Weight Loss. It amazes me how much money is spent, how many articles are written, how much misery is inflicted by weight loss. I am not a dietician or personal trainer but I am really good at math. If you want to lose weight it’s a very simple equation: calories-in minus calories-out equals weight loss (or gain). There are a number of ways to go about losing weight, and there are many great products and services to help you accomplish this, but the fact remains that all you need to do is decrease the calories going in and maintain or increase the calories going out.

And before we continue, let’s dispel a popular myth. Sure, metabolism plays a part in weight loss. If you eat more meals per day of less food per meal you can fool your body and burn a bit more. However, this is a non-factor for all intents and purposes. I hear people say that if you reduce your food intake too much or don’t eat enough times per day then your body will go into hibernation mode where your metabolism will slow to a crawl and you will not lose weight. Well how do they think starving people get skinny? Eating too often? If you reduce food intake you lose weight, period. Sure, you might plateau from time to time, but just keep up the pace and it will come off.

1. Find out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight based on your height, age, sex, and current activity level. Once you have that number, reduce your calorie intake by 200 – 300 calories per day and the weight will melt off at 5 – 10 lbs. per month. The calorie counter I use is http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm.
2. Change what you eat. Reduce your carbs and fats and increase your vegetables. This will allow you to eat similar quantities of food but ingest fewer calories. You will need to track the number of calories in everything you eat so use a site like http://caloriecount.about.com/ which has just about anything you could ingest. I use a spreadsheet to track my calories.
3. Increase activity (although it is not mandatory in order to lose weight). If you keep your activity level the same and just reduce calories you will lose weight. However, in the long run it is better to add muscle because just having more muscle burns more calories – even while you are sleeping.
4. Remember that after you lose some weight you need to go back to the calorie calculator because the less you weigh the fewer calories you need to maintain that weight.

If you feel you need some help with reducing calories-in, take a look at Weight Watchers which currently has a 30% off your first month of Monthly Pass coupon. Good luck!

Hoping to start 2012 off with a healthier approach to eating? These are some of this year’s hottest diet trends – maybe one is right for you.

Scientifically Slim
It’s no secret that losing weight can benefit your overall health in a number of ways. This is why many medical clinics, hospitals and research institutions are developing their own plans for healthy eating. Many of these diets are meant to deliver specific results, like lowering cholesterol or combating high blood pressure, but they’ve also proven successful for people who simply want to lose a few pounds in a sensible way. The TLC Diet, the Mayo Clinic Diet and the DASH Diet are a few of the most popular.

Commercial Programs
Companies like Jenny (formerly Jenny Craig), Weight Watchers and Nutrisystem have been around for years, but thanks to some well-timed revamping and a few high profile celebrity endorsements, these commercial weight loss programs are enjoying a resurgence. Most of these plans are meant to be sustained in the long term, with a focus on portion control or calorie counting.

Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free
About 10% of us have some kind of gluten sensitivity, so it’s not shocking that the gluten-free craze has lasted much longer than some experts predicted. Gluten-free or wheat-free eating means cutting out processed carbohydrates, like white bread, rice, pasta and many grains, which often leads to weight loss. There are several gluten-free and wheat-free cookbooks, lifestyle guidebooks and pre-packaged foods to help make the transition easier.

Back to Basics and Real Food
These trends urge consumers to return to their prehistoric roots, choosing only foods that our ancestors would have had access to: meat, fruit, most vegetables and whole grains. Heavily processed foods are seriously restricted or eliminated altogether.

We’ve rounded the winter bend and summertime is in sight. If you’re anything like me then you’re already thinking about bathing suit season. There are plenty of ways to lose those 20 pounds before anyone is the wiser. From Weight Watchers to P90X, there are great programs out there to help you reach your weight-loss goals.  In addition, there are coupons and deals available online for these programs so you don’t need to blow your budget in the process.

Making a game plan for success is essential to reaching your goal. A low-calorie diet and exercise must be key components in your plan and support from a group of friends can prove helpful as well.

1. Diet
   

   A low-calorie diet does not have to mean low-calorie taste. There are many great diet cookbooks available to help you plan your meals and snacks, available on Amazon.  If your budget allows, you can also subscribe to diet plans that provide food, such as Jenny Craig or NutriSystem. There are even programs like The Zone diet where food can be delivered to your door. There are plenty of options to keep your diet healthy and low-calorie, which is the first step to success.

2. Exercise
   
   There are so many options to get more exercise in your life. From a daily walk to joining a gym and working out with a personal trainer, there are endless ways to get healthy through exercise. If you use the Wii, there are exercise programs that are fun to use without you having to leave your living room! Joining a gym and finding classes that suit your interest is also great for focus and motivation.
3. Programs
   
   Programs like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig help you stay on track through their meetings which offer support. They make keeping track of meals and snacks easy and can help you with meal and exercise ideas. These programs are well-planned and researched to help you maximize your time and money toward your weight-loss goals. Coupon Cactus has coupons and deals for most of these programs as well.
4. Plan your reward!
   
