If you are a beginner, walking is a good exercise to begin with.  Here is a beginners thirty minute interval training routine:

Warm up for five minutes -  Leg stretches and slow walking.

Twenty minutes of interval training
-  Low intensity – Walk for three minutes
-  High intensity – Walk as fast as you can for one minute

Repeat these two steps for twenty minutes.

Cool down for five minutes – walk slowly and stretch again.

When performing interval training, it is much easier to use an interval timer so you don’t have to keep looking at your watch as you are exercising.   The best one is the Gymboss Interval Timer.
.

The above interval training example uses a 3 to 1 ratio – Three times low intensity to one time high intensity.  You can also change this ratio to give you a longer high intensity workout such as a 3 to 2 ratio – three minutes of walking and two minutes of fast walking.

When you are ready to move to the next level – you can start jogging or running as your high intensity portion.  Try to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

The key to interval training is to push yourself hard during the high intensity portion.  As the high intensity exercise gets easier to do, you must bump it up to the next level.  The high intensity portion is supposed to be hard to do.

There are many benefits to using interval training to lose weight.  You will burn more calories than a regular workout and your cardiovascular fitness will improve.   Interval training also keeps you from getting bored since you are focusing on switching routines and performing different exercises.

You should try to mix up your interval training to include different exercises.  You can adjust almost any exercise into interval training to lose weight.   Some to try are stationary bikes, treadmills, mini trampolines, stair climbers, ellipticals, or jumping rope.

Simply pick which interval training ratio you want to use and you are on your way to burning more fat and calories than ever before.  Using interval training to lose weight is an effective and fun way to achieve a slim and trim body.

So how do you stop sugar cravings?  The only way that you can stop sugar cravings completely is to stop eating sugar.   Now don’t start to panic.  It is not as hard as you might think.  The key to success is to replace the sugar with other foods that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

The most obvious replacement and the one that works the best is fruit.  Fruit gives you the satisfaction of eating something sweet without contributing to the sugar addiction cycle.  When you stop eating sugar and replace it with fruit, you will find that your energy levels will be steadier rather than the ups and downs of a sugar high.  It will be much easier to lose weight, you will be healthier and you will look and feel so much better.

The easiest way to stop eating sweets, is to clear out all sugar laden foods from your house and office.  You know that if it is there, you will eat it.  So get rid of it.  Stock up on a wide variety of fruits.

A few other foods that will satisfy your craving for sugar are peanut butter and dates.  They provide just enough sweetness to curb your sugar cravings.  Peanut butter is excellent on apples and bananas and is also really good in smoothies.

If you are really craving chocolate, you can make a healthy smoothie with 100 percent cocoa powder, milk and frozen fruit.  My favorite sugar free smoothie is made with frozen dark sweet cherries, milk, cocoa powder and peanut butter.  Combine all the ingredients in a blender – add enough frozen cherries so that it comes out thick like ice cream.  It is a delicious sugar free dessert that contains lots of vitamins and antioxidants.

It is not realistic to think that you will never eat sugar again.  Holidays or special occasions are times when you may not be able to resist the temptation of eating sugary desserts.  Just be aware that once you do eat sugar, you will start craving it again.  So indulge once in a while, but don’t get back on the sugar addiction cycle again.   Know that the only effective way to stop sugar craving is to stop eating sugar completely.  Realizing that sugar is addictive is the first step to overcoming sugar cravings.

If you need additional help to stop your sugar craving, I highly recommend reading  Controlling Sugar Addiction.

Why am I gaining weight while exercising

The first possibility is that you may be building muscle which does weigh more than fat.  In this case you have lost fat and gained muscle – you look more toned but you weigh more.   If you can tell a difference in your clothes and you look slimmer, you should not worry about what the scales say – just look in the mirror.  Keep up the good work!

You should always weigh yourself at the same time of the day.  The best time is when you first get up.  Your weight will vary during the day due to water retention so you will get a more accurate reading first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything.

Another possible reason why you are gaining weight while exercising, is that you are eating more calories than you are burning off.  The best way to tell is to start keeping a food journal of everything you eat and drink during the day.  Sometimes you don’t realize that you are eating more than you think you are.  Make sure that what you are eating is mostly whole, natural foods such as fish, lean meats, vegetables, fruits and nuts.  Avoid processed foods and too many carbohydrates from breads, crackers and pasta.  Eating a  healthier diet will help you to lose weight faster.

