A Mediterranean Diet - How to Lose Weight Safely

By Ray Darken

If you are looking for a way to lose fifteen pounds in two weeks, a high protein diet, a low carb diet, a fruit diet, a no fat diet, a blood type diet, a juice fast, a diet named after a place in Miami, a grapefruit diet, a cactus diet, a coffee and cigarette diet, a diet that includes sweets, a diet based on your body type, a diet based on an ancient religion or a diet based on your hair color, then this article is NOT for you.

Fad and crash diets, such as the ones described above are not only unhealthy but they also cause rebound weight gain. Also most diets, even though diet gurus write them, cause an initial weight loss but the ultimate result is that you gain all of the weight back the minute you go off the plan. If you don't gain it back within a couple of diets, you are likely to gain it all back plus a bit more within a year.

Crash diets dehydrate you, low calorie diets put your body into starvation mode so you plateau so you can't lose one more pound and high protein diets stress your kidneys and clog your arteries.

So how does one lose weight?

There is only one answer to this question.

You need to expend more calories than you are taking in. Restricting certain foods, eating so-called fat burning foods, or dehydrating yourself with special pills or teas does not do it.
It is simple math. The only way is to eat a little less and exercise a little more. Here is the equation below:

Eating Less + Exercising More = Weight Loss.

This is not a magical formula, it is just logic. It is also not a fast way to lose weight. As I have mentioned before, this is not an article about how to lose ten pounds in three days or 30 pounds in a month. It is about safe, healthy weight loss.

In order to lose weight safely and without putting yourself at risk for such health hazards as dehydration, kidney failure, malnutrition, exhaustion, nervous dysfunction, tooth loss, dull hair, wrinkles, cellulite, sudden heart failure or stroke and lose the weight so that it stays off, you should lose no more than approximately two pounds a week!

Although that might not sound like a large amount of weight to lose it actually is! If you lose 2 pounds a week that means you can achieve a weight loss of ten pounds a month! If you only have twenty pounds to lose then your weight loss is not only quite rapid, but you have the extra guarantee that it will stay off because you have followed a sensible exercise plan that did not involve starving, exhausting or depriving yourself. If you are willing to drop your impatience and desire for immediate gratification and stick to an exercise plan and healthy eating habits, then a Mediterranean Diet is for you. Remember being slim is only good if you are able to enjoy it!

Do You Need to Lose Weight?

Fascination with Fat

If you want to lose weight, you first need to assess whether you need to actually lose weight or are simply a fashion victim. Unfortunately this society is fascinated with fat - who has it and who doesn't. As we are persuaded by so many images in the media that persuade us to believe that you can never be too thin, many of us are bad judges of our actual body weight.

If you are under the age of eighteen and reading this book, the first thing you need to do is consult with your parent about your plans to lose weight. Have her make an appointment with a physician so that he can indicate to you whether or not you are a candidate for weight loss.

If you are an adult, it is possible that you may not be overweight and are just trying to be, as Bridget Jones put it in Bridget Jones Diary "a stick insect with eyelashes." It is also very possible that you know you need to lose weight but have no idea where to start.

If you are obese and you know it, then you have to check with a physician first to see how your health is before you embark on any exercise program or plan. The same is also true if you have any kind of medical condition but especially a thyroid condition or heart condition. Some physicians may not recommend a weight loss program for those who are over 40 as due to genetics and hormonal changes some people naturally just round out or gain weight in a way that simply cannot be changed. If your doctor tells you your spreading hips are due to menopause or genetics, believe him! It is not clever to fool with Mother Nature.

Author Ray Darken - Ray has supplied a quick down-loadable users recipe and diet plan in the form of a guide on the [http://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com]Mediterranean diet for easy access. If you would like more information, this next site is dedicated to [http://www.the-mediterranean-diet.com]the Mediterranean diet and includes tips, articles, the guide mentioned above and other related guides.

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"Trying" To Lose Weight? Don't!

By Mark Idzik

Are you trying to lose weight?

If you are, STOP!

Funny thing to say coming from someone that wants to help you lose all the weight you want, right?

Actually, there's a good reason.

You see, you can't try to lose weight. Don't believe me?

OK, let's use an example. Look around where you are sitting right now and find a small object. Perhaps a pen, envelope or book. Got it?

Now, try to pick it up. Go ahead.

Is it in your hand? If it is, well, then you didn't try, you actually picked it up. If it's not in your hand, you didn't.

Simple, right?

There's no middle ground in doing. You can't "try" to do anything, it's a fallacy. You either do it, or don't do it.

The same applies to losing weight (or anything else for that matter). Saying that you'll try gives your mind fuzzy instructions, and it will return fuzzy results, results that aren't what you really want. It also gives you a "way out" if you don't achieve the goals you set out to reach.

You see, your subconscious mind doesn't interpret your directions, it just goes to work following them as complete truth. When you say you'll "try to lose weight", it will "try" to follow your instructions, which we now know is impossible.

What in fact you want, (if you really do) is to lose weight. To feel better. To have more energy. To overcome health challenges. To look great.

Now, if you say you want to lose weight and are not successful, or continue to use language that includes words like "try" or "we'll see" or "maybe", perhaps you're wired backwards.

What does that mean? Well, maybe you say that you want to lose weight, but your mind says it doesn't. Somewhere along the way you gave your mind instructions that it's too hard, or impossible, to lose the weight you want. Perhaps you're more comfortable where you are now, but know that it's the right thing to say that you want to lose weight.

If this is the case, ask yourself what beliefs you hold that are at odds with what you want. For example, "it's too hard to lose weight", "it's impossible to lose weight", "I can't lose weight because I'd have to exercise all the time", "I'll lose my friends if I lose weight", "I can't lose weight because I've always failed".

Ask yourself if in fact they are true. Are they making your life easier, or more difficult? Do these beliefs serve you or harm you?

Then, replace the old beliefs with new ones. Positive, confident statements about how you want to look and feel.

The best way to lose weight is to avoid saying you'll "try" to lose weight, and say you "will" lose weight. See yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how great you look and feel. Use positive language and give your mind specific instructions like "I'm now happily at my ideal weight of (number of pounds) weight" or "I now happily choose to wear a size (your ideal size)".

Watch your language and self talk closely and avoid using "try". It may take constant attention at the beginning, but after a short time, you'll get used to keeping your language positive, upbeat and confident.

Your weight loss results will follow immediately, depending on how confident, committed and persistent you are in applying these exercises. The more confident, committed and persistent, the faster your results will appear.

You CAN do it!

Mark Idzik is a health coach with a national clientele who helps his clients lose weight, feel better, overcome health challenges and make better health choices. Get his 37 free tips to guaranteed weight loss by visiting: http://www.Everyday-Weight-Loss.com/?src=try

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