August 31st, 2011
The old saying about “everything comes to he who waits” appears to have little relevance in today’s fast-paced world of instant gratification. It sometimes seems that nobody has the time or the inclination to wait for anything anymore.
But it’s important to bear in mind that patience is a vital part of losing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) weight. The way to guarantee lasting PCOS weight loss and its attendant health benefits is to shed those extra pounds slowly and steadily by being careful about what you eat and getting regular exercise.
Fad PCOS diets that promise huge and rapid weight loss omit to mention that, by not allowing your body to get used to change, you are more than likely to put the weight back on when you come off the fad diet. Even worse for your morale, you may find yourself becoming heavier than before.
The way to avoid this fate is to set realistic targets that are not too easy and not too hard. Write them down and stick to them. Aim to lose 1/2 lb to a 1 lb a week and focus on the long-term end result – a new, slimmer you, enjoying the greater sense of well-being that a balanced, PCOS nutritional diet and regular exercise will bring.
Make yourself happy by thinking of how much fresh energy you’ll have. Picture yourself choosing all the new clothes you’ll be able to wear.
Sticking to a set of goals is, of course, easier said than done. But without goals and time frames, your PCOS diet and exercise will happen only when you feel like it or when it is convenient. Without having something to work towards, you will be less motivated to lose weight and avoid the harmful consequences of obesity, which can include Diabetes and the cluster of Cardiovascular Diseases known as Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X. An underlying cause of obesity is often Insulin Resistance, which creates an imbalance in blood sugar and insulin levels.
If you have a goal in mind, you’ll be much more focused and consistent. This really is the secret to losing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom weight. You must make weight loss a passion until your goals are met. If you want something badly enough, you will achieve it.
Keep to your healthy new regime for three weeks and you should find things get easier after that, as it becomes second nature. There’s no greater motivation than beginning to see and feel the effects of weight loss.
If you achieve your goals, your PCOS health and appearance will benefit for the rest of your life. The reason is obvious. Looking and feeling so much better, you won’t ever want to return to the “old” you.
August 30th, 2011
Regular strength training can be good for the heart by lowering your percentage of body fat and adding muscle tissue.
Indeed, PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) research showed that a group of adults aged between 55 and 75 reduced their risk of developing the cluster of Cardiovascular Diseases called Metabolic Syndrome by 41% after adding 20 minutes of weight-lifting to their aerobic routine for six months. Losing weight around the abdomen and increasing muscle are central to lowering the risk.
While it may sound strange, learning to breathe is crucial if you’re about to begin a weight training program.
First and foremost, never hold your breath when you lift a heavy weight. This could cause a heart attack, a hernia or a stroke, not to mention dizziness and fainting. When you strain and hold your breath, your chest is put under so much pressure that the blood in your veins can’t return to your heart. The same is true when you’re moving furniture or anything else heavy. Always breathe!
The best way to protect your heart from undue strain is to breathe out as you lift the weight. On weight machines, any time the weight plates go up, you should be breathing out. The only exception to this is when you’re lifting something up over your head. Many weight trainers feel more comfortable inhaling while doing shoulder presses and things like that, so you can breathe in or out, whichever you prefer.
Don’t hold your breath when you stretch, either. Stretching should be a relaxing activity at the end of the workout. Hold each stretch for 10-20 seconds and breathe steadily throughout them, preferably in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Keeping a healthy flow of oxygen in your bloodstream is one of the biggest favors you can do for your body. It improves your body’s ability to function in many ways, ultimately helping you to lose PCOS weight. If you get into the habit of breathing the right way from the onset, you’ll maximize the benefits you get from weight training.
Remember to consult your doctor before starting any new exercise regime.
August 23rd, 2011
Even the best of intentions can go awry where losing weight is concerned. So be careful not to fall into a number of traps that may thwart your efforts to feel better via a healthy new regime of balanced diet and more exercise.
Here are some PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) pitfalls which lie in wait … and ways to avoid them:
Missing out on breakfast. Skipping this important meal can wreck rather than enhance your PCOS diet. Running late and rushing off to work after just a cup of coffee is bad news for weight loss. You’ll soon be hungry once you arrive in the office, where you have less access to healthy food. The end result could be a quick fix with a doughnut. If you don’t have time for breakfast one morning, grab something for later, like a hard boiled egg, a yogurt or a handful of nuts.
