Putting this all together, we want that center of gravity, throughout the whole lift, to be as close to our base of support, and thus our line of pull, as possible. Check out this video for a deeper discussion.

Here is a nice example of maintaining a straight line of pull, and keeping it as close to the body as possible. There is virtually no outward swing, but just a straight up and down motion.
http://youtu.be/jpXqVba1mFo

From the CDC:

• Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are obese: 35.9% (2009-2010)
• Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are overweight, including obesity: 69.2% (2009-2010)
• Percent of adolescents age 12-19 years who are obese: 18.4% (2009-2010)
• Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.
• The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.

Terms you might want to know:

• Basal Metabolic Rate – the minimum number of calories that your body requires to complete its normal functions, such as breathing, breaking down food, and keeping your heart and brain working.
• Caloric expenditure – the amount of calories you burn while performing a specified activity or the sum total of activities through out the day.
• Caloric deficit – occurs when the number of calories you consume is less than the number of calories you expend each day.

“Toning”

Sorry to say, but fat loss can not be localized. It is impossible to target a certain body part for fat loss.

Also, physical activity, exercise, and fitness all describe different things (See here for more info).

Most fat loss that occurs due to physical activity actually occurs after that physical activity. Something called post exercise oxygen consumption [EPOC] occurs, which essentially means your metabolism is increased for up to 48 hours after exercise.

Combining light to moderate exercise for 30 minutes, 3 times a week with more leisure time activity can change your life. The number of hours you spend sitting each day is great predictor of mortality. In general, you want to lower this number. Here are some tips:

• Park as far away from things as you can.
• Walk your dog more often.
• If you work a desk job, spend 6 minutes up moving around for 54 minutes you’re in a chair.
• Set aside 20 minutes each day to cleaning or straightening up.

More Activities

Think about this: you must expend at least 3500 more calories a week than you consume. This works out to a caloric deficit of about 500 calories per day in order to lose 1 lb of fat per week.

Again, functioning at a caloric deficit literally means our body is consuming itself for energy. This is not generally a good thing, and losing any more than 1-2 lbs per week on average is not healthy.

Also, it’s just not useful to lose more weight than this. Most people want to lose fat, but losing more than 1-2 lbs of weight per week signifies that you are losing water and muscle, neither of which is good.

Only about 10 to 20 percent of individuals who lose weight are able to maintain a long term loss of 5% of their body weight. In other words, this is a war of attrition, so-to-speak.

Two things are important here:

1. Perspective – Realize that there will be short term setbacks, but that the decision to keep moving forward is always in your hands.
2. Discipline – Understand that changing your life requires changing your habits. You will never change your life without first developing self-discipline.

[…] allowing only ordinary ability and opportunity, we may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!! Not transient and fitful effort, but patient, enduring, honest, unremitting and indefatigable work into which the whole heart is put […]
There is no royal road to perfection.
-Frederick Douglass

As social beings, we are easily influenced. We even exert a strong influence over ourselves if that makes sense. Think of the last time your bribed yourself..

Writing your goals down substantiates them to some extent. Telling our friends and families about our goals serves to hold us accountable. No one wants to be asked whether they’re still trying to lose weight while they stuff pizza in their mouth.

Before you write your goals down though, make sure they fit within the SMART model:

• S – Specific
• M – Measurable
• A – Attainable
• R – Realistic
• T – Time

The best approach to accomplishing your goals are to create a master list of the things you’d like to achieve in the next 3 months, i.e. stop drinking soda, eat more vegetables, etc. Once you’ve done this, choose ONE goal/habit a week to address.