Weight Loss Motivation: 10 Powerful Ways to Keep You Motivated to Lose Weight

My husband took a picture of mine last night wearing my favorite red halter dress. When I looked at the picture, I was so discouraged and feel motivated at the same time. I feel discouraged because after a few weeks on diet and working out to lose weight, I still in a bad shape. That stretchable red halter dress still making me look like I'm 6-months-pregnant. At the same time, I feel a bit motivated seeing those pictures because I see this as a challenge to lose weight and transform myself. I told myself, weight loss is not happen overnight.

What about you? Everyone has a down moment, but how do you keep your spirit up during the day you feel less motivated? This is 10 powerful ways to keep you motivated to lose weight. The original post can be found at FitSugar.

1. Think wellness not weight loss

If you make good food choice only because you want to lose weight, you tend to rebound weight gain if you go back to your old habits once you’ve reached your goal. We eat everyday so try to eat better.

2. Set reasonable goals.

Setting too much goals in too little time can set you back. Losing 50 pounds in 2 months is unreasonable, but losing 10 pounds in 2 months is.

3. Celebrate the small victories

Losing weight is like a marathon. As you continue to reach your goal at every milestones, celebrate it. It will keep you motivated to continue to reach your goals step by step.

4. Drop the "perfect" mentality

Instead of using your slip up as an excuse to do another cheating, use your weak moment as a motivation to get yourself back on track.

5. Have an accountability partner

Find a friend that will keep you on track when you miss a workout, or feel like quitting your weight loss plan.

6. Schedule all your workouts at least a month ahead of time

Create your workout dates and plug it into your iphone, Blackberry, or Outlook calendar or write them down on an old-fashioned wall calendar to gives your weight loss plan priority and structure.

7. Turn off the negative self-talk

When you do start to think negatively, have an "out" that will quickly take you away from the negative thoughts.

8. Have a Plan B ready

Setbacks will happen. Identify what caused your slip up and use it as learning tools to learn new things. If your plan doesn't work, have few options ready to back up your weight loss plan.

9. Be Your Own Cheerleader

Place post-it notes all around your house with motivational reminders such as, "I feel great!” or "food is fuel, I eat when needed".

10. List the painful consequences of not achieving your goal.

It can be motivating to list all the possible negatives that may come about if you DON’T achieve your weight loss goal. Write down all the negative consequences of not exercising for example poor health, medical costs, lack of socializing,etc. and refer it back when you need a dose of motivation.

Please share in the comment space below, what methods do you use to stay motivated?

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Weight Loss Success Stories: Aravind Lose Over 50kg in Less Than 6 Month

Before and After Weight Loss Photo: Aravind lost more than 50kg

Everyone like to hear other people success story because it ends with success, and those success stories can motivate and inspire you to achieve the same success with your weight loss goal. This next success story comes from Aravind Teoh who has been obese from childhood, but amazingly lost over 50kg in less than 6 months. How did he do that?

His favorite food was always carbs - noodles and bread. He could eat a large pizza with extra cheese without feeling full. His waistline was 50 inches. Some chest pain Aravind experience back in 2009 was his wake up call to lose weight. When he told his family that he will take 1 year to lose weight, everybody was laughing and teasing. But he is so determined and use Kevin Zahri's Fitness 24/7 as his weight loss guidance.

Aravind's Diet Plan
8.30am (breakfast)
Protein shake or oat with Milo or cereal with milk or blended mix grains (brown rice, black and white sesame, almond, Brazilian nut, walnut etc with little bit of molasses.)

11.00am: Snack
1 hand-full of mix nuts or 2 fruits orange and green apple

1.00pm (lunch)
Boiled vegetables and egg(broccoli, cabbage, spinach, carrot, tofu, especially bright colours vegetables)

3.30pm Snack
Protein shake

6.30pm
Fresh fruits or yogurt or healthy cookies(fiber cookies)

9.00pm (dinner)
Boiled vegetables or blended fresh fruits with vegetables.

Overall: lots of green tea.


Aravind's Workout Plan
1. Cardio at home
Cardio exercises at home like cycling, hiking, brisk walking, and swimming in the morning before breakfast (to burn fat rather than glycogen) and another 30 mins in the evening.

2. Varying workout routine
Change my workout routine every 6-8 weeks to avoid hitting plateau. I did lots of HIIT cardio and cross fit training.