   Plan something to look forward to so you stay on task with your goal! Plan a vacation in the summer or buy a great new bathing suit. Treat yourself to something when you reach your milestones and ultimate goal.

After researching and checking out many stores including Amazon, Walgreens, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Drugstore.com, Vitamin Emporium, Vitamin Tree and many others, the results are in…

Since Atkins bars come in many sizes including 1.3 oz, 1.4 oz, and 1.7 oz, we actually figured out the cheapest price per ounce. We multiplied the bar’s size in ounces by the count of bars in the package and then divided it by the price. We used the flavor Chocolate Chip to make sure we were consistent across all stores, and besides, it’s my favorite. After reviewing all the stores it wasn’t even close. GNC destroyed the competition, but you must make sure you take advantage of the GNC coupons. After you click one of our GNC coupons you can search for product number 720070 to find the Atkins Bars we would buy. This is the 12 pack of 1.7 oz bars for $29.88 which works out to $0.68 per ounce, which was the cheapest by far. Then factor in a minimum 10% off coupon and you will be paying $27 a box. I would absolutely recommend maximizing your savings and ordering four boxes to get the 20% off orders over $100 and you will be getting the Atkins bars at $0.40 an ounce. BTW, this doesn’t even include the 7% cash back Coupon Cactus gives you if you’re a Coupon Cactus member. Make sure you show Coupon Cactus some love by clicking our coupons for GNC, signing up for cash back, and using the share buttons below to help other people get the best deal on Atkins Bars from GNC.

If you enjoyed this Personal Shopper Alert you can always save some time and let us do the work for you. Send your Personal Shopper Alert requests to PSA@CouponCactus.com

Happy Shopping!

Affordable, convenient fitness training in the privacy and comfort of your own home. That’s the advantage — and appeal — of Fit Orbit. FitOrbit.com provides online interactive fitness training from professional health and fitness experts. It’s like having a personal fitness coach arrive at your door every time you log onto Fit Orbit. When you sign up for Fit Orbit you don’t have to worry about finding time to run to the gym. No hassle about missing your session because you had to work late on a project or finding a sitter for the kids. With Fit Orbit you can work in a fitness session whenever it’s convenient.

Another advantage of Fit Orbit is that you get the advantages of fitness center training in the privacy of your own home. If you’re just starting to get in shape — and good for you! — you don’t have to worry about looking good at the gym. You can just settle in and concentrate on getting fit without any pressure to compete or compare yourself to other people. On Fit Orbit, you work with a personal trainer to develop individualized workout and meal plans that fit your personal lifestyle and schedule. Your trainer is there to answer your health and fitness questions, monitor your progress and help motivate you to achieve your goals.

Unlike pricey gym memberships, Fit Orbit coupons on Coupon Cactus make taking care of your health affordable. And the 7% cash back Coupon Cactus members receive makes using Fit Orbit doubly affordable. Fit Orbit keeps both your body and your wallet thin!

You’ve probably heard Jay Leno joke about it. Americans are fat and getting fatter. In fact, 67% of American adults are overweight and 34% of us are obese, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Chances are most of us could stand to lose a few pounds, but the word diet makes us groan.

There are so many things to consider these days it can make your mind whirl! What’s healthy? Which foods will improve my health, boost my energy and make me feel better but still help me lose weight? How much should I eat every day? Can I still snack? They say men and women have different dietary needs but what are they? What if I’m diabetic?

What to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, how to cook it — it seems like you need to be a dietician or nutritionist to manage your diet these days. If you find the whole diet merry-go-round frustrating, try Medifast on Coupon Cactus. Medifast’s specialized diet plans and food products take the guesswork out of the diet equation. Try One Week of Medifast Free with a Medifast coupon on Coupon Cactus and find out how easy it is to eat a healthy diet and drop those unnecessary pounds. Coupon Cactus members will also earn 8% cash back.

If you’re serious about losing weight, sign up for Medifast and every week you’ll receive exactly what you need eat to enjoy and maintain a healthy weight loss — without feeling deprived or starved.

I just read an interesting study online. Did you know that fifty percent of the weight that most people pack on is gained during November and December of each year? Taking that into consideration, it should come as no surprise that many people use January 1st as a time to make their weight loss commitments to themselves.

The Weight Watchers Momentum program offers members a fantastic way to loose weight. On this new program, participants are encouraged to consume delicious and healthy foods on a regular basis that are notorious for keeping hunger at bay. Participants are also taught a simple method to monitor their own hunger levels before and after meals so they are easily able to identify the foods that work best for them.