Yielding to temptation at restaurants. The prospect of so many delicious dishes can be diverting, to say the least, and it’s easy to eat more of them than you should. But don’t forget that you’re a valued customer. So ask the waiter about selections that have been cooked using lower-fat methods like stir-frying or grilling. Request sauces and dressings on the side, so you can control how much you have, and ask the waiter to hold the potatoes and substitute with a green salad.
Snacking without thinking. It’s tempting to regard the occasional nibble around the house as “carbs and calories that don’t count.” You know what we mean – the odd potato chip or sliver of cake as you watch TV, for example. But they soon mount up. So try disciplining yourself by writing down everything you eat each day and it will bring any bad habits into focus.
Joining in with family favorites. Chances are, your kids and your spouse sometimes like fattening dishes such as lasagna and you enjoy being sociable by eating the same meal with them. Just ensure you have a smaller portion, with a larger serving of vegetables or salad. Why not encourage them to do the same? And seek out lower-carb versions of the meals they love.
Expecting too much, too soon. Becoming disappointed by how slowly you’re losing weight is probably the biggest trap of all. Many people set unrealistic goals and lose interest when they fail to achieve them. Whereas the most effective and healthiest way to lose weight is slowly with 1/2 lb a week being a good target. If that doesn’t seem like much, lift two pounds of butter the next time you’re at a supermarket and think that an equivalent weight is about to come off your body in just a short while. You’ll soon see and feel the beneficial effects. What’s more, your body will have had time to adapt, making it far more likely that the lost weight will stay off.
If you see the warning signs early enough, it’s much easier to avoid the hazards that can disrupt your route to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) weight loss and a greater sense of well being.
August 22nd, 2011
Everyday life takes so much out of us at times that’s it’s often difficult to find the motivation for regular exercise and a PCOS nutritional diet. Even when you’re aware that they can reverse Insulin Resistance and bring the multiple health benefits of weight loss.
Energy underlies motivation. And if you look at your energy levels from a different perspective, you might find it revolutionizes your whole approach to life.
Ancient philosophies regarded energy as a permanent life force, rather than as a resource that runs down or a short-lived adrenaline rush or even a personality trait that some people have and others don’t. They claimed that true life-sustaining energy originates from deep inside everyone and flows like a wellspring into all areas of your life. If you sometimes feel lacking in energy, it’s not because you’re running on an empty tank. Instead, the ancients believed that energy gets blocked by unhealthy habits, which can include everything from eating the wrong food to getting stuck in a rut or working too hard.
If you unblock your energy sources with healthy, balanced and consistent changes to your life, you’ll benefit enormously in body, mind and spirit. Try incorporating one of these simple suggestions into your life each week over the next month to release new levels of energy:
- Stress and mental tiredness can be relieved by your sense of smell because aromatherapy has a revitalizing effect. Rosemary, juniper berry, clary sage and peppermint revive the senses, while citrus oils like lemon, orange or pink grapefruit balance emotions. Add a few drops to a bath or light a candle scented with essential oils before you slip into the water.
- Change your daily routine before you get struck in a PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) lifestyle rut. Energize your mind by doing different things, such as taking up new activities like walking and swimming, or reading a new author, trying a fresh restaurant or listening to music you haven’t heard before. Limit your TV viewing to only programs you really want to watch, rather than slumping in front of the set for the whole evening. Get hold of the TV Guide and mark in advance the programs that sound interesting.
- Cut back on multi-tasking. If you spread yourself too thinly, you could become frustrated and energy-drained by not being able to give one task sufficient attention to do properly. Just do one thing at a time and you may find you get more done, with energy to spare for the next task.
- The Finns swear by hydrotherapy, or subjecting the body to contrasting water temperatures. For 2000 years they have believed it strengthens the body’s immunity to disease, increases circulation and has a generally stimulating effect on the body. In the absence of a handy sauna and bank of snow, take a a shower in the normal way … then turn the temperature control to as cold as you stand it for 30 seconds. Switch it back to warm for the same period and then experience another quick burst of cold. Repeat 2-3 times on the nape of your neck, back and chest.
Energy in its purest form is the essence of who you are as a person. The more you bring out of yourself, the better you will feel.