3. Join gym
The first two weeks he lost 12kg, then he started join gym, spend there for 2 hours, 5-6 days a week after his weight stopped going down. His first 30 mins will be either on treadmill or cycling. Then continue with weight training.


Weight Loss Tips
Strong determination and good self discipline.

Do you know any great weight loss success story? Or do you have an inspirational story about your own weight loss? We want to know your weight loss secrets! Add your story here and give others an inspiration and motivation to lose weight today.

If this success story inspire you to lose weight and encourage you to practice a healthy lifestyle, don't forget to share this with your friends on facebook and twitter. Check out Kevin Zahri's blog to get more inspiration to get fit!

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Weight Loss Success Stories: Kelsey Byers Lost 18kg on Clean Eating Diet

This is another uplifting, motivation weight loss success story from Kelsey Byers, 23. She was very active in high school. She play all sports and eat like a pig and still be a "string bean."

But when she got to college, her activity level decreased significantly, she adopted some "bad habits" like drinking alcohol, staying out late, and eating really bad food and put on 40-45 pounds in just 2½ years. At 5'10", she weighed 174-176 pounds at her heaviest in college!

That huge reality check made Kelsey started going out to eat less, limiting alcohol and committed to working out 2-3 days per week (at first). She did not understand proper portion control, so it took her five years to get rid of the weight that only took two years to put on.

Kelsey finally decided to see a nutritionist in March 2010 to transform her body of a lean athlete that she saw in the fitness magazines. Within just four months of clean eating, she saw amazing results and she decided to enter her first NPC bikini competition. She competed in October 2010 and won third place in her height class, qualifying for nationals.

Body transformation: Kelsey went from 175 lbs (79kg) to 135 lbs (61kg)

Kelsey shares her Clean Eating Diet plan in BodyBuilding.com, which you can follow easily. Check out for more stories at BodyBuilding.com

Kelsey's Clean Eating Diet Plan

• Kelsey eat 5-6 meals a day, eating every 2.5 - 3 hours to keep her metabolism high.
• She drink 1 gallon of spring water by 4 p.m. every day.

Meal 1
4-6 Egg Whites, Scrambled w/ Pico De Gallo
2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
1 small cup Black Coffee

Meal 2
1 medium-sized Chicken Breast
1 small Sweet Potato
 ½ bag of Steamed  Green Beans

Meal 3
1 medium-sized Chicken Breast  1 small Sweet Potato
½ bag of Steamed  Green Beans

Meal 4
4-6 oz Extra Lean Turkey
Medium sized Salad w/ 1/2 Tomato
1/3 cup of Grits

Meal 5 
4-5 Egg Whites, Hard-Boiled
2 slices Whole Wheat Toast

Meal 6 
4-6 Egg Whites, Scrambled
1/2 cupVeggies, Steamed



Kelsey's Workout Plan

• Work out with weights four days a week.
• Cardio in the mornings on an empty stomach.
• If training for a competition or photo shoot, she do cardio on the weekends as well.
• Rest about 30-60 seconds only between exercises to keeps workouts intense and moving along.
• She spend about an hour in the gym lifting weights. No more. You don't want to overtrain.

Day 1
AM Cardio
Elliptical Trainer, Stairmill, or Incline Treadmill 45 min

PM Shoulders/Abs
Side Lateral Raise 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Front Dumbbell Raise 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Reverse Machine Flyes 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Crunches 3 sets of 50 reps
Air Bike 3 sets of 20 reps
Bent-Knee Hip Raise 3 sets of 20 reps

Day 2
AM Cardio
Elliptical Trainer, Stairmill, or Incline Treadmill 45 min

PM Legs
Seated Leg Curl 4 sets of 12-20 reps
Dumbbell Lunges 4 sets of 15-25 reps
Barbell Squat 4 sets of 15-20 reps
Barbell Deadlift 4 sets of 20-25 reps
One-Legged Cable Kickback 4 sets of 20 reps

Day 3
REST



Day 4
AM Cardio
Elliptical Trainer, Stairmill, or Incline Treadmill 45 min

PM Chest/Triceps
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press 3 sets of 12 reps
Pushups 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Lying Triceps Press 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Triceps Pushdown 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Tricep Dumbbell Kickback 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Bench Dips 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Day 5
AM Cardio
Elliptical Trainer, Stairmill, or Incline Treadmill 45 min

PM Back/Biceps
Pullups 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Bent Over Barbell Row 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Dumbbell Bicep Curl 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Hammer Curls 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Preacher Curl 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 6 & Day 7
CARDIO ONLY






Kelsey's Top 6 Weight Loss Tips

1. Taking small steps toward your goals.
I certainly didn't go from ordering dessert every meal at restaurants to eating clean and competing overnight.

