCE 15 calories
BUTTON MUSHROOMS (raw) 15 calories
CHERRY TOMATOES 17 calories
WATERCRESS 20 calories
LEEK (boiled) 20 calories
BLACKBERRIES 25 calories
BROCCOLI 32 calories
GRAPEFRUIT 38 calories
RED DELICIOUS APPLE 44 calories
KIWI 50 calories
BANANA 65 calories

3.5 oz. of the following calcium options contain the # of calories below:
SOY MILK 36 calories
SKIM MILK 38 calories
REDUCED FAT YOGURT 45 calories
NATURAL YOGURT 60 calories
REDUCED FAT COTTAGE CHEESE 80 calories
COTTAGE CHEESE 98 calories

With calories this low and food this healthy, you can snack smart and reap the rewards of a shrinking bod in those bluejeans. Enjoy your fruit/veggie + calcium combo and feel free to post comments about your favorite pairing. For me, personally, reduced fat cottage cheese with finely chopped pieces of apple and seasoned with cinnamon is a taste bud and tummy pleaser!

For those of you just coming across this blog in 2011, (1) WELCOME!!, and (2) here’s the skinny on the numbers: I’m counting down 101 legitimate ways to lose weight. With all of the false information out there about nutrition and exercise, I want to provide you this blog as a trusted site to visit for sound advice on these subjects. So, each time you see a number before a blog post, it’s an item in the “101 Legit Ways to Lose Weight” series.

There is a growing trend of “oxygen bars,” both in the US and internationally. Many venues are popping up in large urban cities where you can prop yourself up on a stool and take “hits” of oxygen through a facial mask. The definition of aerobic exercise is “exercise performed with oxygen,” so it would stand to reason that taking a trip to an oxygen bar would fill you up with extra oxygen, which should translate to enhanced performance in aerobic exercise (cardio), which means more calories burned during your workout, and- you got it- weight loss! Unfortunately, studies done so far are not conclusive, but don’t look very promising (yet). There is not sufficient evidence to say that oxygen hits (from oxygen bars; roughly 40% oxygen) “don’t” enhance aerobic performance, but the medical community is not optimistic about it. No valid comprehensive studies have been published, to date. From what I could find, sessions last less than half an hour (max) at most oxygen bars, and can be purchased for as short as a few minutes. I, personally, have never visited an oxygen bar nor taken an oxygen hit. I welcome comments from readers who have taken oxygen hits at an oxygen bar prior to an aerobic endurance workout.

For further information on oxygen bars, read this article from WebMD at http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/rise-of-oxygen-bars