To lose weight and get a six pack, you’re going to have to change your lifestyle. The problem is that most people go right back to their original lifestyles the moment they lose the weight. The result? They gain it all back and then some.

Why does this happen?

Mostly it happens because the person is so overcome with confidence that they start hitting the social scene. They are out showing off and having a good time, but they’re also likely drinking at the bars and clubs, and then eating when the alcohol makes them hungry.

Some people get into a relationship that always seems to help people pack on the pounds. It may be due to one or the other getting comfortable, but most likely it’s due to the fact that most dates revolve around food and/or alcohol, so you run into the same scenario as above. The more you eat, and the more you drink, the more weight you’re going to gain.

Fat Point

Some experts claim that we have a fat point. For instance, if you are twenty pounds overweight and you lose that twenty pounds, according to some scientists you are more likely to gain that twenty pounds back because your body has become accustomed to it. That twenty pounds overweight is your fat point.

These same scientists also claim that you can change your fat point. To do this, you must lose the weight and then keep it off for a good amount of time. This could be six months, it could be a couple of years. But they say that if you can maintain your weight loss, you’ll have a less chance of ever gaining it back.

Our bodies gain and lose weight because they’re designed to do that for particular reasons. More weight will insulate us against the cold when we’re in those climates, and less weight will allow us to stave off the heat in the warmer climates. However, sometimes weight gain can be attributed to psychological reasons. Ever heard of the term ‘emotional eating’? That’s when someone gorges themselves with some sinful treat because they’re upset.

Something or someone has hurt them badly and it just feels good to consume large portions of food that you’re not supposed to have. Rarely do people do this on fruit or vegetables. It’s usually ice cream or pizza.
The point is that you have to deal with any stress or emotional problems you’re going through so that you don’t have one of these guilt-ridden binge fests due to your feeling blue. Trust me, it’ll help your efforts.

Gadgets Gather Dust

Another reason most people gain the weight back is because they become less active. They start to think, “Hey, I reached my goal. I can slack off a little.” Soon, that little becomes slacking off a lot and the weight comes back on. The weight machines or cardio equipment that they used to get their six packs gather dust in the corner of the bedroom and sometimes they’re even used for hanging clothes.
It’s very important, if you want to maintain your results and reset your fat point, that you change your lifestyle and stick to that lifestyle even after you’ve succeeded. It’s the only way to make your efforts worthwhile.

Changing Your Lifestyle

Changing your lifestyle sounds difficult but it’s really not. Just eat less and exercise more. When eating, use smaller plates. When eating out, only eat the single portion sizes and take the rest home to eat later. Don’t count calories, learn to eye the correct portion sizes of the foods you eat, and keep your junk food to a minimum. That’s it. That’s all there is to changing your lifestyle. And do the exercises, which we’ll get to next.

Learn to Know Your Limit

To get a six pack, you have to eat so that you’re only satisfied. You can’t eat until you’re full. The general rule for gaining and losing weight is, if you’re trying to lose weight, you should leave the table leaving just a little big hungry. If you’re trying to gain weight, you should fill up as much as possible.

Obviously we’re not trying to gain weight, so leave the table a little hungry. Your stomach will shrink eventually and soon you’ll get used to eating smaller portions. And your waist will begin to shrink in the process.

Remember that food is fuel. It’s also important to consider the type of fuel you’re putting into your body’s tank. Premium fuel will give you far more energy, while sub-standard fuel might fill the tank but not give you much to go on.

If you can remember that, you’ll remember not to stuff it into your face like you’re starving. You’re not starving, you’re just hungry. Feed yourself until you’re not hungry anymore and then stop eating. It’s as simple as that.

Drink Water

Another thing to remember is that you need to drink a lot of water. You can drink low calorie drinks like iced tea or Chrystal Light, just make sure you’re keeping yourself as hydrated as possible. The more you drink, the more fat you’ll lose and the fuller you’ll feel, too. As an added bonus, more water will improve the look of your skin and you’ll feel better, too.

Remember, we’re made up of 70% water. Drink a lot of it. Your body needs it.

Are you tired of diet tips handed out by someone with apparently unlimited income and time? For some of us, it may just not be practical to spend half of our Sunday preparing carefully portioned meals for the rest of the week, or financially feasible to buy all our meals prepackaged in just the right portions. And there are those of us who cringe at the thought of weighing food to achieve ‘optimal portion sizes’. Here are ten real life diet tips for the rest of us.

1. Eating out? Restaurant portions tend to be enormous, and if it’s on the plate, we tend to eat it. If it’s possible, order from the kid’s menu, where portions are more reasonably sized.

2. Keep healthy snacks around and easily accessible. A bowl of fruit on the kitchen table, a container of celery or carrot sticks in the refrigerator, or a couple of pop-open cans of fruit salad in your desk at work will help you grab for something healthy when those first hunger pains begin. In other words, you’ll be more likely to grab something low-calorie and good for you if it’s easy to eat.

3. Substitute frozen vegetables for canned. Canned veggies tend to be high in sodium, which you don’t need, and low in real nutrition, which you do. Buy economy size bags with zip closures to make it easy to pour
out a single serving for a meal.

4. Buy a vegetable steamer. Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to cook vegetables. The food retains nearly all of its natural nutrients instead of leaching it out into the cooking water. Even better, it makes your veggies taste great – which means you’ll be more likely to eat them instead of filling up on fatty foods that pack on weight.

5. Never eat standing up. One of the easiest ways to sabotage your diet is to ‘eat without thinking’. Treat eating with the respect that it deserves. Fix yourself a plate. Sit down and eat properly. You’ll be less likely to just pop food into your mouth without paying attention.

6. Spread your meals out. When you eat three meals a day, your body tends to store whatever it doesn’t need right that moment. By adopting a ‘grazing’ habit, you’ll keep your metabolism working throughout the day. Have a small breakfast, a piece of fruit with crackers or toast at mid-morning, a light lunch and an ‘after school snack’ mid-afternoon. Just remember that you’re breaking up the same amount of food into smaller meals, not ADDING more food into your daily diet.

7. Grab a fruit juice or flavored water instead of soda. Soda is nothing but empty calories. No nutrients, lots of sugar. Instead, grab a bottle of 100% fruit juice, or water flavored with a spritz of fruit.

8. Drink water. Even the FDA recommends at least 8 full 8 ounce glasses of water a day to keep your body working right. When you’re dieting, you should drink even more. It’s not just that full feeling – water helps your body digest foods properly and cleans out your system.

9. Can’t afford a gym membership? Make a pact with friends to exercise together. Make a date at least three times a week to play volleyball, take a walk or spend half an hour doing something active.

10. Skip the potato chips. Fatty snacks fried in hydrogenated oil like potato chips contribute fat and calories and not much else. Instead, grab a handful of dried fruit or a cup of yogurt for the same amount of calories and a lot more nutritional benefit.