Before and After Weight Loss

Weight loss is a multibillion dollar industry and there are many things that an advertiser will do to convince you that their product is worth the money they are charging for it. Truthfully, in most cases many of today’s weight loss products boast exaggerated results. These people are preying on people that are desperate to lose weight and willing to spend their hard earned money on the next empty promise that hits the weight loss market.

Always beware of ads that state that results are not typical. You will also notice that many marketing programs will state that a sensible diet and exercise is recommended. The bottom line is if you eat a sensible diet and exercise regularly, you probably are not going to need the weight loss product that is being marketed. I am not talking about food plans, but many of the supplements and cleanses that are being marketed are not everything they claim to be.

There are 3 basic things that play a major part in losing weight and none of them come in a pill. They are nothing new. This information has been available for years and people that are of a healthy weight have committed these things to their lifestyle.

A sensible food plan is the beginning of losing weight. This can be a high protein low calorie diet that is foods that you purchase at the store. It can be a meal replacement diet that consists of protein shakes and at least one sensible meal per day. Your other choice is a food based plan where you purchase healthy convenience meals, such as those offered through Jenny Craig, Nutrisystems or eDiets.

Moderate exercise is also necessary. You need a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training and stretching. Many people think that if they walk, that is enough. In order to keep lean muscle mass it is necessary to do strength exercises to keep from losing muscle. Strength and stretching become even more important as a person ages.

Managing your emotions in a positive manner is very important to weight loss success. If you eat for reasons other than being hungry, there is a good chance you will have problems with excess pounds. You have got to learn to eat only when you are hungry and to deal with anger, loneliness and stress in a means that does not involve eating.

Before and after pictures can be a great motivator, but you also have to realize that they are just that…pictures and pictures can be altered. Losing weight and being healthy takes work and there really are no shortcuts.

People recovering from bariatric surgery for the treatment of morbid obesity often look forward to a healthy sex life that may have alluded them due poor health associated with obesity or simply the mechanics of sexual activity with a morbidly obese body. Surgeons are frequently asked how soon a patient will be able to enjoy sexual intimacy following bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery, although less invasive than it was 20 years ago, is still considered major abdominal surgery. Most of the commonly performed procedures including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric-banding (lap-band), and gastric sleeve, are done using the advanced laparoscopic method of surgery. Laparoscopic gastric surgeries reduce risk to patients and decrease hospital stays over the traditional open methods of surgery. This improves the rate of recovery from surgery. The minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures are performed by surgeons inserting cameras and instruments through small incision ports in the abdomen. While there is no large wound that requires healing, there is unseen internal bruising that will require time to heal.

Most doctors will advise their patients to avoid sexual activity for the first few weeks following surgery. The physical stress of surgery may rupture sutures or tear incisions and prolong healing. Patients should ask their surgeon when it will be appropriate to engage in sexual activity following surgery. It makes sense to think of sex as form of exercise: If your doctor clears you for physical activity, you are also likely safe for sexual activity.

Women who have recently undergone bariatric surgery are advised to practice a reliable form of birth control, even if they have been unable to conceive in the recent past. Pregnancy during the rapid phase of weight loss is not desired as both the mother and the fetus may suffer nutritional deficiencies. Most bariatric centers advise female patients to wait until weight loss has stabilized before attempting to become pregnant.

Patients are likely to proceed cautiously as they engage in sexual intimacy following major surgery. While focus should be on enjoying the moment with your partner it is wise to be aware of your body and listen to any warning signs it may be sending. Symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, or dizziness are warnings to slow down what you are doing, whether you are a man or woman. The pain may be attributed to angina, which is temporary pain or pressure in the chest when the heart does not get enough oxygen. If that is the case changing positions or taking a moment for rest may be beneficial. Prolonged or acute pain should not be ignored and medical attention should be sought immediately.

