Weight Loss - Are You Exercising, But Still Gaining Weight?

You may be wondering why it is so difficult to lose weight, despite the amount of physical activity you are doing. Could it be fact or fiction exercise helps with weight loss? Surely the case is different for each person. If you hadn't guessed it, weight loss is a challenge unique to each person. While some people have a harder time than others, it is rarely (if ever) easy.

Weight loss is difficult because it asks the body to get rid of what it holds valuable. Body fat is essential to the body, even if it can be a danger to health in higher amounts. It is a reliable source of energy, and it acts as a buffer against starvation. But it also poses health problems and hurts one's self-esteem. Being overweight is also physically and mentally taxing, not to mention uncomfortable.

If your aim is to lose weight, good for you for starting an exercise program: it is overdue if you have been sedentary. Physical activity is essential to maintain your well-being and improve the quality of your life.

But why exactly is it still difficult to lose weight while you are exercising? And if you have gained weight, WHY did it happen?

The answer is simple: exercise is only one piece of the puzzle. As important as it is, it will never be a priority over nutrition. Your diet, portion sizes, and eating habits - are the primary factors influencing your weight. If your nutrition is under control, weight loss should occur. If it is not, progress may stall. You could gain weight if there's a lapse in your diet - even if you are exercising.

Exercise burns calories, which can burn fat directly. But what is the point of working out from a fat loss perspective if you are overeating? You should focus on your eating plan as much as you do on your training program, if not more. It is when your food portions are the right size, and your diet managed you can make progress.

It also helps if you are eating quality meals. This applies in particular if you are a Type 2 diabetic. You only have one body, so you might as well provide it with the very best nutrients. It does make a difference.

There is a reason professional athletes have world-class nutritionists in charge of their meal plans: health determines performance. You don't need to compare yourself to them but we are sure you would not mind having the physique and health status of many serious athletes.

Be sure to keep up your exercise program but don't forget the importance of healthy eating.

Although managing Type 2 diabetes can be very challenging, it is not a condition you must just live with. Make simple changes to your daily routine - include exercise to help lower both your blood sugar levels and your weight.

For nearly 25 years, Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

Are You Losing Sleep and Gaining Weight?

Sleep services all aspects of our bodies in one way or another: molecular, energy balance, as well as intellectual function, alertness and mood. There is not a single tissue in the body that is not beneficially affected by sleep. It's the single most effective we can do every day to reset the health of our brains and bodies. Sleep helps us to think more clearly, have quicker reflexes and focus better. When we're tired, we just can't function at our best. The fact is, well-rested people operate at a different level than people trying to get by on 1 or 2 hours less nightly sleep.

A study done a few years ago by Dr. Qian Xiao, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute in Maryland, found that the less sleep men and women got the more weight they gained. Those who slept for six hours or less per night gained more weight than those who slept seven to eight hours. Even more alarming was what happened to the normal-weight men and women who reported sleeping less than five hours each night: They were 30% more likely to gain 11 pounds or more compared with those who slept seven to eight hours and about 40% more likely to become obese during follow-up.

The findings are particularly powerful because the Dr. Xiao and his team followed patients' weight gain over a 7-1/2 year period and because of the large size and diversity of the study population. The association between lack of sleep and weight gain was consistent no matter what the subject's age, educational level, smoking status, BMI, and physical activity level. With more than 80,000 people in the study, it's more than likely that the sleep deprivation/weight gain connection exists for just about everyone.

So, how is sleep connected to weight gain?

People who don't get enough sleep (7 at least, 8 or 9 is better) are more likely to be hungry because the body needs more energy to stay awake. And, not only do sleepy eaters tend to consume more than enough to compensate, which leads to weight gain, but a sleepy brain responds more strongly to junk food and has less ability to rein that impulse in.

The main cause behind lack of sleep and weight gain is not being sleep derived itself, but the product of what happens to your metabolism when you are not getting enough sleep. Inadequate amounts of sleep affects the part of your brain that controls your appetite and pleasure eating. Too little sleep:

Decreases levels of the hormone Leptin, which signals the brain that you are full.
Increases levels of the hormone Ghrelin, which stimulates your hunger while also slowing the rate at which calories are burned and increasing the amount of fat you store.
This means you will feel more of an urge to eat and less satisfied when you do. In other words, you need to control Leptin and Ghrelin to successfully lose weight, but sleep deprivation makes that nearly impossible. So, the main cause behind lack of sleep and weight gain is not being sleep derived itself, but the product of what happens to your metabolism when you are not getting enough sleep. More Ghrelin + less Leptin = weight gain.

Just as binge-eating after too many hours of starving yourself doesn't work, going on a sleeping binge is not going to help your body recover from pulling an all-nighter or from consistent lack of sleep. And not getting enough sleep doesn't just make you tired... it also makes you fat. Adequate sleep should be an important part of your weight loss (and maintenance) plan.

I am passionate about helping my clients become slim and healthy. I publish a weekly blog and podcast to educate and motivate on all issues related to #weightloss, #obesity, health and wellness, diet and lifestyle change.

Visit me at http://www.weightnomoredietcenter.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lori_Boxer/2169327