One other reason that you could be gaining weight while exercising is that you are not eating enough.  Sounds crazy but when you don’t eat enough your body goes into a “survival mode” which slows down your metabolism.  Your system thinks it is starving and it slows down to conserve energy.   Many times when we try to lose weight, we cut back drastically on our food intake.   This is a huge mistake which can halt your weight loss and affect your health.

You will tone and sculpt your body faster if you include strength training into your exercise routine.  Many people only do cardio workouts which does help you to lose weight, but it doesn’t firm you up as well as strength training does.  So if you are gaining weight because of this – it is a good thing.

So now that we have answered the question “Why am I gaining weight while exercising?” you can fix any problems and get on with losing weight and getting healthy.

The best advice to stop gaining weight is to get back to the basics.  We need to return to the healthy way people used to eat before of all the processed foods came along.

Most processed foods are filled with sodium, sugar, bad fats, and chemicals.  They are making us sick and causing us to gain weight.

The single most effective way to stop gaining weight is to avoid all processed foods.   When you begin eating whole and natural foods, your weight will drop, the fat will melt away, you will reduce cellulite and your skin will have a natural healthy glow.  You will feel better and have lots more energy.

Try to purchase organic vegetables and fruit when you can.  Most grocery stores now have a small organic section.  They are a little more expensive, but they are worth it.  When you are not putting pesticides in your body, it functions much better.

This also applies to the meats you purchase.  You should buy organic, free roaming, grass fed meats.  These are not filled with growth hormones and antibiotics.  The grass fed meats are leaner and healthier for you.

Make a commitment to change your nutritional lifestyle which will not only help you to lose weight but it will make you healthier.

Your diet should consist of organic vegetables, fruits, meats and whole grains.  Also include nuts and healthy oils.  Try to limit your intake of wheat products – especially wheat bread and crackers.

When you make these simple changes to your diet, you will see results in a very short time.  You will be amazed at the way you look and feel.  So now that you know how to stop gaining weight, get started right away – don’t put it off another day.  Click on the Healthy Urban Cookbook cover above to read about what foods are healthy and which ones are not – you’ll be very surprised!!

1.  Eat more frequently. Don’t eat more, just eat more often. Breaking up your meals into five or six smaller meals will speed up your metabolism. Your body burns about sixty percent of your calories during digestion.   When you eat more often, you are always burning extra calories.

2.  Eliminate all wheat products from your diet.  This includes bread, crackers, cereals, pasta and any other product which contains wheat.  Most wheat products cause inflammation in our bodies and make it hard to lose weight.

3.  Eliminate all dairy products except for butter.  Dairy products are also inflammatory foods and will bloat you and make it difficult to lose weight.

4.  Limit your grain intake to only one bowl of regular oatmeal (not instant) in the morning.  If you want to drop weight faster, eliminate all grains completely (for a short time only) from your diet.  Whole grains are healthy, but they can slow down weight loss efforts.  Grains include oatmeal, rice, popcorn, spelt, and quinoa.

5.  Eat fruit only during the first part of the day.  You will lose weight faster if you don’t eat fruit in the evening.  The best fruits for weight loss are apples, grapefruit, lemons and blueberries.

6.  Avoid starchy foods such as potatoes, squash, peas and corn.  They can hinder weight loss.

7.  Drink lots of pure water during the day and to boost the benefit, add lemon to each glass.  Cold water has been shown to increase your metabolism right after drinking it.

8.  Reduce the sodium in your diet.  This will stop fluid retention which will result in immediate weight loss.

9.  Perform mini ten minute workouts during the day.  This will keep your metabolism boosted all day long.  My favorite is bouncing on a mini-trampoline for short workouts all during the day.

10.  Add strength training to your routine.  Strength training will build muscle and help your body to burn more calories even when you are not exercising.  Perform strength training three times a week – every other day.

Incorporate these tricks for losing weight fast and you will boost your metabolism and melt fat.   These methods are a healthy alternative to weight loss pills and  fad diets and they work just as well if not better.

Eat half of a grapefruit just before your large meals.  The red or pink variety is the best.  Eat up to three half grapefruits per day.  Peel and eat just like you would an orange.

Add lemon to your water.  Make sure your water is pure or filtered.  Drink one glass when you get up in the morning and one glass every hour that you are awake – squeeze in a large slice of lemon to each glass.

Eat a cup of soup or a salad before each meal.  Only low calorie, low sodium, low fat, broth based soups will help with weight loss.  Salads should be plain or topped with oil/vinegar dressings – no high calorie dressings.