Sex is obviously part of an overall healthy life and something most people look forward to as they recover from significant illness, including morbid obesity. As weight is lost it is likely sexual activity and the desire for sexual activity will increase. On a basal level, an active sex life is a statement of good health: it says positive things about your overall level of fitness and your recovery from morbid obesity. It also may be sign of healthy relationships, another good measure of overall health.

Patients should always seek the advice of their doctors regarding sexual health. Sexual issues are important to discuss even if such a discussion tests our comfort level when we bring our concerns to our physician. Keep in mind your doctor is in the business of taking care of your health and that includes your sexual wellness; you cannot surprise your physician by voicing your most personal concerns about your sexual health.

We often say that weight loss surgery is our second chance at living and most would agree that a healthy sex life brings a satisfying component to our ongoing pursuit of health and wellness. Having realistic expectations for recovery is the first step in creating a healthy sex life following weight loss surgery.

Gaining weight is very easy while losing weight is very hard and complicated. To inspire you my dearest readers, I will share to you a weight loss success stories before and after of some of my friends. Their stories will help you get motivated to lose weight and to stay fit and healthy.

REUNITED LOVE OF EMMA

Emma has shown me that having a fat body can really turn around. She made a remarkable transformation from being fat to fit. You just have to bring the proper ingredients then you’ll get the remarkable result. So what are the ingredients by the way? You’ll find the ingredients to one of my friends who experienced weight loss success story before and after.

BEFORE

During her college days, she was pretty and sexy. After graduating, she immediately got married. When she got pregnant, she ate a lot of food. I mean a lot. After the pregnancy, she gained weight. From 143 lbs., she gained 44 lbs. She never noticed her weight gain because she was busy taking care of her daughter. She was happy by that time. One day, their family decided to go to the beach and have fun. They took pictures, swim, and enjoyed the heat of the sun. When they finally got home, Emma viewed their pictures. She was shocked to see her once sexy body turned into a not so sexy body. She deleted the photos. Not only that, her husband suddenly went a bit cold to her. Later on, she found out that her husband was cheating on her. Emma felt very sad and insecured. She wanted her husband back and she wanted her body back so badly.

DURING

Feeling so badly wounded and motivated to lose weight, Emma started to watch her diet. She started by eating small meals frequently, increasing her fibre diet and protein intake, as well as lowering her fat intake. After wards, she also started exercising by doing brisk walking every morning for about 40 minutes per day. She also included aerobics in her routine as a cardio workout. Every week, Emma monitors her weight to check if she lost a pound or so. She became so conscious with herself and she wanted to be fit, healthy and sexy once again. Her motivation was so strong that he made it through all the way. Her very heavy 187 lbs weight became 143 lbs now.

AFTER

After the vigorous exercise and strict diet, Emma achieved her target body. Her strong will to change as well as her great deal of discipline made her body ever sexier. Not only that, her husband noticed her beauty once again and they were reunited once again and much sweeter than ever.

REALIZATIONS

The ingredients in Emma’s weight loss story were having a proper diet plus exercise. But don’t forget the most important ingredient is dedication. A great deal of dedication and perseverance is really needed to attain your goals. That is the largest factor in weight loss. No matter what happens, you have to be strict in following it and never give up. By following those ingredients, maybe, you will be the next one to share your weight loss success stories before and after.

Before and after weight loss you are still the same person. The same dreams, the same desires, the only thing different is that you have much better health and much more energy to do the things you love.

In this article I want to tell you about my fast weight loss secret that can help you to go from where you are right now to where you want to be when you reach your ideal body weight, and once and for all create the body of your dreams.

This secret is really simple. And by the time you finish reading this page you will know exactly what you have to do to start moving toward creating a lean, healthy body that is overflowing with vitality. And once you create this major health goal you will have your own before and after weight loss story that you can share with other people. This is very important, mostly because by spreading our stories that are based on real life experience we can help many people to create irreversible, long term weight loss success.

