As the year begins to wind down and the Christmas season draws near, many people are beginning to anticipate all of the treats and the food that will be available for the merry season.

On the other hand, some people have placed themselves on diets now, preparing for the amount of food they expect to eat once the Christmas season rolls around.

It’s a dangerous game of see-saw to play when you decide to lose weight, with plans of putting it back on in a few weeks.

Particularly for those who’ve made the commitment to lose a certain amount of weight by the end of the year.

Those who experience road blocks and apparent dead ends will give up way before the holiday season and go back to “the way things were.”

Let’s hope there are some who will stick it out, no matter how hard it may seem.

For those of you who’ve made that commitment (both to yourself and to others) to lose weight and get in shape this year and even for next year, I have some advice for you in this week’s article.

Let me begin by giving you this rule of thumb for losing weight.

Okay, I know you feel that you’ve heard everything and that talk is cheap, but I believe that words mean something and that is why we use them.

So, here we go; the first thing you should bear in mind when it comes to losing weight is that there is a difference between weight loss and fat loss.

When we talk about losing weight, that would consist of fat, muscle and water.

When we talk about fat loss, that’s some thing different all together.

In order to lose fat you have to learn how to manipulate the body to get rid of fat, while holding on to muscle. And that’s the trick most people don’t know.

When you hear someone say that they’ve lost weight, you may be able to notice such a loss in their clothes or in their features.

But what you do not see is the percentage of fat lost or the percentage of muscle that has been maintained.

Once you can lose fat without losing muscle tissue, you’re close to accomplishing your goal of proper weight and fat loss.

Now, there is a lot of talk these days about the use of fat burners.

These supplemental products are helpful for those people who have a hard time with discipline in their eating habits and who may need some assistance in getting rid of that stubborn fat.

But using fat burners should come with knowledge. From how many to take to when to take them can mean success or failure.

The idea of when you should take fat burners is important. It’s all about timing.

When it comes to fat burners the rule of thumb is that you never take them after 4 p.m. in the afternoon. Try to take fat burners early in your day as possible.

Why?

Well, a lot of those products contain caffeine, which is used as a stimulant and everyone knows what caffeine can do to the body.

This is why so many people who take fat burners find it difficult to sleep when night comes.

They take fat burners after 4 p.m. and that caffeine kicks in, leaving them awake all night. It’s all about timing.

While we’re on the topic about timing, let me throw this in – fruits should be eaten at a certain time of the day. You may say, ‘well, I eat a lot of fruits,’ but you may do so at the wrong time of the day.

You may think it’s no big deal, but because fruits contain sugar, eating them in the evening can cause you to put on weight.

It can also cause gas, if that’s all you eat in the evenings. Fruits should be consumed as early in the day as possible, so that the sugar in the fruits will have a chance to be distributed into the blood stream and used as energy throughout the day.

But you would continue your exercise program and eating the right foods to maintain your weight loss.

Most people blame the diet products for causing them to gain the weight back, but it is the foods you went back to that caused you to gain the weight.

Also remember that in any weight loss program, the right amounts of protein should be consumed. Protein builds muscle and muscle burns fat, so as you cut back on carbs and fat, keep a good eye on your protein intake.

You want to look good while losing weight. I’ve seen some people who just cut back on eating, do no exercise and take in very little protein and although they’ve lost weight, they look sick.

You can lose weight and still look healthy, if you follow these simple rules.

True Healthy Products carries a wide range of products that are designed to help you achieve your fitness goals. Stemulite Fitness Formula works with your body’s stem cells which helps create new muscle cells, while  it enabling you to sleep deeply to recover naturally. The new Human Chorionic Gonadotropin – Fat Release System can help rid you of unwanted fat, stubborn fat, and works incredibly for issues of obesity. Nine A Day Plus Vitamins delivers all natural nutrients & minerals from organic sources which feeds your body quality fuel, and gives a healthy glow to skin. Once nourished from the inside, it shows on the outside! To learn more click here>>

Fresh wholesome food extends nutritious benefits to the body.

By Sal Pizarro

Mercury News