Drinking caffeine (coffee or tea) before a meal will cause you to eat less.  Caffeine will also help to burn extra calories and increase your metabolism.  Drink a cup of coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon and evening.  Your coffee and tea should be organic.

Take bee pollen granules. It contains almost 100 essential nutrients and has a high protein content.  It increases calorie burning and is known to help correct metabolism imbalances which cause weight gain.  Take one teaspoon with water before every meal.

Drink three ounces of pure grape juice mixed with one ounce of water before each meal and right before bed.  The grape juice should be 100% juice with no sugar, no additives and no preservatives.  Drink it slowly – it should take you 5 to 10 minutes to drink.

Drink two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar (organic is best) mixed in a glass of water when you first get up.  Drink it again before lunch and before dinner.

Take vitamin C - taking 500 mg daily can help burn more fat.

Add two tablespoons of ground flax seed to your foods each day.  Flax Seed provides  you with needed omega-3 fatty acids and is full of fiber to keep your system cleaned out.

Try adding a few of these fast and safe home remedies for weight loss to your daily diet to help you lose weight and get healthy.

Add these super foods to your diet and increase your metabolism naturally.

1. Soluble fiber from fruits, berries and oatmeal. Fiber is a key part of weight loss and boosting your metabolism. It gives you a feeling of fullness and cleans your system out. Eating half of a grapefruit before meals has been shown to help burn fat.

2. Eggs are packed full of nutrients and are more filling than meats. An excellent source of protein to increase your metabolism. Purchase organic eggs with no hormones or antibiotics added.

3. Turkey is an excellent protein which builds lean muscle tissue causing your system to burn more calories and raise your metabolism.  Avoid the turkey lunch meats with nitrates.

4. Green tea is an antioxidant which speeds up your system so you are burning more calories. Organic green tea is preferred.  Two or three cups a day will really increase your metabolism naturally.

5. Almonds and walnuts contain essential fatty acids which increase your body’s metabolism. They are high in calories so don’t overdo it – a handful a day is enough.

6. Spinach contains magnesium, potassium, iron, vitamin C and is an excellent source of antioxidants. It is great for speeding up your metabolism.    Kale and broccoli are also rich in nutrients and fiber.

7. Beans contain lots of fiber and are great fat burners.  Eat a variety of different ones – they are all great metabolism boosters.

8. Cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines provide necessary essential fatty acids. They make you feel full longer and are an excellent source of protein for a quick metabolism boost.

9. Dark Chocolate contains a hunger suppressing antioxidant which has lots of health benefits and increases your metabolism.

Add these foods to your daily diet to increase your metabolism naturally. In addition, drinking more water and adding some exercise each day will ensure that you are burning maximum calories and increasing your metabolism so you have a lean and healthy body.

What are the best fruit to eat when dieting is what many of us trying to lose weight are asking.

It turns out the grapefruit diet may have been on the right track.  There has been quite a bit of research to show that grapefruit actually does contain fat burning enzymes. It has been shown that eating a half a grapefruit before each meal helps people to lose weight.

It seems that grapefruit juice or pills did not work as well  as eating the whole fruit. Although drinking the juice or taking the grapefruit pill did help somewhat, eating the real grapefruit was much more effective.

Not only do grapefruit  help you lose weight, but they are also very healthy for you. They contain lots of vitamin C, potassium and known cancer fighters such as flavonoids, lycopene and liminoids.

The red and pink grapefruit contain high levels of beta carotene which can lower your triglycerides. Another great thing about grapefruit is that is very low in calories – a half of one only contains 39 calories.

The best way to eat a grapefruit is to peel it just like you would an orange. That way you are eating the membrane which is rich in fiber.

So peel and eat a half of a grapefruit before each meal to help with your weight loss and to improve your total health.  This is by far the best fruit to eat when dieting and should be a part of your healthy weight loss diet.

There are other fruits that are also good to eat when trying to lose weight.   These include apples, blueberries, cantaloupes, cranberries, lemons, limes, mangoes, oranges, papayas, peaches, pineapples, raspberries and strawberries.

These fruits have been called “negative calorie foods” which means that your body uses more calories to digest them than are actual calories in the fruit. Your system has to work harder to break down and process these fruits.

Incorporating these fruits into your daily diet will keep you full and will not increase your weight.   Just like the grapefruit, they are packed with essential vitamins which will also help you lose weight and get healthy.

So now that you know what are the best fruit to eat when dieting, clear out all of your junk food and replace it with these healthy, fat fighting fruits.