Anyway, here is my fast weight loss secret: If you want to lose unwanted body fat you have to become aware of the fact that it is almost impossible to lose body fat using a nutrition strategy. What this means is that a low calorie diet, a fad diet, a low fat diet will not produce long term fat loss. Taking diet pills, weight loss pills, or fat burning pills will not help you to burn fat from your fat cells.

If you want to have your own before and after weight loss story, and fast weight loss secret to share with others you will have to do one very important thing.

And this thing is: Move your body! To burn unwanted body fat as an energy source you will have to use physical activity on a daily basis! This is the ultimate fat-burning secret!

Just consume the amount of daily calories that your body can realistically burn, and use simple cardiovascular exercises like fast walking, jogging, bicycling, or anything else that you find enjoyable for long enough to burn the most total amount of calories.

You have to force your body to burn off that unwanted body fat. And this can only be accomplished through aerobic activity and resistance training. There is no way around this fact. Otherwise your body will fight you the whole time of you try to diet off the fat using any kind of nutrition strategy.

My before and after weight loss story can be found on my site. And fast weight loss, by the way, is something that can be accomplished. All you have to do is eat the right food, in the right amount, and use physical activity on a daily basis to help your organism use that “extra-fuel” that has been stored in your fat cells!

Obviously you have to know how to motivate yourself to walk, jog, run or do some other type of aerobic activity on a daily basis. This is something that I cover in my site and also in my fat-burning system.

But in a nutshell, motivation comes from focusing on the vision of your future self, and simultaneously focusing on the present circumstances in your life. And this has to be done all the time, not once a week, and month, or a year!

Ever hear about that sister whose cover picture graced a popular magazine right after she gave birth to her child? This famous personality was portrayed to have lost so much baby weight that in just a month or so, she was as sexy as ever. No one expected this woman to publicly show her weight loss before and after photos by admitting that the photo on the cover had been Photoshopped. Well, she was honest about it. How about those marketing strategies that deliberately Photoshop the weight loss before and after pictures simply to sell their products?

On the Road to Success

No one can be more driven to lose weight than those who see their overweight pictures for the first time and realize that the usual 10 pounds added in pictures have escalated to 40 pounds or even more. What can be more embarrassing when seeing yourself is not how others see you?

The Real Deal

Photoshop aside, are there real weight loss before and after photos that exist? Of course there are. When you enter a certified weight loss program, you are required to have your picture taken before you start. This is to ensure that the real you is recorded and the end results to be compared to after the program has been completed.

Where Should You Begin?

You should start with looking at yourself in front of a full length mirror and really take stock of what you want done to your body. Make an assessment of yourself and make a commitment. Do you look good to yourself, your loved ones, and the strangers? Take a head start and take a picture of yourself. This is the first of your before photo. After that, move on to the next step.

I hate before and after pictures that all the infomercials (and many websites) always show. They are 90% BS! I will walk you through an example as proof at the end of this article.

You have probably seen the infomercial where the girls get measured and then walk into a changing room to try on an under garment and then come back looking thinner and smoother. When they are measured again they have lost a few inches off their waist. While I am not knocking the product itself, as it does appear to smooth everything out a bit, it is the postures in the before and after pictures you need to look closer at.

Almost all the before and after pictures pushing these products show the same things, a lot of the weight loss shown is actually in the models posture.

Ok, here is your little live demonstration to prove this. After reading through this article, stand up, preferably in front of a mirror, and try it for yourself!

Stand up, but totally relax your shoulders and let them fall forward, like someone with poor posture. Note how far your belly is now sticking out. Now, stand up straight – shoulders back.

You just appeared to have lost several inches off your waist!

Look closely at peoples postures in the before and after pictures before you purchase that next great weight-loss product or exercise program. Also be sure to read the fine print, you will usually notice a statement about a proper diet or similar.

A lot of people need the motivation of these exercise programs, but you do not really need any of these exercise weight-loss programs to lose weight. Just take action and do something physical every day, while eating right!

One of the most difficult parts of losing weight is the feeling that you are not really making any progress. Even if the numbers on the scale are dipping, you might not see a visible change when you look into the mirror. That’s why before and after weight loss photos are so useful.

