Eating to lose weight is a challenge, right? We can’t just “stop” eating like we can “stop” smoking. So, what’s the best approach? Is there a perfect “diet”? Again, I’m going to go back to setting goals here. Set a goal to change a couple of eating habits, not every “bad” habit you might have, just change a few. Then, the idea of change isn’t so overwhelming and scary. Ask yourself; can I eat a whole-wheat bagel for breakfast instead of a blueberry scone? Can I have a regular coffee instead of a mocha? Can I drink water instead of a soda? Can I swap sweet potatoes for French fries? Can I eat to only 80% fullness instead of 110% at every meal? Can I slow down and chew my food, put the fork down and chat between bites? These small changes, overtime, will add up to new habits, which will add up to weight loss. Remember, losing weight isn’t the real challenge here, the challenge is creating new healthy eating habits and ditching the old unhealthy habits! These are the changes that are going to keep the weight off for good!
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If I go above my target heart rate zone when exercising, do I still burn fat?
The more vigorously you exercise, the more calories you will burn. Exercising above your target heart rate will burn more calories than staying within the target range. However, exercising above your target heart rate range is difficult to sustain over time. It is the equivalent of sprinting. The target heart rate range works to pace your workout so you are working hard but not so hard that you tire quickly.