For FREE healthy meal plans to help you lose weight, visit FREE Healthy Meal Plans.

If you want to get rid of the jiggles on your arms, here are three easy exercises to tone flabby arms. Along with these strength training exercises you should add some aerobic exercise to reduce body fat and lose weight. These three strength training exercises will help you build arm muscle and give your arms a firm and toned look and the aerobic exercise will burn total body fat.

The strength training exercises should be done every other day. Perform two sets of twelve reps – resting for one minute between sets. Do some type of aerobic exercise for thirty minutes three times a week. You can jog, walk, swim, dance or any other activity that you enjoy. Change your routine so you don’t get bored with it.

Exercises To Tone Flabby Arms – Three Strength Training Exercises

Chair Dips

Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor and hold on to the front edge of the chair (hands on each side of your hips). Lift your hips off the chair, supporting yourself on your hands. Bend elbows and lower your body until your arms are bent at a 90 degree angle. Lift back up to your starting position. This exercise also works your shoulders and stomach.

Tricep Extensions

Sit in a chair or if you prefer you can stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Choose a dumbbell that you are comfortable with – perhaps 1 to 5 pound dumbbell – depending on your strength. Hold the dumbbell in one hand directly above your head with your arm fully extended to the ceiling (palm should be facing in towards your head). Very slowly bend your elbow so that the dumbbell is lowered towards your back. Keep your upper arm still and fully extended up – you may want to place your free hand on the back of the dumbbell arm for support. Return to the original position. Switch arms after performing two sets.

Diamond Pushups

Position yourself on the floor in a pushup position. Put your hands on the floor with your thumbs and index fingers touching so they are forming a diamond shape. If your arms are not yet strong, you may want to rest on your knees rather than your toes to begin with. Slowly lower yourself down and then back up again. Don’t worry if you can’t do the full sets the first time. Just do as many as you can and add a few each time you workout.

Performing these exercises on a regular basis will tone and shape your flabby arms and have you looking great in your sleeveless shirts.

Metabolism is defined as the amount of calories (energy) that you burn – it is the conversion of calories to usable energy.  How fast this happens is what your metabolism is.  As we age, our metabolism does slow because we are not as active and we lose muscle.  This can be prevented by staying active and performing strength training.

Everyone no matter their age, has the ability to increase their metabolism.  The following tips on increasing your metabolism will help your body build muscle and burn more calories.

Strength Training -   Perform strength training only three times a week with at least one day of rest in between sessions.  Pick two exercises for each muscle group (legs, arms, back, chest, shoulders) and perform two sets per exercise.  Each exercise should be done very slowly so you really work the muscles.  Change your program after you notice a slow down in progress.  After your workout your metabolism will be elevated for several hours.  As you build more muscle, you will automatically be burning more calories all day.

Aerobic  Exercise – Perform at least thirty minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week or more.  A variety of different exercises will keep it from getting boring.  Try something new – exercising on a mini-trampoline gives you a great workout.  Take a water aerobic or dance class.  Make it fun.  Interval training will burn extra calories – add short bursts of high intensity to your routine.

Don’t pass up a chance for activity.  Take the stairs, go inside instead of through the drive up, do some squats when you are waiting for dinner to cook, do some leg lifts while sitting on the couch watching television, lift your arms up to the ceiling and back down while you are waiting for your computer to load.  Even small movements will help.

Eat smaller meals every three or four hours.  This will increase your metabolism – your body won’t ever think that it is starving and put itself into hibernation mode (slow down).

Drink more water to flush the toxins from your body and to stay hydrated.

Make sure you are eating a healthy diet which includes vegetables and lean proteins like eggs, chicken, or nuts. Your body burns more calories digesting protein.  Increasing your fiber with foods such as vegetables will also increase your metabolism. Stay away from refined carbohydrates; they will slow down your metabolism.  Make sure you include omega-3 rich foods such as fish and flax seed in your diet – they are found to dramatically increase your metabolism.

Don’t get stressed out. Stress has been shown to stimulate the release of the hormone cortisol which slows down the metabolism and causes weight gain.  Emotional eating is also a problem when there is excess stress in our lives.

Get more sleep.  Studies show that not getting enough sleep can slow down your metabolism.  Try to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.

Incorporate these tips on increasing your metabolism and you will be on your way to burning maximum calories, losing weight and sculpting a lean and slim body.

For information on a healthy weight loss program that really works, visit Healthy Diet Solutions.