How to Take Before and After Weight Loss Photos

Before you start taking before and after weight loss pictures, you should set up a regular schedule. Taking a snapshot once a month will allow you to see a regular progression in your weight loss.

For before and after photos to be effective, you have to be able to see as much of your body as possible. If you are comfortable taking a picture naked or in your underwear, that’s the most effective way. Otherwise, wear a bikini or bathing suit or tight-fitting clothes like a tank top and biking shorts. If possible, keep your clothing approximately the same for each picture.

Next you want to set up your shot. You want to have as much of your body as possible in the photos, but you want to be close enough to clearly see the changes your weight loss program makes. You might want to take the pictures from the knees up to help you get a closer shot.

If you do not have a friend or family member that you feel comfortable asking to take the pictures for you, use the automatic setting on your camera. If possible, take notes or make a small mark where you stood and where the camera was positioned. This will help you to keep your before and after pictures uniform.

You’ll want to take pictures in two different poses – one from the front, and one in profile. This will make changes in your body shape more apparent.

You might be surprised at how much you’ve changed once you compare pictures of yourself before and after weight loss. When your body shape changes gradually, you become accustomed to how you look in the mirror. But when you view a snapshot from a month before, you can see that losing those pounds really did make a big difference.

People recovering from bariatric surgery for the treatment of morbid obesity often look forward to a healthy sex life that may have alluded them due poor health associated with obesity or simply the mechanics of sexual activity with a morbidly obese body. Surgeons are frequently asked how soon a patient will be able to enjoy sexual intimacy following bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery, although less invasive than it was 20 years ago, is still considered major abdominal surgery. Most of the commonly performed procedures including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric-banding (lap-band), and gastric sleeve, are done using the advanced laparoscopic method of surgery. Laparoscopic gastric surgeries reduce risk to patients and decrease hospital stays over the traditional open methods of surgery. This improves the rate of recovery from surgery. The minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures are performed by surgeons inserting cameras and instruments through small incision ports in the abdomen. While there is no large wound that requires healing, there is unseen internal bruising that will require time to heal.

Most doctors will advise their patients to avoid sexual activity for the first few weeks following surgery. The physical stress of surgery may rupture sutures or tear incisions and prolong healing. Patients should ask their surgeon when it will be appropriate to engage in sexual activity following surgery. It makes sense to think of sex as form of exercise: If your doctor clears you for physical activity, you are also likely safe for sexual activity.

Women who have recently undergone bariatric surgery are advised to practice a reliable form of birth control, even if they have been unable to conceive in the recent past. Pregnancy during the rapid phase of weight loss is not desired as both the mother and the fetus may suffer nutritional deficiencies. Most bariatric centers advise female patients to wait until weight loss has stabilized before attempting to become pregnant.

Patients are likely to proceed cautiously as they engage in sexual intimacy following major surgery. While focus should be on enjoying the moment with your partner it is wise to be aware of your body and listen to any warning signs it may be sending. Symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, or dizziness are warnings to slow down what you are doing, whether you are a man or woman. The pain may be attributed to angina, which is temporary pain or pressure in the chest when the heart does not get enough oxygen. If that is the case changing positions or taking a moment for rest may be beneficial. Prolonged or acute pain should not be ignored and medical attention should be sought immediately.

Sex is obviously part of an overall healthy life and something most people look forward to as they recover from significant illness, including morbid obesity. As weight is lost it is likely sexual activity and the desire for sexual activity will increase. On a basal level, an active sex life is a statement of good health: it says positive things about your overall level of fitness and your recovery from morbid obesity. It also may be sign of healthy relationships, another good measure of overall health.

Patients should always seek the advice of their doctors regarding sexual health. Sexual issues are important to discuss even if such a discussion tests our comfort level when we bring our concerns to our physician. Keep in mind your doctor is in the business of taking care of your health and that includes your sexual wellness; you cannot surprise your physician by voicing your most personal concerns about your sexual health.