2. Big changes can take time, so just be patient.
I would advise getting your clean meal plan in check for about a month, then ease into lifting weights.

3. Lifting has proven to give me the best results! 
The more muscle you have, the leaner you are! Lifting weights burns calories long after your workouts.

4. For the ladies
I used to be a cardio junkie, but never saw any changes until I started eating clean and lifting. You won't get bulky, you will get definition!

5. Ease up on the cardio, eat clean and lift HEAVY! 
You should have trouble finishing your last set. If not, lift heavier. I keep a notebook of my workouts so I can make sure I increase my weights.

6. Start off my mornings with cardio.
I like to start my mornings off with cardio because it makes me feel productive before I even go to work.

Kelsey's workout plan is available in PDF format and also printable at BodyBuilding.com

Do you know any great weight loss success story? Or do you have an inspirational story about your own weight loss? We want to know your weight loss secrets! Add your story here and give others an inspiration and motivation to lose weight today.

If this success story inspire you to lose weight and encourage you to practice a healthy lifestyle, don't forget to share this with your friends on facebook and twitter!

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Weight Loss Success Stories: Natasha Blog About Her Weight Loss Journey to Find Motivation and Lost 47lbs

Reading an inspiring weight loss story is a fantastic way to keep me motivated on my weight loss challenge. This is another weight loss success story from a 20 years old girl from Illinois named Natasha. You can follow the rest of her story in her tumblr blog I'm Gonna Make a Change.

What made you decide to lose weight?
Because when I stepped on the scale and I saw 177, I nearly shit a brick. I knew it's time to kick my ass in gear.

How long does it take to see your weight loss result?
About a year. I took a few breaks (week long breaks, month long breaks) and I hit 2 plateaus.

What changes you made to lose weight?
I went from eating 2500 calories a day to 1200-1500. I went from eating giant bowls of pasta to fruit, vegetables and lean meat.

Natasha before and after weight loss

Share to us your diet plan
For breakfast, I almost always have eggs. Not just the white because the yolk actually have lots of vitamins. I have 2 eggs with bell peppers, green chilies, onions, tomatoes, a little bit of cheese, oregano, garlic salt and cilantro. Occasionally I have a bowl of oatmeal or cream of wheat or some toast.

For lunch, it varies. Sometimes my mom have leftovers in the fridge of her super healthy meatloaf or meatballs (both made with ground turkey) and I have some of that. If not, I will have pita pocket stuffed with chicken/ turkey, green chilies, spices, some cheese, etc.

For dinner, I generally keep it small and it varies like with lunch. Sometimes I make a whole wheat, homemade pizza and sometime I make fajitas. Each meal is about 300-400 cal, occasionally more. I don't count calories. I jut east what I know is healthy.

Body transformation: Natasha's impressive transformation less in one year

What about your workout plan
I honestly think that exercise has had the biggest effect on my weight loss. I do 30 mins -1 hour of cardio at least 5 days a week. I try to do it everyday but I am a full time student and go to class Monday to Thursday, so it hard sometimes. We have an elliptical machine in my house and that is what I do my cardio on. I do various thing for toning like Pilates (which KILLS) or I workout with my mon (who also KILLS). We do planks, push-ups, ab workout, weight workout - EVERYTHING. I'm always working out with her.


What's all this about your mom?
My mom is a personal trainer and my biggest inspiration. She motivated me to get healthy.

Your best weight loss tips?
Start a weight loss blog. Seriously, that was my biggest motivation. Also, don't expect it to happen overnight.

Do you know any great weight loss success story? Or do you have an inspirational story about your own weight loss? We want to know your weight loss secrets! Add your story here and give others an inspiration and motivation to lose weight today.

Shall this success story inspire you to lose weight and encourage you to practice a healthy lifestyle, don't forget to share this with your friends on facebook and twitter!

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Monday Weigh In and Weight Loss Inspiration: Disable Man Lose Weight Lost 100lbs in 6 Months Doing Yoga and Able to Walk Again

Today is Monday weigh in. I don't expect any weight loss because all last week I am eating more calories than my body burns. At first, I plan to skip weigh-in today. But then I become curious to know how poor my progress is, and knowing so will help me to set my next goal.

