Losing Weight on a Busy Schedule!

You know you want to lose weight but when you’re so busy running from home to work and back, how do you do it? Is it even possible with so much going on? You can lose weight while keeping a busy schedule but it does require extra planning and foresight. The most difficult part to manage is fitting exercise into the day but with just a few small changes it can be done.

The BEST Kind of Busy Schedule! :)

You should start by thinking about how much weight you want to lose. Many people expect to start a program and drop pounds almost immediately, and then become discouraged when it doesn’t happen. If you have more than five to ten pounds to lose, be prepared to spend six months or longer working toward your ultimate goal. Even if you do only need to lose five pounds, you should still allow more than a few weeks to see it disappear. As it has been said so often, the last five pounds is often the most difficult to lose, but with patience, a good diet, and plenty of aerobic exercise, it can be done.

The most successful dieters all have some characteristics in common. First, they all include regular exercise in their schedules, regardless of how busy the day may be. Exercise is necessary to burn calories and fat, and one dash up the stairs isn’t going to do it. For maximum fat burn you should exercise a minimum of 45 minutes per day and more would be excellent. Before you panic, the 45 minutes does not have to be all at once. Research has shown that short, intense bursts of exercise can be just as effective as one long workout, so all you have to do is fit in several short segments of exercise throughout your day. Try walking around your office’s parking lot during your lunch break or walking up four flights of stairs to your office rather than taking the elevator. If you are one of the fortunate employees whose companies provide fitness facilities on site, make the most of it! Either arrive early to workout, shower, and change before work, or hang around afterward to get in your exercise. Company fitness facilities are absolutely wonderful since most include not only workout machines but saunas, fully equipped locker rooms, and even the occasional swimming pool.

Other ways to get your 45 minutes of fat-burning exercise in is to purchase a few small fitness items to keep in your office and use several times daily. Good choices for office fitness equipment include hand weights (which often come with their own storage rack), resistance bands, and yoga mats. You may want to consider a jump rope but obviously bring a change of clothing since it can be rather too intense for the office. Set your computer to give an alarm four times throughout the day to remind you to get up and exercise. Even just ten minutes of weight lifting or resistance training four times throughout the day adds up to forty minutes! That’s fantastic!


You will probably find it easiest to do your aerobic exercise outside of the office. If your schedule permits you to attend gym classes several times during the week, take a high intensity class that keeps your heart pumping for thirty minutes or longer. Another excellent option is to swim. Swimming is one of the most powerful exercises for shaping the body fast. Since the body is supported by water, your muscles receive a better workout since they must propel you through the water. Swim for 45 minutes three to four times a week and you will see results within three weeks. For those who can’t get to the gym or a pool, go for a run or a fast power-walk on your street. Incorporate arm movements into your walk to boost your heart rate and burn more calories. Also check your local video store for fitness videos that you can do in the privacy of your own home. There are many great videos that work your body just as much as a challenging gym class and you don’t have to worry about anyone staring at the sweat dripping down your back and face. Maintain a regular exercise schedule of 45 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times per week in addition to strength training and you will notice a change in your body very rapidly.

In terms of diet, the change that most busy workers need to make is to avoid fast food. Double cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes are all heavily laden with fat, calories, and sodium – three things that will slow your weight loss effort down fast. Instead, eat a diet that is balanced and nutritious with a minimum of saturated fat, simple sugars and sodium. One easy way to make a diet change is to eat only organic. There are thousands of delicious organic options available and an organic-only diet naturally delivers you from the vast majority of fatty junk foods. Add plenty of vegetables and salads to your menu as well as regular protein for a giant boost to your weight loss program.

While losing weight on a busy schedule is difficult, it is by no means impossible. Exercise regularly, eat healthy, and you will see the pounds melt away.

How Losing Weight Helps Improve Memory

Memory is the brains ability to store and retrieve information as needed. In order to retain and improve your memory you need to take good care of your brain so that your brain cells can continue to develop. One way that you can increase the development of new brain cells is by losing weight.

Losing Weight Can Make You Brainy!

How it Helps

Improves Blood Flow. When you gain weight your veins can become clogged with plaque which restrict the blood flow to your brain. Your blood carries oxygen which promotes new cell growth in your brain. Therefore when you are overweight your brain is not getting enough oxygen to develop new brain cells, and thus your memory begins to decline.

But as soon as you begin losing weight, the blood vessels can begin to open up again as the plaque and cholesterol are removed. This improves the blood flow that delivers oxygen so that more cells can develop. Additionally, the more blood you have flowing through your brain, the more toxins can be washed away from your brain. Toxins can also contribute to poor memory.

Cytokines. Cytokines are hormones that are released by excess fat in the body. These hormones can cause inflammation which affects the memory and cognition of the brain.

 According to studies, if you are pear shaped (carry your excess weight around your hips), then your memory is more affected by the extra weight than if you are apple shaped (carry your excess weight around your tummy). Researchers are not sure why this is, but it could be because of the different cytokines which are produced by the different types of fats, as the fats in the abdomen area are different than those around the hips.

So not only does losing weight make you fitter, it makes you brainier too!

Overweight Success Stories - How Did They Lose It!

Almost everyone has a story about overweight. Real weight-gain. Real weight-loss. Real struggle. Real Success. Real joy. Real diet discoveries from "Cave Woman Diet" to "Birdseed Diet" to "Cabbage Diet" to "Peanut Diet." The real people who fight overweight everyday with every trick of the trade. How they gained and how they succeed to lose and keep weight off. From some we learn good tips. The tips that may suit you. May work for you. Some of these may sound like our own stories. Here's one of them.
Helen's Overweight Story

I'm a twin, so I was only 4 pounds 13 ounces at birth. I weighed the "normal" amount for kids my age until I got into fourth grade. My parents divorced that year, and well, let's just say you can guess what happened next. Emotional eating. I was chubby from then on. I weighed 152 pounds at my high school graduation. Did I mention I'm 5 feet on a good day? And that the other girls in my graduating class weighed 100 pounds soaking wet?

When I went to college, things got worse. I was away from home for the first time, worried about events happening at home, and became a bit reclusive for a while. To comfort myself, I ate...and ate. Finally, after my sophomore year of college, I had a wake-up-call. Trust me, being the only 20 year old who doesn't wear jeans will do that for you. I saw a doctor, took the half of Phen-Fen that doesn't cause heart attacks, and lost a lot of weight really quickly. The problem was, I was nearly starving myself. I'd eat eggs for breakfast and dinner (or egg whites) and a piece of chicken with ½ can of green beans for lunch. If I ate more, I gained weight.

Eventually I went off the diet. Somehow, with exercise, I managed to keep the weight off for three years...three glorious years, where I wore tank tops (Did I mention I had a breast reduction at the age of 20? I went from a 42F to a 38B-imagine the freedom) for the first time in my life. I even wore a bikini. Then I got married and gained 15 pounds. Then I got pregnant and gained 60 more. Needless to say, it didn't all come off. I've tried over the years-I've tried hard. But eventually I've given up, after gaining a few pounds and throwing in the towel, declaring myself a failure again.

At this date, after birthing two beautiful children, I'm 48 pounds heavier than I was when I got married. And I want it off...and more. I don't want to be skin and bones. I don't even need to wear a single-digit size. But I do want to be able to walk into a restaurant with my kids and NOT wonder if I'm being judged if I (gasp!) order a milkshake.

So there's my story in a nutshell. I'm going to lose the weight this time, perhaps following the same as did before. I have to. For me. For my kids. For my marriage. I'm happier when I'm at a healthy weight. I'm more self-confident, more likely to take adventures. It's time for me. Is it time for you?