There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to people and slimming pursuits. For hundreds of years or more people, women particularly have been searching for slimming diets and sometimes-even tricks. At one point in history there was even a torture garment created to cinch the waist called the corset! Most women today would never dream of wearing a whalebone corset but they will try most anything else under the sun, if it promises to lighten their weight. Fad slimming diets of all types have blossomed in this type of atmosphere, but most do little if anything at all. Losing weight is not a sprint and if you want to see some real results while leaving behind the crazy and sometimes dangerous diets behind you here are a few tips and techniques for healthy slimming.
Proper Hydration
You have probably heard that water is important, but do you know why? For all the public service announcements instructing people on the importance of water consumption, few people actually take the time to make it a reality. Often times instead of attempting to be healthy by drinking water they will go on some insane diet or try diet pills for slimming. Your body needs water, at least eight glasses per day.
Do you have any idea just how important water can be to your health and a healthy weight? Every major system in the body requires water for proper function, and though most people are aware that the body is mostly water, they do not realize this fact. Water aids your waste disposal system flush toxins and it also helps feed the cells by transporting nutrients. Would you be shocked to learn that hunger and thirst are often confused by the brain? Keeping the body hydrated could in fact curb your appetite.
Good, Bad and Ugly
Dieting is a multi-billion dollar industry filled with corporations and individuals who are little better than snake oil salesman. They get by with hawking these wares because of desperation; those who are frantic to lose weight will often try just about anything. Some common bad slimming diets from the past few years have included food specific plans, starvation diets or liquid only diets. There was even one insane diet several years ago that utilized horse tranquilizers for weight loss.
You are very unlikely to starve your body into a slim svelte form, your body will fight you every step! There are built in safe guards against starving which allow the body to slow the metabolism. This means you will not lose much if any weight, in fact your body may hold onto fat even harder.
Good slimming diets will contain plenty of healthy foods, proteins, vegetables and fruit are essential. First, determine what your base metabolic rate is, that is the rate at which you burn calories currently. What is your normal caloric consumption? You will need both of these numbers to know where you can trim calories. Remember, you will need to lose 3500 calories for every pound you want to lose.
Move Your Body
It is possible to lose a bit of weight and avoid exercise, nevertheless the best slimming diets should be accompanied by exercise. Increasing your heart rate will burn more fat than cutting calories alone but you will need to be smart about the process. One very good tip is to alternate workouts, strength one day and cardio the next. This prevents your body from becoming used to one form of exercise or another and guards against plateauing.
Final Thoughts
It is almost scary how simple slimming your body can actually be, at least in theory. All these tips, tricks and techniques are useless if you never put them into practice. Forget wild plans or fad diets to trim the fat, use some common sense techniques and you will never go wrong. Water, food and exercise are what you need to stay healthy and begin slimming.
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