Last week I was 68.9kg

This week I weigh 68.6 kg.
Body measurement (chest-waist-hips in inches): 39 - 34½  - 42½.

I had another loss this week! Though 0.3 kg is consider small, I am still happy to have a small loss this week.

I've read in fit freedom that you can’t depend on the scale to tell you when you’re doing well. If you're working out but gaining weight instead of losing it, you don't have to be bothered about it. The explanation is simple: muscle weighs more than fat. When you start to build muscle from working out, you’re effectively burning the fat that used to be there and gaining muscle. Based on that knowledge, I measure my body start this week to see my progress.

Criss Before and After Weight Loss

After reading Criss' inspiring weight loss success story, I took pictures of mine starting this month to motivate me to lose weight. To look at your picture is hard when you're not happy with your weight, let alone to post it here and let the world to see. So I decided to keep my picture for myself at the moment and use it as self motivation to work harder and get result.

Speaking of motivation, a friend shares this inspiring video on YouTube about Arthur Boorman. He was a disabled veteran of the Gulf War for 15 years, and was told by his doctors that he would never be able to walk on his own, ever again. He was injured as a paratrooper in the Gulf War. Too many jumps took its toll on his back and his knees. He gained a lot of weight but couldn't do traditional, higher impact exercise because his condition is impossible for him. He decided to try yoga after stumbled upon an article about Diamond Dallas Page doing Yoga. Even though doctors told him walking would never happen, Arthur was persistent. He fell many times, but kept going.

He lost 100 pounds in 6 months! 

He proves that anything is possible. Don't waste any time thinking you are stuck - you can take control over your life, and change it faster than you might think. Prepare to be inspired by this video.

 

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Monday Weigh In and Weight Loss Inspiration: Disable Man Lose Weight Lost 100lbs in 6 Months Doing Yoga and Able to Walk Again

Today is Monday weigh in. I don't expect any weight loss because all last week I am eating more calories than my body burns. At first, I plan to skip weigh-in today. But then I become curious to know how poor my progress is, and knowing so will help me to set my next goal.

Last week I was 68.9kg

This week I weigh 68.6 kg.
Body measurement (chest-waist-hips in inches): 39 - 34½  - 42½.

I had another loss this week! Though 0.3 kg is consider small, I am still happy to have a small loss this week.

I've read in fit freedom that you can’t depend on the scale to tell you when you’re doing well. If you're working out but gaining weight instead of losing it, you don't have to be bothered about it. The explanation is simple: muscle weighs more than fat. When you start to build muscle from working out, you’re effectively burning the fat that used to be there and gaining muscle. Based on that knowledge, I measure my body start this week to see my progress.

Criss Before and After Weight Loss

After reading Criss' inspiring weight loss success story, I took pictures of mine starting this month to motivate me to lose weight. To look at your picture is hard when you're not happy with your weight, let alone to post it here and let the world to see. So I decided to keep my picture for myself at the moment and use it as self motivation to work harder and get result.

Speaking of motivation, a friend shares this inspiring video on YouTube about Arthur Boorman. He was a disabled veteran of the Gulf War for 15 years, and was told by his doctors that he would never be able to walk on his own, ever again. He was injured as a paratrooper in the Gulf War. Too many jumps took its toll on his back and his knees. He gained a lot of weight but couldn't do traditional, higher impact exercise because his condition is impossible for him. He decided to try yoga after stumbled upon an article about Diamond Dallas Page doing Yoga. Even though doctors told him walking would never happen, Arthur was persistent. He fell many times, but kept going.

He lost 100 pounds in 6 months! 

He proves that anything is possible. Don't waste any time thinking you are stuck - you can take control over your life, and change it faster than you might think. Prepare to be inspired by this video.

 

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How to Be Slim: 5 Best Weight Loss Drink You Can Drink and Lose Weight

Do you feel like you eat all the right foods but still not losing weight as quickly as you'd like? Maybe you need a little help with your weight loss plan. Try include any of these weight loss drink in your weight loss plan.

1. Weight loss tea
Unlike regular tea, weight loss tea contains herbs like senna to stimulate the bowels. A cup of weight loss tea after a meal may help you to lose weight fast.