We often say that weight loss surgery is our second chance at living and most would agree that a healthy sex life brings a satisfying component to our ongoing pursuit of health and wellness. Having realistic expectations for recovery is the first step in creating a healthy sex life following weight loss surgery.

Almost every weight loss diet, pill, program, juice or drink, or regime will be sold to you with some form of before and after pictures. You see these pictures in newspapers, billboards at the roadside, and any other form of advertising. The question is whether you can really believe them?

In weight-loss clinics and in some gyms you might get to see before and after pictures of weight-loss that you can easily recognize as real people having lost real weight.

These institutions normally display testimonies from their clients on the walls. These are verifiable cases where you can talk to the actual individuals involved. If it is a gym you can often see the people featured in the pictures doing their cardio or attending an aerobics class.

When you find these before and after pictures they can serve as a huge motivational factor for you.

The same can not always be said of the professional before and after pictures that are attached to many advertising campaigns.

The same can also not be said of before and after pictures of celebrities who have lost weight.

The trouble with these before and after pictures of weight-loss is that one never knows whether the person featured in the picture used only the product that is being promoted. One also does not know the exact period of time that it took that person to lose that the amount of weight.

Celebrity weight loss can rarely be taken as the norm and as something that the average person in the street can achieve.

These people have the money and the time to employ professionals and to concentrate several methods on their weight-loss effort.

Next time you want to see before and after weight loss pictures to help you motivate yourself in your own weight-loss efforts, look for the pictures of everyday people. These pictures should also provide you with more information about the person’s weight-loss such as what they did, what they used, and how long it took them to lose the weight

They say a picture tells a thousand words.

When it comes to weight loss, nothing strikes you more than a remarkable before and after transformation. It’s the best way for promoters of weight loss pills and exercise gadgets to sell their products. Its a great advertisement, but the line between reality and trick photography is thin. Granted that the pictures are genuine in most cases, many are surprised to learn that the same person can look like a ‘before’ and ‘after’ in the same day!

You are about to learn some amazing secrets that advertisers use to enhance the effects of these transformations. These strategies will help you to spot the fake ‘quick weight loss’ schemes. The average person is not able to see these nuances, which makes it important to critically review a TV / radio ad before you decide to invest in the product / service.

TRY THIS LITTLE TEST

You can see for yourself how easy it is to make photos even taken on the same day look drastically different. As soon as you wake up go stand in front of the mirror. Stick your tummy out and slump your shoulders.

Click – you have a before picture.

Now after you take a shower and are fully awake, its time for the after photo.

Get in front of the same mirror with your hair neatly combed and stand up straight, tighten your abs, hold your shoulders back, look forward and slightly up and smile. Click, you have an after photo.

Quite a change.

Now throw in a tan and a little dieting with some professional photo work and you will look like a different person.

The following features are common to all ‘before’ photos. The before photo is posed and taken under conditions to make the person look grossly out of shape. Their hair is messed up. Posture is poor with shoulders slumped forward. The light used in the photo washes out any appearance of muscle tone. Most times, the subject intentionally protrudes his / her tummy out. They always have a very unhappy look on their face. The ladies have no makeup on and the gents are usually unshaven. Lastly, it looks like they just woke up.

In the ‘after’ photo, the subject is make to look as appealing as possible, using make-up. Their posture is perfect and it’s usually in some sort of pose. They are tanned and clean shaven. Their hair is neatly styled, and they pose in a manner to accentuate the good points and hide the bad. The background of the photo is such that it makes them look good. The lighting in the photo is perfect and set up to highlight muscle tone. The subjects pose as if they were professional models. Finally, all of them have expressions on their face as if the just won the lottery!

So don’t be fooled by these, and several other marketing techniques. Be an educated consumer, and make decisions based on your judgment, professional advise and sound scientific principles. Remember that the power to create a before’ and ‘after’ picture of yourself lies inside you, not in the pages of some commercial.