If you have been trying to get a better body for a long time, it can be disheartening when you step on the scales to see nothing has changed. There are so many diets and slimming products out there, and it feels like you have tried them all. So what is going wrong?
There are several medical reasons why you are not the shape and size you want to be, so discard these first if they are not ringing true for you. The first is your genetic makeup. Our physical appearance is built into our genes. If your parents and grandparents share a similar shape to you, then you are not likely to change that much. That said, you can improve your muscle tone and physical fitness so keep reading! The second is an underlying condition causing problems that you would know about from other areas of your life. If you are constantly tired and cold, you may have a thyroid problem that could make it more difficult to slim down. If you have any medical conditions consult your GP before attempting to lose weight.
Fitness model pic courtesy of Keith Allison
To bring your weight down to somewhere in the healthy range, you will find the most success by trying a combination of weight loss ideas. If you are not overweight or obese, it is much harder to lose weight, but you can slim down by improving muscle tone. If you increase muscle bulk, you will get heavier and bigger, so don’t panic if this appears to be happening. For a better chance at success than just trying one thing, try a fat burner or diet shake to get you started then move on to combining calorie counting, sleep and activity.
Fat burners: These supplements are designed to increase your metabolism. The best fat burners for women tend to include ingredients to help stabilize your hormones, as well as essential fats. Some people don’t like them because they don’t like feeling warmer, but generally they have been well received. Used in the very short term, they kick start your metabolism to help you see results quicker in the early stages.
Diet shakes: These are complete meals in liquid form containing all the nutrients we need. They can be hard to take, and some people say they feel peculiar on the stomach. These are for short term use, and some can act like a detox.
Calorie counting: Combined with fat checking, reading the labels on your food should become a lifelong habit. Don’t avoid the labels with red bands, but do restrict them as part of a healthy regime.
Sleep: Sleep helps the body heal and works to rid the body of all the rubbish we ate during the day. The closer you can get to 8 hours a night, the more refreshed and revitalized you will feel to tackle the next day and all its physical challenges.
Exercise and activity: Keep your body moving all day by walking to the shops, doing the dusting or ironing while you watch TV, taking an exercise class for muscle tone or a sport, and playing with the kids more. If you are constantly on the go, you will burn more calories. Exercise increases your stamina and fitness levels and improves your circulation.
I’m also excited to see the movie short that is being shown before Big Hero 6 called FEAST. It looks adorable! We’ll be interviewing FEAST Director Patrick Osborne & Producer Kristina Reed (who I met when we interviewed her for her work on 
Look who came to join our family. It’s Echo from the 
Here are some tips on taking care of your own Echo and a printable certificate of adoption. Be sure to get your own copy of Earth to Echo. You can also enter to win one 