It's pretty affordable and work like a charm! I used to try Welkumis tea a few years back before switch to Teh Orang Kampung. Drink twice after lunch and dinner, it works within 8 hours. There is actually no difference between the two brands of weight loss tea. I experience a really strong urge to go to the toilet every time it started to work. Though I can feel that my body is lighter, less headache and less tired, I discontinue drinking them because I cannot stand the diarrhea effect and terrible stomach discomfort during the process in the toilet. I don't know about other people, but in my personal experience with drinking weight loss tea, the diarrhea effect lasts for a long time even when you have eat nothing. I usually have to eat something so that my stomach have something to process and only then my stomach cramp will stop. Weight loss tea is very good to relieve constipation. Just bear in mind, using weight loss tea for more than 2 weeks can cause the bowels to stop functioning normally and might cause dependence on laxatives.



2. Fiber drink for weight loss
Fiber is the portion of plant material that the human body cannot break down. Fiber categorized into two types, i.e. soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and turns to gel during digestion. This type of fiber can helps to slow digestion and makes you to feel fuller, help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables.
Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool, allowing it to help food pass more quickly through the digestive system, helping prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains.

Eat everyday at least three servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables not only provide important vitamins and minerals to your body but also fiber to aids to your weight loss plan by keep your bowel movements regular. It may sound like I'm advertising, but my favorite pick of fiber drink to supplement my diet is GC Life Cleanse Plus. It contains dietary fiber such as apple fiber, oat fiber,  oil palm trunk dietary fiber, and also Oligosaccharide and Lactobacillus which essential factors in balancing intestines. Drink twice a day, one sachet in the morning on an empty stomach and one sachet before bed. It makes you feel full, maintain a healthy bowel movement, helps to blocking the absorption of fats and burning the excess fats in body, thus help you to lose weight the healthy way.



3. L-Carnitine

L-carnitine required in body fat metabolism. It helps you to utilize the fat for energy. Red meat is the best source. L-Carnitine is widely available and often marketed as a weight loss supplement. Studies suggested that when used correctly, along with a balanced diet (adequate protein, essential fats, and fiber), it works to lose weight. Studies also show that for carnitine to work effectively, carbohydrate intake should be kept below 50% of total calories consumed daily.

I am currently trying Apple Juice Drink with L-Carnitine. It is said that drink water first thing in the morning on empty stomach is good as metabolism booster, helping you feel alert, refreshed earlier and help your kidneys function more effectively by flushing these waste products out of your system. But I just can't drink water early in the morning because its taste is plain boring. By adding 1 tablespoon of Apple Juice with L-Carnitine into water make the water taste delicious, refreshing and drinkable. I've only been trying this for less than a month. I'll update more when I finish my first bottle.



4. Protein Shake

Anyone who is trying to lose weight should include protein shakes into their weight loss plan. They can help prevent muscle loss when you do cardio so that you only burn fat.

One of the most popular protein shake today is Slim Diet II. It is a weight loss products based on selective and high grade soy protein isolate, soy fiber, fortified with amino acids, vitamins A, B, C, D, E and minerals. Slim Diet II will help you lose weight without going hungry. It is a 'meal supplement' where you have to eat without leaving your daily routine. I finished my 1st tin of Slim Diet II last year. It taste less "beany" and make me full for a long time. When combine with low carbohydrates diet technique protein shake can speed your weight loss rate. Read more about weight loss success story of Slim Diet II users here.



5. Lemon Drink

Many professional nutritionists regarded drinking lemon water helps to speed up weight loss. Beyonce Knowles openly admit that she lose 20 pounds in 10 days on Lemon Cleansing Diet or also known as Master Cleanse diet. The combination of lemon and water is made up of natural ingredients, therefore it adds no calories to your body each time you drink it. If you replace your favorite soda with lemon water every day for months or even a year, it will help you to lose weight. By drinking lemon water regularly, it's cleansed out of your bowels with greater frequency. Lemon water also helps out the digestive system by reducing the chances for diarrhea and constipation, because it promotes fluid bowel functions. Atika Beauty Trimm Lemon Drink is another simple way to get lemon drink supply. It prevent constipation and gives you the energy you need to function strong all day long. It only takes 2 sachet a day, consume after meals.




