be healthy; be in shape.

Advertisers sometimes claim that you can burn fat while you sleep, or boost your metabolism with some miracle product. You could turn your body into this lean, mean, fat burning machine, is what they say.

Ahh, the day that would be true, without all the other requirements, would be a wonderful day.

It took most people some time to pick up the weight, it would normally take some time to get rid of it again. That is of course if you want a safe method, that doesn’t ask for desperate measures. There is always surgery like liposuction or the chemical diet pills or other radical ways. Then there are crash diets, where people lose weight in a short period of time, but using unhealthy methods.

I know there are ways not only to get in shape, but also to improve your overall health. If I were to get onto a programme to lose weight that put my health in danger, I would think twice if I’d follow that program. But the promise to be in shape and in better health, makes more sense. Let’s see if this is an empty promise, or if it are possible to achieve this.

The logic behind it is very simple. When you body become healthier, it start to function better. The better it function, the easier it gets to get in shape.

‘Being unhealthy, overweight and depressed was becoming intolerable for Richard Addamo. "I tried just about everything to lose weight," Richard recalls. "I was always on the lookout for diet products that would actually deliver results." "I had a lot of weight to lose and this was my number one goal, but my second goal was to improve my health and fitness," he said.

"In the first couple of months I lost 9kg and felt much healthier with more stamina," Richard exclaimed.’1

‘I've lost 9kg of body-fat in 6 weeks 'so-far', and I am feeling really incredible, with so much extra energy - my body & mind feel turbo-charged– I am very excited !

Megan Forde’1

If it is possible to lose weight and to feel great, how is that possible? Here are some pointers to look out for and avoid whenever possible.

Don’t deprive your body. Most of the famous diets of the 1980’s were some kind of depriving diet. Cut out all fats; eat only rabbit-food, which are leafy veggies. Or eat only meat. Or drink only rooibos tea or eat only grapes.

What were these people thinking when they developed these diets? I think a young child with basic schooling would know that your body need a variety of nutrients. Not only do these diets drain your energy, it can also damage your health. Unfortunately, these diets still have some popularity.

Avoid chemical appetite suppressants or metabolism boosters. There might be serious health risks related to appetite suppressants. Read more on Wikipedia at the link below2. Even natural suppressants numb the messages your body send to let you know when and where there are deficiencies of much needed nutrients. If overeating is a problem, rather eat small regular meals. This will keep blood sugar levels more stable and will prevent you from eating the cow.

Remember that natural and safe weight loss is never fast. The closer you get to your target weight, the more this is true. A good indication is to lose between 2.5kg and 5kg per month, depending on where you are right now.

I think what Richard Addamo said above could be the golden rule when you want to lose weight. That is to lose the weight AND be healthy.

In the next couple of weeks, we’ll go into more detail, but for now decide to be healthy. My suggestion and encouragement is to focus on your health and with some fine tuning, the weight will disappear from your body.

Getting in shape isn’t that difficult. Neither is getting healthy. Getting all the tools together to improve your chances of success could be sometimes time consuming and a little daunting. In the next weeks we’ll find some pointers as to where to start searching and what the basics are.

[Note: Richard Addamo and Megan Forde used Herbalife’s nutritional supplements to help them lose the weight. I strongly recommend these products. Find out more about it on Herbalife’s website at www.herbalifeww.com/za. You could contact me to arrange delivery.]

1. http://www.trimbody.com.au/weight-loss-testimonials.html 
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anorectic