It has been a while since my last entry. Over the past month, I've been studying for IT exams, and regrettably that has taken up a great deal of time. Now, this has passed, so I look forward to continuing my weight loss blog, which I hope has helped at least some people who have read it. If all goes well, next week I should resume my weekly entries on topics and that I found to help me with my weight loss. Stay tuned...

A common question I hear being asked, how long does it take for the body to enter fat-burning mode when doing cardio. The common answers floating about are 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, and I have seen 30 minutes be given as the answer. However, technically speaking, all those answers are wrong. Our bodies are always in a state of fat burning (actually, technically speaking we don't even "burn" fat so to speak, what we refer to as fat burning is actually a process called gluconeogenesis, a process which converts one substance, in this case fat, into glucose, the primary and prefered energy source of the body and especially the muscles).
For decades, it was thought by doctors and scientists that our fat stores were generally immobile and static, except in adverse conditions such as aerobic exercise or famine. But in 1935 the biochemist Schoenheimer using radioactive Hydrogen-2 tracers demonstrated our fat stores are highly mobile and dynamic, undergoing constant turnover. This means we are always burning fat, this is good. However, it means much of our carbs and fats we eat are immediately converted to fat, which is bad. This actually made sense to me when I first read this report. Our 50+ trillion cells constantly need energy, and it seemed to me that what we eat could not constantly supply the energy our cells need to function. I've gone as long as 36+ hours without eating, and still survived. But reading the results of Schoenheimer's research, now I see how. What we think of fat burning during cardio, then, is simply an existing ongoing process that becomes accelerated, triggered by biochemical signals produced during extended strenuous activity, such as cardio. Knowing this information, you can "tease" and trick your body to constantly burn off fat, but without feeling hungry, and without depriving yourself. Eat whole grains, lean meats, and raw leafy vegetables during the day; they have low density in calories and will maintain constant blood glucose levels. Right after a workout, you can eat more liberally thanks to elevated metabolism. In fact, that is a common practice of mine; on a day I plan to go out for fun for the evening, I will perform an extended intensive cardio workout so that I may enjoy the evening without worry that I have jeopardized my weight loss. For more such useful tips on ways to lose weight and effective weight loss plans, please check out my sites.

A very common observation, and trap, I have seen many people trying to control their weight be unduly affected by daily changes in their weight. I've been there myself. Step on the scale one day, weight a certain amount. The next day, weight 2 pounds less, or perhaps three pounds more. Then become joyful, or frustrated. Especially when the weight has gone up. It's easy to become real upset, discouraged, and even to the point quitting. Yeah, I have done that too. But when thought about rationally, there is no reason to be concerned. To gain two pounds of fat in a single day, you must consume 7000 calories more than they burnt off - in one day. Now do you really think that you did that, in a single day? Probably not, not if you have been trying to lose weight and careful about your eating habits.
Daily fluctuations are part of the game. It is not unusual for a person's weight to change a couple pounds a day. The overwhelming cause is fluid changes, e.g., water. Drink a lot of water, you will increase weight. Sweat and urinate without drinking a lot of water, your weight will go down. For that reason, it is better to weigh yourself every week. Doing this will show the trend, hopefully a downward trend. Another tip, try and weigh yourself under identical conditions to minimize variations. I always weigh myself on Monday morning, after my morning workout, after I used the restroom. Weighing weekly while trying to do so under consistent conditions, I have an idea if what I am doing is still getting the results I want. It also keeps my focused on the long-term big picture.
For other tips on ways to lose weight and effective weight loss plans, please visit my site.