The Bottom Line
Having try all these, you may wondering why I am not a weight loss success story yet? There's no magic bullet when comes to weight loss. Weight loss drink are meant to aids to a weight loss effort. The rest is about healthy diet and persistence workout. I find out that weight loss drink is very helpful for maintaining regular bowel movement. Poor bowel movement can cause headache and nausea. It can even slow down weight loss process due to accumulated toxin. I am on my way to my ideal weight and am happy so far when a neighbor I haven't seen for weeks notice my 'small' weight loss when we catch up with each other this morning. My monthly goal is to lose belly fat so that I can avoid any awkward situation of being asked when I was expecting when I was NOT pregnant! 

So what is your minigoals? Have you achieve one? Maybe you can share your favorite weight loss drink or share about your weight loss success story here to motivate me. :)

Cheers~

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Lymphatic Drainage for Weight Loss: 3 Ways to Do a Lymphatic Drainage for Body Detox

The lymphatic system is part of your body's immune system. It transports nutrients and oxygen to cells, collecting toxins on the way and then flushing the toxins out through the lymph nodes. Lymphatic drainage techniques can aid in weight loss by helping to remove these unwanted substances from the body.

There are 3 ways to do a lymphatic drainage.

1) Lymphatic drainage massage

The lymphatic drainage massage uses very gentle pressure, long rhythmic strokes and pumping movements towards the direction of the lymph nodes throughout the body, with the aim of getting rid of toxins in your body. Overweight people or people who have sluggish metabolism may benefit from this treatment. This massage is not only relaxing but it increases the flow and volume of lymph fluid. Blocked lymph system can cause a toxic environment that many adverse health conditions can follow, including weight gain.

You can get lymphatic drainage massage at spas near you. Make sure to drink plenty of water before session to help your body to flush out the toxins from your body. Not long after receiving a lymph drain massage, a person will often have a bowel movement in which large quantities of pale colored mucoid substance is passed.

How To Do Self Lymph Massage Techniques

2. Lymphatic drainage using Vibraton Plate

Vibration Plate machine are quickly becoming the most popular exercise machine when Madonna publicly gave a testimonial to the use of vibration plates. This Vibration Plate is also use by other famous show business faces like Jonathan Ross, Kylie Minogue, Claudia Schiffer, and Natalie Imbruglia. Using the machine is quite easy. Just stand or sit on the plate 10 minutes a day. Vibration plate provide an easy full body workout. To develop strength, power, muscle tone and definition, put tension on the muscle by performing conventional exercises while standing on the vibration plate. The vibrations of this machine can cause an involuntary reflex muscle contraction 25-50 times a second. The muscle pump will help to cleanse toxic buildup from the body by improve blood circulation, stimulate, and enhances lymphatic drainage.

 


3. Lymphatic rebounding exercises 

The simplest way to stimulates the free-flowing lymphatic drainage system, and get rid toxins out of your body is by bouncing on a trampoline. Bounce on a mini trampoline every day for five minutes will increase your lymph flow by 15 to 30 fold, and gently ease waste materials out of the lymphatic system. Use of a mini trampoline has proven to be an efficient form of exercise with virtually no harmful side effects. Your cardiovascular fitness will excel, and you will be toning your body at the same time.

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Weigh In Day: 7 Healthy Late-Night Snack Ideas

I haven't weighed myself at all last week. I've spent the last week at my parents house and I didn't bring my own scale so I missed to check my progress. I tried to skip weighing myself this week. I've been off the wagon during my stay at my parents' house and a bad weigh in would just discourage me. But I am still curious to know how much weight I have gained. :)

I stepped on the scale last Monday to find out ...



I am 68.9 kg this week! Last 2 week I was 69.0 kg. Though the weight loss is only 0.1 kg variance, I'm still happy because I expect lots of weight gain instead. Maybe skipping late night meal and go to bed early, help me maintain my weight? This positive progress encourage me to eat better, exercise more and lose weight.

source

It is said that late night eating is bad, especially if you want to lose weight. One of the popular reason is you’ll be less likely to burn the calories you just ate because you're less active at night. And when you go to sleep with extra unburn calories, your body convert it to fat and store it in the fat cells.

But going to bed hungry may disrupt your sleep and contribute to restlessness. According to researchers, late night snack won't likely make you gain weight if it's an occasional thing. To prevent hungry at night, I will usually eat a little planned snack.

And, I also follow this late-night snack rules from Men's Fitness: stick to less than 300 calories—anything more is a meal. And wait at least an hour before hitting the sack so you have plenty of time to digest.