There are two different ways to make Weight Watchers a part of your every day life. You can either choose to go to meetings in your own local area or join Weight Watchers Online. Many people like the face-to-face interaction of the Weight Watchers meetings. Meetings are scheduled at a wide variety of times, so it is easy to find one that meets your busy schedule. Meetings work for both men and women, the weigh-ins are always confidential, and you don’t need to talk if you don’t want to. They are a great way to receive important information and obtain support as your reach your weight loss goals. For those people who are not interested in attending meetings, Weight Watchers Online is a fantastic alternative. You can easily access your plan from your home, office or mobile device and monitor your weight loss to see how your food and activity habits impact your progress. With either program you choose, you will have access to great recipes and fitness and health information any time you need it.

Always stop by Coupon Cactus to see what Weight Watchers coupon codes are available before you sign up for the program. Coupon Cactus members will receive $4.00 Cash Back when they sign up for Weight Watchers via Coupon Cactus. There’s no longer a need to hate your scale. Let Weight Watchers help you keep the cravings at bay so you can reach your weight loss goals.

Love the foods you eat while losing weight. That’s the key that makes the South Beach Diet work for so many people. Instead of asking you to cut out carbs or fats entirely, the South Beach Diet teaches you to change the balance of foods you eat. You learn to choose healthy carbs and healthy fats so you loose weight while improving your everyday diet.

Billed as “a diet for life,” the South Beach Diet was developed by a noted Miami cardiologist who was searching for an eating plan that would help his heart patients lose weight and keep it off. The South Beach Diet became an overnight sensation and is now used by millions to eat right and live a healthier life.

Find out how the South Beach Diet can help you reach your weight-loss goals. Use a South Beach Diet coupon on Coupon Cactus to get your free diet profile before you decide to join the South Beach Diet online community. Just go to SouthBeachDiet.com through Coupon Cactus and enter the amount of weight you want to lose. You’ll receive a free profile showing you how the South Beach Diet and 12 important online tools can help you achieve your weight-loss goal.

Losing weight on the South Beach Diet is easy and delicious. Enjoy five-star meals like seared flank steak, rosemary grilled chicken, spicy seared tuna and more — and snacks and desserts too! That’ll make you smile. Coupon Cactus members earn 22% cash back, another reason to smile.

Time to pay the piper. The last of the holiday fudge is a fading memory. The tin of Christmas cookies holds only crumbs. Time to pay for all that holiday excess. Most folks gain two to five pounds over the holidays and it’s not the “good” fat. New Year’s brings the perennial promise to diet back to your target weight, a promise too seldom fulfilled. This year can be different! This year you can sign up for eDiets on Coupon Cactus and finally lose those extra pounds and keep them off! 

eDiets.com is a free, totally confidential online weight loss community. Committed to helping folks just like you live healthier lives, eDiets’ health experts offer professional advice and information on diets and exercise geared to fit your lifestyle. The experts at eDiets understand that one-size fits all diet programs just don’t work. At eDiets, you get diet and exercise plans designed to help you achieve your personal goals that work with your lifestyle.

eDiets offers more than 22 diet plans including heart health, diabetes, wheat-free, lactose-free, low sodium, low cholesterol and more. Online membership assures private weigh-ins and puts eDiets tools and community support at your fingertips 24/7. eDiets will even ship prepared meals right to your door. eDiets coupons on Coupon Cactus make it easy and affordable. Use eDiets coupons on Coupon Cactus to receive a free diet profile or get a free week of meal delivery with a subscription purchase. Coupon Cactus members receive $20 cash back with a subscription to Deliciously Yours and $6 cash back on other eDiets purchases. Decide to really lose that weight this year. eDiets will help.

Too many choices. According to French contemporary philosopher Alain de Botton, it’s what makes us crazy. When we go to buy shampoo, we’re confronted with a wall of different shampoos. How can we possibly pick the best one?  We can’t Anxiety results.

Now imagine that you’re trying to lose weight. And you’re hungry. You want to eat. You need to eat. But you also want to look good on the beach for your vacation, you want to fit into that dress for the wedding, you want to look as much as possible like your former self for your high school reunion. But at that moment you also want food.

Count points? Are you kidding me? I have to figure out not only what to eat but how many points it counts for and how many points I have left? That just doesn’t work for me. I’ve tried. More than once.

That’s why I like Medifast. It tells you exactly what to eat.  As long as you follow the guidelines, you lose weight. With Medifast, I had results the first week. By the end of the first month, I had lost 9.5 pounds, which is the most I have ever lost on any plan. I felt great; I was never hungry and was able to focus on my personal issues without food always in the mix. My meals were already decided for me, so I had more time and energy to work on my personal growth.

I love ordering a four-week package of 143 Medifast Meals. And with a Medifast coupon on Coupon Cactus, I can get a week of meals free and 8% cash back! This is one choice that’s simple!