The following are my 7 choices of healthy late-night snack. I got the ideas from Men's Fitness and Self:

 

1.Strawberry Shakes

Blend kefir (it's like a liquid yogurt), strawberries, and a teaspoon of honey for a refreshing protein shake that's also chock-full of digestion-enhancing probiotics.

2. Frozen Blueberries

A cup of the fruit is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and more than 4 grams of fiber. For a richer snack, top them with a little light whipping cream.



3. Banana
It is a natural source of melatonin and it's a great snack for when you are feeling lazy because it doesn't require any work to prepare. As an added bonus, the potassium in the banana may prevent you from waking up during the night with sore, cramping muscles after an intense workout.

 

4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is high-fiber content coupled with the relaxing and satisfying effect of the carbohydrates makes it a perfect evening snack. To kick up the flavor, add a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

5. Popcorn
It's a great snack to munch on in the evenings because you can have a lot of it (3 cups popped) for only 100 calories if you skip dousing it in butter. Use lime powder for tang, cayenne pepper for heat, or a dash of cinnamon for sweetness. The fiber in it will also help satisfy your hunger and ward off cravings.

6. Greek yogurt
It's high protein, low in sugar, and can really fill you up. For more flavor, mix in your own fruit, like sliced papaya.

7. Dark chocolate
The darker the better. Chocolate made with at least 70% cacao contains less sugar and more antioxidants than its milky cousin.






What kind of late-night snack you choose to satisfy your hunger? Share your ideas below. It's another great way of learning about healthy eating.

Happy snacking!

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Weigh In Day: 7 Healthy Late-Night Snack Ideas

I haven't weighed myself at all last week. I've spent the last week at my parents house and I didn't bring my own scale so I missed to check my progress. I tried to skip weighing myself this week. I've been off the wagon during my stay at my parents' house and a bad weigh in would just discourage me. But I am still curious to know how much weight I have gained. :)

I stepped on the scale last Monday to find out ...



I am 68.9 kg this week! Last 2 week I was 69.0 kg. Though the weight loss is only 0.1 kg variance, I'm still happy because I expect lots of weight gain instead. Maybe skipping late night meal and go to bed early, help me maintain my weight? This positive progress encourage me to eat better, exercise more and lose weight.

source

It is said that late night eating is bad, especially if you want to lose weight. One of the popular reason is you’ll be less likely to burn the calories you just ate because you're less active at night. And when you go to sleep with extra unburn calories, your body convert it to fat and store it in the fat cells.

But going to bed hungry may disrupt your sleep and contribute to restlessness. According to researchers, late night snack won't likely make you gain weight if it's an occasional thing. To prevent hungry at night, I will usually eat a little planned snack.

And, I also follow this late-night snack rules from Men's Fitness: stick to less than 300 calories—anything more is a meal. And wait at least an hour before hitting the sack so you have plenty of time to digest.

The following are my 7 choices of healthy late-night snack. I got the ideas from Men's Fitness and Self:

 

1.Strawberry Shakes

Blend kefir (it's like a liquid yogurt), strawberries, and a teaspoon of honey for a refreshing protein shake that's also chock-full of digestion-enhancing probiotics.

2. Frozen Blueberries

A cup of the fruit is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and more than 4 grams of fiber. For a richer snack, top them with a little light whipping cream.



3. Banana
It is a natural source of melatonin and it's a great snack for when you are feeling lazy because it doesn't require any work to prepare. As an added bonus, the potassium in the banana may prevent you from waking up during the night with sore, cramping muscles after an intense workout.

 

4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is high-fiber content coupled with the relaxing and satisfying effect of the carbohydrates makes it a perfect evening snack. To kick up the flavor, add a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

5. Popcorn
It's a great snack to munch on in the evenings because you can have a lot of it (3 cups popped) for only 100 calories if you skip dousing it in butter. Use lime powder for tang, cayenne pepper for heat, or a dash of cinnamon for sweetness. The fiber in it will also help satisfy your hunger and ward off cravings.

6. Greek yogurt
It's high protein, low in sugar, and can really fill you up. For more flavor, mix in your own fruit, like sliced papaya.

7. Dark chocolate
The darker the better. Chocolate made with at least 70% cacao contains less sugar and more antioxidants than its milky cousin.






What kind of late-night snack you choose to satisfy your hunger? Share your ideas below. It's another great way of learning about healthy eating.

Happy snacking!

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